New
Beginnings
Creating
and Establishing an Adult Literacy Program
English
as a Second Language
Instructional Strategies and Curriculum Development
University
of Texas at San Antonio
ESL Professional Development Center
By far, the greatest
challenge in teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) lies in the
diversity of the learners' lives. They each enter the classroom with
different abilities, educational levels, life experiences, and cultural
backgrounds. A skillful teacher begins with that diversity in mind,
looks for the experiences that learners have in common, and then builds
a bridge from the similar experiences to the different experiences.
By establishing a comfortable and safe learning environment in which
each learner's thoughts, opinions, and experiences are valued, the
teacher lays the groundwork for learners to succeed in real communication
in English, both inside and outside the classroom. The learners are
challenged to grow and improve regardless of their starting point,
and to contribute to others' growth along the way.
This ESL section
of the start-up guide describes activities and strategies that
- help learners
feel comfortable and safe,
- draw from learners'
life experiences, and
- encourage authentic
communication in English.
Language learning
needs to relate to real life. Adult learners usually want to learn
English as quickly as they can because they are busy people. Situations
in their lives, like yours and mine, are always changing and their
ESL class need to keep pace. Having learners mimic or repeat words,
phrases, or sentences that they are not likely to need will be soon
identified as a waste of their time, and they will stop coming to class
or find a different one. When learned information can be put to use
immediately, motivation and attendance go up.
Grammar, as well
as vocabulary, must be learned in context to be meaningful. Therefore,
grammar points are not separated out in the following activities. If
a learner wants or needs help with a particular grammar structure,
the teacher can address it in the context of the activity.
The ultimate
goal is for learners to be able to read, write, speak, and comprehend
English as well as they need to and want to in their lives.
Curriculum
Development Suggestions
We strongly encourage
teachers to develop and to use learner-generated curriculum. When learners
use familiar materials and significant items that pertain to their
lives as learning tools, learning becomes personal and meaningful and
they are better able to take control of the learning process.
Strategies
and Activities for Creating a Learner-Centered Environment
The first task in
establishing a safe and comfortable environment involves getting to
know each other--students and teacher. "Getting to know you" in an
ESL class is an ongoing strategy not a one time event. Here are a few
suggested activities to help you get started with getting to know your
students in a learner-centered environment.
1. Lifeline. Making
a timeline of life events is one way to get acquainted at the start
of a class and to have fun doing it. It can be used for any level classroom.
For the beginning level students, you may want to start with very simple
words, progressing to more advanced vocabulary with higher-level students,
using activities such as the ones listed below.
a. The
teacher begins modeling an introduction of herself by using things
that she has readily available, such as a driver's license, a photo
from her wallet, or her wedding ring. Or the teacher may begin by
drawing or pantomiming words such as, "birth," "graduation," "wedding," "children." For
example, if the teacher is married, she might show a picture of her
husband and her wedding ring and then she may see if anyone else
in the class has those things.
b. Then,
the teacher can start a timeline for herself with her wedding date.
She can start to put vocabulary on the board. She might begin with
words, such as "husband," "wife," or "wedding." Learners (those who
want to--never force interaction) can be encouraged to use that vocabulary
to talk about their wedding date, spouse's name, or where they were
married.
c. After
the teacher demonstrates a few other examples of ways to describe
herself from material in her pocket or purse, the learners, in small
groups--or just one-on-one with the teacher--can introduce themselves
using the things they have at hand and students can create their
own timelines (or maybe posters or collages). The teacher or other
students may provide additional vocabulary when necessary.
This kind of "getting
to know you" sets up the expectation, for the students, that in class,
they will be using real language to communicate about things that matter
to them, interacting with each other in groups, reading and writing,
speaking and listening from the beginning and that they will be taking
control of their own learning. If the class or small group keeps an
ongoing timeline where they add new experiences on a regular basis,
new people can be introduced into the group and will see the things
they have in common with others, in a non-threatening way.
2. Portrait
Within. Invite students to bring pictures of family or friends,
outings, or special events and tell the class about them.
Extension: The teacher (and eventually the learners)
brings in pictures of something going on (like a party, but with them
not in the picture).
a. Divide
the students into small groups and give each group a picture.
b. As
a group, the learners create a story about what is going on in the
picture. Be sure to include who the people are, where they are, and
what they are doing. Then the students share the story about the
picture and the teacher tells the "real" one. At first, this can
be an outline of a story: Eventually, as the class progresses, the
story can be developed into one that the students write down. Learners
can also bring in their own photos, mix them up and exchange them
to write about.
3. Show and
Tell. Have students bring special objects from home to show
and talk about their significance. Once learners begin to feel comfortable
within their learning environment, self-esteem increases, and they
enjoy learning. Using everyday items that learners are familiar with
can help them develop literacy skills they will need for everyday
living.
4. Flea Market. Collect
items from students (or maybe better--pictures or photos of items)
that can be used for a mock auction.
a. Students
(in small groups, of course) work with magazines and sale ads to
get 25-30 items they think would sell at a flea market.
b. Each
group prices and displays their goods.
c. Give
each group a small amount of play money and send them "bargain hunting" to
see who can get the most for their money.
5. Developing
Community Awareness. Loan students an inexpensive Polaroid-type
camera to take pictures of their neighborhoods or other special places
or people.
Extension: Make a map using those pictures as landmarks.
Extension: Take pictures of businesses around the
learning center that are of interest to the learners. Put the pictures
and accompanying descriptions or notations on a bulletin board or in
a notebook for reference.
6. Using
Environmental Print. Magazines, newspapers, sale ads-- any
kind of printed material from the "real world"--are indispensable
to ESL teachers. They can be used in a myriad of way. Here are a
few ideas. Use the pictures to make flash cards, to make bingo cards,
or to illustrate student's writings. Use the text to read and discuss
current events, to find a job or a house, or discuss consumer issues.
7. Your Life
and Mine. A learner-centered classroom means that the learners,
their lives, and their environments provide a never-ending source
of material for activities and discussions. The idea for "Your Life
and Mine" was taken from the book, How to Tape Instant Oral Biographies (Zimmerman,
1999). This activity can be used with multi-level classes where students
who have more proficiency can assist those who are just starting.
The concept is simple.
Each small group
of students is given a different prompt. (We have included some samples
in the resources section of this component or you can create your own.)
Then each student writes in response to his or her prompt. Then each
student shares the prompt and the story with their group. The group
may ask questions or ask for more information. The key to the activity
is that during the sharing, the person to the right of the speaker
takes notes so he or she can write a short biography of the speaker.
Learners get used
to writing about themselves and their lives, but trying to pick and
choose events from another person's story and to accurately write it
up develops a different set of skills.
8. Visual
Journals. Journals are another great way to get learners
writing. There are many creative ways that journaling can be done
in the ESL class. Our favorite is a visual journal. Many students
are timid about writing, especially if they are just learning. Using
familiar items as prompts makes the journal creative and very personal.
For beginning levels,
their "writing" may consist of only a few words or pictures to describe
or write about their particular item. For intermediate and advanced
levels, their writings will consist of more words and sentences as
their acquisition of vocabulary and writing skills increases. Even
the most mundane items like receipts or clothing tags may have interesting
stories behind them. In order to make those stories a part of the class
experience, journaling should be a significant and consistent part
of your teaching. Also you, as the teacher, should be creative, flexible
and make a visual journal along with your students.
To give you an idea
of what visual journals may look like, here are two examples of student-
created journal entries:
Beginning
level couple. A teacher who taught a small group of new
immigrants, with no English proficiency showed her students her visual
journal as one way to introduce herself and to introduce the concept
of journaling to her students on the first day of class. She then
had them start their own visual journals with pictures from magazines.
The next class period some students brought things of their own.
One couple had emigrated from Romania, and they brought in some of
the tools of their trade. They put needles, thread, pieces of cloth
with embroidery on them and the word "tailors" painstakingly copied
into their visual journal.
Low-intermediate
student. A student who had been in class for about six months
took her first vacation in the United States - a trip to New England
in the fall. She brought back leaves and pictures of the trees ablaze
with color, stationery from the hotel, receipts from restaurants,
gas stations, and grocery stores, doodles and notes she made in her
native language while she was traveling and lots of photos. She put
these things in her visual journal as a chronicle of her adventures
along with a little writing using new vocabulary she had learned.
Eventually she was able to write a story about her trip. Until she
could however, the things in her journal were a way for her to show-and-tell
about her vacation.
Some examples of
materials that learners can include as they design and "write" their
visual journals.
| post |
doodles |
color |
labels |
collage |
| cards |
cards |
copies |
ribbon |
ads |
| photos |
stamps |
maps |
letters |
symbol |
| receipts |
lists |
thread |
copies |
music |
| quotes |
post-its |
sketch |
clipping |
letters |
9. Games
to Develop Literacy. Playing any type of game may be valuable,
but we are referring to common board games that you have in your
closet or that you can get easily at a local store or thrift store.
One of our favorites is Taboo by Hasbro. Basically, it involves
describing a word (printed on a card) to your team without using
the five most common descriptive words (also printed on the card.)
Games like this (see the resource list for more) are great for providing
a natural setting for conversation and for practicing new vocabulary
and skills. Allow learners to negotiate their own rules, and even
create their own set of game cards or other game materials. There
are also some great free pen-and-paper games on the Internet.
You will find numerous websites in the resource list.
Conclusion
As you may have noticed,
all of the strategies described above involve students working in small
groups. This is because small group work allows learners an opportunity
to practice more than just academic skills, it lets them practice teamwork,
cooperation, negotiation, being a leader, being a follower, and other
social and workplace skills, while they are learning the kind of language
that goes along with them. It also gives them the opportunity to use
skills they already possess and to make valuable contributions even
when their English is limited. You may have an artist, musician, or
math whiz in your class. Group activities and projects give them a
chance to show what they know. And they may know more than they can
express in English.
There is not enough
space to share all the advice and help that is available for adult
ESL instruction. Here are some closing words of wisdom:
a. Adult
learners need to know why they are doing something. Tell them. Talk
with them about the skills and academics that they are learning by
this group activity or playing that game.
b. Treat
your students like you would any other intelligent adult.
c. They
have vast and varied life experiences that are the foundation for
learning English.
Every learner has
their own reasons for being in class. With the help of some of the
strategies described in this section you can find out what those reasons
are. Start where they are and help them get where they want to be,
allowing them to have input into what and how they will learn.
Resources
There are many ESL
resources at the Texas Center for Adult Literacy and Learning (TCALL)
Clearinghouse, which can be reached on the Internet at http://www-tcall.tamu.edu/ or
by calling 1-800-441-READ (7323).
Sample prompts
for oral biographies and journals
- Name a fad from
your youth.
- What would you
like to sell in a TV commercial?
- What is one convenience
you wouldn't want to do without?
- If you designed
a bumper sticker what would it say?
- What's your favorite
cultural myth folktale or legend?
- If you had the
power to change one law what would it be why?
- If you could
have a dinner conversation with anyone, who would it be?
- If you were a
pair of shoes, what kind and what color of shoe would you be?
- If you were shipwrecked
what one item would you want to have with you?
- If you could
travel to any place in the world, where would you go and why?
- What leisure
time activity do you enjoy most and why?
- What's your favorite
movie and what's your favorite scene in that movie?
Games
- Taboo. (2000).
Hasbro.
- Outburst. (1988).
Hersch and Company.
- Scattergories. (1988).
Milton Bradly Company.
- Clue. (1972).
Parker Brothers.
- "Pencil and
Paper" Games (and other kinds) at New World Games http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Battlefield/1173/ Recommended
games include List, Missing Link, Starts and Ends, and I
Agree.
Internet
Sites for Teachers and Learners
Books
Sark. (1993). Sark's
playbook and journal. Berkeley, CA: Celestial Arts.
Silverstein, S. (1974). Where
the sidewalk ends. New York: HarperCollins.
Silverstein, S. (1981). A
light in the attic. New York: HarperCollins.
Silverstein, S. (1996). Falling
up. New York: HarperCollins.
Zimmerman, W. (1992). Make
beliefs: A gift for your imagination. New York: Bantam Books.
Zimmerman, W. (1999). How
to tape instant oral biographies. Cincinnati, OH: Better Way.
Zimmerman, W. (2000). My
life: An open book. Naperville, IN: Sourcebooks.
References
Auerbach, E. R. (1997). Making
meaning, making change. McHenry, IL: Delta Systems, Inc., and
Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL). Discusses what the participatory
approach to curriculum is and how to get started.
Auerbach, E. (1996). From
the community to the community. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum
Associates, Inc. This is a guidebook for participatory training.
Mendelsohn, D. J.
(1994). Learning to listen. San Diego, CA: Dominie Press,
Inc. Discusses how to use a strategy-based approach. It discusses the
theory behind this approach and gives some sample activities to use.
Nash, A., Cason,
A., Rhum, M., McGrail, L., & Gomez-Sanford, R. (1992). Talking
shop. McHenry, IL: Delta Systems. Inc., and Center for Applied
Linguistics (CAL). A curriculum sourcebook for participatory adult
ESL
Nation, P. (Ed.).
(1994). New ways in teaching vocabulary. Alexandria, VA.
Nation, P. (Ed.).
(1994). Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc..
Alexandria, VA. These books give teachers activities and hands-on materials
for use in the classroom.
Pennington, M. (Ed).
(1995). New ways in teaching grammar.
Weinstein, G. (1999). Learners'
lives as curriculum. McHenry, IL: Delta Systems, Inc., and Center
for Applied Linguistics (CAL). Examples of using what learners say
and write as catalysts for creating thematic units.
Wrigley, H. S., & Guth,
G. (1992). Bringing literacy to LIFE. San Mateo, CA: Aguirre
International. Focuses on "identifying effective and innovative instructional
approaches, methods, and technologies used to provide literacy instruction
for adult English as a Second Language literacy students."
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