Return-Path: <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id h88Kpo700445; Mon, 8 Sep 2003 16:51:50 -0400 (EDT) Date: Mon, 8 Sep 2003 16:51:50 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <20030908150251.M88920@slc.k12.ut.us> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "kate.diggins" <kate.diggins@slc.k12.ut.us> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9459] Re: reading question X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 X-Mailer: Open WebMail 1.61 20020204 Status: O Content-Length: 9537 Lines: 230 Dear Debbie, I have experimented with various techniques for this level over the years, and I have needed to make fairly explicit lesson plans, because our students are taught in small groups by volunteer tutors. I like to do any or all of the following: 1. Activate reading schemata with a pre-reading activity. The students like to use a picture as a springboard for a quick discussion of the topic, then I direct their attention to the text itself. 2. I ask the tutor to first read the passage aloud while the students listen. If the text is more than a page, or if I think the vocabulary is a little overwhelming, I break the text into chunks, by drawing a line or telling the tutor when to pause. 3. If I see a "teachable moment" in the text (several nouns about...oh...housing for instance, or a group of synonyms), I will have the tutor ask the students if they know the meanings of these words and discuss them as a group. 4. Otherwise, I have the students take a few minutes to read silently and indicate passages they find confusing. I try to take the focus off individual words that the students might not understand, encouraging them to try to figure them out in context. But if an entire sentence stumps them, the group should talk about it and the tutor could paraphrase. 5. I then have the students take turns reading aloud. Students like this if they feel comfortable in the group. That level of comfort comes from mutual respect and a tutor who has been trained in how to give feedback which is solid but not interfering. I usually have the tutor notice patterns of mispronunciation, but say nothing until the student's turn is finished. Then the tutor might say, "Great, Juan. Let's just look again at the word 'situation'." etc... The students like this. 6. Depending on the text and the students, I might then: a. Have the students do a dictation with a portion of the text. My students ADORE dictation. b. Comprehension questions to discuss orally. c. Asking each student to try to paraphrase the passage in his/her own words. d. If there are textual transitions that lend themselves to this activity, I might have a copy of the story cut into pieces by paragraph. The students can reorder the story. This is a useful activity, but, to be honest, my students complain bitterly when I ask them to do it. :) My students are busy adult learners, often holding down two jobs, so many have a hard time with homework. Low-level students like to do Language Experience-type writing in class, but for the level you are asking about, I would assign writing to do at home, then have the tutor work with them on revising the draft at the next class. I might ask them to write about a similar experience they have had, their opinions about an issue mentioned in the story, or I'll ask them to summarize the story. They like to do the latter, although they struggle to take a series of main ideas and create a text that flows. If a writing assignment seems to be engaging to them, I really go crazy, have them make several drafts, then publish the final drafts in out little student newspaper. I hope this offers some useful suggestions. I feel a bit self-conscious. I mean, what sort of expert do I think I am? But there might be a few things you can use. If YOU have any tricks in YOUR bag that you think would be useful to ME, I'd love to hear them. ---------- Original Message ----------- From: "Debra Morris Smith" <dlmsmith@sbcglobal.net> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Sent: Sun, 7 Sep 2003 15:37:21 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9451] reading question > I like Antje's theory that it's the idea of America that unites us; > in fact, that idea makes it possible for a federally sponsored > listserv to permit this kind of civic -- if not always civil -- > disagreement on immigration policy. It's ironic that this > conversation is occurring just at the time President Bush should be > making his determination of the refugee ceiling for FY 2004, a topic > we're probably not allowed to discuss here because that might be > construed as lobbying. > > Since, regardless of our political positions, most of the > subscribers to this list are teachers of English to speakers of > other languages, I'd be grateful for some discussion of reading in > the high intermediate/advanced adult ESL classroom. I'm teaching > this level for the first time after years of college English to > native speakers on the one hand and literacy/beginning ESL on the > other. Like most programs, we don't require our students to buy > books (nor do we give books away), so the students have to read from > classroom sets during class. I would be interested in hearing what > more-experienced teachers at this level have found works best, step > by step. Do you preview vocabulary you think will be difficult, or > let it emerge from the reading process? Do you have the students > read an entire essay silently and then discuss it, or do you read > and discuss paragraph by paragraph? Do you ever have the students > read aloud, and if so, at what point? In what ways do you use essays > as a springboard for writing? What have you tried that did or didn't > work? Since my program is needs-based, I've been discussing the > reading process with my students and have been surprised to find > that they like to read aloud and discuss what they read paragraph by > paragraph. It seems like both neurology and learning styles are relevant > here, but I don't know enough about either to be sure I'd draw > correct theoretical conclusions. > > Although I'm tired of the immigration and English-only conversation and > ready to see topics more directly relevant to my teaching in my > inbox, I appreciate the extent to which those of you posting on > these political issues are willing to risk yourselves by taking a > public position. That kind of openness makes me feel relatively safe > asking my reading question here and affirms the importance of > literacy and free speech to the democratic process. > > Debbie Smith > > -----Original Message----- > From: nifl-esl@nifl.gov [mailto:nifl-esl@nifl.gov]On Behalf Of Antje > Meissner > Sent: Sun, September 07, 2003 1:07 PM > To: Multiple recipients of list > Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9450] RE: Illiteracy > > Tanya, > > but language is often just an excuse. Just as I said, > it often does not help people from other countries to > speak excellent german, beacuse they look different, > that's why in my country immigrants continue to feel > and are excluded. > My point is that language alone does not "unify" > anything. > > Antje > > --- ttweeton <ttweeton@comcast.net> wrote: > > "In Germany, the "uniting" factor of the country is > > the > > > language and the ethnicity" > > > > Precisely Antje.The language in Germany is the > > uniting factor. Ethnicity > > doesn't have to be. > > Tanya > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Antje Meissner" <antjemeissner@yahoo.com> > > To: "Multiple recipients of list" > > <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> > > Sent: Saturday, September 06, 2003 11:01 AM > > Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9442] RE: Illiteracy > > > > > > > Tanya, > > > I like your questions. > > > > > > I came to this country from Germany three years > > ago > > > and worked with immigrants in my country for many > > > years before. In my mind immigrants are a good > > mirror > > > for the "culture" and "idea" of a country, and I > > > learned an interesting thing from the immigrants I > > > work with here and there: > > > > > > . Immigrants often have a > > > hard time feeling at home, because no matter how > > hard > > > they try, if they look differently, dress > > differently, > > > eat differently, even if they speak the language, > > they > > > will never be fully accepted. So many immigrants > > move > > > to Germany to find a job and make some money and > > keep > > > dreaming of returning home to their countries one > > day. > > > > > > When I came here, I was certain immigrants here > > would > > > feel the same way. But the students in my program > > in > > > Tallahassee feel very different: They love > > America, > > > that is, the "idea" of America. For them America > > is > > > not an ethnicity, a language, a place to make some > > > money in, but it is often the promise of a better > > > life, a better future for their children, a hope > > for > > > counting as an individual and not fall prey to > > > dictators, wars, famines etc. Now, a lot of these > > > people work in menial jobs, are exploited, poor > > and > > > struggle, but this is their hope and their reason > > for > > > being here. > > > > > > I believe strongly that the "idea" of what a > > country > > > wants to be can "unify" that country and mankind > > as a > > > whole. A mutual respect for each others struggles, > > a > > > helping hand from those who already have a lot to > > > those are trying to get there, and even though > > "love" > > > sounds like a strong word for a German ( for us > > "like" > > > is about as emotional as we can be, but after > > three > > > years I "americanize" more and more), I think Ken > > has > > > a point. > > > > > > I even believe that this is a lesson Europe has to > > > learn and maybe maybe maybe .... America could > > lead? > > > > > > I hope this makes sense. My written English is > > often > > > not that great. > > > Antje Meissner ------- End of Original Message -------
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Thu Mar 11 2004 - 12:16:25 EST