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 h87L6D703901; Sun, 7 Sep 2003 17:06:13 -0400 (EDT) Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2003 17:06:13 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <000f01c37580$8622d800$934cdc42@trudy> 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: "Ken Taber" <kentaber@inetgenesis.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9452] Re: reading question X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1106 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 9175 Lines: 241 Debra, It's refreshing to see a change of discussion. There are four levels of communication and when people express their feelings they are reaching the highest level of communication but it can be very exhausting. I too need a break in the discussion. So here are some tips that may or may not help but I am just glad to change the subject. Idea #1- TECHNOLOGY- Do your students have access to computers? Some of the best resources for the high intermediate/ advanced adult ESL classrooms are technology-based. Idea #2- GED PREP- Do your students have their GED? They can actually take the Spanish GED in order to get a diploma but testing rules are different in each state. See if your students are interested in getting their GED and find out your states rules on taking the GED exam. Their may be some hurdles to overcome such as id or registering in advance and having at least 10 people register for the Spanish GED. etc., but they all have solutions if worked out in advanced. You could still prepare them in English but some will feel they can passed the test if it were in Spanish. Although this idea may not be for everyone, it might motivate a small group that really want a high school diploma. Idea #3- THEMATIC UNITS- Use thematic units to guide your lessons, along with various types of media and realia as story starters for discussions and writing assignments. Try to incorporate writing and research into the reading process. Then let students read their own writing aloud to the class unless their too shy and using their own writing and experiences to determine the vocabulary to preview. Idea #4- IDIOMS- Teach and preview idioms and then try to see them use the idiom correctly. This is always a fun activity. Idea #5- READING-Since your students love to read aloud, get as much reading material as possible and continue to use what works. As long as they are enjoying reading, they will make progress. Increase the reading level gradually and when they are ready, go to more silent reading. What instructional reading level are they currently reading aloud? That is the level to begin.. Their independent reading level for silent reading should be easier material than what they are reading aloud. In selecting books, make sure you have both fiction and non-fiction. Boys/Men tend to prefer non-fiction like sports, or news, where Girls/ women tend to like non-fiction. A general rule of thumb is that if a student has 5 or more errors on one page then he is trying to read a book that is too hard for him/her. That is called his frustration level. Try to get them to read inside and outside the classroom as much as possible. The more they read, the better reader they will become.. The 10 best ways to improve reading is read, read, read, read, read, read, read, read, read read. If they're already excited about reading, then they have had some excellent teachers motivating them to read. Ask them how they got to be such excellent readers and who was their teacher. PS- For a step by step approach to reading try the following websites: www.scholastic.com www.readingrockets.org Ken Taber kentaber@inetgenesis.com . ----- Original Message ----- From: "Debra Morris Smith" <dlmsmith@sbcglobal.net> To: "Multiple recipients of list" <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Sent: Sunday, September 07, 2003 3:36 PM 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 > > >
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