Thank, you, Glenda Lynn, for brining up this list's very recent and
active discussions on the topic of using children's books with adult
English language learners. For those of you who missed the original
discussions, there are many postings on the topic and they can be found
on the archives and sorted by threads. One thread  that was carried on
in January of this year on this topic  was titled "quantifying student
interest in material ."  You can read those postings at
http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/englishlanguage/2009/thread.html#3361.
 
The most discussion on this topic, however, was in December 2008,  and
there were several subject ines for the discussion  including "
Children's literature... motivation..,".
or "I don't understand the current thinking behind teaching reading to
adults," or  "using children's books., to name the most prevalent
subject lines. If you are interested in that robust discussion,  I
recommend reading the postings for the month of December, 2008,
http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/englishlanguage/2008/date.html

Miriam
**********
Miriam Burt
moderator, Adult English Language Learners discussion list
mburt at cal.rog
 

 

________________________________

	From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Glenda Lynn Rose
	Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 12:13 PM
	To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List
	Subject: [EnglishLanguage 3929] Re:
NewSubject:Pre-GEDSoftwareand/orCurriculum Lesson Plans
	
	
This discussion has come up before and we are very polarized on the
subject.  There is much research showing that using children's books can
be effective (Cho & Krashen, 1994; Lateigne & Schwarzer 1997; Mundy and
Hadaway, 1999).  I think caution is merited, however, because it
requires some skill to teach adults using children's book at an adult
interaction level (ie., not treating the adults like children).  
 
I occasionally use children's books in group, especially since our
program is family-literacy focused.  In addition, we have a wide range
library, a good part of which are leveled-readers or children's books.
Students freely choose which books (if any) they want to borrow.  It
appears to me that those with young children tend to borrow the
children's books and those without borrow bilingual books (for adults or
children).   

In short, if you are against using children's literature, or have used
it and did not find it useful, then don't use it.    If you are in a
family literacy program, you really should consider it.  If you have
little experience with children's literature, I think it would be wise
to find a course or an experienced teacher to observe to learn how to do
so effectively.  
 
Personally, I think many of the "adult" ESL texts are more insulting
than the children's books.  But that's another topic.
 
 
Grace and Peace!
Glenda Lynn Rose, PhD

ESL Instructor, 
Austin Learning Academy
841-4777
 


--- On Sun, 2/22/09, robinschwarz1 at aol.com <robinschwarz1 at aol.com>
wrote:


	From: robinschwarz1 at aol.com <robinschwarz1 at aol.com>
	Subject: [EnglishLanguage 3924] Re: New
Subject:Pre-GEDSoftwareand/orCurriculum Lesson Plans
	To: englishlanguage at nifl.gov
	Date: Sunday, February 22, 2009, 5:17 PM
	
	
	I would like to second Bonnie's caution about using children's
resources with adults.  Sometimes it is necessary --for example, in the
program where I work,  we have a lot of adults with no prior literacy
and we use phonics, motor skill and other materials to build basic
skills that are not generally produced for adults.   However, children's
books are another matter.   The grammar and vocabulary of children's
books are not controlled with language learners in mind.  Generally
speaking, these books are loaded with cultural inuendo, idioms and other
linguistic challenges that make them inaccessible to those not very
proficient in English.   (And remember that to read an average
children's book at 2nd grade level, it requires knowledge of nearly 250
high-frequency, or sight, words. These words are encountered as children
begin to read and are read to.  Many of these words are not i n the
normal progression of English acquisiton for those who are learning it
as a second or other language. )
	
	Some teachers report that their adult students "Love" certain
children's books-- and I am sure that if they are well presented, the
adults DO love them. I am deeply skeptical, however, about how much
actual English is learned or whether the adults privately feel that they
need to learn from such books.   Cultural attitudes plus adult attitudes
are easy to overlook when the learners in question cannot object
articulately.   Moreover, as the contributors to this list have
frequently noted, there are LOTS of good materials at beginning ESL
levels for adult English learners.   
	Robin Lovrien Schwarz 
	


	-----Original Message-----
	From: Moore, Bonnie P. <Bonnie.Moore at fcps.edu>
	To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List
<englishlanguage at nifl.gov>
	Sent: Sat, 21 Feb 2009 2:51 am
	Subject: [EnglishLanguage 3922] Re: New
Subject:Pre-GEDSoftwareand/orCurriculum Lesson Plans
	
	
	I would recommend exercising caution in using children's
resources to instruct 
	
	adults. Too often, adults with limited English proficiency are
not treated like 
	
	the intelligent adults that they are. Although the resources
available in adult 
	
	ed pale by comparison with the plethora of materials available
for children, 
	
	there still is a strong and growing body of materials available
to us -- 
	
	including, as Hazel has mentioned, the realia that are available
and useful to 
	
	adults in navigating their complex lives in a new culture.
	
	 
	
	An aside to Salman Saeed: Please contact me directly (email
address below) for 
	
	help connecting to local resources in the Falls Church area that
can help you. 
	
	Bonnie Moore
	
	 
	
	Bonita M. Moore, Ph.D.
	
	Director, Adult and Community Education
	
	Fairfax County Public Schools
	
	bonnie.moore at fcps.edu 
	
	www.fcps.edu/aceclasses 
	
	A World of Learning at Your Doorstep!
	
	
	
	________________________________
	
	
	
	From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Robinson,
Hazel
	
	Sent: Fri 2/20/2009 12:30 PM
	
	To: awayman1 at kirksville.k12.mo.us; The Adult English Language
Learners 
	
	Discussion List
	
	Subject: [EnglishLanguage 3921] Re: New
Subject:Pre-GEDSoftwareand/orCurriculum 
	
	Lesson Plans
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	When I have taught Beginning Literacy, I have used basic reading
books
	
	of my children that I had saved. My students did well with these
simple,
	
	colorful story books. I have also used the children basic
writing books
	
	with writing simple words in the beginning, then adding to words
and
	
	eventually writing sentences. Picture Dictionaries are wonderful
to use.
	
	Usually information that contains a picture is helpful. You can
use
	
	catalogues, magazines with pictures and add your own words,
and/or short
	
	sentences to help your students.  Good luck.
	
	
	
	Hazel Robinson
	
	Austin ISD/Austin Community College
	
	Adult Basic Education/ESL Program
	
	
	
	512-972-5055
	
	
	
	-----Original Message-----
	
	From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov
	
	[mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov
<mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov?> ] On Behalf Of
	
	awayman1 at kirksville.k12.mo.us
	
	Sent: Friday, February 20, 2009 9:53 AM
	
	To: englishlanguage at nifl.gov
	
	Subject: [EnglishLanguage 3920] Re: New Subject:
	
	Pre-GEDSoftwareand/orCurriculum Lesson Plans
	
	
	
	With adult students who have little or no English vocabulary, I
use the
	
	Oxford Picture Dictionary (available in monolingual (English
	
	only) or 13 bilingual editions) and accompanying materials.
There are 3
	
	levels of workbooks, readers, audio program (tape or CD), lesson
plans,
	
	classroom activities, assessment, and Professional development
pieces
	
	available for the newly revised edition.  I have not seem all of
the
	
	pieces, but I do use the picture dictionary and the workbooks
from the
	
	older version.  Their website is www.oup.com
<http://www.oup.com/>  I have no connection with
	
	the company, but I have found this helpful.
	
	One caution: a few times I have found a British rather than
American
	
	slant to some language.
	
	
	
	---- Original Message ----
	
	From: Salman.Saeed at fcps.edu
	
	To: englishlanguage at nifl.gov
	
	Subject: [EnglishLanguage 3919] Re: New Subject: Pre-GED
	
	Softwareand/orCurriculum Lesson Plans
	
	Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2009 10:10:30 -0500
	
	
	
	>Hi Laura,
	
	>
	
	>I am an ESOL teacher at Transitional Program where students are
	
	>non-native adults have no or very little English.  Students are
	
	>refugees from different parts of the world.   I am looking for
some
	
	>reseaches or strategies in teaching adults non-native speakers
academic
	
	
	
	>English in order to qualify them to go to the main stream
schools, and
	
	>complete their high school diploma.
	
	>
	
	>Thanks for your help,
	
	>
	
	>Salman Saeed
	
	>Falls Church Transitional HS
	
	>(703)573-2064
	
	>
	
	>________________________________
	
	>
	
	>From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Grulich,
Laura
	
	>Sent: Thu 2/19/2009 4:17 PM
	
	>To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List
	
	>Subject: [EnglishLanguage 3918] Re: New Subject: Pre-GED
Software
	
	>and/orCurriculum Lesson Plans
	
	>
	
	>
	
	>
	
	>Sorry to interrupt this important thread but, I need your
help---
	
	>
	
	>A literacy CBO program I am working with is looking into
instituting a
	
	>Pre-GED Class for their adult participants in the near future.
They are
	
	
	
	>looking for relevant Software and/or Curriculum Lesson Plans
(available
	
	
	
	>for free). If you have either of these or know of a source,
please
	
	>contact me so that I can pass it on to them.
	
	>
	
	>Many thanks!
	
	>
	
	>Laura
	
	>
	
	>Laura Grulich
	
	>
	
	>T: 212/788-9237
	
	>
	
	>E: lgrulich at dycd.nyc.gov
	
	>
	
	>
	
	>
	
	>________________________________
	
	>
	
	>From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov
	
	>[mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov
<mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov?> ] On Behalf Of Amber Gallup
	
	>Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 10:04 AM
	
	>To: englishlanguage at nifl.gov
	
	>Subject: [EnglishLanguage 3913] Thursday Notes from OVAE
attached
	
	>
	
	>
	
	>
	
	>Hello everyone -
	
	>
	
	>
	
	>
	
	>Attached you will find this week's Thursday Notes from OVAE.
Of
	
	>particular interest in this issue are remarks by the new
Secretary of
	
	>Education, Arne Duncan, regarding the role he expects the
Department of
	
	
	
	>Education to play in the new administration.
	
	>
	
	>
	
	>
	
	>Amber
	
	>
	
	>
	
	>
	
	>Amber Gallup
	
	>
	
	>Adult ESL Specialist
	
	>
	
	>Center for Applied Linguistics
	
	>
	
	>Washington, DC
	
	>
	
	>(202) 362-0700  ext. 597
	
	>agallup at cal.org
	
	>
	
	>
	
	>
	
	>
	
	>
	
	>*********************************************************
	
	>Kirksville R-III School Dist. Mail System
	
	>
	
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	>All other use is forbidden. All contents of this system
including email
	
	
	
	>messages will remain the property of the Kirksville R-III
School
	
	>District. All users of this email system should consider its
content
	
	>public records. The Kirksville R-III School District reserves
the right
	
	
	
	>to monitor all users of this system.
	
	>
	
	>E-Mail processed by Kaspersky Anti-Virus Filter.
	
	>*********************************************************
	
	>
	
	
	
	Annell Wayman, Director
	
	Kirksville Program
	
	Adult Education and Literacy
	
	1103 S. Cottage Grove
	
	Kirksville, MO   63501
	
	(660) 665-2865-phone
	
	(660) 626-1477-fax
	
	awayman1 at kirksville.k12.mo.us
	
	
	
	
	
	*********************************************************
	
	Kirksville R-III School Dist. Mail System
	
	
	
	This mail system is for educational use only.
	
	All other use is forbidden. All contents of this system
including email
	
	messages will remain the property of the Kirksville R-III School
	
	District. All users of this email system should consider its
content
	
	public records. The Kirksville R-III School District reserves
the right
	
	to monitor all users of this system.
	
	
	
	E-Mail processed by Kaspersky Anti-Virus Filter.
	
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