Some native speakers tend to apply what they've learned in their country
(subject grammar rules etc) into the English language. I sometime
struggle with the beginning level of ESL in which when writing a simple
sentence they try to translate every word in their language. Teaching
English learners it much easier in which they recognize the rules and
maybe have more experience and practice of what to do when writing a
couple of sentences.  

 

________________________________

From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Melodee Jordan
Sent: Friday, May 16, 2008 1:23 PM
To: englishlanguage at nifl.gov
Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2540] Re: Reading and adult English Learners

 

Hello, 

My classroom experience with the adult reading English language learner
has been clearly similar to what research as proven. I feel there is a
difference in teaching reading to English learners vs. native speakers.
There is a cultural and contextual difference in teaching reading. There
are times when I have to explain "in this country the word means .....
The native speakers are more familiar with environmental surroundings
however, English language learners are in unfamiliar territory and
environment. With each learner, I do feel that the goals are similar.
Maybe to get a better job, read to their children, communicate more
effectively etc. Therefore, I do not agree that teaching reading for
native speakers is simular to that of English learners to a certain
degree.

 

Thanks, 

melodee

englishlanguage-request at nifl.gov wrote:

	Send EnglishLanguage mailing list submissions to
	englishlanguage at nifl.gov
	
	To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
	http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/englishlanguage
	or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
	englishlanguage-request at nifl.gov
	
	You can reach the person managing the list at
	englishlanguage-owner at nifl.gov
	
	When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more
specific
	than "Re: Contents of EnglishLanguage digest..."
	
	
	Today's Topics:
	
	1. [EnglishLanguage 2439] Re: Reading and Adult English
	LanguageLearners (Sledd, Lee)
	2. [EnglishLanguage 2440] Re: literacy for very low literate or
	non-literate learners (janeaddeo at comcast.net)
	3. [EnglishLanguage 2441] Re: ESL Reading - 2 or 3 things we
	know for sure (joe ramos)
	
	
	
----------------------------------------------------------------------
	
	Message: 1
	Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 15:38:33 -0700
	From: "Sledd, Lee" 
	Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2439] Re: Reading and Adult English
	LanguageLearners
	To: "The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List"
	
	Message-ID: <068BC5FD-9309-4906-9AAC-C19FADA86974 at mimectl>
	Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
	
	Phil, 
	
	I second the call for research on pre-literate, or
marginally-literate adults. I have worked with Hmong seniors, Somali
Bantu, a Krio speaker from Sierra Leone, and now have one woman from
Yemen who never learned to read Arabic. All displayed unmistakable
intelligence and ability to learn other things in life- and I remain
convinced they could learn some level of decoding skills with English.
But the fact is, in my current program as well, we lack the staff hours
to devote to these 'special cases'.
	
	My hunch is that by working from environmental sightwords and
other frequently occurring words, and starting with initial consonants,
making their own picture dictionaries- their capacity for rote
memorization could pay off. Unfortunately, I personally haven't seen it
happen- because with learners who can't review their notebooks, regular
one-on-one or small group work is needed. I have to teach a large class,
and most volunteers we get are not trained well enough to do this kind
of work in ESL. I am lucky to get a volunteer weekly- and I am not
complaining- but I have known this particular student for 2 years now
without progress in that area, and I want her to have a fair crack at
the mystery of those letters in front of her each day (as you
described). Standard ESL in a literate group is not the prescription- of
that I'm sure.
	
	Lee Sledd
	Madison Family Literacy, ESL
	Tacoma Community College
	253-571-1887
	
	________________________________
	
	From: Anderson, Philip
	Sent: Mon 5/12/2008 2:23 PM
	To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List
	Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2391] Re: Reading and Adult English
Language Learners
	
	
	
	Heide and everyone,
	
	This is Phil Anderson, from the Florida Department of Education.
I worked in ESOL classes with Haitians, Mexicans and Guatemalans in
central Florida for several years before joining the DOE Office of Adult
Education. I provide technical assistance to adult ESOL programs in the
state. 
	
	I remember hitting so many walls in my first years teaching ESOL
in Belle Glade, Florida. After operating my own English school in Haiti
where my students were highly literate in French and somewhat in the
language of Krey?l, I had a hard time knowing what to do. If I had one
thing I believe helped me not to lose students, it seems to be that I
stuck close to the students' needs and used their needs to build the
projects. During that time, I had a teacher friend who loved teaching
adult students very much, but she was stuck on doing the same thing with
her adult students that she had done with her first graders during the
day. One of her students said something to me once. This proud,
economically successful Haitian lady who had raised her children to
excel in US schools, came to class because she could not read or write
in any language, except her name and social security number. Her
statement was "I have finally learned the ABCs in English and I can say
them and wri
	te them all. But that is all I do every day in class. I don't
know anything about how they go together, and I wish I could learn
that." 
	
	Heide, I would really enjoy hearing what you would suggest in a
situation like this. I can think of some missteps or missed
opportunities long before the student expressed her frustration. The
idea of doing all the alphabet at the same time, and having students
copy and repeat until they can say and write them out of habit, to me,
is a misstep. A missed opportunity would be doing exercises around the
students' needs and wants, incorporating a few key words and sounds that
immediately give the students a chance to get what they want and need.
But I am sure you have more suggestions. How could this have been
avoided? And now that it had reached this point, what could be done to
at least reach the best outcome possible? 
	
	I realize this question may not be central to teaching "reading"
in the mid-stages where the majority of our students are working, but
there seems to be such a lack of awareness among our teachers of some
key proven and familiar methods to work with students like the one I
described on their path toward becoming readers.
	
	CONTACT INFORMATION
	
	Philip Anderson
	
	Adult ESOL Program
	
	Florida Department of Education
	
	Tel (850) 245-9450
	
	
	Please take a few minutes to provide feedback on the quality of
service you received from our staff. The Department of Education values
your feedback as a customer. Commissioner of Education Dr. Eric J. Smith
is committed to continuously assessing and improving the level and
quality of services provided to you. Simply click on the link to the
"DOE Customer Survey." Thank you in advance for completing the survey. 
	
	DOE Customer Survey 
	
	
	________________________________
	
	
	From: Wrigley, Heide [mailto:heide at literacywork.com] 
	Sent: Monday, May 12, 2008 2:18 PM
	To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List
	Cc: Lynda Terrill
	Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2382] Reading and Adult English
Language Learners
	
	Good morning all 
	
	It's 7 am here in Southern New Mexico, it's still nice and cool
and the roses are blooming big time and I should be going out to water
soon (coffee first, though)
	
	I wanted to welcome you to the discussion on ESL Reading and am
hoping that we'll have a lively back and forth as you pose questions,
challenge assumptions, and share your own experience teaching reading to
ESL students - either teaching these skills explicitly and
systematically or just folding reading into your regular curriculum. 
	
	I would like to invite you to tell us a sentence or two about
yourself and your work and your experience before you post your
messages.
	
	Just a bit of background: I'm Heide Spruck Wrigley and my work
revolves around the intersection of research, policy and practice. I've
been involved in several studies on ESL literacy (broader than just
reading) that we can talk about, and this year I'm doing quite a bit of
work around workplace literacy. Most of my work has been with language
minority adults who are relatively new to English but I've also taught
in intensive reading programs at the university level. 
	
	I've been working with the Texas GREAT Centers (professional
development centers) for a number of years, and this year we started a
series of institutes that focus on ESL Reading with a special emphasis
on comprehension skills. So this discussion is an outgrowth of this
work. 
	
	A bit later, I'll write a note about the 2 or 3 things we know
for sure about reading (of any kind, not just reading in another
language so we don't have to get caught up in the "reading wars"). 
	
	But in the meantime, I'd like to invite you to jump in and say a
bit more about who you are and what issues you are grappling with when
it comes to helping your ESL students understand what they read. 
	
	And a special welcome to the Texas teachers who have been
involved in the institutes. I'm hoping you will share your experience
teaching reading and tell us what has worked for you. 
	
	All the best 
	
	Heide
	
	From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Lynda Terrill
	Sent: Monday, May 12, 2008 7:21 AM
	To: englishlanguage at nifl.gov
	Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2374] Discussion on Reading and Adult
EnglishLanguage Learners begins
	
	Dear subscribers,
	
	I am happy to announce that our discussion on reading and adults
learning English as a second language is beginning. Heide Wrigley will
be facilitating this discussion along with Texas practitioners who have
been working on a project related to reading. I look forward to hearing
what they have to share, butI also look forward to hearing many of your
experiences, questions, and answers about this important topic.
	
	Lynda Terrill
	lterrill at cal.org
	
	
	________________________________
	
	Stay in touch when you're away with Windows Live Messenger. IM
anytime you're online. 
	
	
	
	
	------------------------------
	
	Message: 2
	Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 03:58:16 +0000
	From: janeaddeo at comcast.net
	Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2440] Re: literacy for very low
literate or
	non-literate learners
	To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List
	
	Message-ID:
	
<051420080358.7118.482A6358000769CF00001BCE2200750438010A0B0B0E0A020E06@
comcast.net>
	
	Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
	
	Hi all,
	
	My name is Jane Addeo. I teach adult Latinos in the Annapolis,
MD. area in a faith-based program ( The church allows us to use the high
school for night classes) The majority has little or no literacy in
Spanish and app. 3 years of formal education. 
	
	At the beginning level, we usually have a teacher and an
assistant. We do not begin with the alphabet, but rather, provide a lot
of oral practice with gestures, pictures. The oral practice includes
large group, small group, students, teacher and assistant circulating
room. When the students are comfortable with orally producing, for
example, "I am___. I am from____. I live____" etc., we introduce the
writing of the expressions- tracing the letters, connecting the dots of
the letters- if necessary, Cloze exercises etc. At times, it is
necessary to teach some how to hold a pencil/pen. Then, we practice
reading the expressions.
	
	We concentrate on using students' info to personalize the lesson
and to make the lesson relevant to them. 
	
	I recommend A teacher's guide: teaching basic literacy to ESOL
learners (2006) by Marina Spiegal & Helen Sunderland available from
peppercornbooks.com
	
	We avoid rules at this level because most are not familiar with
rules in L1. 
	
	An earlier posting discussed written corrections- we assist the
student with corrections in pencil or black or blue pen- this reduces
stress.
	
	Thanks to Heide and all for your informative comments.
	
	
	
	
	-------------- Original message -------------- 
	From: "Wrigley, Heide" 
	
	> Hi, Darlene and everyone who works with low level learners. 
	> 
	> We worked with the Coalition for Limited English Speaking
Elderly to 
	> develop a curriculum for refugees and immigrants who struggled
with 
	> English and were relatively new to English literacy. 
	> 
	> This may still not be low enough for what your students need
and we'll 
	> talk about the issues that Phil from Florida has also raised -
how to 
	> help non-literate immigrants and refugees break into literacy
without 
	> killing them with the alphabet. The curriculum relies on
hands-on work 
	> with literacy and tries to link ideas from learners' everyday
lives ( 
	> based on a needs assessment) with English language and
literacy skills.) 
	> 
	> 
	> For those of you who work with non-literate learners, what do
you do to 
	> introduce print without killing them with the alphabet?
Environmental 
	> print, anyone - combined perhaps with an introduction to the
rules and 
	> patterns of English print that uses texts from learners' lives
as a 
	> starting point? 
	> 
	> Here's the link for the curriculum 
	> 
	> http://www.clese.org/brightideas_eslcurric.htm 
	> 
	> By the way, there is no copyright on any of these materials,
so Xerox 
	> away 
	> 
	> Let me know if this is helpful 
	> 
	> 
	> Best 
	> 
	> Heide 
	> 
	> -----Original Message----- 
	> From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov 
	> [mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Darlene
Snider 
	> Sent: Monday, May 12, 2008 5:06 PM 
	> To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List 
	> Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2394] Re: Reading and Adult English
Language 
	> Learners 
	> 
	> Heide, 
	> 
	> I am very excited about this discussion. I work with the 
	> level 1 (including pre-lit) and level 2 ESL students at 
	> Walla Walla Community College in Walla Walla Wa. I would 
	> like to gain some insight into how to really address the 
	> needs of the students who enter at the pre-lit reading 
	> level. I feel that these are students who really need 
	> every ounce of expertise i have and I'm looking for some 
	> strategies I can apply in my classroom . 
	> 
	> darlene 
	> 
	> 
	> 
	> On Mon, 12 May 2008 14:17:49 -0400 
	> "Wrigley, Heide" wrote: 
	> > Good morning all 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > It's 7 am here in Southern New Mexico, it's still nice 
	> >and cool and the 
	> > roses are blooming big time and I should be going out to 
	> >water soon 
	> > (coffee first, though) 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > I wanted to welcome you to the discussion on ESL Reading 
	> >and am hoping 
	> > that we'll have a lively back and forth as you pose 
	> >questions, challenge 
	> > assumptions, and share your own experience teaching 
	> >reading to ESL 
	> > students - either teaching these skills explicitly and 
	> >systematically or 
	> > just folding reading into your regular curriculum. 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > I would like to invite you to tell us a sentence or two 
	> >about yourself 
	> > and your work and your experience before you post your 
	> >messages. 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > Just a bit of background: I'm Heide Spruck Wrigley and 
	> >my work revolves 
	> > around the intersection of research, policy and 
	> >practice. I've been 
	> > involved in several studies on ESL literacy (broader 
	> >than just reading) 
	> > that we can talk about, and this year I'm doing quite a 
	> >bit of work 
	> > around workplace literacy. Most of my work has been 
	> >with language 
	> > minority adults who are relatively new to English but 
	> >I've also taught 
	> > in intensive reading programs at the university level. 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > I've been working with the Texas GREAT Centers 
	> >(professional development 
	> > centers) for a number of years, and this year we started 
	> >a series of 
	> > institutes that focus on ESL Reading with a special 
	> >emphasis on 
	> > comprehension skills. So this discussion is an outgrowth 
	> >of this work. 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > A bit later, I'll write a note about the 2 or 3 things 
	> >we know for sure 
	> > about reading (of any kind, not just reading in another 
	> >language so we 
	> > don't have to get caught up in the "reading wars"). 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > But in the meantime, I'd like to invite you to jump in 
	> >and say a bit 
	> > more about who you are and what issues you are 
	> >grappling with when it 
	> > comes to helping your ESL students understand what they 
	> >read. 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > And a special welcome to the Texas teachers who have 
	> >been involved in 
	> > the institutes. I'm hoping you will share your 
	> >experience teaching 
	> > reading and tell us what has worked for you. 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > All the best 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > Heide 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > 
	> >From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov 
	> > [mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of 
	> >Lynda Terrill 
	> > Sent: Monday, May 12, 2008 7:21 AM 
	> > To: englishlanguage at nifl.gov 
	> > Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2374] Discussion on Reading 
	> >and Adult 
	> > EnglishLanguage Learners begins 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > Dear subscribers, 
	> > 
	> > I am happy to announce that our discussion on reading 
	> >and adults 
	> > learning English as a second language is beginning. 
	> > Heide Wrigley will 
	> > be facilitating this discussion along with Texas 
	> >practitioners who have 
	> > been working on a project related to reading. I look 
	> >forward to hearing 
	> > what they have to share, butI also look forward to 
	> >hearing many of your 
	> > experiences, questions, and answers about this important 
	> >topic. 
	> > 
	> > Lynda Terrill 
	> > lterrill at cal.org 
	> > 
	> > 
	> > ________________________________ 
	> > 
	> > Stay in touch when you're away with Windows Live 
	> >Messenger. IM anytime 
	> > you're online. 
	> > 
	> > > fresh_messenger_052008> 
	> > 
	> 
	> 
	> This message has been scanned for SPAM and viruses by
Barracuda Networks 
	> SPAM Firewall 400. 
	> Please call the WWCC Helpdesk @ 509-527-4357 if you have
questions. 
	> ---------------------------------------------------- 
	> National Institute for Literacy 
	> Adult English Language Learners mailing list 
	> EnglishLanguage at nifl.gov 
	> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go
to 
	> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/englishlanguage 
	> Email delivered to heide at literacywork.com 
	> ---------------------------------------------------- 
	> National Institute for Literacy 
	> Adult English Language Learners mailing list 
	> EnglishLanguage at nifl.gov 
	> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go
to 
	> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/englishlanguage 
	> Email delivered to janeaddeo at comcast.net 
	-------------- next part --------------
	An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
	URL:
http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/englishlanguage/attachments/20080514/e1ee5
c7c/attachment-0001.html 
	
	------------------------------
	
	Message: 3
	Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 21:12:36 -0700 (PDT)
	From: joe ramos 
	Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2441] Re: ESL Reading - 2 or 3 things
we
	know for sure
	To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List
	
	Message-ID: <61557.49416.qm at web34301.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
	Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
	
	Hello,
	
	I don't know if this is the right forum for my
	question but I'll try. 
	
	First of all my name is Joe Ramos, I am a graduate
	student working on a MA in Education (Adult Education)
	and a Post Secondary Certificate in Reading at San
	Francisco State University. 
	
	I am currently working on a project or paper that
	deals with motivation or "motivating the unmotivated."
	
	
	The focus is on teaching either high school students,
	post secondary students or adult learning students who
	are involved in a reading or basic English class who
	are unmotivated to learn to read or write on their
	own.
	
	Is any one out there who might have a suggestion of an
	article or two to read?
	
	Or someone who might have experince working with this
	type of student.I would appreciate some feed back as
	my paer is due soon.
	
	Thank you
	
	Joe Ramos
	
	
	--- Glenda Lynn Rose wrote:
	
	> I've found the same thing. If I don't emphasize
	> reading for pleasure by setting time apart for it
	> during the student's study time, it is interpreted
	> as being unimportant, no matter how many times I
	> assert to the contrary. So, I set some time aside
	> to just let the read for themselves.
	> 
	> Barbara Caballero 
	> wrote: Good afternoon, everyone,
	> I?m Barbara Rotolo-Caballero, a part-time ESL
	> instructor at Austin Community College in Texas. My
	> comments are related to my intermediate/advanced
	> level class and this assertion:
	> "4. Reading is an interactive process between the
	> reader, the text, and the writer. The situation in
	> which you read and write and your purposes for doing
	> so play a role as well (think about opening a letter
	> from the INS ? now USCIS - or a note from your
	> ex-spouse)." 
	> 
	> I like to have fun in my class, but reading has
	> often been the least fun. Too often I have inserted
	
	=== message truncated ===

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/englishlanguage/attachments/20080516/ea3eed2d/attachment.html