Hi again,

In my first e-mail, I realize I didn't address your question(s), i.e.:

"I can make this work for ME by getting them to smile freely and
frequently, practicing the test method, and forgoing the feedback
check. However, I want them to appreciate the language, culture, and
class. That is, I want to make the course work for THEM. So, how often
do I employ pictures and enactments and how often do I employ reading
and writing."

The question of how much time to allot to any one activity cannot be
answered in the absence of a specific learning context. It's like calling a
Chevy dealer and asking how much a car costs.

I would not worry about how much time you allocate to any one activity, but
rather focus on what appears to work best in a given situation.  Your
students are often your best informants!  If your students do well, the
bureaucrats and administrators (driven by their own, often mandated,
agendas) might just fade into the limelight (but not always, unfortunately).

Have a good weekend,

Michael  


Michael A. Gyori, M.A. TESOL
Owner-Teacher
Maui International Language School
Phone 808.205.2101 (U.S.A.)
Fax 808.891.2237 (U.S.A.)
E-mail mgyori at mauilanguage.com
Website www.mauilanguage.com


-----Original Message-----
From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of J. Campbell
Sent: Thursday, April 23, 2009 7:18 AM
To: englishlanguage at nifl.gov
Subject: [EnglishLanguage 4177] Re: EnglishLanguage Digest, Vol 43, Issue 16

I feel lost here. I teach beginners who are tested (ofcourse) before
they are placed in this class. However, my students range from
illiterate (even in their own culture) to the next level up. There are
approximately 15 students composed of adults of different ages,
different cultures, both sexes, and different education levels. They
are given 60 hours to cover the text book and are losely tested for
advancement to the next level.

I can make this work for ME by getting them to smile freely and
frequently, practicing the test method, and forgoing the feedback
check. However, I want them to appreciate the language, culture, and
class. That is, I want to make the course work for THEM. So, how often
do I employ pictures and enactments and how often do I employ reading
and writing.  Half and half is my next attempt but how will one half
of the class feel when 50% of their class is boring for them. I
promise you, they will not be happy, I will pay the price, and they
will be cheated out of 30 hrs of ESL education.

Don't tell me to talk to my coordinator or someone in administration.
I have done that and "the method has been tested" and "it works" I am
told. However, it doesn't yet for me. Any creative suggestions?

On 4/23/09, englishlanguage-request at nifl.gov
<englishlanguage-request at nifl.gov> wrote:

> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific

> than "Re: Contents of EnglishLanguage digest..."

>

>

>

>

> Today's Topics:

>

>    1. [EnglishLanguage 4175] Re: Connect with English

>       (Steinbacher Mikal)

>

>

> ----------------------------------------------------------------------

>

> Message: 1

> Date: Thu, 23 Apr 2009 06:58:09 -0700

> From: "Steinbacher Mikal" <Mikal.Steinbacher at lwtc.edu>

> Subject: [EnglishLanguage 4175] Re: Connect with English

> To: "The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List"

> 	<englishlanguage at nifl.gov>

> Message-ID:

> 	<9664F36261DE32409334B83B21CAEE8E0AAA69AD at LUXOR.campus.lwtc.edu>

> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

>

> Thanks for the great idea.  I've shared your email with the director of

our

> ABED/ESL program so she can share it with the lower level instructors, and

> I'm going to explore the possibility of using it with my intermediate and

> advanced level students.

>

> Mikal Steinbacher

> Instructor, ABE/ESL/English

> Lake Washington Technical College

>

> ________________________________

>

> From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of SEAN GOMEZ

> Sent: Wed 4/22/2009 3:55 PM

> To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List

> Subject: [EnglishLanguage 4173] Re: Connect with English

>

>

>

> This relates to both Crossroads Caf? and Connect With

> English ESL video series - it CAN be used with beginners.

>

> I use Connect With English on a weekly basis with my class

> of ESL students from beginner to advanced.  I focus on

> listening and speaking using the Narrative/Paraphrase

> approach, also called the Focal Skills Movie Technique, as

> described in these two articles:

>

http://effortlessacquisition.blogspot.com/2004/11/focal-skills-movie-techniq
ue.html

> http://www.focalskills.info/articles/Movietechnique.pdf

> It is important to explain to the lower level students

> that they can improve their listening skills by listening

> to your narrative.  This will take some time for them to

> get used to, as they won't be able to understand the

> video's dialogue.  I stream the video onto a big screen

> with the lights off and the audio very loud - this keeps

> everyone engaged, as they can do nothing else in this

> environment.

>

> Each 15-minute episode is in three parts.  I play the

> first part all the way through once, then replay it

> slowly, stopping every few seconds, as I paraphrase the

> dialogue and narrate the scenes for the lower levels.  I

> constantly ask comprehension questions targeted to

> different levels:  for beginners- "Is this Rebecca?" or

> "What color is her dress?"  for advanced-  "What would you

> do in this situation?"  I repeat this for the other two

> parts.

>

> For follow up activities, I usually fast forward through

> the key scenes, asking them what happened.  I'll jot a

> word or phrase down for each scene, until I have a list of

> events in chronological order on the board.  Then we get

> into groups and students refer to these words to retell

> the stories to each other.  Then they try to predict what

> will happen next.  Role plays are another useful activity

> - either recreating a scene or acting out a predicted

> event.

>

> I also bought a copy of the Connect With English

> Conversation Book for many other ideas to use in class:

>

http://www.amazon.com/Connect-English-Conversation-Book-Bk/dp/007292764X/ref
=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240440941&sr=1-1

>

> The students and my volunteers look forward to this lesson

> each week as they are engaged in the story and can't wait

> to find out what happens next.

>

> Sean Sebastian Gomez

> English as a Second Language

> Peninsula College

> Port Angeles, WA

>

>

>

>> On Wed, Apr 22, 2009 at 1:40 PM, Holly Dilatush

>><holly at dilatush.com> wrote:

>>

>>

>>       Mikal, all,

>>       I found it via googling --  and also realized I'd

>>already bookmarked it some time ago for "future

>>reference"

>>       (glad to be reminded of its existence)

>>

>>       http://www.learner.org/resources/series71.html

>><http://www.learner.org/resources/series71.html>

>>

>>       and

>>

>>       http://www.learner.org/catalog/series71.html

>><http://www.learner.org/catalog/series71.html>

>>

>>       *note -- http://www.learner.org/faq/index.html

>><http://www.learner.org/faq/index.html>

>>

>>       I've not used this -- am very curious to learn more

>>about how it's been received by learners -- and

>>facilitators -- and HOW it is used.

>>

>>       Holly

>>

>>

>>       On Wed, Apr 22, 2009 at 10:31 AM, Steinbacher Mikal

>><Mikal.Steinbacher at lwtc.edu> wrote:

>>

>>

>>               I tried connecting with Connect  with English .. using

>>that title, got nowhere.  Is there a website?

>>

>>               Mikal Steinbacher

>>               Instructor, ABE/ESL/English

>>               Lake Washington Technical College

>>

>>               ________________________________

>>

>>               From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of

>>Sean Sebastian Gomez

>>               Sent: Tue 4/21/2009 5:27 PM

>>               To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion

>>List

>>               Subject: [EnglishLanguage 4157] Re: Crossroads Cafe

>>

>>

>>               There seem to be a lot of great ideas using Crossroads

>>Cafe with ESL Classes.  How about Connect with English,

>>which can be streamed for free from the Web?

>>

>>               Sean Sebastian Gomez

>>               English as a Second Language

>>               Peninsula College

>>               Port Angeles, WA

>>

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-- 
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