I tend to wax a bit poetic at this time of the year, but let me begin by thanking all of you for keeping this AELL Discussion List lively and beneficial.  In many ways, the New Year brings magic back into our lives--magic in the form of new potential. 

When I looked at Bill Zimmerman's Web site, I saw a lot of potential for K-12 kids, native speakers and advanced English language learners. I believe there is potential for adult English language learners as well. As a poet, singer and teacher, anything that fosters creativity instead of rote response goes on my good list right away. But this Web site has a lot of print and some fairly intricate instruction sequencing that might be lost on adults who are not computer savvy. It is certainly not something you could recommend to literacy students and I would suggest providing instructional assistance to adult English language learners when they begin to use it. Mr. Zimmerman has many good ideas which can be used to expand self-expression for ELLs. But as with all materials, some adjustments may need to be made.

This brings me back to my larger point, magic doesn't grow on trees or Web sites. It grows inside teachers, students and administrators. Sometimes we are looking for the 'perfect' technique or activity and we fail to honor our own talents. Often, what works in one situation, fails in another. I hope 2007 will not be the year of the 'magic bullet.' I hope we can all continue to investigate, collaborate, and generate new and old methodology for our students and each other. I think we can keep using the AELL Discussion List to offer a bit of magic to others. But while magic disappears, hard work,insight, and systematic evaluation do not.

 

Let's celebrate the magic of :

learning as much from our students as they learn from us;

asking them what they need and working to give it to them;

assessing and reassessing what works and what doesn't;

trusting our own expertise, using it and sharing it.

 

All the best in 2007. Happy New Year! 

 

Sharon McKay ESL Instructor, REEP Arlington, VA

CAELA ESL Specialist

________________________________

From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Bonnita Solberg
Sent: Thursday, December 28, 2006 12:54 PM
To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List
Subject: [EnglishLanguage 907] Re: Bill Zimmerman Launches OnlineEducational Site for Family Literacy, ESOL



	Hello All:  At the beginning of this new year, I want to express my thanks to everyone who is posting on all the lists I receive.  I do not often respond, but be advised that each of you has made a contribution to the teachers in Oakland.  I share pertinent information with each program--ABE, HSS, GED, Career and Technology, ESL.  I also archive postings on my computer for easy reference and future use.  Kudos to all of you!  
	Bonnita Solberg, Oakland Unified School District
	Teacher On Special Assignment
	
	WmZ at aol.com wrote: 

		Dear reader,
		I am the author of a number of books that have been used in family literacy and ESOL programs and currently teach at the College of Mount St. Vincents Institute for Immigrant Concerns in Manhattan and at the Aguilar branch of the New York Public Library.  I have just launched a new educational web site that can be used for family literacy programs and am hoping you will share the notice below with your subscribers.  The site encourages families to create comic strip stories using the characters and story ideas provided; in dong so, they can improve their literacy skills in a fun, friendly manner.  The site is free and without advertising and was created as a public service for educators and stems from my lifelong work in creating resource materials to help people  find their voice.  I would be very appreciative if you could list the announcement.  You are free to make any necessary adjustments to the copy below. 
		Thank you.
		Sincerely,
		Bill Zimmerman
		
		Bill Zimmerman Launches Online Educational Comic Site for Family Literacy and ESOL Programs  –- http://www.makebeliefscomix.com
		
		Dear reader,
		
		I wanted to share with you news of my newest educational project and also ask for your help to make it succeed. 
		
		I’ve just launched a new web site -- http:// www.makebeliefscomix.com -- where children and adults can create their own comic strips.  They can select from 10 fun characters with different moods  -- happy, sad, angry, worried – and write words for  blank talk and thought balloons to make their characters talk and think.  There also are story ideas and prompts to help users create graphic stories.  
		
		The site can be used by educators to teach language, reading and writing skills, and also for students in English-as-a-Second-Language programs to facilitate self-expression and storytelling.  Parents and children can create stories together, print them to create comic books or email them to friends and family.  Others will find the site a resource to be creative, calm down and have fun.
		
		I am hoping that you will share http://www.makebeliefscomix.com  with your colleagues, teachers, students or readers of your publications and resource lists.  Any help you might offer in getting word out about this project is very appreciated.  If you can suggest other people or groups whom I might contact to make them aware of the site please send me their names, email addresses or phone numbers.   Relevant Internet resource sharing groups would be helpful, too. 
		
		As one who learned to read with comic books, I know that creating comic strips can help people tap into their creativity and practice their language and storytelling skills.  The site is free and stems from my lifelong mission to create resources that help people find their voice and express themselves. The concept for makebeliefscomix.com is derived from my earlier books, Make Beliefs and Make Beliefs for Kids of All Ages (which can be found on my other web site: http://www.billztreasurechest.com).  A Make Beliefs interactive feature appeared for 13 years on my syndicated Student Briefing Page for Newsday, and in National Geographic’s World Magazine. 
		
		I hope you like http://www.makebeliefscomix.com and will use it in your work and personal life.  Your feedback is welcome and very helpful.  
		
		With thanks and every good wish,
		
		Bill Zimmerman
		(wmz at aol.com)
		
		
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