Hello Dottie,
 
I've found that most of my students (and many of my American born
friends) run up huge bills because they don't understand what they're
being charged for. Most phone companies usually have pamphlets on "How
to read my bill" - but they only send those out when you start the
service. Here is ATT's http://www.consumer.att.com/bill/sample.html.
 
FCC also has an online sample bill
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/phonebills/samplePhonebill.html
 
Another resource I've found helpful is MoneyInstructor.com. It has
plenty of materials and lessons you can use to teach money and money
management skills. http://www.moneyinstructor.com/  Some of the
resources are free, the rest you have to pay for, but it's worth the
membership ~$30 a year.
 
Bryan
Center for Applied Linguistics
 
________________________________


From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Dottie
Sent: Sunday, February 03, 2008 2:35 PM
To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List
Subject: [EnglishLanguage 2103] teaching pre-paid phone cards

 

Colleagues -- I need ideas for a lessons on using pre-paid phone cards!

 

Our agency is having a bit of a problem with a few of our adult refugee
clients running up HUGE phone bills.

When we have  their phones installed, we get "local access" only, but
some have managed to get their service changed to include unlimited
services (including international long-distance).  The agency pays the
refugees phone & other utilities for 3 mos., but NOT $700 phone bills!  

 

Most of the refugees use international phone cards to "call home".  Now
the agency bosses want me to cover the issue in our "Basics for the U.
S." classes (money; drinking/driving laws; carseats; 9-1-1; job safety,
etc.).  

 

I've never used phone cards, so I'll need to learn the basics myself,
but I could use some suggestions for teaching.

 

Thanks!

 

Dottie Shattuck

ELT coordinator

Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society

Charlotte, NC

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