Hi, I am looking for a spelling program for ESL students. Any ideas would be helpful. emma

Emma Bourassa
English as a Second or Additional Language/ Teaching English as a Second Language Instructor
ESAL Department
Thompson Rivers University
900 McGill Road. P.O. Box 3010
Kamloops, B.C. V2C 5N3
(250) 371-5895
fax 371-5514
ebourassa at tru.ca


>>> Molly Elkins <melkins at dclibraries.org> 17/12/2007 2:44 pm >>>


Dear Jenny, 

You might find some helpful instruction about the Language Experience Approach (LEA) - which is more or less what you are talking about, by reading about it in “Teaching Adults: A Literacy Resource Book” from Laubach Literacy Action, or from the following websites. You can also just do an online search of Language Experience Approach. There’s a lot out there!
http://literacyconnections.com/InTheirOwnWords.php
http://www.readingmatrix.com/articles/wurr/
http://www.cal.org/caela/esl_resources/digests/LEA.html

Basically, you ask the learner to tell you a story or share something from their own experience.
The tutor writes down exactly what the learner says, using correct spelling and punctuation. 
Ask the learner to suggest a title. 
Read the story back to the learner and ask for any corrections or changes. 
Read each sentence aloud, tracking the words with your finger, then ask the learner to read each sentence after you. 
Ask the learner to read the entire story. 
You can also type it up and make it into a book for the learner to keep.

Variations might include asking the learner to tell something about themselves, their hobbies, their dreams for the future, their past, their family, their job, tell about a photo or picture, tell something they do well, describe someone they know, tell what they like to do in their free time- the possibilities are endless! 

Molly Elkins
Literacy Specialist
Douglas County Libraries
Phillip S. Miller Library
  100 S. Wilcox Street
  Castle Rock CO 80104
  Map
Phone: (303)791-READ 
Email: melkins at dclibraries.org
Web: www.DouglasCountyLibraries.org



From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Jennifer Hubler
Sent: Tuesday, December 11, 2007 1:02 PM
To: EnglishLanguage at nifl.gov
Subject: [EnglishLanguage 1977] reading, writing,conversation and independence

The ideas you’re all sharing are great—I’m learning many ways to improve my instruction.

I am new to this job and subject (3 months). I have a small, fairly new program (one year) with learners in small groups (3-5) with volunteer tutors. They are very dependent on their workbooks and textbooks, and prefer to go lock-step through the lessons. I’m coaching the tutors and students about skipping lessons or segments that are not relevant or appropriate. I want to introduce some creative writing and more conversation. Any ideas about writing that won’t be too intimidating for tutors and students? I made up a story with one student using his vocabulary words. I wrote, he dictated, and we took turns making up sentences. He read it fluently after hearing me read, then reading with me, then practicing once on his own. How do I teach the tutors to do this? And how do we introduce more conversation that is relevant and interesting to folks who have depended exclusively on curriculum texts? I think both need to start with building the tutors’ familiarity, skills and comfort level with the processes and expectations.

Jenny Hubler, Adult Literacy Coordinator

The Women's Center
1723 Hemphill
Fort Worth, TX 76110

817-927-4040 x262
jhubler at womenscenter.info
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