Strategies for Teaching Adult ESOL Learners

Strategies for Teaching Adult ESOL Learners CBESOL Doorways Conference, October 15, 2016 Trainer: Lauren Lang (email: [email protected])

Agenda:

1. Lesson Planning Framework: Before, During, After

2. Activities for Before, During, and After:

a. Before:

 pictures  think-pair-share  realia  self-assessment

b. During:

 dialog with diminishing scaffold of support

c. After:

 interview grid  self-assessment  speaking log

3. Questions and Wrap Up

“Prior Knowledge is the foundation of knowledge” ~Dr. Jim Cummins, The University of Toronto

Lauren Evans Lang CBESOL Doorways Conference 2016 2 Think about planning your lessons in 3 parts 1. Before: Preparation for the main lesson  Establish context: Do something hands-on to spark your student’s interest and get them thinking about the topic  Realia- bring in real objects  Act out scenes related to the topic  Pictures- use pictures from the newspaper, magazines, sales fliers, picture dictionaries, or pictures from the internet to introduce the topic  Determine what your students know and want to know  Prior Needs Assessments will inform your planning  Self assessments  Observation of group and pair activities  Brainstorming  Labeling pictures or diagrams  KWL (What you know, want to know, and what you learned)  Interview grids  Build background knowledge- about the content, related culture, vocabulary, and linguistic knowledge to prepare students to be successful  Establish purpose of lesson

2. During: Diminishing level of support throughout the lesson  Provide a scaffold of support so each student can be successful  Move from teacher directed to student controlled  I do: Show students exactly what you want them to do, with few words  We do: provide supported activities for students to practice the new skill  You do: provide independent activities for students to practice

3. After: Find out what students learned, and extend and reinforce learning  What did students learn?  Performance assessments: observe performance in small group/ pair activities  Self assessments  Individual assessments  Tie new knowledge to real life  Authentic homework  Real or virtual field trips  Extend learning and be proactive about retention of content  Review and repeat with variation in future classes

[Type text] [Type text] [Type text] Housing Problems Problem Causes Solutions Who helps? 1.

Do you need to use English when you have these problems? How? Who do you need to communicate with? Which language skills do you need to use? Do you need to speak or write in English? Read or listen and understand in English? Lauren Evans Lang CBESOL Doorways Conference 2016 4 Think- Pair- Share Technique:

Think: Give students a question, problem, picture, or agree/disagree statement to ponder. Students quietly think about it independently (and optionally jot down notes) Pair: Students work in pairs, and share their ideas with each other. Each person prepares to share their partner’s ideas with the whole class.

Share: Back in the whole group, each person shares their partner’s ideas. Or share responses via a classroom response system like polleverywhere, or share in small groups Variations: Given a question, problem, picture or agree/disagree statement to ponder, students will… Think Pair Share  Think about or  Share something about  Verbally or in writing  Free write or yourself  Share in table groups  Write using a graphic  Share your opinion  A few people share orally in a organizer or  Come to a consensus class discussion  Draw your ideas  Explain your reasoning  Share in writing via a class response system or by writing on the whiteboard For lower levels: Develop a routine of think-pair-share with a topic such as “What did you do this weekend?” This will allow students to develop language around this topic and anticipate the question. Provide cue cards as needed with picture clues and basic sentences for possible answers. Benefits:  Students have a real reason for speaking clearly and listening carefully because they need to gather their partner’s information so they can share it with the whole class or their table.

 This is a safe activity for shy or reluctant learners. They practice with a partner before sharing in front of the whole class.

 All students are actively involved, instead of a few as in a whole class discussion.

 All students have time to think about their own ideas before hearing other ideas, and time to think about what they are going to say before they are expected to speak.

 Students are engaged in collaborative learning, developing skills for working with others

Possible topics for Think- Pair- Share:  Before a new theme- What do you know about _____?

 End of class- What did you learn today?

 A difference between your home country and the US [Type text] [Type text] [Type text]  Opinion- such as “Do you think using hands-free cell phones while driving should be banned?”

 Problem Solving: A worker has been touched inappropriately by her boss. What should she do?

 Health topics- home remedies, how to handle stress

 What you do (job, or care for children or relative, or hobby)  Food topics- favorite dinner, favorite recipe, where you like to shop and why

 Something special about your home country

 What makes a good boss?

 Current events (What do you already know about ____, What is your opinion about ____.)

 Your pick for the next president and why Realia

What is Realia? Using real objects that students can touch, manipulate, and maybe even smell and taste in the classroom to make the words more memorable and build a stronger connection between the object and the word. Real objects are the most effective, but a 3-d model, or photograph can be a good substitute

Why use Realia:  It adds fun, interest, and a kinesthetic and sensory quality to lessons, making them more memorable.  Aids simulation of real world interactions  Ties classroom knowledge to it’s real world use Real object 3-d Model Photograph/video Line drawing Concrete Abstract (more sensory information) (less sensory information)

Examples of Realia Use:  Work on making requests by serving coffee/tea or lemonade  Teach comparatives by having a tasting party. “Oranges are sweeter than lemons”  Teach prepositions of place by placing realia in different spots around the room (also great for teaching this, that, those, these)  Use maps to work on asking and giving directions  Bring in photos to talk about family relationships, introducing people, native countries, etc.  Talk about colors and describe patterns and clothing styles by using what you and the students are wearing as examples  Go outside or look out the window to talk about the weather/ seasons  Use sale ads, fliers, receipts to discuss vocabulary of consumerism and civic participation  Have students take photos on their phones relevant to the current theme, and bring to class to use in activities Lauren Evans Lang CBESOL Doorways Conference 2016 6  Have students bring in real objects that represent the important things in their lives  Group Discovery: Bring in a variety of realia around a theme- number the objects, and have students work in small groups to pool their knowledge of the vocabulary for what it is, it’s use, variations, etc.  Name it! Have everyone pick one object, sit in a circle, put the object on the floor in front of them. Have everyone start a beat- for example- slap legs twice, then snap left hand, then snap right hand. With the left snap the student names the object at their feet, on the right snap they name the object at someone else’s feet- which passes the turn.

When to Use Realia:  Before: to find out what students already know, build up their knowledge of concepts and vocabulary, and to generate interest in what you will be learning  During: use as props during dialogs, line dialogs, and other activities  After: Use as props for assessment tasks such as role plays

Before: Self-Assessment Examples

Can Do Self Assessment: This is This is very difficult for difficult for I can usually I can do this me. I can do it me. I can do it I cannot do do this by by myself. with some with lots of this at all myself. help from help from others. others 4 3 2 1 0 1. Tell a neighbor about a housing problem

2. Call my landlord to report a problem

3. Use 2 different strategies to understand or be understood on the phone Adapted from: Holt, D. D., & Van Duzer, C. H. (Eds.) (2000). Assessing success in family literacy and adult ESL. McHenry, IL & Washington, DC: Delta Systems & Center for Applied Linguistics.

Spectrum Self Assessment: Directions: Write an x along the line [Type text] [Type text] [Type text] 1. Call a doctor to make an appointment

2. Describe a problem to a doctor or nurse

Before- During- After Framework Before During After Preparation Support Assess and Extend  Establishing Context Providing a diminishing  Tie new learning to real  Assessing what students know scaffold of support life and what students want to learn  Assess what student’s  Building foundation skills learned to inform future needed for this lesson instruction  Repetition with variation Hands-on activity to Move from teacher Assessment doesn’t have spark interest, controlled to student to look like a test- activate, and build directed observe students in background knowledge communicative activities

Realia I do (model) Role plays Pictures Line drills (structured practice) Pantomime We do Interview grids You do (open ended Information gaps practice)

Fluency- Accuracy Strive to create a balance between accuracy and fluency.

Lauren Evans Lang CBESOL Doorways Conference 2016 8 As much as possible, lessons should be integrated- some grammar/pronunciation/vocabulary taught in the context of meaningful communication.

Accuracy Fluency Structure Focused Meaning Focused

Knowledge about English: Use of language Correct use of Vocabulary, to communicate, Grammar, Pronunciation regardless of accuracy

During: Dialog- Calling about a housing problem

Apartment Manager: Hello? Renter: Hi, I have a problem in apartment 3b. Apartment Manager: What’s the problem? Renter: Water is leaking from my ceiling.

[Type text] [Type text] [Type text] Apartment Manager: I will come fix it tonight. Renter: Okay, thank you. Bye Apartment Manager: Goodbye

Dialog adapted from: Calling the landlord to report a leak dialog: http://www.eslfast.com/robot/topics/apartment/2apartment34.htm Dialogs with audiofiles related to renting an apartment: http://www.eslfast.com/robot/topics/apartment/apartment.htm

Lauren Evans Lang CBESOL Doorways Conference 2016 10 Calling about a Housing Problem: Level 2 Apartment Manager: Hello? Renter: Hi, this is Rosa Garcia. I have a problem in apartment 3b. Apartment Manager: What’s the problem? Renter: Water is leaking from my ceiling Apartment Manager: Is the water flooding your apartment? Renter: No, but the carpet is getting wet. Apartment Manager: When did it start leaking? Renter: It started today. Apartment Manager: I will come fix it tonight. Renter: Okay, thank you. Bye Apartment Manager: Goodbye

Calling about a Housing Problem: Level 3 Apartment Manager: Hello? Renter: Hi, this is Rosa Garcia. I have a problem in apartment 3b. Apartment Manager: What’s the problem? Renter: I think a pipe burst in my ceiling. Apartment Manager: Why do you think that? Renter: The ceiling is wet, and water is dripping onto the floor. Apartment Manager: Is the water flooding your apartment? Renter: No, but the carpet is getting wet. Apartment Manager: When did it start leaking? Renter: It started last night. Apartment Manager: I will have a plumber fix it tonight. Renter: Okay, thank you. Bye Apartment Manager: Goodbye

[Type text] [Type text] [Type text] Dialogs with Preparation, Support, and Extension Prepare: Build context for the dialog: Use pictures, realia (real things), or pantomime to set the scene for where the dialog would take place in the real world, and the purpose of the dialog. Model the dialog: “I do it”  Have students close their eyes and listen as you read the dialog in a natural voice.  Then have students open their eyes and follow along as you read the dialog again.  Comprehension check: Ask students questions about the dialog to make sure they understand the meaning  Read once more, and have students listen to the rhythm, such as the raising and lowering of the voice. Practice the Dialog- Repetition with variation Practice should progress from teacher to student controlled Whole Group: “We do it” • Listen and repeat (line by line- stopping to have students listen and repeat individual words or phrases as needed to help them with pronunciation) • Practice dialog with teacher as Person 1- students are all Person 2 • Switch- students are person 1, teacher is person 2 • Students on one side of the room are person 1, other side person 2- switch • Female students are person 1, male students are person 2 • Revisit ‘listen and repeat’ if students need further pronunciation help with specific words In Pairs: “You do it”  Have students practice the whole dialog in pairs  Substitution- Introduce new vocabulary and have students substitute variations into the dialog. For example, for the sentence ‘I will come fix it tonight’, students substitute other times, (tomorrow, Saturday, next week, etc.) Vary the dialog: Scripted dialogs are often presented in textbooks. It is very helpful to also generate dialogs with students, or brainstorm ways to say it a different way. This ensures the language is within reach of your learners, they feel ownership of it, and you are demonstrating there are several ways to say the same thing- not one perfect way. The chances of students encountering exactly the same language in a real life scenario as in a textbook dialog are very slim. Pick out individual words or phrases from a dialog. Ask students to call out other ways to say them. Write their ideas next to the dialog. Some guiding questions:  What are some other ways we could say this?  How could you say this a different way?  What are some other questions _____ might ask? Provide a level 2 (and level 3) extended dialog for students who are ready. Students who need more practice, would continue to practice the original dialog to work on pronunciation and fluency.

Role Play: Once students are very familiar with the dialog, have students put away the dialog and try to act out the scenario using their own words (and words they remember from the dialog and variations).

Cut Up Dialog: For the next class, type up the dialog and make copies. Cut the dialog in strips of what each person says, and put them in envelopes. Students read the strips and put them in order, then practice the dialog again.

Lauren Evans Lang CBESOL Doorways Conference 2016 12 Tips for Planning Lessons for Adult English Language Learners

1.Have a clear goal of an observable skill you want students to be able to do after the lesson. Think of your lesson plan as your road map of how to get there.

2.Provide an evaluation of the skill you taught. You must evaluate in the same manner in which it was taught and practiced. For example, if you are practicing orally describing symptoms to a doctor during the lesson, assess by having students describe symptoms orally, not in writing.

3.The student activities should contribute in a direct way to their accomplishing the lesson objective.

4.Lessons should move from teacher directed to student controlled.

5.Always start with student needs, interests, and abilities.

When planning, pick and choose activities from resources (texts, web sites, etc.) and adapt to fit the unique needs of YOUR students.

6.Teach all four language skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking)

The four skills go hand in hand- Improvement in one language skill improves the others.

Real communication activities involve multiple language skills.

One lesson may focus on one or two skills, but try for a balance of all four skills over the course of a week or two.

7.Time on task Think about the actual time students are reading, writing, listening, and speaking during each class. The best way to increase time spent practicing language skills is by having students work in pairs and small groups. During whole group instruction, only one person practices at a time. If you have 10 students, then each student practices for 1 minute of every 10 minutes during whole group instruction, while they practice for ~ 5 minutes of every 10 minutes while working in pairs.

[Type text] [Type text] [Type text] 8. Be prepared- Always plan more than you think you will need

9.Think through exactly what you will say when giving directions for an activity, Clear, specific directions will help your class run smoothly

10. Reflect after each lesson. Taking 10 minutes to reflect on what went well, and what didn’t go well is crucial for meeting your student’s needs and developing your teaching skills. Think about: 1. What went well? Why? 2. What did not go as planned? Why? 3. If I had to do it over again, what would I change? 4. What have I learned about my students that I can use in future lesson planning?

Lauren Evans Lang CBESOL Doorways Conference 2016 Household Problems Interview Grid

Name Tell me about a problem at your house. How did you fix the problem?

Lauren Evans Lang CBESOL Doorways Conference 2016 Simple Household Problems Interview Grid How often have you had this problem? Or Have you had this problem? (yes/no)

Lauren Evans Lang CBESOL Doorways Conference 2016 Lauren Evans Lang CBESOL Doorways Conference 2016 Interview Grids Interview Grids… Directions:  can be used with all life skills topics Practice the questions the learners will ask.  are open ended Provide questions or only a cue so learners can  allow learners to work at their own pace formulate their own questions  can be as simple as making a check or as complex Model the activity as writing sentences Learners interview classmates one at a time, collecting  are great for multilevel classes- lower students information ask/answer fewer questions, and/or complete fewer Debrief as a whole class- sharing information and/or rows. creating a class graph Work Schedule Name Hours of Sleep Ask: “Do you work on _?” Sergiy (Monday) Monica Write: Yes or No

NaSandmrae SunNo. MYeson. TuYeses. WeYesd. ThuYesrs. FrYesi. SYeat.

Job Information Grid Personal Planner Future 1.Fill in five spaces with your own plans Name Past Job Present Job Job Tasks Job 2. Walk around the room and invite your classmates go out to Clean Tables Jon Construction Bus Person Waiter dinner, come to a party, play soccer with you, etc. Fill Water 3. Accept or refuse their invitations. If you accept, write it on your planner

Sun. Mon. Tues Wed. Thurs Fri Sat work Morning

church Doctor Afternoon appt Dinner Evening with Carla

Info. Grid in the Community- Shopping Go to a grocery store, find the cheapest price for each item. Next week you Favorite Special Name holiday? When? Customs? Food? will share the info. with your classmates. Prices Grocery Gallon 15 oz can 1 pound 1 dozen Store 1% milk black beans bananas eggs Favorite Holiday

Lauren Evans Lang CBESOL Doorways Conference 2016 Homework: Speaking Log

WHO did you speak Was it easy? Where? to in English? WHAT did you talk about? Difficult?

Lauren Evans Lang CBESOL Doorways Conference 2016