Canadian Language Basics SAE 8:30-9:30 Saturday, October 29, 2011
Slide 1 Welcome to our presentation of Canadian Language Basics, a series of three books written for LINC 2 students and teachers.
Slide 2 Heather and I met in 1999 and found that we were sharing the same challenges teaching basic students. We both liked teaching by theme (family, transportation, job search) and there wasn’t one textbook for our level that addressed all of the areas necessary for learning English (reading, writing, speaking and listening).
Like many other teachers we were busily developing our own thematic units following the curriculum guidelines.
How do you start putting together a unit? You choose a theme and collect your resources. We were fortunate to have many excellent books in our schools. So, we collected the books suitable for our level and started pulling material from them for the theme we wished to teach that matched our students’ needs. We were looking for suitable vocabulary, conversation questions, reading, writing, listening, speaking, and grammar activities, pronunciation exercises and games. Slide 3 This is me and every other ESL teacher at a dining room table surrounded by choices.
Slide 4 I am Heather Davis. I have been a teacher since I graduated from university. First, I taught English and Guidance from Grade 8 to 13. Then I certified in adult education and spent a number of years teaching credit courses in English and Guidance. Twelve years ago I qualified as an ESL teacher and I have been teaching all levels from pre-LINC to level 8.
And this is Lucy Sanford
1 Slide 5 I am also a career teacher. After graduating from university and teacher’s college I taught elementary school in Scarborough for 25 years. During this time I qualified as an ESL teacher. I started writing my own material as there was very little available.
In 1999 I was hired by the Durham District School Board to open a pre- LINC class for adults.
Over the last ten years I’ve specialized in the basic levels, preLINC to level three.
Between the two of us we have experience teaching from kindergarten to ELT.
When I tell people I teach basic ESL their first question is, “How many languages do you speak?” ”One.” People look amazed and ask me how I can possibly do that.
Slide 6The answer is, pictures, pictures and more pictures. That’s why Heather and I love the OPD. The students love the OPD. The OPD is our common language.
Slide 7 We have written three books for new and experienced teachers to accompany the OPD. The books have communicative, thematic lesson plans with photocopiable student pages that follow the LINC 2 curriculum guidelines and the Canadian Language Benchmarks.
Book A begins in the fall as students enter the program. There are 11 thematic units each approximately 12.5 hours in length which include the LINC requirements. The units are to be used sequentially as each unit builds on previously taught grammar and vocabulary. This book is centered in Ontario and invites you to join a newly immigrated Russian family as they learn about Canadian schools and education, fall sights and celebrations as well as the basics of family, clothing and healthy living.
2 Unit 12 is a geography unit introducing Canada with the emphasis on Central Canada. It can be used as a one week unit or broken into sections to be used throughout the semester.
Book B begins in the winter and introduces a young couple from Colombia who is expecting their first child. They have moved to Brandon, Manitoba. With them the students learn to make appointments, take care of their health, become familiar with Canadian law and feel more comfortable using the post office, bank and library as well as public transportation. This book has 11 thematic units again working sequentially through the LINC 2 requirements for possible promotion at the end of the units.
Unit 12 is a geography unit full of activities about the prairies and the Arctic.
Book C introduces us to Canadian spring/summer through a family from China living in Vancouver. Within the unit students study the environment, occupations and the job search as well as learn about and make leisure and vacation plans. This book has 11 thematic units again working sequentially through the LINC 2 requirements for possible promotion at the end of the units.
Unit 12 is a geography unit focusing on Western Canada and Eastern Canada.
Slide 8 Today we are going to look at Unit 6 of book A, Daily Routines and Life Events.
Please look at the table of contents on page 162. At a glance the teacher can see what is covered in a week and the techniques that are used.
On the left you see the skills covered (conversation, spelling, grammar and so on). Each of the five columns represents one potential day. At the top of the column are the OPD pages to use as reference for that day. The icons tell which pages can be photocopied. Don’t be taken aback by seeing 10 icons on day one. Often one photocopiable worksheet is listed multiple times as it covers several skills. For example on the first day, 6D is listed under conversation, reading and life skills.
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On page 163 there are often ideas for the unit preparation if applicable, (such as guest speakers, field trips, audio and video materials, pictures), unit objectives, the CLBs covered in this unit plus journal writing and computer lab suggestions.
Please turn to page 164 of the daily routines and life skills unit. You will see that the dictionary pages are listed at the top.
Under preparation, teachers know exactly what needs to be prepared for that day, so there are no surprises. Today teachers are to make cards for each student and bring in sample invitations.
Slide 9 Every day begins with a warm-up activity, which is either a review of the previous day’s work or an introduction to the day’s vocabulary. As this is the first day of a new unit, today’s warm-up is a formal introduction to daily routines (look at OPD page 38) It is also a review of the present continuous tense.
Slide 10 You will see that worksheet 6A has the students using the target vocabulary with the grammar being taught. As you know some students finish quickly, so there are often suggestions for them in the teacher’s notes.
Slide 11 Return to page 164 and you will see there is a conversation exercise. Every day has conversation questions that the teacher can use as he/she wishes. She can use all or some of them depending on the class. All of the questions do not need to be covered in depth. They are only there for guidance and to get the students talking. The instructions to the teacher on how to use worksheet 6D are detailed and clear. The students have fun role playing Tatiana bringing home her invitation. If you look at worksheet 6E you’ll see a survey that keeps your class active, interested and talking.
4 Slide 12 Look at page 171, there are more conversation questions to begin the next day. The questions review the vocabulary taught the day before and prepare the students for the grammar lesson on 6G.
The students practice what they’ve learned in a partner exercise on worksheets 6H and I. (Do this activity as a group.)
Most days end with a game or an activity. Worksheet 6J
Slide 13 We can quickly go through the rest of the unit. In Lesson 3 the students are introduced to page 40 in the OPD by becoming involved answering questions and telling about their own experiences. There is a spelling exercise 6K, grammar 6L and M, a listening activity 6N. We suggest the students listen to the passage 3x and complete the exercise. This is followed by Canadian culture and life skills practice on 6O.
Slide 14 The warm up activity for lesson 4 is to have students draw a card and talk to their partner about what the person in the picture is doing. This of course reviews the vocabulary and grammar taught.
Slide 15 Do 6T as a group.
Slide 16 In Lesson 5 you will find information about Sir John A. MacDonald. Canadiana has been incorporated into the books whenever possible.
We get students with a variety of abilities. Some can read at a LINC 4 level but speak at a level 2, while others speak at a level 4 and read and write at level 2. Others are level 2 across the board. We have met the needs of all of these students in one way or another during the day.
Slide 17 To recap – our books are unique.
5 Slide 18 They are Canadian.
Slide 19 We get positive feedback.
Slide 20 We are really excited about these books. We have put three years of our lives into them and we have used all of the material with our own students. The books work. The students are delighted to have the study pages, they love all the interactive activities, and they love learning about their new country. As you can see from the comments, feedback from the students and other teachers has been positive and encouraging. We like our books and we think you will too.
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