Assisting EAL Literacy Learners
Access English Centre
EAL Volunteer Workshop
Immigrant Centre of Manitoba
October 28 and 31, 2015
Presenter: Rachael Fecyk-Lamb
[email protected]
1
Agenda
• Who are EAL Literacy Learners?
• Class Routines
• Teaching in Themes
2
Who are Literacy Students?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Literacy and EAL Students
Refugees and Immigrants
Literacy War-Affected Students
Underschooled Literacy Students
NonRoman Alphabet Lit Students
Literacy and Early Years Children
Literacy Students’ Potential and
Goals
Huge Diversity of Learners
• Diverse backgrounds, experiences, skills
and capabilities
• Every moment is a learning moment: e.g.
how to cross the road; open a lock; buy
winter clothes
- But it may not be new learning for
everyone
4
Possible Routines for Every Class
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Greetings and Attendance
Numbers
Calendar
Weather
Alphabet Letters (names, sounds, printing)
Review Previously Learned Vocabulary
Learn New Vocabulary (theme words)
Practice New Words: oral, reading, writing
Filling out forms (writing)
5
Good-bye
6
7
Working with Letters
Adapted from Joan Duerkson, RETSD, Winnipeg
Mini Lesson 1
What is the letter name?
What is the letter sound?
What are some words beginning with
this sound?
Mini-lessons 2-5
Review the above questions each day.
Then …
8
Mini Lessons 2-5 Continues
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Choose activities from this list:
make and present a poster with 3-10 words
Make flashcards and play games with 3-10
words
Write a sentence for 3-10 words
Create a matching activities with 3-10 words
Make sentence strips; cut up strips and
recreate sentences with a partner
Create a dictionary page
Create a picture book to share with a
9
kindergarten or grade 1 student
Phonics and Sight Words
• The idea of using the alphabet and
sounding out words is quite abstract.
• Teach sight words from the beginning.
• Teach the alphabet systematically.
• Later students learn that sight word
recognition is not the only way to
read; you can also sound out words.
**We need a system for recycling
and reviewing vocabulary**
10
Teach in Themes
• Connect to the real world.
• Make a direct connection to students’ lives.
• Begin with a real experience and/or real
objects and/or visuals.
• Do a lot of talking before introducing print.
• Allow L1 discussion and add English.
**Don’t do 10 different things;
do 1 thing 10 different ways.**
11
What do you need to teach in
themes?
• Clear visuals of key words and ideas
• 3 or 4 activities which you can use to
practice the words – use the same
activities for every theme
• Oral activities, reading activities and
writing activities
• Activities with different groupings (pairs,
whole class, small group)
12
Practicing Reading
•
•
•
•
•
Listen to Reading
Repeat Read
Group Read
Partner Read
Independent Read
13
Example Reading Text
- What do we do before reading the
text?
- How do we read it?
- What do we do after reading?
14
Teaching Writing
– Trace
Teacher Control
– Copy
– Independent
Student Control
This can be single letters,
words or sentences.
This can be on the board, on a
notebook paper, or on a form.
15
Final Thoughts
Be consistent and persistent.
And remember …
The way to the head is through
the heart … it all begins and
ends with the relationship.
16