A Day in the Life of: continued

Remember last month?  We took a job and wrote a paragraph about it and then had our students fill in the blanks. Another way to use the paragraph is to ask questions.

Ben - teacher

I’m Ben.  I work in a school.  I work full-time.  I start work at 9am.  Every day, I prepare and teach lessons.  I’m very busy.  I also mark work.  I finish work at 5pm. 

TASK 4:  Answer the questions.  Write sentences.

Ben  

1.      What is his job title?          _________________________  

2.    Does he work full-time?         _________________________

3.    Where does he work?          ____________________________

4.    What time does he start?         ___________________________

5.    What time does he finish?  ____________________________

6.    Is he busy?                         ____________________________

TASK 5: Read the information. Can you find the verbs?

Martha - food assistant

Hello, I’m Martha.  I have a part-time job.  I work on Saturday and Sunday.  I make sandwiches in a café.  I work in the local park.  I start at 7am and finish at 4pm.  I also serve coffee and fill the fridge. 

Read the text again then write about Martha. 

This is Martha.  She has a part-time job.

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

We will continue with more ways to use the jobs for lessons next month.

A Day in the Life of:

David Sharman, an ESL teacher, has a way to take simple jobs and create several lessons from them.  We will look at how to do this the next few blogs.

The four jobs are teacher, cashier, cleaner, secretary.

1) The first task or lesson involves reading and writing.

Have pictures of the jobs, along with the vocabulary.

You can teach the job titles and also the location the jobs take place.

teacher, cashier, cleaner, secretary

school, grocery store, hospital (or any other building with a cleaner), office.

Under each picture have two sentences.

I am a  ________________.

I work in a  ___________________.

Teach the vocabulary and then have the students write the correct words under each picture.

2) The second task involves listening, reading and marking.

Have the pictures of the jobs and below them, have a list of duties.

teacher
I teach lessons.	P
I mark work.	P
I answer the phone.
I write letters.
I prepare lessons.	P

As you read of the list of duties of the job, have the student check off any duties that apply to the job.

secretary
I make appointments.
I mop the floors.
I answer the phone.	P
I write letters.	P
I prepare lessons.

3) The third task involves reading and writing (3^rd person verbs).

Read the information. 

Ben - teacher

I’m Ben.  I work in a school.  I work full-time.  I start work at 9am.  Every day, I prepare and teach lessons.  I’m very busy.  I also mark work.  I finish work at 5pm. 

Write about Ben.

This is Ben.  He works in a school.  He  works  full-time.  He ____________ work at 9am.  Every day, he __________ and ____________ lessons.  He _______ very busy.  He also _________ work.  He _____________ work at 5pm.

We will continue with more ways to use the jobs for lessons next month.

The Furrowed Brow

I was watching my two year old grandson at his two year birthday party.  The party was an open house for all the cousins and friends.  Every few minutes someone would arrive with a present for Silas and he was required to open it and say thank you to these people, some of whom he seldom sees.

He was overwhelmed.  People were calling him, oohing and aahing over him, kissing and hugging him, and pushing presents at him.

Several times during the course of the afternoon I saw him furrow his brow and scowl.

This was fascinating to me.  I had just read (for ESL prep) that one of the main reasons people need and want to learn English is so that they know what is expected of them and how to behave in different settings. The author went on to say that it was very common for someone who does not understand what is going on, or how to behave, or what to say will have a furrowed brow and may even scowl.

And here we thought Silas was just being cranky and tired.

This is the way our immigrants and refugees feel.  They are in a new place with people talking all around them that they do not understand.  They are trying to move among them, perhaps riding a bus, or shopping or trying to find help and they do not understand what is going on, or how to behave, or what to say . 

Watch your learner(s).  Do their brows furrow?  They may not only be missing the word you are trying to teach; they may not understand what they are suppose to do or how they relate to you. This certainly can affect learning. Realize that they are not just tired or cranky or unresponsive.  They may be totally overwhelmed or confused. Help alleviate those feelings by taking it slower or taking a calming moment.

 Keep your eyes open for the bigger picture. 

ACCULTURATION: WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT ENTERING A NEW CULTURE

  In addition to the challenges of a new language, our learners also have to cope with a new culture.
The technical terms are acculturation and assimilation.  People are establishing their "membership" in American culture. They want to be a part of the group. 

Acculturation means that they become part of the new culture but they still maintain important aspects of their native culture.

Assimilation requires that they choose one culture over the other; they "mainstream" into the new culture and discard the old.

Back in the 30's and 40's, America had a large influx of European immigrants.  Although the children were sent to schools and assimilated into the new culture, many of the parents remained in both cultures.  There was an abundance of social clubs that sprung up to help hold on to the old, The German Club, the Slovenian Society etc.
In our multicultural society in the States today, we encourage acculturation.  This is very difficult for newcomers. America has a basic culture but also many, many sub-cultures. 

Our newcomers often are confused, they simply don't understand what is expected of them.

Top that off with the fact that many of our newcomers come from refugee camps where every day they were told what to do and when they could do it.  And every day they lived with memories of atrocities from their home country.  It is certainly understandable why they sometimes have difficulties absorbing a new culture.

Studies have shown that newcomers to the States are extremely lonely, frustrated and fearful. They are trying to live daily in a world in which everything is new and nothing is familiar.  They can feel mentally and physically exhausted from the stress incurred by a new culture.

Sometimes this manifests itself by silence.  Your newcomers may not talk much until they feel safe in the environment, whether classroom or teaching in the home.

What can you do to help?   Validate and understand.  Encourage and be patient.  Explain what the expectations are. 

Learn something about their culture.  There are great internet sites to do that. Two that come to mind are www.culturalorientation.net  and www.culturalcrossing.com

Most of the immigrants and refugees from Africa, Asia and Middle East have strong family ties.  Sometimes just asking about their families will encourage a relationship and help to bridge the loneliness gap.

Remember that learning English, while vitally important to them, is just a part of what they need to learn.

Checking Understanding

You need to check that the students have understood because they are unlikely to tell you if they haven’t.  If you say "OK?" , they will all nod and say "OK".  Then they will simply bumble through the exercise, doing it wrong, probably aware that they are doing it wrong, and losing confidence.

Use words like ‘Is that clear?’ rather than ‘Do you understand?’ .  Why?  Because the chances of a student saying ‘No, I don’t understand’ are very slim.  If someone asks you that question, it has a tendency to make you feel very stupid. Would you admit to not understanding something in front of others, especially  in a classroom situation? I wouldn’t!

The student who doesn’t understand will be convinced s/he is the only one who doesn’t get it and will not want to admit that in public.

Using the words ‘Is that clear?’ shifts the blame to the quality of the instructions instead.

Here’s a simple way to ask and check.

1. Ask your students ‘Is that clear?

2. If it’s clear, fine. If anyone says "No, can you explain that?  Can you explain again?"

DON’T.   Ask if one of the other students can explain it.

3. If nobody understands it, go through an example step by step together. They should get it then.

4. If they still don’t get it, go through another example together.

5. If the poor things are still lost either 1) Do the whole activity together as a class, if possible or 2) Table it for now and go to the next activity. Figure out another way to explain this next time.

6. Another way to check understanding of instructions is to ask the students to imagine that you are a new student who has just come in - can they explain how to do the activity?

The most important thing is making sure they are really understanding what you are saying and not just nodding to please you.

Blessed Christmas!

Our job is not to make the Muslim a Christian.  Our job is to show them the love of Christ.
 God's Spirit will do the rest.

Pre-literate tips

Teaching Pre-literate and Beginning ESL Students

Make Sure Personal Connections Come First

Before teaching any aspect of language, get to know each student individually. Learners should want to communicate with you first before you can begin to help them learn to communicate in their second language. In the case of adult learners who are refugees, you must first attempt to step into their shoes and ask yourself why they would want to talk to you. They have encountered many people who have walked in and out of their lives and since their lives have been so transitory, you should seek to develop a sense of community in the classroom--which means they must see you as someone who they enjoy talking to. Delay the scripted lesson plan and make the class about people getting to know one another. For example, learn not only the students’ names, but also the names of their family members. In other words, talk about what matters to the students first.

Use Interruptions as Teaching Moments that Trump Whatever Lesson You Planned

If a student arrives late, use that as an opportunity to allow the class to discuss public transportation, numbers or as a review on telling time. If a student has a sick baby, use that as an opportunity to discuss medical issues, body parts or terms for various symptoms. If a student brings in photos of his or her family, use that to springboard into a discussion about family. The bottom line is to be spontaneous. The students will remember and learn real-life language as it unfolds naturally, far better than they will recall a pre-planned lesson that is more abstract.

Try to Minimize the Students’ Cognitive Burden

This tip is regarding teaching technique. When teaching pre-literate students it’s best not to write a lot of information on the white board and have students copy it down while you continue to explain concepts. We can easily forget that pre-literate students CANNOT multi-task with their current language proficiency level and it is important to break down tasks into smaller components. If students are busily copying down information from the board, they will not focus on what you are telling them because there are just too many things for them to focus their attention on.

Feed Their Stomachs Sometimes, Not Just Their Minds

Watch for cues that your students may be hungry and share snacks together as a class. Likewise, make sure students can see and hear the lessons. Some pre-literate students may never have had their eyesight or hearing checked. A student who appears resistant to learning may simply have needs that have not been expressed.

Try to Meet Students Half-way

Make an effort to learn words or phrases in the students’ language. They will appreciate your effort to learn their language, and they will see you more as a partner in the learning process rather than someone who has all the answers. For example, when teaching English to Arabic women I struggled to learn a few words of Arabic at the same time. My students enjoyed helping me learn a few new words each day, and I was able to gain more empathy for my students’ struggles to learn English.

Communicate Slowly, Clearly and Directly

Students typically do not understand subtlety in the second language, and there may be times when you need to explain a sensitive issue such as personal etiquette or hygiene. In such cases, it is helpful to use role play to get the point across in a non-threatening yet direct way.

Avoid Using Books that Are Too Childish

Even though your students are at a beginning level, it’s important to utilize or create material that is relevant to an adult. Every adult learner brings a wealth of life experience and sophistication to the learning process. Picture dictionaries can be used but avoid the cutesy beginning kids books.

Review Constantly

Remember that with beginners you are your students’ textbook and study guide as well as their teacher. Provide review sessions at the beginning of every class so students will practice what they’ve learned and acquire the language.

Be Animated

Don’t be afraid to make sound effects, play music, and take walks around the neighborhood to reinforce concepts. Sometimes the best learning doesn’t even take place in the classroom, and it doesn’t have to be serious to be effective.

Don’t Assume Students Know Why You Are Teaching Them

For instance, do a role play to demonstrate how bad it would be if they got lost and couldn’t communicate. This will show students why they need to memorize their phone number. If they understand why a concept is important they will be more likely to remember it.