Teaching learning: a practical workshop for teaching low L1 literacy ESL learners Emelia Bishop and Chris Morris, Wyndham Community and Education Centre
The needs of low first language (L1) literacy ESL learners often differ from ESL learners with L1 literacy. ESL learners who could be considered pre-literate, non-literate or have had little formal schooling in their L1 present unique challenges to ESL teaching and learning strategies and practices. For these low L1 literacy ESL learners and for the teachers of these learners, ESL classes become as much about teaching how to learn as about teaching ESL. In this practical interactive workshop we aim to demonstrate how we planned and taught a unit of work 'Community Connections' that sought to meet the needs of low L1 literacy ESL learners. Opportunity will be provided for participants to discuss their own successful teaching and learning strategies. The workshop will be hands-on with many take-away resources that can be used in the classroom. |
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Units of Work Presented:
Emelia's ESL Unit of Work - 'School' |
Please click on the links above to view the units and the resources developed and used. Please feel free to distribute, copy, reproduce and use with your learners!
Workshop Discussions:
A participant collaboration. A table compiled from the participants contributions in the workshop on two areas of teaching and learning for low L1 literacy learners. Word document mind map of the table here - for all you visual peoples.
Learning Skills Student's Need- from map activity |
Student's Learning Needs |
Team work / Sharing |
Understanding different learning styles |
Encouragement | Learning to learn |
Calling out / inviting / asking questions | Learning through games |
Locating and matching visual clues - matching colours |
Understanding different learning styles |
Using prior knowledge - shapes, jigsaw pieces, countries, colours |
How to ask questions |
Risk taking/ experiment Guessing Trial and error |
Learning from each other |
Visual skills - recognition of colours/ letters / shapes/ symbols/ picture |
Learning from models |
Turn taking | Remembering instructions/ formal education |
Tactile | Learning the teacher's name |
Reading / Scanning | Getting to class on time |
Engagement |
Organisational skills |
Listening | Developing habits |
A big thanks to all who attended the workshop.
Emelia and Chris.