TESL 120 Unit 4 - Promoting Success of Multilevel ESL Classes: What Teachers and Administrators Can Do

 

Promoting Success of Multilevel ESL Classes:

What Teachers and Administrators Can Do

Context

·       Many ESL programs serve too few students to separate the various skill levels.

Challenges

·       Level of skill in the L1 may affect the progress of ESL learning.

·       Students may segregate by English skill level within the class causing learning difficulties for some.

·       The age category of the students may affect how students react to varying skill levels in the classroom.

·       Cultural ideologies of the students may also dictate how certain learners are accepted/treated within the classroom.

Instructional Strategies

·       Needs Assessment help the teacher determine student needs and desires regarding ESL learning to adjust the course content to meet the needs.

·       Planning parallel lessons of various skill levels may help address multilevel ESL Classes.

·       Grouping strategies can be used to keep different skill levels learning together or mix levels for possible mentoring of lower skilled students.

·       L1 usage may be helpful for less advanced students to help clarify and increase understanding.

·       Project-based learning allows students to group themselves by interest in specific projects instead of by English skill level.

·       Self-access materials of various skill levels allow students to do individual work at their English skill level.

Administrative Support

·       Consider the program design including financial limitations, number of students, teachers’ experience, and access to volunteers and tutors.

·       Experienced teachers are needed for multilevel classes and they can benefit from volunteers to help with the higher skill level students.

·       Communicate explicitly with students regarding the multilevel nature of the class.

·       Professional development and support for teachers is essential in all teaching situations, but especially for multilevel class teachers. Extra planning time and materials are necessary to organize and teach in a multilevel setting.

From Mathews-Aydinli, J. & Van Horne. (April 2006-02). Promoting success of multilevel ESL classes: What teachers and administrators can do. Retrieved from http://www.cal.org/caela/esl_resources/briefs/multilevel.pdf

TESL 120 – Unit 3 Canadian Language Benchmarks - Listening

TESL 120 – Unit 3

Canadian Language Benchmarks - Listening

	Stage 1	Stage 2	Stage 3
Grammatical Knowledge	Recognition of basic grammar and syntax. Understand language for basic information and descriptions.	Knowledge of words and expressions relating to multiple topics.	Able to understand complex grammar and syntax. Able to interpret nuances of meaning.
Textual Knowledge	Beginning understanding of connecting and contrasting words.	Recognition of words and phrases that increase understanding such as adverbials.	Recognize major parts and sub-parts, topic shifts and transitions in ideas.
Functional Knowledge	Understand basic conversation structure and language.	Recognition of different speaking conventions such as academic and humor.	Recognition of themes in lectures and presentations. Understand humor, songs, drama, etc.
Sociolinguistic Knowledge	Recognize cultural information and expressions.	Recognition of formal/informal language, cultural references, and idiomatic sayings.	Understanding of verbal and non-verbal cultural aspects of communication. Understand dialects and regionalisms in speech.
Strategic Competence	Recognize appeals for help and requests for information.	Understanding language used to increase understanding and reduce miscommunication.	Recognize avoidance strategies. Infer unstated information and to hypothesize, guess and predict.

  

Speaking Activity

 Here is a Speaking Activity I adapted from Speaking: 'Use to / Be used to / Get used to' Pair-Work Activity (ESL) (englishcurrent.com)

“Use to” vs “BE used to”

Level: Upper Intermediate

Focus: Practice the difference between “use to” (past event/action) and “be used to” (accustomed).

Skill: Grammar

Purpose: This is a review speaking activity after the differences between “use to” (past event/action) and “be used to” (accustomed) have been explained. The differences between these two phrases are difficult to understand even for native English speakers.

Activity:

·       Place students in pairs.

·       Hand out worksheet.

·       Write on the board:

“In the past, my dad worked every day. But now he is getting accustomed to having more free time.”

·       Say: “How can we say this a different way?”

“My dad used to work every day. Now he is getting used to having more free time.”

·       Another example:

“I have not always liked wine, but now I like it more.” (I am getting used to wine.)

“In the past, I lived in Saskatoon.” (I used to live in Saskatoon.)

·       Have students decide who is Student A and Student B and have then read the appropriate side of the worksheet while the other partner paraphrases the statement.

·       The Questions are for discussion in their pairs.

 

Worksheet

Student A

1)         In the past, my English was worse. (= So you’re saying your English used to be worse.)

2)         I didn’t like studying as a child. Now I do. (… you didn't use to like studying.)

3)         I am comfortable driving here. (… you are used to driving here.)

4)         People communicated more face to face in the past. (… people used to communicate more...)

5)         Some seniors aren’t accustomed to using cellphones. (… aren’t used to using…)

6)         John is becoming comfortable making dinners for himself. (… he is getting/becoming used to making…)

7)         Question: What is something that you didn’t use to like but now you do?

8)         Question: What is something that took you a long time to get used to?

 

------------------------ fold ------- paper ---------------------

 

Student B

1)         My children are accustomed to staying up late. (So you mean that they are used to staying up late.)

2)         Tina was nicer before. (… she used to be nicer.)

3)         Australians are accustomed to driving on the other side of the road. (… they are used to driving…).

4)         I play guitar now. I didn't in the past. (… you didn’t use to play guitar.)

5)         I can’t dance well now. I could before, though. (… you used to be able to dance well.)

6)         It takes time to become accustomed to living with another person. (… it takes time to get/become used to living with…)

7)         Question: What are you still not used to?

8)         Question: What is something that you used to do that you wish you still did?

 

 

Worksheet Created by Matthew Barton of Englishcurrent.com (copyright)

Flipgrid Intro

 Here is a link to my Flipgrid Introduction about myself.

Welcome Intro

CLBs

 Below is a brief summary of the Canadian Language Benchmarks.

Knowledge and strategies for speaking skill	Stage 1 (CLB 1-4)	Stage 2 (CLB 5-8)	Stage 3 (CLB 9-12)
Grammatical Knowledge	Basic grammar structures. Basic vocabulary and pronunciation.	Vocabulary to discuss personal and factual information, ideas, feelings. Fluency in moderately demanding conversation.	Understanding of a full range of grammatical and lexical structures. Intelligible and communicatively effective pronunciation.
Textual Knowledge	Beginning ability with connecting words and phrases.	Use cohesion links across utterances and discourse indicators (such as conjunctive adverbs and adverbials) signaling such meanings as contrast or illustrations. Use a combination of ideas and genres.	Ability to convey logical and functionally coherent messages.
Functional Knowledge	Beginning ability to express purpose through voice and body language. Basic conversation openings and closings.	Able to use interactional and interpersonal communication skills for conversation management.	Understanding of a full range of discourse formats. Ability to effectively use multiple genres.
Sociolinguistic Knowledge	Basic cultural references and information. Basic culturally appropriate verbal and non-verbal strategies.	Understanding of cultural norms and culturally determined behaviors. Collaborative skills for academic and work purposes. Appropriate verbal and non-verbal strategies for formality and respect.	Understanding of appropriate formal and informal conversation and presentation strategies. Appropriate use of interactional and interpersonal communication skills.
Strategic Competence	Beginning use of techniques and strategies to ensure understanding and learning.	Use of strategies to ensure understanding and effective communication in different situations.	Use of effective strategies to prevent communication difficulties. Use of metalinguistic knowledge to engage in various communication situations.

Unit 2 - Trent's Say on the Matter of Deductive and Inductive Learning

 This is my say on the topic of Deductive vs Inductive Learning. 

Deductive learning is based on learning the rules first and then putting it into practice. Inductive allows the learner to figure out the grammar rule for themselves by analyzing examples.

It appears that many teachers prefer the deductive method, and mostly because that is how we were taught. It also appears that most teachers agree that a mixed approach to teaching would be the most useful.

On a personal note, my wife learned English as a native language through the inductive approach and she did not appreciate it. She didn't understand grammar until she took Latin in university. There might be something to this deductive approach.

Unit 3 - Corrective Feedback from a Student's Perspective

 Having not done any teaching in a situation in which I have needed to produce feedback, I will focus instead on my experiences as a student.

As a student, I have experienced frustration when every little error is pointed out. I do realize the importance of accuracy and correctness, however, it is very demoralizing to have every error highlighted.

Thankfully, with the development of word processing technology and spell checking technology, the spelling mistakes are few and far between. One must double check these documents still because spell checking technology is not always accurate, especially if you want to use rarer words in your writing.

As for grammar, this is still more difficult to assess. Grammar rules, whether they are learned directly or indirectly, are essential in the English language. Having grammar errors pointed out is useful in developing correct language usage. However, the teacher does not always need to point out every error. Sometimes it is better to allow the student to focus on correcting some of the errors first and then as they progress they can focus on other errors.

I believe correcting grammar errors in writing allow a student to visually see errors that are probably present in their speaking as well.