Table Of Content

ESL Special Project Funding Group The ESL Special Project Funding Initiative is a collective and cooperative effort, led by the Nova Scotia Department of Education & Culture, with the involvement of a number of community groups and organizations. The main objective of this initiative is to make funding available to the immigrant serving community for the development and delivery of special projects. The community groups involved in this initiative are as follows: • Centre for Diverse Visible Cultures • Halifax Immigrant Learning Centre • Halifax Regional Library • Metro ESL Association • Metro Region Immigrant Language Services (MILS) • Metropolitan Immigrant Settlement Association (MISA) • Halifax Regional School Board, St. Pat’s Adult ESL May be photocopied for classroom use. Copyright 1999 W Introduction W Welcome to Hands On! A Collection of ESL Vocabulary Development Literacy Activities. This collection of activities It is important to develop oral vocabulary at the same was developed for instructors working with time as learning reading and writing. Introducing adult ESL learners who have had little or no oppor- new vocabulary or reinforcing words previously tunity to develop reading and writing skills. learned is the first activity in each chapter. When learners do the activities, it is important to have the The chapters focus on topics usually explored in any information in front of them. Each time a new word adult ESL class, although references are made to areas is introduced, ask learners to copy it five to seven and names within Nova Scotia. Although the primary times. Every week, review what has been previously focus is to provide a thematic based approach to learned by looking at flyers, money, flash cards, talk- learning reading and writing, the activities will also ing about the weather, etc. Incorporating activities serve as catalysts for speaking and listening activities. such as copying names, addresses, telling time, and Hands On!is not a curriculum, but one of many saying phone numbers in class every day. Words can resources that can be used to teach learners how to be written in a separate notebook, or on separate read and write. recipe cards and kept in a recipe box. The words at the end of each chapter in Hands On!can be cut and Chapters 1–5 are in sequential order for learners at a glued on to business cards for a more permanent very basic level. Each of these five chapters builds on resource. the previous chapter. Chapters 6–14 are in no partic- ular order and should be selected according to The Alphabet learners’ level, needs and interests. One of the first stages of ESL literacy is to become comfortable with the mechanical skills needed to The directions on each page are written for instruc- write the alphabet. Tasks such as holding a pencil, tors. Each page has a variety of activities that can be drawing straight and curved lines, letter and number presented for that page. It is not recommended that discrimination, and writing from left to right may be all the suggested activities are attempted at one time, new challenges for learners. The first chapter in this but that some are used for review. book provides opportunities to develop and practice these skills. Learners’ confidence is an essential part of the learning process and as instructors, we should be aware of Numeracy the possible lack of confidence and provide positive Chapter 5 provides opportunities to develop basic learning opportunities by focusing on learners’ skills numeracy skills. Even though numeracy is a survival and abilities and ensuring successes in every class. The skill, it is often overlooked in the ESL class. Developing activities in this book were developed to be learner- numeracy skills is a long and continuous process. centered and instructors are strongly encouraged to Although basic numeracy is introduced in this chap- adapt and personalize the activities to reflect learners’ ter, it is not meant to be a thorough presentation. own life experiences. Hands On! A Collection of ESL Literacy Activities i Introduction Lined literacy paper • Use to introduce or review vocabulary. Lined literacy paper is at the end of the first chapter • Use to practice asking common questions (i.e. “Do and can be photocopied. The concept of writing on you have any bananas?”) lines may be new and challenging to learners who • Group cards into categories (i.e. likes and dislikes, have not had prior experience with writing. Forming have and don’t have, in Canada and in my country, the letters correctly, in proportion, and appropriately rooms of the house, meals, daily activities, etc). above and below the lines may also be new concepts. • Introduce/review prepositions by saying or writing Aim for ease and flow before accuracy. a sentence using a simple preposition and ask learners to place the flash cards in the same way. For example, instructors can say, “The lamp is GENERAL ACTIVITIES beside the bed.” Learners take the flash cards and place them beside each other. Language Experience • Write about the flash cards. If using the ‘go shop- Language experience is a technique that provides ping’ flash card, learners can write or copy a sen- learners with insights into the relationship between tence about shopping (i.e. “I go shopping on spoken and written language. Ask learners to tell a Saturday.”) ‘story’ about what they did this morning or informa- • Describe an object and others guess what it is. tion about themselves. Instructors write the story as Making a Bingo Game learners tell it. It can be as short as a few sentences, or longer, depending on the learners. Then ask learners to read the story, cut up the sentences, and ask Number Bingo learners to put the sentences in order. Then, cut up • Photocopy the blank bingo card (at the end of the the individual words and ask learners to put the Food chapter) for as many learners as you have. words in order to complete the sentence. Randomly • Write numbers or words for numbers in the spaces point to individual words and ask learners to read on the Bingo card. You can ask learners to write the words. Instructors can also white out a few the numbers or words on the card. important words in the story. Have another copy of • Be sure to make every card different. the story on hand for learners to refer to. Ask learners • Make a set of word cards that include all the words to fill in the blanks to complete the story. Language used on the Bingo cards. These can be used for the experience works well with learners who have a higher person calling out the words. level of spoken English than written English. Word Bingo Flash Cards • Photocopy the blank bingo card (at the end of the Most of the chapters have accompanying picture Food chapter) for as many learners as you have. flash cards which are included at the back of the • Write the words in the spaces on the Bingo card or binder. ask learners to write words on the card. • Match the words found at the end of each chapter • Be sure to make every card different. with the flash cards. • Make a set of word cards that include all the • Reinforce vocabulary orally by talking about the words used on the Bingo cards. These can be used pictures on the flash cards. for theperson calling out the words. • Arrange the flash cards in alphabetical order. ii HANDS ON! A Collection of ESL Literacy Activities Introduction Picture Bingo • Players have one set of alphabet cards. Players • Photocopy the blank bingo card (at the end of the roll the dice, land on a letter, and find the card Food chapter) for as many learners as you have. from the communal set. • Reduce and photocopy the pictures you want to • Players roll the dice, land on a letter, and say a put on the cards. word that begins with that letter. • Cut out the pictures and glue them on the card. • Players roll the dice, land on a letter, and say all the • Be sure to make every card different. words that begin with that letter. • Make an extra set of picture cards that includes all the pictures used on the cards. These can be used Time Board Game for the person calling out the words. These can The purpose of this activity is to provide an oppor- also be words for the pictures. tunity to practice reading the time and to practice talking about daily activities. Board Games You will need dice and something to move around Suggestions: the board representing each player. There are many • Players roll the dice. If a player land on a clock, ways to use these game boards someone asks, “What time is it?” The player responds by saying the time, “It’s 4:00.” The player Alphabet Board Game then can ask others, “What do you do at 4:00?” The purpose of these activities is to provide an Players then talk about their daily activities. opportunity to practice recognizing and saying the • For this activity the group needs a clock. Players names of the letters. roll the dice. If a player land on a picture of a verb, the player says the verb (i.e. “get up”). Then she Suggestions: asks others, “What time do you get up?” The player • Players roll the dice, land on a letter, and say the takes the clock and arranges the hands on the letter. clock to represent the time she does the activity. • Players roll the dice, land on a letter, and write the She says, “I get up at 7:00.” same letter. • The instructor writes the words from the game • Players roll the dice, land on a letter, and write the board on separate pieces of paper. The instructor same letter in upper case. also writes the times that are shown on the game • Players roll the dice, land on a letter, and say the board. Players have the words and the times in letter that comes next in the alphabet. front of them. Players roll the dice. When they land • Players all have the letters of the alphabet in front on a time, they find the written time on their paper of them on a paper. and say the time. When they land on a picture, they • Players roll the dice, land on a letter, and circle the find the word for the picture and read the word. same letter on their paper. • Players write their name on a paper. When the players land on a letter that is in their name, they circle the letter. • Each player has a set of alphabet cards. Players roll the dice, land on a letter and matches the letter with a card. Hands On! A Collection of ESL Literacy Activities iii Your Comments We are interested in your evaluation of Hands On! A Hands On! Collection of ESL Literacy Activities. Please complete P.O. Box 22095 and mail this page back to us at the following address: Bayers Road RPO Halifax, Nova Scotia B3L 4T7 How often do you use activities from Hands On! A Collection of ESL Literacy Activities? ____________________________________________________________________________________ What do you like most about the activities? ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ What do you like least about the activities? ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ What other topics would you like to see included? ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ What specific suggestions do you have to improve the content of Hands On!? ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Do you have any other comments? ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Thank you for your input! o ABCs Y How do you spell…? Objective • Identify key words that are pronounced as letters To introduce the Roman alphSabet. such as VCR, TV, OK, YMCA, CBC, PEI, IWK, and practice spelling and recognition. Learners may Goals already know these words but need practice in • To reinforce left to right eye coordination. identifyingthe letters. • To manipulate a pencil or marker. • When a letter is introduced, immediately place it • To form the letters. in a word. • To introduce lines and the function of lined paper. • Don’t write on the board in all capital letters • To recognize and identify upper and lower case unless you are specifically learning capital letters. letters. • If you are using a computer to create worksheets, • To request spelling. choose a simple font. • Have an activity each day that provides an oppor- Suggestions tunity for responding to the question, “How do • Alphabet cards are essential! Make or buy alphabet you spell that?” Learners say the spelling as well as flash cards. They are readily available for a reason- write the word (e.g. nwame, address, town, city or able price. If you make the flash cards, ensure that province name, children’s name). they are clear and are all the same size. Use both • Educational material companies have products to lower case and upper case letters. assist in learning the alphabet. (See resource list in • Learning the letters is a slow process that requires a back for more information.) lot of supervision time. If you are in a classroom • Use the lined literacy paper at the end of this environment, volunteers can be helpful. chapter to practise forming the letters. • Demonstrate how to form a letter. Draw a letter in the air or with your finger in sand. Trace a letter Ensure success in every class. with your finger. When first holding pencil practice drawing. Aim for ease and flow before accuracy. Activities • Focus on the letters that have the most meaning • Manipulate the letters, practice name of letters, to learners. Use letters in their name, address, match letters, form words with the letters. family members’ names or their country. • Have two sets of lower case alphabet cards. Match • Introduce a few letters at a time. It can be over- the same letters together. whelming for learners if given all the letters at the • Have two sets of upper case alphabet cards. Match same time. Some people recommend teaching let- the same letters together. ters in groupings. Groupings include letters with • Have one set of upper case and one set of lower slanted lines (w x k v z), letters with straight lines case alphabet cards. Match the same letters (i l f t), letters with curved lines (a b c o d e s), together. letters with straight and curved lines (m n u r h), • Instructor or learner writes about ten letters on a and letters that go below the line (y p q g j). page. Someone says a letter and learners circles the letter she hears. Hands On! A Collection of ESL Literacy Activities 1.i B ABCs • How do you spell…? • Write about ten letters on a page. Show the class a Alphabet Concentration letter and they find it on their paper. Have one set of upper case letters and one set of • You spell a word that is meaningful to learners. lower case letters. Lay them face down on a table. learners writes the word. Each person takes turns turning over two cards and • Create an Alphabet Bingo activity by putting letters saying the letter as they turn it over. If the cards do on the blank Bingo card provided in this kit. Either not match, return them to their face-down position you or a learner can call out the letters, learnerss in and the next person tries. The goal is to get two the class recognize the letters and cover the letter letters the same. This reinforces the names of the on their Bingo card. letters through repetition as well as provides an • Have a variety of letters on the page and ask learn- opportunity to familiarize learnerss with the ers to connect the letters in alphabetical order. letters. When you do this activity, begin with fewer • Word searches can be hand made or created with cards so it is a more manageable task for learnerss. word search computer programs. These programs are readily available as well. Alphabet Fish • Put the alphabet cards in alphabetical order. Pre-teach the question, “Do you have a ‘k’?” and “Yes, • Phonic activities can be created using letters and here you are”. Or “No, sorry I don’t.” Have two sets of k sounds that are important to learners. Teaching alphabet cards. Deal a few cards to each player. Put phonetics can be challenging since some ESL literacy the remaining cards upside down in the middle of learners have not developed a lot of vocabulary the table. One person starts by choosing a card in G yet. Therefore it is important to use phonetics their hand and asking if another person has that found in words that are familiar to learners such as card. He asks, “Do you have an ‘o’?” If the answer is learners’sname, names of family members, names “yes”, the person gives the asker the card and he puts of other people in the class, country names, etc. it together with his card on the table. If the answer is The instructor can elicit words that have the same “no”, the asker picks up a card from the pile of cards first letter. After a few different sounds are recog- in the middle of the table. The idea is to get pairs of nized, the instructor writes these words on a paper letters. This reinforces the recognition as well as the an leaves a blank in place of the first letter. The names of the letters. instructor or a more advanced learner reads the first word and learners fills in the blank. If pictures Alphabet Board Game of these words are available, you can make a work- See introduction for description. sheet that includes the picture with the word beside it with a blank in place of the first letter. learners looks at the picture and says the word and fills in the blank. You can do the same activity with final consonants and blends. X • Singing the “alphabet song” provides melodic groupings of letters and reinforces the names and order of the letters. 1.ii Hands On! A Collection of ESL Literacy Activities ABCs • How do you spell…? Instructors can: Learners can: • write a familiar word. Ask learners to point to the • trace the letters with a thick marker. lettersin that word. • trace only the letters in their name. • write a familiar word. Ask learners to trace letters • cut up the letters and find the letters in his name. in that word. • match the cut-up letters in his name to the letters • cut up these letters and give learners the cut-up on this sheet. letters. Also give learners a copy of this sheet. Ask • put the cut-up letters in alphabetical order. learners to match the letters. • ask learners to identify where a certain letter is in the alphabet – whether it is at the beginning, middle or end. AA BB CC DD EE FF GG HH II G JJ KK LL MM NN OO PP QQ RR SS TT UU VV WW XX YY ZZ Hands On! A Collection of ESL Literacy Activities 1.1