Teaching Adult English Language Learners: A Practical Introduction Paperback (Cambridge Teacher Training and Development)

391 Pages·2019·11.231 MB·

by  Betsy Parrish

Teaching Adult
English Language
Learners

Teaching Adult
English Language
Learners
A Practical Introduction
Betsy Parrish
Hamline University
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First published 2019
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Dedication
To Jonas, Rémy, and Sina. Your genuine excitement for the work that I do in adult education is
what encouraged me to take on this new edition.
Dedication v
Contents
Dedication v
Foreword xi
Acknowledgments xv
Introduction 1
1 Working with Adult English Language Learners
MAKING THE ADJUSTMENT TO A NEW COUNTRY 5
1.1 Introduction 5
1.2 A process for understanding adult English language learners 6
1.3 Implications for the ESL classroom 11
1.4 Addressing the language demands of today’s world 12
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO KNOW A LANGUAGE? 15
1.5 Introduction 15
1.6 Helping learners attain communicative competence 16
1.7 How do learners attain competence in a second language? 18
1.8 Behaviorism 18
1.9 A shift away from behaviorism 19
1.10 Krashen’s model of language acquisition 19
1.11 Interactionism 20
1.12 The Sociocultural Perspective 21
1.13 Taking learners beyond “Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills” 21
1.14 Age and the acquisition of a second language 22
1.15 Identity, investment, agency, and motivation 23
2 Approaches and Program Options for Adult English
Language Learners
APPROACHES TO TEACHING 31
2.1 Introduction 31
2.2 Taking a multi-faceted approach to teaching 32
2.3 Approaches for teaching adult English learners 33
2.4 Natural approach 34
2.5 Competency-Based Education 35
2.6 Communicative Language Teaching 36
2.7 Cooperative learning 38
2.8 Task-Based Learning 38
2.9 Content-Based Instruction 40
2.10 Participatory approach 41
2.11 Project–Based Learning 42
PROGRAM OPTIONS 45
2.12 Introduction 45
2.13 Programming to promote learner persistence and success 46
2.14 English language acquisition programs 48
2.15 Citizenship 49
2.16 Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education 49
Contents vii
2.17 Family and intergenerational literacy 50
2.18 Literacy tutoring 50
2.19 Career pathways/career-focused programming 50
2.20 Distance education 53
3 Teaching Language for Meaningful Purposes
DEVELOPING INTEGRATED AND CONTEXTUALIZED LANGUAGE LESSONS 59
3.1 Introduction 59
3.2 An integrated approach to language learning and teaching 60
3.3 Teaching language for meaningful purposes 64
3.4 Scaffolding lessons for beginners 72
MEANINGFUL AND COMMUNICATIVE PRACTICE ACTIVITIES 80
3.5 Introduction 80
3.6 Language practice activities 80
CORRECTING LEARNER LANGUAGE 89
3.7 Introduction 89
3.8 Considerations in handling learner errors 90
3.9 Providing corrective feedback 91
4 Developing Listening and Speaking Skills
LISTENING SKILLS AND STRATEGIES DEVELOPMENT 101
4.1 Introduction 101
4.2 The nature of informal and formal communication 101
4.3 Getting students ready to listen 103
4.4 How do we listen? 105
4.5 Applying listening strategies instruction in the classroom 107
4.6 Summary of listening skills and activities 110
4.7 Sources of listening passages 112
DEVELOPING SPEAKING SKILLS 114
4.8 Fluency as the goal of instruction 114
4.9 Developing interactive speaking activities 115
THE PLACE OF PRONUNCIATION IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION 123
4.10 Making a case for pronunciation in your curriculum 123
4.11 Factors affecting pronunciation 125
4.12 What should we teach? 126
4.13 Approaches to teaching pronunciation 128
5 Developing Reading and Writing Skills
SITUATED READING AND WRITING SKILLS DEVELOPMENT 141
5.1 Introduction 141
5.2 Literacy is socially constructed 142
5.3 Types of literacy 143
5.4 How do we read? 145
5.5 Teaching literacy skills: working with learners with limited literacy 146
5.6 Other strategies and techniques for emergent readers and writers 150
ACCESSING A VARIETY OF TEXT TYPES 153
5.7 Preparing students for functional reading texts 153
5.8 Lessons to promote strategies development 154
viii Teaching Adult English Language Learners: A Practical Introduction
5.9 Reading and the development of academic language skills 157
5.10 Paired reading 160
5.11 Using learner-produced texts 161
5.12 Extensive reading: book groups and reading circles 164
TEACHING WRITING TO ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS 165
5.13 Introduction 165
5.14 Product-oriented vs. extensive writing tasks 165
5.15 Writing from the beginning: product-oriented tasks 167
5.16 Extensive writing 169
5.17 Graphic organizers as a scaffold to learning academic skills 173
5.18 Using dialogue journals with adult English learners 174
5.19 Technology and writing 175
5.20 Responding to learner writing 176
6 Planning for Teaching and Learning
LESSON PLANNING 183
6.1 Introduction 183
6.2 Identifying learner needs 186
6.3 Lesson planning approaches 187
6.4 Sitting down to plan 189
6.5 Building continuity from day to day 194
TEACHER AND LEARNER INTERACTIONS 197
6.6 Teacher language 197
6.7 Maximizing learner involvement 198
6.8 Giving directions 199
6.9 Checking learner understanding 200
6.10 Questions to promote critical thinking 202
PROMOTING LEARNING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM 205
6.11 Learning strategies development 205
7 Managing Learning in Adult English Language Classes
CREATING OPTIMAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS 213
7.1 Introduction 213
7.2 Working with multilevel classes 214
7.3 Establishing goals in multilevel classes 217
7.4 Differentiation in English language classes 220
7.5 Additional practices for working with multilevel classes 223
7.6 The classroom environment 231
7.7 Managing large classes 231
7.8 Open enrollment 232
7.9 Managed enrollment 233
7.10 Pairing/grouping students 234
7.11 Establishing appropriate boundaries 237
SERVING LEARNERS WITH PARTICULAR NEEDS 240
7.12 Learners with learning disabilities 240
7.13 Universal Design for Learning 241
7.14 Learners with physical disabilities 242
7.15 Victims of torture or abuse 243
Contents ix
8 Selecting Instructional Materials and Resources
EVALUATE, SELECT, AND SUPPLEMENT TEXTBOOKS AND MATERIALS 251
8.1 Introduction 251
8.2 Types of textbooks 253
8.3 Evaluating and selecting textbooks 254
8.4 Selecting and evaluating online curricula 257
8.5 Choosing literacy-level materials 257
8.6 Adapting and supplementing textbooks 259
8.7 Making use of teacher editions 262
8.8 Taking learning outside of the classroom 263
DIGITAL LEARNING AND TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION 268
8.9 The place of digital learning in today’s world 268
8.10 Components of digital competence 270
8.11 Building language and digital skills at the same time 271
8.12 Digital learning tasks for the language classroom 273
8.13 Using technologies for independent learning 280
8.14 Learning software and apps 281
9 Assessing Learning and Teaching
FORMAL AND INFORMAL ASSESSMENT PROCESSES 287
9.1 Introduction 287
9.2 Assessment dilemmas 288
9.3 Clarifying terms 290
9.4 Standardized tests 291
9.5 Alternative assessment 295
9.6 Learner self-assessment 303
9.7 Using assessment results for accountability purposes 305
ASSESSING TEACHING EFFECTIVENESS AND CONTINUOUS
TEACHER DEVELOPMENT 309
9.8 Introduction 309
9.9 Self-directed professional learning and development 309
9.10 Journals and learning logs 311
9.11 Learners assessing instruction 314
10 Standards and Accountability
10.1 Introduction 319
10.2 What are standards? 319
10.3 Standards frameworks and reporting 321
10.4 Placing standards in context 323
10.5 Standards in the classroom 326
10.6 Emergent learner needs and standards: two cases in point 330
10.7 Standards and assessments 333
10.8 High-leverage instructional practices to meet rigorous content standards 335
Glossary 341
References 351
Index 365
x Teaching Adult English Language Learners: A Practical Introduction