As discussed in class, the techniques that would apply to teaching reading to L1-learning preschoolers don't seem like they would apply to teaching reading to L2-learning adults. I think, however, that an adaptation and combination of the following two teaching ideas from atozphonics.com/teachingalphabet would be useful for teaching reading to an L2 learner. (Click on title of this post for link to website.)
-Make an Alphabet Book. Give each page a letter of the alphabet, and stick in magazine pictures that begin with the associated letter sound.
-Make or purchase a wall hanging with 26 pockets. Mark each pocket with a letter of the alphabet and put inside items that start with the same letter.
As it takes a lot of time to gather pictures and items that start with certain letters, this seems like something a teacher could keep in mind all the time. Instead of pockets, the teacher could keep a few multi-pocket expanding filing folders or a box full of file folders. As he finds pictures in magazines, etc. of things that start with certain letters he can label them and store them away. So, as you teach your student(s) the alphabet you can go through the files and pull out pictures. With labels on the pictures, the student can then see the picture and the word and immediately know how to spell the word and what it means.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
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I think Kari’s input on labeling and filing away pictures found in magazines is a great idea. I’m glad she took my attention to the idea of an alphabet book and ultimately to the website where I read about lots of colorful, crafty activities. As we shortly discussed in class, using a website geared for L1 learners (i.e. kids) and directly implementing it into an adult L2 learners’ classroom is dangerous. Consistently handing your adult learners popsicle sticks, glue, scissors, and construction paper will most likely not go over well. However, doing these types of things every once in a while can be fun and effective. Personally, I don’t think I would want to make (or have my class make) alphabet book marks all the time, but I do like reading books, and I like bookmarks, so this might be a fun activity at some point. The main way I see L1 activities being beneficial in an L2 classroom is with L2 learners that have a very different writing system. I know when I learned to read Greek and Hebrew (which both have different writing systems), it helped me a lot to just practice writing the letters. Maybe making an alphabet book or bookmark would have helped me recognize those letters and be able to associate them to real things in the world.
ReplyDeleteI like your point, Jill, about these activities being helpful for learners with a different written alphabet. I do not often keep in mind that the students whose language has a different writing system will have much more to learn and will be more like children in the fact that they have to learn the alphabet. Good thing to remember.
ReplyDeleteIs there a simple way to incorporate some web 3.0 technology into the alphabet book that might be relevent to an adult learner and make it so you don't have to re-make the books all the time? Also, I am curious about the notion of the magazine images. Would the images be from English Language magazines or images that the student might could relate to more, or would it matter?
ReplyDeleteI'm not too technologically savvy but I was thinking that it would be possible to simply use pictures from the internet and make it a powerpoint presentation instead, which can be used in class or shared by email. Any other ideas?
ReplyDeleteI think that it might be good to have images from both English language magazines and images that the student could relate to more. That's an excellent idea, Kris. With the former, the student could learn about American culture and with the latter the student could learn how to talk about their culture in English which I'm sure would make them feel more comfortable and cared-for. And more interested in learning English.