Adult Emergent Literacy (LESLLA) Teaching Toolkit

In this active activity, learners stand in a circle and take turns asking and answering questions as they throw a ball to one another. This activity allows learners to practice speaking and consolidate the grammar/vocabulary newly learned. Photo from Minnesota Literacy Council Materials:  A soft ball or bean bag Procedure: 1. Teacher writes a question on the board (e.g., What are you going to do after school?) and elicits a few possible answers from learners to check their understanding of the question. 2. Learners stand in a circle. 3. Give one learner the ball. S/he should answer the question on the board. 4. Have the learner throw the ball back to the teacher. Teacher repeats what the learner said and gives his/her own response to the question (e.g., He is going home. I am going to buy some food. ). 5. Teacher throws the ball to a different learner. S/he have to repeat the teacher’s response and then add his/her own response. 6. Continue until everyone has re

When preparing for a celebration, learners can contribute according to their talents, interests, or abilities.  Teachers may do this activity near the end of the course. A celebration of their hard work and achievement enhances LESLLA learners' confidence in learning. Procedure: The whole class think about the following questions: * Who are we going to invite? * What are we going to eat? * What are we going to do? * What are we going to bring? You may find page 84 of the blue Collaborations book (Huisenga & Weistein-Shr, 1996) useful. In small groups, learners think about what they are going to do. They may show, teach, cook, or do something. Have learners fill in a chart. Each group reports to the class what they are going to do. (Teaching points: Grammar "going to" & pronunciation gonna ) Learners make a list of all the people in the class (including the teacher). Write down what each person is going to do. (Huisenga & Weistein-Shr, 1996, pp.84-8

At the end of the lesson, the teacher tells the class what their goodbye task is (saying something or answering a question) and prepares learners for the task. When learners leave the classroom, the teacher (and the teaching assistants) can stand by the doors and have learners carry out the task. Examples: Chunks (to develop automaticity) / Social language e.g., See you tomorrow. Have a good weekend!   Teacher asks, "How old are you?" Learners answer, "I am ___ years old." or "I'd rather not tell." Photo by  susannp4 on pixabay My mentor teacher carried out this goodbye routine every lesson. I noticed that this simple activity developed learners' confidence. After they interacted with the teacher or me in English, they looked so happy.

This is a " Bringing the Outside in " activity. Learners are to bring in things to show what they can do. (Huisenga & Weistein-Shr, 1996, p.61) Reference: Huisenga, J., & Weistein-Shr, G. (1996).  Collaborations: English in our lives (Beginning 1 student book) . Boston, MA: Heinle & Heinle Publishers.

Picture stories can be used to introduce new vocabulary and to practice speaking and/or reading skills (Minnesota Literacy Council). Photo from Bow Valley College Procedure: Introduce the story and show the pictures after activating schema. Look at the pictures one by one. Give or have learners supply one short sentence to describe each picture. Have the whole class repeat the sentence. Provide learners with sentences on paper strips. Have them match the sentences with the pictures. Have learners read the sentences aloud. Variation : Divide the class into groups. Ask learners to put the pictures in order. In this way, each group creates a story of their own. Each group then shares their story with the whole class. (Adapted from Croydon, 2005, p.71; Hartel, Lowry, & Hendon, 2006; Minnesota Literacy Council) References/Resources:  Bow Valley College. (n.d.). ESL Literacy Readers: Forty theme-based readers for adult ESL literacy learners. Retrieved from  ht

After teaching vocabulary, the teacher may tell the class that they are going on a scavenger hunt  (e.g., in the park, in the campus library, in the neighborhood). Before going out, the teacher asks learners to create scavenger hunt worksheets for their classmates. To create the worksheet, each learner writes or copies vocabulary words, which are items that their peers have to look for. Then, the class goes out and learners look for items on their handout. When they find the item, they can draw or take pictures. The activity helps learners associate print with real-life objects. It also allows learners to practice reading print in a relaxing setting. Some learners spend most (if not all) of their life in their neighborhood only. Arranging field trips to places outside of their neighborhood can broaden their horizon and understand the city/country more. Sometimes, it even gives them insights into what life they want to live and motivates them to learn English to engage in social activ

"Bringing the outside in" is to offer learners opportunities to "talk about their current and earlier lives, as well as urgent ongoing concerns" in the classrooms (Simpson, 2011, p.14). Photo by Alex Blăjan on Unsplash Examples: * Pictures of Your Country : Have learners bring pictures of their country to class. Put the pictures on the wall and write the name of the country under each picture. (Huisenga & Weistein-Shr, 1996, p.9) * Things That Help You Learn : Have learners bring to class one thing that they use to learn English (e.g., a book, a magazine, a dictionary, flash cards, a game, or a CD) and show their classmates. (Huisenga & Weistein-Shr, 1996, p.29) * Family Photos : Ask learners to bring in photos of their family. In class, learners will ask and answer questions with a partner.       Questions:           * Who's that?           * Where does s/he live?       Answers:           * in + city/state/country           * on +

Have learners listen for two sounds (e.g., /s/ and /k/). Provide each group or learner with a set of pictures. Show learners the pictures and name the pictures (e.g., cat ). Learners then put the pictures under the corresponding sound (e.g., putting the cat picture under /k/). Give a few examples before learners do it on their own. Photo by Philipp Mandler on Unsplash Reference: Liden, A., Poulos, A., & Vinogradov, P. (2008). Handout from TESOL conference presentation:  Phonics and student-generated texts for emergent readers . New York City, NY.

The cup game allows learners to practice listening to beginning, middle, and end sounds without being distracted by the written form of the words. Photo by  Bru-nO on pixabay Procedure: 1. Teach learners “beginning” (or “first”), “middle”, and “end” (or “last”) and demonstrate how a sound (e.g., /s/) is in the beginning (e.g., s ay ), middle (e.g., pen c il ), and end (e.g., fa ce ). 2. Give each learner or group three cups labeled with beginning, middle, and end. Provide each group or learner with a chip or a letter to drop into the cup. 3. Call out a word and have learners drop their chip or letter into the right box. Variations: * Provide learners with more chips or letter tiles for keeping score. Their chip/tile will remain in the cup when their answer is correct and be removed if not. * Practice only the beginning and end sounds with low level beginners. * Include multiple letter sounds when playing with higher level learners. Also, allow these learners to

Photo by Rachel Lynette French on Unsplash There are many benefits of using writings written by learners (Parrish, 2004, pp.142-144; Peyton, 1993, pp.60-62): Learners can relate to the texts easily and are engaged in reading and writing in a meaningful way. This motivates to express their thoughts and feelings. Using learner-produced texts allows learners to see that their thoughts and experiences are worthy sharing with others. This empowers them to take on an active role in their community. Writing drafts and reading texts written by their peers allow learners to actively think about what good writing is. When revising their drafts, learner writers think about language use, grammar, punctuation, and discourse in a meaningful way. The peers' writings are good models to show emergent readers that they can also become successful writers. Emergent readers need to read extensively in order to acquire the language. Using learner-produced writings provides a substantial q

The Language Experience Approach (LEA) centers around learners' experiences and allows learners to talk about and write their own stories and also listen to, read, and be inspired by their peers' stories. Photo by  1866946 on Pixabay Features: Materials are learner-generated. (see " Using Learner-Produced Texts ") All communication skills--reading, writing, listening, and speaking--are integrated.  Difficulty of vocabulary and grammar are determined by the learners own language use.  Learning and teaching are personalized, communicative, and creative. Sometimes, teachers ask learners to tell a story or an experience instead of writing it, and then they transcribe or write about it. (Taylor, 1993, p.48) Possible activities for the class: Making French toast  Making a salad Making cards (thank you notes, get well cards, holiday cards) Interpreting signs in and around school Mapping the neighborhood Taking a trip to the bank, city hall, t

Board games allow learners to check their learning progress in a relaxing way. Teachers can draw their own Candyland-like board or use a template (e.g., Microsoft Word Games & Game Templates , Board Game Makers and Templates ). Draw pictures, use magazine pictures, or write words or letters on the board squares. Have learners play in groups. Provide each group with a game board, a die or a spinner, and a game piece for each learner. Learners take turn to throw the die. When they land on a square, they should read the word or say what the picture is. They can stay there if they are correct but have to go back to where they come from if they are not. Photo by  Skitterphoto on pixabay Reference: Croydon, A. (2005). Making it real: Teaching pre-literate adult refugee students. Literacy Network of Washington.

In light of the fact that many LESLLA learners are competent speakers, teachers should provide learners with opportunities to speak in class. A brief speaking activity can be a good warm-up. Teachers can create a chart with a few emojis (e.g., happy face, sad face, angry face) and put it on the wall/whiteboard. When learners enter the classroom, they will write their name or put their name card under the emoji that represents their feeling. Teachers can then invite a few learners to explain their choice or have learners talk in pairs/groups. Benefits: It helps teachers understand learners' lives and their language abilities better. This can help teachers design lessons that are more suitable for the class. Talking with and listening to learners also shows that the teacher is interested in their lives. This forges a bond of friendship and motivates learners to engage in classroom activities. Having to express themselves in a spontaneous fashion sometimes allows learners to

Providing opportunities to talk or read about news in the classroom is an act of empowerment; learners need to know more about the world around them. Moreover, many adult learners are interested in the news. Using news in adult literacy classrooms builds up their confidence and develops their identity as English users. Picture by  OpenClipart-Vectors on Pixabay Techniques: * Bring in pictures from newspapers or magazines showing current events. Have learners talk about the events and teach important vocabulary (e.g., earthquake , election , war ). * Write about a news story with language that is suitable for the learners (see "Resources on writing for LESLLA learners" below). Resources on writing for LESLLA learners:  Simply Stories. (n.d.).  Simply Stories Guide . Retrieved from  http://simplystories.org/simply-stories-guide/ ----- This is a brief description of the language used in different levels of the Simply Stories. WorldSight Media. (2012, Decembe

Alphabet letter tiles are useful for phonics practice. Put learners into groups and give each group two sets of 26-letter tiles (in case they have to spell - ee -, - pp -). Read a word and have learners spell the word with the tiles given. Consider printing consonants in one color and vowels in another, or printing them on paper of two different colors. You may also use plastic tiles (see "D.I.Y. Letter Tiles and a Freebie!" ). After teaching a thematic unit, you can have learners (in groups) think of vocabulary words related to the theme and then spell and read out the words. The score for each word is the sum of the letter values shown on the tile (just like Scrabble). There are free printable Scrabble tiles online (e.g.,  Paper Trail Design ).

Photo by 453169 on pixabay The following resources contain instructional materials or guidelines for teaching literacies that are relevant to LESLLA learners: Health Literacies Schenker, H. (2012). Read for Your Life: Resources for Teaching Health Literacy to Adults. Retrieved from https://www.nypl.org/blog/2012/03/21/resources-teaching-health-literacy-adults ----- The webpage includes a list of essential health literacy skills, book recommendation, and useful online resources. Digital Literacies Arlington Education & Employment Program (REEP). (n.d.). REEPworld: Student Links. Retrieved from  http://www.reepworld.org/studentsite/favlinks.html#Literacy ----- This webpage of REEPworld provides links to online resources that can be useful for LESLLA learners (such as handwriting exercise, typing practice, phonics, picture dictionary).  Digital Learning Center. (n.d.). Use a computer to do almost anything!. Retrieved from https://digitallearn.org/ ----- The site c

Self-access boxes contain activities or materials of different skills and levels and allow learners to supplement their learning with activities/materials of their own choice. The teacher organizes the materials (e.g., color coding for level and skill) and teaches learners how to use the boxes. Self-access boxes offer flexibility; learners can go to the boxes for more learning anytime. They can get more exercises when they finish classwork early, or redo an exercise if they feel they need more practice. They can also look for activities that suit their level when they find a class activity too challenging. This is helpful especially for big classes, where the teacher may not be able to address every learner's needs in each lesson. Self-access boxes also promote learner autonomy, helping learners become independent learners, who are confident that they are capable of taking care of their own learning. Photo by  moreharmony on pixabay What can be put in a self-access box?

Everyone likes music. Teaching English through songs allows learners to relax (lowering their affective filter) and absorb the language. If the teacher or some students play musical instruments, singing with live music will create fond memories for the class, thus building up a pleasant environment for learning. According to Abbott (2002), using music in the literacy classrooms has also the following advantages: Music and culture are intertwined . Listening to music also means to listen to someone's stories. This also encourages learners to share theirs. Music increases retention as lyrics are often repetitive. Increased exposure to the same language helps automaticity. Music and related classroom activities appeal to different learner styles and preferences . Obviously, musical learners enjoy listening to music. Emotive, intrapersonal, or interpersonal learners can be attracted to the emotions and thoughts expressed in the lyrics. If it is dance music or an action song, kin

Learners can make their own booklets to prepare themselves for real-life conversations or speaking tests. Teachers can provide learners with a booklet template and a conversation with blanks for learners to fill in according to their situation. The booklet is easy to carry and allows learners to practice speaking at home. Not only is this a great review tool for them, but it also alleviates their anxiety when they speak. With the language support given by the booklet, learners will also feel confident about dealing with that particular situation or even with similar tasks in real life. Even if they are preparing the booklet for a speaking test, this assignment benefits them as they are learning how to review and taking responsibility for their learning, training them to see themselves confidently as legitimate learners.  ("Making a booklet," 2008) Reference: Making a booklet: Calling in sick at school. (2008). Retrieved from https://www.fremont.k12.ca.us/page/1596

After reading a text (for meaning) with the whole class, the teacher can give learners a handout of the text or some vocabulary words from the text but with some letters missing. Learners then try to write the missing letters (with or without teacher's reading). (Text from: Weinstein-Shr, 1992, p.1) References: Liden, A., Poulos, A., & Vinogradov, P. (2008). Handout from TESOL conference presentation:  Phonics and student-generated texts for emergent readers . New York City, NY. Weinstein-Shr, G. (1992). Stories to tell our children . Boston, MA, & Florence, KY: Heinle & Heinle Publishers.

At the end of each lesson or unit, teachers may ask learners to reflect on their learning. This helps learners become more proactive as they focus on what they can do (versus waiting passively for the teacher to do something for them). It also "gives learners a voice in their education and in shaping the curriculum" (Parrish, 2004, p.267), empowering them to be confident. Lesson self-assessment can be in various forms. Teachers may give out a form for learns to fill out (see the image below), or they can simply ask them the same questions and have them write their answers on post-its and vote for their favorite activity. (Source: Parrish, 2004, p.268) References: Parrish, B. (2004). Teaching adult ESL: A practical introduction. New York, NY: McGraw Hill. Huisenga, J., & Weistein-Shr, G. (1996). Collaborations: English in our lives (Beginning 1 student book). Boston, MA: Heinle & Heinle Publishers.

Photo by Ilya Ilford on Unsplash The following prompts ask about everyday objects or events, encouraging the learners to learn about the world around them in English: Write a list of items in your refrigerator.  Write the name of 3 streets that are near the street where you live.  Write the names of 4 TV stations.  Write the names of 2 radio stations (Hint: these names usually have letters and numbers).  There are many different kinds of soda pop, like Coca-Cola. Go to a grocery store and see how many names of soft drinks you can find.  Find out what days and what hours the library is open. Also, tell us how you found out.  Find out what days and what hours the post office is open. Also, tell us how you found out.  Find out 5 American names (first names) and how to spell them.  Find the names of 2 cars you like. Find the name of one car you do not like.  Find the name of 2 supermarkets. Which one do you like better?  Find the name of 2 banks. Which one is closer to

Many emergent readers are proficient English speakers and listeners. The "Identifying Pictures" activity allows learners to practice listening to grammar or vocabulary they have just learned without having to worry about the printed form yet. In this activity, the teacher will provide learners with four similar pictures and then describe only one of them. Learners listen to the description and decide which picture the teacher is talking about. For example:      There is a table.       There are three cups on the table.       There is a vase.       The vase has two flowers. The activity can also be used to practice discriminating between similar sounds. For example:      The c at is on the table.      The h at is on the table. Illustrated by Sin Yee Chau (Free for use) Materials needed: Sets of four similar pictures A short script Procedure: Before-Class Preparation: Draw four similar pictures, or create the pictures with clipart on the computer.

Doing exercise in class allows learners to listen to commands in a relaxing way. As it is a routine in the classroom, learners are exposed to the words used in the commands many times and can therefore learn the words easily. Commands can include prepositions of direction (e.g., up), body parts (e.g., arms up, head to the right), and simple actions (e.g, turn to the left). Teachers can also invite friends to audio record the routine so that learners can practice listening to different voices and accents. Reference: Croydon, A. (2005). Making it real: Teaching pre-literate adult refugee students. Literacy Network of Washington.

Assessment: Short dictations provide opportunities for learners to succeed and see their own progress. Phonics: Have LESLLA learners write only the first sound or the final sound first. When they are ready, have them write out the whole word. This practice helps learners connect oral language with the written form. For phonics practice, accept inventive spelling. Learner Autonomy : Asking learners to prepare for short dictations allow them to see and work for an achievable goal. All these enhance learners' confidence, making them believe they can succeed. Patsy Vinogradov's LESLLA 2009 presentation slides "Balancing Top and Bottom: Learner-Generated Texts for Teaching Phonics" Reference: Liden, A., Poulos, A., & Vinogradov, P. (2008). Handout from TESOL conference presentation: Phonics and student-generated texts for emergent readers . New York City, NY.

Bingo is probably one of the most popular games used in language classrooms. It can be customized easily to serve different purposes. The original number bingo game can be used to practice listening to numbers. Bingo cards can also be made with a target sound (e.g., onset, final, vowels), and the game will become a phonics activity. Bingo provides learners with opportunities to practice reading print; it also helps learners associate sounds of the language with print. Phonics bingo cards (from https://myfreebingocards.com/school/reading/-ay-words)