Reading: Breaking it down for ESL

Here are some aspects of reading that must be considered in an ESL classroom:

Reading skills have two major components: linguistic knowledge (formal schema) and knowledge of the world (content schema) (Brown and Lee 2015). The linguistic knowledge is more obvious, but our own knowledge that we bring to our reading is just as or even more important.  So everyone's perspective when they read something is very different.  There is a literal interpretation, but our own interpretation will depend on our own background knowledge.  Something to really keep in mind when teaching.  People from different cultures may have very different knowledge sets.  

Language also has a 'distance' characteristic, meaning it can move through time and through distance (Brown and Lee 2015).  Something else that I was aware of, but I never really thought about much.  We can read what was written centuries ago, and we can send the writing almost anywhere in our digital world.  But the context when we read it will change.  Reading something written centuries ago, has a very different meaning for the reader now, than it did when written. Someone reading a text in Britain may take a different meaning from it than in Canada. 

The written word is often very different from the spoken.  The written word is often more formal, and uses longer clauses and more subordination.  Whereas the spoken word has shorter clauses and uses the conjunctive more often (Brown and Lee 2015).  Our receptive vocabulary (reading and listening) is often much smaller than our productive vocabulary (writing and speaking) (TalkingEnglish.com 2005).  There are also a huge range of types of written genres that we can use in the ESL classroom such as memos, signs, maps, fictional stories, menus and the list goes on and on.  Just think of how many written things you read each day.  Authentic materials are best for learning such as music, poetry, ads, magazines (ONTESOL 2013), and there’s so much variety to choose from.  We just have to make sure it’s at the appropriate level.  

Comprehension must be considered when choosing material for reading.  The difference between 80% and 98% is huge, even though the numbers aren’t.  At 80% a reader at best can get the gist of what is being said, compared to 98% where only a few words are unknown and can be predicted from the context (McCulloch 2016).  So if your students don’t know the vocabulary before they read, comprehension can be limited. But don’t teach all the vocabulary before reading (ONTESOL 2013).  Students must learn to think critically while reading, and predict and infer and decipher meaning from the context.  

Having students read aloud in class may seem like a good thing, but it can distract the students from actually reading for comprehension, because they are focusing more on pronunciation (ONTESOL 2013). This may be particularly true from beginner level learners where they are learning correct pronunciation. For good reading comprehension, it’s best to introduce the theme, garner some interest in the topic, and set the mood for positive reading time.  

All these and many more are important for a good reading experience for our ESL learners. 

Brown, D. & Lee, H. (2015). Teaching by Principles. Chapter 17, pp. 389-400

McCullough, G. (2016). What 80% Comprehension Feels Like. Retrieved from https://allthingslinguistic.com/post/155043761501/what-80-comprehension-feels-like

ONTESOL (2013) TESOL Teaching Reading Skills.  Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBslJMq4LAg

Talking English.com (2005) English Vocabulary. Retrieved from https://www.talkenglish.com/vocabulary/english-vocabulary.aspx

The True Assessment of Listening and Speaking

Assessment is a dreaded word in many English classes.  Many students fear they will not do well, and it will reflect badly on them.  But as teachers we must recognize that assessment is a necessary process to help students recognize what they have learned and the progress they are making, but also for us to learn what the needs of our students are.  Listening and speaking assessments are as important as reading and writing assessments. 

Listening (Berry 2016) and speaking (O’Sullivan 2017) skills should reflect real life situations, so students become competent in those not-so-perfect situations.  Listening the real world often has background noise, different accents and may be fairly fast. Speaking requires the learner to quickly adapt to the context and content.  We must have a balance between a fair assessment and ensuring students are prepared for real world listening and speaking.

There are a wide variety of settings and tasks that we can use for speaking assessments such as giving personal information, telling a story, comparing things, and all of these can be adapted for different levels of learning (Berry 2016).  Similarly, there are a wide variety of listening tasks that can be evaluated such as identifying main ideas, summarizing, inferring and deducing, and these can be applied in various ways such as audio recordings, live, or video (Sullivan 2017). 

As teachers we must always keep in the back of our minds that we are preparing our students for the real English world, and sometimes this can be overwhelming.  The true ‘assessment’ is whether or not the learner can apply their listening and speaking outside the classroom. How often do we just ‘tune out’ our listening every day?  Do you think it would be much easier if it was a different language?  Of course!  We must encourage our learners to practice their listening and speaking skills all the time!  In the grocery store, listening to the car radio, watching videos and commercials, and speaking to people they meet every day.  Exposure to English outside the classroom and how well the students can listen and speak in everyday life is really the best assessment. Whether they can carry on a conversation with their neighbor, or as for directions to an address will tell them how much they have learned and how much they still have to go.  Learners must understand that when they exit the classroom door, their learning doesn’t stop, but really begins!

Berry, V. (2016) Assessing Listening. British Council.  Retrieved from https://www.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/transcript_assessing_listening.pdf

O’Sullivan, B. (2017).  Assessing speaking. British Council. Retrieved from https://www.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/transcript_assessing_speaking.pdf

Making Listening Count

I recently had my hearing checked because I was worried that it was going a bit as I have become older.  In fact it's fine, and I'll chalk it up to my husband not speaking clearly (although I know it's not always true!).  But it has made me realize how important it is to listen and hear what is being said.  It is so easy to 'hear' something else. So when our ESL learners are listening, what are they actually hearing? Wilson (2008) tells us that listening is an active skill.  This is not really a surprise to me.  I have found that more and more I must be more active in listening.  Otherwise I tend to 'fill in' with predictions too much and get it very wrong!  Prediction is a very necessary part of learning a language.  We learn to fill in what might be expected.  However, for beginner learners who's prediction skills are much lower, active listening is very important.  

The practicality of active listening is that its' sometimes very difficult in a classroom.  Often many distractions can occur and sometimes learners have other issues which detract from active listening in classrooms.  Some are talking to their neighbour, some are reading, some are even sleeping.  And we must also consider that some may have hearing problems.  So active listening can be a challenge! 

One of the points that Wilson (2008) makes is that 'listening then, is an activity that takes place on many levels simultaneously, from recognition of individual phonemes to recognition of patterns of intonation that alert us to irony, sarcasm, anger, delight'.   I think this is very important to think about when we teach.  The student is not just hearing sounds, but is listening to and learning the whole language. Therefore, as teachers it’s very important that we ensure our students listen to all these aspects of language and teach to these points.  Our speaking must sometimes be exaggerated (especially with beginner listeners) so they hear the differences in phonemes, intonation, word stress and pitch.   As a person who is not particularly animated when I speak, it’s important for me to ensure that I try and bring out more intonation and emotion is my speech so students hear and emulate this in their speech. 

Listening strategies and skills are of fundamental importance to ensure that students learn to speak well.  I have a friend who had a basic knowledge of English, but essentially taught herself very advanced English (well enough to teach at a university) by listening to movies and videos and transcribing what she heard.  So we cannot underestimate the importance of good listening skills.  

In ‘How can teachers teach listening’ (TESOL n.d.) the author suggests that learners need to be taught various strategies of proper listening.  These should be a combination of top down (focused on meaning and information) and bottom up (focused on the parts of the sentences, intonation, sounds, etc).  The author also suggests that the students take an active role in their listening learning strategies, and work at applying them, instead of relying on the teacher.  By involving the students in looking for strategies, they are more likely to remember them.  The teacher acts as a facilitator in their learning. Peer learning becomes more important. 

The focus on the importance of the relationship between listening and speaking has helped me to gain an understanding of what students needs are in the classroom, and how to intertwine these skills in the activities in the classroom. 

References: 

TESOL. (n.d.). How can Teachers Teach Listening. Retrieved from http://www.tesol.org/docs/books/bk_ELTD_Listening_004

Wilson, J. J. (2008). How to teach listening (pp. 21-24)

What do we know about pronunciation?

There is a saying that goes something like “ the more you know, the more you know you don’t know”.  I felt very much like that this week after reading about how first languages (L1) can affect learner’s pronunciation.  I was aware of differences in other languages such as the difficulties of Chinese speakers with R and L sounds. However, after reading about differences in languages (ESL 2017), I am now aware that most languages will have some form of L1 interference, even ones that are closely related to English.  

The other aspect of language which I now know I need more information is about speech elements.  When we talk about speech we tend to focus on pronunciation of  segmentals or the vowel consonant sounds, but adding suprasegmentals (stress, rhythm, and intonation) adds a whole other dimension to speech.  And how important these are to our speech!  Think about how flat sounding our language would be without melodic rhthym. How boring our voices would sound!  How we would misunderstand or misinterpret what is said without inflection, pitch, and intonation! So, when teaching English, we must really emphasize these when speaking to our students.  One teacher I have worked with is wonderful in front of the class, and very good at conveying emotions like excitement, sadness, surprise, etc when speaking.  She is a good example for me, because I know it’s very important to do this so the students know how they can do it with their voices, because it may be very different in their own languages. 

Are there other ways that learners can learn pronunciation?  A friend explained to me that she learned much of this from listening and watch TV and videos. She would watch segments over and over again, listening closely and repeating.    Exposure to English and trying to mimic is a good way for learners to tune their ear to the sounds of the English language.  Before they can speak, they must hear the sounds.  Many English sounds are not found in other languages, so teaching learners how to position their mouth to make the sound is very important as well. There are also sounds in their L1 that they have in their language that are not found in English.  Some will try to incorporate or substitute these sounds for English sounds.  This is also something that needs to be corrected.  

I see this week as just a beginning along my pronunciation learning path.  My eyes are wider open, and I have much more empathy for the students!  

ESL. (2017). Language Differences. Retrieved from http://esl.fis.edu/grammar/langdiff/

Breaking down the language to build it up and teach

Blog Post  TESL 120 Speaking and Listening  Jan 17 2020

Young children learn languages by listening and repeating what it said.  It’s a long complex process taking years to master.  When we teach English to adults, it’s a much different process, but listening and repeating what is heard is a large part of it.  However, is there is much more to speaking another language than just knowing what to say (linguistic knowledge). Thornbury (2005) breaks it all down for us.  Extralinguistic knowledge encompasses cultural, context and familiarity, and is just as important than linguistic knowledge.  Sociocultural language is also very important to truly integrate into society.  Besides learning all the vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar, we much know about intonation, when to use specific words, subtle differences in meaning, idioms, etc.  

Speaking a language is very different than writing a language.  Speaking is generally less formal, and uses other formats than writing, such as partial sentences, and one-word answers.  We must also consider the function of language, cooperating with other speakers, politeness, register, body language, etc.  Such a complex process!  

As language teachers, our task is to start simple, explain well, and lead our students through this process.  Canadian Language Benchmarks (2012) divides speaking knowledge and strategies into several parts: grammatical knowledge, textual knowledge, functional knowledge, sociolinguistic knowledge and strategic competence. Each stage builds on these to develop speaking skills in a very practical manner, ensuring that students have a full understanding of spoken English. 

As we teach, one of the biggest learning aspects of spoken language learning is error correction.  I believe doing it well is really an art form.  Having a teacher who is a very good example of error correction, is the best way to learn. Balancing accuracy and fluence is also very important (Harmer 2001).  It must be done efficiently and gently, so students understand it’s importance, but are also not offended by the manner, or singled out too much.  There are many ways to apply error correction, and is highly dependent upon the student(s), context, timing, etc.  So learning many different ways is an important aspect of language teaching.  

On a personal note, this week we began an English conversation group in my church.  Many eager and talented volunteers have come forward and over twenty participants came for the first class.  So this class is rather timely for me, in that I hope to apply what I’ve learned immediately, and also to pass this on to the other volunteers.  For example, error correction was a concern of many.  Before I had done the readings, I told them what I had garnered from watching the teacher in the class that I volunteer in.  Promote fluency, but be gentle, look for common problems, and try to be not too obtrusive.  Now I know more, and I hope to add a bit more to their knowledge as well.  

Speaking and listening is such an important part of language learning, especially for newcomers to feel comfortable in their new environment.  I’m not sure how much we will accomplish in a few short weeks, but it’s a great start! 

References: 

Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks. (2012). Canadian Language Benchmarks. Retrieved from http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/pub/language-benchmarks.pdf

Harmer, J. (2001). The Practice of English Language Teaching, Chapter 7: Feedback on Oral Work, pp. 104-109.

Thornbury, S. (2005). How to Teach Speaking, Chapter 2: What Speakers Know, pp. 11-26. 

Cultural Differences

The Context and the Challenge:                

Challenging situations in ESL classrooms can often arise due to cultural misunderstandings and differences.   These require delicate, yet direct, questioning to understand the problem and work towards a solution.  Here is an example of one such situation told to me by an experienced and very competent ESL teacher.  The class is a beginner level (CLB 1/2) Language Instruction for Newcomers (LINC) class in Winnipeg with a diverse cultural mix. 

The school usually does not place spouses/partners in the same class, but because of the large influx of new students and limited space, they had some spouses in the same class.  The teacher was also very aware of some cultures not wanting to be grouped or paired with the opposite sex in activities, and tried to avoid this as well.  However, the teacher had found that usually as classes proceeded students became more comfortable with one another, and most often were accepting of opposite sex groupings. 

A problem arose when a male student vocally objected to his wife being paired with another man for an activity. The teacher then quietly suggested that they work on opposite sides of the table.  At this point he became angry, so the teacher separated the wife and partner.   The teacher was very surprised by his anger because this man was usually a very polite and accommodating person.  Although he was of a culture (Muslim Syrian) that sometimes does not allow men and women to readily mix, she had had no indication that this was previously a problem. 

The teacher knew that it was important to have a discussion with the man in his first language for the teacher to understand what his objections were, and also for the man to understand that discrimination based on sex is not acceptable in Canada.  So at the first availability, a settlement work who spoke the man’s first language was asked to interpret and help explain and also ask questions.  The man explained that he was very jealous of his wife talking to this man, who was also from his culture.  The teacher said she understood but asked what he thought could happen with them just doing an activity.  He said he still did not like it, but after the conversation and the explanation of Canadian standards, the man decided it was OK if they were on opposite sides of the table.  

Cause, Solution and Effects: 

Many cultures have codes of conduct for members of the opposite sex and as teachers it is important to understand this culture.  Many people in English language classes are recently arrived and are still undergoing culture shock (Schellenberg and Maheux 2008) and may have many other problems such as dealing with war and torture (CCVT).  They are far from their extended families and usual supports and are dealing with many changes in their lives, so it is important that they consider English language classes as safe and accepting places.  Therefore, understanding learners’ culture is one of the aspects of providing a comfortable learning environment (Li et al, 2012 pp. 35).  

Other than the cultural reason, the husband did not suggest there was any other reason for his anger, and the teacher did not ask for any other details of a possible cause.  But it is possible that the husband may have had other reasons or probable cause for his jealousy that he did not want to share. 

The solution sought by the teacher, by separating the wife and man to avoid further confrontation or escalation in the class, I believe was the correct one.  De-escalation and a request to discuss the matter privately (at another time, or sometimes immediately) allows the class to continue, but also lets the person know that you are willing to listen and to understand their reasons.  It is very important to respect the dignity of each student and try and find the true source of the problem in order to solve it (Brown and Lee 2015, pp. 302). The solution the teacher suggested allowed the man to ‘not lose face’ in front of his classmates, but also allowed the teacher to pursue a long term solution at a more appropriate time, and in the learner’s own language so that he could fully express himself and understand the teacher’s reasoning.  Also, having the discussion at a different time and place, allowed the man to ‘cool down’, and be less emotional.  The teacher also accessed institutional support (a settlement worker) to help resolve the problem, which is suggested by Brown and Lee (2015, pp. 302).  It was also important that Canadian expectations of male/female interactions was discussed, to allow the husband to understand and help to adjust to acceptable standards of equality in Canada (Li et al, 2012 pp. 38-39). However, there may have been an additional reason that the husband did not disclose.  The two men did know each other outside the classroom, and therefore may have had some other disagreement, or another reason he did not want his wife to interact with the man.  This could also have been discretely asked by the settlement worker to ensure that this was not the situation.

In this case, the teacher demonstrated a respectful solution to the problem, resulting in a good outcome for all involved, by responding to the husbands immediate requests and ensuring the class was not interrupted, but also by generating a long term solution with good communication and understanding of cultural differences. 

References:

Brown, D. & Lee, H. (2015). Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to              Language Pedagogy (4th ed). White Plains, NY: Pearson Education.

Canadian Center for Victims of Torture (n.d.). CCVT Strategies for Promoting a                       Positive Atmosphere in the Language and Skills Training Classroom.  Retrievon           March 29, 2019 at                                                                                        http://www.teslwindsor.com/uploads/7/8/1/7/7817983/ccvt_strategies_f            or_promoting_a_positive_atmosphere.docx_pdf_2_windsor_apr_15_2016.pdf

Li, X., Myles, J., and Robinson, P. (2012). Teaching ESL in Canada.Don Miles, ON,          Canada. Oxford University Press.

Schellenberg, G. and Maheux, H. (2008)Immigrants’ perspectives on their first four   years in Canada: Highlights from three waves of the Longitudinal Survey of           Immigrants to Canada.  Retrieved from      https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-008-x/2007000/9627-            eng.htm#tphp

Classroom Etiquette Poster

I created an infographic (poster) that I could use in a classroom.  I kept it simple. The teaching context is around CLB 2-4 so pictures and not too many words help.  It would still need some explanation.

 'Be on time' means that we must be here before the class starts (at least 10 min) to settle in, take off our coats, say hello to classmates, and get children settled in daycare, get things set up etc.

'No phones' means that we can have our phone in the classroom, but it must be on silent and away in their purse or backpack, not pocket.

Speak English means we should try and speak English in class as much as we can, even with classmates who speak the same language.

'Think and Ask' means to try and think first and if we have questions, then we should always ask.

'Listen to Others' means to make sure everyone has a chance to speak, and to not talk when others are speaking. Speaking is an important part of learning a language and we must give each other time.

'Homework helps' means that homework is assigned and if you do it, you will learn faster. Teachers always have lots of homework and preparation that they need to do too.

'Participate and Share' means that everyone should try and talk in the class and in their groups. The teacher is a good example by sharing personal experiences and stories with the class.

'Tell the Teacher' means that if you will be away, or if you are sick, of if you have a class problem, always tell the teacher.  We will work to solve the problem.

'Fair and Safe' means that we will all be fair to each other, and create a safe space where everyone feels comfortable.

'Celebrate our Differences' suggests that we recognize that we come from different cultures and want to learn about each others cultures.