Audio Books for Language Development!

I enjoy listening to books and podcasts daily -- when I'm walking, on the elliptical, cooking, or sometimes just relaxing or getting ready to sleep.  We all know the need for oral language development of English learners -- it seems there is a valuable place for audio, especially as an accompaniment to reading.  There is lots of evidence for its effectiveness, in developing reading though not so much specifically about language learners. Below: some of the evidence; ideas for using audiobooks; sites for free audio for the classroom.

Research on benefits of audiobooks:
http://www.audiopub.org/Annotated%20Bibliography%20of%20Literature%20on%20Benefits%20of%20Audiobooks%20for%20Young%20People%20-%20Final.pdf

benefits of audiobooks:
http://www.readingrockets.org/article/benefits-audiobooks-all-readers

Ideas for using audiobooks with at-risk readers:
http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED505947.pdf

A site with 650 free audiobooks -- many of them classics:
http://www.openculture.com/freeaudiobooks

Fascinating free first-person brief stories for listening:
http://esl-bits.net/listening/ESL.English.Listening.htm

More free audiobooks, novellas, short stories, songs...
http://esl-bits.net/

SE TESOL: Working with Beginners; English in the War Zone; iPad for ESOL

I just returned from a very well-organized and informative SETESOL Conference 2014 in Rogers, AR.

My sessions (handout is linked to the first one):

• Five Powerful Strategies for Teaching English Language, Literature and Content with Beginners
• Challenges of Teaching English in the War Zone (with Eric Dwyer)

Useful resources from Amy Shaw, who presented on iPad for ESOL:

• http://tinyurl.com/nzbku7d
• Note: Amy received a grant from Georgia TESOL to purchase her technology and is sharing what she did and learned.  

Working with New Learners of English Using Total Physical Response

Monday, September 9, 2013

Total Physical Response – a technique for teaching learners language using action -- was the idea of James Asher in the 1960’s.  The concept – that we learn language from listening and doing – is as fresh as ever.  It’s such a positive and successful activity for newcomers and, with the addition of written scripts, can also develop the listening, speaking, reading and writing of learners at all levels. 

Here are the basic steps and some examples.  Create your own!

Teacher’s Dozen Workshop #2: Total Physical Response

General Apps for English Language Learning

Looking to use technology in your English Language classroom?  Here is a three-part series by Beth Crumpler of adaptivelearnin.com that focuses on using free or inexpensive everyday apps  such as photo editors and speech-to-text tools.  I'll try to add some original K-12 examples soon.   

Part 1: Apps for English language learning: Intro to photo editors
Part 2: Apps for English language learning: Photo apps for customized learning content
Part 3: Apps for English language learning: Speech-to-text for writing development

September 3, 2013 -- Working with Beginning English Learners -- Some Tools

I've been working with new learners of English and their teachers a lot lately.  Today, I'm sharing practical strategies for including beginning learners in ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) and content area classrooms.


FLASHCARD TEMPLATE.  I've been trying to think of little ways to make life easier for busy teachers.  Here's a template that makes it quick to make flashcards/word cards/game cards.  Just type in the words and tab.  http://www.mlmcc.com/docs/Flashcard%20Template.docx


POP - Practical Oral Practice.  Here's a strategy to start every day with fun, easy, yet useful oral language practice.  2013-08 GVP POP


TPR - TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE.  My hands down favorite with new learners of English is Total Physical Response (TPR), because it's fun and helps student understand and belong from the beginning.  Here's a brief description with examples:  Teacher's Dozen #2: Total Physical Response


I HAVE, WHO HAS.  Everyone needs a game to practice and review vocabulary, questions and answers, number facts, etc.  Here are instructions and a template to quickly create practice with interaction.  I Have, Who Has