Newcomers and second language learners are hard to teach, especially for beginning teachers. They are placed in a classroom based on age, yet they may have little or no knowledge of English.
What to Do With ESL Students and New Comers
With ESL students and new comers in the classroom, it would be impossible to expect them to use the same textbooks as their classmates. The material would be too hard and they wouldn’t learn a thing. It is important to start off by testing all students to find their reading levels.
Most new comers are at a first grade reading level, depending on how much English they have learned. Some also need to be taught the alphabet and letter sounds. If this is not their first year, they might be at a higher reading level. These three groups should not be mixed together. A simple word list can help determine each student’s reading level. Be careful of those students who can read the word or sentence, but may not comprehend the meaning.
Choosing the Right Books for ESL Students
When choosing a book for a reading group, keep in mind what they already know. Include words that they can read, and a few that might be new. The book should have a predictable sentence pattern for students to learn. For new comers with zero English, try wordless books or picture books with limited words. Examples from Scholastic’s Shoebox Library include The Birthday Present by Mavis Smith [Scholastic, 1994] and Have You Seen My Duckling?by Nancy Tafuri [Greenwillow Books, 1991].
Second language learners who already have a grasp of English can try books with a twist at the end. These books have a repetitive pattern that changes throughout the story. Examples include Cookie’s Week by Cindy Ward [Putnam Juvenile, 1997] and Time to… by Bruce McMillan [Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Books, 1989].
No matter the book, try not to have more than five new words in each.
Guided Reading With ESL Students
During guided reading the teacher meets with each reading group individually. Each student should have his or her own book. It is ideal to do a book walk and introduce any new vocabulary before reading. They can then begin to read.
There are different strategies for reading with students. One used commonly is round robin reading. It is not very effective as a whole class activity, but it works in small groups. Instead of having each student read in turn, have students read with a partner. With an even group, the same students will be reading together. Make sure a strong reader is paired with a weaker one. Second language learners, and especially new comers, are more reluctant to speak. This method allows them to practice reading aloud, so the teacher can assess their reading skills.
Preparing Second Language Learners to Make Their Book
The students have finished reading their fabulous book. Now they need to prepare to write their books. First introduce the sentence pattern. In The Birthday Present the first page shows a dog pointing at a calendar and saying, “It’s Mom’s birthday.” It doesn’t matter that the rest of the book only contains words as part of signs.
If the entire class is made up of second language learners, have each student make a page. Each student draws a picture of him or herself pointing to a calendar. They write “It’s my birthday” or any variation of that sentence in a speech bubble. The class learns this sentence along with the months of the year. Advanced students can create longer sentences like “My birthday is in April.”
For sentence structures that allow more creativity, have each student write four or five for homework. They can read their sentences to a partner and choose their favorite to make a page for the class book. Students can also create their own book from one sheet of paper.
Publishing Classroom Books
After everyone has turned in a page, create a class book to put in the classroom library. Students love reading their own books. ESL students benefit from reading these books because it provides more practice with words they already know.
Hold an Author’s Chair once a month for students to share their work. Classroom buddies with a lower grade allows students to share their books with their buddies. At the end of the quarter or semester, let students take their books home to read with their families. As students get better, provide less structure and they will create their own stories to tell.
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