Begin forwarded message:


>

>

> The following announcement is posted on behalf of Barb Garner,  

> Editor of Focus

> on Basics.

> +++++++++++++++++++

>

> The newest issue of "Focus on Basics" is now on NCSALL's web site,

> http://www.ncsall.net. It's on ESOL and features research from  

> NCSALL’s ESOL

> Lab School.

>

> Steve Reder, director of the ESOL Lab School, a partnership of  

> Portland State

> University and Portland Community College, describes the research  

> and how it

> is conducted. Kathryn Harris reports on one aspect of her study of  

> pair work

> in the ESOL classroom. Learners she studied individualized their  

> pair work,

> adapting the activities to their language learning needs. Pair  

> activities are

> provided by Donna Moss of Arlington, VA.

>

> Sustained silent reading has been found to encourage many students  

> to read:

> does it do the same with beginning-level ESOL learners? It is a viable

> practice with this group, explain Sandra Banke and Reuel Kurzet, who

> participated in this Lab School study. To improve their students’  

> speaking and

> listening skills, teachers often set up conversation groups. What  

> if the

> conversation leaders were university students who studied  

> immigration and

> cultural adaptation as well as strategies for initiating and keeping

> conversations going? Betsy Kraft chronicles her classes’  

> experiences leading

> conversations with Lab School students.

>

> Anyone who has taught an ESOL class with students from a variety of  

> language

> backgrounds has noticed the chatter that goes on, in English,  

> during breaks.

> Dominique Brillanceau was curious about whether this casual  

> conversation

> occurs in class as well, and, if it does, what role it plays in  

> learning.

> Starting conversations can be hard for anyone; it’s even harder in  

> a new

> language. John Hellermann explored the nuance of initiating and  

> turn-taking in

> conversations in Lab School classes. Some ESOL learners get stuck, and

> teachers struggle to find out why. Robin Schwarz, now of Ohio,  

> shares case

> studies from her years of work with ESOL learners and teachers and  

> provides

> tips on how to find out what might be the problem.

>

> And the development of NCSALL's Health Literacy Study Circle+ guide is

> chronicles by Winston Lawrence, NY, and Lisa Soricone, NCSALL.

>

> Happy Reading!

> Barb Garner

> Editor

>

> ----------------------------------------------------

> National Insitute for Literacy

> Adult Literacy Professional Development mailing list

> ProfessionalDevelopment at nifl.gov

> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to  

> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/ 

> professionaldevelopmentDevelopment

>

>


Gail J. Price
Multimedia Specialist
National Center for Family Literacy
325 West Main Street, Suite 300
Louisville, KY 40205

Phone: 502 584-1133, ext. 112
Fax: 502 584-0172