EnglishOnline www.myenglishonline.ca
Teacher Newsletter - May 2014

Warm greetings to all of you,

 

Last month brought many pleasant changes to English Online team. It made us spread thin in between excitements of moving to another location and transitioning to new fiscal year. Meanwhile, we maintained our presence in teaching and learning world and would like to inform you on the latest news.

Recent Events

Webinars

Our Teacher Professional Development webinar series continues throughout the year. In the latest webinar we've talked about tools for teaching and assessment in the ESL classroom.

In the first session, Jessica Webster shared her valuable tips on using LinkedIn for multiple purposes - professional development and job search, classroom practice and beyond. Ryan Drew, our second guest speaker, showed her master class on creating CLB-aligned formative assessment tasks. Watch the video.

English Online nominated for ELTons!
English Online is proud to be nominated in Local Innovation for developing Summer EAL MOOC 2013. Read more here.
REALIZE!  2015 National Online Forum Updates:
  • With doubled enthusiasm, English Online is announcing REALIZE! 2015 National Online Forum for ESL/EAL Professionals across Canada. Taking into account successes and challenges of the REALIZE 2014 and community feedback, we are putting together the next event. 

  • Advisory Committee Formed - we are thrilled to welcome new members on board as well as to have old-timers staying with us for another year.

Teaching Reading to Literacy Learners

Literacy learners often feel lost in the ESL classroom as their challenges are doubled. Not only they need to learn to read and write, they have to do it in their second language. It not easy on teacher's side either as they often have to deal with silence in response to their explanations and questions, misunderstandings and disappointments.  It might take a while before both feel learning progression, and it's important to stay motivated. These are some strategies teachers can use to make the learning process fruitful and meaningful when teaching reading to literacy learners.

  • Start simple - use familiar phrases and short sentences. Pre-teach new vocabulary. Avoid overloading text with unknown words.
  • Make it visual - use  pictures  and print text in large font.
  • Practice different contexts - use familiar words in new situations.
  • Keep it practical - use authentic materials that your learners meet in their everyday life. They feel motivated to learn more if they see the use of it. Realia that you bring to class to introduce new topics gives them feeling of relevance to the world outside of the classroom.
  • Facilitate building learners' own vocabulary - make word cards and word lists and keep adding new words as you move forward. You can also arrange vocabulary thematically.
  • Refer to learners' personal experience - take pictures of activities you do in or outside the classroom and write a story based on it. Then learners can practice reading it.
  • Establish reading routine - have a separate class during the week when you practice reading. As your learners' personal library grows, they develop a habit of reading.

 

Sincerely,

 

English Online Team

 


Upcoming Events

English Online Webinar

May 3rd, 2014 10 am CDT
"Self-Discovery and Language Learning in the ESL Literacy Classroom".

 

English Online Teaching with Technology Webinar 

May 23 & 24, 2014
"How to Get Most Out of 60 Minutes, or Flip your session with Open Access Resources"
.

 

June 7th, 2014 10 am CDT with John Sivell and Geoff Lawrence.Check back soon for more information. 

REALIZE 2014 Archive
Further Information
ESL Literacy Readers Guide
A Module on Teaching Reading to Adults
Instructions on Developing a Reading Lesson for Adult ESL Learners
Reading Techniques for Adult Literacy Learners
The Language Experience Approach and Adult Learners

Relevant Resources on Tutela.ca
Easy Reading Work and You Book 1: Make some job choices

Easy Reading Job Profiles

 At the Clinic/Calling 9-1-1 Workshop

Changing Lanes - English as a Second Language Reading Series - 1: A Day at Razia's Home

 

 

 

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