When teaching the names of common foods I like to bring in the actual items. To make it a hands-on learning process I hand, for example, a carrot to a student as I pronounce the name. He or she hands the vegetable back to me and says the word “carrot” while doing so. After running through a dozen or so items / words I will check for understanding by holding up an item and having […]
Author: pdilley
Carve a Pumpkin
As Halloween approaches each autumn I often bring in a large pumpkin. After briefly describing the origins of this “holiday” I discuss the current manifestations that take place in American culture such as costumes and trick or treating. But what really gets their attention is when I give a narrated demonstration of how to carve a jack ‘o lantern. Necessary items: one (1) pumpkin, one carving knife, newspaper to put the seeds on, and a […]
INS Study Guide
Resource Posting PD.tifI find that students, especially at the lower levels, are curious about the history and politics of the United States. Over the years one of the handouts I have accumulated is the INS Standard 100 Questions for 312 Test at Legalization Offices. The document has questions such as, “What do we call a change to the U.S. Constitution?” Answer, “Amendment.” It serves as a nice break from grammar, writing, etc. and often engenders […]
Composition Self-Assessment
In ESL 282B, Composition I used Longman Academic Writing Series, Paragraphs to Essays by Alice Oshima and Ann Hogue. Pearson, 2014. This Fourth Edition had a new component compared to the Third Edition, 2007. Towards the end of each chapter there is a section entitled Self-Assessment. For example, in Chapter 9 (“Essay Organization”) students are asked to check off if they learned to identify and write the three parts of an essay, etc. This check […]
Intermediate Level Conversation
In ESL 244, Level Four Conversation in the Fall Semester of 2018 I used 21st Century Communication: Listening, Speaking, and Critical Thinking by Lida Baker and Laurie Blass. This is from National Geographic Learning, Cengage, 2017. Each chapter ends with a group or individual presentation format. The text has excellent pictures and is accompanied by an Audio / DVD format. The videos are excerpts from Ted Talks. The students and I found the films to […]
ESL 105 Final Exam Scoring Rubric
Currently our highest level ESL class is ESL 105, Pre-Collegiate Composition / Reading. Until recently ESL 105 fell under the umbrella of the WCC English Department. In preparation for the Final Exam students were provided with expectations for grading. A score of 4 was the highest possible. A score of 4 or 3 was passing and a score of 2 or 1 was not passing. At that time English 105 and ESL 105 Final Exams […]
Timed Writing
In my ESL 282A, Fundamentals of Composition class, I use the Longman Academic Writing Series, Level 2, Paragraphs text by Ann Hogue. This Pearson book at the end of each chapter has a Timed Writing section that helps students get ready for future classes. Since many intend to get into the English Department’s sequence leading to 1A, this is an excellent way to accustom them to the pressures of testing in class. They have 30 […]
Student Information
This handout helps the instructor to gauge if a student is in the correct level. At our school, Woodland Community College, we have four levels of integrated skills on Saturdays. Students often self-place themselves into a level that is either too high or too low. This simple diagnostic tool helps the teacher to determine if a student should be advised to move up or down. Handout: >>ESL. STUDENT INFORMATION<< pdilley
Hold Your Horses
Students are introduced to common idioms such as in one ear and out the other, butterflies in my stomach, and hold your horses. Exercises in the text check for understanding and also ask the students if the idioms ever applied to their lives. They can give written and / or oral responses. The resource is the text Hold Your Horses by Myra Shulman Auslin in the Dormac Idiom Series. pdilley
Oral Report: Personal History
This is an in front of the class presentation. Students will have a handout with specific questions to answer. They simply have to fill in the blanks with answers to such questions as what country they are from. When a student has finished presenting the class and I ask followup questions. Everyone seems to enjoy learning more about their classmates. Grading is up to 10 points maximum. I am looking for fluency, range of vocabulary, […]