Doesn't the BBC produce great stuff. This is for the very beginner who wants to learn how to use a computer. Good and slow and nicely paced. Fool around a little and then think who this would be perfect for.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Listen and Read
http://www.englishexpress.ca/
This is a site from Alberta. There are all kinds of little stories with audio attached so that the reader can read and listen at the same time.
They are read nice and slowly. Try a few.
Live Newscasts
http://www.youtube.com/voalearningenglish
You can see live reports on youtube with words written underneath. Perfect for someone learning English or for someone improving their reading. Try out a few of them.
Couch Potatoes
Voice of America. You can listen to a reading that describe idioms, like couch potato. Your learners can listen to this and practice their pronunciation or you can read the text.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Important message about the summer
Dear Tutors
I hope that you are enjoying your matches with your learners. I just want to tell you about the upcoming summer.
As some of you know, I don’t work in July and August, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop tutoring unless you are meeting at the VIU tutoring room in the evening. (daytime tutors just check with Linda Rosen, it should be the same)
At the Model Community Office just carry on in your same time slot and all should be well.
At Breakwater Books, just take a moment to reconfirm your dates for the summer.
Sorry VIU campus is NOT open in the evening so the tutoring room won’t be available. An alternative would be to meet at the Step Above Café at Quality Foods where we have been invited to do our tutoring.
Some tutor/learner pairs carry on right through the summer; but it is more common to arrange some break time. A few weeks off for a holiday is absolutely what we expect you to take and please arrange this with your learner. Vice versa, sometimes learners also have holiday plans, so please talk to them in June to see what works for both of you.
Even though I am not working, if something urgent comes up please call me at my cell 604 413-1021. I cannot promise that I will get back to you the same day, but I will try.
Also you can email me at call@prepsociety.org
During the summer I don’t do any assessments for new learners, but right now there is a waiting list, so if and when you end the tutoring with your learner please let me know.
If you become unavailable for a period of time please let me know that too.
And last, I want to thank you all for your hard work. The VIU program has been going more than 20 years, but CALL (my program) is only in its second year. Last year we made 5 matches; this year we made 13, imagine next year. So thanks again for being there and caring enough to help.
Deb Calderon
CALL (Community Adult Literacy & Learning)
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
ESL Survival Guide
http://elsanet.org/pdf/literacy_guide.pdf
This is the Adult ESL Literacy Resource
Survival Guide for Instructors
although it is meant for classes it has some super ideas in it.
Here is one
How to Boost Learner Self Esteem
Keep a portfolio of learner’s work. Let learners chose their best work for the portfolio, date each entry. Review the portfolio from time to time to show learners how they have progressed.
Use a self-assessment activity at the end of a week, month or unit. Have learners respond to a checklist. After doing a unit on health have learners check:
CAN YOU ...
YES
SOMETIMES
NO
spell body words
√
make an appointment
√
say you are sick
√
Do this orally and with graphic prompts. After, you can conference with your learners about their abiltities.
Give learners choices on activities. Do you want to read or write? Do you want to work in groups or pairs? Do you want to go on fieldtrip
Monday, May 10, 2010
Best of the West Coast Reader
you all know the west coast reader, that fabulous resource we use. Well now you can go through some ebooks from the same folks. They are good for the beginning reader or ESL learner and have teacher guides.
Check out a few and see which ones you like.
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