This brief examines the research on learner interaction and summarizes the positive effects of classroom interaction on language learning. The brief also describes areas of focus for teachers who want to promote successful language learning interactions, provides examples of activities that can be used to structure and enhance classroom…

These three issues contain educational activities and articles on the following topics: education for the future; learning about learning; readers' responses to requests for suggested article and activity topics; tools and techniques (revisiting the one-question interview, learning students' names, and getting to know one another); multi-level…

This guide is part of a package developed for people with disabilities and professionals wishing to conduct advocacy courses by Skills for People, a British advocacy group. The guide contains 13 sections: (1) why this guide was written; (2) how to use this guide; (3) how to have good meetings; (4) checklist for genuine involvement; (5) checklist…

The Refugee Women's Alliance, a nonprofit organization helping refugee and immigrant women achieve self-sufficiency in the United States, has developed a class integrating English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction and discussion of family issues, child-rearing, and related problems in a new cultural context. The project focuses on developing…

The objective of this book is to teach English to Latino adults so that they may successfully adapt to and cope with their new lives and conditions in the United States. Using oft-expressed needs as a guideline for content development, the lesson plans are designed to include exercises, basic vocabulary, and grammar that help students function in…

This curriculum manual combines the teaching of English as a second language (ESL) with multicultural and prevocational education. The materials provide students with information about immigration, how immigrants fit into the economic system and society, and how different cultures and races have evolved. Goals are to give students the opportunity…

Special writing problems faced by English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) adult literacy students are examined, and an approach to the individual teacher-student writing conference is proposed. Four conference components are distinguished, and suggestions are made for handling each: oral interaction; engaging the student in dialogue before reading the…

The guide outlines a curriculum for developing essential oral language skills in adult learners of English as a Second Language (ESL). It is divided into four topic-based sections, each providing a variety of activities for developing communication skills, including grammatical knowledge and vocabulary. Topics include: personal information (giving…

An English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) program for adults is outlined that uses a local newspaper as a source of instructional material. The course uses transitional listening and speaking activities that lead to literacy (reading and writing) components. The teaching guide is modular, enabling the teacher to select the most appropriate module for…

This book provides an overview of research and thinking on age-related dimensions of language acquisition, intended for students, researchers, and educators with some experience in linguistics and applied linguistics. The first chapter introduces the variety of issues associated with age and language acquisition. Chapter 2 examines the evidence…

This introductory text is designed to prepare teachers of English as a Second Language to teach speech skills. The first three chapters explore general issues in relation to spoken language and speech instruction. The first chapter examines the nature of spoken language, and why and how we learn our native language. The second focuses on…

The Washington State Core Competencies Project is designed to implement competency-based adult education in the state's 38 adult basic education programs. A model curriculum was developed and field-tested over several years. The resulting curriculum outline of core competencies for English as a Second Language, level 3, is presented here. The…

This volume consists of the handouts designed to be used along with the English-as-a-second-language (ESL) program that was presented during a one-and-a-half hour presentation entitled "Teaching Listening and Speaking Skills to ESL Adults." Presented first are a brief outline of the content of the presentation and a summary of its…

This guide contains activities and resources to help adult learners develop the work-based foundation skills and knowledge areas included on the Foundation Skills Framework wheel (Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy 2000). Its four sections (basic employability skills, basic workplace knowledge, basic workplace skills, and lifelong learning…

The resource guide, developed by the ESL (English-as-a- Second-Language) Group of the Minnesota Literacy Training Network, contains useful classroom techniques and activities for teaching ESL. The ideas are both conventional and innovative, and support development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. The first section lists…