Blog # 2 ESL Reading, Writing, and Learning Methods

      In YOED 6020, we have covered the principles of second language acquisition as well as instructional designs for English language learners.  I learned many different strategies for specially designing academic instruction to individual learners needs, use content-based instruction, and how to apply scaffolding techniques in a variety of ways during a lesson to help support the learner. The process of oral language development has also been an interesting topic.  As an ESL teacher, I always have struggled with an appropriate way to assess students’ oral language.  I will probably use the (OLD) Oral Language Development Rubric to help me assess oral language in the future. More recently, I have been introduced to various ways to promote literacy in ESL students.  For ESL students learning to read, I like the use of literacy centers.  Different centers can represent different familiar things in a child’s life such as the grocery store, parks, and the kitchen and can be filed with literature all about the content area Boyle, Peregoy, 2008, p.177). I feel that this would be a great way to incorporate functional literacy in the classroom. In helping to build Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP), I would use content related books that are rich in related vocabulary and have the students present the words in various creative ways, such as use of graphic organizers, word walls, illustrations, and role playing.  My favorite strategy is the holistic approach.  I want to make the content as accessible to all my students as possible and through use of holistic teaching methods, I feel I can reach them all.

Reference:

Boyle, O. F., Peregoy, S. F. (2008). Reading, writing and learning

     in esl. (5 ed.). Boston, MA:  Pearson.