Videos

Excuse Me, How Much are the Peppers?

Sun, 23 May 2010 19:22:05 -0600

The students in this video are a group of Bosnians in Chicago who participated in an EL Civics class targeting elderly immigrants and refugees. A key concept illustrated here is that language develops more quickly and deeply if students get a chance to talk about things that matter to them. What matters to this class is food, particularly vegetables, especially paprecash (peppers). You see students take a field trip to a farm where they pick their own vegetables and then go to a grocery store to compare prices.

Segment 1 - Introduction and Explanation of Key Learning Principles Used by the Teacher: Heide Wrigley introduces the video and key concepts illustrated in the video. The teacher works on vocabulary related to vegetables using flash cards and authentic materials.

Segment 2 - Reception Precedes Production: The teacher uses total physical response to reinforce both listening skills and vocabulary. She asks students to practice questions prior to going to the farm. Two classes join to go to the farm. Students continue to practice on the bus. They discuss whether the vegetables on the farm are expensive or cheap - and ask to go to the bathroom. And then they pick and and pay for their fruit. On the way home they sing a song with a single word: “Peppers.”

Segment 3 - Decrease Social Isolation: The teacher leads vocabulary practice and teaches consumer skills as students compare the price of food on the farm and at the store. There is an example of authentic communication as one student defends his calculations on the white board.

Segment 4 - 10 Easy Pieces: Heide outlines 10 effective strategies that teachers can use in any lesson.

I Have a Problem

Sun, 23 May 2010 18:42:20 -0600

Problem solving scenarios are a good way to get students to deal with real issues in English. These videos show elder ESL students in Chicago who are participating in an EL-Civics class in Chicago operated by the Coalition of Limited English Speaking Elderly. The immigrants and refugees in the class were asked to respond to a series of questions which describe a specific problem and then the students were asked, “What would you do and what would you say?”

Segment 1 - Introduction and Eviction Notice: The teacher asks the question: “You receive an eviction notice telling you you have to move out of your apartment. And the reason stated is you failed to pay the rent, which is not true. What will you do and what will you say?”

Segment 2 - The Phone Bill: “Your phone bill is very, very high. The phone company says you called your country ten times in one week. It is not true. What will you do? What will you say?”

Segment 3 - The Lost Wallet:I”You left your wallet on the counter in a store. It contains your Green Card and $50 in it. What will you do and what will you say?”

Segment 4 - The Drunk Friend: “You go to a party with an American friend. Your friend drives. When it’s time to leave you see that he or she is drunk, and you can’t drive yourself. What will you do? What will you say?”

Segment 5 - The Lonely Neighbor: “She’s from another country - speaks a little English. (She seems sad.) And she’s your neighbor. What will you do? What will you say?”

Segment 6 - A Real Life Problem: Students were asked to describe a true story about a problem they had. This is one story.

Oral Communication Skills

Sun, 23 May 2010 18:06:03 -0600

This series of videos illustrates a way of building oral communication skills using illustrations and student presentations.

Segment 1 - Review of Survival English: In this segment, the teacher demonstrates basic strategies for reviewing survival English.

Segment 2 - True-False Cards: In this segment, the teacher demonstrates how to use True-False cards to check comprehension.

Segment 3 - Lesson Preview in Spanish: In this segment, the teacher previews the lesson in Spanish.

Segment 4 - Review Jobs Children Have: In this segment, the teacher reviews typical jobs that children have.

Segment 5 -: In this segment, the teacher reviews typical jobs for adults.

Segment 6 - Fluency: In this segment, the teacher describes her first job.

Segment 7 - Personal Poems: In this segment, the teacher uses Chalk Talk to explain students’ first jobs.

Segment 8 - Students Draw Pictures: In this segment, students draw pictures of their first job and come to the front of the class to describe their job to the other students.

ESL Literacy

Sun, 23 May 2010 17:30:12 -0600

This series of videos provides examples of ways to link oral communication skills and literacy skills.

Segment 1 - Help Cards: In this segment, the teacher asks students questions based on a geography lesson she has taught. Learners use cards to signal if they think a statement is true or false. Later on in the segment students use other signal cards to indicate they need help or that they have not understood. The class created the signal cards themselves.

Segment 2 - Comprehensible Input: In this segment, the teacher presents a mini-lecture using photographs and graphics with PowerPoint on Texas geography. To help students build their background knowledge, strengthen vocabulary and increase their listening comprehension skills, she presents content information in a way that is accessible to students. This segment is an example of providing comprehensible input using PowerPoint (or overhead projection transparencies).

Segment 3 - Skill Practice: In this segment, students practice their map skills and the use of directional words (north, south, etc.). This skill building activity follows on the geography lesson the teacher presented previously.

Segment 4 - Alphabet: In this segment, the teacher reviews alphabetical order with a multilevel group of students. She uses the states introduced in the geography lesson as examples.

Segment 5 - Sounds of English: In this segment, the teacher reviews English vowel sounds to reinforce the idea that English vowel sounds shift depending on the environment in which they occur. She provides examples of long and short vowels.

Segment 6 - Fluency: In this segment, the teacher provides fluency practice by introducing a silly poem and having students focus on the sounds, rhythm and intonation of the poem. She encourages students to dramatize the last line of the poem to focus their attention on "expression."

Segment 7 - Personal Poems: In this segment, the teacher connects fluency practice with self-expression by asking students to create a simple poem about themselves. To help beginning students, she models the activity using a poem about herself.

Segment 8 - Chalk Talk: In this segment, the teacher uses an approach known as "chalk talk" to make information accessible to students. She draws the story of how her parents came to the United States and at the same time tells the story in words. She then invites the students to retell the story and writes it on the board. This is a variation of the "language experience approach."

Segment 9 - Reading Text: In this segment, the teacher moves from using pictures and drawings to introducing a text. She reads the passage while the students listen and then breaks the group into teams to do work appropriate to their proficiency level. While the more advanced students read and answer comprehension questions, less proficient students tell and write their own story using the chalk talk method.

Segment 10 - Review and Closure: In this segment, the teacher wraps up the lesson by reviewing and reinforcing key concepts in reading.

The Reading Demonstration

Sun, 23 May 2010 16:33:22 -0600

Heide Wrigley shows how to use materials from the everyday lives of learners to allow students to demonstrate what they can do with print. It was later modified and used in the National Assessment of Adult Literacy. (There are three segments to this video.)