ESL/ELL

Beginning Alphabetics Tests and Tools offers ABE/ESL instructors a simple but comprehensive toolkit for encouraging adults to develop a strong foundation for reading English well. The activities within support best practices from evidence-based recommendations in literacy instruction and provide instructors with the tools (handouts, plans, resources, tests) to engage beginning readers as they learn to read and, hopefully, enjoy reading! The resource provides a teacher-friendly collection of free, accessible assessment tools for practitioners to use that target alphabetics instruction for beginning readers. In addition, the resource takes a pragmatic approach to phonics instruction, thoughtfully describing and then applying synthetic, analogic, and analytic approaches in ways that make sense for various purposes. Furthermore, the five lesson plans progress developmentally, addressing increasingly higher stages of students’ alphabetics knowledge and providing a picture of the scope of instruction in this area. If used within a balanced approach to literacy instruction and introduced with training (or used by someone with a general knowledge of alphabetics instruction), this resource could be a valuable one for teachers of adults being introduced to literacy. Users are encouraged to read the front matter at the beginning of each section with care since good directions and advice are offered there—and it may be easy to overlook them. Of special note: the authors invite users to adapt the assessment directions as needed, and practitioners may want to do so. For instance, students are usually not told what the test is about until step 6 or 7—after the demonstration of what to do on the test. In general, it would be better to tell them the purpose of test first and then provide the demo, so students know what to attend to in the demo.

This practice-oriented Companion Learning Resource helps adult ELL instructors to better understand and meet the language demands of rigorous college- and career-focused content. A variety of instructional strategies and supports are included, such as nurturing academic conversations in the classroom, engaging learners with increasingly complex texts while building content knowledge, expanding project-based learning into academic subjects, and building teachers’ knowledge and skills around reading instruction. Formatted as a digital magazine, this clickable PDF contains embedded resources and links to websites, encouraging users to delve deeply into the areas of greatest relevance. Through the resource, practitioners are able to link to concrete examples taken from each of the seminal resources and, where relevant, additional examples drawn from other relevant contexts (e.g., K–12 education).

The activities modeled in the Classroom Activities for Adult ESL Learners videos bring variety and interest to the classroom. They will be helpful to beginning tutor and teachers as well as those who previously relied on workbooks and lecture. Many of the activities are directed toward beginning learners, who often present a challenge to teachers. There is, however, little information about learner preparation or follow-up activities. The videos in the Classroom Activities for Adult ESL Learners series show teachers working with adult ESL students without a formal workbook or worksheets. The videos feature teachers facilitating cooperative/collaborative learning activities with small group work and discussion. ESL students are quick to learn and engage when the instructor (like those in the video) demonstrates a true interest in them and their learning. Performance-based assessments activities are used in some of the videos that concentrate on oral communication and/or reading.

This resource is designed to be a professional development guide for teachers of low-literacy adult language learners, an often overlooked segment of the adult learner population. It provides practical guidance for facilitators with multiple activities for participants. These activities include a review of research and practice, practical application in classrooms, and reflection and discussion. Step-by-step guidance is provided for establishing and running a study circles as well as discussion questions and processes. The guide relies on, and is informed by, evidence-based practice and research in the areas of balanced literacy instruction for both children and adults. Explicit links to research and practice provide the foundation for the activities. It is a model that facilitators could use with other topics. While it is designed for facilitators, it also provides sufficient materials and readings suggestions for work and study to be undertaken independently.