2POBCE

Course Profile Beginning Communication in English, ESL Level 1, open, Public

Unit 1

Course Profiles are professional development materials designed to help teachers implement the new Grade 9 secondary school curriculum. These materials were created by writing partnerships of school boards and subject associations. The development of these resources was funded by the Ontario Ministry of Education and Training. This document reflects the views of the developers and not necessarily those of the Ministry. Permission is given to reproduce these materials for any purpose except profit. Teachers are also encouraged to amend, revise, edit, cut, paste, and otherwise adapt this material for educational purposes.

Any references in this document to particular commercial resources, learning materials, equipment, or technology reflect only the opinions of the writers of this sample Course Profile, and do not reflect any official endorsement by the Ministry of Education and Training or by the Partnership of School Boards that supported the production of the document.

©Queen’s Printer for Ontario

Acknowledgments

Public District School Board Writing Team - English as a Second Language

Lead Board

Toronto District School Board

Course Profile Writing Team

Jane Campbell

Hazel Excell

Denise Gordon

Jane Hill

Elaine Iannuzziello

Paula Markus (Team Leader)

Eleanor Minuk

Jane Sims

Ero Siouga

Betty Ann Taylor

Unit #1: Getting Acquainted

Time: 20 hours

Unit Developers: Jane Campbell, Hazel Excell, Denise Gordon, Jane Hill, Elaine Iannuzziello, Paula Markus, Eleanor Minuk, Jane Sims, Ero Siouga, Betty Ann Taylor.

Development Date: April, 1999

Unit Description

In this unit students will develop the ability to use simple oral and written language for beginning communication at home, at school, and in the community. Using authentic orientation materials, students will demonstrate the ability to use simple sentence patterns and key conventions of standard English to participate in social interactions in the classroom and the community. They will begin to use reading strategies to acquire beginning English vocabulary and to adapt to key teacher expectations and school routines.

Strands and Expectations

Strands: Oral and Visual Communication; Reading; Writing; Social and Cultural Competence.

Overall Expectations: AORV.01X, AORV.02X, AORV.03X, AORV.04X, AREV.01X, AREV.02X, AREV.03X, AREV.04X, AWRV.01X, AWRV.02X, ASCV.02X.

Specific Expectations: AOR1.01X, 1.02X, 1.03X, 1.04X, 1.05X, 1.06X, 2.01X, 2.02X, 2.04XX, 3.01X, 3.02X, 3.03X, 3.04X, 3.05X, 4.02X, 4.03X.

ARE1.01X, 1.02X, 1.03X, 2.01X, 2.02X, 2.03X, 3.01X, 3.02X, 3.03X, 3.04X, 3.05X, 4.01X.

AWR1.01X, 1.02X, 1.03X, 2.01X, 2.02X, 2.03X, 2.04X, 2.05X, 2.06X, 2.07X, 2.08X.

ASC1.02X, 1.03X, 2.01X, 2.02X, 2.03X, 2.04X, 2.05X, 2.06X.

Activity Titles (Time + Sequence)

Activity 1	About Me	2 hours
Activity 2	The Classroom	3 hours
Activity 3	The School	3 hours
Activity 4	The Family	3 hours
Activity 5	The Home	3 hours
Activity 6	The Neighbourhood	4 hours
Activity 7	Transportation	2 hours

Unit Planning Notes

In addition to the detailed teaching and learning strategies presented, a number of ongoing routines which are part of a balanced language learning program will need to be established during this first unit. These activities should include the following:

• student journal writing

• silent reading of English, first language and bilingual materials, with entries into a reading log (See Appendix 3 for a sample log.)

• reading aloud by the teacher

• listening to tapes at the class listening centre

• keeping a personal vocabulary list or book

• teaching relevant Canadian cultural material at appropriate times throughout the year

• compiling a personal career list

• maintaining individual portfolios of student work

• compiling a classroom picture dictionary

Throughout this course, a number of children’s picture books have been suggested as possible resources. These books have been carefully selected for quality of story and illustration, as well as for their content of mature themes appropriate for adolescent learners. In using children’s literature, teachers should always be sensitive to the ways in which these materials are presented to secondary school students. When these books are introduced with the needs of adolescent learners in mind, there is much in quality children’s literature which speaks to a secondary school audience. Universal human themes, diverse cultural viewpoints, simplicity and clarity of language, contextual redundancy and repetitive language patterns are just some facets of children’s literature which enrich the second language learning process.

Similarly, the inclusion of the resource Great Beginnings, originally created for learners in the junior grades, has been made with the caveat that teachers will select only those sections of this document which address the language needs of adolescent ESL students, such as the calendar pages, as well as the visuals for classroom, school and community vocabulary.

A beginning level English as a Second Language class will be of a heterogenous nature. Some students will have had more exposure to English than others, as well as more educational opportunities. In addition, continuous student intake is a fact of life in many ESL programs. In order to accommodate the varying levels of beginning English proficiency in a class, it is suggested that teachers make use of complementary language practice activities found in many commercially available beginning level course texts. A list of suggested texts can be found below. Other suggestions for supporting the varying levels of language proficiency include preparing packages of materials to distribute to students as they arrive during the term or semester, keeping a class stock of visuals and word cards for students to practice vocabulary alone, in pairs or small groups, and providing opportunities for practice with English language learning software.

Many of the activities in this unit include small group work components. In a heterogeneous class of newly arrived learners from around the world, students will have had varying degrees of exposure to group work, which is a frequent teaching strategy in Ontario classrooms. Teachers will want to present a well-paced entry to the concept of working and learning in groups, and to set up these early group activities clearly and with plenty of time for students to become accustomed to the dynamics of working in a group of their peers. Thoughtful consideration will need to be given to the selection of group members for different activities, as well as to how to help students understand their roles and responsibilities in a group learning situation.

Many newly arrived ESL students will be experiencing culture shock, family separation and dislocation, at the same time as they begin to cope with attending school in a new country. The ESL teacher must be

aware of and sensitive to the many changes and adaptations which immigrant and refugee students face, and must strive to create a welcoming and secure classroom environment. While it is essential that ESL students master the vocabulary for topics such as family structure and living accommodations, the teacher should remember to be sympathetic to students’ possible reluctance to share personal information about their backgrounds.

Prior Knowledge Required

Most students entering ESLAO will have attended full time education in their country of origin, and thus will have the necessary first language literacy skills to be successful in a secondary school program. However, other students may not have first language literacy or may have gaps in their educational backgrounds. These students may be concurrently enrolled in ELDAO and may take longer to achieve the expectations for this beginning ESL course. Additional modifications for these new literacy learners will help facilitate their integration into the ESLAO program.

Teaching/Learning Strategies

Brainstorming/webbing, modelled writing, journal writing, cooperative learning groups, teacher read- alouds, silent reading, listening centre, graphic organizers (pie graph, bar graph, T-chart, web – see Appendix 4 for samples), Total Physical Response, field trips, language games, guest speakers, student created books, class and community surveys, information gap, jigsaw, language experience stories, mapping, classifying and categorizing, pair, group and class interaction, viewing a non-narrative video, sharing languages and cultures.

Assessment/Evaluation Techniques

Activity Type Tool Categories

Activity 1

Formative

Summative

Oral Class Introduction

Alphabetized List

Communication

Knowledge

Activity 2

Formative

Summative

Object Identification

Classroom Diagram

Cloze exercise

Knowledge

Comm, Knowledge

Thinking, Knowledge

Activity 3

Formative

Summative

School Visit Organizer

Group Vocabulary Poster

Agenda Listening Task

Know/Think/Com/App

Know/Think/Com

Activity 4

Summative

Formative

Summative

Family T Chart

Group Presentation

Family Tree Worksheet

Knowledge, Thinking

Know, Communication

Know/Think/Com/App

Activity 5

Summative

Formative

Summative

Personal Information Test

Vocabulary Quiz

Preposition Quiz

Ideal Room Project

Know/Communication

Know/Think/Com/App

Activity 6

Form/Summ

Summative

Map Listening Quiz

Community Directory Project

Know, Communication

Know/Think/Com/App

Activity 7

Formative

Summative

Oral Summary

Road Sign Locations

Shape Identification List

Final Unit Test

Know/Communication

Know/Comm/Application

Know/Comm/Thinking

Course expectations which are assessed through the assessment tools for each activity are denoted by the iconic symbol < in the expectations lists for each activity.

Resources

Print

Acosta, Joan. Canada Coast to Coast, Second Edition. Toronto: ITP Nelson, 1999.

Acosta, Joan. Coast to Coast Reader. Vancouver: Douglas and McIntyre, 1987.

Bailey, Cindy. Start Up Multiculturalism. Markham: Pembroke Publishing, 1991.

Berish, Lynda and Thibaudeau, Sandra. Canadian Concepts, Books 1, and 2. Toronto: Prentice Hall Allyn and Bacon, 1997.

Berish, Lynda, Sandra Thibaudeau and Maria De Rosa Wilson. Grammar Connections 1. Toronto: Prentice Hall Allyn and Bacon, 1995.

Boyd, John R., Mary Ann Boyd and Paula Kezwer. Before Book One, Canadian Edition. Toronto: Prentice Hall Allyn and Bacon, 1994.

Carver, Tina Kasloff, Fotinos, Sandra Douglas and Clarice Cooper. A Canadian Conversation Book: English in Everyday Life, Second Edition. Toronto: Prentice Hall Allyn and Bacon, 1997.

Carver, Tina Kasloff, Fotinos, Sandra Douglas and C. K. Olson. A Writing Book, English in Everyday

Life: A Teacher Resource Book. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Regents, 1996.

Chabot, John. 101 Illustrated Crossword Puzzles. Virgil, Ontario: Full Blast Productions, 1994. (Box 408, Virgil, Ontario L0S 1T0)

Chabot, John. Thematic Activities for Beginners in English. Virgil, Ontario: Full Blast Productions.

Curcin, Ranka and Mary Koumoulas. Canadian Concepts 1, Teacher’s Manual and Resource Package. Toronto: Prentice Hall Allyn and Bacon, 1997.

Grennan, Maggie. The Canadian Oxford Picture Dictionary, Beginner’s Workbook. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1997.

Lipszyc, Carol. People Express: Readings and Chants for Literacy/ESL. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1996.

Metropolitan Toronto School Board. (Now the Toronto District School Board) Great Beginnings: ESL in the Junior Division, Suggestions for Classroom Teachers, 1990.

Molinsky, Steven and Bill Bliss. Side by Side, Secondary School Edition, Book 1. Toronto: Prentice Hall Allyn and Bacon, 1997.

Molinsky, Steven and Bill Bliss. Word by Word Picture Dictionary, Canadian Edition. Toronto: Prentice Hall Allyn and Bacon, 1997.

Molinsky, Steven and Bill Bliss. Word by Word Beginning Workbook, Canadian Edition. Toronto: Prentice Hall Allyn and Bacon, 1997.

Mollica, Anthony. Crossword Puzzles for Beginners. Welland, Ontario: Editions Soleil, 1988. (Box 847, Welland, Ont.)

Nishio, Yvonne Wong. Longman ESL Literacy. Second Edition. White Plains, NY: Addison Wesley Longman, 1998.

O’Malley, J. Michael and Lorraine Valdez Pierce. Authentic Assessment for English Language Learners: Practical Approaches for Teachers. Addison Wesley, 1997.

Parnwell, E.C. and Maggie Grennan. The Canadian Oxford Picture Dictionary. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1998.

Software

The Rosetta Stone, Fairfield Language Technologies

122 South Main Street, Harrisonburg, Virginia 22801

1-800-788-0822 for Ontario distributors

-an interactive, multi-media language practice program for beginning ESL learners, which provides activities in listening comprehension, reading, speaking and writing

Activity #1: About Me

Time: 120 minutes

Description: Through the creation of a welcoming classroom environment, students will acquire some beginning English patterns for introductions, in order to introduce themselves to each other. They will demonstrate knowledge of the English alphabet, as well as a beginning familiarity with alphabetical order.

Strands and Expectations

Strands: Oral and Visual Communication; Reading; Writing; Social and Cultural Competence.

Overall Expectations: AORV.01X*, AORV.02X, AORV.04X, AREV.03X*, AWRV.02X, ASCV.02X.

Specific Expectations: AOR1.03X, 1.05X, 2.02X, 2.04X, 3.03X*, 4.03X, ARE3.01X*, 3.03X*, AWR2.01X, 2.05X, ASC1.02X.

Planning Notes

• Items needed for this activity: Polaroid camera, name tags, post-it notes, coloured string, pushpins, large world map.

• To order the short, non-narrative video Alphabet, call the National Film Board at 1-800-267-7710.

• Strategies to help create a welcoming classroom environment include: being at the door to greet the students as they arrive; having your name printed clearly and placed prominently in the class; posting commercially available multilingual welcome posters, and having brochures about the community and support resources in English and other languages where available.

• For complementary activities on introductions and greetings from course texts, see: Canadian Concepts 1, Canadian Concepts 2, Grammar Connections 1, Side by Side, Secondary School Edition, Book 1, A Canadian Conversation Book, Thematic Activities for Beginners in English.

• This activity includes taking Polaroid photos of all the students: teachers need to be sensitive to any student’s reluctance to participate in having their picture taken.

• Teachers may want to take a few minutes to check students’ timetables to determine appropriate placement for their level of English proficiency.

Prior Knowledge Required

• Knowledge of the English alphabet and ability to copy some English words and phrases. Some students may not have familiarity with the English alphabet and will need extra time and practice.

Teaching/Learning Strategies

1. After introducing yourself, draw students’ attention to a visual which contains the pattern My name is ____________ . I am from __________ . Model this pattern, and encourage students to practice. Distribute a blank chart which will help students record all their classmates’ names and countries of origin. Students will circulate, introduce themselves to each other, and complete the organizer.

2. Take pictures of all students with the Polaroid camera. Students will attach these photos to the large world map with string leading from their country of origin. Students will copy onto post-it notes (or index cards) the introduction pattern, along with their name in their first language. Affix these notes or cards under the students’ photos.

3. Together with the class, prepare a pie graph showing the percentage of students from each continent and post in the classroom.

4. Do some activities to allow students to demonstrate their proficiency with the English alphabet: e.g., alphabet Bingo; letter identification and matching; upper and lower case identification; flash cards; cloze exercises.

5. Show the non-narrative NFB video Alphabet. The class can engage in a variety of learning strategies such as calling out names of objects which appear in the film; creating a written list of the objects; categorizing and classifying the objects; focusing on the order of letters in the alphabet, etc.

6. Alphabetical order can be practised through various strategies such as: students line up in alphabetical order of first/last name and/or country of origin; students alphabetize name cards or lists, etc. Ordinal numbers can be introduced at this time, using either the line-ups or word lists.

7. Individually, in pairs and/or groups, students will prepare posters or friezes of their first language alphabets, share with their classmates, and post around the room.

Assessment/Evaluation Techniques