Sixteen
Tips for Working with Adult Beginning Readers
Judy
Jameson (August, 1995) -- Center for Applied Linguistics
- Label
items in the classroom. Ask the learner to match a duplicate
set of labels. Take the labels off the items and have
the learner return as many as possible.
-
Make
and display posters on a topic such as healthy foods.
Whenever possible, combine a word with a picture.
- Make
a chart that contains information about several learners.
Elicit their input to record names and pertinent information
(i.e., where they were born, how long they have lived
in the city or state, etc.) in chart form. Then use the
chart as a visual aid to make sentences, ask questions,
and write a paragraph using the Language Experience Approach.
- Display
lists (ex: simple classroom rules, group work) created
by your learners and you.
- Design
activities using environmental print (ex: Pepsi, Publix,
stop sign, bumper stickers). Have learners bring in food
containers, walk around the block to read signs, and/or
make a map of the school, library or neighborhood.
- Read
real-life materials together: ads, comics, the weather
page, photo captions, book titles.
- Create
picture dictionaries.
-
Play
games such as Sorry, Bingo, Concentration, or Go Fish.
-
Play
cassette tapes. Buy or make read-along books.
-
Create,
present, and write short role-playing activities.
-
Model
reading using patterned language such as predictable
books, chants or songs.
-
Teach
sound-symbol correspondence with names, countries, and
other personal information.
- Build
a profile of the class and develop stories about the class
as a whole.
-
Make
greeting cards and sign names. Address envelopes.
-
Begin
each lesson by writing the day, date, and topic on the
board. Close each lesson by writing a one-sentence summary
of the class that the learners dictate.
-
Develop
writing skills by establishing dialogue journals for
learners, even if early writing efforts consist of pictures
and a few copied words.
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