anyone interested in teaching english as a second language?

[pianistimo]

the reason i'm asking is that i have this really great book - lent to me - from someone who lent it to her - and so forth.  i'm not sure about copyright - which i will look into right now - but, i've used it to tutor reading and writing to very young students.  it gives a little insight about breaking things down into manageable chunks when delivering information.  anyhew - it's completely a random thing and i don't know if anyone's interested. 

sometimes combining incomes is good.  i used to tutor reading/writing as well as teach piano.  thinking someone else might like this info to use similarly.  very easy instructions come with it.

[pianistimo]

well, i spoke a bit soon because it is copyrighted.  but, the good thing is that the lady's name is here and probably books could be obtained thru her.  her name is charlotte f. lockhart  (copyright 1988).  she published it in decatur, illinois.

what i like about this book is it not only gradually introduces the letters innovatively, but also teaches sounding out words and sight reading words (a sort of combination) and it combines the rules of the english language as well as grammar into later lessons. 

for anyone interested in a really thorough 'learning to read and write' program - i highly recommend her book.  will quote a little so you get an idea - but i can't plagarize i guess.  it's called 'reading horizons' now i think.  (used to be 'discover intensive phonics' or something like that).  anyway, my son had trouble reading because he didn't learn the way many do at school (by sight) and this REALLY helped him when he was little.  i used it on my middle daughter and she was a fluent reader in first grade.  now, with the four year old am getting ready to try this again.  never leave EVERYTHING to the school - i learned.  always give a little edge - then they can feel like helping their peers learn.

[pianistimo]

ps orton gillingham was responsible for starting this program in the 1930's.  as with many things - there was more detailed instruction at that time in schools.  nowdays - you have to use osmosis for some things and some children just don't pick things up as fast.  especially if they are bi-lingual and needing some things broken down into manageable pieces.

and, for students like my son - they sometimes write their letters backwards.  so, to add to her program - i started using a dotted line system and the repetition of writing the letters from the correct starting points. 

charlotte uses 5 letters per week (at least that's how i used the program).  four are consonants and one is a vowel.  the first group was B F D G and A.  using a certain method she introduces memory right away.  instead of saying let's write all our letters - she picks one (say, B) and focuses on that the entire lesson.

first she starts with asking the child if they can write the letter that sounds like 'buh.'  usually they can write the upper or lower case but not both.  so - you get to work (having prepared a line of upper case and lower case dotted b's).  you make a large dot for the start of the pencil at the top (as many students start at the bottom for some reason).  charlotte uses little numbers to indicate the pencil starts for each letter - or if it is continuous.  #1 points down from the top , etc.

while they are writing their letter - you say 'the NAME of the letter is B...B. the SOUND that represents the letter B...is 'b' (buh - buh).

then, you ask the student to practice making upper and lower case forms of the letter - saying the name and sound of the letter.  then you can play a sort of 'simon says' at a chalkboard or kitchen wipe board - 'print the letter B in the upper case form.'  or 'please print the letter that sounds like 'buh'.  or 'please print the letter b in lower case form.' 

name everything in your house that has the letter B and put flashcards around naming/spelling them.  make a 'B' book.  (don't separate the sound of b when you say the words).  Avoid using words that start with blends (BR, BL...)

be positive, avoid criticism, and find the good in everything and not the bad.  this system is really a fun one, too - because they get a sense of mastery.

[pianistimo]

ok.  are you with me?  (chicken scratch you say?)  well - it really helps students that are having a hard time. 

i used to make up memory mneumonics so that my son could wean off of the dotted line idea (since it was my own idea).  i'd tell him that a small case b was like a 'bat' and then a 'ball.'  some may think i am bonkers now from too many children - but this really works.

for 'd' (which is OFTEN mixed up with dyslexic children) it was a 'dish' and then a 'spoon.' 

teaching B and D in the same week assures you get this straightened out.

[pianistimo]

ok. just so you get an idea of where this is going - she then takes those 5 letters and starts introducing real words and 'nonsense words' to the child.  kids love to write at age 3-4 - so you can get going and not have to say 'that's wrong.'  everything is just having fun.

so you say a two syllable word with ONLY those letters.  see if the child can write it.  Da, Ba, Fa, Ga  etc.  then, three syllable.  they can make sense or be silly - but as long as the child can write the sounds that you say - you're on the right track.

ps  as a supplement later to this phonics method - there are little books entitled 'bob' books that also have the phonetic sounds and pictures.  they are 'first readers' and go stepwise with only a few letters at a time, too.  these were probably the first reading books my kids had.  for new moms...go look in some antique book stores and your likely to find 'first readers' that are progressive instead of stay at one level the entire first year.  i think old time books and ideas are BETTER.  they actually challenge the kids and make reading understandable.

[penguinlover]

Sounds interesting.  I have in fact thought of doing an ESL class.  Living in California, many people don't speak our language.  I just don't have the time to devote to it at the moment.

[amanfang]

Pianistimo,
Pretty sure you're the only one I know who can start a topic and then reply to yourself 4 times.   

[pianistimo]

yes.  i was on a roll last night.  now my attention has shifted to global warming and homeless people.  although, there's always a load of children that don't go to school due to poverty.

[thalbergmad]

yes.  i was on a roll last night.  now my attention has shifted to global warming and homeless people.  although, there's always a load of children that don't go to school due to poverty.

Whatever next, i ask.

Medieval brass rubbings? sex life of the Dartford Warbler?

You do come up with some excellent threads.

Thal

[BoliverAllmon]

yes.  i was on a roll last night.  now my attention has shifted to global warming and homeless people.  although, there's always a load of children that don't go to school due to poverty.

maybe in foreign countries

[pianistimo]

kentucky isn't a foreign country - but maybe they learn the fiddle better.  they surely know how to dance.  hmm.  maybe kids that don't go to public school have more fun?  i don't know.  ok.  i'm wavering between worrying about reading to just saying' the heck with it all' and move to kentucky.

who is dartford warbler?  i kind of like the name.  does he make noise?

[BoliverAllmon]

going to school is free. so you can't be too poor to go.