I am having a hard year.

 

At my middle school I am the remedial writing teacher.  I have six classes, 2 6th grade, 2 7th grade, and 2 8th grade.  They are made up of mostly our ESE and exited ESL students who are behind in their reading and writing skills.  I was given no curriculum, just our county �s writing framework (scope & sequence).  I have been doing okay all year, creating curriculum for them.

 

My trouble is that, mixed in to two periods are a few nonEnglish speakers who are illiterate in Spanish (their first language) and in English (a couple of them also speak a indigenous Guatemalan language).  I have never taught anyone how to read/write and I have no curriculum. I have no idea how to create something for them.  I just tell them to go on Starfall.com or our I-ready program which helps them with phonics.  I don �t get to interact with them at all because my 42 minute periods are so focused on the 20 other students which vary between four levels of writers themselves.

 

I have 6 7th and 9 8th grade nonreaders/nonEnglish speakers.  For each group I have a translator who is more than ready for me to tell him/her what to do/teach with the students, but I never have anything.  Half of these students know their letters and some phonics, the other half do not.  I HAVE NO IDEA where to start.  My time is so limited because I �m barely keeping up with lessons for three levels of 6th, 7th, and 8th graders.

 

Where do I start?  I mean, what do I teach first?  HELP!

It �s a common problem in Russia, and I think I can send you some books I use to teach reading if you give me your email.

or write me 

[email protected] 

Do you have a Dollar Tree or Dollar General Store nearby? They both have quite a few practice books and other resources for beginners for sale. Where I am at the Dollar Tree is cheaper (everything is one dollar) but Dollar General has more writing booklets to choose from. If the school will pay for supplies then Staples has a lot of workbooks for different levels for sale but they are around the $10.00 range.

 

Maybe while you are dealing with the other students your translator can go over the letters with the non-writers?

 

Another idea is to get two identical packages of flashcards ($1.00 each at Dollar Tree) with pictures  of things like ball, table, balloon, and cat. Teach the words with the pictures. Then teach them how to ask, "Do you have .....?" Then, teach them to play "Go Fish" with the cards. You should get enough packages for five groups of four students if you have twenty students in your class.

 

I feel your pain. When I taught overseas I had large classes of mixed levels and tried to aim for the middle group. Having students work in pairs and groups is very beneficial because they can help each other in their native tongue. Sometimes pair the more advanced students with the lower level students so they can help them. Don �t let them always have the same partner. They need to get used to working with others and it will help them have more confidence outside of class.

 

I might have a few things I can email you, but it sounds like you need a lot more than what I have. If you want to send me a message just click on the little envelope below my US flag. 

I know how you feel. When I came to Argentina 25 years ago I was literate in English, which is my mother language having been born and raised in the US, but completely illiterate in Spanish. I started school almost immediately (high school) and it was very difficult the first few months because I didn �t understand anything. At home we spoke English and that didn �t help me to learn Spanish any faster. But it is possible. My teachers were patient and people around me were very nice and understanding. That compassion is the most important thing for your students. Let them know that you want them to be able to express their thoughts in order to be understood. It is a long haul but it is worth it. Try pictures, flashcards, magazine, 123 stories and give basic vocabulary. And PRAISE THEM!!!! A lot. Make them feel they are making progress. Eventually everything clicks at once. Get them speakng and then work on the spelling, which can be used to introduce new vocabulary (even if you have to create your own spelling lists).

 Just checked out starfall.com and remember that these kids are totally out of it. They probably have no verb vocabulary as well as not knowing any nouns. I would start teaching pronouns and have them match names with the correct pronouns and from there go to verb lists with pictures or flashcards. Start with the verb to be. Slowly add different vocab  for them to use. A suggestion: start with having them form ideas in written form, then individual sentences for a picture and gradually more sentences for just one picture. Finally you might be able to have them write a small parragraph for a picture series.

GOOD LUCK! 

Dear Julie,

 

you are in a very difficult position. I believe some of us cannot even imagine your situation. 

It isn �t easy to give advice if you don �t know the circumstances and students.

 

I would try first with pictures. I would give those who are the lowest pictures and the descriptions with simple sentences cut up in stripes. First they just have to match these simple sentences to the suitable pictures, e.g. There is a cat. The cat is small. It is black and white. There is a dog. The dog is big. It is brown. You have to adapt to their knowledge and their interests. With my sons everything could be done based on football and dinosaurs. During the next class, they have to copy the text in their exercise books (it is amazing how much children can learn by copying). The next class give them vocabulary (cat, small, black, white) and encourage them to write / say sentences by themselves. 

 

I totally agree with Melissa they have to have the feeling that can accomplish something and be have for them doing the small steps.  

 

Good luck.

 

Mattea 

Start with the sounds of the letters (basic sounds only /k/ for c, /s/ for s, /g/ for g, and only the short sounds for the vowels. A lot of videos on YouTube are really really useful for this, such as Hooked on Phonics, KidsTV123 and lots of other songs and videos which can teach more than just phonics and letter song, but vocabulary and sentence patterns as well. For the first part of phonics, kids have to learn the sounds of the letters, their upper and lower-case shapes, and how to write them (of course). Search on YouTube for "letter __ song". You will be surprised at the variety you will find.

 

For reading, begin with the sounds of the letters and then move on to CVC word families with short vowel sounds only. Then I suggest teaching them long vowel sounds with a focus on silent-e words. As you go, provide them with simple readers (source online or make your own) that practice the sounds and types of words they are learning. After they �ve learned the alphabet and are starting CVC words, you can begin to ask them to read short, very simple sentences and practice sight word recognition. 

 

The more vocabulary you can get them to learn in the process the better as this will improve their word recognition skills in the long run. It �s much easier to read the word "yellow" if you know your colors. But never stop giving them a strong foundation in phonics so that they know how to sound out words they haven �t seen before. They need lots of practice seeing words and letters and connecting their sounds to their shapes. 

 

 

I hope that helps. Good luck.