Navigating the Zero-One Split:

Serving Both Literate and Non-literate Learners in the Beginning Adult ESL Class

Suzanne Gilchrist McCurdy

Introductions

Suzanne Gilchrist McCurdy Hamline University, TEFL and ESL

Programs Adjunct Instructor St. Paul Community Literacy

Consortium, Instructional Support Consultant

Turn to those around you: What is your role within your

organization?

Briefly talk together; finish this sentence: Teaching a mixed-literacy

classroom is_______________.

Let’s move

away from thinking about teaching mixed-literacy classes like conducting a three-ring circus…

And move to thinking about our work as similar to conducting an orchestra.

Today’s objectives:

Participants will be able to: Articulate both challenges and opportunities present in a

zero-one classroom.

Systematize instruction by using a zero-one lesson template.

Identify 3-5 new differentiated activities to use in their classrooms.

Produce independent learning stations appropriate for their learners.

Access support for learning through volunteers, well-chosen materials, a strong classroom community, and technology.

Think about your class

If you had to draw your class, how does it break up literacy-wise?

Oral proficiency wise?

When lesson planning, what “subgroups” are you thinking about?

Multi-level to the max

Varying levels of L1:Pre-literate, non-literate, semi-literate, non-alphabet literate, non-Roman alphabet literate

Varying oral skills:True beginning, low-beginning, conversational, and up

Zero-One classes are anything but tidy.

The Essential Skill Set for Effective Multilevel Instruction

Skills

Organizing Instruction

Building Community/

Collaboration

Targeting Instruction to

Different Proficiency Levels

Using Materials and Technology

Monitoring and Assessing Progress

Share one thing you do that addresses one of these areas…

Skills

Organizing Instruction

Building Community/

Collaboration

Targeting Instruction to

Different Proficiency Levels

Using Materials and Technology

Monitoring and Assessing Progress

Systematizing Multi-level Lesson Planning (aka...making planning easier!)

A Lesson PlanTemplate

A way to plan effective, thoughtful lessons for multiple levels.

Navigating the Zero-One Split: Serving Both Literate and Non-literate Learners in the Beginning ESL Classroom

ZERO - ONE Lesson Plan Template

THEME: Resources/Texts:

Objective 1: Emerging literacy students will be able to…

Objective 2: Beginning Literacy students will be able to…

Objective 3: Beginning students will be able to…

Start

End

Opening: Whole Group

Goal: to build community, introduce the theme, key vocabulary, content, and/or other skills to be practiced in break out groups

Break Out Groups

Goal: Level appropriate skill building, mixed-literacy communication tasks

Emerging Literacy

Beginning Literacy Beginning

Closing: Whole Group Goal: Assess and reflect on learning from break-out groups.

Additional Notes for Lesson:

Multilevel in Action

New American Horizons Foundation Adult ESL Training Videos: Working with a Multilevel Class

http://www.newamericanhorizons.org/training-videos

Differentiating Activities

Vary 1 task instead of making 3 different tasks.

Different paths, all moving forward.

Differentiation Example 1: Letter Tiles

Letter tiles – a word is dictated by the teacher

higher level learners spell out the word

lower level choose the letter the word starts with, and only have 2 tiles to chose from

Differentiation Example 2: Listening Task

Differentiated Listening Task:

(Level 1) Learners circle the words they hear:

bananas bread orangeschicken milk apples cookies eggs rice*********************************************

****(Level 2) Learners fill in chart. How much does Megan want of each item?Bread

Milk

Oranges

Differentiated Listening Task: (Level 3) Learners answer questions.

What are the items Megan wants from the store?

How much does she want of each item?*******************************************

******(Level 3 or higher)Learners do a dictation of dialogue.

Differentiation Example: Calendar 1

Differentiation Example: Calendar 2

Differentiation Example: Calendar 3

Differentiation Example: Running Dictation

Running Dictation for multiple levels

Differentiation Example: Working in Groups

Your turn

How could learners use this same picture at three different levels? How could they use it in mixed-ability groups?

Differentiating a Worksheet

How can you provide access for all learners to textbook materials?

Using Learning Stations

Small group or individual activities

Give learners tools needed to complete activities

Stations, some ideas…

Matching tasks

Extensive

reading

Stations, some ideas:

Independent writing tasks

Memory matching game

Stations, some ideas:

Word families/phonics

Video from MORE program in St. Paul

Talk with a partner briefly:

Have you used stations? Benefits? Disadvantages?

Final thoughts on stations

Build routine with station types, but use different content.

Avoid thinking of stations as a way to keep learners “busy”.

Support for learning: Using Volunteers

Volunteers

Online training course “Literacy Level ESL Instruction” at http://online.themlc.org

Allow volunteers to take on responsibility

Give specific objectives

Discuss best practices and why they work

How do you use volunteers in the classroom?

What kind of effort have you had to put in to make it succeed?

Support for Learning: Using Technology

www.esl-literacy.com

Click on Toolbox, then Technology

Textbooks

Textbook suggestions? (Ventures)http://www.cambridge.org/us/esl/venturesadulted/

www.multilingualminnesota.org

Reference list

Places to visit

www.multilingualminnesota.org

www.esl-literacy.com

www.themlc.org

www.leslla.org

Revisiting today’s objectives:Participants will be able to: Articulate both challenges and opportunities present in a

zero-one classroom.

Systematize instruction by using a zero-one lesson template.

Identify 3-5 new differentiated activities to use in their classrooms.

Produce independent learning stations appropriate for their learners.

Access support for learning through volunteers, well-chosen materials, a strong classroom community, and technology.

QUESTIONS?

COMMENTS?

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION.

Classroom Community

Learner-centered environment Reduce level stigma Encourage cooperative learning Delegate classroom responsibilities Other ideas?

Classroom Community

Use a variety of groupings (like/cross)

Physical environment

Find ways for every learner to be an expert

Projects (posters, garden, cookbook, what else?)

Always start and end with whole group activities

Have a greeter!

Group discussion: How do you create community? Tips for us?

New Horizons video?