Make OR Do?

The difference between 'make' and 'do' can cause some difficulties for ESL learners as it's not always easy to know when to use which. As a general rule, we use 'make' when we are talking about creating something (for example, make a cake, make a mistake, make a plan). 'Do' is used to express daily activities or jobs. Nothing physical is being created. The focus is on performing an action, activity, or task (for example, do homework, do the laundry, do the dishes). This is a general rule because there are always exceptions in English but it’s a starting point. Check on-line for interactive and printable practice for “make” and “do”.

Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL)

Did you know we have a great Rosetta Stone English learning lab in Chilliwack?   CLCS purchased this award winning software for the Immigrant Services computer lab on Mary Street.  Learners (and tutors) can access these computers on Monday afternoons from 12 to 2:30.   Please encourage your ESL learners to try it out.  Space permitting, they can also practice their computer skills.  You’re welcome to come along.  Let me know if you’re interested!

Check our learner's comprehension

It’s important to check that our learner understands us as well as the material we’re working with.  Here are a few ideas:

·       Don’t assume knowledge.

·       Start at the beginning.  For example, your learner says he has to write a paragraph about his weekend.  Ask “What is a paragraph?” or “What is the weekend?”

Check vocabulary.  Does your learner know the words you’re using?

·     Ask your learner to summarize what you have said. “Please tell me what this means.”  “Can you tell me what we learned in your own words?”

·       Quiz your learner on information you have covered together.

·       Ask the learner to explain the topic to you as if you were the learner and he was the tutor.

·       Ask probing questions to expand the topic and you may find he doesn’t get the basics.

·       If appropriate, draw a diagram of what he’s learning.

·       Use reinforcement.  “That’s great!  Now you understand!”

Pre-Reading Strategies

Before reading a text with your learner, ask her to predict the content of the text. You might make some notes about this and then discuss it together after the reading.  If you haven’t read it before, join in guessing and see who is right.

Predicting content of text based on titles or visuals.

Students can use the title, headings, photos or other visuals to predict what they are going to read about. Regardless of whether they guess correctly or not, studies have shown that if readers (native speakers or language learners) have predictions in mind when they are reading, their comprehension is greatly improved.
 

Predicting content based on knowledge of topic

There will be times when the students will already have enough knowledge about the text topic or text type to make predictions about what they will read about. If the text topic is not evident from the title of the text, you can tell her what it is about and discuss what they know about the topic before making predictions about the text.
 

Predicting content based on genre

For text that is a specific genre, you could brainstorm characteristic content.  For example, if the genre was a film review, they would expect to get a synopsis of the plot, a description of the main characters, some mention of the visual aspects of the film, an assessment of the quality of the film, and so on.  After reading the text, you can discuss whether the features you expected were there.   

Reading or listening to background information

In some cases, learners may lack the cultural knowledge to understand crucial aspects of the text. If native speakers would have this knowledge before reading, then it would make sense to try to give them that cultural knowledge before they read.  

Discussing ideas that appear in the text

With some texts, the students may not need any extra background information but a discussion of the ideas that will appear in the text will activate any knowledge they already have on the topic. This is commonly known as activating schemata. The usual way to do this is to prepare one or more questions for students to answer relating to the topic of the text.  

Brainstorming vocabulary that might appear

Another pre-reading strategy is to brainstorm words that you think might appear in the text based on the title, headings, visual, background knowledge, etc.   If you are working in a group you could make this a competition by awarding points for each word identified pre-reading that appears in the text.

(adapted, with thanks to K Lackman – Reading Strategies)

Call for Volunteers

The CALL Chilliwack program has an ongoing need for volunteer literacy tutors. Would you please pass this information on to anyone in your circle who may be interested in this program.

Would you like to help an adult meet a learning goal?  Tutors are needed to assist adult learners with a variety of needs: English as a Second Language, basic technology skills, reading, writing or math.  Learners come from all walks of life and range in age from 19 to 84.  If you are patient, flexible, have a sense of humour and a desire to help others achieve their goals, then consider volunteering as an Outreach Worker for Literacy (OWL).  Free training for OWLs will take place this fall, dates and times to be determined.  For more information contact program coordinator Marci Bulloch at marcib@chilliwacklearning.com

Thank you,

Marci Bulloch, Coordinator - Community Access to Literacy and Learning (CALL)

Chilliwack Learning Community Society
Phone: 604-701-9794
Mailing address: 45905 Yale Road, P.O. Box 21081 Southgate,
Chilliwack, B.C., V2P 8A9 www.chilliwacklearning.com

Visit us on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/ChilliwackLearning

Pronunciation - Insights from a Speech Pathologist

Pronunciation is about sound. Pronunciation is also about movement. Sounds are made by moving speech muscles, and each speech sound has its own complex pattern of movement. Consider the “sh” sound: lips are round, sides of the tongue are ‘holding on’ to the sides of the top teeth, the tongue creates a central space for airflow, voice is turned ‘off’, and the jaw is almost closed. These movements are perfectly coordinated in sequence, timing, distance, and muscle strength. Teaching pronunciation means teaching this new movement pattern. Begin by helping your student hear, feel and see the sound using mirrors, pictures and lots of hearing practice if necessary. Once they ‘get it’, start practice.

Much like the repetitive, drill-like practice necessary for learning to play a new song on the piano, our speech muscles need repetitive, drill-like practice to make a new movement pattern, or speech sound. Really, we are talking about facilitating muscle memory rather that practicing language skills. Here are some basic principles that will get results:
 

• Drill, drill, drill. When practicing the target sound in isolation, practice in sets of 5 or 10. Saying a new sound 50-100 times per class is not unreasonable.
• Make it frequent. Practice for 10 minutes at a time at least twice a day.
• Go step-by-step. Begin with the target sound in isolation, then progress to words, short phrases, sentences, and structured conversation. This process helps students lean how to integrate the sound into their everyday lives.
• Practice only when your student can make the target sound correctly. Practicing a distorted sound only reinforces the incorrect movement pattern. 
• Make it fun. For example, a variation of “I Spy” (“I’m thinking of something that is…”) has students repeating the “th” sound multiple times in a single class.
• Integrate with language practice. For example, scripts for ordering in a restaurant can be easily adapted to contain multiple repetitions of the same target sound.

Our thanks to Adrienne Nobbe, M.H.Sc., Reg. CASPLO,  for contributing her insights into teaching pronunciation. You can contact Adrienne at AdrienneSLP@live.ca.