MODULE 6
HELPING ESL STUDENTS UNDERSTAND
CONTENT AREA TEXTS
Purpose
To illustrate a way of sequencing activities to facilitate understanding texts and to apply
ESL principles of increasing comprehension, increasing interaction, and increasing
thinking skills to classroom reading activities.
Materials
The following transparencies:
1. “Teach the Text Backwards”
2. “Lesson Modification”
Procedures
1.
Display Transparency 1. Tell participants this is the traditional sequence that many
teachers use when teaching with a textbook. Note that by revising this traditional
sequence they can approximate a sequence that facilitates language learning for
their ESOL students. Number the list on the transparency as: 4th. Read the text.
3rd. Answer the questions at the end of the chapter. 2nd. Discuss the material in
class. 1st. Do applications or expansions.
2.
Note the rationale for this sequence. It is particularly useful for ESL students
because:
 Doing an application or expansion activity first can be used to motivate
students by drawing on prior knowledge and establishing a purpose for
reading.
 Discussing an application activity introduces new concepts in context, uses oral
language prior to reading, and uses visuals and hands on activities which
enhance understanding.
 Examining study questions and summary at the end of a reading previews the
reading, identifies key concepts and purposes for reading.
 All these activities prepare ESL students for their most difficult task – reading
the text.
3. Ask participants to try this out by selecting a chapter in a text they are or might be
using. Alternatively, provide a xeroxed chapter for all participants to work with.
Ask them to apply the techniques outlined on Transparency 1 “Teach the Text
Backwards” and ask them to think through how they would do each of the four
steps. Allow 5 minutes. Have a few participants share their ideas.
Display Transparency 2 “Lesson Modification”. Have participants review the
modifications they thought about in 3 above. Have them write a brief description of the
modifications in terms of:
 Doing the applications: insuring relevance, tapping prior knowledge.
 Discussing Main Points: using oral language, visuals, hands on.
 Examining Study Questions: doing a summary, indentifying key concepts.
 Reading Text: length reduction, small group discussion.
Allow about 15 minutes for this.
4. After everyone is finished, each participant will describe modifications to a partner
who will provide feedback on how well the modifications fulfill the three principles of
increasing comprehension, increasing interaction, and increasing thinking skills.
5. Ask participants to share selected aspects of their modifications with the whole
group.
Further reading
Brisk, Maria Estela and Margaret M. Harrington. 2000. Literacy and bilingualism: A
handbook for all teachers. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Center for Applied Linguistics and Delta Systems Company. 1999. Enriching
content classes for secondary school students: Study guide and Trainer’s manual.
Washington, D.C.: Author.
New York State Education Department. 2000. The teaching of language arts to
limited English proficient/English language learners: A resource guide for all teachers.
Albany, NY: Author.
Nieto, Sonia. 2002. Language, culture, and teaching: Critical perspectives for a
new century. Mahwah, NY: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Peregoy, Suzanne F. and Owen F. Boyle. 2000. Reading, writing and learning in
ESL: A resource book for K-12 teachers. New York: Longman.
Portions of this module are adapted from Enriching content classes for secondary ESOL
students (pp 206-233, passim) by Judith H. Jameson, 1999. Washington, D.C. and
McHenry, IL: Center for Applied Linguistics and Delta Systems Co., Inc. Adapted with
permission