Hands on Learning in the
Literacy Classroom
Copyright Valerie Millar 2009
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Dec. 2009
Valerie Millar
“I hear and I forget. I see and I
remember. I do and I understand.”
Confucius
ESL Literacy
ESL literacy learners are adults who
are learning to speak English at the
same time as they are learning to
read and write for the first time.
They are not readily able to use
reading to learn and are, instead,
struggling to learn to read.
• In a mainstream ESL classroom, the learner is
expected to “pick up written English as they learn
oral English,” where the teacher presents the new
vocabulary or ideas orally and then quickly moves to
the textbook or worksheet to reinforce the new
material. (Wrigley, 2008)
• Literacy learners often lack basic academic concepts
and “common knowledge.”
• Literacy ESL learners are often left behind, not having
the basic concepts, being unable to use reading to
learn and instead struggling to learn to read.
Literacy Continuum
• ESL literacy is a continuum
• Learners at the beginning (Foundation Phase)
are learning that print conveys meaning
• Learners at the other end of the continuum
(Phase III) read basic information but may
need support with strategies, format and
inference
Hands on Learning
• Demonstrate different manipulatives used in
classroom
• Games, songs, cards, posters and other
activities
• Promote vocabulary development, reading,
writing, listening and speaking
Vocabulary Development
• Learners need:
• To develop oral fluency
• Increase vocabulary
• Learn to read and write
• But:
• The sequence is important!
• Vocabulary is needed before reading and
writing
Oral
Singing
Action songs
Clapping games
Sit down if…
Bean Bag Toss
Flashcards
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Yes/No
Triominos
Matching
Make
your own
Recycle, Recycle, Recycle
• Vocabulary
• Format
• Strategies
Flashcards and Pocket Charts
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Matching
Sequential order
Scrambled sentences
Alphabetical order
Sentence stems
Categories
Which is missing?
Posters
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Make your own from magazines
Label the picture
Calendars
Sign in chart
Prepositions
Numeracy
•
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Money
Egg cartons and beans
Poker chips
Beads on a string
Games:
– Snakes and ladders
– Dice
– Dominoes
– Bingo
Other Activities
•
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Magnetic board
Body parts with stickies
Family game
TPR
Highlighters
Grab bag
Whiteboard work
Creating a Class Photo-Story
• Uses manipulatives
• Makes a learner centred narrative
• Result can be used as a custom text
Ruby brings a package to class.
It has red, green, blue
and yellow capsules.
We need warm water.
Hot water + Cold water is Warm water
We put capsules in the water.
We put the capsules in water.
We wait.
And wait...
They change into animal shapes.
This is our paper.
We write the names of the animals
on our papers.
This is a cow.
We make a farm in class. It is fun.
Crafts
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Beading
Assembling bookshelves and furniture
Foam people
Boxes from cards
Show and tell
Commercial Games/projects
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Jigsaw puzzles
Scrabble Jr.
Bingo
Foam capsules
First Language Literacy
Sharing Time
• Questions?
• Examples from your experience
Hands on Learning in the
Literacy Classroom
Valerie Millar
vmillar@bowvalleycollege.ca