ESL/ESL class summaries

Summaries of ESL Classes at STM

Wed Oct 30

• Handed out the pre-assessment as students came in and reviewed individually and as a class
• Used example job posting online that students filled out.
  • goal to evaluate any gaps with filling out forms and reading the instructions
    • circle one of the below, write your email etc.: no issues
• had students stand up and introduce themselves to each other in English
  • and practice asking each other about the fields on the form.
    • instructors listened and asked students questions.
      • Students did very well.
      • When asked to spell their email address or the street they a few got some of the letters mixed up that make the same sounds in both English and Spanish (E -> A and I -> E). Would be worth reviewing in a future class.
• We ended class with the "Hail Mary"
• Edwin pointed out after class that not all students speak Spanish. One of our basic level students spoke the native language of the country he was from. Something to keep in mind if we try to explain something in Spanish. I'll try asking each student if they speak Spanish next week.

Next week includes:

• grammar rules, like conjugating "to be" in the present tense.

Sun Oct 27

• Started and ended with Rosarie prayers in English, “Hail Mary” and “Hail Holy Queen” using prayer cards we gave them
• Students worked on the pre-assessment
  • It was useful, and they liked working on it
  • We learned that each skill (out of 8 questions) is its own lesson, but that’s expected.
• Walked through the lesson plan on differences between English and Spanish, English origins and quirks, etc.,
  • They were mostly unable to follow instructions in English. 
  • we had to translate much of the lesson with reinforced explanations in Spanish.
• We practiced saying words with diphthongs and odd spellings
  • including homophones
• Goal for students: to use and expose themselves to English in some, any way, especially through daily Mass, Rosary, or watching a program, even if they don’t understand it.
  • English learning goes: from the ear >> to the mouth >> to the brain

Next week:

• verbs
• personal introduction practice
• writing >> see Wed 10/30 note on inverted letters in emails (!)