I was provided the educational opportunity of my employers to create a section within their tutor guidebook. This is a slightly adapted version of the section I created for them. Additionally, it is important to say that these activities have been suggested for adult learners who are enrolled in collegiate level courses (Note: I would never discourage a younger learner to try some of these activities!). I hope some of these can be useful for people!! ~Pantaleon
The following activities are not at all prescriptions to be filled by tutors. Instead, they are to be seen as ideas to assist our students. When deciding on a skill set to work on, tutors should take what they know about an student’s language abilities into account. If a tutor is unsure about which aspects of language to address, they can refer to the specific Applied English Center course(s) in which the student is enrolled.
Many of the tasks listed here will practice more than one of the aspects of language (Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing). When selecting an activity, tutors should make sure that they know which of the four aspects in which they wish to provide additional support. These activities are meant to be formative, so tutors should try their best to speak with students about their mistakes in a constructive manner.
Listening & Speaking:
Listening and speaking are closely tied together. These are two of the most basic forms of communication and they can be practiced on a daily basis. Some of these activities may overlap with reading as well.
Ask your student about their tasks daily. If they are not sure, remind them or help find out what needs to be done. Also, try discussing which tasks the student thinks are best to complete first. This will not only practice listening and speaking skills, but will also help them build a metacognitive awareness about staying on task and prioritizing their work.
Use lists of topics to discuss. A list of multiple topics can be found in the resources section. Allow the student to chose the topic. This will ensure their comfort. Tutors and students can trade off asking and answering questions, or the student can take on the role of asking the questions. If possible, find ways to follow up the questions to create a more genuine dialogue.
Use online news sources to watch videos about current events. Show the student a news website and make sure they know how to navigate it. Ask them to find a video that looks interesting and watch it. Discuss what was said in the video. Tutors should allow the student to lead the discussion. By listening, tutors can potentially see error patterns emerge.
Use vocabulary flashcards. There are many different activities that can be done with vocabulary flashcards. While simply asking what each word means might be helpful, this is not to only way to use flashcards. Place 10-20 cards on the table and ask the student to find two cards that are related to each other. Once the student has selected two cards, ask the student why they chose them. Tutors can also show them examples as well. Pairs can include parts of speech, different types of something, opposites, etc. Stay open to interpretation when the student is providing their reasoning.
Work on pronunciation! Before discussing tactics, tutors should realize that these exercises are not meant to make students simply sound ‘native’. The stress here should be placed upon the ability to communicate. Clarification on pronunciation should be provided in an encouraging manner. Allowing an student to finish speaking is imperative. This allows them to also finish listening to what they themselves are saying. If a specific word is not comprehensible, the tutor can politely ask them to repeat what they have said, take a guess at the word the student is trying to say by repeating it, or by asking if the student meant to say a different word.
Story telling. Tutors can ask their students to tell them a story. The story can be a life experience, a myth, or anything that the student is willing to share. While the student is sharing their story, the tutor should take notes. Once the student has finished, the tutor can then repeat the story back to them. While repeating the story, the tutor can ask the student for clarification or elaboration. The goal here is to open up a dialogue with the student about the story and to practice the conveyance of meaning.
Read aloud. This activity is a bridge between the Listening/Speaking and Reading/Writing aspects of language. Tutors and students can switch off reading aloud. This allows the student to practice both speaking and listening skills. Once the reading is finished, the student and the tutor can discuss what was in the text. This will help the tutor understand if the student has comprehended the text and this will provide a chance for further inquiry.
Reading & Writing:
These skills are also closely tied together, especially when the time comes for the student to engage in the academic research and writing process. When using these activities, help the student understand how they will be of assistance in the future.
Newspapers! Bring a newspaper or two to the session and let the student choose an article. If they need help navigating the newspaper, then give them a ‘tour’ of the various sections. While the student is looking for an article, the tutor can select one of their own, too. After reading the article, discuss and/or write about the article. *Consider the student’s ability level when selecting the newspaper. Try to find free or inexpensive resources if possible.
Use the same lists of questions as in Listening & Speaking. Instead of talking about the questions, ask the student to select a certain number of related questions from the list and have them write out answers to each one individually or in paragraph format. This activity can also be used to make our students aware of the prewriting and drafting processes.
Write a resume. Inform your student about what resumes are if they are not sure. Look for career centers or other places that provide walk-through resources for resume writing. A link can be found in the resources section. Once they have a draft put together, tell them to schedule an appointment to have it looked over by someone in the a career center if possible. This will provide them an opportunity to use their communication skills with someone outside of tutoring or classes.
Keep a journal. This is highly flexible and can serve a number of purposes. The journal can be just for the student to read, can include vocabulary or grammar structures that the student finds interesting or confusing, or can even be a log to help an student stay on task. Tutors can decide if they would like to mark in these journals or not. A decision can be made based on the reason for starting the journal.
Engage in the multiple levels of the writing process. These include prewriting (making outlines), drafting (getting the first words on the page), self-correction and revision (asking the student what they think went well or did not go so well), receiving tutor feedback, and finishing (citations, formatting, etc.). students, just as all other students, also need to be made aware of issues such as plagiarism, using academic resources, and writing with a purpose. Tutors can provide a positive learning environment by discussing these issues, rather than lecturing on them. After all, this is what true engagement is all about.
Concluding Remarks
Educators should be constantly looking for ways to improve both student and educator experiences. Expanding ideas and collaborating with colleagues is vital to the enrichment of the field of Education. For the benefit of educational studies as a whole, educators should be open to new ideas, share experiences, and communicate potential concerns. In doing so, our grasp on the complexities of will grow stronger.
Resources:
Lists of Questions
http://esl-educate-school-learn.blogspot.com/p/20-questions.html
Online News Media
NPR American public and private funded radio network (npr.org)
CBC Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (cbc.ca/news)
CNN International English news (cnn.com)
BBC International English news (bbc.co.uk/news)
Teachers.Guardian.Co.Uk British national daily news (teachers.guardian.co.uk)
On-Campus Materials
The Kansan
Topeka Capitol Journal
USA Today
Kansas City Star
New York Times
KU Career Center (Resume Writing)
http://www.kucareerhawk.com/s/762/images/editor_documents/Resume%20Book/resumebooklet.pdf
AEC Student Handbook
https://www.aec.ku.edu/sites/aec.drupal.ku.edu/files/docs/Student%20Handbook%20revised%20Summer%202013.pdf
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