Teachers.Net ESL Meeting

Teachers.Net Focus
Thursday, January 28, 1999
ESL Meeting
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Kathleen - Welcome - Leo, our first host from United Arab Emirates is hosting tonight's chat meeting for ESL teachers :-)
Leo/UAE - Hi, all! I teach ESL in the United Arab Emirates since 1986.
KC - Hello! I'm currently in an MA program at MSU, but after I finish I will return to teach ESL (and some other things) in Tanzania
Leo/UAE - My students' native language is Arabic.
Merlyn/MD - I teach ESOL in Baltimore, Maryland
Kathleen - I'm not familiar with the field of ESL, what are the HOT TOPICS/large issues in your field now?
Leo/UAE - Any questions about teaching ESL in the UAE is welcome.
KC - A big topic in one of my courses right now is using task-based instruction
KC - Leo - do you teach adults/professionals in UAE?
Merlyn/MD - Our push this year is to integrate our ESOL instruction with the classroom teacher's units and to tie it all to the essential curriculum
Kathleen - Do all ESL teachers understand that term, "task based instruction"?
Leo/UAE - What is the importance of teaching ESL in a society?
Deb - No, please explain
Merlyn/MD - Is that hands-on instruction?
KC - Good question! My impression is to try to use tasks the students will use in real life - it's kind of like (or may include?) hands-on
Leo/UAE - KC, my students are 14-16 years old.
Merlyn/MD - Here in the USA Leo, it is important for my students to become fluent in English to function in our society.
Deb - Any ideas on how to do that with Kindergarteners?
Merlyn/MD - Leo, I teach 4 to 10 year olds
Leo/UAE - Merlyne, when do your students begin learning English?
KC - I was hoping to get ideas from you all! It doesn't really seem appropriate for beginners, does it?
Merlyn/MD - Deb, I use songs, fingerplays and lots of picture books and stories for my Pre-K and K's. Some K's are learning the alphabet and I do that too
Leo/UAE - Is it necessary that an ESL teacher be a native speaker of English???
Merlyn/MD - Many of my students who are born in the US speak native language at home and probably hear English on the TV at home. Some have first exposure to English at school
Deb - Thanks Merlyn/MD I know the kids love singing but when I read stories they are not as interested
Merlyn/MD - No I don't think that is important to be a native speaker. In my county, we have several ESOL teachers that are foreign born - Dutch, Korean, Armenian, Chinese.
Leo/UAE - Our studentsare exposured to English Language from grade 1..
Leo/UAE - Yes, Merlyn.
Merlyn/MD - Deb, choose short stories with lots of pictures and have them ID things in the pictures as you read. That's good for their lang. dev.
Leo/UAE - How many periods do each class have per week?
Merlyn/MD - If that's what you want to know Leo - ours will begin English in Pre-K - age 4
Deb - Would you believe I have an ESL Kinder who can read!
Leo/UAE - Yes, Thanks.
Merlyn/MD - I sure would, I had one last year!
Leo/UAE - What is the mother tongue of your students?
Merlyn/MD - In Baltimore, we have a "pull out program" for elementary schools and I see the students 30 min. a day. In secondary school they go to ESOL centers and can be in ESOL all day, or any part thereof depending on their needs.
Deb - I am always worried how they will do in first grade when K is so difficult
Merlyn/MD - This year, most of my students are Hispanic. I also have Armenian, Korean, Chinese, Kenyan, Vietnamese, and one fromTrinidad
Leo/UAE - In private schools here in the UAE, most teachers are Ameriucans and British, students mother tongue language is Arabic of course, do we consider this process an ESL??
Merlyn/MD - If the students are learning English as a second langugage - Why not?!
Deb - I have one from Sweeden as well as Hispanic and Vietnamese and Cambodian
Merlyn/MD - Sometimes they do struggle in 1st grade.
Leo/UAE - Yes, Merlyne.
Merlyn/MD - Deb, I missed where & what you teach
Deb - Kindergarten NJ
Leo/UAE - Merlyne, do ESL teachers in your place use a Teacher's Guide?
Merlyn/MD - Do you teach ESL or do you have ESL students in your classroom?
Kathleen - How does this group feel about bilingual ed? Do you agree with California's action removing many bilingual programs?
Deb - I have students in my classroom...our school is the building for all in the district
Merlyn/MD - Sort of Leo. We have a guide that helps us select text books and reading material for students. But with all the different age and abilities it is hard to have a "curriculum guide" that would not allow us to be flexible.
Merlyn/MD - So you have ESL centers for elementary age students? The whole school is ESL?
Leo/UAE - I have no idea about the need of CA society for bilingual programs.
Merlyn/MD - Maybe Cal needs to consider ESL centers for the large numbers of hispanic children they have
Leo/UAE - What are the most difficult issues an ESL face inside the classroom?
Deb - The whole school is not ESL,however we have a large number. In my class of 22 I have 8 identified and many others who know enough to get by
Merlyn/MD - I also am not sure that bilingual education encourages the students to learn English as quickly as they could.
Merlyn/MD - I have teachers that feel the students are not trying as hard as they could. Also just understanding what is going on -- directions, reading and not knowing the vocabulary, writing sentences. It's all overwhelming for a new student
Deb - In my school we talked about the idea of educating the parents of ESL students. How do you feel about that?
Merlyn/MD - Great idea! We offer adult ESOL here in our night school program and also in some centers during the day.
Leo/UAE - Merlyn, do you have a communicative approach course for the students? Does an ESL teacher have the choice to select the books to be taught?
Deb - How is the attendance?
Merlyn/MD - Yes Leo, we have an ESOL bookroom that is stocked with at least 6 different text book series for ESL instruction. We can select the series we want or use several different series. (Some are better for teaching certain skills, ie past tense)
Leo/UAE - Deb, how do you educate the parents of the ESL students?
Deb - The ESL parents I talk to work a lot and I wondered if they had time to go to school
Deb - We were looking into the possibility of night school...adult school
Merlyn/MD - Most of my students this year have good attendance. I have had problems in the past, however, when we discuss it with the parents, they understand that in the US children must go to school everyday unless they are sick
Merlyn/MD - Deb do you have problems with abuse?
Deb - I was wondering about the attendance for adults
Leo/UAE - We have a syllabus and we have to stick with it, but we most of the times use external materials. For example I began using the listening Lab on the internet and it worked . Students enjoyed it alot.
Deb - No problems with abuse at this time
Kathleen - Listening Lab on the Internet, that's interesting. Merlyn and Deb, have you seen that?
Merlyn/MD - Leo, I think you are in a different place than we are here. Our children need to learn English to function in our society. Your children are learning a second language that they won't use on the street, am I correct? Is it like my daughter learning Spanish in school?
Leo/UAE - Abscentisism is my big problem! The attendance was very bad in the first semester and the exam result was terrible!
Kathleen - Yes, Leo, what is the motivation for your students to become proficient in English?
Merlyn/MD - No Kathleen, I didn't know about it. However, my students don't have access to internet
Deb - My ESL students are eager to learn...they will write letters or words over and over
Leo/UAE - No, Merlyne. The UAE society is a multi cultural society. English is used on a large scale. Things changed a lot !
Deb - How do you get the listening lab?
Merlyn/MD - I can have a K student with 0 language and a 5th grader with 0 language and I cannot teach them the same way. They need the same info but it must be taught differently.
Merlyn/MD - So they will use English in their daily lives in the UAE?
Leo/UAE - Kathleen, my students need English to communicate with the other nationalities in their country. Also they need it to comlete their higher studies. to run their busnesss..
Merlyn/MD - Leo, do you start with teaching the alphabet? Or do you start with basic words?
Leo/UAE - Deb, I'll give you the URL.OK?
Merlyn/MD - Leo, if I moved to the UAE, would my daughter be placed in an ESL class to learn Arabic?
Merlyn/MD - Me too, LEo
Deb - I guess
Leo/UAE - Not necessary, Merlyne unless you want her to learn Arabic.
Kathleen - Leo, thank you, that is strong motivation for your students to know English.
Merlyn/MD - So she would be able to go to school in all English?
Leo/UAE - English became vital in the UAE society, and now you can see a large number of American teachers in our schools. They replaced the British.
Leo/UAE - Yes, she would Merlyn.
Kathleen - Leo, will you post the url for the Listening Lab before this meeting ends so that it will be in the transcript in the Archive?
Leo/UAE - Did I miss any question? 6.50 A.M. here! Please excuse me if I missed any question.
Leo/UAE - Sure, Kathleen.I'll post the URL of the Listening Lab. Can I do it now??
Merlyn/MD - Is it Friday already Leo?
Leo/UAE - Yes,Friday. Very nice weather.
Kathleen - Yes, Leo, just put the url in now. Thank you :-)
Deb - I also want the URL for the listening Lab
Kathleen - The ESL mailring isn't working yet, so I wasn't able to advertise this meeting there. Do both of you subscribe to that mailring?
Deb - How much time is left in this meeting?
Merlyn/MD - I do, but I didn't get a notice of the meeting in my e-mail
Leo/UAE - My e-mail is : mshasm@hotmail.com
Merlyn/MD - What is the URL, LEO?
Deb - It's been great. Have a good night or a super day.
Deb - No, I am waiting for the URL
Leo/UAE - http://www.esl-lab.com/
Merlyn - THANK YOU LEO!!!
Leo/UAE - You're most welcome, Merlyne ! Thanks for everything.
Deb - Thanks a bunch. I can't wait to try it. Thank you for your efforts Leo
Merlyn - Leo, thanks a million. And thanks for leading the meeting.
Leo/UAE - Merlyn & Deb, you are most welcome!!
Merlyn - Good night Deb, and good day Leo. Talk with you later!!!
Leo/UAE - Good bye Merlyn and Deb. Nice talking with you. We'll talk later. Please keep in touch! Bye!!!
Deb - Good night Merly and Leo/UAE and thanks for a delightful meeting. Make it a great day!
Leo/UAE - Have a wonderful day Deb & Merlyn!
Deb - Good night Merly and Leo/UAE and thanks for a delightful meeting. Make it a great day!