Adapting Oral Language to Increase Comprehensibility
for English Learners (ELs)
2
Mary Lou McCloskey www.mlmcc.com October 7, 2013
1. Articulate clearly; avoid blending one word into the next. We compress language a great deal in oral American English, so we need to be self-aware about it.
a. Pronounce sounds clearly, but naturally
No: What is your name?
No: Wachername?
Yes: What is your name?
b. Separate words, rather than blending them together.
No: Jeetyet?
Yes: Did you eat yet?
2. Face students
Seeing your mouth and facial expressions helps comprehension.
3. Use pictures, gestures and realia (real things to see, handle, and talk about).
e.g., TocaBoca Cooking, Real vegetables in “I Have, Who Has?”, maps of Decatur, science experiments, using signs in music, art materials….
What are others?
4. Increase wait-time.
a. ELs need more time to process oral input.
b. Wait for them to respond.
c. Be comfortable with a little quiet time after a question. Count slowly to 5 … or 7 … or whatever is needed.
d. Nominate responders rather than getting a show of hands.
5. Stop to paraphrase often
a. Re-explaining in language ELs are likely to understand.
b. E.g., bisect – bi in bicycle + sect in section
6. Explain or rephrase idioms and figurative language
a. And don’t use them too often. They make the comprehensible incomprehensible
b. Think about some: Chip on your shoulder. Piece of Cake. Blue Moon. Fly off the handle. Lose your head. In your face. Smell a rat. Burn the midnight oil. Bad hair day.
c. For funny examples, see Amelia Bedelia
Amelia Bedelia Readers’ Theatre: http://www.k12connections.iptv.org/Docs/ICNBookClubTeachUsAmeliaBedelia.doc
Adapting Oral Language to Increase Comprehensibility
for English Learners (ELs) II
7. Connect new language to what ELs know. E.g., measuring their surroundings, writing their own recipes. Learning geography, history, about their homelands. Learning math to make change when they shop; measure what they sew or cook.
8. Use more direct and simplified sentence structures with beginners. Active voice is easier to understand than passive; sentences with many clauses are complex and difficult.
a. Complex, compound sentence:
- Because they have helped others, some students are able to get admissions to good colleges, and they go on to have great careers.
c. As two simple sentences:
- Helping others can get students admitted to good colleges. Then they can have good careers.
9. Adjust vocabulary – use low-frequency terms and explain needed high-frequency terms.
Word lists: http://conc.lextutor.ca/list%5Flearn/
10. Paraphrase, demonstrate, act out, translate, draw pictures – whatever is necessary to add context for ELs to understand. Think you can’t draw? 1000 Pictures to Copy for Teachers, by Andrew Wright. (Available through www.scribd.com) (Or ask me.)
11. Highlight key ideas and vocabulary – focus on the most important information and omit unnecessary elaboration when needed. Really think about what is important in what you teach – not what is in the textbook. Highlight important ideas and terms through stress in oral language, through writing, pointing out words, putting them on a word wall or in learner dictionaries, and through repeated, meaningful uses of the terms.
12. Check comprehension frequently
- But not by asking, “Do you understand!” (ELs want to please you and will often say “Yes” when they don’t understand.)
a. Ask ELs to restate what you said, or answer a question, or ask them to demonstrate, point, write, show -- whatever needed -- so you can see that they truly understand.
b. If you find they don’t understand, find a way to reteach in another way
c. Don’t call on hands; nominate students so that all have an equal chance
2
Mary Lou McCloskey www.mlmcc.com October 7, 2013
Adapting Oral Language to Increase Comprehensibility
for English Learners (ELs): Observations
Strategy / Observed(* ** # ##) / Examples, comments
1. Articulated clearly.
2. Faced students
3. Used pictures, gestures and realia
4. Provided appropriate wait-time.
5. Stopped to paraphrase often
6. Explained or rephrased idioms and figurative language
* One example ** Two or more examples #High-quality examples
Adapting Oral Language to Increase Comprehensibility
for English Learners (ELs): Observations II
Strategy / Observed(* ** # ##) / Examples, comments
7. Connected new language to what ELs know.
8. Used sentence structures with appropriate difficulty.
9. Adjusted vocabulary for students’ levels
10. Paraphrased, demonstrated, acted out, translate, and/or drew pictures
11. Highlighted key ideas and vocabulary
12. Checked comprehension frequently
* One example ** Two or more examples #High-quality examples
2
Mary Lou McCloskey www.mlmcc.com October 7, 2013