The last half of Julie and Andrew’s conversation about English language learners wraps up in podcast Episode 239. Explaining that listening is connected to speaking, Andrew draws a similar parallel, stating that reading is connected to writing. Acknowledging the interconnectedness between reading and writing, then, the two explore how to harness both skills to teach English language learners.
One of the first concepts they explore is how copywork can benefit all students, including English language learners. By copying poetry or famous speeches, students begin to assimilate grammatically correct structure that they otherwise couldn’t create on their own. From copywork students can move into beginning composition by reading a source text at their level and then deciding upon key words from that source to create a key word outline. The next step after that is to test the outline by retelling the source text using only the key word outline. This process encourages thinking, which leads to enhanced reading comprehension.
The discussion continues. Andrew and Julie talk about some of the ways teachers who speak English as a second language have taught their students using Structure and Style. They share how some teachers have even taught Structure and Style to their students in their own languages. Winding up their conversation, they expand on ways parents who aren’t native English speakers can teach their own children English with Structure and Style. As Andrew says during the podcast, “The best way to learn is to do.” This episode will help you discover ways that you can help your students learn by doing.
