NELD:  Newcomer English Language Development using LEA  (Language Experience Approach)

I have to say that a lesson we did two weeks ago is paying off huge dividends.  There was a LOT of English language production in our class discussion because the topic was real and relevant and meaningful to my immigrant students.  Some are refugees from different countries and some are just new to America and can identify with people in the world making a journey for a better life.  My focus was a speaking ELPS (3.B).

But we are going to turn this into a writing assignment now that we have a shared experience around it.

Summary of what we did:   I knew someone who was going to visit a refugee camp in Greece.  Younger children were drawing pictures to send to give to the children there.  My high-schoolers talked about this for a while with frames (ELP 3.b, check!) and were given the choice to draw a picture and send a message if they wanted to.  Everyone wanted to.

So now I’m confident that we can do a nice writing assignment about this together.  A shared writing that will be very meaningful to them.  It will be an essay they can read because they will help write it as a group.  One more thing they can read at home!

Will share that soon!