Practitioner Toolkit: Working with Adult English Language Learners

This toolkit provides a variety of materials to help language and literacy instructors who are new to serving adults and families learning English. These materials include a first-day orientation guide, lesson plans, and research-to-practice papers on English language and literacy learning.

Download the complete Adobe PDF version of the Practitioner Toolkit.
(1.7 MB, 241 pp.)

Or, browse through the Table of Contents below and select the topics that are of need to you and your program. The individual sections are available as PDFs.

Title Page
Table of Contents and Acknowledgments
Introduction
Frequently Asked Questions

Part I Background Information

Part I presents information for program staff about the population of adult English language learners in the United States. It describes the size of the population, countries and languages of origin, distribution in cities and states, first language background, English language and literacy levels, education levels, employment and income status, reasons for attending adult education programs, the challenges they face, and the strengths they bring to the learning setting. This section also describes types of programs that offer adult ESL instruction, the challenges that programs face, and some characteristics of effective programs.

Adult Non-Native English Speakers in the United States
Program Types and Challenges

Part II Activity Packets

This section of the Toolkit provides activities that teachers can use in their classes with learners from beginning to advanced levels of English language and literacy. Forms, surveys, and questionnaires that teachers can copy and use often accompany the activity descriptions. Activities are outlined in the following areas:

• Orientation of new learners to programs

• Needs assessment of learners and learner self-evaluation

• Lesson planning

• Activities to promote interaction and communication in classes

• Activities to promote reading development

Orientation for New English Language Learners
Needs Assessment and Learner Self-Evaluation
Lesson Planning
Activities to Promote Interaction and Communication
Activities to Promote Reading Development

Part III Parent Education in Family Literacy Programs

Part III presents information about parent education as one of the four components of family literacy. Parent education is designed to help parents improve their skills at being the primary teacher for their children and become full partners in the education of their children.

This section begins with a brief description of family literacy, explains the goals and structure of parent education, offers strategies for implementing parent education, and provides activities that parents can engage in with their children at home and in their communities.

Parent Education Overview
Parent Education Instructional Strategies
Parent Education Activities
Sample Parent Education Lessons
Literacy Activities in the Home

Part IV Topics in Adult ESL Education and Family Literacy

Part IV provides discussion papers for educators who want more in-depth information pertaining to adult ESL education and family literacy. The following topics are addressed:

• Research on second language acquisition and learning to read in a second language

• Assessment of adult English language learners, including a discussion of federal requirements for accountability reporting and the use of assessments for tracking learner progress

• Assessment instruments, including annotated charts showing published assessment instruments that are used in the field to assess English language and Spanish language proficiency

• Research-based strategies for working with adult learners with learning disabilities and other special needs

• Transition strategies used to help learners progress beyond adult ESL classes to other educatio nal and work opportunities

• Permanent residency and citizenship attainment, including strategies for preparing students for the citizenship exam

English Language and Literacy Learning: Research to Practice
Assessing Adult English Language Learners
English Language Assessment Instruments for Adults Learning English
Spanish Language Assessment Instruments for Adult Spanish Speakers Learning English
Adult English Language Learners and Learning Disabilities
Addressing the Needs of Specific Groups of Learners
Helping Adult English Language Learners Transition into Other Educational Programs
Preparing for Permanent Residency and Citizenship

Part V Resources

Part V provides information for practitioners working in adult ESL and family literacy programs on where to find additional resources.

Parent Education Resources
Adult ESL Resources