Adult ESL Resources

A variety of resources are available to teachers and programs working with adult English language learners in print, multimedia, and online formats. Resources are also available for learners themselves. Although the following list is not exhaustive, it highlights some of the most useful resources for teachers and learners. For more in-depth information about adult ESL resources, see the Web site for the Center for Adult English Language Acquisition (CAELA) http://cal-org.wdi.net/caela.

Resources for Teachers

Print Resources

Arlington Education and Employment Program. (1994). The REEP Curriculum: A Learner- Centered ESL Curriculum for Adults (Third Edition). This curriculum includes information any serious ESL teacher—whether just beginning to teach, or a veteran of many years in the classroom—needs know about providing instruction to adult English language learners. The curriculum is composed of the following units: learner needs assessment, learner evaluation, needs assessment, instructional units from levels 100 (pre- literate, no English ability) through 550 (high advanced English), and a transitional self-study unit to prepare learners for college level ESL. The appendices contain information on cross-cultural issues; using computers with language instruction; sample lessons, activities, and assessments; and a bibliography of resources. If you could have just one document to help you plan and deliver ESL instruction, this would be the one. The newest version of the REEP Curriculum—ESL Curriculum for Adults is available online at http://www.arlington.k12.va.us/instruct/ctae/adult_ed/REEP/reepcurriculum/.

Arlington Education and Employment Program (REEP). (1997). Project based learning and assessment: A resource manual for teachers. Arlington, VA: Author. This resource manual helps practitioners understand how project-based learning can be a practical and meaningful way for adults to acquire and demonstrate progress in English. Several of the projects described in the manual reflect the goals of the U.S. Department of Education's EL/Civics initiative, which include learning about citizenship, civic participation, and U.S. history and government. http://cal-org.wdi.net/caela/REEPproj.pdf

Auerbach, E. (1992). Making meaning, making change: Participatory curriculum development for adult ESL literacy. McHenry, IL and Washington, DC: Delta Systems and Center for Applied Linguistics. This book describes the University of Massachusetts Family Literacy Project, a participatory adult ESL civics project, and offers insights for teachers who want to undertake a similar project. Examples are given of how the project sought to use literacy to make changes in the community. http://calstore.cal.org/