1. Using Stories in the ESL Class
MELS Working Document 2007

2. Agenda Word of Welcome Ice Breaker
The Importance of Listening to Authentic Songs, Rhymes and Stories
Tips on Selecting the Best Stories
Steps for Reading Aloud
Retelling Stories
Creating Personalized Versions of Texts
Monitor Own Learning

3. Ice breaker Outside work, I’m good at… The best part of my job is…
Think of these questions on your own and share the answers with your group.
Outside work, I’m good at…
The best part of my job is…
The worst part of my job is…
One of my favorite books is…
One of my favorite children’s books is…

4. Some Figures… When speaking, most people use 5 000 common words.
There are another words used by some people when speaking.
There are words listed in the Merriam-Webster 3rd International Dictionary

5. Total Words (in millions) Heard by a Child by Age 4
Source: Read Aloud Handbook. P. 15
Meaningful Differences in the Everyday Experience
of Young American Children, 1996

6. Number of Rare Words Met per Thousand
Source: Read Aloud Handbook. P. 16
Hayes and Ahrens, Journal of Child Language, 1988

7. Number of Rare Words Met per Thousand
Source: Read Aloud Handbook. P.16
Hayes and Ahrens, Journal of Child Language, 1988
Source: Read Aloud Handbook. P.15

8. To Act on Understanding of Texts
The development of the competency To act on understanding of texts is about students exploring songs, rhymes and stories; learning to use their knowledge from texts; and monitoring their own learning. It is a golden opportunity to become immersed in the English language and culture.

9. Doing it all according to the Elementary Cycle One ESL Program
Goals of the Session
Help teachers understand the benefits of exploring authentic texts orally
Help students create personalized versions of texts
Provide teachers and students with appropriate monitoring tools for the second year of the cycle
Doing it all according to the
Elementary Cycle One ESL Program

10. The Importance of Listening to Authentic Songs, Rhymes, and Stories
How do we give our ESL students access to these words?

11. Advantages of Reading Aloud
What do you think they are ?

12. Advantages of Reading Aloud
To Act on Understanding of Texts
The How-To Handbook
p. 6

13. Advantages of Reading Aloud
Read through the story books
Look for rare words
Share with your team
Write your answers on chart paper
You have 10 minutes for this task
Post your chart on the wall

14. Tips on Selecting the Best Stories
Predominance is given to texts featuring highly predictable sequences of events and lively, recurrent passages that reappear at regular intervals throughout a story, as these encourage the students’ spontaneous participation.
Québec Education Program: Preschool Education and Elementary Education, English
as a Second Language, Cycle One p. 6

15. Tips on Selecting the Best Stories
What would you say?

16. Tips on Selecting the Best Stories
To Act on Understanding of Texts
The How-To Handbook
p. 8

17. Steps of Reading Aloud Teacher’s preparation Preparing the Read-Aloud
Reading The Story
After Reading

18. Steps for Reading Aloud
As child-centered educators and motivators, teachers create a pleasant environment where students feel secure and accepted…
As linguistic models, teachers…help understanding by being creative and very expressive: using facial expressions and gestures; varying intonation, volume, stress and pace; using cognates; reformulating; animating objects; etc.
Québec Education Program: Preschool Education and Elementary Education,
English as a Second Language, Cycle One p. 8

19. Steps for Reading Aloud
Being able to rely on the group is very beneficial to Cycle One students, since language acquisition is emotionally embedded and requires psychological safety.
It has the great advantage of masking individual errors, thereby adding to self confidence and motivation, as well as contributing to lowering the affective filter.
Québec Education Program: Preschool Education and Elementary Education, English
as a Second Language, Cycle One p. 6

20. Retelling Stories Guided by the teacher Use key elements
Sequence the events
Practice several times

21. Creating personalized versions of texts
Develop and demonstrate understanding of original text
Example: A Wacky Body Experience
Activity 5: sequencing activity
Activity 8: identifying key elements
Activity 12: questions on key elements
Activity 16 labelling activity
Clip 1-GettingReady

22. Creating personalized versions of texts
2. Participate in the preparation of the resources
Clip 2-DonnaRejaneModelStory
Clip3-BuildingResources

23. Creating personalized versions of texts
3. Participate in the creation of group version of the text
The program says:
Explicit modeling
Templates

24. Clip 4- StoryOrganizerRejaneDonna

25. Creating personalized versions of texts
explicit modeling
Assisted modeling:
Scaffolding
Thinking aloud
Encouraging students to participate
Active participants

26. Creating personalized versions of texts
A Wacky Body Experience: Activity 21
What Would You Bring to a Picnic? Activity 7
Clip 5- BuildingClassStoryOrganizer

27. Creating personalized versions of texts
using a template
The program says:
Essence of the original text
Facilitate replacement of language elements by students
Clip 6- ModelingClassStory

28. Creating personalized versions of texts
Teacher Tools for modeling

29. Creating personalized versions of texts
Student Handouts for personalizing the text

30. Self-Monitoring CONCENTRATION DEMONSTRATION OF UNDERSTANDING
USE OF ENGLISH
USE OF RESOURCES

31. Self-Monitoring
concentration
Teacher Tools

32. Self-Monitoring
demonstrating understanding

33. Self-Monitoring
Use of English

34. Self-Monitoring
Use of resources

35. Self-Monitoring
and
Self-Evaluation
Student Handout

36. Lunch
Be back at 1:30