ESOL Instruction, Part 1

Question 1: Describe book discussion groups.

Answer 1: Book discussion groups usually have no more than five members (selected by the teacher) who meet at a specified time for at least thirty minutes, twice a week, to review content and share feelings about and responses to the story. Appropriate books are chosen based upon students’ interests and level of reading comprehension. Teachers should prepare a short synopsis of approved books to help groups make a choice. By reading, listening, and discussing the book, students learn that the same information can be interpreted in a variety of ways because of different perspectives and background knowledge. Once the groups have finished reading the book, they need to decide on, with the teacher’s approval, a book-related activity that reflects their understanding of the meanings and messages discovered. Evaluations can be done by checklist or anecdotal records; the activity can be graded for content, creativity, and structure; and students can conduct self and peer assessments.

There are lots of good resources about ESOL that you can find available.

Question 2: Describe a book rap.

Answer 2: A book rap is similar to a book discussion group except it is conducted between individual students or small groups of readers in different schools, different states, and different countries via email. (It is very popular in Australia.) It introduces the students to various viewpoints as they share interpretations and explore ideas and concepts. It can also can generate lively in-class discussions, provide interesting insights in journals, and suggest material for related writing assignments and potential field trips. A book rap can be used to evaluate reading, speaking, listening, writing, and communication skills; conceptual understanding of the material; and the ability to think critically and respond with logical and persuasive arguments. The teachers involved are able to monitor the discussion because they have access to every email message. It is relatively easy for an information technology department to set up to use at school, or students can work from home.

Question 3: Describe a book share or book report.

Answer 3: A book share or as it is more commonly known, a book report, is an oral presentation about a book which the student has read. Students are encouraged to read about a topic in which they are interested or one which they want to learn more about. Teachers, librarians, peers and parents are good resources for help in making a suitable choice. It is the student’s responsibility to schedule a time for the oral report, read the book, prepare the report and any props he might want to use and deliver the presentation to the class on the agreed-upon date. Preparing an oral book share helps students learn to: speak in front of an audience; plan an organized, sequential discussion of the story; and offer his opinion about the topic. Letting the student choose the book encourages positive feelings about reading while teaching him how to read for meaning and message and describe what he learned to others.

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