5. Literacy development
The English My Way programme is designed for beginner ESOL learners who lack basic literacy skills.
In English My Way reading and writing activities are integrated into the lessons. The language needed is intially introduced and practised through speaking and listening. This means that subsequent reading and writing tasks are contextualised and meaningful.
In this module there are eight units about teaching basic literacy skills to ESOL learners:
- Unit 1: Introduction (interactive online activity) – an overview of the challenges ESOL beginners face when learning to read and write in English with some classroom activities to develop these skills.
- Unit 2: The Roman alphabet and other scripts (interactive online activity) – focuses on writing scripts and the implications for learning to read and write in English for learners who are unfamiliar with the Roman alphabet.
- Unit 3: Working with whole texts (interactive online activity) – introduces an approach to teaching reading through whole texts.
- Unit 4: Developing reading skills (interactive online activity) – an overview of different approaches to teaching reading through whole text, phonics and whole word approaches. The link takes you to British Council ESOL Nexus programme; click on Start the module to start.
- Unit 5: Developing reading (bitesize CPD video) – this video shows English My Way teachers explaining how they develop their learners’ reading skills.
- Unit 6: Developing writing skills (interactive online activity) – approaches to teaching writing. The link takes you to British Council ESOL Nexus programme; click on Start the module to start.
- Unit 7 - Teaching handwriting - a printed guide to the key aspects to consider when teaching handwriting
- Unit 8 – Group language experience (interactive online activity) – a practical guide for using this technique with learners (A CPD video about this is available on YouTube)
- Unit 9 – Paired and choral reading (interactive online activity) – a practical guide for using these techniques with learners (A CPD video about this is available on YouTube)
It is recommended that you do the units together with colleagues so you can reflect and discuss the ideas together.
How to guide
Teacher Guidance: 2. Literacy has more information about teaching reading and writing.
Further information
Further information about the teaching strategies mentioned in these modules, is available by clicking on to the links below:
