English as a Second Language

My very first career position was as a English as a Second Language (E.S.L.) teacher in Weld County School District 6, 1978-79. I didn't know what the job would entail when I took it, and it turned out there were no real guidelines. Six schools each had from one to four non-English speaking students at a variety of grade levels. The schedule that worked best took me to six schools each day for 30-40 minute tutorial sessions. The rest of the time the children were in regular classrooms. This handbook was the result of my attempt that first year to figure out something that would work to as great a degree as the many practical restrictions would allow.

After that first year, I moved to Alaska and began teaching in a regular classroom. I shared this handbook with an E.S.L. teacher recently and she suggested that I publish it. Hopefully, despite the changes in the years since 1978, it will be of value! I did not major in English, so I cannot guarantee that every detail is correct. These lessons and ideas were intended to help novice teachers and tutors of E.S.L. get started.

Introduction

Getting Started

Principles and Methods

General Principles of Second-Language Learning
Methodology

Content (Structural)

Content (General)

Beginning Lessons

Pronunciation Diagnostic Test