Teacher Discussion Forums

Hi, My husband and I have recently adopted a 9yo boy from Haiti. He had never attended school due to medical issues, and so has never learned to read in any language. He has started school here, and is picking up English fairly well. My only real goals for him for this school year were to begin to learn English and to adjust socially/emotionally. He is doing very well on all counts, so I would like to begin teaching him to read at home. I am a former elementary/sped teacher, so I have taught reading in the past, but never to an ESL student.

I am just wondering the best place to start. The phonetics of Haitian creole are different from English, so I am not sure how to approach this. Should I wait until he gets more proficient in English? I have noticed there are certain sounds (especially 'r's) that are more difficult for him to make. Should I be concentrating on proper articulation before starting any phonics? He is very bright, and eager to learn.

Any and all advice would be very helpful!

Last year I had a first grader who spoke very little English, and this year I have a third grader and a sixth grader. I would start at the begining, with very simple books where he can start with basic words, then work your way up. With articulation, it could be years before he looses his accent, so why focus on it now? Some of my more advanced students who were born here still had some problems making certain consonant sounds, but know the language well enough, and has the ability, so let hem read and do as much on his own so that I can work with the others who need language assistance, not just accent reduction. I would also work at his speed, so that he doesn't become frustrated and give up.

Don't wait.
Start working on concepts of print, first of all. Has he been read to? Read to him, in both languages, all the time; at least three books a day. Before he learns to read on his own he has to understand the basics: letters correspond to sounds and words, books are read from front to back, text is read from left to right, etc. Help him to make his own books (he draws the pictures or pastes them in, and you write down the stories he dictates to you) and then read them together.

Also work on phonological awareness games, like rhyming production and identification, first/middle/last sound identification, counting syllables in words and words in sentences, etc.

The above will give him a solid foundation upon which to base the phonics instruction that will come next. You can use any good phonics program. Personally, I really like the Lindamoot-Bell program called LiPS for kids whose first language isn't English. You can order it on the web. It's not cheap, but neither are any other good programs. And it comes with an instructional video so you know how to administer it. It works a lot with manipulatives and linking mouth movements with letters, and doesn't have as many of the higher level vocabulary words as some other programs (it's better to use stimulus words the kids already know, rather than teaching hard words at the same time you teach phonics concepts).

Good luck!
-EH

Hi MaFitz

I agree completely with EH and Senorita Daniels ... if you have primary teaching experience you'll do fine!

Usually, reading and writing is taught to ESL students differently to English Speaking Background students because ESL students have usually developed literacy skills in their first language and we just need to tranfer that knowledge and skill into a second language ... but as your son isn't literate in his first language, the process is similar to the teaching experience you've already had with English speaking backgroud children.

When 5/6 year old children start to learn to read and write they already have a very complex vocabulary. So read him lots of books (fiction and non-fiction), look at pictures, watch (and talk about) quality TV programs, create lots of 'hand on' experiences to talk about and build up his vocabulary and speaking skills. Publishers have wonderful sets of books for emergent readers thesedays - full of wonderful visuals while keeping the text short, repetitive and accessible - I particularly like the 'National Geographic Windows on Literacy' Series - The 'Step Up' level has some wordless picture books and some with only single words on each page - though they're aimed at pre-schoolers, so the children in the photos may be too young for your son ... but the 'Emergent' level would be more age appropriate.

At the same time, use the literacy strategies you're familiar with and build his phonological awareness. The phonics program EH has mentioned sounds good - I'll have to look for it myself!

Good luck!

Wow, I had just barely finished making this post, about my own Haitian student, when I saw yours.

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/teacher/v ... php?t=5146

I'm working on getting him conversational, for starters -- you can always worry about pronunciation and phonics after he can at least communicate with you and the other people around him (I'm assuming you don't speak Creole?).

My own Haitian student had so little education that he couldn't count past ten in Creole, and had no idea that those number words actually referred to amounts of things! He didn't even have a very large vocabulary in Creole, since he spent much of his time by himself out in the bush or playing football with the other boys. So I've had to really start from ground level. I'll warn you: the progress is slow, so if it's slow with your child too, don't get discouraged.

I'd love to maybe exchange some more ideas with you about this, since it sounds as if we're in similar situations.

Well I know I am really late on a repost but I just joined the sight. Please do not wait until your child gets more proficient in English to begin reading/phonics instruction. This is only going to put him behind. One of the things that happens with second language learners (especially with younger children) is that we automatically think that once the student starts speaking English that means they are learning. Yes, he is learning English but not the English he truly needs in order to be successful with his academic learning. Children learn what we call “playground English (survival)” very quickly but they need the academic English as well. Do not pay much attention to his pronunciation but focus on the phonics, vocabulary, comprehension and writing. Being a former elementary/sped teacher you are truly equipped to help him with this because all he needs like the population you’ve worked with is a lot of repetition, rephrasing and visuals. But all-in-all please do not wait because this will only put him behind and he already has to work twice as hard to compete with his peers so jump in head first he’ll be alright, your future doctor, lawyer, Indian chief will do you proud 