LCFS Adult Education

For the month of April, our big topic will be transportation, travel, and the world. Below, I will list specific competencies for each level.

Low Beginner:

1. Know vocabulary for different kinds of vehicles, and be able to use them in a conversation such us the following: How did you come to class? I came by (bus, car, foot).
2. Know the words for all classmate's country, nationality, and language. Be able to respond to questions such as: Where are you from? What is your nationality? What language do you speak? - using sentences such as: I'm from (Vietnam). I am (Vietnamese). I speak (Vietnamese). Be able to say similar sentences using he, she, or they.
3. Know vocabulary for political geography: country, state, county, city. Be able to answer questions about the city, state, county, or country that they live in, and the city and country they came from.
4. Know some basic vocabulary about physical geography, using a world map. Vocabulary should include: ocean, continent, island, river, mountain. Be able to find their own country on a world map.
5. Know basic vocabulary for driving directions. Turn right, turn left, go straight, slow down, stop.

Some ideas for practicing the above competencies include:

1. Playing vehicle bingo. I will try to bring a copy of this.
2. Click here and enter the password I forwarded to get a vehicle label printout. Click here for a different one.
3. To practice giving directions, I sometimes play a game where some students are blind-folded and others have to give them directions to get to some place.

High Beginner Review some of the competencies for the low beginner group. In addition, teach some of the vocabulary that may be important for the PA driver's test, including:

1. Know the names of parts of a car such as: steering wheel, seat belt, gas pedal, tire, etc.
2. Be able to use and understand vocabulary related to permission and restriction: can, may, should, must, must not, may not, be allowed to, never, always, using examples from the state driver's manual.
3. Be familiar with distances used in our system of measurement (feet, inches, miles).

In addition:

1. Know vocabulary items related to physical geography: hills, mountains, desert, lake, etc.
2. Be able to read a world map and a road map.
3. Know prepositions used for describing location of buildings. Be able to describe a buildings location.
4. Be able to read a bus schedule and/or use SEPTA's website: www.septa.org.
5. With sufficient scaffolding, be able to write a one or two paragraph description of a tourist site in their home country.

Intermediate/ Advanced: Review some of the high beginner skills. In addition:

1. Be able to use a road atlas, and/or an internet map search tool.
2. Be able to give directions to their home, or from their home to other locations.
3. Be able to discuss travel plans with a travel agent, and/or use an internet travel service.
4. Be able to describe and write about a popular tourist destination in their home country.
5. Have English skills needed for flying internationally.

Big project for the month:

In previous years, we have worked with students to create a book about their lives and decision to come to the United States. This year, I would like to do something a little different. I want to work with all high-beginner through advanced students to create a book describing tourist locations, or interesting things that can be seen in their country. We can call it something like "A Tour of the World" by the Upper Darby ESL Class. This will take some planning, and some coordination with Bob Zakrewski, who will need to be present when students are working in the computer room. Let me know what you think of this idea.