MInneTESOL Journal, Volume 26 (2009)
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MinneWITESOL is a professional association of teachers of English as a Second Language in Minnesota and neighboring states dedicated to the education and support of students acquiring English at all levels of public and private education.
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Item A Review of: Voice Thread(Minnesota and Wisconsin Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, 2009) Ahola, StevenItem A Review of: Well Read 4: Skills and Strategies for Reading by M. Pasternack & E. Wrangell(Minnesota and Wisconsin Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, 2009) Reiter, Julia SivulaItem A Review of: Present Yourself 1: Experiences by S. Gershon(Minnesota and Wisconsin Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, 2009) Subra, KateItem A Review of: Edge: Reading, Writing & Language Level A by D. Moore, D. Short, M. Smith, & A. Tatum(Minnesota and Wisconsin Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, 2009) Ranweiler, KristineItem A Review of Recent Textbooks for Teachers with ELLs in their Classes(Minnesota and Wisconsin Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, 2009) Mabbott, Ann SaxItem Beyond Multiple Learning Styles, Cultures and Language Proficiency Levels: Honoring Multiple Ways of Knowing in the Adult ESOL Classroom(Minnesota and Wisconsin Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, 2009) Ouellette-Schramm, JenniferItem Minnesota In-Service Teacher Perspectives on Pre-Professional Education(Minnesota and Wisconsin Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, 2009) Lybeck, KarenThis report gives the results of a survey given to in-service ESL teachers in Minnesota regarding the relationship between their pre-service preparation and their current practice1. The purpose of this survey was to help inform teacher educators about those areas that in-service teacher’s felt they needed more preparation in order to strengthen both pre-service preparation and continuing professional development. The purpose of this report is to share this information with other programs that might also benefit from it.Item The Rap on Stress: Teaching Stress Patterns to English Language Learners Through Rap Music(Minnesota and Wisconsin Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, 2009) Fischler, JanelleMany English language learners who have attained advanced English proficiency levels are still having difficulty in communicating, due to low intelligibility. Word and sentence stress are components that contribute greatly to intelligibility. This study was designed to explore the effectiveness of teaching English word and sentence stress patterns through the recitation of rap music and related activities. Six secondary English language learners from various primary language backgrounds voluntarily participated in a four-week intensive summer pronunciation course. Appropriate allocation of word and sentence stress was measured in speech samples obtained before and after completion of the course. The results of this study indicate improvement in stress placement by the end of the four weeks. The students also reported substantial gains in their confidence levels when communicating with others. The study includes specific methodology that may be useful and easily incorporated into programs with pre-set curricula and assessments.Item Metapragmatic Requesting Instruction in an Adult Basic Education-ESL Classroom: A Pilot Study(Minnesota and Wisconsin Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, 2009) Suh, EmilyPragmatics, or the ability to communicate using language, is increasingly recognized as essential to language competence and production (Thomas, 1983; Bachman, 1990). Much research exists on pragmatic acquisition (Blum-Kulka, House, & Kasper, 1989; Cenoz, 2003; Kasper & Rose, 2001; Wildner-Basset, 1994). Researchers currently advocate metapragmatic instruction which combines explicit instruction, awareness-raising activities, and guided practice (Eslami-Rasekh, 2005; Kasper, 1997). Such instruction utilizes metalanguage and higher-level thinking with which students from non-academic backgrounds may struggle. Previous research on the effectiveness of metapragmatic instruction in request-making examined highly academic participants literate in their first language (L1) as well as the second language (L2). Additional research is needed to determine the effectiveness of metapragmatics for lower-level learners and those in non-university settings. This pilot study examines the effectiveness of metapragmatic instruction to teach request-making to an intermediate Adult Basic Education (ABE)-ESL class of Somalis and Mexicans. The study also examines students’ responses to the instruction.Item Collaborative Professional Development in One Elementary School: A Focus on English Language Learners(Minnesota and Wisconsin Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, 2009) Edstam, Tina Scott; Walker, Constance L.This paper examines the growing need to rethink the ways in which professional development is provided for those who teach English language learners. It documents the two-year experience of a team of seven elementary school educators (mainstream, ESL, speech clinician, paraprofessional) who participated in a newly designed professional development project to provide best practices for these learners in their school. Resulting comments by these educators reflect increased personal growth, professional success, and a renewed commitment to a more collaborative approach to professional development that is long-term, site-based, and student-focused.Item From the Editors(Minnesota and Wisconsin Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, 2009) Anderson, Mike; Ibele, Gail; Poulos, Andrea; Swierzbin, Bonnie