If you feel this way, you're doing it wrong. |
One of the
most common questions tutors ask is, "Can I assign homework to my
learner?" The answer is yes. What kind? Whatever your learner can
do. Give homework that fits in with their free time, their resources, the kinds
of things they like to do. Homework is anything
that lets the learner get more exposure to reading, writing, speaking and
hearing English.
For reading homework The Minnesota Literacy Council (www.themlc.org) has a site called Story By Story (mcedservices.com/phonics/phonics.html). It has some wonderfully organized phonetic stories to help a learner by focusing on specific sound concepts. Better yet, it has a basic lesson plan that tutors can use. At the end of the lesson plan they advise tutors,
For reading homework The Minnesota Literacy Council (www.themlc.org) has a site called Story By Story (mcedservices.com/phonics/phonics.html). It has some wonderfully organized phonetic stories to help a learner by focusing on specific sound concepts. Better yet, it has a basic lesson plan that tutors can use. At the end of the lesson plan they advise tutors,
·
Assign
homework (10-15 minutes per day after instruction). Encourage spending time at
home to study or read; however, it should not be required. Greater frequency
of practice keeps the mind working on learning between lessons.
·
Read aloud
and/or spell word lists to someone at home
·
Read aloud
phonics stories to someone at home
ESL tutors
can assign listening homework for learner that follows the above guidelines,
namely: short, ungraded, enjoyable tasks.
Those tasks can include watching 15 minutes of a sanely-paced, clear-speaking
news program like PBS' "The News Hour" when they get home from work.
For the more beginner-level learner, Wisconsin Public Television has
programming before 8:00 in the morning learners may watch with their kids. The Wisconsin
Channel (wpt2.org/schedule.cfm)
also has programs on outdoor sports and gardening plus documentaries on a broad
range of grown-up topics. A homework assignment might follow a plan something
like the following:
·
Watch program
“X” for 15 - 30 min. on ___ before work with the captions on. Use a notebook to
write down three interesting phrases you hear, whether you understand
them or not.
·
Bring those
phrases, exactly as you heard them, to our next lesson.
·
Don't worry
about mistakes. We will talk about what you saw and the phrases you wrote down
and try to figure out they meant.
Remember:
the chances of homework getting done decrease with the amount of time they take
but increase proportionate to the fun factor.
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