How to use LEA Transcript to Teach Learners More Than Just English

This post gives some tips about how to use LEA transcripts to help learners understand more about living in America. In this example I explain how to use a photo prompt to teach about public transportation.

Teaching Using Narratives, Part 2

More information about how to teach using personal narratives written by yourself and your learner, including an example narrative.

Teaching Using Narratives, Part 1

What is a narrative and how can you use it to help your learner? In this series of posts, I describe the narrative teaching method, including to create a narrative and how it provides insight into which aspects of language your learner needs help with.

Teaching Vocabulary: Lists and Techniques

Vocabulary is one of the most essential parts of language, but it can be hard to know where to begin when teaching new words. A good way to go about it is by topic, using imagery to explain words effectively and easily.

Beyond the LEA: BEST Plus and TABE CLAS-E Tests

The BEST Plus (Basic English Skills Test) and TABE CLAS-E tests are exercises designed to test your learner's language skills. We use them to measure your learner's progress throughout the one-to-one tutoring program. This brief informational post will teach you more about the two different tests, including how you can become certified to administer them to your learners.

Teaching Noun and Verb Agreement: Part II (Grammar Grids)

How to take advantage of a learner's narrative to capture grammar mistakes and correct them.Here's an example that relates to noun and verb agreement and how to correct mistakes with a grammar grid.  

What Can a Poem Created by Your Learner Tell You?

Can your learner move beyond a regular response in LEA approach and create a poem?Can this poem tell about your learner's past life and future anticipations? Yes, it can! You'll be able to inspire your learner to write it. Here are some tips.

Language Experience Approach in Action

We recommend using the Language Experience Approach (LEA) as an effective way to immediately address a learner's Language needs. LEA was recently used by Sandra LaPerche, one of our tutors, to identify her learner Yan's specific language strengths and weaknesses.

How to use the LEA Method to Teach Learners about For-Profit Schools and Possible Undesirable Consequences of a For-Profit Education

How to help your learner understand the disadvantages of for-profit schools, and how to avoid the undesirable consequences of the education to be got there: high debt loan, financial insecurity, low quality education.

Dyslexia, Part 2: What is the Orton-Gillingham Approach and How Can I Use It?

Dyslexia provides a complex challenge for both learners and tutors alike, but there are several techniques you can use when teaching people with the disorder. You'll have to adapt them to your learner's learning style, but here are some basics to use as a starting point.

Dialogue Journals: How to Assess Errors and How to Deepen A Conversation

Dialogue Journals can provide valuable information to you about your learner's skills as well as the nature of your learner's errors. Here are tips on how to use dialogue journals to do both.

What Makes the Dialogue Journal an Efficient Teaching Tool in Comparison with other Types of Writing

A dialogue journal is an efficient tool for developing your learner's writing skills. However, there are other advantages of dialogue journals such as your learner's involvement in authentic communication with you, the expression of thoughts with ease and in a relaxed way, the provision of a unique feedback about learners'  writing, and an opportunity  to accumulate thoughts, ideas, and writing achievements.

Dyslexia, Part 1

Dyslexia is a learning disorder that causes learners to have trouble with text. Reading and writing are extremely difficult, and the problem only gets worse when learning English as a second language. In this post, you'll gain a  basic understanding of dyslexia.

How to Use LEA Transcript to Teach Learner About U.S. Conventions of Reporting Crime in Case of a House Break-In

How can you help your learner better understand community safety topics like theft reports, apartment insurance, insurance claims, and where to find the nearest police station and hospital? Here are a few tips.

How to use a LEA transcript to teach topics such as public safety, commuting, and crime

How a tutor can help his learner  understand more about his new community. Here are some tips related to topics like how safe a city is, how to commute, and how to react to crimes.

Using the LEA Method to Teach More than Grammar

The LEA method helps you capture more than just a learner's grammar strengths and weaknesses. LEA transcripts also yield teaching hints for topics that extend far beyond language. 

Using LEAs (Language Experience Activities) to Teach Capitalization

Helpful tips on using LEA to teach capitalization
 

Paolo Freire: A Brief History of the LEA

Have you ever wondered about the history of the language experience approach (LEA), the teaching method that we advocate as most effective for our learners?