Reading Group – 9.30am – 11.30am, Friday morning in The Learning Shop

Just a wee update on how our Reading Group works!

Starts off with an Englishman, a Scotsman – but no Irishman!  And that’s the students.  Good mix of students from home and abroad – 5 in total presently and hope to be 6 by 27^th September.

I read the story aloud.  I don’t mind interruptions as some of the Group are foreign students who may not understand all the words.  We read one chapter at a time and discuss what’s happened and what we think may happen. We also have lively debates on issues raised within the story – we can be a noisy bunch.   This also gives the students a chance to highlight any words/phrases they don’t understand.   After every story we complete a Story Review.  Usually for homework I ask the students to read a chapter from the story and send me a small write up by email.  That way I can pick up any spelling/grammar problems.  This works well.

Mostly we read Quick Reads.  Most are good though we have had a few bad ones too – the Group don’t waste any time in letting me know if they think a story is not good.

 We can recommend Quantum of Tweed, A Sea Change, Full House and Wrong Time Wrong Place.  But found Hell Island and Hostage not very enjoyable at all.

And if you are feeling a bit more adventurous there is Seige, a good story but a full sized novel.

Let me know if you would like to join in or if you have any students you feel would benefit from joining the Reading Group.

Wendy.kerr@south-ayrshire.gov.uk

ESOL Tutor Training 2013

Well done to Elaine Valentine, Lisa Masiello, Alison Keaney, Angela Pawlicka, Ruth Hart, Sharon Maclean, Lesley Shepherd, Fiona Crowe, Laura Clews, Jayne Stevenson and Maggie Bunnett  who attended the two day ESOL tutor training course on the 15^th and 16^th of August 2013.   The training aimed at giving tutors an awareness of how to facilitate learning sessions for ESOL learners.   Tutors had an opportunity to experience what it is actually like to learn another language and learn some of the ESOL ‘jargon’ such as; drilling, modelling , realia and gestures.    The opportunity to attend the ESOL tutor training will be offered to all tutors who have completed their literacy tutor training.    Most of our newly trained tutors are now helping both literacy and ESOL learners.   All that remains to be said is welcome to the world of ESOL!

Ann Gentilomo