IRC ESL Tutor Handbook Refugees)

7/31/2019 IRC ESL Tutor Handbook Refugees)

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ESL Tutoring Manual


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This manual is designed to serve as a guide for tutors and volunteers as they help refugees both in

learning English and assimilating into the American culture. As you read this manual, however, it

is essential to keep in mind that there is no right way to tutor English to someone. One does not

successfully tutor and teach someone by simply following rules and steps from a manual. Instead,

success can be accomplished by first examining pre-cedential methods, followed by improving and

adapting them to suit your own circumstances as well as the culture and needs of individual

refugees. Thus, this manual is here to provide examples and ideas that have been successfully

employed by other tutors in the past and to give you a sense of direction for your teaching

experiences with refugees.


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Table of Contents

I. Introduction

A. Who Is a Refugee?B. Understanding the Resettlement ProcessC.

Why It Is Important For Refugees To Learn EnglishD. Your Role As An IRC Volunteer/Tutor

E. Becoming Sensitized To Their Situation: Struggles/Complications They Have FacedII. Problems Other Tutors Have Faced In The Past

A. Different Concepts of TimeB. Importance of Gifts in Some CulturesC. Communal Aspect of Other CulturesD. Financial AssistanceE. Respect of EldersF. Inappropriate Questions Asked by RefugeesG. Other Problems

III. Learning About Your Refugee StudentA. Understanding Their CultureB. Assessment of the Refugees Previous Skills

Student Needs Assessment Form Pre-Assessment and Evaluating Progress for Survival Level Student Checklist Pre-Assessment and Evaluating Progress for Higher Level Student Checklist

C. Learning Styles of Your StudentD. Factors That Can Affect Learning

IV. Setting Goals

A. Short-term and Long-term ObjectivesB.

What Is the Reason for the Refugee to Learn English?C. Job/Workplace

D. Sample Needs AssessmentV. Making Your Lesson Plans

A. Helpful Tips in TutoringB. Creating a Good Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan GuideVI. Lesson Ideas and Activities

A. Conversation StartersB. Lesson TopicsC.

Important Subjects to Work OnD. Lesson Activity Ideas

Refugee Assistance Program Beginning Level Topics Refugee Assistance Program Intermediate Level Topics

VII. ESL Resources


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I. INTRODUCTION


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A. Who Is a Refugee?

Before you begin to work with refugees, it is important to first understand who they are and a bit of what

they have gone through. According to the 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, the

basic international law defines a refugee as:

A person who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality,

membership or a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality,

and is unable to or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of that protection of that country .

Refugees do not include people who have been displaced by natural disasters, or those who leave their

homes to try to seek a more prosperous life.

Due to extreme circumstances, refugees are forced to flee from their own countries and often reside

temporarily in refugee camps. Unless the prohibitive situation in their home country is mitigated,

refugees will not be able to return there and must find another country to resettle in permanently.

B. Understanding The Resettlement Process

By understanding the resettlement process, you can get a better idea of what a refugee must go through to

get to the U.S. First of all, resettlement allows refugees to obtain legal protection, residency, and even

citizenship in some cases, from governments who grant refugees asylum in their countries. This process

is done on a case-by-case basis, and is often a long process for refugees to undergo that can even take

years. Once a refugee is chosen for resettlement, the UNHCR then interviews them. Those who plan to

go to the U.S. are also interviewed by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). These

refugees must first pass a medical examination and establish a well founded fear of persecution before

they are allowed to resettle in a new country. After a country has granted permission for the refugee to

resettle there, travel from the refugee camp to the host country is arranged by the Intergovernmental

Organization for Migration (IOM). Each refugee is issued a loan for travel by IOM which must be repaidafter resettlement.

C. Why It Is Important For Refugees To Learn English

The English language is important for a refugee to acquire for numerous reasons. First of all,communication is essential in everyday life. Although refugees might occasionally meet others who

speak their language, these people will not always be around; refugees will eventually need to manage on

their own. Secondly, in the working world, the primary mode of communication in the U.S. is usually

English. In order to advance, one needs to master the English language. Those who do not have a firm

command of the English language are often left in the lower-paying jobs.

Thirdly, learning English will help refugee families better integrate and gain acceptance into their

community. By learning English, they will be able to participate more independently in social

interactions, and not remain reliant upon the assistance of others for simple communication. They will

also have the ability to become more self-sufficient and learn to do everyday tasks on their own. Many

people often take for granted how many activities in America require us to understand Englishfrom

reading signs or directions on packages to making a phone call to the doctor. English is incorporated into

so many of our everyday functions that one can hardly be self-reliant without knowing English.


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D. Your Role as an IRC Volunteer/Tutor

The goal of the IRC resettlement program is to help integrate resettled refugees into the mainstream of

American society as quickly and successfully as possible. In the process, IRC hopes to help refugees

regain control over their lives and become self-reliant in their new country. Volunteers and tutors are

often crucial to this process. Some of the ways that volunteers and tutors can help might include: tutoring

English to the refugee families; assisting children with school enrollment; accompanying families to

medical appointments; coaching families on using local transportation; or helping refugees to fill out job

applications and prepare for interviews.

One important thing that tutors often do not realize is the role of cultural differences in their interactions

with refugee tutees. A persons culture helps to shape his perceptions, beliefs, actions, fears, and

interactions with others. Often, cultural differences and differences in perceptions are the greatest sources

of miscommunication, misunderstanding and insensitivity between tutors and refugees. Thus, it is helpful

to first look at the experiences that the refugees have gone through so that we can begin to understand and

see things from their points of view also.

E.Becoming Sensitized to Their Situation:Struggles and Complications They Have Faced

As a tutor, it is important to become sensitized to what your refugee student has experienced. A good

starting place is obtaining background information about your student from his/her IRC caseworker, and

then following that up with a bit of research about his/her past culture and country. Although this extra

effort might seem unnecessary at first, it will aid your interactions with your student in the long run. This

deeper understanding will give you better insight into why s/he acts or reacts the way s/he does, what

topics you might want to approach with caution, the mental well-being of your student, and how to

prevent cultural misunderstandings from happening. For example, tutors often make the mistake ofattributing a students silent nature or lack of response to indifference towards learning, lack of

intelligence or just unfriendliness. Perhaps the topic triggers some difficult memory for him/her and the

student is closing him/herself off. Or perhaps past experiences make it difficult for the student to trust

anyone, even a friendly tutor. It is often easy to forget that there are other factors that can play into the

students reactions.

Some experiences that your student might have been exposed to include: brutal violence, death of his/her

loved ones, feelings of loss and insecurity, feelings of helplessness to the plight of his/her country, or

feelings of not belonging in this new home. S/he might feel inadequate about him/herself and his/her

inability to have the life s/he had wanted. Perhaps s/he was in a highly educated profession in his/her

country and was able to support a family. Now, s/he might have to do manual labor but still barely be

able to support him/herself. And maybe s/he might even have to accept handouts from others, something

that will really hurt his/her sense of self-esteem and pride. Your student might also have stayed within a

refugee camp at one point in time. Life in these camps can be harsh and essentials such as food and water

can be scarce. Refugees are often not allowed to work and feel helpless as their only means of survival is

accepting handouts from aid organizations. Although you might be curious to hear about their pasts,

remember that this might be a touchy subject that requires some sensitivity from you.


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You will find that different students will have different reactions to their past experiences. Some students

might not want to talk about their painful memories. Other students, on the other hand, might need a

sympathetic ear to help them try to understand what they went through.

Lastly, spending some time learning about your students background might prevent cultural

misunderstandings between you and your student. While you might think you are acting friendly towards

your student, your actions might appear completely offensive in his/her cultural context. At times, yourstudent might seem to be offended or upset at you. Rather than assuming that your student does not like

you, find out what is bothering him/her. You will find that cultural misconceptions and differences make

up half of the misunderstandings between students and their tutors. As you continue to interact with your

student, be willing to learn more about him and ask questions when you do not understand a particular

reaction. There may be times when your student acts in a way that offends you. Refugees who have just

arrived in the U.S. often do not have a good grasp on American culture, so it is just as easy for them to

offend you if they misinterpret certain aspects of American culture. Thus, try to understand your student,

and be sensitive to how your actions might appear. Constant communication is the best way to foster a

relationship of trust.


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II. PROBLEMS OTHER TUTORS

HAVE FACED IN THE PAST


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This following section is designed to give you an idea of some cultural misunderstandings or problems

that tutors have faced in the past. One thing that tutors often underestimate is the challenge of culture

shock. Tutors will often take into consideration the refugee students difficulty in adjusting to American

society and that this process will take time. However, they subsequently overlook the fact that, during

this period, their refugee students might in return interpret the tutors actions in accordance with their

previous cultural framework and mindset. Especially for refugees who know little English or have

difficulty expressing their frustrations, these interactions can often result in misunderstandings. Thereforeit is helpful to understand that these problems can stem from cultural differences rather than from

negativity towards the tutor him/herself. By understanding the problems you might face, you will be

better prepared to handle such misunderstandings, and become more sensitive to why they occur.

A.Different Concepts of TimeIn the U.S., we often regard time as a precious commodity. Thus, it is second nature for Americans to

expect others to be on time and ready when they have made an appointment with you. However, being ontime is not quite as crucial in many other countries. A tutor might arrive at the students home only to

find nobody home until an hour later than the arranged time. Or the tutor might arrive at the students

home to find that the student is engaged in some other activity and will not be ready for his lesson untilmuch later. This can be frustrating for tutors, especially for those who have their own busy schedules. It

is important to realize, however, that such disregard of time is often not done out of disrespect for thetutor. It might rather be the students ignorance of the notion of time in American culture coming into

play. Let the student know how important time is in the U.S. (not only for your sake, but for his future

interactions with others as well), but remember to do this with the understanding that this might be a

completely foreign concept for him.

B.Importance of Gifts In Some CulturesIn some cultures, it is expected for visitors to bring gifts when they are visiting someone. Tutors have run

across this problem in the past as a result of this unexpected custom. If the tutor arrives at his refugee

students home without a gift, the family can interpret this as being rude. The tutor, however, does notunderstand why his student is upset; he is the one voluntarily making time in his own busy schedule to

help out this student. Such a response makes it seem like the student is just being ungrateful. A tutor canwrongly make an assumption that his student is too demanding and does not appreciate what he is being

given. It is easy to forget that this expectation of a gift might be perfectly acceptable in the students

previous cultural setting.

This can go the other way too. In some cultures, hosts are expected to be hospitable to their guests andwill offer them food and drinks. It is easy for us as tutors to feel too embarrassed to accept anything from

refugees who seem to have so much less than we do. As a result, we might reject their offers of food.

Although we might think we are being polite, and not taking advantage of our hosts, our students might

wonder why we do not accept their food. Do we think it is not good enough for our tastes? There are

numerous ways our actions can be misinterpreted by our students and the best way to avoid thesemisunderstandings is to explain why you act the way you do. Reciprocally, if you notice any discomfort

in your student, always make it a point to find out the reasons behind his/her reactions.

C. Communal Aspect of Other Cultures

You invite your refugee student to do something with you, yet when you arrive at his/her home, you find

that not just your student wants to come along, but many of his/her family and friends as well. This often


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results from the communal aspect of other cultures a friend of mine is a friend to my family and

relatives. This might be disorienting to a tutor who arrives expecting to tutor only one student but finds

a small classroom waiting for him. Or if the tutor had hoped to spend some quality time getting to know

his/her student but finds that s/he now has to spend it with many strangers as well. In some cases, it

might be nice to get to know the friends and family of your student to show that you are interested in

getting to know his/her extended family. At other times, however, it might be necessary to inform your

student ahead of time of limited resources (ie., space in the car, time, or tickets) for special events youhave planned. If you take these factors into consideration before planning events with your student, you

can avoid misunderstandings from happening.

D. Financial Assistance

If you invite your refugee student/family to do an activity that they normally would not engage in (i.e.,

going to a restaurant, or visiting a museum), it is recommended for the tutor to pay for these events.

However, do not be discouraged; there are many ways to help your refugees experience culture in DC

without spending too much money. You will find that many places are willing to donate tickets to

refugees if you let them know ahead of time. For example, say you want to go to the Baltimore

Aquarium. If you call them ahead of time, you can ask if they might be willing to donate a few tickets so

that you can bring refugees to visit.

However, it is always important to establish the boundary of what you can and cannot do as a

tutor/volunteer. If your refugee student asks you for money to pay for his/her unmet needs, do not feel

like you need to provide this type of assistance. It is usually more helpful for you to help your refugee

think through these problems than to just hand out money.

In past cases, there have been refugee families that have asked their tutors for money in the form of a

loan. When the tutor refused, the refugee family felt the tutor was being selfish in not sharing what s/he

had. The tutor, in turn, felt pressured and felt like the refugee family was demanding too much. In this

case, the refugee family did not understand why the tutor was not willing to share because in the

community they came from, people were always willing to share what they owned with everyone else

(like one big family). Rather than getting frustrated in situations such as these, talk through them with

your refugee family and explain the reasons for your personal limitations. And always remember that if a

situation or problem that you cannot handle arises, you should contact the IRC Volunteer Coordinator.

Other examples of problems that you might not be able to handle include immigration issues, health

problems, or if your refugee student needs any other special assistance that you cannot provide.

E. Respect of Elders

Because it is easier for children to learn a new language, one often finds that children in refugee families

are easier to communicate with than elder members of the family. In certain cultures, however, respect

for elders is extremely important. As a result, it is expected that questions should always be directed at

them first. If you go straight to the children (who tend to speak English better) to ask questions, thefamily might take this action as disrespect towards their elders. Once again, constant communication

with your refugee family can prevent long-term hostility with certain members of the family.

F. Inappropriate Questions Asked By Refugees

Some examples of questions asked by refugees that might seem inappropriate to the tutor include: Why

are you fat? (Or weight-gain related questions.) Why dont you have any children? Why arent you

married? How much money do you make? What is your rent?


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Rather than taking these questions personally, a tutor should remember that questions often have different

implications in different cultures. While these questions might seem too personal or rude, they might be

perfectly acceptable in other cultures.

G. Other ProblemsYou might for granted everyday knowledge that your refugees might not know. For example, in one case,

a tutor taught his refugee student how to turn on the water faucet. Before they left the room, the tutor

turned off the faucet, not thinking that it would be necessary to teach the student how to turn it off. Later,

when the refugee student tried to turn on the water by him/herself, s/he panicked and called the tutor; s/he

did not know how to shut off the water. These are situations that we might not normally expect, but if we

are aware of them, and try to anticipate these problems, we can prevent them before they even happen.


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III. LEARNING ABOUT YOUR REFUGEE

STUDENT


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A. Understanding Their Culture

Understanding your students culture can give you a better insight into what his/her needs might be.Being culturally sensitive to what is acceptable or not to your student will also help you establish a

relation of trust. Before you start tutoring, it will be helpful to do a little cultural background reading.

Not only will this help you understand your student better, but this knowledge will also show your studentthat you are indeed interested in him, and that he is not just one of your projects.


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B.Assessment of the Refugees Previous SkillsBefore creating any lesson plans for your refugees, it is helpful to know what knowledge the refugee

already possesses. Some basic questions might include:

Are they able to read and write in their native language? Are they beginners, or do they already know

some English? Are they stronger in some skills (i.e., reading and writing) and weaker in others (i.e.,

listening and speaking)?

LITERACY SKILLS:

The refugees you work with will most likely fall into one of the following five categories:

PRELITERATE: Some of the refugees might come from cultural groups where literacy is not common.

They might speak languages that have not developed a written form of expression

until recently, and thus might be unfamiliar with the writing systems that we use in our

society today. Thus, items such as newspapers, books, and street signs might be

foreign to them.*People in this group may never have had the opportunity to go to school and may not

know how to hold writing utensils. Thus, pre-reading tasks such as comparing

shapes and sequencing pictures can be useful in helping them begin literacy.

SEMILITERATE: Some of the refugees might have had some schooling but are unable to read or writetheir first language beyond an elementary level. In other cases, especially for older

learners, they might have been away from their native country long enough that their

language literacy skills have declined due to years of disuse.

NON-ROMAN ALPHABETIC LITERATE: Oftentimes, refugees might be familiar with languages thatdo not use the Roman alphabet. In these cases, it might be helpful to instruct them in

things such as left-to-right directionality, letter and number formation, the relation of

letters to lines on the paper, and sound-symbol correspondence.

LITERATE IN A ROMAN ALPHABET: These refugees are able to read and write in a language that

uses the Roman alphabet. What will be helpful to work on here will be the

sound/symbol relationship of English.

C. Learning Styles of your Student

Discovering what your students preferred learning styles are will require observation on the part of the

tutor. Through the tutors interactions with the refugee student, he/she can observe what methods of

learning are most effective for the student, whether through visual learning, auditory learning, orkinesthetic (learning by doing). By knowing your students learning preferences, you can personalize

your lessons to better suit your students needs.

D. Factors That Can Affect Learning

1. Cultural Background: A persons cultural background might shape the way they are used to learning.

Due to a difference in past experiences, refugees might have different expectations in learning


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situations and different methods of responding to a tutor. For example, a refugee might have

previously learned under either passive or formal educational environments and might be

reluctant at times to participate.

2. Educational Background: A tutor should keep in mind that the amount of schooling that the refugee has

had in his/her native language will directly affect the refugees ability to learn a new language.

3. Health: Both the mental and physical health of the refugee will affect their ability to learn. For

example, mental health problems such as grief, depression, missing family members, and culture

shock might make concentration difficult.

4.Current Employment: How much a refugee is working will also have an impact on learning ability.

Often, refugees work long hours in labor intensive jobs when they first come to the U.S. Stress

and fatigue from the job can affect the mood, concentration, and motivation of the refugee.


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IV. SETTING GOALS


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Setting reasonable, cooperative objectives with your student at the start will prove to be a good

investment of time for numerous reasons. First of all, it will help you determine what your student hopes

to gain from your lessons together. This will help you create a lesson plan that will best suit your

students particular needs and interests. Secondly, it will help teach your student time management if the

two of you work together to set short-term and long-term goals. Finally, having set goals can also help

you to evaluate the progress your student has made in relation to his own initial self-projections and

aspirations.

A.Short-term and Long-term ObjectivesAs you work with your refugee student, you will find that objectives will vary from student to student

according to their specific needs. For example, a mother might need to learn how to fill out forms for her

family in the short-run, but in the long-run, acquire enough English to successfully accomplish everyday

tasks such as grocery shopping. For someone who has no concept of how the U.S. monetary system

works, a short-term goal might be to learn how to use U.S. money and other financial resources (i.e.,

credit cards, ATM cards, checks, etc). By sitting down and making both short-term and long-term

objectives with your student, you can learn what some of his/her priorities are and his/her needs in

learning English and construct lesson plans accordingly. Furthermore, some refugees might have come

from areas where time management is not as important as it is here in the U.S. Walking your studentthrough how to make short-term and long-term goals in your lessons together can also serve as an

example of how to manage time in other aspects of his/her life.

B.What Is the Reason For the Refugee To Learn English?Part of setting goals includes understanding what are some of the primary reasons your refugee has for

learning English. If the refugee works in a job that requires him to know how to read rudimentary

English, then an emphasis might be placed on elementary reading lessons. A difference also exists

between vernacular English and formal English. While conversational English with people we know

often includes many everyday expressions, idioms, and colloquialisms, written or formal spoken English

used in more business-like settings tend not to be as casual in sentence form and structure. Thus,knowing what kinds of environments the student plans to speak English in, as well as why s/he need to

learn English, can be useful for knowing how to instruct him properly.

C.Job/WorkplaceHelping your student set goals pertaining to his employment status is also essential. Oftentimes, it is

difficult for refugees from other countries to grasp the fundamentals of how the working world here in the

U.S. functions. Having relevant experiences and solid recommendations from previous employers are

often crucial to finding good jobs. One problem that is often faced by refugees is that when they are

displeased with the work they do, they are tempted to immediately quit and find another one. If a refugee

is continually dissatisfied with one profession after another, the situation will quickly proliferate into a

long list of resignations. In this situation, the refugee might be completely unaware that this lack ofperseverance will adversely affect his ability to find subsequent occupations in the future. Thus, it is

essential for the tutor to help the student understand that although he might not be able to find his dream

job right away, he can set goals and patiently take steps towards acquiring a more satisfying position.

Sometimes, in order to gain the experience and stepping stone towards your ideal vocation, it might be

necessary to first work at a job that is not exactly what you want. Furthermore, different professions will

look for different qualifications. By helping your refugee plan how s/he can meet certain qualifications,

you can help him/her set more long-termed goals in finding a suitable, permanent career. For example, if

your student needs to learn to drive in order to obtain a certain job, you can incorporate driving rules into


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your lessons to help him pass the driving test. Or if a job requires computer skills, you can help your

student learn how to type, or work with basic computer software.


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D. Sample ESL Needs AssessmentWorld Relief ESL Program

Use this assessment form to determine the English Language Skills that your student may need.

1. Life Skills Check only six:

____ Talk on the telephone ____ Get a job

____ Talk to the police ____ Get a drivers license

____ Talk to a doctor ____ Give and get directions

____ Talk to the teacher ____ Talk at the post office

____ Go shopping ____ Talk at the bank

____ Order a meal in a restaurant ____ Talk to my boss

____ Talk to the bus driver ____ Talk about __________

2. Reading Check only five:

____ Signs ____ Bus schedules

____ Advertisements ____ Product labels____ Medicine labels ____ Newspapers

____ Bills ____ Traffic directions

____ Forms ____ Books

____ Magazines ____ Other ________

3. Writing Check only four:

____ Job applications ____ Doctors forms

____ Checks and money orders ____ School forms

____ Envelopes and letters ____ Welfare forms____ Rental applications ____ Bank forms

____ Post office forms ____ Other _________

4. Practice Check only three:

____ Reading ____ Conversation

____ Writing ____ Listening

____ Pronunciation ____ Vocabulary

____ Grammar ____ Idioms


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V. MAKING YOUR LESSON PLANS


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A. Helpful Tips in Tutoring

1. Try to be culturally sensitive as you work with your student and show respect for his beliefs andvalues. For example, in some Muslim cultures, a man is not allowed to greet a female by hand. Thus,

doing so might offend your student from the beginning and strain your relations with him. Another

example of becoming culturally sensitive might include being aware of which religious or cultural

festivals/occasions are important, when they are held, and how they might affect the involvement of

your student.

2. Pay attention to the student and find out what his frustrations and interests are. This will help youboth in planning lessons and in being sensitive to your students needs. Keeping a student's interest

plays a crucial role in an effective lesson. By making your lessons more interesting, you will findhim/her more willing to participate and more capable of retaining the material.

3. Oftentimes, the strategy of learning through discovery works best and leaves a more lastingimpression than the typical lecture method of instruction. You will find that if a student learns

something through experience rather than by being told something, s/he is also more likely to retain

this information.

4. Spending time with your student and doing activities to help him/her become more comfortable withyou is also helpful. The more comfortable a student is with his/her tutor, the less s/he is afraid of

making mistakes in lessons. Sitting next to the student rather than across a table can also make

him/her feel less formal and more comfortable. When a student makes a mistake, encourage him/her

to try again and not to give up. Verbal praise when a student succeeds helps boost his/her confidence

and gives him/her motivation to continue to learn.

5. Involve the student in such a way so that s/he can SHOW you that s/he understands. There are timeswhen a student can become so overwhelmed with the material s/he is learning that rather than

continually ask questions, s/he might just nod his head in agreement even if s/he does not fully grasp

the material. Thus, as tutors, it is our job to find out if what we are teaching our students actually

makes sense to them. For example, rather than asking the simple question Do you understand? you

can ask a more informative question that elicits some indication of their understanding (i.e., How

would you (do something)? or What is the correct way to (do something)?). You will also

find that there will be times when the student does understand, but might not know enough English to

convey that s/he does. Thus, silence does not always mean lack of understanding.

6. Constantly review materials. New subjects are easy to forget, so reviewing the material fromprevious lessons can help the student retain the information. However, reviewing exercises do not

always have to be done in the same way; encourage yourself to think of creative new ways to present

the same information to your student.

NOTE: Learning theory reminds us that most students need to review material at least 5 times before

it is really mastered.

7. Try not to use idioms until your student is more familiar with the English language. While yourstudent is learning English, it will be helpful for you to try to use as much correct English as possible

so as to not confuse your student when s/he is first learning English sentence structure. However, if

your student comes across a common expression that he cannot understand, do not hesitate to explain

it to him.


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8. Attempting to learn corresponding words, that you teach your student, in his/her native languagehelps your student feel more comfortable and more motivated to learn. Seeing another person trying

to learn can only serve as additional motivation for our own efforts. Furthermore, when your student

sees you stumbling through words in his language, it makes him/her feel less conscious of his own

mistakes when learning English. Trying to learn words in his/her language can also dispel the

stereotype that Americans think their culture is better than everyone elses culture.

9. Although teaching your student English is a very important goal, remember that it is not your onlyaim as a tutor. As a tutor, your primary goal should be to help your refugee student assimilate into

the American society; learning English is just a means to achieve this goal.

B. Creating a Good Lesson Plan

In general, the more time you spend in preparing for a lesson, the more the student will get out of it.

Taking the time to prepare allows you to think of new topics of discussion, and creative ways to present

them to your student. If you yourself are unfamiliar with the material you are teaching, then you will

potentially have difficulty answering your student's questions. Here are some steps that will help you inplanning your lessons:

1. Decide what topic you want to focus on. You can find a list of topics on the next section.2. Develop a learning objective relevant to the topic chosen for the lesson. When deciding what the

objective will be, keep in mind that material appropriate to the refugee students level should

simultaneously build on what s/he already knows and introduce something new and challenging as

well. If the topic is finding a job, then the objective might be learning to fill out a job application.

Or if the topic is money, then the objective might be learning to identify American coins and bills.

3. Planning Lesson Activities

One of the activities that is always important to begin with is reviewing material that you have taughtin previous lessons. Because a lot of new skills build on old skills, it is important that your student

establishes a solid foundation before moving on to new and confusing materials.

In your lessons, you will need to plan activities that will both introduce new material to your student

as well as allow him to practice this new material. The more interactive the activity is, the more

likely the student is to remember what he has learned. For example, if you are teaching your student

the names of kitchen appliances and dining ware, it might be helpful to take a visit to the kitchen and

use the actual objects as props. Or if you are going over the names of shopping items, taking your

student to the grocery store might be a good idea.

A student will feel more encouraged to participate in future lessons when you leave a lesson on a

positive note. Thus, closing your lesson with an easy and fun activity will make a student feel better

about him/herself and more eager for the next lesson.

4. Keeping Written RecordsPreparing written lessons in advance, as well as taking notes during your sessions can help the

continuity of your tutoring time. The act of writing down your lesson plan will also give you a better

sense of what to bring to each lesson (i.e., pencils, dictionary), and allow you to gauge how much

time to spend on each part of the lesson. Although you do want to be sensitive to a students learning

pace, oftentimes it is the distraction of off-topic tangents that slow the lesson down. Having a written


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lesson plan will make it easier to move back onto topic and not lose your place or train of thought.

Tutors can be just as forgetful as their students and there might be times when you cannot remember

whether you have already gone over a certain topic or not. Looking back at previous lesson plans will

help you maintain cohesion across lessons. Taking notes during each session will help you keep track

of what your student is having trouble with and further guide you in planning future lessons.

Despite the importance of planning ahead, keep in mind that lesson plans can never replace theintuition of a tutor, and are only there to serve as a guideline. If your student is already comfortable

with the information and needs work on something else, do not hesitate to improvise and change your

lesson plan. Or if you notice that your student is not interested by your method of teaching, you

might want to switch to a different approach. Always be sensitive and flexible. For example, if your

refugee student decides that he wants to register for a library card, taking a trip to the library might

prove to be more productive than continuing with your original lesson plan. Make sure that you

involve your student and let him/her have a say in what s/he will be learning.


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LESSON PLAN GUIDE(BCCC ESL Refugee Assistance Program)

Student: _______________________________ Date: ________________________

Tutor: _________________________________ Time: ________________________

Materials Needed:

What we want to accomplish this session (objectives):

Things to review from last session:

Activities: (speaking, listening, grammar, etc)

Homework:

Students comments on the session:

Tutors comments:


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VI. LESSON IDEAS AND

ACTIVITIES


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CONVERSATION STARTERS

For Learning from Foreign Students

(Literacy Volunteers of America, Inc)

FOOD:

1.

How many meals a day do people usually eat in your country?2. What would you eat and drink at each of these meals?3. Where do you get most of your food?4. What would you say is your favorite vegetable, meat, fish, dessert?5. What food would you serve a favorite guest?6. Is your country famous for a special crop?7. Please explain how you make one of your favorite meals.SHELTER:1. Please describe what a typical home looks like in your country.2. How many rooms does the average apartment or home have?3.

What kind of furniture is inside a typical house in your country?4. Are any homes air-conditioned? Are the walls painted or is wall paper used?

CLOTHING:1. What do young children wear to school in your country?2. What kind of clothes do men and women wear to work?3. What kind of clothes do men and women wear to a party?4. Is there special clothing to sleep in?5. Do fashions change frequently?TRANSPORTATION:

1. Do many people walk to work or school or do they use bicycles or other forms oftransportation?

2. Do many people own automobiles?3. How much money does a taxi cab driver charge in your country? What are the tipping

customs?4. Is there a regular time schedule for public transportation?5. In your country, what do people use most for transportation?6. Is it customary for a family to take a vacation?7. What are largest airports in your country?VALUES IN THE CULTURE:

1. Is certain behavior allowed in the home but not in public?2. How are people punished for disobeying the law?3. What is considered the most serious crime a person can commit?4. Do high school students have religious education at school?5. What is the attitude in your country toward the death penalty?LEISURE TIME ACTIVITIES:1. Do you like American films? Which ones?


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2. What type of movies do you like?3. Who are your favorite actors or actresses?4. What movies have you seen in your country?5. What kind of music do you listen to?6. Do you like American music?7.

Do you have a radio? A record player or CD player?8. Do most cities have libraries? Are they free?

9. What kind of books do you read?10.Are there special community centers that provide sports activities?11.Are there volunteer activities available? What are some common forms of charity?12.What do university students do in their leisure time?13.Does the family share activities outside the home? What are these activities?14.Are there many museums open for the public?LANGUAGE FORMULAS AND GESTURES:

1. How would you introduce me to your family?2.

Would I be expected to shake hands?3. What would be the polite way for me to leave after a social evening at your home?

4. Would I be expected to bring a gift?5. What do people say and do after they are introduced?6. What do you say to another person when you see him in the morning? Evening?HOLIDAYS AND CEREMONIES:

1. Is Sunday a legal holiday in your country?2. What special holidays do you celebrate in your country?3. How do people celebrate them?4. Describe a marriage ceremony in your country. Describe a funeral.5. In America, we put our dead in beautifully kept cemeteries. Is this a similar custom in your

country?

COMMUNITY UNITS:

1. Do most of the people in your country live in cities, small towns, or farms? Describe them.2. Do you have many factories in the cities?3. What products are produced?SCHOOLS:

1. Do you have a special preparatory school for university in your country?2. How many classes a week do high school students have?3. Is it difficult for high school graduates to find a job?4. What status do college students have in the society?5. Are there any differences in the quality of education between a public and a private school?MAN AND ANIMALS:

1. Do children keep a dog or cat as pets in their home?2. Would you see an aquarium in some homes?3. What is done for sick animals?


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4. Are there any wild animals in your country?5. What animals are useful?SOCIAL STRUCTURE:1. What is the size of an average family?2.

Do the grandparents live in the same house?3. What are the responsibilities of each member of the family?

4. Do married women work?5. Who takes care of the children?6. Is it customary for the family to gather round the dinner table and talk?7. Do the children often fight among themselves?8. How do people in your country feel about divorce?9. What is the acceptable way of meeting someone to marry?10.When does a child leave his home to be on his own in your country?CHILDREN:

1.

How do parents decide on a name for their baby?2. Do children have a certain share in work at home?3. Do children start school at an early age?4. Do boys and girls have the same education? Do they go to the same school?5. Where do children play?6. Do children in your country have a favorite game they like to play?7. How are children expected to behave with adults?8. Are parents strict in disciplining their children?9. Who punishes the child?10.Please tell me a favorite story children know.11.What songs did you learn at an early age?SOCIAL GROUPS1. Do people of different social groups live in different neighborhoods?2. How is prejudice against minority groups shown in your country?3. How strong are class distinctions?4. Do people speak different languages in different parts of your country?5. Do women often visit local beauty salons?6. Do children wear uniforms in your schools?7. What is the most common religion in your country?8. Do people discuss religion a great deal?From: Dr. V.F. Allen (Temple University, Philadelphia, PA)


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B.Lesson TopicsPersonal information Daily Routine

Greetings and good-byes Making RequestsTelephone emergencies Mistakes and Apologies

Meeting people Transportation

Numbers EmergenciesAlphabet Housing

Money ShoppingCalendar Nutrition

Days of the week Recreation

Months of the year Foods and mealsColors Telling time

Food Family members

Safety Furniture/House partsFinding a job Signs and Symbols

Health Care

C. Important Subjects To Work On:

READING/VOCABULARY:

In each lesson, you should introduce some new vocabulary words for your student to learn.

Because a persons vocabulary cannot be built in a single lesson, it is important to work a littleon it every time you meet. Building your students vocabulary is the only way your student will

be able to communicate effectively with others. Reading is helpful in both teaching your student

grammar, and in assessing his vocabulary.

Sample Reading/VocabularyActivities:

1. Flash cards pictures or words (you can make these by drawing or cutting out pictures fromnewspapers or magazines)

2. Crossword puzzles3. Fill-in-the blank sentences4. Reading a paragraph and teaching your student words he did not understand in the paragraph

(i.e., from a book, label, application form)

5. Asking your student to tell a story (he will normally run into words he does not know how toconvey in English)

6. Pointing out new objects or actions during a field trip7. Ask your student to keep a journal8. Using picture strips (i.e., comics, pictures of people doing different activities) and asking

students to describe what is taking place in the picture(s). You can also ask your student to

pretend to have a conversation with this person (to improve his conversational skills).


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GRAMMAR:

Remember that communication, not grammar, should be the focus of your lessons. Most of the

refugee students will also be taking ESL classes with a stronger focus on grammar and writing atthe Baltimore City Community College. In these cases, tutors will not need to spend a lot of

time on complex grammar structures. Simple grammar forms can be incorporated into thecontext of your overall lesson (i.e., if your student is having trouble with conjugating verbs, youmight want to include that in a lesson). Although students might be taking ESL classes

elsewhere, there might be certain parts of grammar they are still struggling with. You can use

your lessons to supplement their ESL classes and help them with homework they might not

understand.

Sample Grammar Activities:

1. Give your student sentences that have grammar mistakes and have your student correct themistakes.

2. Read a paragraph together and focus on one aspect of grammar. Ask your student if henotices any patterns in the paragraph dealing with that part of speech.3. Ask your student to keep a dialogue journal, a journal where he writes dialogues aboutdifferent topics or situations (if he is unable to write, you can write for him). Choose a

particular part of speech and correct mistakes together.

LISTENING:

You should teach your student to listen as an active skill. The student does not need tounderstand every word he hears, but he should practice on understanding the general meaning of

what is being said.

Sample Listening Activities:

1. Tell your student a story (personal stories are usually more interesting for a student to hear,and they help you bond with your student at the same time), and have him comment on your

story

2. Watch a movie or television show together.3. Play a tape of made-up conversations you have recorded.SPEAKING:Students will often feel shy about speaking in a language they are unfamiliar with. They might

be afraid of making mistakes, or being laughed at. By encouraging your student to speak often

during your lesson, you are giving him a chance to practice first with a familiar and friendly face.

This will help build necessary comfort and confidence levels for subsequent, less privateconversations. Remember that it is not necessary to immediately correct every single mistake

your student makes; a student that hears that everything he says is wrong will easily become

frustrated.

Sample Speaking Activities:

1. Talk about current events in the U.S. or in your students native country.2. Read dialogues out loud.


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3. Ask your student to talk about a frustration or difficult experience he has encountered in thepast week.

D. Lesson Activity Ideas

1. Reading maps Help your student locate his home and places around the neighborhood on amap. Teach him to recognize different symbols on a map. Teach him to understand

directions.2. What to do in an emergency (i.e., Call 911 and what to say in a 911 conversation, or who to

call in a medical emergency)

3. How to use a telephone book and what to say when you answer the phone4. Teach your student to use a calendar, or a schedule planner. This will help him manage his

time.

5. How to use email or connect to the internet6. Fill out forms7. Ask and give personal information8. Greet and meet people9. Learn to state your feelingsThe following two pages include activity lists that were used in Baltimore City Community

College for different level ESL classes. You can use these topics and activities to give you asense of what your student might need to learn, depending on what level he are at.


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Refugee Assistance Program Beginning Level

(From BCCC ESL Program)

These are the topics for the R.A.P. Beginning classes. When we finish with a topic, you shouldbe able to do all or most of the following:

Introductions and Personal Info Ask and give personal info Say the alphabet and numbers to 100 Fill out forms Greet and meet people State feelings Say the date, days and months

Shopping/Consumerism/Banking

Name American money and amounts

Read your paycheck Open a bank account Complete basic banking transactions Name foods Name items of clothing Ask the price Exchange or return an item or get a refund Understand different ways to pay

Employment Know how to find work Read a help-wanted ad Fill out a job application Talk about your past work experience Talk about what you can and cant do

Housing

Name the rooms in the house Name furniture Talk about housing problems Read a classified ad for housing Communicate on the telephone Use the yellow pages

Health

Name parts of the body Name common health problems Talk to a doctor Fill out health insurance forms Read a prescription


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Community Resources

Read a schedule for DC modes of transportation Give and ask for directions Give and ask for time

Read street signs and a map Know the names of community resources and what they offer


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Refugee Assistance Program- Intermediate Level(Taken from BCCC ESL Program)

These are the topics for the R.A.P. Intermediate classes. When we finish with a topic, youshould be able to do all or most of these.

Conversation and Small Talk Respond to the common questions (How are you? Where are you from?) Make small talk about weather, news, sports Keep a conversation going, short, taking leave Identify English idioms Identify non-formal English: gonna, wanna, dunno

Telephone Communication Leave and take message Identify phone etiquette (saying goodbye, on hold, etc)

Ask for repetition and clarification Use directory assistance Use white and yellow pages

Banking and Consumerism

Identify common banking vocabulary Identify checking accounts, savings accounts, CDs How to build credit Understand differences between credit cards and check cards Write a check and record information Identify different places to shop and what each place sells Express desires in shopping (sizes, colors, price) Exchanges/refunds/store credit

Community Services

Use a library and Post office Identify different parts of the newspaper (classified, art, etc) Identify recreation services in DC and fun places to visit Know options for continuing and higher education How to research scholarships, grants Describe the U.S. education system Getting around the city Ask for and giving directions

Computers in the U.S.A.

Identify basic computer vocabulary and parts Identify computer courses and computer jobs in the DC Area Use a mouse, open and close windows, log on, log off, etc Use the internet Use present software available in the Computer Lab


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Focus on grammar, typing programs, EllisEmployment Part I Getting a Job

Identify important employment vocabulary Express strengths, skills, background

Fill out and ask for job applications Prepare for an interview Read job ads Call to find out more about a job Understand job mentality of the U.S. Identify important employment vocabulary Express strengths, skills, background Fill out and ask for job applications Prepare for an interview Read job ads

Call to find out more about a job Understand job mentality of the U.S.Employment Part II English on The Job

Follow job directions Make small talk at work Ask for help and clarification Apologize for mistakes Safety on the job Work schedules Attitudes in the workplace Asking for time off, leaving early


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INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES:

People often forget that refugees can learn just as much from fun and interactive activities as

they can from educational at-home activities. By taking your refugee to places outside of thehome, you will provide him with a chance to learn words and phrases in English associated to

these activities. He will also learn more about American culture have the chance to ask anyquestions he has about American idiosyncrasies. Here are some suggestions for different kindsof activities you can do together:

Community Orientation:

-Take a ride together on the public transportation system.-Go grocery shopping at am American grocery store or and ethnic grocery store

-Take a tour of a local government office, town hall, or fire station

-Discuss public safety and how to call 911-Review a map of the community or drive around town.

-Visit the Post Office and mail letters or buy stamps.

-Practice making and receiving local telephone calls; explain how to make long distance calls.-Discuss money and financial issues-practice making purchases and getting change; explain

basic banking practices including checking and savings accounts and loan repayments

-Talk about automobiles-new v. used, financing, insurance, license requirements-Discuss the variety of housing options in your community

-Visit the library-check out books; register your refugee partner to receive a library card.

Cultural Activities:-Fly a kite or play frisbee

-Attend a local sporting event-Go visit a church with your refugee

-Go to the zoo

-Have lunch at an ethnic restaurant-Tour downtown

-Go to the local historical society or nature preserve

-Clip newspaper articles about your refugee partners country-Rent or go to a movie

-Visit a music store and listen to different types of music

-Cook a traditional meal together-Go to a coffee shop

-Go to a free concert at the Harborplace

-Go to a clothing store or to the mall

-Go to a health clinic-Have a picnic at the park

-Take your refugee on a tour of DC

-Take a walk around the neighborhood-Go to the museum (on the first Thursday of the month, admission is free!)

-Celebrate national holidays together

-Watch television-Look at photo album


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VII. ESL RESOURCES


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The following texts are resources that are available at the Baltimore Resettlement Center. You

may use these to get ideas and help, but due to limited copies, you cannot take them from the

center.

Day by Day: English for Employment Communication, Molinsky, Steven J. and Bill Bliss,

Prentice Hall Regents, 1994.

LifePrints 1, 2, Newman, Christy M., New Readers Press, 1993.

Longman ESL Literacy, Nishio, Yvonne Wong, Addison Wesley Longman, 1998.

Side by Side, text and activity workbook, Molinsky, Steven J. and Bill Bliss, Prentice Hall

Regents, 1989.

Word by Word Picture Dictionary, Molinsky, Steven J. and Bill Bliss, Prentice Hall Regents,

1994.

At your local library or an university library Online ESL Resources Helpful Online Websites:

www.culturalorientation.net(information about problems refugees face trying to adjust,

cultural information, etc)

www.mcedservices.com (ESL materials, free exercises, and textbooks)www.worldrefugee.com (provides information about refugees around the world)

www.soon.org.uk/country/language.htm (learn about the country and language of yourrefugee)


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REFERENCES

Allen, Dr. V.F. Temple University, Philadelphia, PA

Baltimore City Community College, Business and Continuing Education, ESL Refugee

Assistance Program Resources: Handouts, Notes, Forms.

Basic Information About UNHCR: Who Is a Refugee? 2002. UNHCR.

< http://www.unhcr.org>

Bramwell, Kasaya. ESL Instructor, Windle Charitable Trust. Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya.Personal Interview, Fall 2001.

English as a Second Language Handbook for Adult Education Instructors. California StateDepartment of Education, 1990.

ESL Tutor Training: Practical Skills and Activities. Exodus World Service and World Relief.

Greater Homewood Community Corporation ESL Program Resources.

Questions and Answers About The United States Refugee Resettlement Program. 29 June 1998.

United States Department of State.

< http://www.cal.org/corc/qa/qaeng.htm>.

U.S. Refugee Admissions and Resettlement Program Overview. 1998. Bureau of Population,

Refugees, and Migration..

U.S Refugee Admissions Program. February 1997. Bureau of Population, Refugees, andMigration.

< http://www.state.gov/www/global/prm/fs_refugee_adm_9702.html>

Who is a refugee?: Fact sheet. Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, Department of

State. 17 January 1996.

Who is a refugee? 2001. Cultural Orientation Project.

World Relief ESL Program Resources: Handouts, Notes, Forms.

Documents

IRC ESL Tutor Handbook Refugees)