Never Give Up! A Perseverance Unit to Enhance Second Language Acquisition

Lisa Marie Lewis, Elementary Teacher, Collinswood Language Academy

(Abstract PDF)

(Unit PDF)         

Abstract

This unit is intended for first grade students and it connects the theme of perseverance to personal life experiences. The main purpose of this unit is to enhance vocabulary development, writing skills, and comprehension through the use of mentor texts. It was written with second language learners in mind, so the activities in this unit are ideal for all types of students and classroom settings. As a teacher, you can pick and choose the activities that you like best or that will best suit the needs of your students. The mentor texts that I chose for this unit are very versatile and the accompanying activities could easily be catered to any theme that you are teaching in your classrooms. As a teacher with many ESL (English as a Second Language) students in my classroom, I know how challenging it can be to ensure that students fully comprehend the stories and vocabulary being taught in class. I hope that the research section of this unit provides some information on how to reach all learners and provides you with some strategies that you can implement in your classroom.