Integrating literature into the English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) classroom is an exciting way to engage adult learners and improve their language skills. To learn how best to do this, consider participating in the Literacy Assistance Center (LAC) Academy’s free “Language Learning Through Literature” workshop.
Registration is required for the workshop, which takes place on Saturday, Oct. 12 from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. at LAC in Lower Manhattan. LAC serves experienced and aspiring adult literacy practitioners by providing them with professional development opportunities that afford them the means and motivation to sustain learning throughout their careers.
The workshop provides adult literacy practitioners “ways to use literature such as poems and folktales to add dimension to the ESOL classroom and to students' writing…and suggests creative writing tasks.” There are several reasons why literature is significant in improving language learning:
- Authentic material, which literature inherently is, exposes students to real-life English and the various forms of expression.
- It helps students learn about dialogue, syntax and the different ways writers connect ideas, all of which can help them develop their own writing skills.
- It introduces students to different aspects of American culture, and increases their understanding of verbal and nonverbal forms of communication.
For more information about the workshop or LAC Academy, contact Marilyn Rymniak at 212-803-3322 or marilynr@lacync.org.
