F.+Materials+for+ESL

=Evaluating Materials for ESL=

[[image:http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fDlBCdUZqUo/TClesOhZNGI/AAAAAAAAABI/JR8aP9sCKKk/s1600/reading_writing_kid1242430280.jpg width="209" height="228" align="right"]]Overview:
This page includes evaluations of various materials that could be used for developing literacy in an ESL classroom. One text from each of the following categories was evaluated: basal readers, fiction, and non-fiction. The following rubric was used to evaluate the materials.

Basal Reader: //Be a Better Reader: Volume A// by Nila Banton Smith



 * Summary: **// Be a Better Reader //: //Volume A// is the first in a series of basal reader textbooks made by Globe Fearon publishers, a subsidiary of the Pearson Learning Group. These books are designed specifically for struggling readers in grades 6-8. Each unit in Volume A is developed around a theme and includes four reading selections: literature, social studies, science, and mathematics. Each literature selection is designed to teach a specific skill. After the reading selections, each unit includes various lessons that focus on both phonological topics such as vowel sounds and syllable types as well as reading comprehension topics such as main idea, supporting details, inference, and fact and opinion. Other lessons include information on how to use reference sources, such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, library catalogues, mall floor plans, and bus routes. For this evaluation, I chose to focus my evaluation on the first lesson, a literature selection entitled, “Broken Voyage” within a unit on the ocean. Lesson one focuses on teaching students sequence of events. The story recounts a family’s experience sailing across the Atlantic Ocean and needing to be rescued.


 * Rating: **The suggested activities and reading selections of the text encourage discussion, metacognitive skills, and the development of BICS and CALP. However, the text lacks sufficient vocabulary development, though teachers could develop vocabulary lessons from the text on their own. The series received 25 points on the above rubric. It is rated moderately appropriate for high school students at intermediate to advanced proficiency levels.

Publisher's Website
 * Resources: **


 * References: **

Smith, N. B. (2003). //Be a better reader: volume A//. Parsippany, NJ: Globe Fearon. Smith, N. B. (2003). //Be a better reader: volume A: annotated teacher’s edition//. Parsippany, NJ: Globe Fearon.

Fiction: //Clever Ali// written by Nancy Farmer and illustrated by Gail de Mercken



 * Summary **: //Clever Ali // is written by Nancy Farmer and illustrated by Gail de Marcken. The story is written for K-6 aged students and has a grade level equivalency of 3.7 (Scholastic, n.d.). The story is approximately 24 pages, with beautiful illustrations on every page. The story is long but does not consist of chapters. The story of Ali is based on a true story that dates back to 1190 A.D. In the story, an evil sultan rules over Egypt. Ali’s father is the keeper of pigeons and trains Ali to follow in his footsteps. However, Ali’s pigeon gets loose and spills the Sultan’s cherries, a rare food in Egypt, on the floor. He makes the demand that Ali gather 600 cherries or he will feed his father to the demon he keeps in a deep hole in the floor. The story tells of Ali’s clever plan and concludes with a reversal of fortune for the evil sultan, when he is fed to the demon and Ali’s father becomes sultan.

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 * Rating: **This text provides great discussion opportunities, lends itself to interdisciplinary study, and is beautifully illustrated. The nature of the story additionally lends itself to the development of BICS and CALP. This text received 25 points on the above rubric. It is rated moderately appropriate for middle and high school students at intermediate to advanced proficiency levels, depending on depth of study

Scholastic Book Rating Page Nancy Farmer's Homepage
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Resources: **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Farmer, N. (2006). //Clever Ali//. New York, NY: Orchard Books.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">References: **

Non-Fiction: //Food and Farming// by Rob Bowden



 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Summary **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">: //<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Food and Farming //<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">is a nonfiction book published by Kidhaven Press, a subsidiary of Thomson Learning, Inc. The text is a thoughtful consideration of how people from around the world are developing alternative, sustainable ways of providing food for everyone, without harming the environment. //Food and Farming// provides tips and suggestions on how students can get involved and help ensure a more sustainable future. The book is 48 pages long, consists of seven chapters, and is written for young adults. For this evaluation, I focused on chapter one: “Why sustainable food and farming?”


 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Rating: **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> This text provides great discussion opportunities, lends itself to thematic, interdisciplinary study, and is very appropriately illustrated. With teacher guidance, the vocabulary could be selected and pre-taught in a way that lends itself to the development of BICS and CALP. This text received 25 points on the above rubric. It is rated moderately appropriate for middle and high school students at intermediate to advanced proficiency levels, depending on depth of study.

World Hunger Organic Food and Farming Aquaculture
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Resources: (selected sites provided within the actual book) **


 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">References: **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Bowden, R. (2004). //Food and farming//. Farmington Hills, MI: Kidhaven Press.