teaching english language learners the good news

A Guide for Church-Based ESL Ministries
Revised
The Good News
Teaching English Language Learners

© 2005, 2014 North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, Alpharetta, Georgia.
All rights reserved. This manual is provided as a free download for personal use only. If reproduction for
workshops or not-for-profit distribution is required, please obtain a permissions request from www.namb.net/
literacy or www.LiteracyMissionsSBC.net. Completed forms may be mailed to the address provided on the
form.
All Scripture quotations unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version,®
NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (CEV) are from the Contemporary English Version ©1191, 1992, 1995 by
American Bible Society. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations marked “NKJV” are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright ©1982 by
Thomas Nelson, Inc., Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (GNT) are from the Good News Translation — Second Edition. ©1992 by
American Bible Society. Used by permission.

Table of Contents
Acknowledgements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Chapter 1
Church-Based English as a
Second Language Ministries:
An Effective Mission Outreach Tool. . . . . . . . . 5
Opportunities for church-based ESL ministries. . 6
Church-based ESL ministries are
effective mission outreach tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Think it over. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Chapter 2
Organizing an ESL Ministry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Recruit volunteers for your
church’s ESL ministry.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Train volunteers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Determine when to hold classes. . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Determine where to hold classes. . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Determine how long classes will be. . . . . . . . . . 15
Recruit students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Develop church support for the ministry. . . . . . 18
Appendices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Think it over. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Chapter 3
Student Placement Interviews. . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
What are student placement interviews
and why conduct them? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
How do you know an ESL student is at a
beginner, intermediate, or advanced level?. . . . . 28
How many levels of classes should you
have in your ESL ministry?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
When and where should you conduct
placement interviews?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Who should conduct the placement interviews?.30
How do you conduct the placement interview?. 30
What do you do after the placement interview?. 34
Student Placement Interview Materials. . . . . 36
Activities for the first class session. . . . . . . . . . . 42
Think it over. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Chapter 4
Learning and Teaching a
Foreign Language. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Basic language-learning skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Differences between learning the first
and second languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Learning to speak a language. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
General teaching suggestions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Think it over. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Chapter 5
Planning Your ESL Lesson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
The starting point — an ESL textbook. . . . . . . . 56
Your teaching guide — an ESL lesson plan. . . . . 56
First steps in planning your lesson. . . . . . . . . . . 56
Preparing the ESL lesson plan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
ESL Lesson Plan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Sample Lesson Plans. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Think it over. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

2 Teaching English Language Learners the Good News
Chapter 6
Introducing New Vocabulary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Guided practice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Introduce new vocabulary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Sentences using new vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Suggestions for conducting basic
vocabulary exercises. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Correcting errors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Think it over. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Chapter 7
Pronunciation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Teaching pronunciation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Elements involved in teaching pronunciation. . 84
Using pronunciation techniques
in your teaching session. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
The sounds of English. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Think it over. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Chapter 8
Communication Practice Activities. . . . . . . . 103
What are communication practice activities?. . 104
What are the roles of the teacher
and students?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Ways to arrange and re-arrange students for
communication practice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Ten basic types of communication
practice activities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Communication Practice Activity Sampler. . 111
Think it over. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Chapter 9
Working with and Planning for
Advanced Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Characteristics of advanced students. . . . . . . . 122
Ministries targeting advanced students . . . . . . 122
Materials for advanced students. . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Lesson planning for advanced students. . . . . . 122
Think it over. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Chapter 10
Dealing with Cultural
Misunderstandings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Dealing with cultural misunderstandings . . . . 128
Culture and its role in society. . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
The major cause of cultural
misunderstandings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Misunderstanding nonverbal communication. 130
Ways to deal with cultural misunderstandings. 132
Think it over. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Chapter 11
Incorporating Biblical
Material in your Class. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Why incorporate biblical materials?. . . . . . . . . 138
How can you incorporate biblical
materials in your classes?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Appendices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Think it over. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Chapter 12
Sharing your Faith with your Students. . . . . 163
Sharing your faith with your student. . . . . . . . 164
Preparing to share your faith. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
How to become a Christian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Scriptures to keep in mind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Things to keep in mind when
sharing your faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
How to create opportunities to
talk about spiritual matters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Other ways to demonstrate your
faith to your students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
What to do if a student expresses a
desire to become a Christian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Appendices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Think it over. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
A Final Word. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Learn to teach English as a
missions outreach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188

A guide for church-based ESL ministries 3
Acknowledgements
Every creation or revision of a text such as this is not done in isolation. Retired North American Mission
Board literacy missions missionary Kendale Moore acknowledged that when this manual was revised and
published in 2005. He credited Gayle Leininger, also a retired literacy missions missionary, with the vision
to create practical training materials. The two of them, along with many experienced English as a Second
Language (ESL) volunteers, made the vision for training materials reality.
This revision of what has been known as the TELL Manual is the first undertaken without a North American
Mission Board literacy missions missionary to spearhead the project.
In 2012, a group of Southern Baptist state conventions met to both affirm the role of literacy missions in
their states and to determine a future course for training and ministry support. The result of that meeting
was the National Literacy Missions Partnership.
The Partnership serves alongside NAMB to promote literacy missions ministries, train workers, and
support state conventions as they begin and continue literacy missions ministries to meet the needs of the
community while sharing Christ. We work with NAMB to assist those interested in English as a Second
Language, English as a Foreign Language, Tutoring Children and Youth, and Adult Reading and Writing
ministries.
Partner states celebrate the opportunity to work with NAMB to update and revise this important ESL
training manual. NAMB, along with countless literacy missions volunteers — including the retired
missionaries, has made this version of the manual possible. We gratefully acknowledge the LoveLoud team
and team leader, Jerry Daniel, for their willingness to partner with us.
Since 1958, literacy missions volunteers have ministered with a single purpose, using one of aforementioned
ministries to lead people to faith in Jesus Christ. Under the National Literacy Missions Partnership, our
purpose remains unchanged. At the same time, we are focused on God’s future for this ministry and our role
in it.
We know that God has a future and a hope for both students and teachers who participate in ESL ministries.
We gratefully acknowledge God’s leadership and provision.
Claudean Boatman
Coordinator National Literacy Missions Partnership

Introduction
Church-based English as a Second Language (ESL) ministries change lives.
Students learn and develop skills necessary to function effectively in North America. Lifetime friendships are
begun and nurtured. Spiritual lives are transformed as students are introduced to the gospel of Jesus Christ
and personally respond by making Jesus Christ Lord of their lives. Many of these students would never have
heard or seen the gospel in action if it hadn’t been for the local church-based ESL ministry that offered to
meet their specific, felt need — the need to learn to speak English more effectively.
Volunteer ESL teachers’ lives are changed as they discover and respond to their calling as literacy
missionaries. Many volunteers say, “I’ve found it! I’ve found what God wants me to do as a ministry of
service and outreach.” The teacher, like the student, learns many new things. It reveals new teaching skills,
and new and interesting things about the English language. Teachers discover new things about North
America, as well as other countries and cultures. Like their students, teachers develop and nurture lifelong
friendships. Each teacher says, “My students teach me more than I teach them.” Each teacher also develops
a closer relationship with God as they pray continuously for the physical needs and spiritual lives of
their students.
Volunteer ESL teachers in church-based ministries impact the world as they demonstrate and share the
gospel of Jesus Christ with the students that God has sent to their communities and local ministries.
Church-based ESL ministries often result in the beginning of new ethnic language congregations. Bible
studies grow into worship services, fellowships, and missions — and new bodies of believers are born.
This manual is a guide for volunteers beginning church-based ESL ministries. It includes tips for
organizing a ministry, instruction on basic ESL teaching techniques that have proven effective, and help
for planning and preparing session lessons. It gives clear ways to incorporate biblical materials into lessons.
Most important, though, it teaches volunteers how to share their faith in Jesus Christ effectively with
their students.
After the initial training workshop, this guide can be used often as a resource book for ideas, reminders, and
ministry problem solving. It should be placed with the curriculum your ministry chooses as a reminder that
teachers have a comprehensive resource at their fingertips.
Our prayer as you begin your journey as a local literacy missionary is that you allow God to lead you to
effectively and intentionally demonstrate and share His love with the English language students He is already
preparing for you.

1Chapter 1
Church-Based English as a
Second Language Ministries:
An Effective Mission Outreach Tool
> Opportunities for church-based ESL ministries
> Church-based ESL ministries are
effective mission outreach tools

Opportunities for church-based ESL ministries
In communities all across the United States, its territories, and Canada, the number of people who want and
need to learn to speak English is increasing rapidly. Non-English speakers come to these areas as refugees,
migrant workers, international students and their families, wives of military personnel, families of diplomatic
personnel and international business people. Don’t limit your search for students to those groups. Many
ethnic communities are found in our cities and states. Small rural communities, towns, medium-sized cities,
large cities, major metropolitan areas — east, west, north, and south — people who need and want to learn to
speak English are our neighbors.
God has commanded us to love our neighbors. He even specifically commanded us to love the foreigners
who live in our land.
The Lord your God is supreme over all gods and over all powers. He is great and mighty, and he is to
be obeyed. He does not show partiality...he loves the foreigners who live without people, and gives them
food and clothes. So then show love for those foreigners, because you were once foreigners in Egypt.
(Deut. 10:17-19, GNT)
One of the best ways to demonstrate and share God’s love with our non-English speaking neighbors is
through local church-based English as a Second Language, commonly known as ESL, classes.
Church-based ESL ministries are effective mission outreach tools
The primary goal of church-based ESL ministries is to intentionally share and demonstrate the gospel of
Jesus Christ as we help people learn to speak English.
Church-based ESL ministries are effective at this task for several reasons.
Church-based ESL ministries build relationships with people.
Through church-based ESL ministries, you will meet many individuals you would not meet in any other
setting. Many of your students would never come to your church to attend a worship service or Bible study.
However, they will come to have a specific felt-need met — learning English.
Working with students weekly over an extended period of time and demonstrating genuine concern for them
will build positive relationships and trust.
Your students will be more open to listen and carefully weigh the words and opinions of someone they know
and trust. Because of this, hearing your experience with Jesus Christ will have a greater impact than hearing
the same message from someone with whom they do not have a relationship.
Church-based ESL ministries help meet basic human needs.
The ability to speak English is essential for employment in the United States. Many ESL students are
highly educated in their own countries. However, limited English language skills restrict their employment
opportunities in the United States. Teaching English to these students helps to meet a basic economic
need — obtaining a better job so they can better provide for their families.

ESL ministries also meet their emotional needs by providing supportive relationships and friendships.
Many nonnative English speakers isolate themselves in their homes. They speak only to their families or
others who speak their languages. Church-based ESL ministries provide a nonthreatening opportunity to
build friendships and develop emotional support. As a German student told her class and teachers, “You are
my lifeline.”
Helping people meet their basic physical and emotional needs opens the door for more effective
communication about spiritual matters. Church-based ESL ministries help meet the spiritual needs of
individuals as the gospel is presented in a variety of formats. Bible study and Christian fellowship inform the
seeker and strengthen the believer.
Church-based ministries physically demonstrate Christ’s love.
Your involvement in meeting the needs of individuals in Christ’s name effectively communicates the gospel.
Usually your first witness will be your identification as a Christian. You may be many ESL students’ first
contact with a Christian. As a Russian student observed, “I’ve read about people like this. But this is the first
time I’ve ever met any in real life.” Through your classes, they are seeing Christ’s love demonstrated, not just
talked about.
Church-based ESL ministries provide a natural setting for sharing the gospel.
Most church-based ESL ministries are taught in the church building. Teaching about Jesus within the church
is natural. Praying, having group devotionals, and using Scriptural materials help you keep the focus on
sharing the gospel. Students consistently ask, “Why are you doing this for free?” or “Why are you treating
me differently from the way others do?” These questions provide a natural opportunity to tell about God’s
love for you and the student.
Church-based ESL ministries often result in new missions and church starts.
Most ESL ministries result in at least one new Bible study group. These usually begin as an international
Bible study for multiple language groups. Some branch out and begin individual language-group
Bible studies.
From these groups, many new congregations have developed across the United States, including
Spanish congregations in Florida and Oklahoma, Korean congregations in Alaska and Kansas, Japanese
congregational expressions in Georgia and Tennessee, Indo-Chinese congregations in Ohio and California,
and Russian congregational expressions in Washington and Rhode Island.
Church-Based English as a Second Language Ministries: An Effective Mission Outreach Tool | 1

Think it over
Answer these questions to apply this information to your potential ministry.
1. What opportunities for ESL ministries exist in your setting?
2. What language and/or people groups live in your community or the community around your church?
3. Why would a church-based ESL ministry be an effective outreach tool in your community?
4. List the names of second-language learners you know who may not know Jesus.

2Chapter 2
Organizing an ESL Ministry
Recruit volunteers for your church’s ESL ministry
Train volunteers for your church’s ESL ministry
Determine when the ESL ministry will meet
Determine where the ESL ministry will meet
Determine how long classes will be
Recruit students for your church’s ESL ministry
Develop church support for the ESL ministry
Appendices

There are seven basic tasks in organizing an ESL ministry:
1. Recruit volunteers.
2. Train volunteers.
3. Determine when to hold classes.
4. Determine where to hold classes.
5. Determine how long classes will be.
6. Recruit students.
7. Develop church support for the ministry.
Task 1: Recruit volunteers for your church’s ESL ministry.
Number of volunteers required for ministry
You only need one volunteer whose efforts are recognized by the church as a part of its outreach efforts, to
have an ESL ministry. Of course, the more volunteers you have, the more students’ lives you will be able to
impact with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Do volunteers need to speak a foreign language or be a professional teacher?
No. If you can speak, read, and write English, you can learn how to teach English to speakers of other
languages. The vast majority of volunteers in church-based ESL ministries are not professional teachers. They
are individuals who have a love for internationals and nonnative English speakers in their communities and a
desire to demonstrate and share the gospel with them.
Volunteer tasks
Teaching
Teaching English is the foundational task of an ESL ministry. However, many other volunteer jobs can and
should be done to facilitate the operation of an ESL ministry.
Administration
Each ministry needs a director. There are many details to be coordinated to help an ESL ministry function
well. Someone needs to take the leadership role in handling these details. Even if there are only two
volunteers, one needs to be designated the director.
The ESL director needs to be responsible for and oversee:
• Recruiting volunteer workers
• Arranging training for volunteers
• Recruiting students
• Enrolling and placing students
• Handling logistical details and resource needs of the ministry
• Supervising volunteers
• Evaluating the ministry

• Recognizing volunteers, and
• Organizing socials and other related activities.
If you have three or more volunteers, the director should not be assigned to teach a class. In an open
enrollment ministry, new students arrive each week. Placement interviews must be given to determine the
class to which they will be assigned. The director usually deals with this and other administrative details. If
the director were teaching a class, he or she would be constantly interrupted to answer questions and deal
with individual needs and situations. This would be a disservice to the students she was trying to teach.
An assistant director is critically needed. Someone must be in charge if the director is absent or has to resign
suddenly. Many ministries have ended because the director did not prepare someone to take his or her place.
Assistant directors also make good built-in substitute teachers, since they are present every week.
Even small ministries with only a few teachers and fewer than 20 students should share administrative
responsibility.
Transportation
It is not necessary to provide transportation for students to have an ESL ministry. However, providing
transportation increases the number of potential students that you can serve. Your ministry needs to choose
what is best for your situation.
Providing transportation requires a great deal of volunteer time and coordination. If you decide to provide
transportation, it would be beneficial to assign someone other than the director to be responsible for this
aspect of the ministry.
Childcare
It is not necessary to provide childcare for students to have an ESL ministry. However, providing childcare
increases the number of potential students for your ministry and may make your classes more effective
learning settings. Some students will come to class and bring their children. A screened volunteer or paid
nursery worker should supervise the nursery. The director cannot do this and administer the classes.
Refreshments
Providing refreshments is an important job because fellowship is a vital part of the ministry. Small groups
within the church could help with this task. Someone other than the director or teachers in the ministry
should help coordinate this activity.
Some ministries do not serve refreshments every week. They may serve them only once a month or even less
often. The first class of the month is a good time to celebrate birthdays. Students can help as well. They may
enjoy bringing food representing their countries to share with the group.
Recruit volunteers
Prepare job descriptions
Before enlisting volunteers, write a job description. (See the sample in the Appendix.) The job description
should clearly define the roles, specific duties, qualifications, and expectations of the volunteer. This helps
avoid future problems.
Organizing an ESL Ministry | 2

Look for volunteers who can do the job described. Avoid the temptation to just fill the positions. Pray and
wait for the right people.
Set dates for volunteer training
It is easier to enlist volunteers if they are told when training for the ministry will be held. A person’s readiness
for training is greatest just after he or she volunteers.
Review church rolls
A common mistake is to consider only those people who immediately come to mind. Take time to browse
through the church roll, adult Sunday school roll, and talent/interest files compiled by the church for
potential workers. Also, make a list of people recommended, people with ability and availability, and people
who indicate an interest in the ministry.
Personally contact potential volunteers
Personal contact is always the best way of recruiting volunteers. There are many advantages to personal
contact:
• People can ask questions and get immediate responses. If volunteers are not sure whether they are qualified,
the director can explain the requirements and reassure them.
• People feel important because someone singled them out and made contact.
• Some people will not serve unless they are specifically asked to, even when they would like to serve.
Advertise
You can advertise in newsletters, bulletin inserts, posters, and handouts.
Include the name and phone number of a contact person. A tear-off section on newsletters, inserts, and
handouts can be provided for volunteers to put in the offering plate or give to the church office. Make it easy
for them to respond.
Be sure to indicate that it is not necessary to be a certified schoolteacher or to speak a foreign language to be
a vital part of this ministry.
Speak to church groups
Don’t wait to be asked to speak. Contact the leaders and ask for opportunities to publicize the ministry and
to encourage volunteers to become involved.
Always take a sign-up sheet or cards when you speak. Signing up does not obligate an individual, but it
means you will contact the person and further discuss the ministry.
When prayer requests are made, include your request for volunteers for the ESL ministry.
Set up sign-up booths
Have a sign-up booth on Sundays or during midweek services. Have recruiters dress in international
costumes or specially designed T-shirts.

Invite church members to visit existing ESL classes
Often people become involved in the ministry because they enjoy meeting the international students during
a visit.
Invite volunteers from other churches
Many ESL ministries are sponsored by an individual church and begin with volunteers from their own
congregation, but later open their ministry to volunteers from other churches in their association.
Other ministries begin and are sponsored through the local associations or partnering churches and recruit
volunteers from several churches.
Task 2: Train volunteers
The quality of work a person can do is directly linked to his preparation for the task.
Experience has shown that the dropout rate is higher among teachers who do not receive training before
starting the ministry. This happens because they run out of ideas or, worse, they develop inadequate teaching
methods that are not easily changed during later training.
Initial training — a basic ESL workshop for teachers
A basic ESL training workshop should introduce volunteers to basic language-teaching techniques, language-
teaching resources, basic witnessing techniques, and Bible teaching materials. Plan to conduct a basic
training workshop yearly to train new volunteers for your church ministry.
Recognizing all who complete the basic workshop during a church service helps to affirm the volunteers and
highlight the ESL ministry.
You might ask the pastor or a staff person to present the training awards for completing the basic training
during a Sunday service. Or have a prayer of dedication or commissioning for the new volunteers and their
task of demonstrating and sharing the gospel to internationals in your community. In the appendices of this
chapter, you will find “A Responsive Reading for the Commissioning of ESL Literacy Missionaries.”
Continuing in-service training
The basic workshop is just that — basic. Teacher burnout and high student dropout rates are often caused by
lack of continuing education. Conscientious teachers will want more training and spiritual direction. The
director should lead in seeking additional training. Some ideas for continuing training opportunities are
listed below.
Teachers’ meetings
It is best to have teachers’ meetings every month. However, if this is not feasible, bimonthly or quarterly
meetings are a must. Teachers can teach one another by sharing ideas and frustrations.
At the meetings you can:
• Ask for input and evaluation from a student’s perspective.
• Pray for needs and concerns of the teachers and students.

• Have a teacher give a report or evaluation of a particular pre-assigned book or method that he or she has
been using.
• Ask other teachers about suggestions for dealing with a problem.
Invite a specialist
Have an ESL professor from a local university, a professional ESL teacher from the local high school or adult
education program, an ethnic pastor, or other person speak on a subject relevant to the ESL ministry — such
as English pronunciation, cross-cultural concerns, witnessing to ethnic people, and the importance of prayer
in ESL ministries.
Teacher retreats
This can be a three- to five-hour retreat, or can last all day and even overnight. It should be held away from
the church and usual ESL surroundings. This should be a time of spiritual and educational training, as well
as fellowship. Often teachers run into their classes, teach, and leave without really getting to know each
other. Yet some of their greatest support and empathy can come from other teachers.
Observation of other programs
If other ESL classes are held in your city or nearby, call the directors and ask if your teachers may observe
their ministries.
Many high schools, adult education programs, community colleges, and universities have ESL classes or
departments. Ask if your teachers may observe classes.
State and community ESL training events
There are many ESL training events offered by church, community, and professional groups that are open to
volunteer teachers. Watch for those available in your state and community.
Task 3: Determine when to hold classes
Many ESL classes meet only once a week during the public school year. ESL classes usually don’t meet
when schools are on vacation. A break during the summer tends to renew the motivation of teachers and
students alike.
Some ministries do have summer classes, but they usually have fewer students, and their classes are
less structured.
Several ministries have classes twice a week — once during the week, where secular material is the primary
text, and once on Sunday or Wednesday, with biblical material as the primary text. Those classes are
advertised as English Language Bible Study. The attendance at the Bible-based class is usually about 20 to 30
percent of the number who attend during the classes where secular material is the primary text.
Some ministries offer classes several days during the week. Different volunteers teach on different days. The
choice is yours, depending upon the availability and flexibility of your volunteers.

Task 4: Determine where to hold classes
The church building is the most common meeting location. But don’t limit your vision about the
possibilities. Even if a class meets in another location, it can be church-based and used as an opportunity to
share the Gospel.
ESL classes also meet in:
• Places of business
• Apartment complexes
• University campuses, and
• Any place where God opens the doors.
Task 5: Determine how long classes will be
Most ESL ministries meet for two hours, mixing small-group classes and full-group interaction.
Small-group classes
A common schedule is to begin with a 45-minute small-group class, divided by fluency level — beginner,
intermediate, advanced. This is followed by a 30-minute full-group time and a final 45-minute small-group
class session.
Some ministries alter the sequence by putting the large group time at the beginning or at the end of the
individual class time.
Full-group interaction
The time all the students and teachers are together is important for fellowship and witnessing. This may be
the only time the classes have to interact with one another.
A typical full group time includes:
• Simple refreshments (10 minutes).
• Singing (10 minutes) — Simple English songs or choruses with much repetition are good. Christian songs
and choruses are appropriate.
• Short devotionals (3-5 minutes) — Do not be afraid of offending your student by thanking God and talking
about your faith. In many cultures, religion permeates the life of the individual and the society. Your
students have chosen to come to ESL classes offered by a Christian church. They would be surprised if you
did not talk about your faith. If your motive is sincere and your spirit is humble, you will not give offense.
This is an opportunity to tell your students about Jesus, and about God’s love for them and all mankind.
Your relationship with Jesus Christ is a vital part of your life and you should let your students know it.
Help them to understand that they can have that same kind of relationship.
• Announcements (1-2 minutes) — If possible, list announcements on the board or on a handout. Most
students need visual as well as verbal instructions. Announcements may include upcoming events,
introductions of new students and workers, and recognition of those with birthdays.

• Prayer (3 minutes) — Ask for prayer requests. Many students truly appreciate this opportunity to express
concern for their families, countries, and other needs. This is an important time to teach the value and
effectiveness of prayer. Some ministries choose to have prayer time in the smaller classes — either in
addition to or in place of large-group prayer.
Other large-group activities might include:
• Advanced students presenting short skits.
• Students from one country giving a 5 to 10-minute presentation about their country and culture using
pictures, costumes, flags, songs, artifacts, and national items.
• Special church singing groups.
• Teaching and practicing jazz chants.
• A student performance of a musical talent.
• A 5-minute interview with a student or teacher.
• Playing an ESL game.
• Outside speakers, such as policemen, firemen, IRS representatives, and pastors.
Task 6: Recruit students
Ways to recruit students
Advertise. Make flyers, posters, and/or business cards to distribute. Use simple English, as this
example shows:
Make a point of sharing information about the ESL ministry, both in writing and verbally, with the church
secretary or whoever answers the phone number you give in your advertisements. Many potential students
have given up because they could not get adequate information when they called the church.
Here are some ideas for distributing the advertising:
• Give flyers and cards to church members to distribute to internationals they know.
• Post information on the church’s website.

• Post a sign in front of the church.
• With permission, distribute and display signs in these places:
– Public schools
– Apartment complexes
– Ethnic businesses
– Restaurants
– Government offices
– Universities
– Military Chaplains’ offices
– Laundromats
Once classes have begun, a satisfied student is the best source for enlisting new students. Probably 75 percent
of all students come by word of mouth. If teachers are well trained, the ministry is well organized, and prayer
is constant, students will come.
Student attendance
It is usually easier to enroll students than to keep them. The dropout rate of adults in foreign language classes
is very high. The average dropout rate in church-based ESL classes is probably 50 percent — and that is low
compared to university and community college foreign- language classes. Students may drop out because
of problems that have nothing to do with how the ESL ministry functions. Remember, students face many
problems besides learning English. Also, remember that you are offering a service. Students choose for their
own reasons to accept the service or not.
However, some students do drop out because they are uncomfortable with ESL methods that stress
conversation. Many foreign language classes overseas focus primarily on reading and writing English.
Every student that signs up will not attend every class. Each class will have a varying group of students. If 12
students are assigned to a class, your average attendance will generally be six to eight, but they will not be the
same six to eight every week. There will be a core group of three to four that will work hard to be there each
week. The other three to four in attendance will be made up of a combination of the other students who
signed up. Don’t be discouraged. This is normal. Your students have many responsibilities and will not be
able to attend every class, even if you would like them to do so.
Be sure to check on students who are absent. Ask other class members if they know why the student is not
in class. There may be a need that a volunteer can help with, such as transportation. The student or a family
member may be ill. Send the student a card, or if he or she can understand English well enough, call to
express your care.
If student retention is a problem, you may need to evaluate your ministry’s teacher training, organization,
and commitment of the volunteers. Also, look at any changes in the international community, the days
and times classes are scheduled, or the impact of local community events, such as plant closings or
military transfers.

Task 7: Develop church support for the ministry
Become recognized as part of the church’s evangelistic outreach
Congregations provide support and encouragement for efforts they view as their mission and evangelistic
outreaches. Church groups are not intentional in providing support for activities that they view as someone’s
personal ministry.
One of the clearest indicators that your ESL ministry is viewed as a part of the corporate outreach of your
congregation is being included in the budget, even if the amount is only $20.00. Seeing the name of your
church’s ESL ministry listed in church financial reports is a sign of acceptance.
Regularly display promotional materials about the ministry
Use bulletin boards or have display tables on Sunday or during midweek services. Display materials used in
the ministry, pictures of the students, or videos of the classes.
Have an open house for church members
Conduct classes as usual, and let church members take a tour. Some people have to see a ministry in action
to understand its significance.
Meet with the pastor or another staff person at least quarterly
Request a time to meet with the pastor or staff person that relates to your ESL ministry. Share the victories,
prayer requests, budget needs, and concerns of the ministry. Ask for advice and prayer support.
Also, ask them to visit your classes while they are in session if they have not already done so.
Make written and oral reports about the ministry to the church
Request time to present this report at a business meeting or to leadership groups.
Make regular prayer requests to the church
When your church or groups in the church meet, consistently make prayer requests for the ESL ministry.
This keeps your congregation aware of your ministry and helps focus corporate prayer to support your
ESL ministry.
Enlist prayer supporters
Prayer is essential for accomplishing the goals of church-based ESL ministries. Since we are seeking spiritual
results, we must enlist and use spiritual resources.
Many people in your congregation would like to be part of your ministry, but physically can’t be present to
help at class time. However, they can provide prayer support — agreeing to pray for the teachers and students
while class is going on and throughout the week.
Circulate a sign-up sheet asking for prayer supporters. Assign each prayer warrior specific student and
teacher names for whom to pray. Keep the prayer warriors informed of specifics needs and results.

Appendices
Organizing an ESL Ministry
Basic resources used in ESL ministries
A job description for an ESL volunteer teacher
Additional ideas for the ESL ministry
A Responsive Reading for the Commissioning
of ESL Literacy Missionaries
Student registration form

Basic resources used in ESL ministries
Each ministry requires some basic material to start. Specific names of resources are not listed here because
publishers frequently change what is offered and publishers change hands and go out of business on a regular
basis. Contact English as a Second Language publishers to get catalogs of what is currently available.
Each ministry will need material in these categories:
• Picture dictionary (some come with teacher guide and other resources)
• ESL textbook series (some reproducible texts are available)
• Dictation resource
• Pronunciation resource
• Communication practice resource
• Discussion resources

A job description for an ESL volunteer teacher
Job Title: Volunteer ESL teacher
Job Summary: To teach English to adult internationals, refugees, and immigrants so they can function more
fully in the United States/Canada and to intentionally demonstrate and share the love of Jesus Christ with
ESL students.
Qualifications:
1. A sense of mission or calling from God to this ministry.
2. Ability to speak, read, and write English as a native speaker.
3. Completion of a basic ESL workshop.
4. Commitment to teach for a period of at least one school year. (Classes run concurrent with the
school year.)
Responsibilities:
1. Prepare for and teach an ESL class once a week when public school is in session. (List day and time
of classes.)
2. Arrange for someone else to teach my class when I can’t be there.
3. Demonstrate and model the love of Jesus Christ in every contact with my ESL students.
4. Regularly pray for and with my ESL students.
5. Intentionally share the gospel of Jesus Christ with my ESL students.
6. Contact students by phone, letter, personal visit, or card when they are absent more than two weeks in
a row.
7. Attend monthly teacher’s meetings.
8. Attend additional teacher training events when possible.
Organizing an ESL Ministry Appendices | 2

Additional ideas for the ESL ministry
Banquets and socials
Many ministries have at least one banquet or dinner during the year. Some have it at Thanksgiving time,
some at Christmas, and some have a graduation dinner at the end of the year. Students, teachers, and their
families are invited. Often students dress in their national costumes.
The church may provide the dinner, or students may bring dishes representing their countries and serve an
international smorgasbord.
Usually there is a program. It may consist of singing, recognition of teachers and students, musical
performances, testimonies by students, or a devotional given by the pastor or another guest.
Luncheons and dinners held in homes are also very important. Students learn more about North American
culture when visiting in private homes. Teachers can invite their classes over, or, if the ministry is small,
invite the entire group for a meal or have students bring covered dishes.
Student/teacher recognition and graduation ceremonies
These usually are held at the end of the year in the church sanctuary or as part of a banquet. Certificates
are given to the students for attendance and to teachers for service. Teachers with significant years of
service or students with special achievements — perfect attendance, 5 or 10 years of participation, new
U.S. citizenship — should receive particular awards. If new citizens are being recognized, a judge or a U.S.
Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) official may be invited to speak.
One way to conduct the recognition service is to have the director present certificates to teachers and
workers, then have the teachers present certificates to their students.
Vacation Bible Schools
Have a Vacation Bible School (VBS) for your adult ESL students at the same time your church has VBS
for children. International students’ children can attend classes with the other children. For those ministries
that dismiss during the summer, this is an excellent opportunity to meet with students again. Activities may
include singing, large- or small-group Bible study, crafts, and North American culture and cuisine.
Retreats and camps
A teacher or teacher-and-student retreat is a good avenue for spiritual enrichment and fellowship. Personal
needs are more easily expressed in an unhurried, relaxed atmosphere. The retreat may be an all-day or
overnight event. Enlist good Bible study leaders to teach on a specific theme or to lead devotionals. Allow
time for private and collective prayer. Sharing time is also important. A fun time — games, skits, or free
time — might be an added feature.
Some ESL ministries conduct international family camps. They usually are held from Friday night until
Sunday night.

Citizenship classes
Many ESL ministries offer citizenship classes for students preparing to take the citizenship exam.
Field trips
Excursions outside the classroom are excellent opportunities for English teaching. Lessons learned in context,
such as at the grocery store or mall, are remembered longer. Visiting nearby historical sites is a good way to
teach U.S. history. Attending a wedding, funeral, or party can also effectively teach North American culture.
Other field trips might be to factories, newspaper offices, museums, and entertainment centers.
Scrapbooks
Some ESL ministries have kept scrapbooks and records of previous years. These are invaluable materials and
should be preserved.
Be cautious about taking photographs. Not all students want their pictures taken, for whatever reason. One
ministry, after taking a class photo of a growing Sunday school class, had none of the students return to the
Sunday School class or to the English classes. Ask before you take photos.
Newsletters
A newsletter is an excellent way to inform students of upcoming events, students’ birthdays, announcements
about students, and to give other information concerning and of interest to students. Students should be
invited to write articles for the newsletter.
Anniversary celebrations
As your ESL ministry reaches a milestone year, you may want to have a celebration at the church. The entire
church and perhaps the community should be invited to attend. Usually these celebrations are held during
Sunday services with special recognition of teachers and students. Former teachers and students also should
be invited. A luncheon or reception could follow the service.
Many ministries have had two to three-day celebrations for more significant anniversaries (25 years or more).
One program had a graduation/recognition service for teachers and students on Friday night, a Saturday
morning brunch honoring the teachers, and special recognition during the Sunday morning service.

A Responsive Reading for the Commissioning of
ESL Literacy Missionaries
Leader: Jesus Christ has called us to tell the good news that God’s love and salvation are available to all
people, no matter what language they speak, what country they come from, or what culture has nurtured
them. Yet, untold numbers living in our community have never heard this message.
There are, in our midst, though, individuals who have responded to God’s call to intentionally demonstrate
and share the love of Jesus Christ. They are going to fulfill this calling by teaching English as a Second
Language to internationals living in our community. They will be our literacy missionaries.
Congregation, as members of the body of Christ, will you commit to pray for these missionaries as they
demonstrate and share the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in our community?
Congregation: Yes, we commit to lift up our literacy missionaries and pray for them as they demonstrate
and share Christ’s love in our community.
Leader: Congregation, will you commit to pray that the Holy Spirit will move in the lives of the
internationals in our community and that they will understand and respond to Christ’s love?
Congregation: Yes, as the body of Christ, we will pray for the salvation of the students in our ESL classes,
and we yearn for the day they will become our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Leader: Congregation, will you encourage these literacy missionaries when they become discouraged, and
rejoice with them when they experience victory?
Congregation: Yes, as the body of Christ we will weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who
rejoice. We will provide nurture and support for our literacy missionaries.
Leader: Literacy missions volunteers, you have responded to God’s call to intentionally demonstrate and
share Christ’s love with internationals as you teach English as a Second Language in our community.
Will you commit yourself wholeheartedly to this task?
Volunteers: With the help of God, we do.
Leader: God’s grace be with you, and with us all, as we represent and serve Him in our community.

Student Registration Form
Name: ______________________________________________________________________________
❑ Male ❑ Female
Native language: ________________________ Native country: _____________________________
Address: _____________________________________________________________________________
City: _______________________________________________________________________________
ZIP code: ______________________________ Telephone: _________________________________
Birthday (dd/mm/yy): _____________________
Are you married? ❑ Yes ❑ No
Do you attend a church? ❑ Yes ❑ No
Which church? _______________________________________________________________________
Do you have children? ❑ Yes ❑ No
What are their names and birthdays?
Name: __________________________________________________ Birthdate: _______________
Name: __________________________________________________ Birthdate: _______________
Name: __________________________________________________ Birthdate: _______________
Name: __________________________________________________ Birthdate: _______________
Name: __________________________________________________ Birthdate: _______________
Notes:
Duplicate the Placement Interview Form in Section 3 on the back of this registration form.

Think it over
1. Who are potential volunteers in your church’s ministry? What tasks would they have?
2. Who are the potential students of your ministry?
3. How will you advertise your ministry?
4. When will your church offer ESL classes? Why do you think this is a good time?
5. Where will your church have classes? Why is that a good place?
6. List the pros and cons of your ministry providing extras such as transportation and childcare.
7. What area of the church will the ministry relate to? Why?
8. When would be a good time for teacher meetings?

3Chapter 3
Student Placement Interviews
What are student placement interviews and why conduct them?
How do you know an ESL student is at a
beginner, intermediate, or advanced level?
How many levels of classes should you
have in your ESL ministry?
When and where should you conduct placement interviews?
Who should conduct the placement interviews?
How do you conduct the placement interview?
What do you do after the placement interview?
Placement interview material
Activities for the first class session

What are student placement interviews and why conduct them?
Student placement interviews are one-on-one interviews that determine the student’s English Language
fluency level. A casual chat with a student is not sufficient for proper placement.
1. It is important to conduct student placement interviews for two reasons:
2. Students placed in classes that are too difficult or too easy will drop out.
It will let you know which ESL text and resource materials you need to use to help your students improve
their English.
How do you know an ESL student is at a beginner, intermediate,
or advanced level?
These are broad descriptions of basic English language fluency levels.
Beginners
• Know fewer than 100 words.
• Rarely use complete sentences.
• Cannot carry on a conversation in English.
High beginners and intermediates
• Have a moderate oral and written vocabulary.
• Can carry on limited conversation in English.
• May use complete sentences, but use poor grammar.
• Have difficulty with prepositions and verb tenses.
• Know few idioms or slang words.
Advanced level students
• Can converse freely in English.
• Have a problem with sentence structure.
• Need help with pronunciation, expanding vocabulary, idioms, and slang.
Literate or non-literate
A student’s speaking fluency level does not always indicate whether they are literate or non-literate
in English.
• Literate students
– Can read the Roman alphabet
– May read some English

• Non-literate students
– Don’t read the Roman alphabet
– May be illiterate in their own language
It is important to determine if the student is literate or non-literate in English. You may need to offer classes
to help your students learn to read, as well as speak, English.
How many levels of classes should you have in your
ESL ministry?
The fact that there are three general fluency levels does not mean that you will have all three levels in your
ESL ministry. Two factors determine the class levels for your specific ministry.
The first factor is the number of volunteer teachers that you have in your
ESL ministry.
The number of volunteer teachers limits the number of classes that you can offer. If you have three
volunteers available to teach once a week, you can’t have three different classes. One person needs to be the
director and deal with weekly administrative details.
Some large ministries have classes divided into four or more fluency levels.
The second factor is the result of the student placement interviews.
You aren’t required to have a beginner level class, an intermediate level class, and an advanced level class.
You won’t know which class levels you need to have until you have finished the initial placement interviews.
While you may have enough volunteers to have classes for three different fluency levels, your placement
interviews may show that the students God has sent to your ministry require two beginner level classes and
one higher level.
A fixed scale does not limit the fluency level designations you give to your classes. They are broad
descriptions of fluency levels. While there is Fluency Level Placement Guide that is a part of the placement
interview materials found at the end of this chapter, the terms beginner, intermediate and advanced will
reflect the individual ministries mix of volunteers and students. The language skill level of students in a class
designated advanced in one ministry may be equal to an intermediate class in another ministry. Don’t be
concerned about that. The designations are for the convenience of your individual ministry. They give you
an opportunity to place your students with others who have approximately the same fluency level. You may
have 2 teachers and 10 students. Six of the students scored as beginners on the placement interview, two
scored as intermediates, and two as advanced level. So there will be one class of beginners and one class of
intermediate/advanced students. Every class you have will really be a multi-level class.
When and where should you conduct placement interviews?
Conduct placement interviews at the first class of each semester, or the first time a
student visits.
The first day of classes should be devoted to a general overview about the ministry and placement interviews.
Student Placement Interviews | 3

As students arrive at the first class meeting, give them registration forms to complete. Some students may
need help. Enlisting helpers who are bilingual is beneficial. Remember, though, that some students may
speak languages your helpers don’t know.
After registration forms are complete, tell the students you would like to talk with them individually
for a few minutes to determine which class will be best for them. Never say you are going to test their
English fluency.
Students who come to your ESL ministry after the first day of classes should be interviewed for placement in
the proper class.
Conduct the interviews in a quiet place, away from the group as a whole.
It may be a separate room or the corner of the large room in which you meet. Only the student and the
interviewer should be present for the interview. Spouses and friends should wait elsewhere.
Who should conduct the placement interviews?
On registration day, trained volunteers should be designated to conduct placement interviews.
Ideally, for consistency of evaluation the same person should interview all students. However, in ministries
with a large number of students this isn’t practical. Several volunteers need to be involved in the process.
In existing ministries, experienced teachers should conduct the interviews.
After the first day of class, the director or assistant director needs to do this task.
New students arrive through the semester, sometimes weekly. This means someone needs to be available to
do the placement interviews. This is one of the reasons that ministry directors, if at all possible, should not
teach a class.
How do you conduct the placement interview?
There is a student placement interview provided in this chapter. Refer to the Placement Interview as you read
through these directions.
Many graded ESL text series have their own placement instruments. If your existing ministry uses such a
text, you may want to use their instrument.
The particular placement instrument you use is not nearly as important as conducting a placement interview.
Overview of placement interview material
The placement interview in this book consists of a set of questions to help evaluate the student in these areas:
• Comprehension — the student’s ability to understand English
• Speaking — the student’s ability to generate English language sentences
• Literate or non-literate status
• Reading — the ability to read the alphabet and read and understand a few English language sentences
• Writing — the ability to legibly write their name, the alphabet and two simple English language sentences.

The placement interview has one page with questions and directions for the interviewer, three pages with
pictures to be used during the interview, and one page with reading material for student use in the interview.
The placement interview form has two sections. The first section helps the interviewer evaluate the student’s
speaking. The second helps the interviewer know if the student is literate or non-literate.
Preparing for the interview
Make several copies of the page with the interview questions. Copy the interview questions on the back of
the registration sheet. You will need one set for each student.
Make one copy of the three pages of pictures and the reading section for each interviewer. Put them in sheet
protectors in a binder to use for the interviews. Include lined paper in the binder for the writing portion.
Conducting the interview
The interviewer sits across from the student. He will show the student the pictures and the reading page
and ask the questions. He will ask the student to write his name, the alphabet, and two sentences. Using
the placement interview form, the interviewer will mark either with a checkmark or an ✘ how the student
responds. Later he will count the number of checkmarks and circle the appropriate fluency level on the form.
General information
The top of the placement interview form, page 1, provides a place for the student’s name, the interviewer’s
name, and interview date.
When conducting the placement interview:
• Don’t ask questions more than two times.
• Don’t explain or try to teach vocabulary. This is not a time of instruction.
• If the student can’t respond, simply smile and move on.
Evaluating fluency
The first large box on the interview form guides the interviewer in determining the student’s comprehension
and fluency in speaking English.
Evaluating comprehension
There are two parts to the Comprehension Evaluation: greetings and questions related to the
comprehension pictures.
Greetings process
You are evaluating the student’s English fluency from the very beginning:
• Introduce yourself.
• Ask the student’s name
– There is a place on the form to mark whether the student responded.
– Mark either ✔ for responded or ✘ for didn’t respond.

• Ask the student, “What country are you from?”
– There is a place on the form to record his answer. You must also mark whether he responded.
• Ask the student, “How long have you have lived in the USA/Canada?”
– There is a place on the form to record his answer.
• Ask the student, “Have you studied English before?”
– If the answer is yes, ask, “Where?” and “How long?” Record the answers.
Questions for comprehension pictures
• Show the student the Comprehension Picture page.
• On the placement interview form, below the heading Comprehension: Pictures, there are four numbered
lines. Each line has three columns.
Process for lines 1 through 3:
• In the left hand column, you are asking the student to point to a picture.
• In the center column, you are asking the student to tell you the number of a picture.
• In the right hand column, you are asking the student a question related to the picture.
• In each blank, mark ✔ for responded correctly, or ✘ for responded incorrectly.
Process for line 4:
• Line 4 is slightly different. Since there is only one picture that has not been used, the questions will differ.
• In the left column, you are asking the student to point to a specific person in the picture.
• In the center column, you are asking how many children are in the picture.
• In the right column, you are asking the student to tell you about his or her family.
• In each blank, mark ✔ for responded correctly, or ✘ for responded incorrectly.
Note the ALERT shown after line 1. If the student DOES NOT respond to the questions in the Greetings
section or to the directions and question in line 1, skip to the Reading section. There is no need to ask the
questions remaining in the Comprehension section or in the Speaking section. You do need to check, though,
whether the student can read the Roman alphabet.
Speaking
This part of the interview will help you determine the student’s ability to generate English language sentences
on his or her own. Note on the form that you will ask two questions for each of the pictures.
• Show the student the Speaking Pictures.
• Ask the student: In Picture A, what is happening? What will happen next?

• Evaluate whether the student:
– Responded accurately about what is happening in the picture. If what the student says can be a possible
interpretation, the response is accurate. Mark one ✔ under Accurately or ✘ for no. Note that there is no
“correct” answer for each picture.
– Used a minimal number of basic words and phrases or used complete sentences. Do not mark responses
under both headings. Mark one ✔ if the student used a few basic words and phrases. Mark three
✔ ✔ ✔ if the student used complete sentences.
– Used correct grammar. Mark ✔ for yes or ✘ for no.
• Ask the student: In picture B, what is each person doing? What will happen?
• Evaluate whether the student:
– Responded accurately about what is happening in the picture. Mark ✔ under Accurately or ✘ for
no. Note that there is no “correct” answer for each picture. If what the student says can be a possible
interpretation, the response is accurate.
– Used a minimal number of basic words and phrases or used complete sentences. Do not mark responses
under both headings. Mark one ✔ if the student used a few basic words and phrases. Mark three ✔ ✔ ✔
if the student used complete sentences.
– Used correct grammar. Mark one ✔ for yes or ✘ for no.
Evaluating whether the student is literate
The second box on the interview form outlines the directions and questions for determining whether the
student is literate or non-literate. This box contains two sections: Reading and Writing.
Reading
This portion of the interview is to determine if the student can read the Roman alphabet and read and
understand a few English language sentences.
• Show the student the reading page.
• Ask the student to read the letters of the alphabet. The letters are not in alphabetical order.
• Circle on the placement interview form any letters the student missed. You would like the student to
respond with the English names for the letters. However, many languages have different names for the
letters in the Roman alphabet, but they can read English words. Don’t circle a letter if the student you
are interviewing uses their native language’s name for the letter. You are evaluating whether the student
recognizes the Roman alphabet, one of the building blocks for literacy. It will be obvious if the student
doesn’t recognize the letters at all. Individual pronunciation issues will be dealt with in the student’s classes.
• Indicate whether the student read the letters accurately and smoothly. Mark ✔ for yes or ✘ for no.
Note the ALERT shown after the list of letters. If the student fails to respond or incorrectly identifies
three letters, stop. The remainder of the interview focuses on more reading and writing which would be
frustrating for someone who could not read letters. Conclude the interview by thanking the student. Be
positive in speech and actions.

• If the student makes fewer than three errors in reading the alphabet, ask him or her to read aloud the three
sentences on the Reading page.
• Indicate if the student read the sentences accurately and smoothly. Mark ✔ for yes or ✘ for no.
• Ask the student the two questions to determine if he or she understood what he or she read.
• Indicate if the student answered the questions accurately. Mark ✔ for yes or ✘ for no.
Writing
The writing portion will tell you whether the student can print legibly and write a few words.
• Give the student a pencil or pen and a piece of lined paper.
• Ask the student to print his or her name.
• Indicate if the student wrote legibly and correctly. Mark ✔ for yes or ✘ for no.
Note the ALERT shown after the direction to print your name. If the student cannot legibly print his or
her name, conclude the interview.
If the student can write his or her name legibly:
• Ask the student to write red, stop, bank, sister. Mark ✔ for accurate and legible or ✘ for not accurate
or legible.
• Ask the student to write one sentence about his or her family.
• Indicate if the sentence was legible and understandable. Mark ✔ for yes or ✘ for no.
– Do not evaluate grammar or sentence structure unless it interferes with meaning.
– Evaluate whether the sentence makes sense.
Conclude the interview
• Thank the student.
• Ask if he or she has any questions.
What do you do after the placement interview?
Determine fluency level
Count the number of checkmarks in the Greetings and Comprehension sections. Record this number in the
shaded box labeled Total Number of ✔ for Comprehension and Speaking.
In the shaded box there are three fluency level designations.
Beginner A 0–8 ✔s Intermediate A 17–20 ✔s Advanced A 27–31 ✔s
Beginner B 9–16 ✔s Intermediate B 21–26 ✔s Advanced B 32–36 ✔s
Circle the fluency level that matches the number of checkmarks you recorded.

Determine if the student is non-literate or literate
The student’s performance on the Reading and Writing sections indicates whether the student is non-literate
or literate. You do not count the marks to make that evaluation; instead you use them to show whether the
student can read and print the Roman alphabet and legibly print a few words. You are not evaluating the
student’s level of English literacy.
Some ministries have a separate class or additional class time before or after the regular class for non- literate
students to work on basic literacy skills.
Assign students to classes
Place students of similar fluency levels together. Your class levels will not be precise. The number of teachers
available will impact how you structure and divide your classes. In many instances, a broad range of fluency
levels exist within one class.
If you are not sure which fluency level to assign a student, always place the student in the lower level. When
a student is not in the right class level, offer to move him or her. If he or she wants to stay in the class to
which he or she was originally assigned, allow it. If the student wants to go to a different class to be with a
friend, allow it. Your students come to class because they want to. Sometimes being in a specific class, even if
it is different than the one you think is best for them, encourages students to come. Make it easier for your
students to improve their English by encouraging them to attend the class in which they are comfortable.

Student Placement
Interview Materials

Student’s Name: ______________________________________________________________________
Interviewer: ______________________________________________________ Date:_______________
Comprehension: Greetings (Mark ✔ for responded, ✘ for didn’t respond)
My name is __________________________________ Responded ______
What is your name? __________ Responded ______
What country are you from? _______ Responded ______
How long have you lived in the United States/Canada? _______ Responded ______
Have you studied English before? _____ If yes, where? _____ How long? _______ Responded ______
Comprehension: Pictures (Mark ✔ for responded, ✘ for responded incorrectly)
If the student doesn’t respond to Greetings questions and #1 then move on to Reading.
1. Point to a man running ____ What number is it? (No. 2) ____ Why is he running? (He’s in a race) ____
2. Point to a house _______ What number is it? _______ What is your address? _______
3. Point to a clock _______ What number is it? _______ What time is it? ___________
4. Point to the mother _____ How many children are in the picture? ____ Tell me about your family ____
Speaking (Mark ✔ for yes, ✘ for no) Ask the student:
Picture A: Q1: What is happening? _______ Q2: What will happen next? _______
Picture B: Q1: What is each person doing? _______ Q2: What will happen next? _______
(Accurately ✔ Few basic words or phrases ✔ OR complete sentences ✔ ✔ ✔ Correct grammar ✔)
A. Q1 ____ Q2 ____ Q1 ____ Q2 ____ Q1 ____ Q2 ____ Q1 ____ Q2 ____
B. Q1 ____ Q2 ____ Q1 ____ Q2 ____ Q1 ____ Q2 ____ Q1 ____ Q2 ____
Total number of ✔’s for Comprehension and Speaking: ______________
Circle One: Beginner A (0-8 ✔s) Intermediate A (17-20 ✔s) Advanced A (27-31✔s)
Beginner B (9-16 ✔’s) Intermediate B (21-26 ✔s) Advanced B (32-36 ✔s)
Reading Ask the student to read the letters of the alphabet aloud. Circle letters that are missed:
A N V B O F Q C K P W D M X E L S G Y R H Z T I J U
ALERT: If the student fails to respond or misses 3 letters, STOP the interview.
Ask the student to read the sentences aloud. (Mark ✔ for yes, ✘ for no)
Read accurately _______ Read smoothly _______
ALERT: If the student cannot read the first sentence, move on to the writing section.
Ask the student: Answered Accurately
Where did Peter Smith live? (Chicago) ______________
How many children does he have? (7) ______________
Writing Give the student a pen and blank piece of lined paper.
(Mark ✔if they wrote their name legibly, for each dictated word spelled correctly, and for writing a complete sentence)
1. Please print your name. ______
ALERT: If the student cannot write his or her name, conclude the interview.
2. Please print the following words: Red ____ Stop ____ Bank ____ Sister ____
3. Write one sentence about your family. _______
Choose One: ❑ Non-literate ❑ Literate
Duplicated this form on the back of the Student Registration form in Chapter 2.
Student Placement Interview Materials | 3

Comprehension Picture
Permission granted to reproduce for use with students.

Picture A

Picture B

Reading Section
1. A N V B O P Q C K P W D M
X E L S G Y R H Z T I J U
2 My name is Peter Smith. My family lives in Chicago, Illinois. My wife Martha and I have seven children.
My mother, Greta, lives with us. My brother Robert told me about the English classes.

Activities for the first class session
The first class of the ESL ministry year has three main goals.
First, registering students and obtaining their contact information is essential. Having several bilingual or
multilingual volunteers available for the first class is very helpful. The sample registration form is in the
appendix of Chapter 2.
The second task is communicating the basic information about how the ministry will function. Providing
this information in writing and orally is helpful:
• When classes will meet
• Class attendance expectations
• Child care information, if provided (where, requirements such as bringing diaper bags)
• Transportation information, if provided
• Materials that will be used and the cost of those materials
• Information about the Bibles and biblical material available to students
• Teacher introduction
• Other information specific to your ministry
Conducting the Placement Interview so students can be appropriately assigned to classes is the third essential
task of the first ESL session. Since placement interviewsare conducted one at a time, ministries need to
provide something for students to do when they are not being interviewed.
These activities should be:
• Welcoming
• Low-risk
• Fluid — students can easily flow in and out
• Fun
• Active
The number and experience of volunteers, the number and needs of students, ethnicity of students, and
available space will impact the activities you choose. Some activities can be conducted in the registration
room. If your ministry has a large number of students, some activities may be done in smaller groups in the
classrooms.
Activity suggestions
Magazine search
1. Give each student a magazine and a pair of scissors.
2. Ask students to find pictures of five words they know and understand in English and five pictures they
do not.
3. Put students in groups of three to share with the group the five words they know and do not know in
English. Group members may help one another with unknown English words.

4. Have students return to the large group. The teacher puts known words on the board and shares the
English words for the unknown.
Create a story
1. Give each student a magazine.
2. Ask each student to describe what he sees in one picture or to create a story about a person in the picture.
3. Place students in pairs or small groups to share their descriptions or stories.
Learning circuit
Before the session prepare at least four stations that students will visit during the registration time. Each
topic should be relevant to the students: food, clothing, illnesses, car maintenance, and school supplies are
examples. Every stop could include with pictures or actual examples, labels, and a recording with correct
pronunciation.
Teach simple songs with physical activity
Sing the Hokey Pokey. This is a good game for learning parts of the body and left and right. Head, Shoulders,
Knees and Toes teaches body parts and has lots of movement. If You’re Happy and You Know It is another
simple song that gets students moving.
Around the world
1. Attach a large word map to a wall with a pin stuck in your location.
2. Share your background and your heritage with your students and place a pin on the state you are from.
3. Allow the students to come, one at a time, to share what they can in English about their home country
and any languages they can speak.
4. Ask the student to place a pin or sticker on the country from which he comes.
Bingo
Make 4-5 bingo cards with the same pictures arranged in different sequences. Make a larger version of each
picture to use as a draw pile to call out the item name. You might use food pictures from advertisements.
Distribute the bingo cards and pencils to your students. Demonstrate how the game is played. You will draw
out a picture, show the students the picture, say the name and ask the students to say the name.
They will mark the picture on their bingo card. When they have 5 in a row the students will shout “Bingo.”
Variation: following the procedure described above, create several versions of a “What’s in the Classroom?”
bingo card. Add the name of the item below the picture. Include these items: markers, books, chairs, tables,
pens, erasers, dry erase board, clock, teacher, students, window, door, lights, ceiling, floor, walls, games,
name tags, CD player, laptop computer or tablet, masking tape, dictionary, prizes, supply box, and pencils.
Use large versions of the pictures and words on strips of paper for calling the game.
If you want to re-use the cards, small squares of paper can be used to cover the spaces.

Airplanes
Before the session create picture instructions for making a paper airplane.
1. Give each student a sheet of paper. Ask students to write three things about themselves. Suggestions
include favorite color, something the student doesn’t like to do, something the students likes to do, etc.
Beginning students could draw pictures or use one-word answers. More accomplished students could
write sentences.
2.Have students follow the instructions for making paper airplanes.
3. Ask students to fly their airplanes.
4. Gather the airplanes and place them on a table.
5. Ask a student to select one of the airplanes, open it and read it aloud to the class. If the student is hesitant,
read the items for him.
6. Allow the rest of the class to guess who the airplane belongs to.
7. Variation: Use index cards instead of paper airplanes. Fold the cards in half and place them in a bowl
or bucket.
Students introduce themselves to other students
Before the session, place a United States/Canada map on a focal wall. Place world maps on the walls. You
will need index cards, pencils, and small self-stick flags.
1. Distribute the index cards and pencils to each person
2. The teacher and a volunteer model this exchange:
Teacher: Hello. My name is ____________. (Teacher makes an ✘ on her own index card.)
Volunteer: Hello. My name is __________. (Volunteer makes an ✘ on his own index card.)
3. Ask all students to repeat, Hello. My name is ________________.
4. Instruct students to walk around and introduce themselves to each other and to make an ✘ on the index
card for each person they meet.
5. When introductions are complete, the teacher and volunteer models this dialog:
Teacher: Hello. I come from the United States. (Point to or place a self-stick flag on the map.)
Volunteer: Hello. I come from _______. (Point to or place a self-stick flag on the map.)
6. Ask all students to repeat, Hello. I come from _______.
7. Instruct students to walk around and tell each other where they come from. Tell them to make an ✘ on
their index cards for each person they tell. Allow them to place a flag on the maps.

Think it over
1. Why is a Placement Interview an important part of an ESL ministry?
2. What are three characteristics of beginning students?
3. What are three characteristics of high beginner and intermediate students?
4. What are three characteristics of advanced students?
5. What is the difference between speaking fluently and being literate in English?
6. What two factors determine the number and level of classes offered in your church’s ministry?

7. Where is a good place in your ministry setting to do a Placement Interview?
8. What strategies help on the first night of class when many students need to be interviewed?
9. After the first night in class, who will conduct the Placement Interviews when new students come?
10. Why should the ministry provide activities for students before and after their interviews?

4Chapter 4
Learning and Teaching a
Foreign Language
Basic language-learning skills
Differences between learning the first and second languages
Learning to speak a language
General teaching suggestions

Basic language-learning skills
There are four basic skills involved in learning a language — listening, speaking, reading, and writing. While
learning our first language, we learned these skills in the following sequence.
1. Listening
Listening is the foundational language skill. It is the first skill developed as we learn our first language.
From our very first moments we hear language in the context of our surroundings. Soon we begin to
understand the vocabulary and sentences we hear based on what is happening. “Do you want a cookie?”
“Let’s play ball.” We begin to comprehend these phrases because of the context, even though we cannot
verbally respond. We begin to distinguish one word from another, where one ends and another begins. We
listen, comprehend, and react, but we don’t necessarily speak.
We progress to creating and mimicking the sounds we hear. Listening skills are necessary for us to accurately
produce words and sentences. We must hear the language’s individual sounds, rhythm, stress, and intonation
patterns before we can say them correctly. Developing and practicing listening skills are essential to learning
to speak any language.
2. Speaking
Your ability to speak your first language is built upon countless attempts to produce sounds, words, and
sentences. As a baby, you heard words and phrases and tried to mimic or verbally respond to them.
Some of your words were understood, though many were mispronounced. Most sentences were incomplete
and grammatically incorrect, but you tried to use words and sentences in the context of a particular situation
to communicate your needs and wants.
Your delighted parents encouraged your attempts to talk. They never emphasized your mistakes. They
repeated the words and phrases correctly until you said them accurately. This was how you started learning
grammar — contextually, in relevant, everyday conversations. Formal teaching of grammar rules most likely
did not happen until you entered school.
As a child, you used vocabulary and sentence structures appropriate to your age. The things you talked about
related to your interests, needs, experiences, and surroundings. As you grew older, your usage of spoken
language expanded because you experienced and learned more. The more experiences you had, the more you
understood. Your vocabulary grew to thousands of words and your grammar improved.

3. Reading
Learning to read a language requires learning a different set of skills than those used to speak the language.
To learn to read, you must learn to decode and comprehend written symbols that represent the spoken
language. Many people may speak a language, but are not able to read it.
When you learned to read your first language, you spoke the language for several years before you began to
read it.
4. Writing
Learning to write occurred at approximately the same time you learned to read. You probably learned to read
the alphabet and then a short time later to write it. Eventually, you were writing words and sentences. This
led to writing compositions. The use of proper grammar and spelling became more important. Your skills in
grammar, spelling, and composition developed as you practiced communicating in writing.
Differences between learning the first and second languages
There are some major differences between learning your first language and learning another language as
an adult.
When learning your first language, everything you did contributed to learning how to understand and
communicate in that language. You did not view yourself as learning a language, it just happened naturally.
When learning a second language as an adult, you are very aware that you are trying to learn a language. It is
an intentional process.
When learning your first language, you used and heard the language in all of your interactions and settings.
Many second language learners use their target language only in the classroom, and don’t hear it or practice
using it regularly outside the classroom.
When learning your first language, you are learning vocabulary and sentence structure without interference
from a different language’s vocabulary and structures.
When learning a second language, you are relearning vocabulary, sentence structure, grammar,
pronunciation, cultural concepts, etc. Habits and practices from the first language carry over. This can
be confusing.
When learning your first language, you were generally not afraid to try again and again after making
mistakes.
Learning and Teaching a Foreign Language | 4

When learning a second language, you may be embarrassed when you make a mistake speaking the new
language. You become reluctant to try again or reluctant to speak, for fear that you will make a mistake. This
makes it more difficult to learn to speak the language. The best language learners are those who are willing to
take risks, even if it means making mistakes.
When learning your first language, you initially required a small vocabulary and simple sentence structure to
communicate. Our need for increased vocabulary and fluency gradually developed over several years.
When learning a second language as an adult, we are immediately faced with the need for a large vocabulary
and more complex language forms. It can seem daunting and overwhelming.
When learning our first language there were several years of listening and speaking it before we learned to
read and write the language.
When learning a second language as an adult, all four steps — listening, speaking, reading, and writing — are
usually presented and taught together.
Learning to speak a language
Many people can read a foreign language, but not speak it well enough to be understood by or to understand
a native speaker. This isn’t unusual. Foreign language classes often focus on reading and writing, rather than
conversation skills. Students practice the passive skill of understanding words on a printed page, rather than
the active skills of verbally generating sentences in the target language or understanding its spoken form.
This happens frequently when the teacher is a nonnative speaker.
However, if you wish to interact with people who speak another language, you must develop the ability to
speak and understand their oral language, not just their written language.
Learning to speak a language is different from learning to read and write it
Spoken language has elements not present in the written language — individual sounds and groups of sounds
with structure, rhythm, stress, and intonation patterns.
To understand a native speaker, you need to develop the ability to hear and derive meaning from the sounds
they produce.
To be understood by a native speaker, you need to learn how to physically produce those sounds in the
proper sequence with the proper rhythm, stress, and intonation patterns.

Practicing speaking the language is essential
Speaking a language requires more than intellectual knowledge. Word meanings and grammar rules are
basically knowledge. Speaking English requires a combination of knowledge and skill. Think of some of
the aspects you must consider when speaking — choice of words, correct grammar, structure and content,
pronunciation, body language, etc. Just knowing word meanings and grammar rules is not enough.
Speaking a language is a skill that requires coordinated physical and mental reflexes and responses developed
through prolonged practice and repetition.
Learning to speak a language is like learning to play the piano. Knowing the names of the notes written
on the music and their location on the keyboard doesn’t mean you can play the piano. It is only through
physically practicing the skill that you are able to master it.
In order to master a new word or phrase, a student must hear it 40 to 60 times before it becomes a part of his or
her vocabulary.
To help your students learn to speak a language, you need to focus most of your class time on the listening and
speaking skills. They can practice the reading and writing skills by themselves. This doesn’t mean to avoid
introducing or using reading and writing exercises. It means the greatest portion of your class time should
focus on giving your students practice in speaking and responding to spoken English.
General teaching suggestions
There are many different methods for teaching ESL. However, there is not one method that will work with
all students. The best approach is an eclectic one — using a variety of teaching activities and approaches.
The dominant current language teaching approach to help students develop proficiency in interactive
communication is called the communicative approach. This approach is organized around language
functions and topics, rather than around strict grammatical sequences and structures. The approach
uses games, simulations, role-plays, small-group work, etc., to practice generating English language
communication. This is the foundational approach that we suggest you use. Specific suggestions for using
these techniques will be given later.
Initially, here are some general suggestions to keep in mind.
Create a low-anxiety environment
Language learning is stressful, and the higher one’s stress level, the more difficult it is to learn. In order to
have an optimum setting for language instruction, you must first build a sense of a safe and comfortable
place for risk-taking. The student should not feel threatened or fearful of making mistakes. A classroom that
is full of encouraging words, smiles, laughter, and fun will greatly enhance the student’s ability to learn the
language. Students who know their teacher is their friend will be more receptive learners.

Use material relevant to the student
Students will learn new words and sentences quicker and retain them longer if they are relevant and useful to
daily living. If they have no use for the vocabulary they are presented, they won’t practice it outside of class.
You need to plan lessons that are relevant to the lives of students.
Build on what the students already know
Create opportunities for the students to use the language they already know as they are learning new
vocabulary and structures. This will help them reinforce the material they already know and give a
framework to help incorporate and remember the new material.
Enunciate clearly
Students need to clearly hear the sounds of English with its rhythm, stress, and intonation patterns. This
does not mean that you should exaggerate or slow down your pronunciation. Just remember not to mumble
or speak too quickly.
Use visuals
Comprehension of new material is essential. Pictures help the students understand the vocabulary and
phrases that are introduced.
Use lots of nonverbal communications including gestures and facial expressions
When you and your students lack a common vocabulary, you need to use nonverbal communication to help
them comprehend the vocabulary and the teaching procedures. You also need to teach your students North
American nonverbal communication.
Demonstrate rather than explain
You do not teach a spoken language by explaining it. You present the accurate model and the student
responds. Using vocabulary that the student doesn’t understand only adds confusion. The greatest teacher
error is talking too much.
Structure classes so students do most of the speaking
Students learn more and retain information longer if they have an active role in learning, rather than a
passive one. Students need to go beyond rote repetition of words and phrases. They need to learn how to
spontaneously generate language to meet their needs. They need to know how to respond to questions and
requests presented in a variety of forms.
Teachers should select class activities that make maximum use of student talking time — giving them
opportunities to express themselves in a variety of activities and settings. Working in pairs or groups
maximizes the opportunities for students to talk. The teacher can give guidance regarding what students
should talk about, assist with errors, and facilitate the activities, but should not do most of the talking.
Remember, the greatest teacher error is talking too much.

If you speak the student’s language, do not translate
Translation will become a crutch and the result is triangulation — hearing in English, thinking the equivalent
in the native tongue, then translating back to English. If this happens, the student will take six months
to learn what he or she could learn in six weeks. The teacher must help the student make an immediate
association in the new language and extinguish the translation step as quickly as possible.
The student must learn to think in English.
It is acceptable, however, for the teacher to translate instructions for a procedure. If the student still does
not understand a word or phrase after using other techniques for comprehension — visuals, acting out,
synonyms, sentence context — then translation can be used as a last resort.
Encourage students to speak, listen to, and use English each day.
Encourage students to watch at least 30 minutes of English-speaking television every day. Many people learn
a second language simply by watching television. Recommended programs are newscasts, family situation
comedies (lots of North American culture here), and movies. Ask students to speak English every day for at
least 15 minutes for beginners, and 30 minutes for intermediate and advanced students.
Keep these suggestions in mind as you plan your lessons. They will help you meet the needs of your students and give
them success.

Think it over
1. What are four basic language-learning skills?
2. Read over the differences between learning first and second languages. What is the greatest challenge for
you as you teach someone to speak a second language?
3. How should most of the ESL class time be spent?
4. Which of the general teaching suggestions will be easiest for you to use? Why?
5. Which of the general teaching suggestions will be the hardest for you to implement? Why?

5Chapter 5
Planning Your ESL Lesson
The starting point — an ESL textbook
Your teaching guide — an ESL lesson plan
First steps in planning your lesson
Preparing the ESL lesson plan
Blank ESL lesson plan
Sample lesson plans

The starting point — an ESL textbook
A basic ESL textbook provides a starting point for lesson preparation. Textbooks are written by
professionals. They provide teaching suggestions and ideas, vocabulary, grammar points, conversations
that students practice in repetitive drills, and student generated conversations. Textbooks also provide
controlled progression.
Textbooks are idea books. You cannot pick up a textbook and teach what is on page 1, then teach what is on
page 2. You must select material from different sections of the lesson to present to your students.
There are no perfect textbooks. The wise ESL teacher will customize a textbook’s lesson to meet the needs of
the students in that church’s ministry.
Most textbooks have more material in a single lesson than can be taught in a teaching session that is only
an hour to two hours long. Just because it says Lesson 1 in the textbook, it doesn’t mean that you will teach
everything in that lesson in one teaching session. It may take several sessions to cover the material.
Several companies have ESL text series. Some are reproducible. An Internet search will help you find
companies that produce materials. Ask other ministries what they use. Be aware that working with advanced
level students will require a variety of resources including newspapers and discussion aides.
Your teaching guide — an ESL lesson plan
The ESL textbook is a beginning point. However, your guide for each teaching session is an ESL lesson plan
that you have prepared. You will be selecting the amount and type of material from the textbook that is
appropriate for your class level and can be presented in the time you have allocated for your class. An hour
and a half is good class length. You also may need to use materials from other sources to supplement the
material in the textbook.
A prepared lesson plan:
• Provides structure for you as you select material you will teach
• Helps you cover the basic areas of language learning in the correct sequence: listening, speaking, reading,
and writing
• Provides a teaching outline to use while you are teaching
• Helps you teach more effectively
• Shows your students that you are prepared
• Frees your mind to be sensitive to your students’ needs and the Holy Spirit’s leadership in your
class — instead of your need to figure out what to do next
• Gives a substitute teacher specific guidance if you have to miss a class
True flexibility comes only when you are prepared.
First steps in planning your lesson
1. Pray.
Prayer is the foundation of literacy missions ministry. Seek God’s guidance at each step. He knows your

needs and those of your students. He will help you prepare effectively. If you skip this preparation step, you
are not taking advantage of the Christian’s most powerful and effective teaching resource.
2. Read the lesson introduction or overview provided in the textbook.
This will give you an overview of the book and a description of each section of a lesson. While you may
not use each section as instructed, at least you will get an idea of what the author has in mind. Often, the
description of how to do the ESL activities is presented only in the introduction. A good textbook should
have built-in review. If it does not, you need to provide it.
3. Review the lesson content.
Look carefully at the lesson content to determine the lesson objective or purpose and the skills that
are taught.
4. Select the material and activities you will use for the class session.
Select material based on what your students need. Choose activities that will engage and interest the learners.
The lesson in the text will probably have more than you will be able to teach in one class session.
5. Complete the lesson plan form.
When you complete the lesson plan, do not leave any step out. The form is designed to lead your students
through a specific language-learning progression. Each part of the lesson is included for a purpose. Leaving a
portion out will make your lessons less effective and less beneficial to your students.
In the next few pages you will find detailed instructions for completing an ESL lesson plan. A blank lesson
plan form and some sample lesson plans can be found at the end of this chapter.
Preparing the ESL lesson plan
1. Pray for your students.
ESL ministries are founded and based on prayer. From the beginning of your lesson preparation, you need to
ask the Holy Spirit for guidance and insight to help your students master the English language. This is also a
good time to pray for each student by name.
2. Select the lesson topic.
Beginning with your ESL textbook, select which topic or lesson you will focus on in your teaching session.
Most textbook series will provide topics that are relevant to your students’ lives. However, you still need
to be careful. You may not be able to use all of the lessons presented in an ESL textbook. If the next lesson
in sequence in your ESL textbook is about taking the bus and subway and your community does not have
public transportation, you may not choose to use that material. Just because material is presented in the
textbook does not mean that you have to teach it. If you choose to skip a lesson because of its topic, check
for any new grammar or language functions that are introduced so you can incorporate them in your
next lesson.
ESL textbooks present material in a specific sequence with controlled vocabulary and language structures.
However, you are not limited to following the topic sequence of the text. Sometimes you will select topics
that are out of sequence in the ESL textbook because of your students’ needs. For example, you have finished
Planning Your ESL Lesson | 5

lesson five of your ESL textbook. Some of your students have family members who will be going to the
hospital, and the students need to learn vocabulary related to that life situation.
However, your ESL textbook doesn’t present vocabulary and information about visiting doctors and going
to the hospital until lesson nine. You can choose to teach that topic out of sequence. The textbook is an idea
book to help you teach the materials that will meet your students’ needs. The book does not limit you. You
need to teach the students, not the book.
Write the lesson topic — along with the name of the ESL text and related page numbers — on the
appropriate lines at the top of the lesson plan form.
Suggestions for materials to use with advanced students can be found in Chapter 9: Working with and
Planning for Advanced Students.
3. Select the lesson objective.
The objective of your lesson should be what you want your students to be able to do when they leave the
class. It may be the ability to order food from a restaurant menu, or to ask for directions to places in their
community. Perhaps the objective is to teach them how to accept or decline an invitation. Most ESL texts
will list the objective for the lesson either in the student book or the teacher’s guide. You may have to adapt
it slightly to meet the needs of your students.
Write the objective in appropriate lines in the box on the ESL lesson plan. The objective is your guide as you
choose each material and activity. Each item you choose to include in the lesson should point back to the
objective. If an activity does not relate to the objective, it should not be included.
4. List the visual or teaching aids you need to teach this lesson.
Visual aids are essential for helping the students understand the vocabulary and situations being presented.
Making a list of what you need will make it easier to gather your materials together and will help you
verify that you have all of the visual aids necessary to your lesson. Your ESL text often has illustrations and
supplementary picture cards. However, you will find that you will still need other resources.
List the materials needed on the appropriate lines on the ESL lesson plan.
5. Choose the greeting, Scripture, and prayer.
As your students come in, greet them by name. Some of your students have names that may be difficult for
you to pronounce. Don’t get in the habit of shortening their name for your own convenience. Do not say,
“Oh, I’ll just call you Joe.” Invest the time in learning to say their names accurately. Your students are trying
to learn an entire language. The least you can do is learn to say their names properly. If you are working on a
particular greeting during class (e.g. Hello. How are you?), you can model that greeting as students come in.
Read the Scripture for the day and distribute copies to the students in English and in their language, if
possible. The goal of a church-based ESL ministry is to present the gospel while people learn to speak
English. Presenting a short Scripture in English during each lesson and giving your students copies of that
Scripture in both English and their native language will help accomplish that goal. Relating spiritual issues to
the topic you are teaching will also be beneficial.

This introduction to each class session is important. The Bible verse may relate to the lesson topic or to the
students’ lives in other ways. The Scripture should not be randomly chosen or chosen simply because the
teacher likes it.
Pray aloud. If your students’ language level is sufficient, ask for prayer requests. Pray for their requests.
Thank God for your students. Many of your students may not be Christians, but they will respect your faith.
Experience has shown that even those who are nonbelievers will begin asking for prayer. They will say, “I
don’t believe in God, but I know you do. Will you pray to your God for me?” Experience also shows that
when prayer is a regular part of your teaching session, if you leave it out, the students will ask you to pray
before the session is over.
Secular ESL texts will not provide you guidance for this task. Resources that list God’s promises or provide
topical Scripture compilations will be useful. Pray for the Holy Spirit to lead you to the verse and topic that
will have the greatest impact on your students.
Write the Scripture reference in ESL lesson plan, under Greeting, Scripture, and Prayer.
6. Select the warm-up activity.
A warm-up activity is a short introductory activity that sets the stage and focuses the students’ attention
on the topic and on English. It is also used to help activate the students’ prior knowledge about the topic.
Your ESL text usually provides suggestions for these types of activities. The ESL texts may use a different
phrase to describe this activity — such as getting ready or previewing the vocabulary — but they serve the
same purpose.
Write the name of your warm-up activity on the ESL lesson plan under Introducing New Vocabulary.
7. Select new vocabulary to teach.
Using an ESL text as your starting point, select eight to 12 new vocabulary words or phrases to work on
during your teaching session. There will always be more vocabulary words in a lesson than you can teach in
a single teaching session. Helping your students focus on a few words and phrases at a time will help them
develop confidence and success as language learners. Many students grow frustrated and drop out of foreign
language classes because they do not believe that they can learn the material. Often, the reason is the teacher
has presented too much material too quickly for the students to be able to process.
Focusing on 8 to 12 new words gives the students the opportunity to practice the new vocabulary words
individually and in sentences during the class time. That does not mean that you will only use 8 to 12
English words in the class, or practice only the sentences that use the new vocabulary words. Many words
are learned in context and may not be the focus words for the class. However, they are a part of the normal
sentence patterns in which the focused vocabulary is used. As your students progress, they will be learning
new vocabulary and practicing it in the context of the vocabulary they have already mastered.
Select words that will give the students the opportunity to have an adequate feel for the topic or language
function that you will be working on in the lesson.
Remember to select words that are relevant to the students’ lives and can be used outside the classroom.
List the focus words on the ESL lesson plan, under Introduce new vocabulary.

8. Select sentences using the new vocabulary.
Learning individual vocabulary words is a beginning point. However, in order to learn to speak a language
and be more than a one-word communicator, you must learn how to combine and use the new vocabulary in
sentences. The ESL text will usually have conversations, dialogues, and exercises that use the new vocabulary
words. Select a few that will help the students practice the new words.
You need to include both statements and questions. Being able to ask and respond to questions are
foundational communication skills. Three or four sentences should give adequate initial practice. As students
progress, and their vocabulary and knowledge of sentence patterns and structures increase, you will be able
to expand the number of sentences you use.
List the statements and questions you will use on the ESL lesson plan, under Sentences using new vocabulary.
9. Select additional pronunciation exercises.
As the teacher, you model correct pronunciation and helped the students practice saying the new words and
sentences accurately. You apply the proper rhythm, stress, and intonation patterns.
Your students, however, require additional pronunciation practice. Just as every language has its own
vocabulary words, every language has its own sounds. There are many sounds that exist in English that
do not exist in other languages. Being able to hear and produce these sounds is very difficult and requires
practice. This practice is not focused on learning new words or sentences, but on hearing and producing
these sounds.
Sometimes your ESL text will have additional pronunciation exercises provided. However, you will often
need to supplement the text material with ideas and exercises from resources specifically designed to help
improve pronunciation. An Internet search for ESL pronunciation teaching resources will provide several
potential resources.
List the names of the activities, the resources, and the page numbers from which they come on the ESL
lesson plan under Additional pronunciation practice.
10. Select communication practice activities.
The object of an ESL class is to help the students be able to generate English sentences on their own. To
move beyond learning vocabulary by memorizing set dialogues, the students must practice generating their
own original sentences.
Communication practice activities are structured to help the students intentionally generate English
language sentences using the new vocabulary that was presented in the first part of the session. These
activities are interactive, are primarily focused on speaking and listening, and are generally done in pairs and
small groups so that everyone has practice time. Some of the activities should include reading and writing.
ESL textbooks provide suggestions and directions for communication practice activities. Each text uses
different terms to describe these activities. Look for terms such as expansion activities or communicative
practice activities. All these are focused on the same task — helping the students generate English sentences on
their own.

There are also many ESL communication practice resource books that provide ideas and reproducible resources.
Include the groupings you will use (e.g., place in pairs, switch pairs, place in groups of 3 or 4) along with
the activities.
Example:
1. Place in pairs — Role Play — Customer asks the store clerk for winter clothing. (10 minutes)
2. Clothing Bingo game — From The Great Big Bingo Book, page 27. (10 minutes)
3. Place in new group of four — Clothing in my Country discussion questions — From It’s Time to Talk,
page 18. (15 minutes)
List the activities you will do and the length of time you think each activity will take on the ESL lesson plan,
under Communication practice activities.
11. Select review activities, homework assignments, and prayer focus.
Plan a quick review of the vocabulary words you can do with students at the end of class.
It is beneficial to give your students assignments to practice the new vocabulary that you have introduced.
The assignment may be to do the written exercises in the student text, write in a journal, or give a report in
English about a specific topic. It may consist of listening for the new vocabulary while watching television
or movies, or listening to the radio. Whatever assignment you choose, be sure to encourage your students to
practice using the English vocabulary in conversations during the week.
Choose a prayer focus with which to end the class, but be open to the Holy Spirit’s leading.
Final thoughts on lesson plans
The lesson plan form gives you an outline of all the activities you plan to do. Specific teaching directions
for each activity would be written or listed elsewhere. Be sure to include the source of the activity and page
numbers. That information is essential for a substitute teacher.
It is always wise to plan more activities than you think you will have time for. Sometimes an activity will
take much less time than you anticipated. It is better to have too many activities planned than to have too
few prepared.
This manual provides specific teaching techniques for vocabulary (Chapter 6), pronunciation (Chapter 7),
and communication practice (Chapter 8).
Advanced language learners are the focus of Chapter 9. You will find that advanced learners require
different material and adaptations of the techniques taught in chapters 6-8. A detailed lesson plan is still an
essential tool.

ESL Lesson Plan Date used: _______________
Greeting, Scripture, and Prayer (Approximately 5 minutes)
Introduce new vocabulary: list 8-12 new words (Approximately 15 minutes)
Use warm-up activity, visuals, mime, Total Physical Response, repetition, and dictation.
Sentences using new vocabulary: list sentences and questions (Approximately 15 minutes)
Use repetition, substitution, and question and answer exercises.
Pray for your students
Name of book, lesson title and/or number, pages:
Lesson objective:
Visual or teaching aids needed:

Additional pronunciation practice: list activities or resource name and page
(Approximately 5 minutes for beginners; 10 minutes for intermediate and advanced students)
Communication practice activities: list each individual activity (Approximately 40 minutes)
Review new words, homework assignment, and prayer (Approximately 5 minutes)

Sample Lesson Plans
In the following pages are English as a Second Language lesson plans written for three levels of students. As
you study the following lesson plans, keep these student characteristics in mind.
Beginner
• Knows fewer than 100 words
• Rarely uses complete sentences
• Cannot carry on a conversation in English
Intermediate
• Has a moderate oral and written vocabulary
• Can carry on limited conversation in English
• May use complete sentences, but uses poor grammar
• Has difficulty with prepositions and verb tenses
• Knows few idioms or slang words
Advanced
• Can converse freely in English
• Has problems with sentence structure
• Needs help with pronunciation, expanding his or her vocabulary, and using idioms and slang
• Your church-based ministry may have more than three levels. You may have high beginner classes and high
intermediate classes. Follow the same lesson planning steps for those classes, focusing on the student needs.

ESL Lesson Plan (Beginner) Date used: 4/13/14
Show me the path where I should walk, O Lord; point out the right road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth
and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you (Psalm 25:4-5, NLT).
Introduce new vocabulary: list 8 to 12 new words (Approximately 15 minutes)
Use warm up activity, visuals, mime, Total Physical Response, repetition, and dictation. Warm-up
activity — Show the pictures. Say, “Today’s lesson is about places we go.”
Place Words Direction Words
drug store beside
grocery store next to
hospital across from
school between
gas station around the corner from post office
A. Excuse me. Where is the post office?
B. The post office is on Main Street. It is across from the grocery store.
A. Thanks.
B. You’re welcome.
Additional pronunciation practice — list activities or resource name and page
(Approximately 5 minutes for beginners, 10 minutes for intermediate and advanced students)
Pronunciation Contrasts in English — page 65 /r/ and /l/
3 minimal pair exercises
Same or different?
Which is different — 1, 2, or 3? Which did I say?
Name of book, lesson title and/or number, pages: Side by Side, Book 1, Chapter 7, pages 55–58
Lesson objective: Learn to attract attention, ask for and give directions, express gratitude
Visual or teaching aids needed: Building pictures, preposition pictures, large neighborhood map,
collaborative map game handout, blank paper and pencils

Communication practice activities — list each individual activity (Approximately 40 minutes)
1. Place in pairs — Show map of neighborhood. Role-play asking directions. (5 minutes)
2. Switch pairs — Repeat the activity. (5 minutes)
3. Switch pairs — Play 20 questions. Partner A selects a location on the map. Partner B tries to guess the
location by asking questions that can be answered yes or no. Then Partner B selects a location and Partner
A guesses. (10 minutes)
4. Place in groups of four — Collaborative map game variation, Teacher’s Guide, page 133. Distribute
handout. Students alternate selecting building and location words, reading them aloud as others in the
group fill in their maps. (10 minutes)
5. Stay in groups of four — Review saying numbers up to 100, and practice saying street addresses
clearly. In groups of two, have each student write one four-digit number and read it aloud. Example:
1452 = fourteen, fifty-two. Have other students write down what they have heard. Check the number.
(10 minutes)
Review — Use the pictures to review the place and direction words.
Homework — Students should locate and write the correct name (example: drug store = CVS), street name,
and address of the drug store, grocery store, etc., that they go to.
Prayer — Lord, we ask You for direction. Help us know which way we should go in our lives.

ESL Lesson Plan (Intermediate) Date used: 4/13/14
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy
went and sold all he had and bought that field (Matt. 13:44, NIV).
Use warm up activity, visuals, mime, Total Physical Response, repetition, and dictation. Warm-up activity:
show pictures of an air conditioner, refrigerator, sofa, crib, and rug.
air conditioner attractive expensive
refrigerator comfortable afford it
sofa powerful not worth it (use with Jazz Chant)
crib I suppose not
rug hmm
(Page 66 — substitute other words for underlined words)
A. Which refrigerator do you like?
B. I like this one. It is very large.
A. I know. It is larger than that one, but it is also more expensive.
B. Hmm. You’re right.
A. I don’t think we can afford it.
B. I suppose not.
Name of book, lesson title and/or number, pages: Expressways 2: Student pages 65–69, Teacher’s Guide
pages 128–137
Lesson objective: Learn to evaluate affordability, use comparatives, and inquire about and express likes
and dislikes
Visual or teaching aids needed: Charts or drawing to show large and larger, tall and taller, expensive and
more expensive, comfortable and more comfortable (Teacher’s Guide, page 136), advertising flyers from
stores that sell home furnishings

Jazz chant from Small Talk: More Jazz Chants (Caroline Graham), page 51
Why don’t you buy it?
I can’t afford it.
It’s too expensive.
Why don’t you buy it?
I don’t have the money.
It’s not worth it.
1. Place in pairs — Model the conversation from the student book, page 66. Let students practice the other
conversations on page 66. (5 minutes)
2. Switch pairs — Let students practice conversations on page 67. (5 minutes)
3. Place in groups of three or four — Distribute advertising flyers from stores that sell home furnishings.
Each group is assigned $3000 to furnish one room. Instruct them to select the items they want.
(15 minutes)
4. Divide the participants into groups 1, 2, 3, and so on, so that each group has three or four participants.
Each person tells what item of furniture he or she chose and why they chose it. Encourage them to use the
comparative form? in the Teacher’s Guide, page 135, number 6. (15 minutes)
Review — comparative Dictation, Teacher’s Guide, page 135, #2, Listen, page 68.
Homework — Top of page 68 and page 69.
Prayer — Display the words and play the song, “Lord, You Are More Precious than Silver”.
Lord, help us always choose what You say is best for our lives.

ESL Lesson Plan (Advanced) Date used: 4/13/14
Be friendly with everyone. Don’t be proud and feel that you are smarter than others. Make friends with ordinary
people. Don’t mistreat some who has mistreated you. But try to earn the respect of others, and do your best to live at
peace with everyone (Rom. 12:16-18, CEV).
Use warm up activity, visuals, mime, Total Physical Response, repetition, and dictation. Warm-up
activity — Show the pictures. Say, “Today’s lesson is about places we go.”
Warm-up — Place students in pairs and distribute the lists of sentences using the idioms. Ask them
to guess the meaning of each of the idioms.
Ask the students to define each idiom. If they cannot do it accurately, define the idioms for them.
bend your ear don’t burn any bridges didn’t say two words
pick your brain doesn’t give them the time of day is pulling your leg
chip in hit it off
Student A creates a sentence using the idiom.
Student B says the same thing without using the idiom.
Student A asks a question using an idiom the teacher designates.
Student B answers.
Student A asks a question (any question of his choosing)
Student B answers using an idiom the teacher designates.
Place students in pairs. Distribute copies of 123; have students match the idiom to the definition using the
following method:
Student A reads the idiom. Student B reads the correct sentence.
Then switch — B reads the idiom, A reads the correct sentence.
Name of book, lesson title and/or number, pages: The Grab Bag of Socializing Activities, page 123,
“Idioms at Work”
Lesson objective: Learn to understand and use seven idioms
Visual or teaching aids needed: copies of sentences using the idioms, copies or page 123 from The
Grab Bag of Socializing Activities, blank paper, copies of page 32 from It’s Time to Talk, and copies of the
survey form

Have students copy each idiom on a blank piece of paper for later use.
/TH/ tongue twister
They think that this is the one that they want the most.
Did they bother doing that to them?
Close this thing and use that thing over there.
Thelma thinks Beth’s bath is through at three.
Those three thugs think that they threw those things there.
Red leather, yellow leather, red leather, yellow leather.
1. Place in pairs — Ask your partner.
Whose brain would you like to pick? Why?
Whose ear would you like to bend? Why?
What would you chip in for? Why?
(10 minutes)
2. Make groups of four — Distribute discussion questions, “Comparing Countries at Work,” It’s Time to Talk,
page 32. Each student picks one question and each participant answers it. Then discuss: What can you do
when you and a coworker don’t hit it off? (10 minutes)
3. Full group survey — Distribute the survey form. Students ask each class member: How many times did
you use the idiom (10 minutes)
During the discussion time, students should use the sheet on which they wrote the idioms. Make a mark
beside the idiom each time it is used in the discussion. Add up the total number of times the idioms were
used. (10 minutes)
Add up the totals for each idiom. Compare your answers. Who used idioms the most? What was the most-
used idiom? What was the least used idiom? (5 minutes)
Review — The teacher reads the definition and the class as a whole responds with the appropriate idiom.
Homework — Use each of the idioms during a conversation this week.
Prayer — Lord, help us to be friendly with everyone. Lord, help us to not be proud and feel we are smarter
than others. Lord, help us to not mistreat those who have mistreated us. Lord, help us to earn the respect of
others, and help us to do our best to live at peace with everyone. Amen.

Think it over
1. What are three benefits of having a lesson plan?
2. Why is it important to review a textbook’s lesson content carefully?
3. What is the difference between a session topic and a session objective?
4. What do you anticipate to be some of the spiritual needs of your students?
5. Why should each blank on the lesson plan form be completed?

6. What would happen in your ministry if you left out the Scripture?
7. What is the purpose of the two parts of the lesson plan related to introducing new vocabulary?
8. What is the purpose of the pronunciation practice?
9. What is the purpose of the communication practice?

6Chapter 6
Introducing New Vocabulary
Guided practice
Introduce new vocabulary
Sentences using new vocabulary
Suggestions for conducting basic vocabulary exercises
Correcting errors

An intentional, structured approach helps the English language learner understand and speak their new
language. These techniques are called drills or activities. Note how the drills build on each other. The
techniques in this chapter are most effective for beginning and intermediate students. Advanced student
techniques are addressed in Chapter 9.
For all levels, discourage the use of electronic translators. Students using them do not get the full benefit of the class
time and distract others from the class activities and conversation.
Guided practice
The first half of the teaching session is guided practice. This includes ESL lesson plan sections:
• Introduce new vocabulary
• Sentences using vocabulary
• Additional pronunciation practice
In this part of the session, the teacher introduces the new material in a structured manner, and the students
respond with set, predictable responses. The teacher provides the model; the students either respond
physically or repeat and practice the model.
Guided practice lays the foundation for the second half of the teaching session — communication practice
activities, in which the students are given structured activities that will prompt them to generate English
sentences on their own. In the second half activities, the students’ responses are spontaneous instead
of predictable.
Introduce new vocabulary
Hand gestures
When the teacher does not speak the students’ language and the students don’t speak English, it is necessary
to use hand gestures to show the students what is going to happen, who is to speak, and when. When the
students have learned the verbal commands, the need for hand gestures diminishes.
Use the illustrations on the next page to help you learn appropriate gestures for teaching students of
other cultures.

Introducing New Vocabulary | 6
1. Hand cupped behind the ear, the teacher says,
“Listen.”
3. As the teacher says the word or sentence she
points to herself with fingers together so the whole
hand is used, indicating, “I’m going to say.”
5. The teacher says, “Ready?” or “Okay?” to let the
student know she has stopped demonstrating and
that it’s time to do what she modeled.
2. If needed, the teacher may indicate the students
are to be quiet by putting her finger to her lips
and saying “sh-h-h.”
4. The teacher repeats the word or phrase pointing
to the students with her fingers together and
the palm down so that the whole hand is used,
indicating. “You say.”
6. The teacher says the word or sentence. Then
with fingers together, palm facing her, she uses a
sweeping motion toward herself, indicating the
students are to repeat what she said.

1. Warm-up activity
A warm up activity is a short introductory activity to set the stage and help focus the students’ attention on
the topic and on English. It is also used to help activate the students’ prior knowledge about the topic. The
activity should take no longer than five minutes.
Activities may be as simple as showing a picture and saying, “Today’s lesson is about things in a kitchen.”
Or pantomiming actions that take place in a kitchen while saying, “I cook in the kitchen. I open the
refrigerator. I take out the milk,” etc. The activity may include the students looking at a picture of a kitchen
and identifying the words they already know, and the teacher writing those words on the board. It could
consist of brainstorming about the topic — writing the word kitchen on the board and asking the students
what they think about when they hear the word.
The activities you select will vary according to the language level of your students. Your ESL text usually
provides suggestions for this type of activity. The ESL texts may use a different term to describe this
activity — but they serve the same purpose. Look for labels such as getting ready or previewing the vocabulary.
2. Hearing and comprehending the new words
ESL students must hear and understand the individual vocabulary words before they are required to say
them. Use pictures, diagrams, real objects, pantomime, etc., to aid in comprehension.
Introduce and practice the vocabulary words in groups of four or five. Do not overwhelm the ESL students
by trying to teach too much at one time.
A teaching technique called Total Physical Response (TPR) helps accomplish this first step. Using multiple
physical actions while learning vocabulary helps students master and retain the material much longer. TPR
also helps reduce the stress involved in language learning. When you don’t have to say a word, but only
physically respond to commands, the stress level is much lower. This technique is primarily used to introduce
vocabulary to beginner and low-level intermediate students. However, it can be adapted for use with higher
level students.
Total Physical Response (TPR)
Step 1: The teacher introduces each vocabulary word one at a time by holding up the picture, object, or
pantomiming the action while saying the word four or five times.
The students are to remain silent and not respond in any way. The first step is designed to increase
comprehension — to help the students understand what the word sounds like and means.
Step 2: The teacher gives a command and models the action using all pictures from this group of three or
four words. For example, “Point to the chair,” or “Point to the table.”
The students listen and observe but do not respond.
Step 3: The teacher gives a command and models the action.
The students perform the action, but do not speak.
Step 4: The teacher gives a command.
The students perform the action.

Some common commands are these:
• Point to the …
• Pick up the …
• Put the … on the … (excellent for teaching prepositions)
• Walk to the …
• Touch the …
• Give me the … (excellent for teaching pronouns)
3. Practice saying the new words
ESL students need to practice saying the individual vocabulary words. A basic language teaching technique
called repetition is useful here. Some ESL texts use the term “choral repetition”; others say “teacher models
and student repeats.” This technique is used both for individual vocabulary words and for sentences.
Repetition is the key to language learning. Repetition is important for all fluency levels — beginner,
intermediate, and advanced.
Repetition
Step 1: The teacher models the vocabulary word five or six times while the students listen.
Be consistent with your intonation and stress. Say a word or sentence naturally. Do not slow down or
distort your speech.
For beginners and intermediate students, if you have a picture or an object, hold it or point to it
while repeating the word.
Step 2: The teacher models the vocabulary word pointing to him or herself, and then repeats the vocabulary
word while pointing to the student, demonstrating, but not saying, “I’m going to say the word and
then you will repeat the word.”
Step 3: The teacher says, “Ready,” as a signal that he has stopped modeling and the student will do what was
demonstrated.
Step 4: The teacher says the word and the student repeats the word. Repeat this step five or six times.
Teacher: Gloves (Holds picture, repeats 5 or 6 times) Students: (Listen)
Teacher: Gloves (Pointing to herself, repeats word 2 or 3 times)
Teacher: Gloves (Pointing to students, repeats word 2 or 3 times)
Students: (Listen)
Teacher: Ready?
Teacher: Gloves
Students: Gloves (Repeat this last sequence 5 or 6 times)
When practicing the words, practice first with the class as a whole, then model and call on groups
of students to respond. Then model the word and ask each individual to respond. When you call on
individuals, begin with the most confident students first.

4. Practice reading and writing the new words
ESL students like to see the words they are learning. This adds a visual element to help them remember new
words and helps them practice reading and writing. However, it is best to introduce the words orally before
they see the words in a written form.
A simple exercise called dictation guides the students to practice the reading and writing of the
vocabulary words.
Dictation
Step 1: Number the words you are teaching, and either write the words on the board or use a
multimedia projector.
1. Sweater
2. Gloves
3. Coat
4. Scarf
5. Hat
Step 2: Have the students copy the words on a piece of notebook paper.
Step 3: The teacher points to a number, says the number, and then points to the word and says the word.
The students repeat the number and word.
Step 4: The teacher says a word.
The students tell her which number it is.
Step 5: The teacher says a number and has the students tell her which word it is.
Step 6: The teacher tells the students to number a paper 1 to 5 — or the number of words being taught. The
teacher reads the words out of sequence. The students write the words on their papers.
You may leave the list of new words in view while the students are practicing them. It is better for them to
begin accurately. This also gives them a chance to self-correct.
Sentences using new vocabulary
ESL students need to learn how to use their new vocabulary words in simple statements. For beginner
and intermediate students, the teacher needs to select these sentences in the ESL textbook dialogues
and conversations.
1. Hearing and saying the new words in statements — repetition
The new sentences are presented one at a time using a repetition exercise.
Teacher: It’s a sweater. (Repeats 5 or 6 times)
Students: (Listen)
Teacher: It’s a sweater. (Pointing to self)
Students: (Listen)

Teacher: It’s a sweater. (Pointing to students)
Students: (Listen)
Teacher: Ready?
Teacher: It’s a sweater.
Students: It’s a sweater. (Repeat this last sequence 5 or 6 times)
Each of the new words is used and practiced in the sentence.
For beginning and intermediate students, the teacher demonstrates the sentences using the new
vocabulary words.
2. Practicing the new words in statements — substitution
An exercise called substitution is used to help the students see sentence patterns. In this case, “It’s a …”
The teacher models saying one word a couple of times and demonstrates that the students will respond with
the whole sentence.
Teacher: Sweater (Pointing to self)
Teacher: It’s a sweater. (Pointing to students, repeats 2 or 3 times)
Teacher: Ready?
Teacher: Sweater
Student: It’s a sweater. (Repeat this last sequence 2 or 3 times)
Repeat the exercise with the remaining vocabulary words.
3. Practicing asking and answering questions — question and answer exercises
ESL students need to practice asking and answering questions. These are fundamental communication skills.
When working with beginning level students, you must teach the answer before you teach the question.
Questions are abstract and can only be understood in context. If the student knows the answer, he will learn
the question in context.
The sentences that the students practiced earlier will be the answers to the questions that you ask in
this section.
Write a question mark on a 5x8 card or piece of construction paper. Use it to help you demonstrate when
you are asking a question. Laminating the card will preserve it.
There are several steps involved in question and answer exercises.
Step 1: For beginning level students, the question itself must be taught and practiced using a
repetition exercise.
Teacher: What’s this? (Hold up question mark and model 5 or 6 times using quizzical facial
expression, questioning body language, and rising intonation)
Students: (Listen)

Teacher: What’s this? (Pointing to self)
Teacher: What’s this? (Pointing to students, repeats 2 or 3 times)
Teacher: Ready?
Teacher: What’s this?
Students: What’s this? (Repeat this last sequence 5 or 6 times)
Step 2: The teacher asks the question and the teacher answers.
Teacher: What’s this? (Pointing to self, repeat 2 or 3 times)
Teacher: It’s a sweater. (Pointing to students, repeats 2 or 3 times)
Students: (Listen)
Teacher: Ready?
Teacher: What’s this?
Students: It’s a sweater. (Repeat this last sequence 5 or 6 times)
Step 3: The students ask the question and the teacher answers.
Teacher: What’s this? (Pointing to students, repeats 2 or 3 times)
Teacher: It’s a sweater. (Pointing to self, repeats 2 or 3 times)
Students: (Listen)
Teacher: Ready?
Student: What’s this?
Teacher: It’s a sweater. (Repeat this last sequence 5 or 6 times)
4. Chain drill
The chain drill is a variation of the question and answer drill. The question goes from one student to
another, much like a chain, until all students have answered.
Teacher: Juan, ask Carmella, “What’s this?”
Teacher: Carmella, tell him, “It’s a sweater.”
Student: It’s a sweater.
Teacher: Carmella, ask Roberto, “What’s this?”
It is fine if the students take up the sequence without further directions. If a student needs help, prompt
him. The exercise continues until everyone in the class has had the chance to ask and answer the question.
When working with beginning and intermediate students, the teacher selects and designates the sentences
using the new vocabulary words.
Suggestions for conducting basic vocabulary exercises
Here are some suggestions for making your basic vocabulary exercises effective.

• Speak naturally. Do not slow down or elongate words or sentences. The students need to hear the language
as they will hear it used outside of class.
• Be consistent in your pronunciation. Try not to vary the rhythm, stress, or intonation of the words or
sentences. There is a tendency to do this for the sake of variety. However, the students need to hear a
consistent model.
• Conduct the exercises briskly. Move smoothly and quickly from one exercise to the next. This helps to keep
the students’ interest, makes effective use of your time, and shows that you are prepared.
• Vary the order of the words presented in the exercises.
• Review the words and sentences throughout the exercises.
• Encourage the students verbally. Language learning is difficult. Frequent encouragement provides a positive
learning environment. It helps the students feel that the effort that they invest will produce results and
helps them to keep working at the task.
Correcting errors
When learning to speak a language a person often forgets words, mispronounces words, uses the wrong
words or endings, or puts words in the incorrect order. These efforts are a natural part of the learning
process. They should not be viewed as errors but as essential efforts for learning.
To effectively master speaking a language, a student needs to be in an environment where he or she is not
fearful of making these mistakes. The teacher can greatly help the students’ learning experience by creating
an environment that does not condemn, scold, or embarrass the students while they are practicing the
language. Use positive facial expressions and body language. Express pleasure and encouragement. If a
student makes an effort to speak, consider it improvement. Use words such as perfect, good, and better to
affirm effort.
Here are some things to keep in mind when dealing with inaccuracies and miscues:
• Allow time for students to respond. When learning a new language, the response time is slower than if you
are using your native language.
• Allow time for students to correct themselves. Students get frustrated and are reluctant to try again when
you don’t allow them time to correct themselves.
• Do not correct all of the errors. There will be more than you have the time to deal with, and it can be very
discouraging for the students.
• Avoid negative expressions such as no, that’s not right, you made a mistake, or wrong.
• When you need to provide an accurate model, either say, “Listen,” and provide an accurate model, or
simply repeat the statement.
• Never interrupt and correct a student when he is expressing a thought. If you do, he will be reluctant to
try again.
• Review errors common to the class.
• Do not correct errors in a social setting. Even if the student says he wants you to correct his errors, don’t.
The classroom is the proper place for that.

Think it over
1. What is the benefit of guided practice to the student?
2. What are warm-up activities designed to do?
3. List the steps of introducing new vocabulary in the order you use them in a class.
4. Why do you repeat words and sentences so many times?
5. What error-correcting suggestions will be the easiest for you to follow?
6. Which error correcting behavior will be the most difficult to follow?
7. On a scale of 1 to 10, how well do you understand the necessity of each drill/activity explained in
this chapter?
Total Physical Response Repetition (word)
Repetition (sentence)
Substitution
Question and answer
Chain

7Chapter 7
Pronunciation
Teaching pronunciation
Elements involved in teaching
Using pronunciation techniques in your teaching session
The sounds of English

Teaching pronunciation
Look again at the sample lesson plans at the end of Chapter 5. You begin teaching pronunciation from
the beginning of your teaching session. In the Greeting, Scripture, and Prayer section, your students are
hearing you accurately model the rhythm, stress, and intonation of the language. When you present the
new vocabulary and sentences using the new vocabulary, you help your students practice hearing and saying
the words accurately. In Additional pronunciation practice, you will focus on areas of pronunciation that
are difficult for your students, but were not covered in the new vocabulary words you presented or in the
sentences used. The material in this chapter will present teaching techniques that can be used in the ESL
lesson plan to help your students be more clearly understood. It will also help them understand native
English speakers better.
There are two major forms of English pronunciation — North American English and British English. North
American English pronunciation differs from British English pronunciation. It uses different rhythm,
stress, and intonation patterns. Many students who have studied English overseas were taught British
pronunciation. Because of the differences, it is often difficult for native North American English speakers to
understand students speaking British English, and vice versa. Students who are seeking to live and work in
the United States or Canada need to learn North American English pronunciation.
Elements involved in teaching pronunciation
There are seven basic elements involved in teaching pronunciation:
1. How to produce individual English sounds
2. How to hear the difference between English sounds
3. Stress
4. Intonation
5. Rhythm
6. Phrasing
7. Reduced or relaxed speech
In the Additional pronunciation practice portion of your lesson, you will focus on only one or two of
these elements.
1. How to produce individual English sounds
While there are 26 letters in the English alphabet, there are approximately 50 different and distinct sounds
in English. Just as each language has its own vocabulary, every language has its own sound vocabulary. We
call our sounds vowels and consonants. There are some sounds that exist in English that don’t exist in other
languages, as there are sounds in other languages that don’t exist in English, so it is often necessary to teach
your students how to produce some of the individual sounds of English.
Note: Sounds of letters are represented with the letter between two slashes like this: /s/. Names of the letter
are represented by the letter alone, like this: s.

Pronunciation | 7
Basic factors involved in producing the sounds of English
Lip or jaw position
How the lips are shaped makes a difference in the sound produced.
Say the sound /s/, as in the first sound in the word see. Continue producing the sound. Now,
without stopping the breath flow, switch to the sound /sh/, as in the first sound of the word she.
Did you feel your lips move from a smile to a puckered position? Did you hear the sound change
when you changed your lip position?
How far apart your jaws are also influences the sound produced.
Put your hand under your chin. Say the long vowel sound /e/, as in the word beet. Continue making
the sound. Keep your hand under your chin and say the vowel sound /e/, as in the word bet.
Did you feel your jaw drop?
Tongue position
Where the tongue is placed and what part of the tongue is used makes a difference in how a sound
is produced.
The tip of the tongue is placed behind the teeth to produce the sound /t/, as in the first sound in the
word toe.
The tongue is placed between the front teeth to produce the sound /th/, as in the first sound in the
word though.
The tongue is arched and the middle of it is placed against the roof of the mouth to produce the
sound /k/, as in the first sound of the word kid.
Flow of air
English is a breathy language. Whether the flow of air is continuous or stopped makes a difference in how a
sound is produced.
Say the sound /f/, as in the first sound in the word food, and hold it. Feel the continuous flow of air
through the lips.
Say the sound /p/, as in the first sound in the word pay. Did you feel the explosion of air and the
sound stopping? You cannot hold the sound /p/ like you can the sound /f/ because the airflow ceases
once you make the sound.
Say the word see. Did you hear the continuation of the final vowel sound /e/? Say the word seat. Did
you hear the final sound stop?
Vocal Chords
Whether the vocal chords are used makes a difference in how a sound is produced.
Sounds that use the vocal chords are called voiced. All vowels and some consonants are voiced.
Put your fingertips on your throat and say the sound /b/, as in the first sound in the word bat. Did
you feel your vocal chords vibrate?
Sounds that don’t use the vocal chords are called voiceless.

Put your fingertips on your throat and say the sound /p/, as in the first sound of the word pat. There
was no vibration.
If you are not certain about the difference, say the sound /b/ and then the sound /p/ with your
fingers on your throat.
Helping your students produce the sounds
To help your students produce sounds of English that are difficult for them, you must demonstrate how to
make the sound. You will find descriptions of how to physically produce the sounds of English at the end of
this chapter. Several pronunciation texts also provide this information.
Have your students watch your mouth as you produce the sound. This is one time that you want to say the
sound slowly and exaggerate. However, you must return to normal conversational speed for later practice.
You can also have your students practice making the sound in front of a mirror. They should watch their lip
and jaw position so they can see themselves producing the sound.
2. How to hear the differences between English sounds
Listening exercises are important pronunciation exercises. You must be able to hear a sound before you can
produce it. If the English sound doesn’t exist in the student’s language, he or she will have difficulty hearing
it and will substitute the closest sound in their language. Practice in distinguishing one sound from another
is valuable pronunciation practice.
An exercise called minimal pairs is a good teaching tool. Minimal pair exercises compare two words where
the only difference between them is a single sound.
The sounds compared may come at the beginning of words — pet-bet, in the middle of words — staple-stable,
or at the end of words — tap-tab.
Note: When teaching minimal pair exercises, do not spend time defining words. Word comprehension is not
the objective in these exercises — hearing the sound is. Students must work hard at listening, not translating
words. If they ask for definitions, say you will explain them later.
Minimal pair exercises would be used in ESL lesson plan, Additional pronunciation practice section.
Four types of minimal pair exercises
Use the following sequence with each exercise.
1. Teacher writes the sample on the board and models pronunciation.
2. Teacher presents the example; students respond.
3. Students present the example; students respond.
Same or Different?
Write Same and Different on the board. Students will respond either orally or with written answers.
Same or Different
++ +O
bet-bet bet-pet

Pronunciation | 7
Teacher: bet-bet (Pointing to the same group) same
Teacher: bet-pet (Pointing to the different group) different
Students: (Listen)
Teacher: bet-pet — same or different?
Students: Same
Teacher: bet-pet — same or different?
Students: Different
Repeat process several times, mixing up the pairs.
Which is different? 1, 2, or 3?
Write three words on the board. Two are the same and one is the different word in the minimal pair.
Number the words. Students respond orally, hold up the proper number of fingers, or write their
answers — whichever the teacher has instructed.
Same Same Different
bet bet pet
1 2 3
Teacher: bet-bet (Point to the words while saying same)
Teacher: pet (Point to the words while saying different)
Teacher: bet-bet-pet. Which is different? 1, 2, or 3? Bet-bet-pet. 1, 2, or 3?
Students: 3
Teacher: pet-bet-bet. Which is different? 1, 2, or 3? Pet-bet-bet. 1, 2, or 3?
Students: 1
Repeat the process several times, mixing up which number is different.
How does it begin or end?
Write two sounds on the board. Example: /b/ or /p/. Beneath them, write a minimal pair that begins with
the sound and a word that ends with the sound. Students respond orally or write the answer. Repeat the
exercise with other minimal pairs that begin with b and p.
/b/ or /p/
bat pat
tab tap
Teacher: /b/ (Points to /b/)
Teacher: /p/ (Points to /p/ and repeats the groupings)
Students: (Listen)

Teacher: Pat.
Which sound does it begin with, /b/ or /p/? Pat. /b/ or /p/?
Students: /p/
Teacher: Bat.
Which sound does it begin with, /b/ or /p/? Bat. /b/ or /p/?
Students: /b/
Teacher: Tab.
Which sound does it end with, /b/ or /p/? Tab. /b/ or /p/?
Students: /b/
Teacher: Tap.
Which sound does it end with, /b/ or /p/? Tap. /b/ or /p/?
Students: /p/
Which did I say?
Write two minimal pair words on the board. Students respond orally or write the answer.
led or red
Teacher: Led. (Points to the word)
Teacher: Red. (Points to the word and repeats the groupings)
Students: (Listen)
Teacher: Led.
Teacher: Which did I say? Led or red? (Points to the words)
Students: Led.
Teacher: Red.
Teacher: Which did I say? Led or red? (Points to the words)
Students: Red.
More advanced students can do these types of exercises in pairs or small groups.
3. Stress
In English, individual syllables in a word and different words in a sentence are stressed to convey meaning
and importance. A stressed syllable or word in a sentence is louder, longer, and higher pitched than the other
syllables or words.
Stress in individual words
English words are divided into sound groups called syllables. Each syllable has one vowel sound. Each word
has one syllable that is stressed more than any other. Knowing where that stress comes is important both to
understanding and meaning.

Pronunciation | 7
Words such as conduct and suspect can be pronounced two different ways and have two different meanings.
The difference in pronunciation and meaning is determined by the stressed syllable.
To help your students see which syllable is stressed, you can write the word with the stressed syllable in
capital letters.
con-DUCT or CON-duct
SUS-pect or sus-PECT
Knowing how many syllables a word has and which one is stressed is important for accurate pronunciation.
A dictionary is a good tool to help students learn the number of syllables in a word and identify which
syllable receives stress.
Another technique to help your students determine the number of syllables in a word is for the teacher to say
the word slowly and have the students clap and count the sound units.
A good technique for helping students hear and pronounce all of the syllables in a word with several syllables
is called backward build-up. In this technique, the teacher pronounces the syllable and the students repeat it.
Then you add the preceding syllable, and the students repeat it. Then you add the preceding syllable, and the
students repeat. Continue the sequence until you have pronounced the whole word.
For example, if your students are having difficulty with the word trans-por-TA-tion, you model it from the
back forward.
Teacher: tion
Students: tion
Teacher: TA-tion
Students: TA-tion
Teacher: por-TA-tion Students: por-TA-tion
Teacher: trans-por-TA-tion Students: trans-por-TA-tion
Students can use their hands to help see and feel the syllables that are longer, louder and higher pitched. Put
the palms of both hands together in front of your chest. On the stressed syllable raise the hands above your
head and separate them to shoulder width apart.
Teacher: THIR-ty
(Exaggerate the first syllable by raising and separating your hands. Reduce the distance between the
hands on the second syllable.)
Teacher: Thir-TEEN
(Exaggerate the first syllable by raising and separating your hands. Reduce the distance between the
hands on the second syllable.)
Teacher: Thirty
Student: Thirty

Teacher: Thirteen
Student: Thirteen
Students also could stretch rubber bands hooked over their thumbs on the stressed syllable to help them feel
that the vowel sound is longer.
Stress in sentences
In English, not every word in a sentence gets equal stress.
We stress only the important content words — nouns, verbs (not forms of to be or the helping verbs),
adjectives, adverbs, and question words. Note the content words underlined in the following sentence:
My grandmother saw a crocodile.
The most important content word(s), called focal words, get the most stress. These are the words and
message that you wish to emphasize.
In each sentence below, the words ate, whole, and pie receive stress. But if the word whole is the focal word,
it will be louder, longer, and higher pitched than the other words in the sentence. Say it aloud and hear
the stress.
He ate the whole pie!
Note the stress words in the sentences below indicating focus and emphasis.
Was it the brown dog? No, it was the black dog.
Students can use their hands to feel where the stress comes in a sentence, as you did with the stressed syllable
in individual words.
Teacher: He ate the whole pie! (Stretch the rubber band as you say the word whole)
Students:(Stretch the rubber band as they say the word whole)
4. Intonation
Language changes pitch. It moves from low pitch to high pitch, or high pitch to low pitch. This changing of
pitch is called intonation. This is the fourth element of teaching pronunciation.
Intonation can convey meaning.
You can say the word “oh’ and convey several different meanings just by the intonation variation you use.
Try it. Say the word “oh” and use it to mean surprise, disgust, a question, and disappointment.
Intonation can tell you whether a sentence is a statement or a question.
For many questions there is a noticeable rising pitch at the end of the question.
Intonation conveys certainty or uncertainty.
Say the following sentence with certainty:
The capital of Kentucky is Frankfort.

Pronunciation | 7
Now say the sentence with uncertainty you’re not sure Frankfort is the right answer. Did you notice the
difference — the rising intonation at the end of this sentence, in comparison to the descending pitch at the
end of the first one?
Intonation conveys cooperativeness or the lack of it.
Say the following sentence in a cooperative way.
Sure, I will.
Now say it in a way that communicates lack of cooperativeness. Think about a reluctant teenager saying this.
Intonation conveys the feelings of the speaker.
Doubt, conviction, enthusiasm, reluctance and other emotions can be heard in how something is said. Say
the sentence below with great excitement and enthusiasm.
That’s great!
Now say it like what happened was not welcome and is going to cause a problem.
English sentences usually move in a descending stair-step pattern from higher pitch to lower pitch.
You can show intonation shifts by marking sentences to show where the pitch rises or falls.
You can use your hand to show the rise and fall of the pitch.
You can hum or use the sound oo to sing the intonation patterns so students can learn the common
intonation tunes.
Hum the following sentences:
I don’t know.
Hello, how are you? Fine, thank you. And you?

5. Rhythm
Rhythm is the beat of the language. Every language has its own rhythm. In North American English — more
than many other languages — accents tend to occur at regular intervals.
Look at these two sentences. The underlined syllables are accented or stressed. Clap on the underlined
syllable as you say the two sentences aloud — one immediately after the other. Keep the same rhythm or beat
for both sentences.
Yesterday was Wednesday; tomorrow’s Friday.
Yesterday was Wednesday; on Thursday I’ll go home.
Did you notice that in the last part of the second sentence you got more sounds in between the beats, but
you kept a steady beat?
You just said those words faster and gave them less stress or accent. As a native North American English
speaker, you wanted and expected the accents to come at regular intervals and you sped up or slowed down
to accommodate that.
Have you noticed that nonnative English speakers usually sing English better than they speak it? The reason
is that the music provides the rhythm, stress, and intonation patterns for the singer. The words come out the
way we are expecting to hear them. When nonnative English speakers create sentences on their own, they
have to supply the rhythm, stress, and intonation patterns.
Jazz chants
Jazz chants are fun exercises that can help your students practice rhythm, stress, intonation, and phrasing.
Jazz chants are structured dialogues that use rhythmic clapping, snapping of fingers, or taped
accompaniment music. Carolyn Graham is the leading proponent and author of jazz chant resource books.
However, you can write your own.
Here is a simple example:
A B
Hello, how are you? Fine, thank you, and you?
I’m fine. That’s good.
Gotta go. See ya.
Bye. Bye.
How to teach a jazz chant
Note: If you have musical accompaniment, have your students listen to the chant first, and then teach them
the text. Then use the text with the accompaniment.
1. Print the jazz chant in 2 columns — one headed A, the other B.
2. Make two cards — one with A, one with B. Use these to indicate which group is to speak.
3. Display the jazz chant.

Pronunciation | 7
4. Have students begin to tap a steady rhythm.
5. Cover all but the first phrase under Column A. The teacher models the first phrase of column A several
times while students tap the rhythm.
6. Students continue to tap the rhythm. The teacher models the phrase and all the students respond.
7. The teacher divides the group in two. Designate A by holding up the card. Designate B by holding up
the card.
8. Students continue to tap the rhythm. Group A models the phrase. Group B models the phrase.
9.Students stop tapping the rhythm. The teacher models the phrase and the whole group responds. The
teacher models the phrase and indicates that Group A responds.
10. The teacher models the phrase and indicates that Group B responds. The teacher models the phrase and
indicates that the whole group responds.
11. Go to column B, first phrase. Repeat the procedure.
12. Teach the remaining phrases using this procedure.
After the group has practiced the jazz chant with the rhythmic clapping or music, the students need to
practice the dialogue without the supplied rhythm.
6. Phrasing
We speak English in thought groups and phrases; we don’t say each word one at a time. We blend words
together to form thought groups — saying them as if they were a single word. Then we pause at the end,
before we begin the next phrase or thought group.
Read the following passage aloud. Notice how you blend words together to form a thought group — say
them without a breath or pause between them. Notice when you do pause. Sentence punctuation helps
identify where the pauses and thought groups are.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside
the still waters. He restores my soul. Psalm 23:1-3, NKJV
If each word is given equal stress and we don’t hear the accents at the intervals we expect or the thought
groups clearly delineated, it can be difficult for native English speakers to understand what is being said.
To help your higher lever students learn to phrase properly:
1. Help your students learn to identify and draw lines between thought groups.
2. Have students underline content words and focal words within thought groups.
3. Help your students see where words are blended and linked within the thought groups and, thus,
pronounced differently than they would be if they were said individually.
Say the word it.
Say the word had.
Now say, I had it.

Did you notice that you didn’t say, I had it. You blended, linked, two words and said, I hadit.
Several pronunciation texts and resources describe the rules and techniques for linking words.
4. Have your students practice reading passages with the proper phrasing and pauses.
7. Reduced or relaxed speech
Native North American English speakers do not clearly enunciate each word in a sentence, except for
instances where we are trying to make special emphasis.
We don’t usually say: He is here.
We say, He’z here.
We don’t say, What are you doing?
We say, Whaddaya doin’? Or Whattcha doin’?
This is called reduced or relaxed speech. ESL students need to learn to understand this form of
pronunciation — even if they don’t use it themselves. This is what they will hear spoken outside of the
classroom.
When you teach basic sentence patterns, teach your students to pronounce them in relaxed or reduced
speech. This way they will sound more fluent to a native North American English speaker.
Using pronunciation techniques in your teaching session
In the Introducing new vocabulary portion of your lesson, demonstrate clear pronunciation of new
vocabulary words.
In the Using new vocabulary in sentences portion of your lesson, demonstrate accurate, consistent rhythm,
stress, and intonation patterns. Use your hand to show whether the pitch is rising or falling if your students
aren’t clear.
In the Additional pronunciation practice portion of your lesson, notice that the pronunciation section of the
basic lesson plan lists the time as only five to ten minutes. The higher the language level of your students, the
longer you can spend focusing specifically on pronunciation.
Speaking a language is a physical skill. You use the muscles in your face, your lips and tongue, and your
breath to produce the sounds, words, and sentences. It is a physical strain when you are asked to use your
muscles in ways they aren’t accustomed to being used. Your students can endure only so much.
Vary the activities you use in this section. You can select from those suggested below and mentioned in this
chapter, or use activities that you find useful in your ESL or pronunciation text. Remember to watch your
time — five to ten minutes.
Have your students practice hearing the difference between English sounds that are difficult with minimal
pair exercises.

Pronunciation | 7
Demonstrate sounds that are difficult for your students and have them practice producing the sound.
Practice counting syllables in words and identifying the stressed syllables.
Practice pronouncing vocabulary words from previous lessons that were difficult for your students.
Use jazz chants to practice rhythm, stress, and intonation.
For higher level students, mark the intonation rise and fall in written sentences. Then practice saying them.
For higher level students, do the phrasing exercises described under 6. Phrasing in this chapter.
The sounds of English
The four factors in the production of a speech sound are:
1. Lip (or jaw) position
2. Tongue position
3. Flow of air
4. Vocal cords
The basic difference in sound between vowels and consonants is that vowels are singing sounds. Air flows
freely through the speech mechanism with the vocal cords vibrating. The different sounds are made by the
movement of the jaw and tongue.
Consonant sounds, with one exception, are made with a stopping or blocking of air at some point with
the lips, the teeth, or the tongue. The air is voiced or unvoiced. The exception is the sound /h/, which is
unvoiced air flowing freely without a stop.
The following six pages are taken from the Handbook for Literacy Missions, written by Mildred Blankenship
and Ruth Wagner Miller (Home Mission Board, 1986). The sounds on the following chart are presented
according to how they are formed in the mouth.

Unvoiced
h
Part the lips and breathe out with
a sigh.
Say: hand, hit, hot, hold, ham.
wh
Round the lips as if t blow out a
candle. Blow.
Say: whistle, when, which, wheel.
p
Lips together, blow them open
with a puff of air.
Say: pan, pet, pill, pot, lip.
t
Touch the tongue to the gum
ridge between the upper teeth.
Lips and teeth parted slightly,
let breath blow the tongue tip
downward.
Say: tent, tan, ton, tug, sit.
Voiced
w
Round the lips as if to blow out a
candle. Hum as you blow.
Say: wide, web, will, wood, wag.
b
Lips together, hum as you blow
lips open.
Say: bird, bed, bill, bond, grab.
d
With the tongue touching the
gum ridge behind the teeth,
lips, and teeth slightly parted,
hum as breath blows the tongue
downward.
Say: dish, dad, dig, dull, doll.
Nasal
m
Lips together as for P and B. Hold
the lips together as air is forced
through the nose with a hum.
Say: mat, met, miss, moss, him.
n
With the tongue touching the
gum ridge behind the teeth, lips
and teeth slightly parted, keeping
tongue up, force voiced air
through the nose.
Say: neck, nap, nose, nut, tan.
l
With the tongue tip on the gum
ridge as with T and D, keep the
tongue up and let the breath flow
around the sides of the tongue as
you hum.
Say: lag, log, live, let, lull.
r
Shift the tongue back slightly
from the position for IV, with the
tip curling upward, sides touching
the upper teeth. Make the sound
in the throat. The air comes along
the roof of the mouth over the tip
of the tongue.
Say: river, road, rat, run, rot.

Pronunciation | 7
Unvoiced
k
Tap the back of the tongue
quickly against the soft palate as
you send your breath out. Say:
kick, cake, cup, key, kite.
Note: ca, co, cu, ck = the sound /k/
f
With the lower lip against the
upper teeth, blow out gently. Say:
fish, fan, fog, fed, puff.
Note: Sometimes ph makes this
sound as in: phone, Phillip, phase.
th1
Hold the tongue tip lightly
between the upper and lower
teeth. Blow gently.
Say: thank, think, thin, mouth,
teeth, with.
s
Hold the teeth together with
the tip of the tongue up but not
touching the gum ridge. Blow
air past the tongue with a hissing
sound.
Say: snake, sits, sass, set, city, cell.
Note: ce, ci, cy = the sound /s/
Voiced
g
Tap the back of the tongue
quickly against the soft palate as
before. Hum as you send your
breath out.
Say: girl, gate, gun, go, hug.
v
With the lower lip against the
upper teeth, blow gently while
humming.
Say: valley, very, vine, five.
th2
With the tongue in the same
position as for the voiceless /th/,
hum as you blow air out.
Say: this, then, there, weather,
teethe.
z
Hold the teeth together with
the tip of the tongue up but not
touching the gum ridge. Hum
as you blow air past the tongue.
Sometimes S makes this sound.
Say: zipper, zoo, zebra, buzz, bees,
nose, is.
Nasal
ng
Make the back of the tongue
touch the soft palate. Force air
through the nose. Make the sound
in the nose.
Say: ring, sing, clang, think,
drink.

Unvoiced
sh
Push the lips forward. Lift the tongue slightly
without touching the roof of the mouth. Blow.
Say: shop, shell, she, fish, dish, ash.
ch
Slide the sound of /t/ and the sound of /sh/ together.
Say: Children, church, chop, check, each, search.
x
Use your breath. Say the sounds of /k/ and /s/
together.
Say: box, tax, six, fox, socks, locks, picks.
Voiced
zh
Push the lips forward, and lift the tongue slightly
without touching the roof of the mouth. Blow out
the air with a hum.
Say: pleasure, measure, usual.
j
Place the tongue tip on the gum ridge. As the tongue
drops the sound, /d/ glides into a voiced /z/.
Say: jump, jar, jam, jig, jack.
Note: Sometimes this sound is spelled /ge/ as in gem, /gi/
as in gin, and /dge/ as in edge.
y
Place the tongue against the teeth at the top of the
mouth so that it is flat on each side. Pass voiced air
over the tongue. Sometimes it has the sound of /e/ as
in we.
Say: yells, yet, yam, yes, ear, year, east, yeast.
qu
Sound /k/ and /w/ close together. English always
uses a q with a u.
Say: quarter, quick, queen, quilt, quack.

Pronunciation | 7
Vowels
All vowels are singing sounds. They have voice. The movement of the jaw changes the position of the tongue.
The movement of the tongue and jaw make the difference in the vowel sounds.
The vowel sounds in these words are similar to sounds that occur in many languages: he, hay, hod, hoe,
hue. They are longer in English. They are more like diphthongs. A diphthong is two vowel sounds coming
together to make a compound sound.
The three basic diphthongs in English are
i I, file, tie, die , my, cry
ou, ow how, now, brown, cow, house
io, ou toy, boy, joy, oil, voice
North American English as 11 basic vowel sounds.
Short Vowels
a
The jaw is somewhat lowered. The tongue is down in front.
Say these words: apple, at, bat, as, map, mat.
e
The lips and teeth are apart. The tongue and jaw are lowered halfway.
Say: egg, elm, let, wet, leg, mesh.
Sometimes ea will make the short sound of e.
Say: read, bread, dead, head, tread.
i
The teeth are about a half-inch apart. The tongue is high and relaxed.
Say: in, it, sit, with, fish.
Y sometimes takes the /i/ sound. Usually this is when y occurs at the end of a word of more than one
syllable.
Say: baby, daddy, funny, family.
o
The jaws are wide open. The tongue is down.
Say: olive, odd, top, fog, hot, cot.
u
The jaws are open halfway, the lips relaxed, and the tongue down.
Say: up, cup, must, jug, hub, hut.

Note: Unaccented vowels may take this sound.
Say: alone, above, responsibility, this is a bird.
Long Vowels
Usually when a vowel is followed by a consonant in a short word or in a syllable, the vowel sound is short.
When a vowel sound is long, usually one of three factors is present.
1. The vowel is at the end of a short word or accented syllable.
Say: se´cret, li´lac, ba´by, we, go.
2. The e at the end of the word is silent but makes the vowel before it say its name.
3. Two vowels are side by side in the word. The first usually will say the name of the vowel and the second
will be silent.
Say: pail, day, eat, coat, pie.
a
The jaws are open about a half inch. The tongue is down.
Say: baby, cake, nail, day.
e
The lips are drawn back and the jaw is dropped slightly so that the teeth are apart. The tongue is raised
midway.
Say: see, tree, eat, seat, me, we.
i
I is a diphthong — that is, two vowels are sounded together to make a compound sound. The jaw moves in
producing this sound. Start with the jaw open wide for the /a/ sound, and close part way for the /i/ sound.
Say: bi´cycle, i´dea, like, vine.
Note: -igh in a word also says /ai/.
Say: high, light, sight, sigh.
y sometimes takes the /ai/ sound, as well.
Say: cry, my, fry, spy, why.
o
The lips are rounded. The jaw is dropped about one inch. The tongue is down.
Say: go, so, hope, rope, coat, road, blow, snow, throw.
Note: the w in blow, snow, and throw is equal to u, and follows the rule of two sounds side by side; the first
says its name and the second is silent.

Pronunciation | 7
u
To say the name of the letter u, saying the sound of y is necessary. The jaw is slightly lowered, and the lips are
in a smiling position and move to a whistling position. The tongue is down.
Say: cube, fuse, hue, few, pew.
Note: ew sometimes makes the sound of a long u. The w takes the vowel form of u saying its name. This
is silent.
oo
The lips are in a whistle position. The tongue is in the middle position.
Say: too, zoo, moon, boot, blew, crew.
Note: in some words ew has the sound /u/.
oo
The lips are in a whistle position. The tongue is down.
Say: book, foot, wool, look, stood.
aw
The jaw is down and the lips are rounded. The tongue is in the middle-back position.
Say: saw, jaw, crawl, haul, fault, all, call, or, for, horn.
Note: this sound is written aw, au, al, and o(r).
oi
This is one of the three basic diphthongs. The jaw is dropped, and the lips are rounded and drawn to a smile
position, while the jaw is closed slightly.
Say: joy, boy, boil, join, voice.
ou, ow
A diphthong. The jaw is down and moves up to a whistle position.
Say: how, now, frown, bout, house, loud.
ur, er, ir
Some linguists use as many as four different symbols for this sound. To simplify, combine the sounds of /u/
and /r/.
Say: bird, sir, irk, fur, curl, urn, her, fern, verb.
a(r)
This is a combination of sounds — as if saying the name of the letter r. These letters and or, er, ir, ur have
been called murmuring vowels. A murmuring vowel is a vowel followed by r and changed by it. (These
letters are also known as r-controlled vowels.) This is not true if the r is followed by another vowel sound as
in very.
Say: arm, car, star, harsh, mark.

Think it over
1. What would the student miss if you did not include pronunciation activities in your lesson plan?
2 Why does teaching pronunciation have to be intentional?
3. Look at the seven basic elements involved in teaching pronunciation found at the beginning of the
chapter. Which one do you believe will be the easiest to teach? Why?
4. Which of the seven basic elements involved in teaching pronunciation will be the most challenging for
you to teach? Why?
5. What is the purpose of minimal pairs?
6. When is backward build-up used?
7. What does stress in a sentence do for the listener?
8. What does intonation do?
9. Why are jazz chants a good way to teach rhythm?
10. Why is teaching phrasing important?
11. Give an example of relaxed or reduced speech you use regularly.

8Chapter 8
Communication Practice Activities
What are communication practice activities?
What are the roles of the teacher and students?
Ten basic types of communication practice activities
Communication Practice Activity Sampler

What are communication practice activities?
Communication practice activities — sometimes called communicative practice activities — are structured
activities that provide a framework for the student to practice the new vocabulary in context.
The goal of language teaching is that the student be able to generate English language sentences on his or her
own. Memorizing vocabulary words and prepared dialogues will not accomplish this. Those activities provide
a foundation upon which to build, but the student must have the opportunity in class to practice creating
sentences within context.
Communication practice activities should be designed to help the students use the new vocabulary that
has been introduced and practiced in the guided practice section of the lesson. However, unlike the guided
practice activities, the student responses are spontaneous and unstructured.
Use more than one type of communication practice activity during each class. Write the activities in detail
on the lesson plan under Communication practice activities.
What are the roles of the teacher and students?
The role of the teacher in communication practice activities is different than his or her role in guided
practice activities.
In guided practice activities, the teacher models the material and the students respond with set, structured
responses. The teacher provides correction by accurately modeling the material again.
In communication practice activities, the teacher:
• Demonstrates the activity so the students understand what to do.
• Circulates among the groups while the students are doing the activity, verifying that the students
understand the task and are using English.
• Does not correct errors during the activities because it discourages the student from speaking. Complete
accuracy is not the main objective — generating meaning in English is.
While doing communication practice activities, the students generally work in pairs or groups of three or
four. Groups should not have more than five students. This increases the amount of time a student can speak
English. Working with a partner or small group, the students relax more, are less afraid to speak, and are not
so embarrassed when they make mistakes.
During the communication practice activities section of your lesson, each student should have the
opportunity to interact with as many other students as possible. This increases interest and participation by
the students, provides variety, and reduces the possibility that one person will dominate all of the interaction.
Students should not be assigned to one pair or one group for the entire 40 minutes of communication
practice activities.
You don’t have to change activities to change the arrangement of students. You can rearrange them and do
the same activity with a new mix of students.

Communication Practice Activities | 8
Ways to arrange and re-arrange students for
communication practice
Use your imagination to create other variations.
Work as individuals and interact with the group as a whole
Find a partner
The students have pictures, words, or phrases and must find their match/partner by asking questions.
• Animal names or pictures (cat/kitten, dog/puppy, lion/picture of lion)
• City, state, or country (Denver/Colorado, Alberta/Canada)
• Phrases or sentences (The Empire State Building/is in New York City)
Interviews
Interview every class member to discover specific information. Sample topics are below.
• Where were you born?
• How many brothers and sisters do you have?
• When did you move to the United States?
Work as pairs
Partners
Do the assigned activity with one partner. Change partners and do the same activity with a different partner.
Lines
Place the students in two equal lines, facing each other. Do the assigned activity with the person you are
facing. While one line remains in place, the second line shifts one person to the right. The person on the
right end moves to the left end of the line. Do the same activity with the person who is now across from you.
Continue until the person across from you is the one with whom you started.
Concentric circles
A variation of the lines activity is done by placing students in facing circles. One circle moves, and the other
remains in place.
Groups of four
Combined pairs 1
Combine pairs to compare the results of their assignment.
Combined pairs 2
Assign each pair half of an assignment, Part A or Part B. Combine each Part A pair with a Part B pair to
share information.

One through four
Number individuals in the group one through four. Assign pairings to make sure each person interacts with
the others: one and two, three and four, one and four, two and three, one and three, two and four.
Rearrange group so students with the number one are together, number twos are together, etc. Make sure
that you have no more than five students per group. Do the same activity or report the results from the
first group.
Ten basic types of communication practice activities
There are many varieties of communication practice activities. You will find them in your ESL text and
resource books. Many of the resource books have reproducible activity sheets that you can use with your
students. An Internet search for “ESL communication practice activities” may yield resources.
You will find several specific communication practice activities listed in the Communication Practice Activity
Sampler later in this chapter.
Here are brief descriptions of ten basic types of communication practice activities. The first seven can be
used with beginner, intermediate, and advanced students. The last three can be used with intermediate and
advanced level students.
Each of the activities can be adjusted to the language level of your class. Each of the activities can be used
with multilevel classes, permitting the students to participate in the activities together, while using their own
language skill level.
Remember that the activities you choose should create opportunities to use the new vocabulary presented in your
lesson. Do not choose an activity or vocabulary unrelated to what you have presented during your lesson.
1. Role Play
This is one of the simplest and most versatile communication practice activities. The teacher places his or her
students in pairs.
He or she assigns a different role to each partner — for example, store clerk and customer asking for
specific clothing, public school teacher and parent, etc. For lower level students, having a sign to show each
role — for example, one sign says clerk, the other says customer — may help. The teacher models the activity
with one or two of the students to verify everyone knows what to do. The students do the activity and then
switch roles. You can vary the activity by changing partners.
2. Games
Games are wonderful teaching activities. They provide challenge, competition, and are fun. There are many
different games that you can use — 20 questions, Bingo, concentration, card games, board games, etc.
Select games that require the students to speak and interact verbally.
There are many ESL game resource books.

3. Interviews
Finding out information about class members is a good conversation activity. It helps students practice
asking and answering questions. It gives them the opportunity to talk about themselves and what they feel
or believe.
The questions may be factual:
• What is your name?
• What is your address?
• What is your phone number?
• Where were you born?
• When did you come to the United States?
They may be opinions:
• What was the best part of your day yesterday?
• What would you like to do tomorrow?
• Would you like to go to New York City on a vacation? Why?
4. Information Gap
In an information gap activity, pairs have handouts that have similar information on them, but each
handout is missing a portion of the information. Students take turns asking their partner questions to get the
information that they are missing.
A sample information gap exercise follows. One partner has the top half, A, and the other has the bottom
half, B.
You can make your own information gap exercise with information relating to your vocabulary and topic.
You may copy, with permission, information gap exercises that are part of your ESL text or supplementary
teaching resources.
Information gap exercise sample
Job Openings A (Take turns asking your partner for the missing information.)
Job Hourly Wage Hours
Security guard ______________ 11:00 p.m.–7:00 a.m.
Teller $12.00 per hour _________________
Receptionist ______________ 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Salesperson $9.00 _________________
Computer programmer ______________ 7:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Accountant $20.00 _________________

Job Openings B (Take turns asking your partner for the missing information.)
Job Hourly Wage Hours
Security guard $23.00 per hour ________________
Teller _____________ 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Receptionist $15.00 ________________
Salesperson _____________ 3:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.
Computer programmer $30.00 ________________
Accountant _____________ 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
5. Describing and discussing pictures
Pictures make a wonderful springboard for discussion.
The most effective pictures:
• Tell a story
• Show action
• Show people doing things
• Show culture and cultural differences
• Have no text — or very little
• Can be used in more than one way
• Are large enough to be easily seen
You can collect pictures from magazines, advertisements, catalogues, and books. Putting the pictures in sheet
protectors or laminating them will help preserve them as long-term resources.
Activities you can do with pictures include these:
• Each group member names one thing he sees
• Each group member names one thing that happened in the picture
• Each group member predicts one thing that will happen
• Use the picture as a springboard to discuss the type of situation shown in the pictures. Students could
describe people in a wedding picture. They could describe and talk about their own wedding or that of a
friend or sibling. Students can compare wedding customs in their country and North America.
• Compare pictures. Many resources include pictures that are very similar, but have six to eight differences
that you must find and identify. You can also compare pictures with similar subject matter. For example,
three pictures of recreational activities, four pictures of families, etc.
More suggestions for using pictures can be found in the Communication Practice Activities Sampler at the
end of this chapter.

6. Storytelling
Listening to, watching, or creating stories and retelling them, provide a broad variety of ways to encourage
students to generate language.
In this activity the goal isn’t for the student to repeat the story word for word. Rather, they use the language
they know to tell as much of the story as they can.
With beginning students the story needs to be short and use simple, subject-verb-object sentences.
With intermediate and more advanced students, the story may be longer and use more complex language.
Add on stories are fun. The teacher gives a title. One student begins the story with one sentence. The next
student repeats the first sentence and adds another. This continues until the story is finished. The story
should have at least six to eight sentences.
7. Lipson Method
This teaching technique combines pictures and storytelling.
Basic process overview:
• Write a story in simple, subject-verb-object sentences
• Make simple line drawings to illustrate the main points of the story
• As you tell the story, have the students repeat each sentence
• Point to the pictures to help the student learn, remember, and retell the story
• As you tell the story, ask questions about the sentences you use to tell the story
Teacher: A man had two sons.
Students: A man had two sons.
Teacher: Who had two sons?
Students: A man had two sons.
Teacher: How many sons did the man have?
Students: The man had two sons.
• Ask the students to retell the story. Prompt them by pointing to the picture if they hesitate
• Use the story’s situation as a springboard for discussion
What do you think will happen next?
What should the father do?
Did you always obey your father?
What happened when you didn’t obey your father?
Do your children always obey you?
What is the best way to discipline children?

Sample Lipson story based on Matthew 21:28-31
1. A father had two sons. (Who, how many)
2. He told the oldest son, “Go work in the garden.” (Who, what, where)
3. The son said, “No.” (What)
4. But, later, he did go to work. (Who, what, when)
5. He told the youngest son, “Go work in the garden.” (Who, what, where)
6. The son said, “Yes.” (Who, what)
7. But later, he did not go to work. (Who, what, when)
The ✘ in the box in the upper right corner of the picture of the son hoeing in the garden means did not.
The ✔ means did.
8. Discussion
Assign a topic or specific questions for discussion. Your ESL text books and other resource books provide
many possibilities. Here is an example:
Assign each group one proverb.
• The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.
• You reap what you sow.
• A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
• Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
Discuss the proverb.
• What do you think it means?
• What cultural values does it represent?

• Create a situation where you would use this proverb in conversation.
• Is there a proverb in your country that means the same or something similar? If yes, what is it? If no, tell
any proverb and what it means.
9. Debate
Presenting different viewpoints is a good way to develop the use of persuasive language.
The topic you select should not be a highly controversial one, such as current political issues or religious
issues. Possible topics might be these:
• Is it worth it to recycle?
• Is it important for people to always be honest?
• Should you limit the amount of television your children watch?
Assign small groups one side of the presentation. Let them work together to prepare the presentation. Then,
mix the groups and let them present their sides of the issue.
10. Problem solving
This is sometimes referred to as choosing a course of action. Small groups are given a problem and must
come up with a solution.
• A friend of yours has just come to the United States. Make a list of four problems he will face and suggest
how he can solve those problems.
• Your house is on fire. You have time only to take five things with you before the house burns down. What
five things should you take?
Mix the groups and let them share the list their group created.
Communication Practice Activity Sampler
The following list of communication practice activities offers a variety of ideas for beginner to advanced
students. Ideas must always be adapted to suit students’ speaking abilities and needs. These are just
ideas — springboards to creativity. Some are listed as advanced activities, but with adaptation they could
possibly be used with lower levels.
1. Pantomime
Level: Beginner — pairs, small groups, whole class
Material: pencils and paper
Procedure: Ask a student to draw a picture and pantomime the action, such as sweeping or crying. The class
should guess the action. Pantomime is good practice for vocabulary.
2. Describe a picture
Level: Beginner — pairs, small groups
Materials: pictures with action and/or story
Procedure: Show a picture that has a story or lots of activity. Let each student describe the picture. A more

challenging activity is to show the picture, then remove it from view and ask students to describe what they
remember about it. Then look at the picture again and describe what they forgot.
3. Where do I put it?
Level: Beginner — small groups, whole class
Materials: pencils and paper with grids (grids may be already printed on paper or drawn by students)
Procedure: Give each student a grid divided into 6, 9, or 12 sections with instructions to place, or draw,
a small picture, letter, or number in one of the sections — for example, top right section. This activity is
effective for reviewing new words and learning directions.
4. Add-on
Level: Beginner — small groups
Materials: none
Procedure: The teacher models the procedure. A sample sentence pattern should be written on the board.
Student 1: I’m going to the store to buy a dress.
Student 2: I’m going to the store to buy a dress and a coat.
Student 3: I’m going to the store to buy a dress, a coat, and a blouse.
Give each student an opportunity to add on. Then start again by saying, “I’m going to the store to buy a
blue dress.”
5. Take a walk
Level: Beginner — small groups, whole class
Materials: none
Procedure: Go for a walk and let the students describe the surroundings.
6. Make a sentence and ask a question
Level: Beginner — pairs
Materials: index cards
Procedure: Sample sentence pattern should be written on the board. Make two sets of index cards — one for
the first blank in the sentence and one for the second blank in the sentence. Student A draws one word from
each pile and makes a sentence following the sentence pattern on the board. Student B asks a question that
can be answered by the sentence Student A created.
Example:
Sentence pattern: personal pronouns, locations
________ is at the________.
Student A draws the words he and school. He creates the sentence, He is at the school.”
Student B says, Where is he? or Who is at the school?

Here are a few possibilities:
• Occupations
• Community locations
• Pronouns (possessive/personal)
• Prepositions of place
• Question words (can work in pairs for scoring)
• Clothing
• Food
• Verbs
• Color
Sample sentence patterns:
Pronouns or name and verbs
________ is ________
________ likes to ________.
Food, clothes, personal pronouns, and prepositions of place (on, in, etc.)
________ is ________ the table.
Clothes and possessive pronouns (mine, his, hers, etc.)
That ________ is ________.
Personal pronoun, color, and clothes
________ am wearing a ________.
7. House furnishings and prepositions of location
Level: Beginner — pairs
Materials: pictures of a room — two pictures alike for each pair of students
Procedure: One student asks where questions — ”Where is the lamp? Where is the pillow?” The other
student answers, using appropriate prepositions of location — on, next to, under, between, etc.
8. True or false?
Level: Beginner — pairs, small groups, whole class
Materials: assorted pictures
Procedure: Select one picture and make statements about it. Students indicate whether the statements are
true or false.
Variation: Ask yes and no questions instead of true or false. For example: Is the ball blue?

9. Draw and describe your neighborhood
Level: Beginner and low intermediate — small groups
Materials: pencil and paper
Procedure: Ask each student to draw his or her neighborhood. They should draw their homes, nearby shops
and houses, and stick figures to represent neighbors. Draw your neighborhood to demonstrate what they
should do.
After students sketch their neighborhoods, ask students to describe the people and places.
10. Use the telephone
Level: Beginner and low intermediate — pairs
Materials: none
Procedure: Model and practice several common sentences associated with the intended phone call. Students
should practice asking their partner to repeat a sentence or speak more slowly, if necessary. Students should
sit back-to-back.
Some possible phone call conversations:
• Take a message for your husband or wife
• Check on a bus, airline, or movie schedule
• Excuse yourself for dialing a wrong number
• Plan to meet a friend for lunch or invite a friend to dinner
• Call a doctor’s or teacher’s office and make an appointment
• Call your teacher and report that you will be absent from class
• Order food to be delivered
• Report a fire or auto accident
11. How did you feel?
Level: High beginner through advanced — pairs, small groups
Materials: pictures depicting various emotions
Procedure: Divide students into groups of three or four. Give each group pictures of people expressing
emotions. Have students in each group select a picture and describe to the other group members a time
when they experienced that emotion.
12. What are they saying?
Level: High beginner and intermediate — pairs
Materials: one picture of people conversing — one per pair
Procedure: Each pair creates a dialog that is related to the action or event illustrated in the picture. Combine
pairs and they share the dialog they created.

13. Introduce yourself
Level: High beginner, intermediate, and advanced — pairs
Materials: none
Procedure: Have students introduce themselves by telling where they were and what they were doing in a
specific month or year.
14. Introduce your classmate
Level: High beginner, intermediate, and advanced — pairs
Material: none
Procedure: Group students in pairs. Instruct them to get to know their partner’s names, countries, favorite
foods, interesting things about their families, favorite sports, or hobbies. Combine pairs and ask each student
to introduce his or her partner.
15. We’re in order
Level: High beginner, intermediate, and advanced — small groups, whole class
Materials: none
Procedure: Have the class, or teams, line up alphabetically in order of last names, or native countries, months
in which they were born, or chronologically in order of birthdays or years in the United States. After they
line up, instruct them to tell their names, countries, etc.
16. In the United States/Canada
Level: High beginner, intermediate, and advanced — small groups, whole class
Materials: map of the United States/Canada
Procedure: Show a map of the United States. Review the names of each state. Ask students to tell which
states they would like to visit or have visited and why.
17. Create a story
Level: High beginner through advanced — pairs, small groups
Materials: different colored index cards or paper and pencils
Procedure: Give students four different colored index cards. Tell students to write a noun on one color paper,
verb on another, adjective on another, and an adverb on the last. Tell them which color is for which word.
Make a pile of each color with words face down. Let each student take one of each color and create a story
using the words.

18. What’s in a bag?
Level: High beginner and intermediate — small groups, whole class
Materials: bag, items to place in the bag
Procedure: Place an item in a bag. Let students ask one question at a time to guess what it is. Questions may
be answered only with yes or no.
Variation: instead of using an item, a student could draw a picture of an object and have others guess what
it is.
19. Twenty questions
Level: Beginner and intermediate — pairs
Materials: pairs of pictures of different animals, or two pictures from any same category
Procedure: Students work in pairs without showing each other their pictures. Students take turns asking yes
and no questions, and guessing what is in their partner’s picture.
20. Who has my match?
Level: Beginner and intermediate — whole class
Materials: pairs of pictures that are not identical but have some similarities
Procedure: Give each student a picture. Students walk about to locate another person who has a picture that
is similar to their own. Students discuss what their pictures have in common.
21. Storytelling
Level: Low intermediate and advanced — small groups
Materials: list of vocabulary words on the board
Procedure: Read or tell a short — 20 to 25 sentences — folk or fairy tale. Write the basic words of the story
on the board. Have individual students retell the story to their group. Tell each group to rewrite or retell the
story using modern examples and situations. Combine groups and let them tell their modern version.
22. Shuffled comics
Level: Intermediate and advanced — pairs, small groups
Materials: comic strips cut into individual panels and pasted on index cards
Procedure: Cut a comic strip from Sunday’s newspaper for each student. Be sure the language in the comic
strip is geared to your students’ level and doesn’t contain excessive slang. Cut each frame from the strip and
glue to a 3 x 5 card. Shuffle the cards, and instruct students to place frames in the correct order. After the
strip is in order, tell the comic strip story. Have others ask questions about each frame.

23. My roles in life
Procedure: Tell students to make a list of the different roles they play in life, such as son, daughter, sister,
brother, student, worker, father, and mother. After they make their lists, ask them to name their three most
important roles and why they are most important.
24. Famous names
Level: Intermediate — whole class
Materials: the names of famous people written on cards or paper and pins or tape
Procedure: Pin or tape the name of a famous person — preferably famous now — on the back of each
student. Instruct students to ask questions about each person’s identity that can be answered with only
yes or no.
25. Conversation between famous pairs
Level: High intermediate and advanced — pairs
Materials: index cards with two famous people listed on each card
Procedure: Group students in pairs. Give each pair the card with two famous people listed on the card.
Instruct them to create a dialogue that gradually reveals specific clues to the identities. Have each pair
present its dialogue to another pair and have them guess their identities.
26. Memories
Materials: objects to share memories about
Procedure: Show the students an object — such as a flower or toy — and have them share the memories
that the object evokes. Example: When I see a flower, it reminds me of my great-grandmother who loved to
grow flowers.
27. Values?
Level: High intermediate and advanced — pairs, small groups
Materials: a list of 1-15 values arranged in alphabetical order, pencil, and paper
Procedure: Give a copy to each student. Ask students to rank the values in order of importance to them.
After they have ranked their values, have them tell their top three values and why they are important
to them.

28. My choice
Level: Advanced — pairs, small groups
Materials: question(s) written on board
Procedure: Write one of the following questions on the board. Have students give and discuss their answers.
Suggested questions:
• If you could spend one whole day with your best friend, who would it be and what would you do?
• Which of your senses — sight, sound, taste, smell, touch — would you hate most to lose and why?
• What have you done in the past three months that made you feel proud?
• When do you feel most peaceful?
• If you had only two weeks to live, what would you do?
29. Agreeing/disagreeing
Materials: quotation written on the board
Procedure: Write a quotation on the board. Tell students to decide whether they agree or disagree, and
tell why.
30. Only 20 words spoken here
Procedure: Tell students you are an ESL teacher going to a remote area of the world to teach English. You
have only a short time to do this and have decided to teach only 20 words of English. Ask the students to
write down the 20 words they think you should teach. Remind them that if a person from that remote area
came to the United States, these would be the only 20 words he or she could use to communicate. Allow
students 5 to 10 minutes to make individual lists. Then the pair or group decides on the final 20 words.
31. Heads and tails
Level: Intermediate — pairs
Materials: magazine pictures of people cut in half so that the heads/chests and bodies are on separate cards
that are all the same size. Each student has at least five cards.
Procedure: Give all heads to one partner, and bodies to the other. Students must not see each other’s cards.
The student with a head begins by describing a face. The partner tries to find a body to match, and describes
it. They compare cards to see if they are correct.
32. The ad game
Level: Intermediate — pairs, small groups
Materials: pictures of magazine ads with the text removed
Procedure: Give each group a picture. Each pair creates the text for the ad. They create the name, slogan,
promises, etc. Combine pairs or groups and tell about your product and advertisement. Those who didn’t
create the ad tell whether they would purchase the product or not and why.

33. Pass the picture
Level: Intermediate and advanced — small groups
Materials: pictures of individuals
Procedure: Give each group a picture. The teacher reads a question about the picture, and the person holding
the picture answers the question for the group. He passes the picture to his right. The teacher asks another
question. The student with the picture answers the question about the picture for his group. The teacher
continues to ask questions until each person in the group has had a chance to answer a question. Then each
person tells the story about the person in the picture.
Sample questions:
• What’s this person’s name?
• Where is he/she from?
• What does he/she do for a living?
• Is he/she single, married, or divorced?
• What are three adjectives that describe this person?
• What does he/she do in his/her spare time?
• What is something exciting that has happened to this person?
34. Talking about the past
Materials: pictures of children doing things
Procedure: Ask students to identify what the children are doing in the pictures. Then use the phrase “used
to” to talk about things they “used to” do as children.
35. Disasters
Level: Advanced — small groups
Materials: pictures of tornadoes, floods, and hurricanes
Procedure: Ask students to pretend they were present when the disaster happened. Ask them to tell what
they did when the disaster struck.
36. Comparing pictures
Level: Advanced — small groups
Materials: two pictures for each group
Procedure: Each person takes a turn telling one thing that is similar in the pictures. Then each person takes a
turn sharing one thing that is different in each picture.

Think it over
1. Define communication practice activities.
2. What activities should you choose for a particular class session?
3. What is the role of the teacher in a communication practice activity?
4. What is the role of the student in a communication practice activity?
5. Why should the teacher plan more than one activity during a class session?
6. Why is it important to use several student grouping configurations?
7. How many basic types of communication practice activities are there?
8. Which do you think you would enjoy using? Which would be hardest for you to use in a class?
9. Why are some activities more suited to advanced students than beginning students?

9Chapter 9
Working with and Planning for
Advanced Students
Characteristics of advanced students
Ministries targeting advanced students
Materials for advanced students
Lesson planning for advanced students

Characteristics of advanced students
Advanced students are very different from beginning and low intermediate students. High intermediate
students may share characteristics of both beginning and advanced students.
Generally speaking, advanced students converse easily with English speakers around them. They may need
targeted help in the following areas:
• Vocabulary expansion
• Sentence structure
• Idioms and slang expressions
• Pronunciation
• Writing skills
Advanced students often want to learn more about North American culture, history, and literature. Many
advanced students are preparing to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language, commonly called TOEFL
exam. Still other advanced students are seeking North American friends.
Ministries targeting advanced students
Some ESL ministries target advanced students. They may take a theme approach to attract a particular
demographic. A variety of themes have been used successfully, including North American idioms and slang,
North American culture, basic English grammar review, academic English, and conversation corner — an
open-discussion group in which students may practice speaking on a variety of topics.
Materials for advanced students
There are some texts for advanced level students. However, you do not have to be tied to a text in planning
lessons for this level. You will want to find material that meets specific needs of the students in your class.
Using a variety of real-world materials and topics your students encounter on a regular basis will increase the
value of the class in the students’ eyes.
Materials to consider include, but are not limited to, these:
• Newspapers
• Idiom texts
• Conversation/discussion texts
• Specialized texts for pronunciation, specific jobs and occupations, TOEFL preparation and citizenship
• Student reports and presentations.
Lesson planning for advanced students
Use the same lesson plan form that is used for beginning and intermediate students. The subheadings below
correspond to the lesson plan subheading. Complete each portion of the lesson plan in detail. Refer to the
advanced lesson plan sample in Chapter 5 for an example.

Working with and Planning for Advanced Students | 9
Begin your lesson planning for advanced students the same as you do for beginning and intermediate
students. Complete the block at the top of the lesson plan. Identify specifically the name of the text or
material and lesson objective. Write down any visual aides you need to help you as you gather materials.
Greeting, Scripture, Prayer
Refer to this topic in Chapter 5 for more guidance on this portion of the lesson. This introduction to each
class session is important. The Bible verse may relate to the lesson topic or to the students’ lives in other
ways. The teacher should be intentional when choosing a Scripture so that it relates to the learning topic or
to the students’ lives. The Scripture should not be randomly chosen or chosen simply because the teacher
likes it.
Learning New Vocabulary: list 8 to 12 new words (Approximately 15 minutes)
(Use warm-up activity, visuals, mime, Total Physical Response, repetition, and/or dictation.)
Vocabulary words should come from the lesson materials. They should not be a random list of teacher-
generated words. When introducing new vocabulary to advanced level students you will still use a variation
of repetition exercise used with beginner and intermediate students. TPR is not usually used with advanced
students. Hand gestures can be used if needed for understanding.
Advanced students require two significant changes to using drills. The students define the words themselves.
They also make up their own statements and questions using the new vocabulary.
Advanced students may have trouble correctly pronouncing the new words. They still need to hear and
practice saying new vocabulary words. The teacher models the word and the students practice saying the
word. The difference is that the teacher asks the students to define the words. If they can’t, the teacher
provides the definition. The teacher can also ask the students for synonyms, which are words that mean the
same, and antonyms, which are words that mean the opposite. This helps the advanced student incorporate
the new word with vocabulary they already know.
Here is an example of how introducing vocabulary could be done.
Teacher: Extraordinary (Repeat 5 or 6 times.)
Student: (Listens.)
Teacher: Ready?
Teacher: Extraordinary
Student: Extraordinary
(Repeat the above exchange 5 or 6 times.)
Teacher: Who can tell me what extraordinary means? (If the students do not know what the word
means, the teacher gives the definition.)
Student: (Responds.)
Teacher: Who knows a synonym, a word that means the same as extraordinary?

Teacher: Who knows a word that means the opposite of extraordinary?
Dictation helps students gain skill in spelling, listening, understanding, and writing. Dictation exercises with
advanced students focus on what students can do independently. Advanced students will be able to write
sentences as well as individual words. Students may write what the teacher or another student says and later
compare what they wrote to the original. Here is one way to use sentence dictation in an advanced class:
Step 1: Repeat a sentence that uses one or more of the vocabulary words at least three times.
Step 2: Students write the sentence. Use a variation of the backward build-up technique described in
the pronunciation chapter if students are struggling with the sentence.
Step 3: Ask a student to be the first to write the sentence on the board. Give other students
opportunity to correct the spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and accuracy of the sentence.
Sentences using new vocabulary: List sentences and questions (Approximately 15 minutes)
(Use repetition, substitution, and question and answer exercises.)
Advanced level students create their own sentence to use the new vocabulary words.
The teacher may ask one or more students to make a sentence using the word observe. He could ask other
students to make sentences using the word in the past tense and future tense. He could also ask students to
use two different vocabulary words in the same sentence. Each student should create a sentence using one
or more of the vocabulary words. In larger classes, having the students work in pairs saves time and keeps
everyone actively involved.
Substitution drills are effective with advanced learners. These drills can also be used to reinforce meaning
for advanced level students. You do not need to use this technique with every vocabulary word, but it is a
helpful tool for the times a word seems difficult for your class to master.
Here is how the substitution drill could be altered for the advanced learner.
The teacher asks students for synonyms for the vocabulary words and writes them on the board.
Examples: observed = saw, watched, looked
Teacher: Observed. Tu, make a sentence using the word observed.
Student: I observed the children playing.
The teacher writes the sentence on the board, underlining the word observed.
Teacher: Juan, say the same sentence using the word saw instead of observed.
Student: I saw the children playing.
The teacher writes the word watched beneath the word saw.
Teacher: Sushiela, say the same sentence using the word watched instead of observed.
Student: I watched the children playing.

Working with and Planning for Advanced Students | 9
Teacher: Class, I will say a sentence with the word saw or watched. You repeat the sentence using
the word observed.
Teacher: I saw the car drive by.
Student: I observed the car drive by.
Teacher: I watched the man at work.
Student: I observed the man at work.
Question and answer drills are adapted to fit the needs of advanced learners. Advanced level students create
their own questions and answers using the new vocabulary words. A question and answer drill for observe,
the word used in the substitution drill example, could look like this: the teacher could ask one student to ask
a question using the word observe. She could ask a different student to ask a question, any question, and ask
another student to respond using the word observe.
Chain drills are used as described in the chapter on vocabulary.
The additional pronunciation practice for advanced students can be longer than for beginning students.
Students in this class will work on more complex rhythms, phrasing, and reduced/relaxed speech. This
manual’s pronunciation chapter has information to assist you. Choose activities that address needs you have
observed in your students.
Activities such as jazz chants can help teach rhythm and phrasing. Minimal pairs can help students identify
sounds more precisely. Using stress and intonation may assist students in identifying humor, sarcasm, and
other hard-to-learn functions of North American English.
Communication Practice — list each individual activity
(Approximately 40 minutes)
Communication practice is as important for the advanced student as it is for the beginning and
intermediate learners.
In addition to the first seven types of communication practice activities described in the communication
practice chapter, advanced learners can do the more complex activities: discussion, debate, and
problem solving.
Follow the guidelines for communication practice activities given in this manual. Be careful to plan multiple
activities and to switch partners during this time. Use the activity sampler provided in the communication
practice chapter for ideas.

Think it over
1. Describe an advanced level student.
2. In what areas will advanced students probably need targeted instruction?
3. What are some possible approaches for ministries that want to target advanced learners?
4. How is the vocabulary section of the lesson plan for advanced learners different from beginner and
intermediate students?
5. How is the pronunciation practice different?
6. What types of communication practice activities are appropriate for advanced learners?
7. What skills and personality traits do you have that would make you an effective advanced class teacher?
8. What appeals to you about working with advanced learners?
9. What doesn’t appeal to you about working with advanced learners?

10Chapter 10
Dealing with Cultural
Misunderstandings
Dealing with cultural misunderstandings
Culture and its role in society
The major cause of cultural misunderstandings
Misunderstanding nonverbal communication
Ways to deal with cultural misunderstandings

Dealing with cultural misunderstandings
In your ESL ministry, you will deal with people who come from many different cultures. As you work with
your students over an extended period of time, it is inevitable that there will be misunderstandings that
occur because of your different cultural backgrounds.
These misunderstandings can have a negative impact on the relationships you have with your ESL students.
The misunderstandings may result in some students not returning to class. They also may result in your
students rejecting or not being open to the gospel.
In this chapter, we will look at some of these inevitable misunderstandings and ways you can deal with them.
Culture and its role in society
A nation’s culture encompasses its traditions, patterns of living, and ways of expressing itself through the arts,
beliefs, values, and behaviors.
Culture and language are intertwined
A culture so permeates a society that it impacts and is intertwined with the society’s language. To fully
understand a language, you must know and understand the culture in which it is spoken.
For example, many expressions in English come from sports. To understand the following expressions, you
must be familiar with the sport. If you didn’t know about the sport, its rules, and how it is played, it would
be difficult to understand the phrases.
Can you identify the sport from which the following phrases come? Try expressing their meanings in
different words.
• That’s par for the course.
• The ball is in your court.
• They’re running neck and neck.
• I can’t get to first base.
• He’s a heavy weight.
• I’ve got to punt.
Culture and religion are often intertwined and often shape one another
In many areas of the world, school, business, and community calendars operate around the observation
of religious festivals of the culture’s dominant religion. In every society, the culture shapes how the people
express their religious beliefs. The culture and religion mingle to shape how you mark, recognize, and
commemorate the passages of life — birth, marriage, and death.
Often culture and religion are so closely intertwined that if you come from a specific country or region,
people assume that you are an adherent of a specific religion. For example, if you come from Thailand, it is
often assumed you are Buddhist. If you are from Iran, people may assume that you are Muslim. If you are
from Spain, many may think that you must be Catholic. Many of your ESL students may think that since
you are from North America, you’re a Christian.

Dealing with Cultural Misunderstandings | 10
For many of your ESL students, the religion identified with their culture or country is not a personal faith.
However, it still is an integral part of their culture, and they fear that if they become Christians they will lose
their cultural identity.
Culture and values are intertwined
From birth we are taught what is proper and improper behavior. The culture of our community sets the
framework for determining those boundaries. Every choice we make is impacted by the culture in which we
were raised.
Our culture provides an unwritten structure that permits us to know:
• What you can or cannot do
• What you can or cannot say
• Who you can say it to
• When you can say it
Our culture let’s us know what is of value and what is not.
The major cause of cultural misunderstandings
The most frequent cause of cultural misunderstanding is misattribution. Patty Lane, in A Beginners Guide to
Crossing Cultures, defines this as, “Attributing meaning or motive to someone’s behavior based on your own
cultural values and experience.”1
We judge and evaluate the conduct of other people based upon our assumptions of what is proper and
improper behavior. We emotionally respond and react to behaviors that conflict with what our culture has
taught is the way to behave.
Here is a situation involving an ESL teacher and one of her students.
At 6:00 p.m., an ESL teacher is waiting in a parking lot for a student she agreed to take to the class. Class
starts at 6:30, and it takes 20 minutes to get from there to the church. At 6:10, the student is still not at
the parking lot. The teacher leaves so that she can get to class on time. At 6:15, the student arrives at the
parking lot and there is no one there to take her to class.
There were two people involved in this situation. Take a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle of
it. On one side write Teacher at the top and on the other side write Student at the top.
Now make a list of what the ESL student may have thought about the teacher. Include what the student may
have perceived as the attitude toward the student and her involvement in the ESL classes. Make a
list of what the teacher may have thought about the ESL student. Include what the teacher may have
perceived as the ESL student’s attitude toward the teacher and the class.

Did your two lists have some similar evaluations? Did they include comments such as:
Never on time, always late Undependable
Runs on (fill in country) time Untrustworthy
Impatient Wasted my time
Always in a hurry Didn’t care about me
Rude Didn’t care about the ESL classes
Inconsiderate Didn’t want me at the ESL classes
Did you notice that all of the terms you used were negative? Did you notice the character judgments? Do
you think that this situation will impact the relationship between the student and teacher? In all probability,
it will.
In the situation above, two very strong North American cultural values shaped the teacher’s actions. The first
was punctuality. It was very important for the teacher to be on time and in her place so she could get class
started on time and not lose any time or waste anyone’s time.
The second cultural value that came into play was being task-centered. She couldn’t wait, because she had
things to do and she needed to be at church so she could take care of business. It was more important to the
teacher to be on time and ready to teach the class than it was to wait for one student — especially since she
did not know if the student would ever come.
The teacher, using North American cultural values as a guide, made negative value judgments about the
student because she wasn’t punctual. The student, using different cultural values, made negative value
judgments about the teacher because she was task-centered rather than people-centered.
Both the teacher and the student were guilty of misattribution. They attributed meaning or motive to
someone’s behavior based on their own cultural values and experiences.
Misunderstanding nonverbal communication
Cultural misunderstandings and miscommunication can occur with a gesture, a look, a touch — even
through how close or far apart we stand when we converse.
People communicate not only with words but also nonverbally. Many who study communication maintain
that a higher percentage of our message is communicated through our facial expressions, gestures, and
body language than through our words. We assume that while our words may not be understood, our body
language is.
Just as vocabulary differs from language to language, nonverbal communication varies as well. Gestures and
body language that convey one meaning to a native English-speaking North American may convey very
different messages to someone from another culture, and vice versa.
1 Patty Lane, A Beginner’s Guide to Crossing Cultures, Intervarsity Press, 2002, p. 27. Used with permission.

Misinterpreting nonverbal communication signals can lead to cultural misunderstandings and conflict. Here
are a few examples.
Gestures that are socially acceptable in North American culture may be offensive to other cultures.
These are only some of the gestures:
• Pointing at someone with one finger
• Thumbs up
• Circled thumb and first finger indicating okay
• Point the bottom of your shoe or foot toward someone
How close or far apart we should stand to talk to someone is taught by our culture. If we are too close or too far
apart, we feel uncomfortable.
For North Americans, a comfortable conversation distance is about four feet — just outside arms’ reach. If
people get closer we feel like our space is being invaded. For several Middle Eastern cultures, the comfortable
and proper conversation distance is much closer.
It can be amusing to watch people from these two cultures try to get close enough or far enough away to
comfortably carry on a conversation. However, it can be uncomfortable for the participants who wonder
what is wrong with the other person.
The North American may wonder why the ESL student is so aggressive. Why is he trying to get in my face?
The Middle Eastern student may wonder why the teacher is trying to avoid him. Doesn’t he want to talk to
me? Both of them may feel that the other person is being rude.
Touching is part of nonverbal communication.
The rules of etiquette for whom you can touch, when you can touch them, and where you can touch them
vary from culture to culture.
Touching someone when you talk to him or her seems normal and natural to some, yet it seems offensive
and causes discomfort for others. The cultural rules differ in situations of men touching men, women
touching women, and men and women touching.
Rubbing or patting the top of children’s heads is a common North American sign of affection. Yet some
Asians are appalled by this type of touching because they believe that people are trying to steal the spirit of
the child by touching his head.
The appropriateness of hugging as a greeting varies from culture to culture. For some it is the norm, for
others such touching is considered totally inappropriate.
How long you look at someone without looking away is an element of nonverbal communication.
For North Americans, if you look at someone longer than what we consider appropriate, it is considered
staring, which is rude and threatening. Some other cultures, though, permit looking at someone for a longer
time span without it being considered offensive.

Looking someone in the eye for an extended time, or locking eyes with them, is often interpreted as a
challenge. Being the first to blink, acknowledges the dominance of the other person.
Where you look is another consideration.
North Americans believe one way to know if you are telling the truth is to look someone in the eye when
you are speaking. If you don’t, you probably aren’t telling the truth. Yet in some cultures it is considered rude
to look someone in the eye when speaking to him or her. This is true particularly if you are a child speaking
to an adult, a woman speaking to man, or you are speaking to someone that is considered of higher class
or status.
Ways to deal with cultural misunderstandings
Five strategies can help an ESL teacher deal with cultural misunderstandings.
1. Be aware of your own cultural values and attitudes.
2. Do not attribute meaning or motive to your ESL students based on your own cultural values.
3. Teach your students about North American cultural values, attitudes, and nonverbal communication.
4. Learn about your student’s cultural values.
5. Show grace and Christian love.
Be aware of your own cultural values
The first way to combat cultural misunderstandings is to learn about your own cultural values. If you are
feeling upset with an ESL student, in all likelihood they have violated one of your cultural values. They have
done something that you think is improper.
Here are a few important North American cultural values and the phrases or statements that we often use to
express those values.
1. Independence — You need to stand on your own two feet. Make your own choices.
2. Self-reliance — If you don’t look out for yourself, no one else will. Some day you’ll be on your own.
3. Individual identity — Do your own thing. Be your own man. I need a place of my own.
4. Equality — Each individual should have an equal opportunity for success. You can be whatever you put
your mind to.
5. Informality — Just call me Joe. The dress will be business casual. Let’s dispense with the formalities and get
down to business.
6. Direct communication — Tell it like it is. Speak up. Say what’s on your mind.
7. Time consciousness — Time is money. Don’t waste it! Be on time.
8. Task centeredness — Don’t goof off. Keep your nose to the grind stone.
9. Focus on achievement — Nothing succeeds like success. The end justifies the means.
10. Action oriented — Don’t just sit there, do something about it. Can’t visit long, I have something to do.
11 Competitiveness — You’ve got to go for the gold. Be number one. Quitters don’t win and winners
don’t quit.
12. Future oriented — I’m saving for a rainy day. Invest in our youth, for they are our future.

These values are important to North Americans. We judge and evaluate people based upon whether they live
by these values. However, not every culture believes these values are positive. They choose not to live by these
values, so misunderstandings occur.
Here are some evaluations ESL students make about North Americans when they look at these values.
1. Independence — cold, aloof
2. Self-reliance — not strongly committed to family
3. Individual identity — too focused on self and not others
4. Equality — this is not true; people are not really treated equally
5. Informality — not respectful of others; relationships are superficial
6. Direct communication — pushy, assertive, too emotional
7. Time consciousness — impatient, robots who are slaves to a clock
8. Task centeredness — more concerned about things than people and relationships
9. Focused on achievement — materialistic
10. Action oriented — compulsively active
11. Competitive — under constant emotional strain and pressure to win
12. Future oriented — not concerned with the past, do not show proper respect for parents and elderly
Identify the American cultural values at work in the following story. How could they be misinterpreted by
someone of a different culture?
An ESL teacher invited her 10 students along with 5 children to eat dinner in her home. Most of the
guests were Chinese. One couple and their son were Korean. The Korean family brought the teacher a
bouquet of flowers wrapped in cellophane. The teacher was busy finalizing a Chinese dish that needed
immediate attention, so she quickly got out a vase and put the flowers in it. She could see that the family
was disappointed. She instantly knew her actions had offended the guests. As soon as the dish was finished
and before the other guests were called to the table, the teacher turned her attention to the flowers, cutting
the stems and arranging them in the vase. She expressed her appreciation to the Korean family for their
thoughtful gift.
Later the teacher admitted that she was being time conscious and task-centered — wanting to get the meal
ready at the appointed time and in the way she had learned in her cooking class. Fortunately, she realized her
error in time to become more relationship-focused.
Identifying the American cultural values that drive behavior is an important step to building meaningful
relationships with students.

Do not attribute meaning or motive to you ESL students based on your own
cultural values
Realize that your ESL students don’t live by the same cultural values you do. When your student’s conduct or
actions violate your values, suspend negative character judgments. Such attitudes and evaluations can make
it difficult for you to have a positive relationship with that student. Don’t attribute meaning or motive to
someone’s behavior based on your own cultural values (misattribution).
Teach your students about North American cultural values, attitudes, and
nonverbal communication
Help them understand the values that impact choices of behavior.
Teaching your ESL students North American cultural values and etiquette will help your students
understand how to relate more effectively to their North American neighbors.
There are resources to help you with this task. An Internet search or a visit to your local library will
prove helpful.
Learn about your students’ cultures
Another way to reduce cultural misunderstanding is to learn about your student’s culture. This will help you
understand their values, actions, and attitudes. It will also help you know the important times in the cultural
life of your students.
You can learn about their culture in several ways.
• Ask your students about it
• Ask other people from that culture about it
• Read about it
Look for books and Internet sources to help you understand various cultures.
Show grace and Christian love
One of the most effective things you can do when faced with cultural misunderstanding is to show grace and
Christian love. God showed and extended grace to you. You should do the same for others.
The only reaction you can control is your own. When ESL students do something that offends you,
demonstrate the characteristics of Christian love set forth in 1 Corinthians 12. Love is …
• Not proud
• Not self-seeking
• Never rude
• Doesn’t keep a list of wrongs
• Kind
• Patient
• Ever loyal

• Ever faithful
• Ever hopeful
• Ever trusting
When you think you have done something to offend your student, apologize to them in private. Say it
simply: I’m sorry I offended you. I didn’t mean to. I apologize.
Your love for your students will help overcome any possible misunderstanding. Your demonstration of grace
and Christian love will clearly show God’s love.
Remember that the gospel transcends all cultures.
For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.’ For there is no
distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.
(Rom. 10:11-12, NKJV).

Think it over
1. Describe one positive experience you have had with people from other countries. What made it positive?
2. Describe one negative experience you have had with people from other countries. What made it negative?
3. What is the major cause of cultural misunderstanding?
4. Look at the gestures that are socially acceptable in North America. Which do you use most often?
5. Think back to the chapter on learning vocabulary. When an ESL teacher gestures to the class, which part
of the hand is used? Why?
6. Look at the list of North American cultural values. Which values most describe you?
7. How could those values impact, positively or negatively, on your teaching?
8. What is the most effective approach to take if you have a cultural misunderstanding with a student?

11Chapter 11
Incorporating Biblical Material
in your Class
Why incorporate biblical materials?
How can you incorporate biblical materials in your classes?
Appendices

Why incorporate biblical materials?
Sharing the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ is the goal of literacy missions ministries. One way to do
this is to intentionally incorporate biblical materials and concepts in every aspect of your classes. This section
will give you ideas and suggestions of ways that you can do this.
Do not be concerned that you will offend your students by talking about God or Jesus, as long as the
presentation is done in a non-confrontational manner.
Your students have come to the ministry of a Christian church. Hearing people talk about God and Jesus
in the church building is natural. They would wonder about your relationship with Jesus if you did not talk
about Him in the church.
Your relationship with Jesus should be so transparent and such a part of you that it flows from you naturally.
Telling others about that relationship can be done in ways that are not offensive.
How can you incorporate biblical materials in your classes?
During full group time
This is the 20 to 30 minutes when all of the students and teachers are together. Full group time provides
wonderful opportunities for presenting biblical thoughts and using biblical material.
Display posters with Scripture verses on them
Many of your students can read English. Placing simple Scripture verses on colorful posters will provide
opportunities for your students to read and absorb Scripture. This simple approach will permit the verses to
speak for themselves.
Remember, “The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even
to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow” (Hebrews 4:12, NIV).
Use posters from Sunday school materials, Christian bookstores, American Bible Society, etc.
Use songs and music
Use 5 to 10 minutes for this activity.
The full group sings simple Christian songs or choruses in English.
Songs that use much repetition are best. The music will help the students practice English pronunciation,
rhythm, stress, and intonation. Music also helps communicate the joy found in Christ.
Using seasonally appropriate music, such as Christmas carols, helps students learn cultural information and
provides an opportunity for teaching the meaning of the text.
Using the same choruses each week helps the students learn them and provides a familiar activity in which
they all can participate.
Do not take time to teach the meaning of all the words during full group time. You can give or ask for brief
definitions or translations of words that you believe are essential to understanding.

Incorporating Biblical Material in your Class | 11
Have the words of the song either projected on a screen or printed for the students to read. Many of your
students will be able to read the words, even if they don’t understand what they mean.
Be sure to follow copyright laws in projecting and copying songs. Request to use your church’s license for this.
Before you introduce songs or choruses to the students, practice them with the teachers and volunteers.
Below is a suggested sequence for introducing new songs. This introduction will increase the comfort level of
the student and will increase student participation.
• Have the students listen to the tune.
• Have those who know it sing the song through twice.
• Ask the students to join in.
• Sing the song through two more times.
Invite individuals or musical groups to sing Christian songs
While instrumental music is enjoyable, without words the message is not conveyed.
If you invite someone to sing, it is important that you still have a group singing time, even if it is only
one song.
Give short devotionals
Short means three to five minutes. Full group time is limited and there is much to do. Your students’
attention will be pulled in many directions. Shorter devotionals have a greater chance of being heard and
remembered.
Use simple English so the majority can understand. Realize that everyone will not understand everything
you say.
Write the Scripture on the board or project it. Distribute a written copy of the Scripture, with translations in
other languages, if possible.
Use a simple English translation of the Scripture. There are several translations of the Bible now available in
simple English.
• Contemporary English Version by The American Bible Society
• The New Life Bible by Christian Literature International
• New International Reader’s Version by International Bible Society
Have a simple one-sentence point for your devotional. This helps you focus your devotional and helps your
students understand and remember the point.
Telling why we celebrate a specific holiday is a good topic.
Conclude each devotion time by saying something like, “Remember, God loves you. Jesus loves you. And we
love you.”

During small group classes
In every lesson, present a Scripture verse during the Greeting, Scripture, and Prayer time of
the session outline
The Scripture should correlate to the day’s lesson. Read the verse at the beginning of class. Give your ESL
students copies of the Scripture in both English and their native language, if possible. You can ask bilingual
students or friends to locate the Scripture to be copied. Have them verify that you have the correct verses.
You can check Internet sites that provide the Scripture in multiple languages. Here are a few Internet sites to
get you started.
• Bible Gateway (www.biblegateway.com)
• Bible Data Base (www.bibledatabase.net)
• Scriptures.com (www.scriptures.com)
• You Version (www.bible.com/versions)
• GospelGo (http://gospelgo.com/bibles.htm)
Secular ESL texts will not provide guidance for this task. Resources such as books that list God’s promises or
provide topical Scripture compilations are good resources. Pray for the Holy Spirit to lead you to the verse
and topic that will have the greatest impact on your students.
You could incorporate biblical materials in a portion of your lesson
The following are suggestions to consider. Don’t use every suggestion in every lesson. Vary your approach
depending upon your students’ needs, the nature of the lesson you are teaching, and the Holy Spirit’s leading.
Make certain that any biblical materials, including proverbs and sayings, you use relate to that lesson’s objective.
The majority of your students didn’t come to your ESL classes for Bible study, but to learn everyday,
functional language. Be careful that you allow adequate time in your lesson to present and practice the
functional language you selected from the ESL text. You don’t want to lose the opportunity to share and
demonstrate the gospel because the student quit coming.
Your new vocabulary and sentences using the new vocabulary could include words used in Bible verses,
biblical places, or characters.
• In a lesson that includes the new vocabulary word garden, you could teach about the Garden of Eden. “The
first garden was the Garden of Eden.”
• In a lesson that includes the new vocabulary word book, you could teach the word Bible. “The Bible is a
book about God.”
• In a lesson that includes the new vocabulary word son, you could teach that Jesus is God’s son.

Incorporating Biblical Material in your Class | 11
If you are teaching higher level students idioms, one or two of the idioms you teach could be biblical
allusions or idioms with biblical roots. Here are some:
• The handwriting is on the wall.
• Man does not live by bread alone.
• The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
• He thinks he walks on water.
You can find an extensive list and explanation of such phrases and allusions in The New Dictionary of
Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know (E.D. Hirsch, Joseph F. Kett, James Trefil. 2012).
You could use biblical material during pronunciation practice
For listening exercises play a Christian song. Have students listen for the words that start with the sound /c/.
They can make a mark on their papers every time they hear the sound, and then count the marks.
Write and teach jazz chants based on Scripture. A sample is found in the appendices of this chapter.
You could use biblical material in one of the communication practice activities that you use
Assign different biblical proverbs to small groups. Have them discuss the meaning of each. Ask them to share
a proverb from their own culture that is similar, if they have one.
For example: Kind words are like honey — they cheer you up and make you feel strong.
(Proverbs 16:24, CEV)
If you used the term good Samaritan as one of your vocabulary words, your ESL students could role play
asking someone if they need help, asking someone for help, and calling 911. They could discuss, “If you saw
someone on the highway who was injured, would you stop to help? Why or why not?” Or, “Have you ever
been a good Samaritan? Has someone been a good Samaritan for you?”
The entire lesson may be based on biblical materials
Some ministries only offer Bible-based classes. While this is an option, it doesn’t meet the basic English
survival needs of most students. The Bible doesn’t teach about finding an apartment, going to buy
groceries, etc.
Other ESL ministries offer Bible-based classes as an option during regular class time. This class is offered to
those students with better English skills who have been coming several years. Several offer English classes that
use the Bible as the primary text on a different day than regular class — usually Sunday or at midweek service.
Materials for the lessons can come from a variety of sources.

You could create your own using a single Bible story. You could use resource books that provide material and
ideas for using the Bible with ESL students. These may include the following:
• English Lessons from the Bible, the Book of Mark (Glenda Reece, North American Mission Board.
www.namb.net/literacy)
• Learning of Jesus Through ESOL (Doris Edwards, South Carolina Baptist Convention.
http://www.scbaptist.org/sending/missions/literacy-esl/)
• ESL Bible Study Series (Edited by J. Wesley Eby, Beacon Hill Press. Kansas City.)
It is worth noting that English Lessons from the Bible, the Book of Mark is designed for high-beginners and
intermediates. If using the text with beginners, adjustments will be necessary. There are often more pictures
on a page than is needed for the story. Copy the pictures needed for the lesson and paste them on a different
sheet to make it simpler.
With forethought, you can and should intentionally incorporate biblical materials into your classes.

Appendices
Incorporating Biblical Material
in Your Class
Jazz chant based on Philippians 1:3
Overview of English Lessons from the
Bible, the Book of Mark
Lesson plan based on a lesson from English
Lessons from the Bible, the Book of Mark
Sample pages from English Lessons from
the Bible, the book of Mark
Reference charts for English Lessons
from the Bible lesson planning

Jazz Chant based on Philippians 1:3
A B
Every time Every time
Every time I think of you Every time I think of you
I thank the Lord. I thank the Lord.
Every time I think of you I thank the Lord.
I thank the Lord Every time I think of you.
A and B together
Every time I think of you
I thank the Lord.
Every time I think of you
I thank the Lord.

Overview of English Lessons from the Bible, the Book of Mark
This is a text that uses the Gospel of Mark as the basis for teaching ESL. It is a two-volume set. Each volume
has both a teacher and student book.
It is intended for high beginners to intermediate students.
Pictures are used to help the student remember the story and to give him or her a cue when ’not certain. You
have permission to copy the pictures for displays (electronic or physical) to use with your students.
The book focuses on conversation. Be sure all exercises in the book are taught orally in class. The text
includes workbook pages that the student can do at home. Avoid making your class primarily a reading, fill-
in-the-blank work session.
Like all textbooks, English Lessons from the Bible (ELB) uses some descriptive terms that are unique.
• Core sentences — the English sentences used to tell the story
• Buzz words — these are vocabulary words that help students make English sentences that are more than
subject-verb-object sentences. They include prepositions and connector words such as in, above, with, and,
also, however.
• Adaptation questions — these are questions that are intended to develop discussions related to the
Scripture topic.
• A Deeper Look — these are adaptation questions with a spiritual focus.
The text is divided into units and each unit into several lessons. The different elements necessary for
completing a lesson plan are found throughout the unit. You will find charts on pages at the end of the
appendices that show where you can find the elements for your lesson plan.
On the following pages is a sample ESL lesson plan and sample pages from English Lessons from the Bible that
were the beginning point for the sample lesson plan.
Incorporating Biblical Material in your Class Appendices | 11

ESL Lesson Plan Date Used: ______________
(High Beginner/Low Intermediate Level)
Greeting, Scripture, and prayer (Approximately 5 min)
Mark 1:16-18: Students read in their own language, or some may read it aloud in English.
Introduce new vocabulary: List 8-12 new words (Approximately 15 min)
Use warm-up activity, visuals, mime, Total Physical Response, repetition, or dictation.
English Lessons from the Bible, pages 9-10, from Scripture, core sentences, vocabulary.
Warm Up: Show picture of lake with people doing several activities. Have pairs take turn telling.
Project or have an enlarged copy of English Lessons from the Bible
Lake Walk/Walked Jesus
Fish See/Saw Simon Andrew
Fisher Catch/Caught Brother
Men Net(s) Come/Came
Sentences using new vocabulary: List sentences and questions (Approximately 15 min)
Developed from English Lessons from the Bible, pages 9-10, from Scripture, and core sentences.
Project or have an enlarged copy of English Lessons from the Bible, page 9. Ask questions after each sentence.
Point to pictures.
Jesus walked along the lake. Who walked along the lake?
Where did Jesus walk?
What did Jesus do?
Name of book, lesson title and/or number, pages: English Lessons from the Bible, Book 1 – Unit 1,
Lesson 2, first paragraph of Scripture passage.
Lesson objective: The student should be able to tell who or what he or she has seen, tell about his or her
family, and tell about his or her occupation.
Visual or teaching aids needed: Picture of activities at a lake, overhead transparency of page.

Point to pictures.
Jesus saw Simon. Who did Jesus see?
Who saw Simon?
Who saw Andrew?
Point to pictures.
Jesus saw Andrew. Simon and Andrew are brothers.
Who is Simon’s brother?
Who is Andrew’s brother?
Point to pictures.
Simon and Andrew are fishermen. What does Simon do?
What does Andrew do?
Who is a fisherman?
Point to pictures.
Simon and Andrew are catching fish in nets. Who is catching fish?
How are they catching fish?
Point to pictures.
Jesus said “Come with Me! I will teach you What did Jesus say?
how to bring in people instead of fish” What would Simon and Andrew catch with Jesus?
(Mark 1:17, CEV)
Point to pictures.
Andrew and Simon went with Jesus. What did Simon and Andrew do?
Who went with Jesus?
Who did Simon and Andrew go with?
Additional pronunciation practice: List activities or resource name and page. (Approximately 5 min for
beginners, 10 min for intermediate and advanced)
English Lessons from the Bible, page 16, pronunciation
Teacher writes the alphabet on the board, and points to each letter as the class recites the English alphabet.
Divide students into pairs. Teacher says each Bible character ‘s name and spells the name aloud.
Each student says and spells the name out loud. Repeat the sequence with each Bible character name.
In pairs, Student A says and spells his or her name out loud. Then Student B says and spells Student A’s
name aloud. Student B says and spells his or her name out loud. Then Student A says and spells Student B’s
name aloud.

Communication practice: List each activity (Approximately 40 minutes)
Remain in the same pairs from the pronunciation practice.
Each partner tells the Bible story and asks:
Do you have a brother? How many brothers do you have?
Do you have a sister? How many sisters do you have?
Combine pairs into groups of four.
Each person tells the others about his or her partner’s siblings.
For example: Juan has two brothers and one sister.
One at a time, each person asks the person on his or her left:
Have you walked along a lake? Where was the lake? What did you see at the lake?
Make new pairs with people not in the groups of four. Each partner tells about his group’s answers to the
questions about the lake.
For example:
Cisco walked along a lake. It was in Mexico. He saw fishermen.
Maria has not walked along a lake.
Gustoff walked along a lake. It was in Germany. He saw castles.
I walked along a lake. It was in Vietnam. I saw boats.
Class interview
Walk around and say to each student, “Simon and Andrew were fishermen. What do you do?” For
example: Students should answer something like, “I am a mechanic,” or “I am a cook.”
Review new words: Class reads each new word as you point to it on the board.
Homework: Write the vocabulary words three times. For each word, write a sentence using the word. Also,
tell a friend or family member the Bible story in your language and then in English.
Memory verse — “Nothing is impossible for God” (Luke 1:37, CEV).
Prayer — God, we thank You for our families-our brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, and our sons and
daughters. Help us to love them like Jesus loves them.

Sample page from English Lessons from the Bible, the Book of Mark
NB
English Lessons From the Bible, © 2007 North American Mission Board, Reproducible for educational purposes.

Reference Chart English Lessons from the Bible, the Book 1
PicturesVocabulary
Core
Sentences
PronunciationWriting
Adaptation
Questions
DeeperLookHomeworkMemoryVerse
Unit1
Lesson1
Mark1:1–2•••••••
Lesson2
Mark1:16–20•••••••
Lesson3
••••
Lesson4
(Pr.Ex.)••
Unit2
Lesson1
Mark1:29–31••••••
Lesson2
••••
Lesson3
••••
Lesson4
••
Unit3
Lesson1
Mark1:35–38•••••••
Lesson2
•••
Lesson3
•••
Lesson4
••

PicturesVocabulary
Core
Sentences
Adaptation
Questions
Unit4
Lesson1
Mark2:1–3•••••••
Lesson2
Mark2:1–5•••••••
Lesson3
Mark2:1–7•••••••
Lesson4
••
Unit5
Lesson1
Mark2:8–12•••••••
Lesson2
••••
Lesson3
•••••••
Unit6
Lesson1
Mark2:13–17•••••••
Lesson2
••••
Lesson3
•••••
Lesson4
••

PicturesVocabulary
Core
Sentences
Adaptation
Questions
Unit7
Lesson1
•••••••
Lesson2
Mark3:1–6••••
Lesson3
•••••
Lesson4
••
Unit8
Lesson1
Mark4:1–8••••••
Lesson2
•••
Lesson3
••••
Lesson4
••
Unit9
Lesson1
Mark4:13–20•••••••
Lesson2
••••
Lesson3
••••
Lesson4
••

PicturesVocabulary
Core
Sentences
Adaptation
Questions
Unit4
Lesson1
Mark12:28–33•••••••
Lesson2
•••••
Lesson3
••••••
Lesson4
••
Unit5
Lesson1
Mark14:1–2•••••••
Lesson2
•••••••
Lesson3
•••
Lesson4
••
Unit6
Lesson1
Mark14:32,40–46••••••
Lesson2
••••••
Lesson3
Mark14:53–55,
60–64
••••••••
Lesson4
••
Unit7
Lesson1
Mark15:1–2••••••••
Lesson2
Mark15:24–26,
37–39
••••••••
Lesson3
Mark16:1–7••••••••
Lesson4
••

Think it over
1. What is the purpose of church-based ESL ministries?
2. What happens if you do not include biblical material in your classes?
3. What are some ways you can incorporate biblical materials?
4. How do you plan to share biblical materials in your classes?

12Chapter 12
Sharing your Faith with
your Students
Preparing to share your faith
How to become a Christian
Scriptures to keep in mind
Things to keep in mind when sharing your faith
How to create opportunities to talk about spiritual matters
Other ways to demonstrate your faith to your students
What to do if a student expresses a desire to become a Christian
Appendices

Sharing your faith with your student
A literacy missions volunteer who is called by God looks for opportunities to share his or her faith. As you
share your time and knowledge with your students, you should not hold back or hide the most important
information you possess — the salvation that comes from and through Jesus Christ.
Do not be afraid of offending your student by talking about your faith. In many cultures, religion permeates
the life of an individual and a society. Your faith is a vital part of your life. You should let your student know
this. One Buddhist student said to a friend, “My teacher’s faith must not be very important to her. She never
tells me about her attachment to her Christ, her Bible, or her church.” If your motive is sincere and your
spirit is humble, you will not give offense.
Commit to yourself and God that you will share your own experience with Christ with your ESL students.
Preparing to share your faith
Prepare through personal prayer. Pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit about when, where, how, and with
whom to share your faith.
ESL ministries are founded and based on prayer — teachers praying for students, volunteers praying for the
Lord to lead them where they are to minister, and pastors and denominational leaders praying for volunteers
to meet the needs of individuals in Christ’s name.
The effectiveness of your ministry and your introducing people to Jesus will be directly proportional to the
amount of time you and others involved in the ministry spend in prayer.
• Enlist others to pray for you as you share your faith and for the person with whom you are sharing.
• Pray silently during the class for each student to hear and respond to the Holy Spirit.
• Pray aloud at the beginning or end of the class. This shows you have a personal relationship with God and
demonstrates that you can pray directly to God without an earthly intermediary. This also indicates that
God is interested in every aspect of your life.
• As you pray for your students’ needs, you show your concern for them. Answered prayers communicate
God’s love and power. Your students will begin bringing their prayer requests to you whether they are
believers or not.
• You will find a prayer entitled Literacy Missions Prayer at the end of this chapter’s appendices.
Prepare to tell about your own experience with Jesus Christ, using simple, clear language. Keep it short and
simple — two or three minutes.
• Review How to Become a Christian and the Scripture passages presented in the following section.
• Avoid church jargon — words that have special meaning to Christians, but may not be understood by non-
Christians. See the Witnessing Word Chart in the appendices of this chapter to help you become aware of
those words.
• Be positive — emphasize the benefits of your relationship with Christ, rather than listing the things you
don’t do.
• Be current — include recent experiences of God working in your life.

• Give adequate details of why you needed Christ and how you accepted Him as Lord.
• Practice writing out your own experience with Christ. Use the outline and suggestions provided in this
chapter’s appendices.
How to become a Christian
A Christian is a follower of Jesus Christ. A Christian has a growing relationship with Jesus Christ, tries to
obey Him in all things, and draws on His strength to help with problems.
God made us for Himself and our souls are restless until they find rest in Him. Only God can fill the void in
your life. The answer to your search is accepting Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of your life. To become a
Christian, you need to know these basic facts from the Bible:
1. God loves you. Because of God’s love for all persons, He desires that you have unbroken fellowship with
Him. (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:4-5)
2. You are a sinner. All persons are sinners in that they disobey God. Sin is choosing to go your own way and
do your own thing as opposed to being obedient to God. (Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:10)
3. Sin separates you from God. Sin forms a barrier that prevents you from entering into unbroken fellowship
with God, Who is holy. As an unholy sinner, you can’t have fellowship with God. You are headed for a
Christ-less eternity that the Bible calls hell. (Isaiah 59:2; Romans 3:23)
4. You can’t save yourself. People often think that through their efforts they can overcome the sin barrier
between themselves and God. That isn’t true. There’s nothing you can do to restore the broken relationship
with God. You can’t earn God’s salvation. (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; Romans 4:4-5)
5. God sent His Son Jesus to remove the sin barrier. The death on the cross of Jesus Christ, God’s Son,
removed the sin barrier between you and God. Jesus died for your sins, taking your punishment on
Himself. God did for you in Jesus Christ what you couldn’t do for yourself. (1 Peter 2:24; Romans 5:8;
2 Corinthians 5:21)
6. You can receive Jesus Christ through faith. Faith is trusting in what Jesus has done for you rather than
trusting your own efforts to restore fellowship with God. Faith is complete reliance on Christ to put
you in right relationship with God, allowing Him to live His life through you. Faith also involves
repentance or genuine sorrow for sin and willingness to turn away from sin. (John 14:6; Acts 16:31;
Romans 10:9-10)
7. Through prayer you can trust in Jesus Christ. Admit to God that you are a sinner. Express sorrow or
repentance for your sinfulness. Ask Him to forgive your sins. Invite Jesus into your life as Savior and Lord.
Thank Him for entering your life. Commit yourself to live for Him.
8. Accepting Christ is the beginning. After accepting Him, be obedient by following Christ in baptism and
by uniting with a church. When you do, you will find that life truly does have purpose and meaning. Talk
with another Christian about your decision for Christ.
(Taken from The Baptist Hymnal, p.667 Copyright 1991. Used by permission of the Sunday School Board. Nashville: Convention Press)
Sharing your Faith with your Students | 12

Scriptures to keep in mind
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23 (NLV)
For the wages of sin is death. Romans 6:23 (NIV)
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8 (NLV)
Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the
third day. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (NASB)
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not
perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (NASB)
That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him
from the dead, you will be saved … for Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Romans 10:9, 13 (NIV)
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (NIV)
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God —
not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12 (NASB)
Things to keep in mind when sharing your faith
Be prepared at any opportunity to tell how Jesus Christ makes a difference in how you deal with
life’s experience.
Vary your witness. Every situation will be different.
After you have shared your experience with Christ, ask your student, “What is your relationship to
Jesus Christ?”
Find out what the person believes about Jesus. Find out whether the person follows another religion and how
that influences his or her life. Individuals’ beliefs may differ from the basic tenants of the faiths they claim,
just as individual commitment levels to our religious beliefs vary. Ask and listen. Start where the person is,
not where you think he or she may be.
Try to understand the faith to which a student belongs, if any. Read books and pamphlets on that faith.
Today, it is not unusual to hear ESL students say, “I don’t have a faith or religion. My parents do, but
I don’t.”
Don’t tear down someone else’s religion or faith. You don’t argue someone into the kingdom of God. As
one ESL student said, “I want to know more about your religion, but don’t begin by telling me mine is
all wrong.”

Simply share what Christ has done for you and the joy you have as a Christian. Your joy and peace will
communicate more loudly than theological arguments.
Be open to questions. You will have to clear up some misconceptions about Christianity. Your ESL students
may have strong, preconceived ideas about Christianity. Many think North America is made up of Christian
nations, and that all North Americans are Christians. Others believe that western culture is synonymous
with and a result of Christianity. It is important to help them understand that North American culture and
Christianity are two different things.
Charts comparing basic beliefs of historic Christianity and some major world religions and worldviews are in
the appendices of this chapter.
Christian concepts may be difficult for internationals
There is one and only one God (see Deuteronomy 6:4). Some believe there are many gods. Some think
Christianity worships three gods — the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Some think the Virgin Mary is
part of the Trinity.
God is a loving God, concerned for the well-being of each individual (John 3:16; 1 John 4:8).
Many world religions believe in impersonal gods who act capriciously with no love or concern for
individuals.
Man cannot earn a right relationship with God (see Romans 4:4-5; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5).
Many world religions believe that specific actions are required to earn the favor of their gods.
Personal faith in Jesus Christ is the only way to have a right relationship with God (John 16:4; Acts 4:12).
Many believe there are many paths to God and all religions are equal.
If your student points out non-Christian conduct by Christians, acknowledge it. However, point to the life
and teaching of Christ as the model to be followed.
If your student indicates unwillingness or unreadiness to accept Christ as Lord, provide a booklet or tract for
them to keep.
Many students want to consider this step cautiously. Some students view their religion as a part of their
national identity. They fear if they become Christians they will be abandoning their homeland and heritage.
For some students, becoming a Christian will literally result in being ostracized from their families.
Be prepared to wait for results.
Our responsibility is to share what Christ has done in our lives. The Holy Spirit does the wooing, the
leading, and the convicting. Sometimes our most difficult role is to stand by quietly, pray, and wait.
You must be patient. Don’t give up easily. It will take time for the student to understand and respond,
especially if you do not speak his or her language. Professions of faith often come only after someone has
spent two or more years consistently demonstrating and expressing Christ’s love.

And remember, not everyone you present the gospel to will respond. Not every person who met Christ
accepted Him as Lord.
How to create opportunities to talk about spiritual matters
Every time you meet with your student:
Constantly give God the credit for His creation. What a beautiful day God has given us!
Cultivate a thankful spirit. I’m so thankful to God for giving me good health.
Call upon God in moments of decision, difficulty, doubt, and crisis. Let’s just stop right now and ask God to
help us learn this difficult sound.
Other opportunities
Visit with students outside of class. If the only time you spend with your students is during classes, you will
miss many opportunities for ministry and witness. Students will generally talk more openly about spiritual
and personal matters one-on-one.
Visit students’ homes. Students will generally talk more openly about spiritual and personal matters in their
homes. They enjoy having teachers visit them.
Invite students to visit your home. ESL students always enjoy coming to your home. They like to experience
North American home and family customs. It provides a time to demonstrate Christian hospitality and to
reaffirm your personal testimony.
Visit students during times of crisis and celebration. As you would any other friends, you should visit
students in the hospital, attend funerals and weddings of family members, and celebrate special occasions
with them. Your pastor or another church staff member might join you during crisis visits.
Provide Bible study classes. Do this as soon as possible. This can be either an English Bible Sunday School
class or a weekday Bible class. You can offer a Bible study class during regular meeting time, as well as a class
on a separate day. This enables students to study English at least twice a week. Or provide Bible studies in
the students’ native languages.
Provide bilingual Bibles and Bibles in the students’ languages. Make bilingual and foreign language Bibles
available free to students if possible. These can be given either when students enroll, after they attend a
certain number of classes, or as Christmas presents. Or you can simply have them available on a table for
students to take at their own discretion.
Provide Christian reading materials for students to pick up if they choose.
Explain the significance of holidays and church events.
Invite students to worship services and church activities. Invite and encourage students to attend
services in the church, especially at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. Students particularly enjoy
musical presentations.

Other ways to demonstrate your faith to your students
Christ shines through you as a literacy missions volunteer in the following qualities and attitudes:
• Being patient by letting students set their own learning rates, by repeating important principles many times
and in many ways, and by listening to students.
• Being flexible enough to put aside your plans to meet the expressed needs of students.
• Making your ministry important enough to plan before meeting students for a lesson. This frees you to be
sensitive to students and to the Holy Spirit.
• Expressing joy — for joy is contagious. Your time with students should be enjoyable. Make it fun.
• Demonstrating a kindness that does not embarrass, scold, criticize, or make a student feel uncomfortable —
even by a look or gesture. Students are already painfully aware of their failures and shortcomings. Saying
yes to what a student says, then bringing the student to the correct response will help build self-confidence.
• Being thoughtful by making every minute of the lesson count, beginning and ending on time, and not
talking more than necessary.
• Being selfless by recognizing students’ abilities and letting them set the pace for lessons. Praising students
and rejoicing with them in their progress.
• Accepting students for who they are, where they are, and what they can become in Christ. Putting aside
their past failures, inadequacies, and frustrations will help them build self-confidence and create a healthy
new self-image.
• Being aware that students may not be able to read or speak English, but that there is something to be
learned from them, will help build a constructive relationship.
• Accepting each person as unique, valuable, and worthy of respect. This attitude will foster feelings of self-
worth and self-respect.
• Being willing to become personally involved in students’ lives. This ultimately may contribute to each
student’s wholeness as a person by building a healing relationship.
• Desiring to understand students’ feelings, ideas, and goals — even if their goals and yours are not the same.
Above all, remember that you need to love your ESL students. The most effective ESL literacy missions
volunteers are the ones whose students know their teacher loves them.
You must accept your students as equals and be concerned for them as people, not only concerned for
their salvation.
Students who find in you a deep respect for them and all that concerns them, feel you are their friend, and
feel comfortable with you are open to what you have to say concerning the love of Christ.
What to do if a student expresses a desire to become
a Christian
Beware of asking questions that can be answered with yes or no.
The question, “Do you want to accept Jesus as your Savior?” may be answered yes. However, the answer may
have been prompted by the student’s cultural orientation to always answer questions with yes in order to
avoid offense or the desire to gain the teacher’s approval.

Questions that seek to clarify the student’s understanding of the decision are more helpful. Use questions
such as these:
Why do you want to become a Christian?
How will becoming a Christian change you?
What made you think about becoming a Christian?
What do you think or feel about your relationship to Jesus?
Why do you want to be baptized?
Use Scripture.
Having the student read Scripture passages that explain the plan of salvation is helpful. Reading the passages
in the student’s language, if possible, is best.
When there are questions, refer the student to Scripture references. Let the Holy Spirit speak to the student
through God’s Word. You can’t argue a student into the kingdom.
Here are a few Scripture passages you can use.
The Roman Road
• Romans 3:23 — All have sinned.
• Romans 6:23 — The result of sin is eternal separation from God. Romans 5:8 — A way of escape: Jesus
paid the price.
• Romans 6:23 — Salvation is a free gift.
• Romans 10:9, 13 — The way to accept Christ is to confess, believe, and call on Him.
ABC
• All have sinned — Isaiah 53:6, Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23
• Believe — John 3:16, Acts 16:31
• Confess — Matthew 10:32, Romans 10:9-10
Many other Scriptures can be used, including John 1:1, 1:14, 3:3, 3:16, 3:36, and Colossians 1:12-23.
If the student wishes to make a profession of faith, lead him or her in a prayer that gives the person an
opportunity to confess sin and acknowledge Christ as Lord.
Here is an example:
I’m sorry, God, that I have disobeyed you. I want to follow Your ways and not my own. I believe that Jesus
is Your Son and that He died to bring me back to You. Thank You for loving me. I pray this in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
Explain the role of baptism as an outward sign of the decision the student has made and the importance of
prayer, Bible study, and church membership.
Help your new brother or sister in Christ begin the road to discipleship and Christian growth.

Appendices
Sharing your faith with your Student
Witnessing word chart
Personal testimony outline
Personal testimony worksheet
Comparison with the elements of faith of historic Christianity
– Islam
– Hinduism
– Buddhism
– Secular Humanism
– New Age Movement
– Roman Catholicism
Scripture alphabet
Literacy missions prayer

Witnessing Word Chart
Church Jargon Misunderstanding Alternative
Sin Do something wrong, specific
acts that are wrong
Disobeying God, not following God’s ways
Lost Misplaced, gone, not knowing
where you are
Separated from God, following a way that
leads away from God
Repent Say you are sorry, ‘“I’m only
human.”
Tell God you are sorry for not following His
ways and that you want to change.
Believe Think, guess, “I believe it
might rain tomorrow.”
Know to be true, accept as true
Ask Jesus to come into
your heart.
Ask Jesus to crawl inside your
heart muscle.
Ask Jesus to be with you and be your constant
leader, guide, and friend, so He can help you
choose to want and do only what pleases God
and to choose to follow the ways of Jesus in
everything you want and do.
Give your heart to Jesus Take your heart muscle out
of your body and hand it
to someone, give Jesus a
Valentine.
Choose to follow the ways of Jesus in
everything you want and do so you will not be
separated from God.
Take Jesus as your
Savior
Take Jesus with you somewhere
to save you from danger.
Have complete trust and confidence that Jesus
is God’s son, who died and was brought back
to life so we would not be separated from God.
Have faith in Jesus Think Jesus might be who He
says He is.
Promise Jesus that you will always try to follow
His ways and please Him in all you want
and do.
Commit your life
to Christ
Do something to Christlike
committing a crime
Trust and believe that God will forget and
never remember that you disobeyed Him
because Jesus took the punishment for you.
Trust Jesus to forgive
you
Believe Jesus will say, “That’s
alright, just don’t do it again.”
Choose Jesus as your Leader and Guide for all
you want and do.
Make Jesus Lord of
your life
Make Jesus a knight or
king — a character in a video
game or fantasy game
Say and believe that Jesus is God’s son, who
died and was brought back to life so we would
not be separated from God
Confess that Jesus is
Lord, Confess your faith
Admit something that was bad,
like confessing a crime.
Tell others that you have chosen to follow
Jesus’ ways.
Make a profession
of faith
Have a job as a full-time
minister
Tell God that you want to live your life with a
new and different focus and purpose-following
the ways of Jesus.
To be born-again Reincarnated To start a new life following the ways of Jesus
Saved Rescued from danger, put away
for use later
Saved from being separated from God forever

Personal Testimony Outline
1. My life before I made a commitment to follow Jesus.
2. How I came to know Jesus personally.
3. My life since I came to know Jesus personally.
Consider words or phrases that described your life separated from God.
Your feelings – for example, emptiness, loneliness, lack of purpose.
Transition: I realized I needed a change in my life.
Consider how you became aware of your need for God. How you became aware of sin in your life. At
what age did you first realize that “all have sinned” (Rom. 3:23, NIV) included you?
Was it over a long time and series of events or a short time and a single event?
Include your confession of sin, your repentance, and your acceptance of God’s forgiveness.
Transition: My life has changed.
Consider your vision of God ‘s purpose for your life. How you deal with life’s experiences as a Christian.
The joy and peace you have as a Christian.
Include recent experiences of God’s work in your life.
Transition: What is your relationship to Jesus Christ?
Sharing your Faith with your Students Appendices | 12

Personal Testimony Outline
1. My life before I made a commitment to follow Jesus.
2. How I came to know Jesus personally.
3. My life since I came to know Jesus personally.
Transition: I realized I needed a change in my life.
Transition: My life has changed.
Transition: What is your relationship to Jesus Christ?

Comparison With the Elements of Faith of Historic Christianity
Elements Of Faith Historic Christianity Islam
Supreme Being One personal supreme God who is Creator and
Lord. He eternally exists as Triune God: Father,
Son, Holy Spirit.
(Allah) is one. Strict monotheism-
“There is no God but Allah.”
Person of Jesus Christ One divine person, eternal, with two
natures — human and divine. Born on earth
as a fully human being. Supreme example of
God’s character and His love for humanity. Full
and final revelation of God and His love.
A major prophet, spirit of Allah (or
God), without sin, but not divine; His
miracles are signs that He came from
God.
Work of Jesus Christ Jesus was born, lived and died in a given time
and place, as a unique historical event. He
lived a sinless life, died on the cross, arose
from the dead, and ascended into heaven.
He is the Messiah (Christ), Lord, and Savior,
who forgives sin and will come again in glory
and power.
Jesus was sent to the children of Israel
and faithfully showed the signs of Allah,
taught prayer, and brought the gospel
(Injil). He did not die on a cross, but
Allah took Him into heaven.
Sources of Authority Bible (Old and New Testaments) — unique,
revealed, factual, accurate, and inspired Word
of God. Sole authority for faith and practice.
Qur’an (Koran)
Doctrine of Humanity Humanity is part of creation, but distinct from
the rest of creation and from God. Human
beings are created in God’s image. Every
person is a unique, precious being of dignity
and worth.
Humans are basically pure, but fallible
and need guidance. Created by Allah
with ability to follow his will, human
beings must give account of their
conduct on the day of judgment.
The Basic Human
Problem
Sin: By their free will, human beings have
chosen to sin against God, rejecting His nature,
and pursuing a course of life that is opposed to
His essential character and revealed law.
Sin: disobedience of responsible human
beings to the law of Allah. Human
weakness, forgetfulness, and a spirit of
rebellion cause sin.
Solution to the Basic
Human Problem
Salvation — release from the guilt and power
of sin — is God’s gift of grace through Christ’s
atonement, received through personal faith in
Christ.
Allah (the Merciful One) acts in mercy.
A person’s salvation depends largely
upon personal observance of the Pillars
of the Faith and submission to Allah.
Ethics (Value System) Ultimate values for humanity are based on
God’s character and His Ten Commandments.
Human beings are potentially good, but not
inevitably good. They always need God’s grace
to renew their character.
Allah judges human beings for their
actions in submitting to Allah , obeying
the Shari’ah (holy law), and advancing
the Ummah (people of Islam).
Life After Death Eternal communion with God (heaven) or
eternal separation from God (hell).
Paradise (heaven) for faithful believers
and hell (punishment) for nonbelievers
and those who commit shirk (apostasy).

Elements Of Faith Historic Christianity Hinduism
Son, Holy Spirit.
Impersonal Ultimate Reality; or “The
absolute” Major Triad: Brahma, Shiva,
Vishnu .
For some Hindus. Jesus was an avatar or
incarnation of God-one among many
avatars; a great spiritual teacher, a guru.
Work of Jesus Christ Jesus was born, lived, and died in a given
time and place, as a unique historical event.
He lived a sinless life, died on the cross, arose
and power.
Jesus was a great religious teacher whose
teachings can be valuable today.
Vedas, Upanishads, Epics, Puranas, and
a host of other sacred writings.
and worth.
Divine eternal soul, part of God or
ultimate reality. Physical body has little
worth.
The Basic Human
Problem
The human condition is samsara
(the flow of reality in which souls are
continually dying and being reborn). The
present existence is an illusion; people are
unaware of their oneness with God .
Human Problem
atonement, received through personal faith
in Christ.
Goal of life is to gain release (liberation)
from the cycle of reincarnation and to
pass beyond illusion to become one
with the divine nine ultimate reality
by following the proper yoga path or
discipline.
Deeds are right if they produce good
conditions: deeds are wrong if they
produce harm to one’s self or to the
world in general.
Cycles of reincarnation until union with
or re-absorption into ultimate reality.
The desired ultimate state of existence is
moksha (“final release”).

Elements Of Faith Historic Christianity Buddhism
Son, Holy Spirit.
Southern Buddhism: irrelevant.
Northern Buddhism: Buddahood.
Teacher who may posses Buddhahood
or Enlightenment.
Work of Jesus Christ Jesus was born, lived, and died in a given
and power.
Jesus was a great religious teacher whose
teachings can be valuable today.
Sutras: Triptaka (The Three Baskets).
and worth.
One lifetime for each person com-
posed of Skanda (parts). Concept of
anatta (no self) denies existence of a self
beyond mental and physical attributes.
The Basic Human
Problem
The human condition is suffering,
caused by attachment to things and
the craving (desire) accompanying this
attachment.
Human Problem
in Christ.
Goal of life is nirvana to eliminate all
desire of attachment, particularly by
following the Eight-fold Path.
The Eightfold Path stresses moral
virtue, including right action , and
right vocation. Right conduct includes
loving-kindness, selfless giving to others,
and efforts to alleviate human hurts.
Possible attainment of nirvana (negation
of suffering), a state of being that is
realized through eliminating desire.

Elements Of Faith Historic Christianity Secular Humanism
Son, Holy Spirit.
Secular Humanists are atheists. They
do not believe in the existence of a
supernatural Supreme Being.
natures — human and divine. Born on earth as
a fully human being. Supreme example of God’s
character and His love for humanity. Full and
final revelation of God and His love.
Secular Humanists view Jesus as just
another human teacher. They deny that
Jesus is divine.
from the dead, and ascended into heaven. He
is the Messiah (Christ), Lord , and Savior,
and power.
According to Secular Humanists, the
death of Jesus Christ has no impact on
anyone living today.
revealed, factual, accurate, and inspired Word of
God. Sole authority for faith and practice.
Humanists reject supernatural beliefs
and doctrines. There are no holy
writings in Secular Humanism.
and worth.
Man is a part of nature. Humanity
controls its own destiny since there is no
God.
The Basic Human
Problem
Humanists believe that many of
humanity’s problems are caused by
ignorance, lack of education, and
outdated beliefs in the supernatural.
Human Problem
in Christ.
Many Humanists believe that the
human condition can be improved
by using science and its methods of
criticism to understand the universe.
Ethics is autonomous and situational,
needing no super-natural sanction.
Secular Humanists believe that there is
no life after death. They deny that there
is a soul or spirit that survives.

Elements Of Faith Historic Christianity New Age Movement
Supreme Being One personal supreme God who is Creator
and Lord. He eternally exists as Triune God:
Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
God (Ultimate Reality) is an impersonal
power, often spoken of as energy,
consciousness, mind, or truth. God is
everything; everything is God.
God’s character and His love for humanity.
Full and final revelation of God and His love.
Jesus was one of many appearance of God
throughout the ages, one of many people
who were fully aware of their true divinity.
Work of Jesus Christ Jesus, was born, lived and died in a given
and power.
Christ is separate from Jesus, the way-
shower. Christ is the perfect God idea — the
awareness of divinity within each person.
of God . Sole authority for faith and practice.
There is no objective source of authority.
Sacred writings and devotional material from
many traditions have spiritual value.
and worth.
Humanity is not distinct from God. Human
beings are essentially divine: God is within
each person. Everyone has the “Christ spirit.”
Everyone is potentially good.
The Basic Human
Problem
chosen to sin against God, rejecting His
nature, and pursuing a course of life that
is opposed to His essential character and
revealed law.
Illusion, ignorance, or lack of perception.
People are unaware of their true identity
as divine, as one with God. They need to
be “enlightened,” to find ultimate spiritual
knowledge and liberation from the cycle
of reincarnation. Their primary need is for
holism to be integrated with the whole.
Human Problem
in Christ.
People overcome lack of perception by
using techniques to change (transform)
consciousness. They can attain
enlightenment when they step outside
ordinary mode of perception into altered
state of consciousness that dispel illusory
boundaries of individual existence.
No moral absolutes. Individual self-rule
should be the norm as people follow their
own intuition. Root causes of evil are selfish
living habits.
Souls are evolving toward union with God
and will eventually find spiritual knowledge
and liberation from the cycle of rebirth.

Elements Of Faith Historic Christianity Roman Catholicism
Supreme Being One personal supreme God who is Creator
and Lord. He eternally exists as Triune God:
Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
There is only one God. God has revealed
Himself as three Persons: God the Father,
God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He is
Creator and Lord of everything that exists.
God’s character and His love for humanity.
Full and final revelation of God and His love.
One divine Person, eternal, fully human, and
divine. Supreme example of God’s character
and His love for humanity, full and final
revelation of God and His Love.
and power.
Jesus was born, lived and died in a given time
from the dead and ascended into heaven. He
is the Messiah (Christ), Lord , and Savior, who
forgives sin and will come again in glory and
power.
Catholics accept the Bible, (Old and New
Testaments, and Apocrypha) as the inspired
revelation of God. They also accept church
tradition and magisterium (teaching and
authority of the church) as sources of authority.
and worth.
Humanity is part of creation, but distinct
from the rest of creation and from God.
Human beings are created in God’s image.
Every person is a unique, precious being of
dignity and worth.
The Basic Human
Problem
nature, and pursuing a course of life that
is opposed to His essential character and
revealed law.
nature, and pursuing a course of life that is
opposed to His essential character and revealed
law. Catholics distinguish between venial sins
and mortal sins.
Human Problem
in Christ.
Salvation is an infused process of grace
gained over one’s lifetime through faith plus
observance of church sacraments and rituals.
Ultimate values for humanity are based
on God’s character and His revelation to
humanity. Human beings are born under sin
and always need God’s grace to renew their
character.
Agree with historic Christianity on heaven
and hell. However, Catholics also believe in
purgatory, a temporary state where those who
die in a state of grace are purified of their sins
over time.

Scripture Alphabet
A Ask and you will receive (Matthew 7:7, GNT).
B Be kind and tenderhearted to one another (Ephesians 4:32, GNT).
C Come to me … and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28, GNT).
D Do for others what you want them to do for you (Matthew 11:28, GNT).
E Every good gift … comes from heaven (James 1:17, GNT).
F Forgive us our sins, for we forgive everyone who does us wrong (Luke 11:4, GNT).
G God is love (1 John 4:8, GNT).
H Happy is the one who reads this book (Revelation 1:3, GNT).
I If we confess our sins to God … he will forgive us our sins (1 John 1:9, GNT).
J Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8, GNT).
K Keeping God’s commands is what counts (1 Corinthians 7:19, NIV).
L Love your neighbor as you love yourself (Mark 12:31, GNT).
M My help will come from the Lord (Psalm 12:12, GNT).
N Not my will … but your will be done (Luke 22:42,GNT).
O Obey your leaders and follow their orders (Hebrews 13:17, GNT).
P Pray for one another (James 5:16, GNT).
Q Quietly trust in me (Isaiah 30:15, GNT).
R Remember your Creator while you are still young (Ecclesiastes 12:1, GNT).
S Speak, Lord, your servant is listening (1 Samuel 3:9, GNT).
T Teach children how they should live, and they will remember it all their life (Proverbs 22:6, GNT).
U Unless he is born again no one can see the kingdom of God (John 3:3, NIV).
W Worship no god but me (Exodus 20:3, GNT).
X Examine me and test me, Lord (Psalm 26:2, GNT).
Y You are like salt for the whole human race (Matthew 5:15, GNT).
Z Zacchaeus … welcomed him with great joy (Luke 19:6, GNT).

Literacy missions prayer
Heavenly Father, I cannot do this alone. I lean and depend upon You for wisdom, guidance, and strength.
Enable me to always demonstrate Christ like attitudes and use only words of love and encouragement as I
work with my students.
Give me the spiritual wisdom to see each individual student as the person he or she is, the person he or she
longs to be, and the person You want him or her to be.
Help me to see with the eyes of Christ the true worth of the individual soul and the importance of the
individual life.
I pray that the Holy Spirit will move in the lives of my students and create a thirst for spiritual knowledge
and a hunger in their heart for Your divine love.
Thank You for the joy of seeing my students’ open the Bible and discover Your love for them.
I pray that those who do not have a personal relationship with you will accept Your gift of grace and love and
become children of God.
Sustain me in my efforts and give me steadfastness in zeal, effort, and “stick-to-itiveness.” Grant me patience
to wait, if necessary, till eternity to see the results of my efforts.
May I never lose sight of the fact that my efforts are only a part of a chain of love that reaches from God,
through Jesus Christ, to a lost and dying world.
If these efforts of mine can bring God’s message of love to one person, whether to save his soul or to enrich
his spiritual life, I will be eternally grateful to You and give You all the praise and glory.
This I pray in the name of Christ, my Redeemer. Amen
Adapted by Kendale Moore from a prayer written by Opal Smith, Douglas, Georgia. Used by permission.

Think it over
1. What is the one critical aspect of preparing to share your faith with your students?
2. List three people you will ask to pray specifically that God would enable you to share your faith.
3. What is church jargon?
4. How does church jargon get in the way of sharing your faith with those who don’t know Christ?
5. What are the church jargon words you use that will be the hardest to eliminate from your vocabulary?
6. What are the steps in becoming a Christian?
7. How can you create opportunities to talk about spiritual matters with your students?
8. Why is it important to demonstrate your faith?
9. When you present the Gospel to a student, why should you avoid yes or no questions?
10. What is the role of baptism in the life of a Christian?

A Final Word
Beginning a church-based ESL ministry is the first step toward maintaining the ministry. Here are some
places you should be able to find help for your ministry.
1. State Convention — each Southern Baptist State Convention has a person who is responsible for literacy
missions ministries. Some have volunteer State Coordinators whose tasks include supporting ministries.
2. National Literacy Missions Partnership — the Partnership is a group of states organized specifically to
help the North American Mission Board promote, train, and support literacy missions. The Partnership is
responsible for the annual Leadership Workshop in which Basic Workshop Leaders are trained. The group
maintains the training materials and assists State Conventions with related needs. The Partnership website
has current resource lists: www.LiteracyMissionsSBC.net
3. Organizations — groups related to English as a Second language can be found with an Internet search.
4. Curriculum Publishers — publishers merge, go out of business, and start up often. Any printed list of
publishers is out of date almost immediately. An Internet search or conversations with other ministries
will help you find appropriate curriculum.

Notes:

Learn to teach English as a missions outreach.
All across the United States, its territories, and Canada, the number of people who want and need to learn
to speak English is increasing rapidly. East, west, north, and south — people who need and want to learn to
speak English are our neighbors. One of the best ways to demonstrate and share God’s love with our non-
English speaking neighbors is through local church-based English as a Second Language (ESL) ministries.
You don’t have to speak another language or be a professional teacher to learn to teach English to
internationals as a missions outreach.
You can learn to share the gospel with people from all over the world without leaving your own community.
In this book you will learn:
• How to organize a church-based ESL ministry
• How to determine a student’s fluency level and place them in appropriate level classes
• Basic principles of teaching a foreign language
• Basic language teaching techniques and resources
• How to plan and present a basic ESL lesson
• How to incorporate biblical material in your classes
• How to deal with cultural misunderstandings
• How to share your faith with your students
• For general information about literacy missions ministries visit www.namb.net/literacy or
www.literacymissionssbc.net.
A Southern Baptist Convention entity supported
by the Cooperative Program and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.®

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