Burgen Young & Lisa Vogl (2014)

CommonBond Communities
Literacy Curriculum

Unit Guidelines
Personal Information/Mail
Level I
Teach the student to read and write his/her name. Start with his/her first name and
then last name.
Teach the student basic introductions:
A: Hi, my name is ________.
B: Nice to meet you. My name is ________.
A: Nice to meet you.
For a bit more of a challenge, after the student memorizes the above dialogue, teach
the student to read it and then how to write it.
Teach the student to answer the question Whats your phone number? Use a phone to
demonstrate the meaning of the question. Practice reading and writing the numbers in
the phone number. Practice finding and naming the numbers in the students number
on a phone.
Teach the student to answer the question, Where do you live? Or, alternatively, What
apartment? (note that the student will need to tell a building manager the answer to
this question, so this is a good reason to learn to answer it).
Level II
Teach the student to answer basic personal information questions. You may wish to role
play as an apartment manager asking these questions. Possible questions include
Whats your name? Whats your date of birth? What apartment? Whats your phone
number?
Burgen Young & Lisa Vogl (2014)


If the student needs more practice with saying his/her phone number, use a phone to
demonstrate the meaning of the question. Demonstrate when to pause while saying
the numbers. Practice reading and writing the numbers in the phone number. Practice
finding and naming the numbers in the students number on a phone.
Teach the student to say his/her address.
Teach the student to identify the different parts of an address on an envelope. Bring in
some mail to practice with. Cut it apart and put it back together. Label the different
parts.
Teach the student to write his/her address. Then practice writing the address on
envelopesor in a box drawn on a document.
If there is time, have the student write a short note to you and then mail it to you. You
could have the student dictate the note to you, giving the student more time to focus on
correctly addressing the envelope. Bring it in after you receive it in the mail.
Level III
Teach the student to answer basic personal information questions. You may wish to role
play as an apartment manager asking these questions. Possible questions include
Whats your name? Whats your date of birth? What apartment? Whats your phone
number?
Teach the student to identify the different parts of an address on an envelope. Bring in
some mail to practice with. Cut it apart and put it back together. Label the different
parts.
Teach the student to write his/her address. Then practice writing the address on
envelopesor in a box drawn on a document.
If there is time, have the student write a short note to you and then mail it to you. You
could have the student dictate the note to you, giving the student more time to focus on
correctly addressing the envelope. Bring it in after you receive it in the mail.
Have the student fill in a form that asks for basic personal information. First have the
student dictate the answers to you and write them in. Then the student can fill in
another on his/her own. Compare the two to find mistakes.
Burgen Young & Lisa Vogl (2014)


School/Classroom Activities
Level I
Use Total Physical Response to teach the student a few common classroom activities
such as: pick up the pen, get some paper, write your name, open the book, close the
book.
Practice the vocabulary that the student learned through Total Physical Response in
other ways.
Use a demonstration to indicate to the student that you would like him/her to point to
and name any objects in the room that he/she can say. Then use sticky notes to label a
few objects and teach the student to read and write the words.
Take pictures of the student walking to the school, sitting with a tutor, reading, and
writing and then use these pictures to tell a story. Teach the student the story.
Introduce simple commands: circle, show me, point to. Use modeling to demonstrate
meaning, then check comprehension with simple activities using known vocabulary.
Level II
Use Total Physical Response to teach the student a few common classroom activities
such as: pick up the pen, get some paper, write your name, open the book, close the
book. Switch roles to have students ask you for items using these phrases.
Ask students to identify common supplies in the classroom. Introduce any new
vocabulary to include paper, pen, pencil, chair, eraser, table.
Introduce simple commands: write, read, listen, say. Use modeling to demonstrate
meaning, then check comprehension with simple activities using known vocabulary.
After the student learns he words, teach the student to read them.
Introduce simple clarification phrases through modeling:
o Please repeat.
o I dont understand.
o I dont know.
Level III
Use Total Physical Response to teach the student a few common classroom activities
such as: pick up the pen, get some paper, write your name, open the book, close the
book. Switch roles to have students ask you for items using these phrases.
Pair phrases with facial expressions
(furrowed brow, shaking head no, etc.).
Burgen Young & Lisa Vogl (2014)


Ask students to identify common supplies in the classroom. Introduce any new
vocabulary to include paper, pen, pencil, chair, eraser, table. Include pencil sharpener,
binder, whiteboard, marker as needed.
Teach students to read and write the school/classroom words they already know how to
say.
Introduce simple clarification phrases through modeling:
o Please repeat.
o I dont understand.
o I dont know.
o Please speak slowly.
o How do you spell that?
Food
Level I
Students learn basic food vocabulary: meat, rice, vegetables, water, food, eat.
Use grocery store ads to label food items, or go to the store in Skyline Tower and
student (not the tutor) talks about what they see.
Use Total Physical Response to fill a shopping bag with food items. Students respond to
the teacher saying I need ___.
Label food in a grocery store ad.
Practice the vocabulary that the student learned through Total Physical Response in
other ways.
Teach student to read food words they already know how to say.

Level II
Students learn basic food vocabulary: meat, rice, vegetables, water, food, eat.
Teach student to read food words they already know how to say.
Use grocery store ads to label food items, or go to the store nearby and the student (not
the tutor) talks about what they see.
Teach student basic container words bag of bottle of carton ofChoose three or
four at most.
Pair phrases with facial expressions
(furrowed brow, shaking head no, etc.).
Burgen Young & Lisa Vogl (2014)


Label food in a picture of a grocery store. Teach student to read food words they already
know how to say.
Use a picture grid to generate sentences orally; e.g., I buy ____ at the store.

Level III
Students learn basic food vocabulary: meat, rice, vegetables, water, food, eat.
Teach student basic container words bag of bottle of carton ofChoose three or
four at most.
Label food in a grocery store ad. Teach student to read food words they already know
how to say.
Use grocery store ads to label food items, or go to a store nearby and the student (not
the tutor) talks about what they see.
Create a language experience story about shopping at the store. Use store ads to
generate ideas and illustrate the sentences. Teach students to read the words they
already know how to say.
Ask students to write a list of things they need at the store, using store ads as prompts.
Money/Shopping
Level I
Very basic counting skills: ask the student to count something and then build on what
the student knows by practicing counting objects in the room, coins, play money and so
on. If the student doesnt know any numbers yet work on counting to 5, for example.
Teach the student to name $1, $5, $10, and $20. Ask the student to add some of these
together and to make very basic change, such as five ones for $5.
Read and write the digits for 1-5 or 1-10, depending on the student.
Teach a short shopping dialogue such as the following. Use a prop and pretend to buy it
to make it more meaningful. Try to have the student memorize the dialogue.
A: How much is this?
B: Five dollars.
A: Thank you.
Ask the student to list items that the student buys on a regular basis. This list may be
quite short. Teach the student to read the shopping words that he/she already can say.
Burgen Young & Lisa Vogl (2014)


Level II
Review basic counting skills to find out what numbers the student already knows and
then build on these abilities. If the student can count to 20, teach the student the
pattern to follow to count to 100, for example.
Teach the student to name the coins and their amounts. Review $1, $5, $10, and $20.
Practice adding and making change. Start with very easy amounts and increase the
difficulty slightly if the student is ready.
Read and write the digits for 1-100.
Read and write the spelled out numbers for one to twenty.
Ask the student to list items that the student buys on a regular basis. Teach the student
to read the shopping words that he/she already can say.
Teach basic shopping phrases such as: I want to buy the ______, How much is the
______? Where is the ____? using objects in the room to practice these phrases.

Level III
Review counting numbers 1-100.
Read and write the digits for 1-100.
Read and write the spelled out numbers for one to one-hundred. Note that practicing
random numbers will be a lot more interesting than writing out all of the numbers.
Teach the student the pattern for writing the numbers rather than how to spell every
number.
Review the names and amounts of all the coins.
Review $1, $5, $10, and $20. Practice adding and making change. Start with a couple
easy amounts and increase the difficulty when the student is ready.
Ask the student to tell you about a typical shopping trip. Use the language experience
approach and write down what the student says to teach the student to read and then
write the words the student tells you.
Review basic shopping phrases such as: I want to buy the ______, How much is the
______? Where is the ____? and use objects in the room to practice these phrases.
Teach a few shopping vocabulary words such as: pay, price, cashier, store, receipt
Burgen Young & Lisa Vogl (2014)


Family
Level I
Teach basic family vocabulary using pictures of families and labeling family members:
mother, father, brother, sister, son, daughter.
Use Total Physical Response to point to family members in pictures Show
mebrother.
Practice vocabulary learned in Total Physical Response in other ways.
After student learns these words, teach them to read the words.

Level II
Teach basic family vocabulary using pictures of families and labeling family members:
mother, father, brother, sister, son, daughter. Add grandmother, grandfather, grandson,
granddaughter if the student is ready.
Use picture grids to help students generate sentences about family members: I have
one brother. I have 2 sisters. Etc.
Show pictures of families and ask student to count the people they see; e.g. How many
brothers?
Practice recognizing the words in other ways, focusing on literacy skills; e.g. noticing the
pattern in words for example, -er in father, mother, brother, etc.

Level III
Teach basic family vocabulary using pictures of families and labeling family members:
mother, father, brother, sister, son, daughter. Add grandmother, grandfather, grandson,
granddaughter when the student is ready.
Teach students simple questions and answers about family members:
A. Do you have any brothers?
B. I have one brother.
A. Do you have any children?
B. I have one daughter.
Show pictures of families and ask student to count the people they see; e.g. How many
brothers?
Burgen Young & Lisa Vogl (2014)


Practice recognizing the words in other ways, focusing on literacy skills; e.g. noticing the
pattern in words for example, -er in father, mother, brother, etc.
Days of the Week/Months of the Year
Level I
Teach students days of the week.
Use business signs and calendars to teach students to identify and read days of the
week and abbreviations in an authentic context.
Ask how many? for days of the week in regards to a specific month. For example,
How many Mondays in July?
Review days of the week by practicing Today is ____.
Use manipulatives on simple charts and calendars to identify days of the week.
Level II
Teach students days of the week and their abbreviations. Then, teach them to read the
days of the week and their abbreviations.
Use grids to create simple schedules of routines the students are familiar with. For
example, when is school? Check Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc.
Expand Today is____ to include Tomorrow will be___ and Yesterday was ___, so
that students review days of the week and letters in this simple reading activity.
Use manipulatives on simple charts and calendars to identify days of the week, months
and year to fill out information based on those manipulatives.
Level III
Review days of the week and their abbreviations.
Ask students to generate Today is___. Tomorrow will be ____. Yesterday was ____. on
their own to review days of the week.
Use schedules to write simple stories about a students weekly routine. For example,
On Tuesday, I go to school. On Wednesday, I go to the store.
Use manipulatives on simple charts and calendars to identify days of the week, months
and year to fill out information based on those manipulatives.
Teach students to ask clarifying questions about the dates
A. What is the date today?
B. July 19
th
, 2013.
Burgen Young & Lisa Vogl (2014)


A. What day is it?
B. Today is Tuesday.
Weather
Level I
Teach the student a few basic weather words such as hot, cold, sunny, raining, snowing,
windy. Practice these words in multiple ways.
Teach the student to say It is _________ to describe the weather.
Use pictures to prompt the student to describe the weather and write down what the
student says. Teach the student to read and later to write what he/she said.
Review months of the year by teaching the student to describe the weather during
these different months. For example: It is January. It is snowing.
Count how many days this week it rained (or snowed, if appropriate). Then count how
many days it was sunny.
Level II
Use pictures to see what weather words the student already knows and then teach a
few more such as temperature and storm. If it is winter teach blizzard and frost bite.
Practice these words in multiple ways.
Teach the student to say It is _________ to describe the weather.
Review months of the year by teaching the student to describe the weather during
these different months. For example: It snows in January.
Talk about weather that the student likes and doesnt like.
Count how many days this week it rained (or snowed, if appropriate). Then count how
many days it was sunny. Repeat with last week. Make guesses about next week, and
then next week see if you were correct.
Ask the student to tell you about a day that was difficult because of the weather. Write
down what the student says and then teach the student to read and write what he/she
said.
Level III
Use pictures to see what weather words the student already knows and then teach a
few more such as temperature, and storm. If it is winter teach blizzard and frost bite.
Practice these words in multiple ways.
Burgen Young & Lisa Vogl (2014)


Teach the student to say It is _________ to describe the weather.
Review months of the year by teaching the student to describe the weather during
these different months. For example: It snows in January.
Talk about weather that the student likes and doesnt like.
Count how many days this week it rained (or snowed, if appropriate). Then count how
many days it was sunny. Repeat with last week. Make guesses about next week, and
then next week see if you were correct.
For an extra challenge demonstrate how to make and read a bar graph to show how
many days it rained and how many it was sunny. Then make another bar graph together
about a different week.
Ask the student to tell you about a day that was difficult because of the weather. Write
down what the student says and then teach the student to read and write what he/she
said.
Our Community
Level I
Learn basic words for places around your community using real pictures. For example:
laundry room, parking lot, elevator, stairs, lobby, store. Actually walk around the
community during the lesson(s)!
Have student give you a tour to locate places around the community: For example,
Where is the laundry room? Where is the elevator? They walk you there.
Do picture flash activities to show familiar places and elicit vocabulary for each.
Use picture grids to elicit simple sentences about places around your community. I go
to the laundry room. I go to the parking lot.
Level II
Learn basic words for places around your community using real pictures. For example:
laundry room, parking lot, elevator, stairs, lobby, store.
Practice matching pictures of places around your community to the written version
using manipulatives.
Elicit a language experience story about going to places around the community (for
example: the store, the elevator, the laundry room). Use this story to review words.
Practice reviewing these words with activities which enforce literacy skills.
Burgen Young & Lisa Vogl (2014)


Have student give you a tour to locate places around the community. For example:
Where is the laundry room? Where is the elevator? They walk you there.
Level III
Learn basic words for places around your community using real pictures: laundry room,
parking lot, elevator, stairs, lobby, store.
Teach more words specific to the community if the student is ready, to include (for
example): Advantage Center, auditorium, security, and property management.
Have the student give you a tour to locate places around the community: Where is the
laundry room? Where is security? They walk you there.
Use a picture grid story to build sentences about who students see in each place. For
example: I see my friends in the laundry room. I see the social worker in the Advantage
Center. I see Kevin in security. Etc.
Elicit a language experience story about a day in the life of the student in their
community. Teach the student to read this story.
Time/Daily Living
Level I
Very basic counting skills: ask the student to count something and then build on what
the student knows by practicing counting objects in the room, coins, and so on. If the
student doesnt know any numbers yet work on counting to 12, for example.
Read and write the digits for 1-12.
Teach basic vocabulary words for times of day: morning, afternoon, night
Teach a few basic phrases that describe daily routines such as: cook food, clean, pray,
sleep. (Note: many East Africans pray 5 times a day). Practice these words in multiple
ways.
Ask the student to tell you a few things he/she does during the day. This list may be very
short and basic (eat, sleep, talk). Teach the student to read and write the words that she
already knows how to say.
Ask the student to count how many times he/she does some daily activities such as
cleaning, praying.
Burgen Young & Lisa Vogl (2014)


Level II
Review basic counting skills to find out what numbers the student already knows and
then build on these abilities. If the student can count to 20, teach the student the
pattern to follow to count to 60 for example.
Read and write the digits for 1-59. Note that it is more interesting to focus learning the
pattern of how to write the numbers and practicing random numbers than it is to write
them all out in order.
Teach the student how to tell time in English with a digital clock. Teach basic time telling
vocabulary such as: it is __ oclock, (note that we only say oclock on the hour such as
one oclock), noon, am, pm.
Teach words for times of day such as: morning, afternoon, evening, night
Ask the student to describe daily routines that he/she does during the day. Then teach
the student a few more routines such as: wake up, cook food, clean my apartment, go
for a walk, visit friends, pray, go to bed
Ask the student to tell you what time he/she does routine activities. Write down what
the students says and teach the student to read what you wrote.
Level III
Review how to count to 60.
Read and write the digits 1-59.
Review how to tell time with a digital clock and review time telling vocabulary such as it
is __ oclock, (note that we only say oclock on the hour such as one oclock), noon, am,
pm.
Practice counting by fives up to 60.
Teach the student how to tell time using an analog clock. Do a lot of demonstrating.
Break the process down into small steps. Teach the student to identify the minute hand
and hour hand. Start with telling time on the hours, then on the half hour.
Ask the student to tell describe daily routines that he/she does during the day. Then
teach the student a few more routines such as: wake up, cook food, clean my
apartment, go for a walk, visit friends, pray, go to bed
Ask the student to tell you what time he/she does routine activities. Write down what
the students says and teach the student to read what you wrote.
Burgen Young & Lisa Vogl (2014)


Health/Appointments
Level I
Teach the student a few names for body parts: head, back, arm, hand, leg, foot,
stomach. Practice the words in multiple ways.
Teach the students this short dialogue. Practice it so much that the student memorizes
it and can do either part.
A: Whats wrong?
B: My ____ hurts.
Teach the student to read and write the body part vocabulary he/she already knows
how to say. After the student memorizes the short dialogue above, teach the student to
read it.
Use total physical response to practice body part words: Raise your hand. Point to your
foot. Put your hand on your stomach. Put your hand on your head.
Level II
Point to various body parts to see which words the student already knows. Teach the
student a few more names for body parts such as face, eye, ear, tooth, knee, stomach.
Practice the words in multiple ways.
Teach the students this short dialogue. Practice it so much that the student memorizes
it and can do either part.
A: Whats wrong?
B: My ____ hurts.
After the student learns the above dialogue, use pictures to teach the student to say, His
___ hurts, Her ___ hurts and practice the dialogue some more.
Teach the student to read and write the body part vocabulary he/she already knows
how to say. After the student memorizes the short dialogue above, teach the student to
read it.
Use total physical response to practice body part words: Raise your hand. Point to your
foot. Put your hand on your stomach. Put your hand on your head.
Teach the student to say basic dialogue to call for a doctors appointment, such as this
one:
A: Dr. Bells Office. How can I help you?
B: I would like an appointment.
A: Whats wrong?
Burgen Young & Lisa Vogl (2014)


B: My back hurts.
A: What is your name?
B: ______ __________ (insert students name)
A: Can you come on Tuesday at 1:00?
B: Yes.
A: See you Tuesday.
Depending on the student, you may wish to start with a shorter dialogue without the day and
time. After the student learns the dialogue, practice naming different problems. For an extra
challenge, change the days and times.
Level III
Point to various body parts to see which words the student already knows. Teach the
student a few more names for body parts such as face, eye, ear, tooth, knee, stomach.
Practice the words in multiple ways.
Teach the students this short dialogue. Practice it so much that the student memorizes
it and can do either part.
A: Whats wrong?
B: My ____ hurts.
After the student learns the above dialogue, use pictures to teach the student to say, His
___ hurts, Her ___ hurts and practice the dialogue some more.
Teach the student to read and write the body part vocabulary he/she already knows
how to say. After the student memorizes the short dialogue above, teach the student to
read and write it.
Use total physical response to practice body part words: Raise your hand. Point to your
foot. Put your hand on your stomach. Put your hand on your head.
Teach the student to say and then read a basic dialogue to call for a doctors
appointment, such as this one:
A: Dr. Bells Office. How can I help you?
B: I would like an appointment.
A: Whats wrong?
B: My back hurts.
A: What is your name?
B: ______ __________ (insert students name)
A: Can you come on Tuesday at 1:00?
Burgen Young & Lisa Vogl (2014)


B: Yes.
A: See you Tuesday.
After the student learns the dialogue, practice naming different problems. For an extra
challenge, change the days and times.
Level III
Point to various body parts to see which words the student already knows. Teach the
student a few more names for body parts such as face, eye, ear, tooth, knee, stomach.
Practice the words in multiple ways.
Teach the students this short dialogue. Practice it so much that the student memorizes
it and can do either part.
A: Whats wrong?
B: My ____ hurts.
After the student learns the above dialogue, use pictures to teach the student to say, His
___ hurts, Her ___ hurts and practice the dialogue some more.
Teach the student to read and write the body part vocabulary he/she already knows
how to say. After the student memorizes the short dialogue above, teach the student to
read and write it.
Use total physical response to practice body part words: Raise your hand. Point to your
foot. Put your hand on your stomach. Put your hand on your head.
Teach the student to say and then read a basic dialogue to call for a doctors
appointment, such as this one:
A: Dr. Bells Office. How can I help you?
B: I would like an appointment.
A: Whats wrong?
B: My back hurts.
A: What is your name?
B: ______ __________ (insert students name)
A: Can you come on Tuesday at 1:00?
B: Yes.
A: See you Tuesday.
After the student learns the dialogue, practice naming different problems. For an extra
challenge, change the days and times.
Burgen Young & Lisa Vogl (2014)


Signs/Safety
Level I
Teach basic signs and their meanings: no smoking, mens bathroom, womens bathroom,
EXIT, walk, dont walk.
Help students connect sign meaning to action through matching activities and Total
Physical Response. Pay special attention to helping to connect symbols to real life
meaning (barred circle = NO, abstract drawing of cigarette = smoking)
Teach students to match written words to signs through use of manipulatives; e.g. No
smoking and its sign, etc.
Go read the signs found in the program space/community together.
Ask students to locate signs in their building; e.g. Where is EXIT? Where is MENS
BATHROOM? etc.
Teach students to read the sign words they already know how to say.
Level II
Teach basic signs and their meanings: no smoking, mens bathroom, womens bathroom,
EXIT, walk, dont walk.
Add additional signs: recycling, open, closed, Advantage Center, bus stop.
Ask students to separate signs according to where they are found; e.g. inside/outside,
home/doctors office, etc.
Help students connect sign meaning to symbols through Total Physical Response and
writing activities, where the written word is available to students to copy down. Pay
special attention to helping to connect symbols to real life meaning (barred circle = NO,
abstract drawing of cigarette = smoking)
Go read the signs found in the program space together.
Ask students to locate signs in their building; e.g. Where is EXIT? Where is MENS
BATHROOM? etc.
Teach students to read and write the sign words they already know how to say.
Level III
Teach basic signs and their meanings: no smoking, mens bathroom, womens bathroom,
EXIT, walk, dont walk.
Add additional signs: recycling, open, closed, Advantage Center, bus stop.
Burgen Young & Lisa Vogl (2014)


Ask students to separate signs according to where they are found; e.g. inside/outside,
home/doctors office, etc.
Help students connect sign meaning to symbols through Total Physical Response and
writing activities, where students practice writing words from memory. Pay special
attention to helping to connect symbols to real life meaning (barred circle = NO,
abstract drawing of cigarette = smoking).
Teach students to read and write the sign words they already know how to say.

Apartment Living
Level I
Teach and practice vocabulary for rooms in an apartment: kitchen, living room,
bedroom, bathroom, as well as basic apartment amenities: stove, heat, and toilet.
Practice these words in multiple ways.
Use pictures to prompt the student to tell you the names of a few rooms. Write down
what he/she says and then teach her to read and write these words. Focus on the words
the student already knows how to say.
Demonstrate how to read a basic floor plan. Ask the student to tell you the names of all
the rooms and match pictures to each room in the floor plan.
Teach the student to say, I am in the classroom, and I am in the hall, by
demonstrating. Then use a picture of a woman and match her with pictures of different
rooms. Teach the student to say, She is in the _______.
Review additional apartment vocabulary: stove, heat, toilet. Using these words, teach
the student a basic dialogue on how to make a maintenance request.
Level II
Teach and practice vocabulary for rooms in an apartment: kitchen, living room,
bedroom, bathroom, as well as basic apartment amenities: stove, heat, and toilet.
Practice these words in multiple ways.
Demonstrate how to read a basic floor plan. Ask the student to tell you the names of all
the rooms and match pictures to each room in the floor plan. Then practice labeling the
rooms in the floor plan.
Read other basic floor plans and count the number of rooms. Count the number of
bedrooms and then count the number of bathrooms.
Burgen Young & Lisa Vogl (2014)


Teach the student to say, I am in the classroom, and I am in the hall, by
demonstrating. Then get a picture of a woman and match her with pictures of different
rooms. Teach the student to say, She is in the _______. Repeat with a picture of a man
and a picture of a family.
Ask the student to describe an apartment to you. Write down what he/she says and
then teach her to read and write these words.
Review student additional apartment vocabulary: stove, heat, toilet. Using these words,
teach the student a basic dialogue on how to make a maintenance request.

Level III
Review vocabulary for rooms in an apartment: kitchen, living room, bedroom, bathroom,
as well as basic apartment amenities: stove, heat, and toilet. Practice these words in
multiple ways.
Teach and practice an action for each room: I cook in the kitchen, I watch TV in the living
room, I sleep in the bedroom, I shower in the bathroom. Find a picture of a woman and
match her with rooms in the house to practice She ____s in the ____. Repeat with a
picture of a man and a picture of a family.
Demonstrate how to read a basic floor plan. Ask the student to tell you the names of all
the rooms and match pictures to each room in the floor plan. Then practice labeling the
rooms in the floor plan. Try reading and labeling other floor plans.
Ask the student to describe an apartment to you. Write down what he/she says and
then teacher her to read and write these words.
Use pictures or objects to see what furniture vocabulary the student already knows. Play
a memory game by looking at a picture for 30 seconds, taking it away and asking the
student to list what he/she saw.
Review student additional apartment vocabulary: stove, heat, toilet. Using these words,
teach the student a basic dialogue on how to make a maintenance request.
Working in the US
Level I
Teach the student vocabulary for familiar occupations: janitor, farmer, babysitter,
cashier, housekeeper, and business owner. Practice these words in multiple ways.
Teach the student to read and write occupations they already know how to say.
Burgen Young & Lisa Vogl (2014)


Ask the student about what work they did in their home country. Write sentences about
this experience using I am a ____ and I was a _______, then teach them to read
what you wrote.
Level II
Teach and review vocabulary for familiar occupations: janitor, farmer, babysitter,
cashier, housekeeper, and business owner.
Add words for common job responsibilities: cook, clean, take care of children, use a cash
register, speak English/other language(s).
Practice talking about work experience using I am a ___ and I was a ______.
Teach the student how to talk about job abilities using the phrases I can_____ and I
cant_______.
Use the language experience approach to ask the student what work experience they
have had in their life. Write down what the student says, then teach them to read what
you wrote.

Level III
Teach and review vocabulary for familiar occupations: janitor, farmer, babysitter,
cashier, housekeeper, and business owner.
Add words for common job responsibilities: cook, clean, take care of children, use a cash
register, speak English/other language(s).
Practice talking about work experience using I am a ___ and I was a ______.
Teach the student how to talk about job abilities using the phrases I can_____ and I
cant_______.
Teach the student to answer/ask questions about job abilities:
A: Can you _______?
B: Yes, I can. / No, I cant.
Practice reading basic job ads.
Use the language experience approach to ask the student what work experience they
have had in their life. Write down what the student says, then teach them to read what
you wrote.