Beginner Learners Who Are Illiterate In Their Mother Tongues

[Hubert]

Dear All,

Do any of you guys have any advice about how to teach the type of learners referred to in the subject line of this message? If so, could you please pass them on to me?

Many thanks,

Yours,

[shlee]

even if they cannot express something in their mother tongue, the use of visuals can help to show what the item your are reinforcing in English is...This is one good way to bridge the gap with people regardless of their language ability in their own language...

[jasminade]

Pointing is the one.

"I am Jasminade", and "you are ....", "this is...", "that is ...", "I am here", "you are there", et cetera.

Just decide what you are aims and objectives are before the class, and to teach language items point a lot. And, of course, as Shlee mentions, visual aids are an invaluable tool in any language classroom.

[VenusEnvy]

You may also want to do some work with them on letter-sound knowledge and phonemic awareness.

[Peter Easton]

Bearing in mind that this thread is in the 'Teaching Adults' forum, why on Earth would anybody want or need to learn English when they can't even read or write in their own mother tongue?

With all due respect Hubert, the question just doesn't make sense. Why teach English to a bunch of illiterate farmers? They're never going to use it.