Education Commons^™

Monarch Butterfly., Bermudez J. Ferrell

ESL for Academic Purposes

This unit covers the migration of the monarch butterflies from Michoacan, Mexico, to the Northern parts of America. This Monarch Butterfly unit is geared toward WIDA level 3: developing or CEFR B2 English language learners in middle school or high school. The primary focus of this unit is reading and writing; however, the last day has a speaking activity. The scaffolding for reading included in this unit are pre-readings, during-reading activities, and vocabulary acquisition worksheets. The unit’s content goes over an introductory section, followed by an article, finally wrapping up with a cause and effect activity and tips students can …

Emperor Penguins, Dan Wu

ESL for Academic Purposes

The purpose of this unit is to develop students’ English skills and familiarize them with emperor penguins. The topic of the unit is about emperor penguins. Students will be able to learn the basic information of the species and its huddle behavior, incubating and parenting, as well as human impact on the species. The unit is designed for intermediate level ESL or EFL pre-academic students on the A2-B1 level of the CEFR scale. The assessments involve pair work, group work and individual tasks, through which students will be able to develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.

Autism: The Life Of Present And Future, Jong Moon Kim

ESL for Academic Purposes

This unit addresses people with autism and the inherent characteristics and struggles people affected by autism strive to overcome. Students can understand the traits of autism, the challenges autistic people have, and ways to support them. The unit is aimed at English Language Learners and is written to help ELLs learn more autism and the people who live with autism. Also, it is useful for teenagers and adults living with people who are autistic. It is intended for secondary school students with a B1 level on the CEFR scale. Students can improve their academic vocabulary related to autism, reading, listening, …

Forgotten History: The Stonewall Riots, Kaitlin Comfort

ESL for Academic Purposes

This unit covers the underrepresented history of LGBTQ+ people in the United States by exploring the landmark event: The Stonewall Riots. It primarily focuses on listening and writing domains supported by jigsaw and vocabulary acquisition activities. The use of prepositions, identifying supporting details, and summarizing are also covered. As a final project, students will have the chance to explore an underrepresented event from their own culture. This unit is targeted at high school, college, or adult students at a B2 level or higher on the CEFR scale and incorporates the use of technology. The content in the unit will serve …

The Unknown Heroes Of Wwii, Okumura Melissa

ESL for Academic Purposes

This unit introduces ESL students to the history of the Military Intelligence Service Language School (MISLS), its students, and their contributions as English-Japanese translators and interpreters during WWII. It is intended to be used as a U.S. history unit in an ESL context for high school and college students. It is designed for EL learners at a CEFR B2—C1 Level. The goal of the exercises in this unit are to introduce historical academic vocabulary, develop students’ reading and listening comprehension about a historical topic, and explore the cultural complexities of the MISLS students’ lives through writing, speaking, and visual projects. …

Che Guevara: Hero Or Villain?, Alberto Ramos

ESL for Academic Purposes

This integrated unit covers the life and political ideology of the revolutionary Che Guevara. This unit is intended for B2 CEFR ESL or EFL college students. By engaging in this unit, students will enhance their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in English. Students will be engaged and challenged to think critically about current political issues and how to become more responsible global citizens.

Climate Vocabulary, A Minnesota Experience, Eve Thao

ESL for Academic Purposes

This unit explores the four seasons in the state of Minnesota, United States of America. The goal of this unit is to introduce various climate-related vocabulary to ELL’s, while providing them with an opportunity to describe climate in their own words and usage in real or authentic conversations. The preferred audience for this unit is young adult English Language Learners ages 18-21, in either the ESL or EFL context. This unit is best suited for students with an ELL proficiency level of A2 based on the CEFR scale.

Chief Joseph, Eric Daeuber

ESL for Academic Purposes

This unit introduces ESL and EFL students to the ongoing struggle between the Indigenous people of the Unites States and the United States federal government with reference to the events of the Nez Perce War of 1877 and the leader of the Nez Perce, Chief Joseph. The unit is aimed at young adult and adult learners at the B2 level with 93% of the vocabulary included in the first 1000 most used English words. Exercises use contemporary readings as well as archival material to cover vocabulary topics such as long definitions as well as structural elements such as finding the …

Volcanoes., Frances H. Goldsmith

ESL for Academic Purposes

This learning unit explores the basic information about volcanoes from a scientific and safety perspective. This unit is intended for a beginning to middle level ESL or EFL course intended for elementary school students on the A2 level of the CEFR scale. With this unit, students are able to work on their skills including vocabulary, writing, speaking, and be able to conduct hands-on activities. This includes a blend of individual work, group work, and physical activities. The purpose of this unit is to teach students more about volcanoes in a simple, yet engaging style.

K-Pop Culture: The Success Of Bts, Shinjung Kim

ESL for Academic Purposes

This unit addresses several factors behind the great success of BTS, a Korean boy idol group, all over the world, while providing the opportunity for learners to reflect upon themselves. This unit is intended for English language learners in either as an ESL and EFL context. The unit will be of most interest to teenagers and young adults. Learners should have a B1 level of proficiency or higher. By working through the unit, learners will increase their academic vocabulary, reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills.

Superstitions From Around The World, Annie Espinal

ESL for Academic Purposes

This open educational resource is a lesson for students who are studying English in a multicultural classroom. This specific unit, Superstition, is meant for intermediate ESL learners, with an A2 level on the CEFR scale. The goal of this unit is to encourage students to share about their own cultures, comparing and exchanging various superstitions and beliefs from their countries, and to help develop multiple language skills like reading, speaking, and listening, while engaging in different activities.

Bob Marley, Danayit Desalegn

ESL for Academic Purposes

This integrated unit covers the life of a cultural icon and a famous Reggae artist, Bob Marley. The unit is intended for an advanced ESL or EFL listening and speaking course. It will be most engaging to young adults and adult learners. Learners should have a B2/C1 level of proficiency or higher on the CEFR language scale. By engaging with this unit, learners will enhance their academic vocabulary, grammar, reading, writing, critical thinking, listening, and speaking skills. This unit is intended to increase students' cultural awareness of a popular music genre and Rastafarianism.

Comparing Human Communication And Animal Communication, Firas Ismail

ESL for Academic Purposes

What is language? People might say that humans are not the only living beings that use language. The types of communication that animals use is definitely useful and does meet some of the same goals as human speech, but it is not truly language. What are these differences in communication that separate humans from animals, and why are they important. This is the topic of the unit, which encourages not only practical applications of language use (Vocabulary, Reading, Writing, Grammar Usage, Speaking, and Listening), but also critical thinking on the concept of language itself. This unit tries to encourage metalinguistic …

Salvadoran Food: Pupusas, Nelson Morales Vasquez

ESL for Academic Purposes

The unit presents a delicious combination between Salvadoran cuisine and Language learning activities. The unit is intended for a cultural lesson in an EAP program and it provides a glance into the history of Salvadoran cuisine, Pupusas. Learner should have B2 level of proficiency or higher. By working through the unit, learners will be able to not only explain what Pupusas are, but also describe how to make them. It includes three projects that can be carried out to deepen and assess leaners’ understanding of this unit.

Music In World Cultures: Flamenco Unit, Whitney Krogstad-Yambrick

ESL for Academic Purposes

This is a content-based course called Music in World Cultures. The course is meant to educate students on international music genres. This specific unit presents the flamenco dance. It is intended for adult learners of English with a B2 level on the CEFR scale. The goal of this unit is to inform students about the flamenco and to encourage them to think critically.

Industrial Engineering Tools, Lucas Santos

ESL for Academic Purposes

The unit presents an interesting combination between Industrial Engineering tools and language learning. The tools are utilized in a way that facilitates engineers’ language skills development. The unit is intended for industrial engineers who work for multinational companies in either an ESL or EFL context. Learners should have a B2 level of proficiency or higher. By working through the unit, learners will increase their technical vocabulary, structure, reading, speaking, and writing skills.

Cross-Cultural Student Teaching Internship Engagement, Levi P. Johnson, Kai Zhuo, Kathy E. Johnson

Huskies Showcase

Best Our Husky Compact Reflection for "Engage as a Member of a Diverse and Multicultural World".

Abstract

This project was orchestrated by Levi Johnson, a graduate intern for the Confucius Institute (CI) as part of the College Counseling and Student Development program, and Kai Zhou, a visiting scholar at the CI, to strengthen and enhance the experience of 12 student intern teachers from across China. They have been involved at several locations around Minnesota and North Dakota teaching Chinese exploratory language classes, Chinese as a second language, and Chinese immersion programs. The goal of this project was to promote the …

El Poder De Los Padres: Volunteering In A Multicultural Parent-Child Group That Supports Language Development And Literacy Skills, Olivia Musser, Connor P. Stark-Haws, Theresa Estrem

Huskies Showcase

Award for "Best Our Husky Compact Reflection" Engage as a Member of a Diverse and Multicultural World."

Abstract

The Greater St. Cloud Area Multicultural Parent-Child Group (El Poder de los Padres) provides intensive intervention to parents and children in the greater St. Cloud area through weekly 2-hour sessions during the academic year. Sessions include songs, activities, and crafts that facilitate the development of language and literacy skills in preschool-aged children. In addition, there is a parent education component, in which parents discuss a relevant language and/or literacy topic each week. St. Cloud State University graduate students from the Communication Sciences …

The Speech-Language Pathologist's Role In Family-Centered Bilingual Pre-Literacy Development, Kaitlyn Gohman, Megan Unterberger, Theresa L. Estrem

Huskies Showcase

Award for "Best Our Husky Compact Reflection: Seek and Apply Knowledge".

Abstract

Language development in bilingual children has been a debated topic among professionals and parents alike - deciphering whether it is a benefit or a hindrance to the child's language acquisition. It has been recently found that, "Learning another language will not cause or worsen speech or language problems. Bilingual children develop language skills just as other children do." (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association). Agreeing with this evidence-base, we are confident providing pre-literacy intervention in a language-rich bilingual environment. This project has allowed us to share our viewpoint with other educators …