Plenary address:

"Why should low-level language proficiency require low-level thinking?"

Abstract:

An analysis of materials and lessons for beginning and low-intermediate English language learners might suggest that such students lack the skill to deal with listening and reading exercises above the literal comprehension level. To the contrary, over the years we have found that not only can lower-proficiency students perform higher level thinking tasks, but they actually crave more of such practice. In this presentation, the speaker will present data from 2 textbook analyses as well as the results of student preferences for comprehension questions. She will present ways in which teachers and textbook writers might include more inference-level comprehension work for low-level students.

Carol Numrich is a Senior Lecturer at the American Language Program, Columbia University. She has trained teachers in ESL around the world, co-edited the NorthStar series, and written Face the Issues, Consider the Issues, and Raise the Issues.

Last modified: August 21, 2003