Teaching Adult English Learners Who Are Emergent Readers

An adult emergent reader is someone with limited/no prior education in their native language. If this is your first time working with this level of learner, it can be difficult to know where to start! Adult emergent readers that are learning to read and write for the first time in a new language need a specialized approach to instruction. 

In the first of our two-part series with World Relief Curriculum and Adult Literacy Specialist Robyn Hackett, we’ll explore some big-picture ideas that will give you a strong foundation for developing instructional routines with your learners. We’ll explore different types of literacy and the components of literacy that students will need in U.S. academic settings. We’ll also talk about the  diversity of literacy backgrounds that emergent literacy students have and some of the corresponding assets and challenges they bring to the classroom. Finally, we’ll get an overview of the concepts that first-time alphabetic literacy learners need to practice.

​This training is part of our Instructional Techniques series. Content is designed with tutors and teachers in mind, although everyone is welcome!