Emergent Literacy

We’ve focused on the Emergent English level because textbooks and commercial materials tend to skip this group and assume that all English learners can read, write, and participate in school. Most textbooks and materials for emergent English speaking adults start closer to Level 1.5 and skip a lot of the basic things that new English speakers need first. This is why it can be hard for you to find materials for these learners, or why you may find yourself making your own. This curriculum is meant to prepare you to work with super beginner learners even if you’re a beginner tutor too. 

This is ultimately a catch-all name for people that are brand new to English, but it can also include individuals that are brand new to school. For our purposes, we’ll divide Emergent English learners into two categories, but remember that EVERY learner is an individual and deserves customized learning opportunities. 

Notice we use the word emergent rather than illiterate. We don’t use this term at Literacy Works because it doesn’t accurately represent what the learner knows. Literacy is not a switch to turn on or off, it’s a spectrum. This means no one is truly illiterate but simply somewhere along their literacy path. Our colleague Sarah Glazer wrote a blog post about this: It’s Time to Cancel “Illiteracy” - Why We Don’t Say “Illiterate”

New to English

This group of learners have school experience in their home country and they can read and write in their home language. They might be completely new to English but they are not new to the learning environment. Sometimes, these learners have had a lot of education experience and simply need to learn English after moving to the US. These are actually probably Level 1 English learners but often end up in the same group as emergent learners. 

New to English + School

This group of learners might not have gone to school for long (or at all). This happens for various reasons including (but not limited to) gender-based education bans, war, unaffordable education, or genocide. They might not be able to read and write in their home language. Extra care will need to be taken to support their entrance into the learning space. You might focus on school “basics” like using a pencil or tutor-learner dynamics. For example, they might not know that they can (and should!) ask you questions if they’re confused - this may have to be modeled. 

New to English + Written Language

Sometimes learners speak languages that do not have a written language at all. For example, Rohingya refugees speak a language without a solidified writing system. Sometimes they write in English or Urdu or they use a script with Arabic letters. However, due to the genocide currently being waged on this group, most are not able to go to school or they are explicitly banned from learning at all. This is not super common, but it does happen! 

First, they know about their home country, the experiences they had there and all the expertise they have earned throughout their life. Remember, they do not have empty brains. And since emergent learners haven’t been able to rely on written language, they can be particularly resourceful and creative to get the information they need.  

Learners that find themselves in this level might know a few memorized English phrases (how are you, fine how are you), but they might not comprehend what they’re saying. For example, one learner knew the phrase “thanks very much” but she wasn’t able to separate “thank you” to use in other contexts - she always said “thanks very much”. Be aware that many emergent learners pick up spoken English quickly as a survival strategy and might seem a little more fluent than they really are. 

More obviously, these learners have families, jobs, likes and dislikes, favorite foods, and a variety of interests. While they may have a very different life than you so far, a lot of the basics are the same and can help as a bridge to this new language. They have a lot to teach you, too!

As a volunteer tutor, you may be asked to give your learners standardized tests based on the needs of your organization. (If that happens, you will be given specific training that will be outside the scope of this curriculum.) But even if you don’t give “real” tests, you should be checking in on your learner’s progress all the time. 

With emergent English speakers, traditional assessment methods are often too difficult to be of any real help. While they’re not useless, standardized tests are often not designed to highlight the small victories new English learners achieve. These tests usually focus on grammar points and more advanced writing and reading skills that can be out of reach for beginners. 

Instead, you should be constantly assessing your learner and keeping track of their progress. Reminding yourself to check on their progress regularly will also help you see just how many things they are learning that wouldn’t show up on a test. And of course, you should share these achievements with your learner so they can start noticing to their skill building too. 

Pay close attention to how your learner interacts with English - in all its forms! And keep notes so you can refer back. (Example: Up to now, they said “hello teacher” but today they said “hello teacher, how are you?”). 

You'll learn more about this in Day 10: Informal Assessment

• Adult ELL Pathway to Literacy (activities designed for emergent learners)

• Literacy Centre of Expertise (pre-reading lessons)

• Bow Valley Readers (emergent level readers) -- these were graciously collected and shared by our friends at Immigrant Welcome Center after the resources were taken down

• Picture Stories (wordless comics for adult learners about everyday life)

• Phonics/Literacy Instruction: The Big Picture

• Year-Long Guide for Working with Low-Level English Learners

• Recommended Resources for Tutors

• BasicESL (grammar refreshers for ESL educators)

• Ellii (videos and shorts around grammar and English learning)