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Pleasure Reading for Adult Learners

Pleasure Reading for Adult Learners. Finding Good Books for ESL and Literacy Students. Marcia Aronson Diversity and Accessibility Services, Ottawa Public Library. Selection Tips. Key Criteria General Criteria Popular Categories Not So Popular Categories. Key Criteria.

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Pleasure Reading for Adult Learners

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  1. Pleasure Reading for Adult Learners Finding Good Books for ESL and Literacy Students Marcia Aronson Diversity and Accessibility Services, Ottawa Public Library

  2. Selection Tips • Key Criteria • General Criteria • Popular Categories • Not So Popular Categories

  3. Key Criteria All of the following mustbe met:

  4. Key Criteria • Number of pages: 200 or less • Clear typeface: 12 point minimum; no italics or funny graphics • Adult interest • Initial hook to engage reader • Attractive cover and format • No comprehension exercises • No level on front cover or title page

  5. Examples

  6. Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis Dave at Night by Gail Carson Levine similar themes (jazz, orphans) both great stories X Number of Pages • too long for most adult learners (245-280p.)

  7. Number of pages I am a Taxiby Deborah Ellis (205 p.)

  8. Memories of Survival by Esther Nisenthal Krinitz & Bernice Steinhardt type is very difficult to read One Peace: True Stories of Young Activists by Janet Wilson very busy looking pages X Clear Typeface

  9. Goose Girl by Joe and Martine McLellan

  10. Tales from the Farm by Jeff Lemire

  11. Days of Toil and Tears by Sarah Ellis The Shadeby K. L. Denman Splat! by Eric Walters good typeface & length X Adult Interest • stories are juvenile or • teen-oriented

  12. teen protagonist, but storyline adult in nature homeless man who served in Rwanda during time of massacres Adult Interest

  13. story about Dutch Resistance Adult Interest The Righteous Smuggler by Debbie Spring

  14. historical novel set during War of 1812 good type straightforward story Adult Interest The Schooner’s Revenge by Robert Sutherland

  15. The Landing by John Ibbitson good story, but actual excitement starts at p. 138 Safe as Houses by Eric Walters again, hook is well into the story X Initial Hook to Engage Reader

  16. hook is at beginning Initial Hook to Engage Reader Safe House by James Heneghan

  17. great story on TPL’s list really juvenile cover X Attractive Cover & Format A Bloom of Friendship by Anne Renaud

  18. terrible front cover X Attractive Cover & Format Boy in Motion: Rick Hansen’s Story by Ainslie Manson

  19. cover too juvenile? Attractive Cover & Format Rosie’s Dream Cape by Zelda Freedman

  20. “poems for girls” X No Level on Front Cover / Title Page A Maze Me by Naomi Shihab Nye

  21. “a kid’s power book” X No Level on Front Cover / Title Page Maggie and the Chocolate War by Michelle Mulder

  22. No Comprehension Exercises Dracula Oxford Bookworms series

  23. General Criteria The majority of the following should be met:

  24. General Criteria • Sentences: average 15 words in length; not too complex in structure • Paragraphs: no longer than 10 lines; lots of white space • Chapters/Sections: clear headings; 6-7 pages long • Interest Factors: well-known author, TV/movie tie-in, humour, cultural diversity, famous people, men’s and women’s interests, etc.

  25. General Criteria (cont.) • Structure: low complexity, i.e. minimal change of voice, minimal flashbacks and shifts in time periods, etc. • Illustrations: pictures, maps, photographs or other visual aids, as appropriate

  26. Examples

  27. Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George great book, but sentences are long Flight of the Hummingbird by Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas lovely fable, but forward and afterword are too complex X Sentences and Paragraphs

  28. The Schooner’s Revenge by Robert Sutherland good sentence length and paragraph length Sentences and Paragraphs

  29. Interest Factors • Deborah Ellis • well known author • cultural diversity

  30. Dave Cooks the Turkey by Stuart McLean radio personality humour available on CD Interest Factors

  31. The Tunnel Kingby Barbara Hehner movie tie-in: The Great Escape Escape to the Forest by Ruth Yaffe Radin movie tie-ins: Defiance The Bielski Brothers Interest Factors

  32. June Callwood: A Life of Action by Anne Dublin read about her in newspaper Interest Factors

  33. I.D. by Vicki Grant a lot in the news & on TV mysteries about the consequences of identity theft Interest Factors

  34. The Killer’s Tears by Anne-Laure Bondoux terrific story, but too descriptive lots of adjectives & similes Through My Eyesby Ruby Bridges italic type notes at bottom of pages some terms may be unfamiliar (e.g. “sharecropper”) X Structure

  35. The Disappearedby Gloria Whelan set in Argentina chapters alternate between characters’ voices, but change of voice made clear through chapter headings Joe Louisby David A. Adler not complex good story of real character who faced racism Structure

  36. X Illustrations • Wave by Suzy Lee • illustrations too juvenile

  37. Popular Categories (and less popular ones)

  38. Rosie’s Dream Cape by Zelda Freedman Family Relationships(good and bad) • Crazy Manby Pamela Porter • hired hand from mental institution & how he becomes important to well-being of family

  39. Letters to My Mother by Teresa Cárdenas Family Relationships(good and bad) • After • by Francis Chalifour

  40. Don Cherry’s Hockey Stories and Stuff Sports • The Hockey Sweater • by Roch Carrier

  41. Mystery/Adventure • Safe House by James Heneghan • Wildernessby Roddy Doyle • lots of white space, good typeface • Refuge Cove by Lesley Choyce • Orphan Ahwakby Raquel Rivera

  42. History • Marooned by Robert Kraske • Heroes of Isle aux Morts by Alice Walsh • Hana’s Suitcaseby Karen Levine • Emperors of the Ice by Richard Farr • Escape to the Forest by Ruth Yaffe Radin

  43. Biography/Memoir/Diaries • My Childhood Under Fire: • A Sarajevo Diary • by Nadja Halilbegović • Another Place at the Table • by Mary Cook • June Callwood: a life of action • by Anne Dublin

  44. Biography/Memoir/Diaries • The Man Who Ran Faster than Anyone: The Story of Tom Longboat • by Jack Batten • Rapid Ray: The Story of Ray Lewis • by John Cooper

  45. Action • The Tunnel Kingby Barbara Hehner • Libertadby Alma Fullerton • Hiding Edithby Kathy Kacer • The Righteous Smugglerby Debbie Spring

  46. Lifestyle • My Wedding Dress • by Susan Welehan and Anne Laurel Carter • The Inuit • by Erinn Banting • (Canadian Aboriginal art and culture)

  47. Humour (can be difficult to determine) • Vinyl Café Unplugged • by Stuart McLean

  48. Cultural Diversity Deborah Ellis Paul Yee Dionne Brand – Earth Magic Chris Albani – Song for the Night Mariatu Kamara – The Bite of the Mango Joy Kogawa – Naomi’s Tree Veronica Charles – The Birdman

  49. Series Deborah Ellis Parvana series Bolivia series

  50. Short Stories • Beginnings: Stories of Canda’s Past • edited by Ann Walsh • Firesby Tanya Lloyd Kyi • Arctic Adventures: Tales from the Lives of Inuit Artists • by Raquel Rivera • Tales from Gold Mountainby Paul Yee

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