Making Curriculum Pop

I was offered a budged of $100 to invest in my ESL class and I would like to buy a novel to read with my adult multilevel ESL students.  The challenge has been finding a book that is not childish since I teach adults, but that is compatible to the multiple needs.  Does anyone have any titles of good books to use? Thank you

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The Circuit by Fracisco Jimenez is an amazing book which has a readability of 5th grade, I think.  The language is easy enough to navigate and the story is incredible.  Our high school and middle school students loved it.

Thank you so much.  I will definitely buy it and read it, then implement it into next year's curriculum. Thanks!

What about doing a classic film with the class - like a personal fav. Some Like It Hot to build vocabulary? You can simply show it in chunks.  There are lots of films like that that aren't too intense on vocab. A thought...

It sounds like a horrible plug (sorry!) but we produce differentiated graphic novels of classic lit, and have heard that Quick Text (10 year old reading age) has been used to great effect with adults. Wuthering Heights, for instance, Dracula or Shakespeare - adult books, but with simple text, supported by graphics.

You can see previews here - maybe get some of your students to look at the PDFs first. www.classicalcomics.com/previews

Once again sorry for the sales pitch!

Clive - it is OK to share that stuff and what the site is all about as long as you say "this is what I do" there should be no shame old chap :)  You make excellent books - share the love!

I would like to second the idea of using film and graphic novels. I have done both  with high schoolers and would think they would be great with adults. I have used The Kill a Mockingbird, A Christmas Carol (the George C. Scott version), and Romeo & Juliet in conjunction with reading parts of the novels/play. I would also recommend In America, Forrest Gump, Real Women Have Curves, What's Cooking, Bend It Like Beckham, and really almost any film you think has value. I like to introduce films the students probably haven't seen and ones that either resonate with their life experience and/or teach about U.S. culture or history. You can listen, learn vocab, discuss, and write about nearly anything--it is all in English, so it is almost all good. Don't forget to use "pause" regularly and the subtitles--it helps improve all 4 skills, even listening. For graphic novels I would highly recommend Maus (Holocaust) and Persepolis I (Iranian Revolution). My high schoolers loved them and there topics are very valuable, of course. Persepolis is particularly timely given current events--having some background knowledge is always good.

I keep telling people this: The Bluford High School Series from Townsend Press worked well with my junior high multi-ethnic students from the lowest to the highest reading levels, with my struggling street-smart inner city students high school students, and now with my adult native born and immigrant students. Some of my immigrant students are ELL and some of my native born students have learning problems and some of both are college bound.

I can't explain it, but all my students just eat them with relish. I know they're readable and engaging on many levels but I don't know why they strike a chord with so many. Hope they work for you, too.

I agree, Jiminez's The Circuit is great (if you find a video of him speaking about his life, he is a wonderful speaker). Tana Reiff has several series, my favorite of which is "Hopes and Dreams".  High interest for adults, great content, for new readers.  

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