Reading transfer: A practical guide to making transition materials

by Georgia G. Hunter

Originally published as:   Hunter, Georgia G. 1994.Reading transfer: A practical guide to making transition materials. Tucson, AZ: Summer Institute of Linguistics. © 1994 Summer Institute of Linguistics, Inc.

Complete Table of Contents

Summary

This guide focuses on producing materials to help a person already literate in one language to become literate in another language that he speaks. It deals with transition from the national or second language (L2) to the mother tongue (L1), although the same general principles would apply for transfer from L1 to L2. It provides details on producing and teaching primers and other literature. It includes many examples and a variety of approaches. It is a basic resource for those who need to include transition in a literacy program.

This book is available from the SIL Bookstore.

Front Matter

Preface

Chapter 1. Introduction

Transfer strategies

Identifying the target audience

Identifying your expectations and goals

Identifying how the materials will be taught

Suggested reading

Chapter 2. What will the transition lessons teach?

Orthographic inventory

Grammatical features

Other features

Suggested reading

Chapter 3. Choosing an approach

Criteria for choosing

Decisions to make when a primer approach is selected

Suggested reading

Chapter 4. An overview of a primer lesson

Typically used lesson parts

Some good pedagogical strategies to consider

Suggested reading

Chapter 5. Drills and writing exercises

Choosing drills

Examples of commonly used drills

Dictation exercises for teaching writing

Things to do

Suggested reading

Chapter 6. Instructions in the primer

Keep the instructions consistent

Keep instructions brief, concrete, and do-able

Provide for aural awareness

Test the instructions

Suggested reading

Chapter 7. Writing the primer stories

How many stories and how long should they be?

What kind of stories and where will they come from?

When is the best time to write the primer stories?

In what order should the stories be written?

Training native speakers to write the primer stories

Things to do

Suggested reading

Chapter 8. Formatting materials

What should the format accomplish?

Suggestions for designing easy reading formats

Things to do

Suggested reading

Chapter 9. Testing the transition primer

Who to test

Prepare ahead for testing

Do the testing

Train others to do the testing

Things to do

Suggested reading

Chapter 10. Developing auxiliary materials

Using a cassette supplement to the lessons

Training teachers to use the primer

Preparing a printed teachers’ guide

More things to do

Suggested reading

Chapter 11. Distribution of materials

Make materials available

Who should do the distribution?

Using audiocassettes to promote distribution

Setting prices

Things to do

Suggested reading

Chapter 12. Fluency and comprehension helps

Informal activities using the primer and other books

Curriculums or study guides for non-primer materials

Post-primer reading clubs

Suggested reading

Back Matter

Appendix A: Pedagogical examples

Primer approaches

Non-primer approaches to transfer

Supplementary programs and tools for transfer

Appendix B: Stories

Story 1. The Story of Two Men Who Went Fishing

Story 2. The Foolish Grasshopper

Comprehension questions

Appendix C: Reprints and excerpts

Excerpt 1. Folklore and Patterned Language in Literacy Curriculums

Excerpt 2. Ideas for Teaching Reading with Songs

Excerpt 3. Ideas For Teaching with a Story or Folk Tale

Excerpt 4. Writing Lessons in Transition Primers

Excerpt 5. A Group Dynamic Method of Learning to Read

Excerpt 6. Assignment Four: Functor Drills

Excerpt 7. Assignment Two: Inventory and Lesson Order

Excerpt 8. Training a Tephua to Write Primer Stories

Excerpt 9. Testing the Copala Trique Transition Primer

Excerpt 10. Notes on Literacy Special Issue No. 1, 1986

Excerpt 11. On Testing Literacy Materials

Excerpt 12. Part III: Reading Fluency Courses

Excerpt 13. Transition Primers ...Spanish to the Idiom

Extract 14. Testing Vernacular Literature: A Brief Checklist

Extract 15. Teaching Reading Fluency

Extract 16. Chinantec Awareness Tapes

Extract 17. Applying the Multi-Strategy Approach to Mazatec Literacy

Extract 18. Literature Display and Distribution