The Language Experience Approach (LEA) to teaching is a natural, child-centered approach that builds on children's own language and experiences to teach them to read and write. Developed by Yetta Goodman and Louise M. Rosenblatt in the 1960s, LEA emphasizes the importance of using children's own language and experiences as the foundation for learning to read and write. It encourages teachers to create a print-rich environment where children are surrounded by books, magazines, and other written materials and to provide opportunities for children to talk about their experiences, dictate stories, and write for a variety of purposes.
Teaching the Content Areas to English Language Learners in Secondary Schools: English Language Arts,...
This book, Teaching the Content Areas to English Language Learners in Secondary Schools, is a must-have for educators working with English language learners (ELLs) in secondary schools. The book provi...
What's After Assessment? by Kathleen Strickland is an invaluable resource for teachers looking to improve the reading skills of their struggling readers. This comprehensive instructional resource prov...
Rooted in Strength: Using Translanguaging to Grow Multilingual Readers and Writers by Espinosa and Ascenzi-Moreno is a must-have resource for educators who are looking to create a more inclusive and e...
The Writing Revolution: A Guide to Advancing Thinking Through Writing in All Subjects and Grades
The Writing Revolution: A Guide to Advancing Thinking Through Writing in All Subjects and Grades is an invaluable resource for teachers looking to revolutionize their classrooms and improve the writin...
Reading difficulties can be a source of frustration for both teachers and students alike. With the right approach, however, those difficulties can be overcome. In his book, 10 Essential Instructional ...
Ready to Read: A Multisensory Approach to Language-Based Comprehension Instruction" is an essential resource for educators looking to provide comprehensive comprehension instruction for their students...
The ELL Teacher's Toolbox: Hundreds of Practical Ideas to Support Your Students (The Teacher's Toolbox...
The ELL Teacher’s Toolbox is an invaluable resource for teachers of English Language Learners, teacher education credential programs, staff development professionals, and coaches. It provides hundre...
The Reading Lesson: Teach Your Child to Read in 20 Easy Lessons (1) (The Reading Lesson series)
The Reading Lesson: Teach Your Child to Read in 20 Easy Lessons (1) (The Reading Lesson series) is a bestselling program that teaches young children to read in 20 easy lessons. Developed by pediatrici...
Phonics Pathways: Clear Steps to Easy Reading and Perfect Spelling, 10th Edition is the perfect choice for anyone looking to teach reading and spelling. This award-winning book is designed to teach st...
Are you ready to learn Korean? With Korean Made Easy Level 1, you can learn to read, speak and write like a native in no time! This easy step-by-step approach to learning Korean is perfect for beginne...
Teaching Readers (Not Reading): Moving Beyond Skills and Strategies to Reader-Focused Instruction is the perfect resource for K-8 educators who want to understand and address the scientifically suppor...
Introduce your students to critical vocabulary words with 240 Vocabulary Words Kids Need to Know: Grade 2. Written by Mela Ottaiano, this 24-packet of ready-to-reproduce lessons provides students with...
Teaching Word Recognition: Effective Strategies for Students with Learning Difficulties (What Works for Special
Teaching Word Recognition: Effective Strategies for Students with Learning Difficulties is an invaluable resource for teachers looking to provide their students with the best possible support. This hi...
Teaching Children to Read: The Teacher Makes the Difference is an essential guide for pre-service and new teachers looking to help their students become capable and confident readers. This comprehensi...
Write-N-Seek: Word Families is the perfect resource for teaching children essential reading, writing, and spelling skills. With no-prep reproducibles, these activity pages offer children a super-fun w...
Grammar for Teachers: A Guide to American English for Native and Non-Native Speakers is an essential resource for teachers of all levels. This second edition has been updated and revised with more exa...
Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons: Revised and Updated Second Edition is the perfect tool for parents who want to give their child a head start in reading. This step-by-step, phonics-based ...
Well Spoken is the perfect resource for any teacher who wants to teach effective speaking skills in the classroom. Written by veteran teacher and education consultant Erik Palmer, this book provides t...
Teaching Reading and Writing: The Developmental Approach is an invaluable resource for pre-service and experienced teachers alike. It provides an in-depth look at the tools and knowledge needed to tea...
The Language Experience Approach (LEA) is a teaching strategy that focuses on building students’ language skills through personalized and engaging experiences. This method is often used in early childhood education to help language learners acquire a second language. LEA products offer teachers and learners different tools to create and implement engaging and interactive lessons. However, choosing the right LEA product may be challenging and confusing. This article offers valuable tips that can help educators in their selection process.
Tip 1: Determine your Teaching Goals
Before selecting LEA products, it is critical to determine the teaching goals. Different products offer different methods and strategies to implement LEA. Knowing the expected outcomes or outcomes of the program will help to choose the products that meet the goals. For instance, some products may focus more on developing vocabulary, while others may prioritize grammar, syntactical structures, or verbal interaction. Thus, knowing the focus of the program or curriculum will help in choosing the right products.Example Product: LeapFrog LeapReader
The LeapFrog LeapReader is an LEA product designed to build and reinforce foundational reading and writing skills. It features engaging stories that introduce new vocabulary, critical thinking questions, and activities that adjust to the child's learning progress.Tip 2: Evaluate the Product Content and Quality
LEA is a strategy that relies on high-quality content to achieve its goals. Thus, product content and quality should be evaluated before choosing a LEA product. Products that provide engaging and authentic learning materials, such as colorful books, real-life encounters, stories, and artifacts, are more likely to succeed. The materials must align with the teaching goals, learners' level of understanding, and the curriculum. Additionally, the quality of the learning activities, such as games, puzzles, and interactive exercises, should be tested to ensure they are appropriate for the learners' age and level.Example Product: Starfall
Starfall is an LEA product that provides high-quality materials such as interactive books, study materials, and supplementary activities. The content is engaging, colorful, and age-appropriate, with an emphasis on child-centered activities that reinforce learning.Tip 3: Check the User-friendliness and Accessibility of the Product
LEA products should be user-friendly and accessible to both teachers and students. User-friendliness ensures that the product is easy to navigate and that activities are easy to follow. Accessibility means that the product can be easily accessed by learners and teachers, either online or offline. The product must also offer teachers the flexibility to modify, adapt, or adjust the learning activities to meet specific learning needs.Example Product: Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone is an LEA product that is user-friendly and accessible. It offers students and teachers the flexibility to learn from anywhere, record their progress, and monitor their performance. Rosetta Stone is adaptable to various teaching environments, including home, classroom, or online.Tip 4: Review the Product Support and Resources
LEA products require support and resources to be effectively implemented. The support system needs to be easily accessible to the user, either through a help center or a customer service representative. Additionally, supplementary resources such as online tutorials, training manuals, assessment results, and progress reports should be available to both students and teachers.Example Product: Mango Languages
Mango Languages is an LEA product that provides extensive support to both teachers and students. Mango Languages provides an extensive help center, online tutorials, and support from experienced language learning experts. Mango Languages also provides supplementary resources such as language-specific pronunciation guides, grammar and structure guides, and cultural insights.Tip 5: Check for Compatibility with Other Teaching Tools and Materials
LEA products should be compatible with other teaching tools and materials. Compatibility helps teachers to integrate LEA products seamlessly into their teaching curriculum. Ensure that the LEA product works well with other technology-based tools such as interactive whiteboards, tablets, and computers.Example Product: Language Learning Library
The Language Learning Library is an LEA product that is compatible with various teaching materials, making it the ideal choice for teachers who use multiple teaching tools. Language Learning Library works seamlessly with interactive whiteboards, mobile devices, and computers.Conclusion
The Language Experience Approach requires a strategy that is engaging, interactive, and personalized. By following these tips, teachers can choose the right LEA products that meet their learning needs, goals, and teaching preferences. Products that have engaging and high-quality content, user-friendly and accessible, provide adequate support and resources, and are compatible with other teaching tools and materials are likely to be effective.Related Topics You Might Like
