Instructors generally focused first

Instructors generally focused first on meaning in learners’ personal stories, paying attention to the mechanics of writing and speaking only after the clear meaning of the story was established and the learner was comfortable with the story format (or story grammar). Repeated emphasis on key story elements (such as setting, theme, plot, resolution) can provide a systematic approach to language learning from one lesson to the next. Instructors incorporated all four skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing) in storytelling tasks in their classes. Some instructors emphasized oral stories over written ones, especially at the lower CLB levels. Instructors 2 and 4 utilized the Language Experience Approach (LEA) in their lower level classes. With these students, Instructor 4 commented that, by seeing their own words written, the learners ‘made some connec- tion to . . . the printed word.’ This reflects Johansson et al.’s (2000) idea that a meaningful context enhances language acquisition.