Language+Experience+Approach+(LEA)

**Language Experience Approach (LEA)** //By: Melissa Curran // 

**What is it?**  In this strategy, the teacher uses dictation from the student on a topic that is relevant to them (i.e. an experience of their own, a family event, summer vacation, etc) and then uses their own words as reading material. By using the student's own words, the teacher and students can chorally read the writing excerpt and make proofreading changes, correct grammar, word choice, punctuation, and spelling. In addition, the teacher can also use this example to teach concepts about print (i.e. start on the left side of the page, capitalize proper nouns and at the beginning of a sentence, spaces in between words, punctuation at the end, how to proceed to the next line on lined paper, etc). Overall, this strategy has been proven to get students engaged in writing and reading, improve basic writing and reading skills, and promote cultural diversity in the classroom by allowing students to share their experiences to their fellow classmates.

"Here's an example of how you might use this effective approach:
 * Ask about a subject (be it a television show, video game or a recent experience) that your student enjoys. Encourage your student to talk about what interests him most, in whatever manner is comfortable for him.
 * As your student speaks, neatly write down his experience IN HIS OWN WORDS. If he says "don't" where you would say "doesn't", you should still write "don't." This is the time for your student to express his own thoughts in his own way. Of course, you'll want to write with printed letters, not cursive.
 * When your student has finished his description or narration, review his "writing" and read it together. You may be surprised how easily your student can read his own words--even words that might otherwise be considered difficult.
 * Your student's creation will be important to him and should be treated as such. Encourage him or her to illustrate it and/or staple it into the form of a book. (Although older students may not be interested in this last step, the language experience approach is useful at any age)." (Literacy Connections, 2011)



**Why is it a Useful SDAIE Strategy?** //Second Language Acquisition//   All students who are learning English as a second language progress through the same stages. While time spent in each stage is different, each student follows a process of learning English as a second language. When teaching EL students it is important to not only understand these steps but also to know how to utilize this information to effectively convey content to the learners. Therefore, strategies such as the Language Experience Approach (LEA) combine information about how children learn a second language, and reading methods to develop a strategy that gets the students excited about reading and helps them succeed.

 For instance, we can use what we know about the ELL levels of development in order to use the LEA strategy in the best way.

 **Beginning Stage:** Silent stage, one to two word phrases <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;"> **Early Intermediate Stage:** Repeats facts or statements, speaks simple sentences, may read simple sentences, reads basic vocabulary <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;"> **Intermediate Stage:** Retells events using descriptive vocabulary, summarizes events, writes simple sentences using high-frequency words <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;"> **Early Advanced Stage:** Appear to be orally fluent, begins to use CALP <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;"> **Advanced Stage:** Reads and writes at grade level

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;"> When analyzing this data, it is clear that for the most part once students have passed the "silent stage," they are able to at least speak in simple sentences using basic vocabulary. Therefore, the Language Experience Approach is an extremely effective strategy to use for English Language Learners. By harnessing the skills that they now have (speaking in simple sentences), the teacher can use what they know to teach reading strategies such as grammar, spelling, punctuation, and concepts about print.

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">**Evidence of its Effectiveness**: <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">"The Language Experience Approach can create opportunities for learning that bridge different languages, cultural expectations, and values about diverse events and life experiences" (Landis, Umolu, & Sunday, 2010).

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Pamela Winsor explains her usage of LEA, and in a specific instance describes, "In the days following our writing, we looked closely at the words and writing conventions we had created. These close looks provided opportunities for children to learn phonics and enhance vocabulary and understandings about print they needed to grow into independent readers and writers (Winsor, 2007).

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">"Although LEA has been reshaped in many ways, at least three enduring qualities persist across transformations: being well grounded in widely-accepted understandings of language learning, such as the foundational role of oral language; being contextually responsive; and being relatively simple to institute in classrooms...[Additionally,] children develop competence by using the language for real communication (Dulay, Burt, & Krashen, 1982)" (Winsor, 2007).

<span style="color: #800080; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;"> **Useful Videos:**

media type="youtube" key="3aV7nDQ-cO4" height="349" width="560" <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">http://youtu.be/3aV7nDQ-cO4

media type="youtube" key="zOL3EoCFa3E" height="349" width="560"

<span style="color: #404040; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">**Resources:** <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Landis, D, Umolu, J, & Sunday, M. (2010). The power of language experience for cross-cultural reading and writing. //The Readins Teacher//, //63//(7), 580-589.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Literacy Connections, Initials. (2011). //In their own words the language experience approach: a method to reach reluctant or struggling readers//. Retrieved from http://www.literacyconnections.com/InTheirOwnWords.php

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Winsor, PJT. (2007). Language experience in belize: exploring language experience for english language learners. //Journal of Reading Education//, //33//(1), 29-36.