ESL News Press

Project URL:
http://www.teachnet-lab.org/cgersh/news/index.htm

How it works:
The ESL News Press is a project where students develop and create a school newspaper. With the guidance of their teacher, they take on the roles of editors and news reporters, and are fully responsible for what topics/stories will be included in their newspaper. Students work in groups to brainstorm news article topics for each section of the paper. Once topics are chosen, students begin to do research. While some students write about school news or do interviews, those whose topics were related to current events, sports, or entertainment use the computer for research. Search engines like kidsclick.org (simple vocabulary for low-level ESL) are used to gather information, and students also use the Internet to gather pictures for inclusion with their articles.

Standards addressed:  
Students independently and habitually demonstrate an understanding of the rules of the English language in written and oral work, analyze and subsequently revise work to improve its clarity and effectiveness, produce a report of information, and participate in group meetings.

Materials used:
Teachers will need a computer with Internet connection, an LCD projector, and an overhead projector.

The students:
The students participating in the ESL News Press project are low-level ESL students who have had one or two semesters of English. Most of these students have been in the U.S. for less than one year. 

Overall value:
The students do a great job creating their newspaper. All the brainstorming and topic ideas come directly from them, and they are able to display control of their English by writing four-to-six-paragraph articles. This project also allows students to practice their research skills when using the computer. It gives low-level ESL students the opportunity to utilize all their English learning and also have a great finished product to share with other ESL classes!
 
Tips: 
Present this project near the end of the semester so that students will have a much better sense of their English vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure while writing their articles.

About the teacher:
Cari Gersh is currently an ESL teacher at Christopher Columbus High School. She has been teaching for three years, and teaches all levels of ESL. She recently graduated with a Masters Degree in ESL and participated in the New York City Teaching Fellows program.

Email:
woobyer@hotmail.com

Subject Areas: 
ESL
Social Studies
Technology

Grade Level: 
10 -12