The document outlines the Fluency First Approach to teaching English as a second language. It proposes reversing the traditional sequence of focusing on grammar and accuracy before fluency. Instead, it advocates an approach where students first focus on reading, writing, and communicating to develop oral fluency. Only after achieving fluency do students focus on clarity and accuracy. The approach is based on theories that language acquisition happens through use and meaning-focused input. It involves delaying grammar rules and emphasizing comprehension, vocabulary learning through reading, and productive writing exercises to develop fluency before clarity and accuracy.

1. FLUENCY FIRST APPROACH
Grace Liu
English Language Fellow
English Language Program,
USA
Fall 2017 and Spring 2018
Comrat State University, Moldova

2. FLUENCY FIRST APPROACH
 Presentation outline
1. What?
2. L1 acquisition and L2 learning
3. Why to reverse the sequence?
4. How?
1. Learning by doing
2. Some theoretic principles
3. Implementation and evaluation
5. Discussion
2

3. FLUENCY FIRST APPROACH
1. What is Fluency First Approach?
 In 1987, City College of the City University of
New York.
 Using a whole language approach to teach
reading and writing.
 Different from the traditional approach.
 Supported by language teaching research and
theory.
 Results are very promising.
 It became popular.
3

4. FLUENCY FIRST APPROACH
2. L1 acquisition and L2 learning
Understanding the differences between:
 L1 acquisition sequence
 L2 Learning sequence
4

5. FLUENCY FIRST APPROACH
3. Why to reverse the sequence?
 Basic principles: Learning by doing by John Dewey
 Learn to speak by speaking
 Learn to read by reading
 Learn to write by writing
5

6. FLUENCY FIRST APPROACH
Based on many theoretical hypothesis by
Stephen Krashen and Tracy Terrell -the Natural Approach
 Acquisition and learning environment
 Silent period
 Grammar rules=function like a monitor
 Affective filter
 N+1
 Mistakes =progress signs
 Focus on meaning and communication
6

7. FLUENCY FIRST APPROACH
Vocabulary/grammar
Traditional sequence
Focused on grammar
Emphasis on correct
production
sentnces
paragraphs
Essay?
7

8. THE FLUENCY FIRST APPROACH
 New sequence
 Focused on meaning
 Emphasis on
comprehension
Essay
Research
paper
Book
Words
Accuracy
Clarity
Fluency
Eng10
1
8

9. FLUENCY FIRST APPROACH
Fluency level: 6 credits = 6 hours @week
 4-5 fiction books
 8-12 pages of writing each week, including
reading journals, free writing, and point of view
writing.
 Final piece: a life story 5-7 chapters, 15 pages.
9

10. FLUENCY FIRST APPROACH
Clarity level: 6 credits = 6 hours @week
 4-5 non-fiction books
 A research topic:
 Immigrants in USA,
 Education in USA,
 Health Issues in USA,
 Poverty and Wealth and the World of Work: the Impact
on American Society.
10

11. FLUENCY FIRST APPROACH
 Clarity level:
 Reading 8 pages @day
 2 common book and 2-3 books about the topic
 Writing 8-12 pages per week
 Free writing, point of view writing, article
summary, edited essay and In-class essay, book
review, and a research paper of 12-15 pages
(typed)
11

12. FLUENCY FIRST APPROACH
 Sample research topics:
 American Disabilities Act and the Workplace
 Agricultural Workers
 Layoffs and Unemployment
 Women and Work
 The Working Poor
 Hunger and the Working Poor
 Hunger and the Elderly
 Hunger and Children
12

13. FLUENCY FIRST APPROACH
 Accuracy level: 3 credits = 3 hours @week
 Read university level textbooks
 Write edited essays
 Read and evaluated by English 101 instructors
 If not passing, repeat the course.
13

14. FLUENCY FIRST APPROACH
 Delay teaching grammar rules.
 Learning vocabulary in context through
reading.
 Create an interesting, comfortable,
meaningful and encouraging environment.
 Reduce lecturing time: learning by doing.
 Increase practice group activity time.
 Emphasize comprehension, not production of
grammatically correct speaking or sentences.
14

15. FLUENCY FIRST APPROACH
 Function/Role of instructors:
 Carefully design the syllabus
 choose appropriate textbooks right for the
student comprehension level
 Form groups
 Decide reading and writing work load for each
day/week
 Decide how to give feedback: individual
conferences and remarks on comprehension
15

16. FLUENCY FIRST APPROACH
 Evaluation and assessment:
How do you know students learned what they should?
 Portfolio method: including an article
summary, book review, reading journals and
a final essay.
 Mid-term and final Faculty/professor/teacher
peer review: write an essay in class, based
on reading or research.
16

17. FLUENCY FIRST APPROACH
Questions and discussion
17

18. POSSIBLE SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS ON:
1. The Natural Approach
2. Collaborative Learning in EFL/ESL Classrooms
3. Best Classroom Practice: Listening Journals
and Reading Journals
4. Teach Listening and Speaking by Using
Authentic Materials: Ted Talks, 60 Minutes,
20/20, & 48 Hours
18

19. FLUENCY FIRST APPROACH
5. ESL/EFL Language Teaching Assessment and
Evaluation
6. Portfolio: A Useful Assessment Tool for
Language Teaching
7. Meaningful Feedbacks on Student Writing
8. ESL/EFL Teacher Education Program
Curriculum Designing
19

20. FLUENCY FIRST APPROACH
9. Teaching Grammar is Fun: Students As
Presenters
10: Suggestions for Forming Good Teams for
Group Work
11. Multiple Intelligences and Implications for
Language Classroom Teaching
12. Staff Development Opportunities: How to
Norm Our Teaching?
20

21. FLUENCY FIRST APPROACH
Thank you all for coming.
Contact information:
Grace Liu
stlgrace@outlook.com
21