New approaches in English language instruction for learners coming from non-alphabetic writing systems.

A Handbook: for Biscriptal English Learners: "According to the Script"

Hong Kong, Hong Kong

The majority of new learners of English today are coming from parts of the world that do not use the Roman alphabetic script. A new approach to the teaching of English as an Additional Language is required - one that does not merely assume alphabetic skills.

Introduction

Introduction Media Milestones Map

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Introduction

Biscriptal learners of English

What's involved in acquiring a second writing system?

This is a challenge, and it is being faced by a majority of today's new learners of English. These are the learners who are coming into our alphabetic script from very different writing systems - Chinese, Arabic, Burmese, Thai, Khmer, Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Ge'ez etc.

What do they need to (re-)learn?

1. the formation of the letters and numerals - handwriting - the 'stroke order' of English letters and numbers

2. the sound system of the English alphabet - via phonemic awareness and phonics instruction

3. the ways in which English words are formed - word families, word roots, word origins, grammatical additions