The Adaptation of LEA

21 Step 2: Writing the Story or Message The teacher constructs the basic reading materials by recording the student’s dictation story exactly the way they say. Step 3: Reading the Story or Message The students read the story several times, with the teacher’s help if needed, until the story has become comprehended. Step 4: Independent Activity At this step the teacher helps the students make correction in grammar and wording. Then, the students improve reading skills through activities related to the story. Step 5: Reviewing The teacher provides opportunities for later enforcement. He should review the story with the students. The students develop confidence and skill with the reading process as they read other students’ stories. They can store words they want to learn and are having difficulty with to form a word bank.

c. The Adaptation of LEA

LEA is an extremely flexible method. It can be modified according to the needs. Those five steps can be incorporated with the adaptation and variation of LEA in order to adjust the instructions to the language competence of the students and function of EFL. The two examples of the adaptation of LEA are key word concept which was developed by Sylva Ashton-Warner in 1963 and Language Experience 22 Charts which was developed by Lamoreaux and Doris Lee in 1943. Those forms are used to help the students in learning reading using LEA. 1 Key Word To introduce LEA as a new method in learning reading, teacher can use key word in learning activities. As the topic is given, the students produce some words representing experiences that are real to them; thus, they possess an excellent source of motivating experiences. Once the students become accustomed to dictating experiences by some words, they can begin with some sentences. There are seven basic steps to producing key word Searfoss and Readence 1985: 116-117. First, elicit a key word from each student by asking a few probing questions, for example “What do you see in the supermarket? What do you think is the most interesting music instrument? What is an example of good food?” or some order, like “Tell me your feeling when you lived in the village for a couple of days Mention the name of the building as you see in the picture” Second, write down the words for the students. Then, ask the students to pronounce the letters with you. Third, have the students say the letters out loud. Fourth, let the students do something with the words immediately, such as copying the words on a piece of paper, drawing a picture of the words, sharing with friends. Fifth, review the word with the students at the end of the meeting or in the next meeting, and then omit any word the students do not remember. Sixth, collect the remaining words. Seventh, reinforce the words. These words can help the students in dictating the story. 23 2 Language Experience Charts Language Experience Charts help the students to have guidance in recording experiences and background knowledge. Sometimes in order to help the students when they find difficulty in organizing the information, the teacher gives several pieces of paper consisting of patterns of language and activities, such as observation, notes and interviews. In each chart, there is a specific language pattern and a vocabulary development to be learned.

d. Three Stages of Language Acquisition