ESL Storybooks provide action packed lessons for students between the ages seven and twelve. The students travel back in time with the story characters where they see huge plant eating dinosaurs and also encounter giant predators that emerge from dark caves. The wonders of today’s scientific age, allows them to contact a time capsule, a mysterious space traveler that may be able to help them escape from the hungry monster that is approaching.
Lessons alive with danger and adventure foster learning. If the content reflects up to date technology - because that’s cool! – and a stimulating story, the students will acquire English through context clues. They will see it as fun rather than “English lessons”.
ESL Storybooks have many advantages. They often present factual information about the time and place of the narrative adding to the general knowledge of the students. They also present imaginative space technology that might become reality at some time in the future.
The excitement of the story stimulates the students’ imaginations. If the teacher introduces brainstorming sessions at critical points in the story, the more imaginative children will spark new ideas for their classmates. This approach encourages inventive thinking and guides the students’ thoughts to unique creative writing.
In the example below, the storybook children have traveled back in time to the age of the dinosaurs. They ride with Harvey, a space capsule, but after a short flight they decide to leave the capsule to help an injured animal. While they are on the ground a great hungry dinosaur races to attack them. They run to the nearest tree and cling to the top while the dinosaur roars below.
“We just made it!” said Bob.
“That was too close!” answered Rachel. “My hand slipped when I was climbing up, and I nearly fell!”
“Hang on tightly now!” said Bob. “That huge dinosaur might try to shake the tree to make us fall.”
“Harvey will come and rescue us,” said Rachel.
“But how can he do that? If he lands anywhere near to pick us up, we have to run to the capsule and get in before we are safe. For sure, I’m not going to climb down while that creature is waiting for us!”
Have the children brainstorm what they think might happen next and write their own ending. They can share these with the small group or the whole class.
