Below is a description of my web site and a letter of
recommendation. I am interested in hearing from people
using it in a workplace setting.
Paul Rogers
 
INTERNET ESL-FREE
Introducing PUMAROSA.COM
For ESL Multimedia Learning Centers 
PUMAROSA is a free, interactive, bilingual web site
for beginning and intermediate adult Spanish-speaking
ESL students. 
Because there is no registration, typing, or much
navigating, PUMAROSA is extremely easy to use.
Therefore, students with little or no computer skills
are able to start learning English immediately – plus
computer basics. 
Focusing on English pronunciation, PUMAROSA assists
the students in their transition to English only
classes.
PUMAROSA therefore serves as an effective teacher’s
aide.
Textbooks and cassettes are also available at low
cost.
For more information, contact 
Paul Rogers:
805-403-9743
e-mail: paulwaynerogers at yahoo.com

Letter of recommendation-
Dear Colleagues,
     I have been in contact with Paul Rogers of
Pumarosa because we have had such a positive reaction
from our students using this site.  A computer
session is part of almost all of our ESL classes.  We
have recommended
several internet sites in addition to the programs
already installed on
our computers.  At times, nearly half the class is
using Pumarosa.  I
asked the students what they liked about it they said
that it was easy
to understand and they liked that everything was
explained in Spanish. 
They also liked hearing the sounds in English.  From
an instructor's
point of view, I have several comments.  First is that
many of our
students come to us completely computer illiterate. 
To see these
students, within a few class sessions, using an
Internet site is very
exciting and speaks about the accessibility of the
site.  

     If you are not familiar with Pumarosa, it is an
audio/visual English
learning site for Spanish speakers.  It starts with
very basic concepts
such as the alphabet and the pronunciation of each
letter.  It gives 
the Spanish translation and a phonetic spelling which
a Spanish speaker can understand, "he (ji)" and of
course the pronunciation in English, which is, may I
add, very clear and well pronounced.  It is very
step-by-step, explaining, in Spanish, concepts like
verb conjugation and pronouns and giving lots of
examples, which are pronounced in English and
translated to Spanish.   

     This, however, brings us to an interesting point
pedagogically. 
Although the pendulum has been swinging toward the use
of L1 (first language) in ELL (English Language
Learner)classes, it is still used with a precautionary
tone.  My experience both as a teacher and a student
also direct me toward a more limited use of L1. 
HOWEVER the reactions of the students seem to be quite
the opposite.  The students appreciate it and
continually speak of their frustrations in English
immersion classes, where they were completely lost,
didn't learn anything, and finally gave up.

     Thinking about this I have many theories.  One is
that TVCC is in an
agricultural area and typically our students do not
have strong 
literacy backgrounds in their native language.  This
type of learner, it seems to me, may need more support
from L1, at least at the beginning. (I think not for
the learning of English, but just the reassurance that
somebody understands them, since they don't have
academic backgrounds and aren't totally comfortable in
a school setting to begin with.)   
     HOWEVER, Pumarosa is very similar to a course
that I helped develop while I was in Mexico, Ingles
Total.  My supervisors there, who were very well
educated professionals, also insisted on a lot of
translation. 

      One thing courses like Pumarosa and Ingles Total
do well is to address
the specific problematic areas of a particular
language group, in this
case, Spanish.  So I'm left wondering about the
relative strengths and
weaknesses of programs that rely on a lot of
translation and those that
don't, Rosetta Stone, for example.  

All comments welcome.    
Mona Curtis
ESL Coordinator
Treasure Valley Community College
650 College Blvd. 
Ontario, OR 97914
www.tvcc.cc
541-881-8822 x 316
fax 541-881-2747







		
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