Teaching Advanced ESL Using My Novel "Secrets & Lies in El Salvador"

Hello,

I recently have realized that I could use my novel to teach ESL/ELD 3 (3rd year/Advanced) or what the district might call ELD 5/6 or 7/8. I could also use it to teach Reading.

What really helps is 1) The relevancy of a) war b) poverty & oppression and c) the family stories and finally d) the fact that I am the author.

I was subbing again for Ms. Maria Galleher at CVHS and her seniors were fascinated with the story and with me as a writer.

Both this year or last year, Ms. Galleher's students have cheated in order to try to win the raffle & win my book. What a compliment for me to see how badly they wanted to win my novel!

I also covered Louise Pietroforte's English 12 class. It had a special category which I believe was what they used to call SDAI (At least that's what it was called when I was English Learner Coordinator at Venice High School in LAUSD). These students did not know a lot of English but when I read them the prologue, they enjoyed that there were Spanish words and phrases in it.

I recently discovered that there are two Mexican nuns that live across the street from us. Their church is Monte Maria in Tijuana. After meeting them at the monthly Mexican Breakfast fundraiser, I have begun a conversation to begin teaching Advanced ESL to adults in their home.

I will let you know how that goes so you see I have experience in this area. But, you also should be aware that I have 20 years experience teaching English Learners and I always had a captive audience in my high school classes. This is because of my understanding of the Affective Filter and other issues that often prevent students from learning.

I will also be in touch when my husband's band plays for the fundraiser here in Chula Vista for Prop 58 (The LEARN Initiative). This is supposed to happen in October. The August fundraiser at Cristina Alfaro's home was a HUGE success. 

I look forward to hearing from you all.

Paz y justicia,

Sherrie Miranda

Sherrie Miranda's historically based, coming of age, Adventure novel “Secrets & Lies in El Salvador” is about an American girl in war-torn El Salvador: 

tinyurl.com/klxbt4y

Her husband made a video for her novel. He wrote the song too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P11Ch5chkAc

San Diego Book Review gave "Secrets & Lies in El Salvador" 5*s:

https://www.sandiegobookreview.com/secrets-and-lies-in-el-salvador/

An article about Sherrie Miranda and her debut novel:

https://www.thestarnews.com/entertainment/war-torn-el-salvador-is-setting-for-cv-novelist/

An article about the writer's group Sherrie Miranda started:

https://southbaycompass.com/the-scribes-south-bay-writers-have-their-own-group/

An interview by Fiona McVie on her Authors Interviews Wordpress blog:

https://authorsinterviews.wordpress.com/2015/11/18/here-is-my-interview-with-sherrie-miranda/comment-page-1/#comment-5917

The San Diego Public Library's 50th Annual Local Authors Exhibit featured Sherrie's novel:

https://online.flipbuilder.com/tyny/sair/#p=64

GoodReads Author page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13490857.Sherrie_Miranda

Sherrie's Wordpress blog:

https://sherriemiranda1.wordpress.com