Holmes-Garrity, Susan Mrs.

ENGLISH as a SECOND LANGUAGE

2015-2016

Name: Susan Holmes-Garrity
Email Address: [email protected]
Phone number: (856) 461-6100 x7077

Education

 

B.A. in Russian/International Relations

Bucknell University, 1988

 

M.Ed. in Language Education/ESL

Graduate School of Education
Rutgers University, 1995

 

 

Teaching Experience

 

Landis Intermediate School

Vineland, NJ

1996-1997

 

Pleasantville High School

Pleasantville, NJ

1997-2000

 

Delran High School

Delran, NJ

2000-present

 

 

Extracurricular Activities

 

Head Field Hockey Coach

Delran Middle School

2001-2007

 

Assistant Lacrosse Coach

Delran Middle School

2001-2007

 

 

Teaching Philosophy

 

Students are taught the English language (reading comprehension, writing, aural comprehension, and oral fluency) through what is best described as a "natural" approach. That is, students are exposed to language appropriate to their level of comprehension and expected to produce language appropriate to their level of fluency. As proficiency increases, the complexity of language increases and vice versa. Every effort is made to create a low level of anxiety in the classroom in order to increase the risk-taking that best leads to language acquisition.

 

Classes Taught

 

Students are grouped according to proficiency levels (measured by ACCESS for ELLs tests) into Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced levels. Beginner and Intermediate students receive two periods of ESL instruction per day, and Advanced students receive one period as well as the grade-level English class.