Often when a tutor talks with a student about something of interest to the student, there isn't any material on that subject on the student's level.  If the tutor takes notes, jots down words and concepts unfamiliar to the student, the tutor can write up something on that subject for the next lesson.  The tutor may need to rewrite the article several times to get it to the student's level, but the material will be of interest to the student and the tutor can work in known and unknown sight words.

This technique can work well as a way of introducing American culture and customs to an ESL student.

Example:    The following article was written for a Level Three ESL student who read English on a third or fourth grade level.  It was based on a conversation about American weddings which started from looking at a picture book of brides.  The words in bold signify specific questions the student asked about American weddings. 

The example given is for a Christian wedding.

    In America, when a man wants a woman to marry him, he proposes to her.

If she accepts his marriage proposal, they become engaged.  The man and woman are then called fiancees.  The woman receives an engagement ring, and sometimes there is an engagement party.  Before the wedding the woman is given a bridal shower by her friends and is given gifts for her marriage.  A man is given a bachelor party by his friends, and they usually go drinking and have a wild party.

There is a wedding rehearsal before the wedding, and often a wedding dinner after the rehearsal.  At the wedding, the groom (man to be married) waits for the bride (woman to be married) at the altar.  The man's friends usher the people to their seats.  Then the bridesmaids walk down the aisle.  After the bridesmaids, the bride walks down the aisle to the altar.  She usually wears a white bridal gown, a veil or headpiece, and carries a bouquet of flowers.

The minister or priest performs the ceremony.  Next to the bride is the maid of honor, and next to the groom is the best man.  The bride and groom, maid of honor and best man, bridesmaids and ushers (plus the flower girl and ring bearer) are called the wedding party.

After the wedding ceremony, the wedding party stays for pictures.  Then there is usually a wedding reception with dancing and dinner.  Often the groom will remove his new wife's garter and throw it to all the single men at the reception.

In turn, the bride will throw her bouquet to the single women at the reception.

Superstition says whoever catches the garter and the bouquet will be the next people to be married.  After the reception the new husband and wife go on a honeymoon.