Notes to the Instructor

The poetry of Langston Hughes has an appeal that reaches from the carpets of kindergarten classrooms to the lecture halls of universities. There is elegance in its simplicity. That is why I chose to make the life and poetry of Langston Hughes the central focus of this book.

This reader contains eight chapters written specifically for adults. The chapters take a journey through Langston Hughes’ family history and personal life. I have included excerpts from many of Hughes’ poems. I encourage you to locate full versions of these poems in books or on the web. Some or all of this author’s works are in the public domain. During this unit, I also recommend reading Hughes’ excellent short story Thank You, Ma’am with your students.

This level 2 reader, one of a series of six readers, is roughly equivalent to Grades 1.5 to 3 in the K-12 system. It is designed to accompany the BC Reads: Adult Literacy Fundamental English – Course Pack 2. For an overview of the contents, please refer to the Scope & Sequence in Appendix 2.

The online version of the course pack contains audio recordings of each story in the reader. These recordings, combined with vocabulary and word pattern exercises, prepare the Level 2 student to read each chapter with greater independence.

Depending on a learner’s readiness, you may wish to use the sentences in the Word Pattern sections as dictations.

I recommend using these books alongside a structured phonics program, such as the Wilson Reading System.

Font size and line spacing can be adjusted in the online view, and have been enhanced for the print and PDF versions for easier reading. This reader has been reviewed by subject experts from colleges and universities.

I hope these pages help ignite in your students a lifelong love of poetry and prose.

-Shantel Ivits