Fannie Mae Foundation: How to Buy a Home

Expected outcomes of
Lesson 1

1. To gain practice recalling details, making inferences, and finding the main idea of a reading.

2. To be able to name the advantages and disadvantages of homeownership.

3. To be able to read and interpret a circle graph.

4. To understand percentages and how to convert a percentage to a decimal.

Vocabulary
graph, percentage, decimal

Pre-reading:
Problem-posing activity
Using the opening chapter photo, ask students to reflect on the following questions:

a) What do you see
happening in the picture?

b) Why is the apartment too small?

c) Has this problem ever happened to you?

d) What can people like this family do to solve this problem?

Managing the learning environment: Multilevel classrooms

Many adult education classes are made up of students at a variety of reading, writing, and math ability levels. Native speakers of English and ESL students may be enrolled in the same classroom. Although this kind of teaching situation is not easy, we encourage you to try to offer at least some of the material through large-group instruction. Students learn a great deal by sharing their experiences orally with one another. You may be surprised how well students at different ability levels are able to help one another. When it comes time to divide into ability groups, teachers with ESL students may want to use the grammar and vocabulary lessons in How to Buy a Home in the United States, a workbook similar to this, designed for adult ESL students.
It is available free from the Fannie Mae Foundation. Please refer to the Free resources section for more information about ordering additional materials.

Unit 1: Do You Want to Buy a Home?

Lesson 1: This apartment is too small!

Mary and Tom Miller have been saving for years toward a home of their own. Now that their children are teenagers, the apartment feels smaller every day! Have they saved enough to finally buy a home?

Joe and Teresa Ramirez got married nine years ago. They have two children and another one on the way. Is now a good time for them to buy a house?

Sue Johnson’s mother, Rose, is getting older. Sue is thinking about buying a condominium where they can both live. Will she be able to afford it?

These are three families who are considering buying homes. They have three sets of hopes and dreams. Like you, perhaps, each sees homeownership as a big part of reaching the American dream.

Becoming a homeowner starts with a dream. But then it takes planning, saving, and making the right decisions at the right time. This book will help you think about important questions, such as: Am I ready to buy a home now? Can I afford it? What planning do I need to do first? How can I find the “right” house for me? In this book, you’ll get the tools and information you need to put you on the path toward homeownership.

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