This chapter discusses dual language proficiency. "Bilingual individuals experience cognitive and linguistic advantages when compared to monolinguals, performing better on tests of divergent thinking, pattern recognition, problem solving, and metalinguistic awareness" (LDR, 315). Not only are these great advantages, but bilingual students/adults have so many more job opportunities than monolingual people. The most basic stages of bilingual education are: continuing to develop in the L1, learning the L2, receiving instruction in content areas, and showing pride of the primary culture. The submersion technique requires the ELL students being placed in a monolingual classroom without any L2 supports. I have seen this process in action when I was working at a school in San Bernardino. We had a student enroll in the school after being in the US for 3 weeks. He had no L2 whatsoever. He was placed in an English only classroom, and there were no supports on campus to help with his language transition and acquisition. Because he did not understand the language, he started to act out. He became a major behavior on the campus. I assume that he acted out to be able to leave the classroom. I also assume that he was extremely bored in the class and had no idea what was going on. I wonder, would I have acted the same if in the same situation? I think that I would have either whithered away in the cracks of the system, or I would have acted out just like this student did.
Dual literacy focuses on the 4 areas of: speaking, reading, listening, and writing in both L1 and L2 languages. This way the classrooms are able to focus on all areas and support the development of both languages. The student now becomes an asset to the school rather than a liability. Many parents see the advantages of a bilingual classroom and will usually encourage their students to participate. There is a charter school in San Bernardino that offers the dual language literacy program. I have a friend that has enrolled her only English speaking children there and states that her kids should be bilingual by the time they complete 5th grade. I know and understand some Spanish, and after speaking with her children, I KNOW that this program works, I wish that these were developed years ago so we all could have benefited from being bilingual! Listed below is a website that addresses the dual literacy discussion.
http://earlyed.newamerica.net/blogposts/2009/preguntas_preguntas_what_do_we_know_about_dual_language_learners_in_pre_k-18443
Monday, February 28, 2011
Ch. 10
This chapter focuses on how teachers that teach ELL students are really intercultural educators. This being because the teachers of these students must learn and respect the ELL students' cultures. A strategy to teach ELL students the L2 language is through their own culture. This could be from the use of symbols and meanings, knowledge, art, moral, laws, customs, traditions, etc. These customs make up the way the people or the student lives or has lived. Some responsibilities of an intercultural educator is analyzing how the student has learned in the past from their own culture. The learner first learns culture patterns, values, and behaviors. The intercultural educator understands this concept about the student and will apply learning strategies to accommodate the students culturally derived learning styles. Next, the educator makes sure that the language learner is fully engaged with their whole personality. Next, the culture of the student will provide rich content that the teacher may use to influence instruction. The teacher then builds off the idea of culture as content where the teacher can compare cultures by using strategies, concepts, ideas, and behaviors. The last component for the educator to include in instruction is actually teaching English to the students. "Teaching English using the Learner's culture as well as the target culture makes English more accessible" (LDR, 286). If we take a moment to reflect on the students' culture, then teaching the target culture will be less difficult for the teacher, and more easily understood for the student. It may take a lot of lesson planning, however it will be worth it!
An article that is based on higher learning, however still focuses on necessary strategies for teaching language through culture.
An article that is based on higher learning, however still focuses on necessary strategies for teaching language through culture.
Wu, S., & Meng, L. (2010). The Integration of Inter-Culture Education into Intensive Reading Teaching for English Majors through Project-Based Learning. Online Submission, Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Ch. 8
"Imagination is probably the oldest mental trait that is typically human; it roils through human history, surfacing in myth, dream, poetry,and the arts" (LDR, 203). This chapter is based on the imagination and how to get students to use their imagination. Vygotsky thought imagination was the key to creating meaning in reading, writing, and social interactions. Through play students learn how to appropriately interact with each other.
Drama in the classroom can help students build confidence and learn how to act with their imagination. Drama can help students explore the world of emotions and develop problem solving skills. Students learn how to read a script and pretend to act as a certain character. They are also able to write their own plays and see them come to life as they are acted out. Using drama in the classroom helps the students understand the themes of the lessons as they participate in these fun activities. This is a great way for students to be excited to write, use their imagination, and then be able to organize their stories in a way where they can be performed.
When I was in elementary school I was I able to attend a program called Academic Enrichment, although we always called is AE. This was a pull out class that dealt primarily with drama,writing stories, and performing. As a child I thought this was extremely cool and I think it helped me think outside of the box. I am not scared to use my imagination. In my students, I see that many do not understand the concept of imaginative play. They only talk or write about true things, if I try to prompt them to use their imaginations, they look at me like I am crazy! I feel that drama in the classroom is extremely important because it helps the students relax into writing and gently eases them into using their imaginations.
A study that I found that discussed the importance of drama in the classroom:
Drama in the classroom can help students build confidence and learn how to act with their imagination. Drama can help students explore the world of emotions and develop problem solving skills. Students learn how to read a script and pretend to act as a certain character. They are also able to write their own plays and see them come to life as they are acted out. Using drama in the classroom helps the students understand the themes of the lessons as they participate in these fun activities. This is a great way for students to be excited to write, use their imagination, and then be able to organize their stories in a way where they can be performed.
When I was in elementary school I was I able to attend a program called Academic Enrichment, although we always called is AE. This was a pull out class that dealt primarily with drama,writing stories, and performing. As a child I thought this was extremely cool and I think it helped me think outside of the box. I am not scared to use my imagination. In my students, I see that many do not understand the concept of imaginative play. They only talk or write about true things, if I try to prompt them to use their imaginations, they look at me like I am crazy! I feel that drama in the classroom is extremely important because it helps the students relax into writing and gently eases them into using their imaginations.
A study that I found that discussed the importance of drama in the classroom:
Wee, S. (2009). A case study of drama education curriculum for young children in early childhood programs. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 23(4), 489-501. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Ch. 7
This chapter focuses on literacy in the classroom and different different strategies that will help the ELL acquire the content more fully. Emergent literacy is when the student is first learning to read. Some ideas to help these students read for comprehension are: drawing on their prior knowledge, familiarize them with the specific site words in the text, gaining reading behaviors, and participate in the culture of reading. This is a way to help the students understand what they are reading, understand the vocabulary in the text, understand what is appropriate reading/book behavior, and finally enjoying reading. This may be difficult for many students learning to read because they aren't necessarily learning to read for enjoyment, but are being taught in a standardized fashion. "Despite the success of approaches based on the social construction of knowledge, a generation of students is being taught how to read through a series of controlled behaviorally based lessons" (LDR, 172).
The LEA (language experience approach) encourages students to contribute their own input into classroom discussions and writing selections. This is a collaborative process where the students and the teacher work together to create a writing piece. This is beneficial because all of the students are able to read what was written as a class.
A Balanced Literacy Approach is when the teacher uses multiple strategies and activities to promote an increased reading and writing scores. Some strategies that are Incorporated in this approach are: shared reading, read-alouds, reading workshop, shared writing, interactive writing, writers workshop, and word study.
In many of the classes that I have attended at CSUSB, many teachers support the balanced literacy approach. This being said, I have been able to practice some of these strategies in my own classroom. Last quarter I took a class by Stan Swartz. He had many great ideas that seemed to prove effective with my students. I have chosen to share his website because there are many strategies listed, as well as links that may help a teacher in their quest to balanced literacy.
http://www.stanswartz.com/
The LEA (language experience approach) encourages students to contribute their own input into classroom discussions and writing selections. This is a collaborative process where the students and the teacher work together to create a writing piece. This is beneficial because all of the students are able to read what was written as a class.
A Balanced Literacy Approach is when the teacher uses multiple strategies and activities to promote an increased reading and writing scores. Some strategies that are Incorporated in this approach are: shared reading, read-alouds, reading workshop, shared writing, interactive writing, writers workshop, and word study.
In many of the classes that I have attended at CSUSB, many teachers support the balanced literacy approach. This being said, I have been able to practice some of these strategies in my own classroom. Last quarter I took a class by Stan Swartz. He had many great ideas that seemed to prove effective with my students. I have chosen to share his website because there are many strategies listed, as well as links that may help a teacher in their quest to balanced literacy.
http://www.stanswartz.com/
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Ch. 11
Chapter 11 focuses on how we use language and the different levels to develop and benefit the ELL speech patterns. Students should be talking more, and guide their own discourse to include their judgement. CALP, or Cognitive Academic Lanugage Proficiency is the strategy that promotes the use of academic vocabulary in L2 students. "CALP constitutes academic language, which is a highly complex set of language functions required for access to, and success in, the core curriculum" (LDR, 309). Essentially this is the language that is needed to perform basic school tasks. The students must rely on their previous background knowledge, the content of the text, and any comprehension strategies they have learned, to access the content. CALP is primarily only used in schools as it builds off of BICS. It is the teacher's responsibility to provide L2 students the opportunities to acces the CALP words and learn how to use them themselves. Some strategies teachers can use to build CALP are: vocabulary repetition, glossary journals, paraphrasing, comprehension, poetry, and choral reading. There are 5 C words that build the CALP strategy; communication, conceptualization, critical thinking, context, culture. Building upon each area will increase the students vocabulary and comprehension of the L2 and the content areas. I was able to attend a training recently that was dedicated to academic vocabulary. The primary focus of the training was to address words found in the content areas and that are applied in the benchmark assessments, as well as the California Standards Test. This way when the students start taking these assessments, the use to particular words will not confuse them. Instead the students will already have a proficient understanding of the words and know what they are asking or meaning. It makes sense, howeve it is a little harder to address these needs in a special education classroom being that every student is at a different level or academic acheivement, maturity, language development, etc.
I have copied and pasted a handout that was given out at the training I attended. The words in BOLD print are the academic vocabulary. This is also a great comprehension strategy.
I have copied and pasted a handout that was given out at the training I attended. The words in BOLD print are the academic vocabulary. This is also a great comprehension strategy.
Teaching the Selected Terms
(Marzano, and Pickering 14-30)
6 Step Process:
Step 1: Provide a description, explanation, or example of the new term.
Step 2: Ask students to restate the description, explanation, or example in their own words.
Step 3: Ask students to construct a picture, symbol, or graphic representation of the term.
Step 4: Engage students in activities that help them add to their knowledge of the terms.
Step 5: Periodically ask students to discuss the terms with one another.
Step 6: Involve students in games that allow them to play with terms.
Ch. 6
This chapter is focused on the strategy of BICS, or Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills. BICS focuses on the basic conversational skills all L2 students should acquire prior to moving into the academic vocabulary (CALP) strategy. Vygotsky believed that speaking, listening, writing, and reading are all a part of communication, and through the use of these areas, the students build their basic communication. "Listening and speaking are integral to communicative competence-knowing what to say, to whom, and how to shape that discourse in the most effective way" (LDR, 146). I have found with my ELL students that they have a hard time figuring out what to say and when to say it. Obviously this can be challenging for all young children, however if there isn't a parent at home learning (or familiar) with the L2 the student is learning, then how will the student ever be corrected and learn how to properly respond? I think of my 7 yr old, and how I am constantly correcting her language, use conversational language, and her language she uses with adults (there is a difference). I never really thought about how these students are not getting the same types of reinforcement at home with their language and so therefore they continue to need extra support in the classroom in this area. Extra support that can be provided to meet these students needs are: pair share, cooperative learning groups, role playing, songs/chants, and listening to them when they have something they would like to share with you. In my class, I have 3 EL students. One boy -who LOVES to talk, and two girls that keep to themselves, play together, work together, are best friends. These girls have been coming up to my desk lately to talk to me. Usually it is about something that has nothing to do with our class, however I have started to listen. As I have listened, I have seen an improvement in their classroom participation and their confidence. I think they feel more a part of the class because I give them the time they need to converse with me. It has been an eye opener and truly something great to see!
There is an article that focuses on building reading fluency with the use of repeated reading, listening passage review, and listening only strategies. Which according to Vygotsky, this is a basic communication need.
There is an article that focuses on building reading fluency with the use of repeated reading, listening passage review, and listening only strategies. Which according to Vygotsky, this is a basic communication need.
Begeny, J. C., Krouse, H. E., Ross, S. G., & Mitchell, R. (2009). Increasing elementary-aged students’ reading fluency with small-group interventions: A comparison of repeated reading, listening passage preview, and listening only strategies. Journal of Behavioral Education, 18(3), 211-228. doi:10.1007/s10864-009-9090-9
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Ch. 5
Content based instruction in the classroom must be done correctly in order for the EL student to comprehend and maintain the information presented. Content literacy is more than just knowing about one subject, it is more about taking what you know and applying it to all areas and academic subjects. Teachers must collaborate with the SDAIE strategies in order to truly teach effective lessons. Teachers who promote a content literacy approach are more responsible and more willing to collaborate with the CBI-ELD approach. When the teachers collaborate they are able to connect different content areas and intertwine the knowledge needed to help the students make the connection. Teaching who incorporate the SDAIE strategies use more visuals, hands-on, props and manipulatives, and cooperative learning groups.
To increase students understanding of the material, teachers can reinforce the following strategies: language contextualization, teacher's speech modification, use of paraphrase and repetition, and use of clarification checks. "Language contextualization means focusing teaching on the context of the immediate task, augmenting vocabulary with gestures, pictures, realia, and soon to convey instructions or key words or concepts" (LDR, 138). Teacher's speech modification means that the teacher adjusts their speech from their normal speech patterns, they may use shorter sentences and basic vocabulary. The use of paraphrase and repetition is simply repeating whatever verbal information was given. Clarification checks are when the teacher monitors for the students' listening and comprehension of the lesson, teachers may also choose to rephrase the questions they ask.
If teachers incorporate these types of SDAIE strategies and content literacy, the EL students will be more successful academically and build their language proficiency. A full list of SDAIE strategies and their definitions are provided on the website listed below:
http://www.suhsd.k12.ca.us/suh/---suhionline/SDAIE/glossary.html
To increase students understanding of the material, teachers can reinforce the following strategies: language contextualization, teacher's speech modification, use of paraphrase and repetition, and use of clarification checks. "Language contextualization means focusing teaching on the context of the immediate task, augmenting vocabulary with gestures, pictures, realia, and soon to convey instructions or key words or concepts" (LDR, 138). Teacher's speech modification means that the teacher adjusts their speech from their normal speech patterns, they may use shorter sentences and basic vocabulary. The use of paraphrase and repetition is simply repeating whatever verbal information was given. Clarification checks are when the teacher monitors for the students' listening and comprehension of the lesson, teachers may also choose to rephrase the questions they ask.
If teachers incorporate these types of SDAIE strategies and content literacy, the EL students will be more successful academically and build their language proficiency. A full list of SDAIE strategies and their definitions are provided on the website listed below:
http://www.suhsd.k12.ca.us/suh/---suhionline/SDAIE/glossary.html
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