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
Joe Tapia listed this resource and stated; "Another resource that I found interesting is a book by Harry McNaught. The book is in English and Spanish. It is called 500 Palabras Nuevas Para Ti; 500 Words to Grow On. It is a great resource because it is filled with visual illustrations of words, animals, and objects with their English/Spanish names". This book seems to be appropriate for ALL students! When working in special education, it seems as though the EL strategies that are dicussed are not based on just EL students, my ENTIRE class benefits from the use of these strategies! I really like Joe's description of the book and I really want to check it out for my students!
ReplyDeleteMelissa Hale writes, "It frustrates me that there is no other support to "us" special education teachers as far as ESL students go. If this was more accessible, maybe there would be less ESL students placed in special education do to their language barrier". I agree with this statement, because I currently I have a special ed student in my class, which with the proper interventions early on in his education, he may not have qualified. This also goes along with the cliche that special education teachers are just 'suppose' to know everything about everything, so technically we should be training everyone else...Ha what a joke! We are often overlooked, which is sad because our students need the strategies implemented more than most!