Homework is defined by Merriam-Webster as “an assignment given to a student to be completed outside the regular class period”. Homework should also be something that strengthens the skills that are learned in class during the day.
The objective should be to continue learning and skill building from class at home. The homework given needs to be meaningful and continue the skills they practiced in school. Homework should not be something sent home as busy work to be completed and never touched upon again. It is important to discuss, review, and collect (when necessary) assignments that can help students gain knowledge and strengthen skills to build upon in school. Pairs or groups discussing assignments and sharing out strategies gives feedback and will allow for students to check their work. When collecting homework, show students where errors occur and give feedback, so they know where and how they can improve. It is important to model for ELLs. Make sure to introduce the homework in depth in class, reading directions and modeling how to solve a problem like they had done earlier. You should also supply resources for the students to use if they are unclear or do not understand how to solve a problem. Having an example with clear steps or writing to explain how to solve a math problem or how to answer a comprehension question or write to a prompt correctly will help students better understand what they don't in written directions. Pictures should also be included to support language development. Make sure homework matches the student's cognitive and language ability as well.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Fiction vs Non-Fiction
Fiction: Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain | NonFiction State Books about the 50 states by unknown authors |
Supportive Features: o Story Elements: Characters, setting, problem, events, solution o Familiar narrative flow of story: beginning, middle, end o Age appropriate. Tom gets into trouble and enjoys adventure which is charming and entertaining to most ten and eleven year olds :) Challenging Features: o Vocabulary- unfamiliar words o Length and size of text o Southern dialect used, terminology and word choice very foreign to ELL students who live in the Midwestern states. o Setting of the story: the book was written in the late 1800s, the time and place of the story may be difficult for English Language Learners to understand and make connections to. o Idioms and metaphors are used throughout the story and can be very difficult for the reader to understand | Supportive Features: o Pictures to support text o Factual information o Text features: table of contents, glossary, index, etc. o Large print o Photo captions o Highlighted vocabulary terms the reader is being introduced to o Quick facts sheet at the beginning Challenging Features: o Vocabulary and names of things particular to a state the student does not live in o Unknown geographical topics o Historical references the reader may not be familiar with or have background information to help understand the topic. |
Monday, October 18, 2010
Running Records
I recently completed two running records on two different ELL students. The first student is a student who speaks Spanish, and the second student is a student whose native language is Vietnamese. Both are English Language Learners and in second grade.
Student 1:
https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0BzpZWEhgpXedOGEzOWZmODYtNGQ3OC00ZmQ1LTk0ODItYmVkZTI3ZGNhYzEx&hl=en
https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0BzpZWEhgpXedYzBjZjZkOWUtZDA2MC00Yjk1LTlhNzYtYjMzMGU0ZDdjMTRi&hl=en
Student 2:
https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0BzpZWEhgpXedMDkwMzE3NDYtNDU5Ny00MjQzLTgxMzktYWM5ODg3MzM5YWNi&hl=en
https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0BzpZWEhgpXedZjJlNzc2MDMtMWMwNi00MmQzLThiM2MtNmEwN2Q3YjUzMTBj&hl=en
https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0BzpZWEhgpXedMDMyY2M2YWMtZDYxYi00NzQ0LTgyYWItZWI0ODA5YmRjZjgw&hl=en
Analysis of Miscues: Student one made four errors during their reading. The errors made did not impede the story's meaning and were words that looked similar to the word in the text. "for" was said instead of "of" and "place" instead of "purple". Getting to know this student I learned they are dyslexic. This may also be a large factor in why those two errors were made. It would be easy for the child to misread the word for another with similar letters. The other two errors were synonyms for the words in the text. Instead of reading "kittens", he said, "cats", and in place of "house" he read "home". Overall they were reading this text at an independent level and their accuracy was a 97. Instructionally this student needs to strengthen comprehension skills in checking for meaning and identifying whether or not a word makes sense where it is written. When the child said "place" instead of "purple" when the author described the flowers, it is clear that does not make sense. The student should be able to hear the word and identify that it is not appropriate for that setting.
When student two read, she did not correct any of her miscues. If she did not know a word she simply skipped it and went onto the next. She omitted several words while reading aloud to me, and a good teaching point would be encouraging her to slow down as she reads. Words that she miscued on were not critical to her understanding and comprehension, and she was able to have a pretty clear understanding after reading the story during her retell. It is clear this student needs to practice and build clarification strategies she can use to decode words she does not know or understand.
Student 1:
https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0BzpZWEhgpXedOGEzOWZmODYtNGQ3OC00ZmQ1LTk0ODItYmVkZTI3ZGNhYzEx&hl=en
https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0BzpZWEhgpXedYzBjZjZkOWUtZDA2MC00Yjk1LTlhNzYtYjMzMGU0ZDdjMTRi&hl=en
Student 2:
https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0BzpZWEhgpXedMDkwMzE3NDYtNDU5Ny00MjQzLTgxMzktYWM5ODg3MzM5YWNi&hl=en
https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0BzpZWEhgpXedZjJlNzc2MDMtMWMwNi00MmQzLThiM2MtNmEwN2Q3YjUzMTBj&hl=en
https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0BzpZWEhgpXedMDMyY2M2YWMtZDYxYi00NzQ0LTgyYWItZWI0ODA5YmRjZjgw&hl=en
Analysis of Miscues: Student one made four errors during their reading. The errors made did not impede the story's meaning and were words that looked similar to the word in the text. "for" was said instead of "of" and "place" instead of "purple". Getting to know this student I learned they are dyslexic. This may also be a large factor in why those two errors were made. It would be easy for the child to misread the word for another with similar letters. The other two errors were synonyms for the words in the text. Instead of reading "kittens", he said, "cats", and in place of "house" he read "home". Overall they were reading this text at an independent level and their accuracy was a 97. Instructionally this student needs to strengthen comprehension skills in checking for meaning and identifying whether or not a word makes sense where it is written. When the child said "place" instead of "purple" when the author described the flowers, it is clear that does not make sense. The student should be able to hear the word and identify that it is not appropriate for that setting.
When student two read, she did not correct any of her miscues. If she did not know a word she simply skipped it and went onto the next. She omitted several words while reading aloud to me, and a good teaching point would be encouraging her to slow down as she reads. Words that she miscued on were not critical to her understanding and comprehension, and she was able to have a pretty clear understanding after reading the story during her retell. It is clear this student needs to practice and build clarification strategies she can use to decode words she does not know or understand.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Sheltered Literacy Lessons
The following is what I observed taking place during a sheltered literacy lesson:
To promote comprehension the teacher asked questions while showing the objects she was talking about. The class was learning about the grocery store and the process of fruits and vegetables being picked from the farm, taken to a grocery store, and purchased for people to take home and eat. As the teacher restated what they learned previously she held the object while saying its name and showing it to the students. When she showed the onion to each student and allowed them to hold it she repeated its name. SHe also asked questions like, "can you smell the onion?". This prompts the learner to smell the onion and remember that onions have a distinct smell. She also referenced the length of the cucumber when showing it to each individual student, "do you see the long cucumber?". Saying the vocabulary aloud prompted the students to also repeat the word themselves and practice using it. The teacher revisited the sequence of events the vegetables go through as I mentioned, and when she got to the grocery store stage she listed the grocery stores they are familiar with as points of reference. To accompany the grocery stores she held up grocery bags from each store that matched, so the students may recognize and respond to seeing the bag if they do not readily notice the name. Holding the object physically in their hands and referencing them over again throughout the lesson while talking and then singing a song helps the students see, hear, and speak the names of the food items. Leveled questions were also used. As the teacher asked what students liked to buy at the store, she differentiated based on their oral development. For a preproduction student she held two items up in front of his face and asked him which he liked to buy at the store, the object his eyes locked on gave her the answer and she restated it for the others to hear. For students who were speech emergent she asked them what they liked to buy at the store, and they were able to give her a one word answer naming the object or agreeing with someone else's by saying "cheese too". The student was able to show their understanding of the conversation by listing an object they liked to buy at the store.
The students in the lesson were very verbal when looking at the pictures from the trip they took. They repeated names of objects they saw such as the names of fruits and vegetables. The students were very active when given the chance to hold the object, repeating its name as the teacher told it to them and handed it to them to feel. A song they had learned previoiusly was played for them to sing along and students followed their teacher as she held the objects up that matched each vocabulary term and said it along with her. The students showed to be understanding the content of the lesson and learning vocabulary and the context of each term.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Learning vs Acquisition
Page 48, Activity from Essential Linguistics, Freeman & Freeman
The student:
L look up words in the dictionary to write definition
L make a Venn diagram to compare two stories
L practice sounding out words
L read in round-robin fashion
A correct peers when they make a mistake during reading
L identify words on a big book page that start with the same sound
L group cards with classmates’ names by a criterion on such as first and last letter
L write rhyming poetry and then discuss different spellings for the same sound
L ask the teacher how to spell any word they don’t know
A read a language experience story they have created with the teacher
work in pairs to arrange words from a familiar chant into sentences
L/A divide words into syllables on a worksheet, draw a line from each word to the picture that starts with the same sound
L make alphabet books different topics
The teacher:
L preteaches vocabulary
L does a shared reading with a big book
L makes sure that students read only books that fir their level
L has students segment words into phonemes
L/A writes words the students dictate for a story and has students help with the spelling of difficult words
A asks students to look around the room and find words starting with a certain letter
A uses decodable books
A sets aside time for SSR each day
L teaches Latin and Greek roots
L has students meet in literature circles
L conducts phonics drills
A chooses predictable texts
L teaches students different comprehension strategies
L does a picture walk of a new book
uses a variety of worksheet to teach different skills
L= Learning A= Acquisition
When decifering between the two you have to think about what it means to learn as opposed to acquire a skill. Learning requires teaching particular skills explicitly and isolating words which is separate from its context. Habits are formed and the learning is teacher directed, students are aware of learning and making a conscious effort. There is an objective/purpose put in place and it is reinforced continuously throughout the lesson. Language is taught first. Acquisition is at the subconscious level. Children are immersed in language. A model is set in place instead of being corrected. Students make meaning and language is integrated within. Students are exposed to new words and skills, they have authentic experiences and it is embedded in their interactions. Acquisition is student directed and reciprocal teaching is used.
Children's Literature and Comprehension on a Cultural Level
The Lorax
In this Dr. Seuss classic, the main character "the Once-ler" doesnt care about nature and is quite selfish. The truffula trees vanish and the Lorax moves away. The only key to restoring the beauty that has been destroyed lies in the single seed to a truffula tree held by a small child.
*The language used can be hard for English language learners to understand
* The book can be a great tool to help teach about the earth and how we each make an impact
*Helpful addition to teaching about Earth day
Seuss. The Lorax,. New York: Random House, 1971. Print.
The Dot
Vashti believes she can't draw and is encouraged by her teacher to continue to try and shown how making one dot on the page can lead to great things. Colors are mixed and experimented with and she learns just how much she can do.
*The vocabulary used in the book along with the pictures that depict what is taking place or match the colors listed in text can help build the students and developing readers' personal vocabularies.
*Personal experiences where a child has felt defeated or believed they weren't good at something can help readers connect to this story.
*Teachers can use the artwork in the book to help describe and share meaning to the reader.
Reynolds, Peter. The Dot. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick, 2003. Print.
When you don't know the language...
reading can be incredibly hard! I recently attempted reading a novel in Spanish. I chose Spanish because I teach a lot of Spanish speaking students, and I have no background in the language. Throughout middle and high school I took German, studied abroad, hosted three German exchange students, and learned the language from where I was born. I was born in Bremerhaven, and moved back to the US when I was 4. I did not have much exposure to the language aside from being able to count and use simple terminology and responses, though I do not have any memories from when we lived there. I find myself envious of others who have taken Spanish courses and have learned the language, especially now in my current teaching situation. I love where I work and the students I am privileged to work with every day, I only wish I could communicate better with their parents and provide Spanish connections through translation.
I wanted to turn the tables in a sense, and put myself in the shoes of my students and the families at my school, Pioneer Charter. I know how difficult it can be learning a new language and how reading can be incredibly difficult in a first, second, or even third language. I pulled from skills and knowledge I had in the two languages I speak, English and German, and looked for words I may have heard, seen on a sign when traveling, or those that look similar to words in either of the other languages. There are many similarities across the languages in the world. So many come from greek or latin roots and have connected them through the years. When attempting a text at an adult and proficient level, I was at first overwhelmed and taken aback by the difficulty. "How am I supposed to find meaning in words I've never seen before let alone have no idea how to pronounce?" I found myself asking aloud.. The truth is when I calmed down and looked at the words a second time, I was able to slow myself and take word for word. Without having vocabulary to pull from or the oral language to pull from I was left not understnding what the author was trying to convey and reached frustration pretty quickly. As an instructor and a student it reinforced the importance of oral language development. I have obviously overheard the language spoken, but am not sure how sentences are constructed or how verb agreement works. The words I was able to find meaning in were those that looked similar to English words and those I've heard or are frequently used as greetings.
I think it is important to put yourself in another's shoes from time to time. A lesson learned from a fantastic book Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, "Don't judge a man until you've walked two moons in his moccasins". An important one to remember when teaching English Language Learners. They are developing two languages at once, the difficulties faced in learning to read are heightened by the fact it is in a foreign language they are also beginning to learn and develop orally.
I wanted to turn the tables in a sense, and put myself in the shoes of my students and the families at my school, Pioneer Charter. I know how difficult it can be learning a new language and how reading can be incredibly difficult in a first, second, or even third language. I pulled from skills and knowledge I had in the two languages I speak, English and German, and looked for words I may have heard, seen on a sign when traveling, or those that look similar to words in either of the other languages. There are many similarities across the languages in the world. So many come from greek or latin roots and have connected them through the years. When attempting a text at an adult and proficient level, I was at first overwhelmed and taken aback by the difficulty. "How am I supposed to find meaning in words I've never seen before let alone have no idea how to pronounce?" I found myself asking aloud.. The truth is when I calmed down and looked at the words a second time, I was able to slow myself and take word for word. Without having vocabulary to pull from or the oral language to pull from I was left not understnding what the author was trying to convey and reached frustration pretty quickly. As an instructor and a student it reinforced the importance of oral language development. I have obviously overheard the language spoken, but am not sure how sentences are constructed or how verb agreement works. The words I was able to find meaning in were those that looked similar to English words and those I've heard or are frequently used as greetings.
I think it is important to put yourself in another's shoes from time to time. A lesson learned from a fantastic book Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, "Don't judge a man until you've walked two moons in his moccasins". An important one to remember when teaching English Language Learners. They are developing two languages at once, the difficulties faced in learning to read are heightened by the fact it is in a foreign language they are also beginning to learn and develop orally.
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