Synthesis
Moje and Hinchman
The authors of this chapter argue that all best practices are culturally responsive. Responsive teaching is respectful of the individual as a person, as well as his or her learning needs. It should be used as a tool for building bridges from one's Discourse to important learning concepts. Often, Primary Discourses are misunderstood or ignored altogether. All adolescents need multiple exposures to a variety of Discourses over time. Cultural responsiveness should allow students to navigate across communities unlike their own. But cultural responsiveness should not stop there. The outcome of cultural responsiveness should be that there are changes in content knowledge and changes in classrooms that motivate and engage students. Essentially, the world should be transformed through explicit discursive practices. The end of the chapter gives some examples of teachers using culturally responsive pedagogy in their own classrooms. Some of the best practices include explicit vocabulary instruction, real world simulations, scaffolding student efforts, and project-based units. The teachers also do not assume that a person's heritage ensures a connection to their students' everyday experiences. They work to build genuine interest and relationships with their students.
Afflerbach
This chapter begins by asking three important assessment questions: "Why do we asses, what do we asses, and how do we assess". To determine the answers to these questions, one must understand that reading is not just decoding words; it is comprehending. Furthermore, adolescent reading is an ongoing process which requires the use of many skills and strategies to construct meaning. Currently, a big problem with adolescent reading assessments is that they do not focus as much on the strategies used as on the content-area learning that has occurred. Good reading assessments should have a cognition (what students do when they read), observation (assessing critical components of reading success), and interpretation (inferences we make from assessments) component. The CURRV framework allows teachers to determine the appropriateness of a reading assessment. Many state- or federally-mandated reading assessments are not appropriate or useful. Several types of reading assessments for adolescents include performance assessments which typically involve a rubric; portfolio assessments, which can and should be adapted and actively used over time; teacher observation and questioning; and high stakes testing, which typically does not offer much help for teachers in the way of instruction. The chapter closes by highlighting the need for professional development that places assessments in teachers' hands.
Hinchman and Sheridan-Thomas
Ideally, assessments will provide teachers with knowledge about how to modify their instruction so that students have the skills they need to become successful readers. However, there are now so many caveats to assessing literacy in adolescents, such as the many text forms now available and the wide variety of students who need additional supports. Also, many students who read well outside of school struggle with academic texts. A content-area reading assessment (CARI) can assess a student's reading processes and direct instruction for large group, small group, or individuals. Sections normally found in a CARI include using book parts, understanding visual information, understanding content vocabulary, determining and summarizing key ideas, and creating study reading aids. By looking at the results from a CARI, teachers can determine patterns of errors and plan their lessons accordingly. Word knowledge in adolescents must also be assessed. To do this, teachers can provide a vocabulary self-awareness chart to which students can return and modify as they read. Self-awareness charts help the teacher see which students need explicit vocabulary instruction before, during, and after reading. Finally, since all types of media have become popular with today's students, they can be assessed using various forms of it. One example in the chapter shows a teacher using a clip from Shrek 2 to ask questions and guide students through a blog response.
Responses
Text-to-Text
In our staff meetings, we have been discussing and reading about effective assessments because the school where I work typically has lower test scores due to the diverse population that we serve. When we receive our test scores from the state each year, our school's effectiveness is determined by them, which I don't think is fair. The Afflerbach reading really resonated with me because it, along with many of the other things that we have been reading in our meetings, pointed out that high-stakes tests are the least effective types of assessments. With the Marzano framework, our school has chosen to focus a lot on teacher observation and questioning as a form of assessment. This not only gives immediate, but fairly accurate results.
Text-to-Self
When I think about the types of assessments that I did when I was in school, I am encouraged by how many different types of assessments we now offer our students. Computerized assessments were not even thought of for many years! When I was in the gifted program in elementary school, we often had opportunities to be creative in the ways that we demonstrated our knowledge, but in the regular classroom, I remember a lot of multiple choice and essay tests. I don't feel that these, or high-stakes testing, accurately measured my knowledge. I always got test anxiety before them and didn't do as well as I knew I could. I appreciated my gifted teacher for taking our diverse minds and backgrounds into account when she created assessments or allowed us to do inquiry-based learning. The options available to students now are so much greater, if teachers indeed choose to use effective assessments.
Text-to-World
When I think about how the U.S. lags behind so many other countries in the realm of education, I wonder how much of this has to do with the assessments that are used. Obviously, the United States is a productive country with intelligent citizens, but studies over and over have shown that our education is lacking. It would be interesting to see how American students perform on the exact same test that is given to, say, Finnish students. I would also be curious to know what kinds of assessments are given in the classroom in those other countries, such as whether they allow project-based learning or if they assess using media.
Questions
1. What are your thoughts on high-stakes testing? Do you think that schools should be "graded" based on their performance on these tests?
2. Does your school or district provide much professional development about assessments? The readings mentioned the need for this, but the actuality seems rare!
Saturday, November 22, 2014
Friday, November 14, 2014
Multiple Literacies, New Literacies, and Multimodality
Synthesis:
Hinchman and Sheridan-Thomas Ch. 4
This chapter discusses the importance of studying discourse in order to help adolescents develop 21st-century literacies. Discourse is "a structure that frames a social or cultural group's habits of interpretation and their related literacies." Every person has an "identity kit" that defines social expectations and the way he or she interacts with others. Every person also has a Primary Discourse and a Secondary Discourse. The Primary Discourse is developed at home and taken into a Secondary Discourse, such as school. Primary Discourses are learned; Secondary Discourses are acquired. Often, Primary and Secondary Discourses do not match. When this occurs, four things can happen: 1) the person assumes the Secondary Discourse, 2) the person rejects the Secondary Discourse, thereby shutting himself out of conversations, 3) the person learns enough about the Secondary Discourse to get by, or 4) the person asserts Primary Discourse literacies into Secondary Discourses and eventually makes changes in the Secondary Discourse itself (called a borderland discourse). Obviously, the fourth scenario is ideal. When students are explicitly taught about both discourses, they are then able to choose different literacy practices that are appropriate for different times and settings. Teachers must be sure to respect a student's Primary Discourse while still teaching metacognitive thinking strategies that help him or her in other discourses. Through explicit teaching about discourses, students' literacy skills mold them into great communicators, wise citizens, and deep thinkers. They are able to understand multiple perspectives and value diversity, as well.
Hinchman and Sheridan-Thomas Ch. 16
The authors begin this chapter by highlighting the fact that today's adolescents have never known a world without multimodal ways of communicating. Hence, teachers must find a way to incorporate all of these modes into the classroom in a way that is meaningful to their students. The chapter gives a scenario of one teacher, Deborah, and the ways that she does this. First, she layers multiple texts (digital and traditional) to create meaning for her students. The authors are quick to point out that while Deborah is teaching CCSS in her class, she is not teaching to the standards. She takes a new literacies stance that provides many opportunities for guided participation and collaborative learning. When lessons are designed so that one event is shown across multiple texts, students are more able to see how the mode of the event shows different pieces and perspectives of the same story. Multiple texts also allow opportunities for problem posing and thinking critically. When multiple modes are used in the classroom, students are more likely to make personal connections, connections to popular culture, and connections to current events. Students gain a complex, yet concrete understanding of a subject when multimodality is employed.
Coiro
In this reading, the importance of online reading comprehension is explored. There are many things that skilled online readers do offline which can be carried over, such as using prior knowledge, making inferences, and monitoring their own comprehension. However, the ability to navigate the Internet is not the same as being able to comprehend the information on it, so students must explicitly be taught this skill by using five guidelines. The first guideline is to make explicit the relationships between offline and online reading comprehension strategies, This includes encouraging students to compare text features and their purposes, providing think-aloud models (or allowing students to construct their own), and embedding strategy lessons into online curriculum. The second guideline is to honor the literacies that students bring to school with them each day. It must be recognized that each student has multiple literacy contributions. Also, students need to be able to engage not only in personal online reading tasks, but academic ones. And, students must have space to explore multiple text forms. Guideline 3 states that expectations for new classroom roles/relationships during online projects must be clarified. When collaborating with peers, students should learn to respect one another's view points. Teachers should provide explicit instruction while also giving space for peer collaboration. Guideline 4 suggests providing time for students to develop positive attitudes toward Internet learning and communication. Student effort should be focused on, as opposed to ability, and online inquiry projects can help, as well. The fifth guideline discusses using self, peer, and teacher assessments to inform instruction about reading and understanding the internet. Not only should students be receiving feedback from their teachers, but they must learn to reflect on their own strategy use and create their own reading comprehension goals. Assessments should be both formal and informal.
Kim and Kamil
As technology has continued to be more prevalent in our world, students are now expected to have a wider range of skills and competencies related to such growth. Computerized literacy instruction for adolescents is becoming more common and has, in some studies, been shown to help with reading comprehension. However, many other factors must be considered which can affect learning and implementation. One common mistake in thinking is that students (and adults) are easily able to process multiple modes of transmitting information, when actually, students need to be taught strategies and methods for doing so. It can be difficult to understand the meaning of hypertext and complex graphics. Multiple studies have shown that students perform best when given a high level of guidance on the computer. Simply providing a variety of options is insufficient for improving reading comprehension. As far as writing instruction on the computer, results vary. The most consistent finding is that students need lots of time to interact with computer-based writing instruction. Students do develop many social skills on the Internet. Computer-based formats may encourage some shy students to participate more. Also, the more often students are able to interact with the computer, the greater the improvements in their attitudes toward it. Having access to computers at school and at home reduces student anxiety. Furthermore, boys typically display a more positive attitude toward technology than girls. All in all, computer instruction can be effective when students are provided with structured guidelines to help them navigate multimedia successfully.
Responses
Text-to-Text
Many of our readings in this class have focused on the advent of technology and how best to use it in the classroom. One thing that all of the readings have in common is that, as teachers, we cannot afford to simply avoid and/or ignore technology any longer. Not only can new literacies be motivating to students, but they can also improve reading comprehension and writing skills if used appropriately.
Text-to-Self
Honestly, technology scares me at times. I really related to the part in the Kim and Kamil reading which talked about how boys are commonly more motivated by technology and multiple/new literacies than are girls. However, these readings reiterated to me the importance of continuing to find ways to include technology in my classroom. I do think that I need more instruction and training for knowing how to do so. Sometimes I feel like people are always saying, "Use technology in your classroom!" and expecting us to do it but then not providing training or tangible ways for us to make it effective.
Text-to-World
As technology continues to become more prevalent across the globe, students must know how to interact with it in order to be successful in their future professional work and daily communications with others. While parents do play a role in providing access to and instruction about technology, teachers ultimately are responsible for creating technologically literate students. The more opportunities my students have to interact with technology in my classroom, the more successful they are likely to be when they leave it.
Questions
1. Do you explicitly teach your students about Primary and Secondary Discourses? If so, what does this look like in your classroom? If not, please elaborate.
2. Elementary teachers- how do you use multiple literacies in your classrooms? I do use my Intelligent Classroom whiteboard pretty frequently, but I'm always looking for new, engaging ideas!
Hinchman and Sheridan-Thomas Ch. 4
This chapter discusses the importance of studying discourse in order to help adolescents develop 21st-century literacies. Discourse is "a structure that frames a social or cultural group's habits of interpretation and their related literacies." Every person has an "identity kit" that defines social expectations and the way he or she interacts with others. Every person also has a Primary Discourse and a Secondary Discourse. The Primary Discourse is developed at home and taken into a Secondary Discourse, such as school. Primary Discourses are learned; Secondary Discourses are acquired. Often, Primary and Secondary Discourses do not match. When this occurs, four things can happen: 1) the person assumes the Secondary Discourse, 2) the person rejects the Secondary Discourse, thereby shutting himself out of conversations, 3) the person learns enough about the Secondary Discourse to get by, or 4) the person asserts Primary Discourse literacies into Secondary Discourses and eventually makes changes in the Secondary Discourse itself (called a borderland discourse). Obviously, the fourth scenario is ideal. When students are explicitly taught about both discourses, they are then able to choose different literacy practices that are appropriate for different times and settings. Teachers must be sure to respect a student's Primary Discourse while still teaching metacognitive thinking strategies that help him or her in other discourses. Through explicit teaching about discourses, students' literacy skills mold them into great communicators, wise citizens, and deep thinkers. They are able to understand multiple perspectives and value diversity, as well.
Hinchman and Sheridan-Thomas Ch. 16
The authors begin this chapter by highlighting the fact that today's adolescents have never known a world without multimodal ways of communicating. Hence, teachers must find a way to incorporate all of these modes into the classroom in a way that is meaningful to their students. The chapter gives a scenario of one teacher, Deborah, and the ways that she does this. First, she layers multiple texts (digital and traditional) to create meaning for her students. The authors are quick to point out that while Deborah is teaching CCSS in her class, she is not teaching to the standards. She takes a new literacies stance that provides many opportunities for guided participation and collaborative learning. When lessons are designed so that one event is shown across multiple texts, students are more able to see how the mode of the event shows different pieces and perspectives of the same story. Multiple texts also allow opportunities for problem posing and thinking critically. When multiple modes are used in the classroom, students are more likely to make personal connections, connections to popular culture, and connections to current events. Students gain a complex, yet concrete understanding of a subject when multimodality is employed.
Coiro
In this reading, the importance of online reading comprehension is explored. There are many things that skilled online readers do offline which can be carried over, such as using prior knowledge, making inferences, and monitoring their own comprehension. However, the ability to navigate the Internet is not the same as being able to comprehend the information on it, so students must explicitly be taught this skill by using five guidelines. The first guideline is to make explicit the relationships between offline and online reading comprehension strategies, This includes encouraging students to compare text features and their purposes, providing think-aloud models (or allowing students to construct their own), and embedding strategy lessons into online curriculum. The second guideline is to honor the literacies that students bring to school with them each day. It must be recognized that each student has multiple literacy contributions. Also, students need to be able to engage not only in personal online reading tasks, but academic ones. And, students must have space to explore multiple text forms. Guideline 3 states that expectations for new classroom roles/relationships during online projects must be clarified. When collaborating with peers, students should learn to respect one another's view points. Teachers should provide explicit instruction while also giving space for peer collaboration. Guideline 4 suggests providing time for students to develop positive attitudes toward Internet learning and communication. Student effort should be focused on, as opposed to ability, and online inquiry projects can help, as well. The fifth guideline discusses using self, peer, and teacher assessments to inform instruction about reading and understanding the internet. Not only should students be receiving feedback from their teachers, but they must learn to reflect on their own strategy use and create their own reading comprehension goals. Assessments should be both formal and informal.
Kim and Kamil
As technology has continued to be more prevalent in our world, students are now expected to have a wider range of skills and competencies related to such growth. Computerized literacy instruction for adolescents is becoming more common and has, in some studies, been shown to help with reading comprehension. However, many other factors must be considered which can affect learning and implementation. One common mistake in thinking is that students (and adults) are easily able to process multiple modes of transmitting information, when actually, students need to be taught strategies and methods for doing so. It can be difficult to understand the meaning of hypertext and complex graphics. Multiple studies have shown that students perform best when given a high level of guidance on the computer. Simply providing a variety of options is insufficient for improving reading comprehension. As far as writing instruction on the computer, results vary. The most consistent finding is that students need lots of time to interact with computer-based writing instruction. Students do develop many social skills on the Internet. Computer-based formats may encourage some shy students to participate more. Also, the more often students are able to interact with the computer, the greater the improvements in their attitudes toward it. Having access to computers at school and at home reduces student anxiety. Furthermore, boys typically display a more positive attitude toward technology than girls. All in all, computer instruction can be effective when students are provided with structured guidelines to help them navigate multimedia successfully.
Responses
Text-to-Text
Many of our readings in this class have focused on the advent of technology and how best to use it in the classroom. One thing that all of the readings have in common is that, as teachers, we cannot afford to simply avoid and/or ignore technology any longer. Not only can new literacies be motivating to students, but they can also improve reading comprehension and writing skills if used appropriately.
Text-to-Self
Honestly, technology scares me at times. I really related to the part in the Kim and Kamil reading which talked about how boys are commonly more motivated by technology and multiple/new literacies than are girls. However, these readings reiterated to me the importance of continuing to find ways to include technology in my classroom. I do think that I need more instruction and training for knowing how to do so. Sometimes I feel like people are always saying, "Use technology in your classroom!" and expecting us to do it but then not providing training or tangible ways for us to make it effective.
Text-to-World
As technology continues to become more prevalent across the globe, students must know how to interact with it in order to be successful in their future professional work and daily communications with others. While parents do play a role in providing access to and instruction about technology, teachers ultimately are responsible for creating technologically literate students. The more opportunities my students have to interact with technology in my classroom, the more successful they are likely to be when they leave it.
Questions
1. Do you explicitly teach your students about Primary and Secondary Discourses? If so, what does this look like in your classroom? If not, please elaborate.
2. Elementary teachers- how do you use multiple literacies in your classrooms? I do use my Intelligent Classroom whiteboard pretty frequently, but I'm always looking for new, engaging ideas!
Sunday, November 2, 2014
ELL/EAL Students
Synthesis
Hinchman and Sheridan-Thomas
This chapter begins by discussing the importance of using correct terminology when referring to students whose native language is not English. The text refers to these students as EAL (English is an additional language) instead of English language learners because EAL expresses a more holistic view of them. The authors also discuss the vast differences among EAL students. These differences include religious beliefs, immigration histories, prior educational experiences, and range of competencies. With the implementation of CCSS, all content-area teachers are now required to present knowledge in a way that meets every student, including those who are learning English as an additional language. Some ways meet EAL students exactly where they are is by facilitating home-school communication, believing in the potential of these students and holding high expectations for them, and modifying instruction to meet specific academic and linguistic needs. As far as modifying instruction, content-area teachers need to place language at the forefront of all of their instruction. This may look like close and careful reading of texts, deconstruction of "juicy sentences," and annotation. While focusing an extensive amount of time on one sentence may seem wasteful, in reality, this provides the kind of scaffolding that EAL students will need to read more complex texts. Furthermore, close reading and annotation provide opportunities for multiple readings of the same text. The importance of oral language also cannot be overstated. Content-area teachers need to provide active learning for their EAL students through conversations that emphasize using academic language appropriately. These conversations must be monitored and scaffolded for student success. The chapter concludes with an example of a series of American history lessons beginning with direct instruction, moving to expert groups and mixed groups, and concluding with assessment.
Garcia and Godina
According to these authors, over 2/3 of all ELLs are Latino, and while these students may be able to fluently speak a second language, they are not necessarily proficient in their academic English. Teachers in secondary schools must work to understand ELLs. Many ELLs are highly mobile, and their parents tend to defer authority regarding education to teachers and other school officials. Many families of ELL students want to be involved but are unsure of how to do so. The text states that ELLs most commonly drop out of school due to grade retention, standardized testing, and tracking, rather than parental influences. Lack of coordination among all teachers within the school is another factor that hinders ELL students. Even students who are knowledgeable in their native language typically need 4-6 years to perform at grade level in English. Several research studies have shown strategies that have helped ELLs be successful. These include the ability to make inferences, use prior knowledge, make use of cognates, and apply strategies across languages. Students who are successful also are more content with general understandings of a text than specific vocabulary knowledge. The writers of this text advocate a process approach to literacy in which students complete inquiry based projects and have ample opportunities for peer interactions. In addition to process approaches, though, ELLs also need structured writing opportunities. Other strategies that are effective include multiple readings of the same text for fluency, Collaborative Strategic Reading (teaches comprehension strategies and cooperative learning), use of realia, and intensive vocabulary support. One extremely important point that may seem counterintuitive is the need for continued instruction in a student's native language to build academic proficiency, not just oral proficiency. Sheltered techniques should be provided.
Responses:
Text-to-text
To be quite honest, I have not read many texts about English Language Learners before. However, in a staff meeting several weeks ago, we had an ELL teacher come and talk to our staff about techniques to use to help these students. I was reminded of what she said as I read the Hinchman and Sheridan-Thomas book this week because this teacher talked about strategies that are effective for all students. The text this week mentioned that all teachers are responsible for meeting each student exactly where he or she is and helping him or her become academically proficient. Our speaker at the meeting mentioned basically the same thing. She said that incorporating some of the strategies discussed (realia, cooperative learning, etc.) into our classroom would certainly help our English Language Learners, but in reality, they would help everyone. This was helpful for me to hear because there are so many diverse needs to meet within the classroom that it can be overwhelming, but some instructional strategies really are great for all students.
Text-to-self
These readings were insightful to me because I often make many of the incorrect assumptions that were mentioned in the text. I often think that ELL students' parents do not want to be involved in their schooling, that ELLs need to "hurry up" and learn English (as opposed to receiving continued instruction in their native language), and that all ELL students learn basically the same way. Reading these texts will, I believe, help me be a better teacher because I now have a better understanding of who these students are, where they come from, and the best ways to meet them where they are. Though I do not have any ELLs in my classroom this year, I know that I will in the future, and I want to be able to help them be successful, not just in my classroom, but in their lives.
Text-to-world
As more and more immigrants are coming to the United States from all around the world, our demands to teach them effectively will continue to rise. While new cultures are being infused into our culture here, we, as teachers, are responsible for helping to create a culture that is inclusive and inviting for everyone by making sure that individual students in our classroom are a part of it. We can do this by helping them to understand our language. Understanding goes further than speaking; understanding requires a deep knowledge of academic vocabulary and comprehension, which we can help to provide. In teaching language to our students, we open up a whole new world of opportunities for them.
Questions:
1. As a classroom teacher in elementary school, how can I work with our ELL teacher to make sure that we maintain consistency between our classrooms? As one of the texts mentioned, the ELL teachers in schools often use their own curriculum, and I'm wondering how to make the two align.
2. Are ELL teachers hired based on the languages they teach? I'm just curious. I have a friend who is an ELL teacher, and she only knows how to speak Spanish and English. I can't help but think that ELL teachers would need to have at least a basic knowledge of a variety of languages.
Hinchman and Sheridan-Thomas
This chapter begins by discussing the importance of using correct terminology when referring to students whose native language is not English. The text refers to these students as EAL (English is an additional language) instead of English language learners because EAL expresses a more holistic view of them. The authors also discuss the vast differences among EAL students. These differences include religious beliefs, immigration histories, prior educational experiences, and range of competencies. With the implementation of CCSS, all content-area teachers are now required to present knowledge in a way that meets every student, including those who are learning English as an additional language. Some ways meet EAL students exactly where they are is by facilitating home-school communication, believing in the potential of these students and holding high expectations for them, and modifying instruction to meet specific academic and linguistic needs. As far as modifying instruction, content-area teachers need to place language at the forefront of all of their instruction. This may look like close and careful reading of texts, deconstruction of "juicy sentences," and annotation. While focusing an extensive amount of time on one sentence may seem wasteful, in reality, this provides the kind of scaffolding that EAL students will need to read more complex texts. Furthermore, close reading and annotation provide opportunities for multiple readings of the same text. The importance of oral language also cannot be overstated. Content-area teachers need to provide active learning for their EAL students through conversations that emphasize using academic language appropriately. These conversations must be monitored and scaffolded for student success. The chapter concludes with an example of a series of American history lessons beginning with direct instruction, moving to expert groups and mixed groups, and concluding with assessment.
Garcia and Godina
According to these authors, over 2/3 of all ELLs are Latino, and while these students may be able to fluently speak a second language, they are not necessarily proficient in their academic English. Teachers in secondary schools must work to understand ELLs. Many ELLs are highly mobile, and their parents tend to defer authority regarding education to teachers and other school officials. Many families of ELL students want to be involved but are unsure of how to do so. The text states that ELLs most commonly drop out of school due to grade retention, standardized testing, and tracking, rather than parental influences. Lack of coordination among all teachers within the school is another factor that hinders ELL students. Even students who are knowledgeable in their native language typically need 4-6 years to perform at grade level in English. Several research studies have shown strategies that have helped ELLs be successful. These include the ability to make inferences, use prior knowledge, make use of cognates, and apply strategies across languages. Students who are successful also are more content with general understandings of a text than specific vocabulary knowledge. The writers of this text advocate a process approach to literacy in which students complete inquiry based projects and have ample opportunities for peer interactions. In addition to process approaches, though, ELLs also need structured writing opportunities. Other strategies that are effective include multiple readings of the same text for fluency, Collaborative Strategic Reading (teaches comprehension strategies and cooperative learning), use of realia, and intensive vocabulary support. One extremely important point that may seem counterintuitive is the need for continued instruction in a student's native language to build academic proficiency, not just oral proficiency. Sheltered techniques should be provided.
Responses:
Text-to-text
To be quite honest, I have not read many texts about English Language Learners before. However, in a staff meeting several weeks ago, we had an ELL teacher come and talk to our staff about techniques to use to help these students. I was reminded of what she said as I read the Hinchman and Sheridan-Thomas book this week because this teacher talked about strategies that are effective for all students. The text this week mentioned that all teachers are responsible for meeting each student exactly where he or she is and helping him or her become academically proficient. Our speaker at the meeting mentioned basically the same thing. She said that incorporating some of the strategies discussed (realia, cooperative learning, etc.) into our classroom would certainly help our English Language Learners, but in reality, they would help everyone. This was helpful for me to hear because there are so many diverse needs to meet within the classroom that it can be overwhelming, but some instructional strategies really are great for all students.
Text-to-self
These readings were insightful to me because I often make many of the incorrect assumptions that were mentioned in the text. I often think that ELL students' parents do not want to be involved in their schooling, that ELLs need to "hurry up" and learn English (as opposed to receiving continued instruction in their native language), and that all ELL students learn basically the same way. Reading these texts will, I believe, help me be a better teacher because I now have a better understanding of who these students are, where they come from, and the best ways to meet them where they are. Though I do not have any ELLs in my classroom this year, I know that I will in the future, and I want to be able to help them be successful, not just in my classroom, but in their lives.
Text-to-world
As more and more immigrants are coming to the United States from all around the world, our demands to teach them effectively will continue to rise. While new cultures are being infused into our culture here, we, as teachers, are responsible for helping to create a culture that is inclusive and inviting for everyone by making sure that individual students in our classroom are a part of it. We can do this by helping them to understand our language. Understanding goes further than speaking; understanding requires a deep knowledge of academic vocabulary and comprehension, which we can help to provide. In teaching language to our students, we open up a whole new world of opportunities for them.
Questions:
1. As a classroom teacher in elementary school, how can I work with our ELL teacher to make sure that we maintain consistency between our classrooms? As one of the texts mentioned, the ELL teachers in schools often use their own curriculum, and I'm wondering how to make the two align.
2. Are ELL teachers hired based on the languages they teach? I'm just curious. I have a friend who is an ELL teacher, and she only knows how to speak Spanish and English. I can't help but think that ELL teachers would need to have at least a basic knowledge of a variety of languages.
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