Take Students to All Corners of the Earth Via Video Field Trips:)

Though the use of videos scaffolds any assignment/lesson, their use is instrumental in delivering comprehensible content information to English language learners in mainstream classes.  The visuals provide access to new vocabulary as well as build student knowledge of the academic language needed to be able to summarize orally, write a reflective piece on what they learned, share insights with peers in the class, etc. Such video supports need not be long--3-6 minutes should be all that is needed.  Further, if students have access to computers and internet at home (or smart phones), they can review the videos as many times as needed.  In many of the videos, student often can also access closed captioning. Since even advanced ELLs might not catch every word, they will welcome this tool to fully follow the stories.

The internet offers many resources here.  This post only includes 2 popular ones.  The first one, CBS NEWS ,  takes students around the world by following prominent news stories.  Each story has the closed captioning option.  News features here cover material for science, current events, sports, geography, mathematics, politics, government, etc.

This second site is one where students and teachers produce videos and post them here.  Though no closed captioning is available, the films are very visual and the language not too difficult to follow.  The one on visiting New York City is quite impressive for students so young:)  MEET ME AT THE CORNER

Include lots of visual stimuli in class lessons and see student involvement grow:)

Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS

AWESOME STORIES-Non-fiction and Fiction Readings for English Literature, Current Events, Science, and Social Studies--Perfect for Common Core Lessons!

As students begin to work under the new common core, teachers will need to find a reliable of easy-to-access online resource for both fiction and non-fiction documents/materials.  With ELLs in many classes, these sources should ideally contain some support without watering down the content. 

With this goal in mind, I found a site with incredible resources in history, social studies, film, English literature.  Though I only linked 5 areas, there are more.  You will need to register (free) to have full access to every feature on the site. 

AWESOME STORIES  -- Some areas covered are biographies, famous trials, disasters, flicks, history, the arts, etc.  Actual photographs are embedded throughout and those photos provide context for ELLs.  You will also find audio files.  Since many ELLs develop their listening skills before the more complex ones of reading and writing, they would benefit greatly from this feature. 

AWESOME STORIES INDEX  To plan out lessons that will make use of the site, use the index so students can be directed to the areas tied to the lesson.  There is some incredible material.  It is well worth exploring on their part, but maybe at home since school time is limited:) 

AWESOME STORIES RADIO BROADCASTS Some of these historical speeches are accompanied by video!  Churchill's WE WILL NEVER SURRENDER speech is part of the collection along with a 9 minute HBO video on this event.  Short video clips are far more effective in teaching ELLs especially since they are better able to concentrate on the content and not get lost in the language.

VISUAL VOCABULARY BUILDER Vocabulary is frontloaded here.  Teachers would need to decide which one(s) of the KEY vocabulary words need detailed explanations (pictures, synonyms, antonyms, examples, etc.).  However, by dealing with this at the start, ELLs would get more from the lesson.

VIDEOS 
The videos are free---newsreels, films (short clips), etc.  Again, to an ELL, this format provides visual context to which they can attach lecture information.  This is schema building.

DOCUMENTS
Famous speeches (Roosevelt's  "Day of Infamy" speech for example), 450 B.C. - The World According to Herodotus, Abraham Lincoln - Letter Accepting Nomination, 1860, and much more!

I hope you find this site useful to lesson planning....by the way, there are also LESSONS on the site:)

Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS

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GREAT INFOGRAPHIC GENERATOR FOR ECONOMICS, HISTORY, SCIENCE, GEOGRAPHY AND MORE!

Here is a tool that will make content comprehensible to long-term ELLs and others. Charts can convey academically deep concepts with ease at times.  For example, economics may at times seem a bit overwhelming to some students due to the math.  Here students study what makes an economy grow, slow, or collapse.  This involves monitoring trends in the business market that steer the economy.  With the current global international business community, these trends become even more of a challenge to follow for many students.  Using this tool, market swings/projections could easily be handled.

Now, imagine using a tool that could in a few minutes convey complex topics in visuals.  Further, these visuals could be shared with ease either as printouts or as PDFs.  Now, of course, students could still use chart paper to draw up ideas from scratch, but at least this tool might provide them with some suggestions as to how to display their in-depth understanding through well thought out visuals.

Again, here is another non-traditional, but highly demanding, alternative assessment.  Students could design their own and then explain what concepts they are addressing in it.  This is academically challenging work.  An essay might come later,  but for now, this would provide the students (ELLs especially) time to totally familiarize themselves with the highly academically grade-level content.  Once that is fully grasped, compiling their own charts could be accomplished with ease.

EASY INFOGRAPHIC GENERATOR

Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS

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Common Core Standards--English Language Arts and USE OF PRIMARY SOURCES

With the new common core standards being rolled out for English, teachers at the high school level will need to spend 70% of instructional time on informational text/non-fiction materials.  This is long overdue since universities have been urging schools to spend more time better preparing students for college.  In fact, most incoming freshmen must take remedial writing classes in their first year to prepare them for university work.

What will be quite different for students will be working with primary sources on a regular basis.  Many students are foggy on what they are, but this site explains what they are on a student level and then provides examples of primary sources throughout the site. To offer an overview of the key forms primary sources, go to OVERVIEW.  Each form is explained in detail and then students take on "detective" roles to search for evidence to use for solving "problems."  Isn't that what is asked of students in many universities--to THINK, ANALYZE, SYNTHESIZE, PERSUADE, etc.?  Notice that PERSONAL NARRATIVE is no where to be found and yet this writing style is still heavily used in all grades.

In the SPEED ROUND, students have to use their knowledge of all forms of primary sources addressed throughout the site to answer questions against a timer.  If you have struggling learners mixed in your mainstream classes, you could do a numbered heads together (cooperative learning in mixed ability groups) and then do a team competition.  It would be a WIN-WIN opportunity for all (and a bit of fun in the process).

PRIMARY SOURCES   ---  Here is the link to the entire site.  Bookmark it to hold for the unveiling of common core standards:)

Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS

PS  If you would like a detailed view of the common core ELA standards and how they will be implemented in school, you should subscribe to ELL TEACHER PROS to receive our monthly newsletter.  I will be providing both overall description of the process as well as providing videos and sample unit lessons in our JUNE NEWSLETTER to be released on May 31st.

The OLYMPICS--A Teaching Opportunity In All Content Areas!

With the summer Olympics fast approaching, teachers may want to bring it into their classes in some unusual ways. 

First, teachers may want to have students look at the history of the games.  Here you will find a short animated cartoon on it.  It covers its earliest origins in just enough detail for students (about 8 minutes).  All main points are addressed in student friendly fashion while also delivering content.  In this same section, students can also get the names of every medalist going back to 1896.

Second, if you teach world history, you will enjoy taking a look at clips of past Olympic games going back to 1896.  I spent some time looking at the 1936 games.  The video clip is 2 minutes 25 seconds long and focuses not only on Jesse Owens, but on Jesse's German rival who helped him to qualify for the long jump.  In fact, the two remained friends until Jesse's friend was killed in World War 2.  Take whatever time period you are covering and weave in the games!  Another plus here is that ELLs will feel validated when their country is covered as a past host country.  Imagine being Mexican and seeing how Mexico welcomed the games back in 1968!

Third, if mathematics is the focus, why not look at any one of the 35 SPORTS (Winter OR Summer) and pick one the students like.  Create questions with more than one correct answer if possible such as "How much faster should the number two person have run so that he could have won?" "At what angle, should the bow have been raised so the arrow would hit the target?  (archery)"  Have students try making up their own math questions.  ELLs can fully participate here since drawing out sketches with numbers would be the basics needed to make their case:)

Fourth, if you teach science, take a look at the summer or winter games to show science in action.  If it is the winter games, try the luge events.  How does the knowledge of physics add excitement to luge?  If skiing is a favorite, how does one score a gold using science?

OLYMPICS  This site has so much more than I could address here.  Explore it and share it with your students.  It is truly an inspirational site.

Denise


ELL TEACHER PROS

Free Access to Works of Literature, Major Magazines, Leading Newspapers, and MORE!

English Page offers some major resources here. It offers instruction in English vocabulary, grammar, reading, and writing (student forum where students can ask questions about correct uses of English in different settings). Tutorials with almost immediate feedback are also available. Students may also listen to NPR and the BBC for FREE. Translating tools are found here. The YAHOO one was easy to use. Babel Fish is probably already being used by some of your students:) There is also a thesaurus along with several top notch dictionaries.
ENGLISH PAGE

The site below is also found within ENGLISH PAGE, but it is so unique that it needs its own write up:) Here you will find some of the English speaking world's major newspapers. The following countries are represented here: United States, Canada, England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and India. Access to each is free. You will also enjoy the magazine link where you will find The Economist, Newsweek, Popular Science, and more. Last, but not least, there is a link that takes you to major pieces of classical literature. Again, this is free as well:)
ENGLISH READING ROOM

Your students will have many great activities to boost their English skills and all of it is free!

Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS

How About Creating a Time Capsule? Differentiation With EASE!

How do you think your students would feel if you offered them the unique opportunity to provide people in the future a window to 2012? My guess is very excited:)

This activity is one that lends itself easily to differentiation. Each student contributes according to English proficiency levels. The class as a whole would have to decide on the contents keeping in mind that every student needs to be able to contribute something of importance to him/her. ELLs might want to add special items from their culture. A teacher could then provide a reality check as to how much the box can hold (a visual as in the actual box) would be the best way to do this. Once students see the box, they will start to take a more realistic view as to what can and can't go into it. Teachers are the guides and coaches here since not all choices will be practical ones:)

Activities that can be built into the activity could be having each student make a pitch for his/her choice. Here they are writing persuasive paragraphs (or essays depending on their grade levels). Their job is to convince the rest of the class that their selection merits a spot in the box. The class would have to decide if the item in question would provide a unique look into 2012. Teachers would moderate. If this is handled well, students who didn't make the first cut could come back with another item fitting box specifications. In a word, everyone would be able to add to the box's content!

Below is a video on how to make the time capsule:

HOW TO MAKE A TIME CAPSULE (Youtube video)

Here are some suggestions on how to undertake the project:

INTERNATIONAL TIME CAPSULE SOCIETY

Have fun with this one:)

Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS

Commerating Martin Luther King's Achievements in the Classroom

Today is MLK's birthday. How can his message of peace, equality, elimination of hunger, and a living wage for all be part of the classroom? At what grade level can it be incorporated into the curriculum and to what extent? These are the questions teachers attempt to address on a daily basis in the typical classroom.

Discrimination in any form is unacceptable in this day and age and yet it is still around. So what are educators to do? Why not find avenues within lessons to highlight the achievements of ethnic groups?

If guest speakers visit the classroom, why not try to find speakers who represent the group (if the classroom has a high number of minorities)? If the classroom has very few to no minorities, why not bring in some minority guest speakers to break any stereotypes students may have of those groups (conscious or subconscious)? How about bringing in women guest speakers to address sexism in society (female astronaut, physicist, mathematician, etc.)?

If historical material is being covered, bring in the viewpoints of the minority leaders of the time to provide a bigger picture of historical events. For example, if you are working with the US Civil War, bring in Sojourner Truth. Have students explore not only how she fought to liberate slaves, but was also active in fighting for equal rights for women of the time.

Remember that internet is an incredible source of supplemental material for anything here. Use it:)

SITE: Putting the Movement Back into Civil Rights Teaching


Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS

Interactives for all Subjects Grades K-12! All FREE:)

Well, today was the first day of school for many teachers. As planning unfolds for the new year, many of us are faced with trying to find ways to assist students in remembering some of the items addressed before the break:)

ALL SUBJECTS ALL GRADES INTERACTIVES is a website from the Utah Education Network. This site offers instructional materials for all subjects (including probability at the high school level) and grade levels. It can't cover every point taught in school, but it hits on some of the big ones. The science section for grades 9-12 covers physics, chemistry, biology, genetics, etc. It also has many virtual labs (some tied to PBS - Public Broadcasting Station). The Language Arts section covers vocabulary development, spelling, grammar, writing, etc. I was also impressed with their ARTS section which many sites don't address. Here even architecture was covered including a section on designing your own building! Like MUSIC? Use the virtual keyboards to create music.

Grades K-6 are equally well thought out and easy to use (to supplement school instruction).

The K-2 section has a doodle pad (like a smartboard minus the internet) where students can write, draw, etc. You have a choice as a teacher to print in black ink or color. Kids will love it of course. Then there is the FLIP BOOK (Read Write Think). Little ones will delight at the thought of being an author. Again, all subjects are addressed here. I have pulled out one for the blog.

Grades 3-6 has a technology component which not only covers the keyboard and hardware/software, but also internet safety. I have never seen a site address this (one written for students that is). Parents and teachers should appreciate this one. There are many more subjects here as well.

I hope you enjoy the site!

Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS