Common Core PLUS Cooperative Learning--A Very Powerful Combination for Reaching Academic Struggling Students

Common core based lessons call for far more student interaction than in the past.  Before students are strong enough to tackle analyzing academically challenging informational text on their own, they require time to process content with peers.  This is especially true of long-term English language learners along with ELLs and students with special needs (special education students). 

So, what is a teacher to do in this setting?  Cooperative learning! With the focus of common core on leading students to become independent, highly literate lifelong learners, teachers must allot time in class for students to begin the process of questioning and analyzing text.  This may be new for many teachers so including "mini-steps" to assist students in getting there is paramount.  Cooperative learning strategies accomplish this with ease AND students enjoy it:)

The attachment covers some popular ones, but there are many more.  One personal favorite for me is THINK-PAIR-SHARE.  Here students are paired up with more proficient students to discuss their opinions on a topic or clarify their understanding of a subject, etc.  When academically weak students are allotted time in class to discuss ideas with another person, they build a deeper understanding of the subject matter.  How might the discussion be carried out for students with weak backgrounds in academic language?  Academic sentence starters and sentence frames!   Another great activity is numbered heads together.  Teacher divides the class into 6 groups (home table groups).  Then the teacher has students count off 1-6.  All the number ones form one group, all the twos another, and so on.  Reading assignment is then split up into 6 sections with each group tackling one part of it.  Each group here becomes the EXPERT group on their assigned section.  They process the information by discussing the contents and taking notes.  They, in turn, make sure that each member of the group fully understands the content.  Students then return to their home table groups where they teach their partners about their assigned sections. 

The list attached is only a sampling of what is out there.  The academically weaker students will grow in their academic language proficiency and have fun along the way.  Try a few new techniques--I guarantee your students will truly enjoy the process:) 

Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS

Please FRIEND us on FACEBOOK as ELL TEACHER PROS and follow us on TWITTER @ell_teacherpros.

Taking a Closer Look at Long Term English Language Learners in Mainstream Classes

In a typical classroom of 30, there will be undoubtedly be some English language learners.  However, these students will, more likely than not, be those who have been in the American educational system for several years as opposed to new arrivals.  With America's week job market, the number of new arrivals has decreased sharply so schools must rethink the design of support services to meet the academic and language development needs of this changing population.

Typically, long term ELLs are those who have typically been students in US schools for more than 4 or 5 years minimum and are found in grades 6-12.  They exited English language development programs after 2-3 years.  Upon exiting, they were placed in mainstream classes, but their success rates were poor at best since ELD classes do not provide specific support for students to effectively transition to mainstream classes where typically teachers are not trained to address the academic language demands facing these students.  So in effect, long term ELLs are reading and writing several years below grade level.  This handicap makes interacting with textbooks written at grade level quite intimidating and following teacher lectures very frustrating.

The article below addresses the issue with two New York City schools, but the descriptions of the target student population and possible remedies would work in any school with similar populations.  For example, most of these students are possess limited reading and writing skills in their own language so one way to build literacy in English might be to build literacy in their own language.  Content teachers should have time to collaborate with ELD teachers to learn how to incorporate successful SDAIE strategies into their lessons.   Further, schools should network with other schools who have a high graduation rate for this population to copy their programs of success.  LONG-TERM ELLS FACE LONG DIFFICULT ROAD TO SUCCEEDING IN SCHOOL

For suggestions on accommodating ELLs in mainstream classes in very practical terms, use my search bar for your subject area where you will find my simple recommendations on.

Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS
Schoolio Composition Books, Assorted Marble (Red, Blue, Purple, and (Google Affiliate Ad)
Boardwalk Butcher Paper, 36 x 900', White (Google Affiliate Ad)
ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T, Black TF300T-B1-BL (Google Affiliate Ad)