How to Provide Crucial Access to Academic Vocabulary to ELLs in Common Core Content Classes

Students have been in school now for a few weeks.  Among all the fresh new faces are several students who speak little to no English. These new students need special instruction to access the language and content tied to it.  For many teachers, this may be a new experience that they may feel somewhat inadequate to properly deal with.  In the recent past, ELLs used to be in ELD (English language development classes), but now they are in mainstream rooms.  Though every teacher puts intensive energy into delivering a quality educational program to each child in the classroom, an educator may feel a bit unsure as to what to do with students who speak very limited English.  Addressing academic vocabulary and providing meaningful continued reinforcement throughout the lesson of those words can sometimes pose a challenge.  Often times, teachers try to vary activities thereby offering many ways to access the words, but this approach, though varied, can be overwhelming and at times confusing for the ELLs.

A leader in the field of teaching academic vocabulary to ELLs is Dr. Kate Kinsella:  KATE KINSELLA ON EXPLICIT DIRECT INSTRUCTION TO BUILD ACADEMIC VOCABULARYThe 1 minute clip sets the tone for the article which follows.

TEACHING ACADEMIC VOCABULARY IN THE CORE CONTENT CLASSROOM   ELLs need explicit meaningful rigorous instruction in academic vocabulary if they are to succeed in English speaking schools.  In the article, Kinsella provides activities that boost and reinforce the use of academic vocabulary in the classroom.  Academic language must be practiced in all 4 language domains:  listening, speaking, reading, and writing.  Students need to see connections in the word family.  For example, look at the word INFORM from which INFORMATION, INFORMATIVENESS, INFORMATIVE, and INFORMATIVELY derive.  ELLs need to know that endings of root words change only the role of the word in a sentence and not its chief meaning.  Family Word Walls all around the room in easy to see prominent places help such students.  Also, in the article, notice the use of concept maps and double-bubble graphic organizers (I have blogged on all of these in earlier posts---just type in the term in the search window and click).  Model the use of the language regularly and have them engage in academic conversations using these words.  Frayer models come in here as well (see earlier blog posts on this one).  Use cognates if at all possible as well.  Linking back to the L1 is also an empowering experience for ELLs--their language has value.  Build a foundation and reinforce consistently.  Give students time to process and learn a few key activities that yield results.  Overwhelming them with too many may confuse them.  Take a less-is-more approach.  Have fun with it as well:)

Denise
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MINDMAPS??? What Are They? How Could They Support ELLs in Common Core Classes?

With the common core around the corner and more ELLs in mainstream classes, there needs to be a way to fully engage students in academically challenging material without inundating them with language in the early stages of learning.

When most of us were in college, we took linear notes.  Lots of words one after the other with few links.  We tied the concepts together at home or in the library where we would pour over the class notes and try to reorganize them in ways we could remember for tests.

Was this the most effective way to order key points and examples?  For the majority of us, this was not the case.  It went against the way the brain processes information.  Mind mapping mimics the way our brains process information (oh how I wish I had known about this when I was studying at the university YEARS ago).

This first link explains the logic behind mind maps.  With students processing new information through such a format, they will not only have more organized material to study, but will be better prepared to write essays/compositions.  EXPLANATION OF MINDMAPS

This next link explains how to create mind maps for the novice.  I have done this with my own ELLs where they had to create mind maps on their lives (past, present, and future).  It continues to be a great class opening activity and a real conversation starter for Back-To-School night parent visits.  Try your own following the easy-to-follow steps in this video.  Share it with your students as a model.  Since students always love learning everything possible about their teachers, they will pay careful attention as you take them through the process using your own as a model.HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN MIND MAP

What does this look like as part of a lesson?  Take a look at this last link.  Here a university professor elaborates on the many uses she has found for concept maps (mind maps) for her students.  One technique I found particularly effective was the insistence on NO talking as students come up to complete the opening concept map (only one word in the center and students then create branches out from it based on their own experiences).CLASS ASSESSMENT USING MIND MAPS/CONCEPT MAPS

With common core coming, this type of technique would easily allow ELLs to participate with ease since words, phrases, or drawings could be used to fill out the map. Discussion would come AFTER the concept map was completed.  The ELLs would have ample opportunity to note key words, clarify their understanding of the concepts, and then write  summaries (following the concept map) of what they now understand.  This would only be a first draft so students would not have to worry about correctness at this point.

Try this in your classes.  You will be happy with the results:)

Denise


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