Celebrating Immigrants -- The American Story!

ELL Teacher Pros                                                                               November 2016 Newsletter

Thanksgiving was and is my favorite holiday.  Not only did we get out of school but we got to eat turkey and cranberry sauce (two of my all-time faves)!  My mom would make pumpkin, apple and pecan pies, mashed potatoes from real potatoes (she usually used powdered), sweet potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole, etc.  My mother’s side of the family was far away from their immigrant roots.  My dad’s family, however, was not.  He was first generation American and his family was from The Ukraine and very poor.  As a child, he never had some of the foods we ate every Thanksgiving.

As I was thinking of my Thanksgivings I thought of my dad’s background and stories I’ve been told by other first generation folks and adult ELLs and thought about how we could validate their experiences through an exploration of the experiences immigrants have had with their first Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving in general.

The book, Molly’s Pilgrim by Barbara Cohen, is directly about this experience and even older learners might enjoy having it read to them as a starter for discussion, project or unit on immigration or Thanksgiving.  The book is written for upper elementary school learners and is at a third grade reading level.

For elementary level learners there are a group of free lesson suggestions at:

https://www.lessonplanet.com/article/education/molly-s-pilgrim-and-thanksgiving-activities

For older learners, there are resources on the web that cover immigrants’ experiences with Thanksgiving and which could be used as reading activities.  This holiday includes culture, history, human rights, immigration and friendship – many themes to work with. These articles could be used for reading skill development as well as an introduction to personal experiences with Thanksgiving.

Some sites to review for Reading Skill work:

·       Reading Comprehension Skills for English Language Learners

http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/reading-comprehension-skills-english-language-learners

·       Increasing ELL Student Reading Comprehension with Non-fiction Text

http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/increasing-ell-student-reading-comprehension-non-fiction-text

·       Reading Comprehension Strategies for English Language Learners

http://www.ascd.org/ascd-express/vol5/511-breiseth.aspx

A lesson plan for Thanksgiving and the Immigrant Experience

LESSON PLAN Thanksgiving 2—The Pilgrim Story and My Immigrant Story

https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/USCIS/files/Thanksgiving2_lesson_plan.pdf

Articles covering the immigrant experience and Thanksgiving Immigrant Experience

 http://www.ibtimes.com/newly-arrived-immigrants-navigate-their-first-american-thanksgiving-turkey-all-1728786    An article in “International Business Times” on people from France, Burkina Faso, Mali, Yemen, and Dominican Republic.

“Beyond Turkey: The Migration of Thanksgiving Tradition”

http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/11/immigrant-thanksgiving-chefs-draft.html 

Seriouseats.com                Cooks talk about food for Thanksgiving, from Ecuador, Turkey, Greek, Middle East, France, China, & Italy

“First Thanksgiving”

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/news/ct-abn-first-thanksgiving-st-1122-20151122-story.html           Story in Chicago Tribune on immigrants from Dubai, Mexico, India, Nigeria

An article on Vietnamese immigrants and their Thanksgiving experience

“Modern-day pilgrims in North Jersey mark their first Thanksgiving”

http://www.northjersey.com/news/modern-day-pilgrims-in-north-jersey-mark-their-first-thanksgiving-1.1462539   Immigrants from Syria & Cuba   “NorthJersey.com”

Immigration In and Out of the Classroom

http://teachimmigration.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-first-thanksgiving-and-first.html

“Immigrants adapt Thanksgiving feasts with tastes from home”

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/features/sf-ethnic-thanksgiving-food-immigrant-families-20141124-story.html   “Sun Sentinel” FL,   Immigrants from Brazil, Basque area in Spain, Egypt, Haiti & the Virgin Islands

“Thanksgiving is a story of immigrants”

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/opinion/commentary/fl-viewpoint-thanksgiving-20151124-3-story.html

“The First Immigrant Thanksgiving”

https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2013-11-27/the-first-immigrant-thanksgiving

As an idea to help this along, I want to share the story of a co-worker whose family emigrated from Italy and a tradition her family created for Thanksgiving.

As Molly did, Marie came home from school and told her mother she had to make a Thanksgiving dinner.  One of the foods was to be a stuffed turkey.  Her mother did not know what the stuffing could be and, of course, Marie had no idea either.  After thinking about it for a while, Marie’s mother created a rice-based stuffing which the family uses to this day.

We hope these sites contribute to a rich discussion on immigration and different cultures and tales on how immigrant families develop their own traditions for this iconic American holiday. 

Have a great Thanksgiving Break!

Marnie, Denise, and Cheryl

ELL TEACHER PROS

Visit our blog at TEACHING SUCCESSES WITH ELLS

Follow us on Twitter @ell_teacherpros

Follow us on Pinterest User Name dmcyberteacher

Follow us on Facebook as ELL Teacher Pros

Fun Starts to a New School Year!

School is open!  This is the “honeymoon period” of the school year since all kids are happy to be in school again.  So this newsletter will be dedicated to building on that enthusiasm in creative ways (including a dash of FREE new technology) so that no student is left out.

First, what non-technological approaches can used that will make all students feel confident that the school year will be a good one (including those with special needs along with English language learners at all 3 stages of language acquisition)?  Here are a few just for starters (no set order implied):
 

1. Every classroom has rules.To provide students will a feeling of ownership, allow them to create some of the rules along with suggested consequences for breaking them.Using a randomizer (app on phone, popsicle sticks, playing cards with names on them, etc.), establish small groups of no more than 4.Try to ensure that friends are NOT sitting together since you want to build a family like atmosphere in the classroom where students help each other.Provide a couple of sample rules to start the process.For example, if a student uses his/her cellphone in class without permission, the teacher will take the phone and then give it back to him/her after class.This would be for the first infraction.Students could then offer ideas for 2^nd and 3^rd infractions.This would open the floor for a variety of approaches where all viewpoints would be respected (teacher could have groups post their responses on chart paper through words or pictures).The class could then vote on what they feel would be the best consequences.This approach sets them up to then proceed in their groups to address lateness, not doing homework, shouting out in class, disrespecting a classmate’s efforts to complete a task, etc.
2. The classroom will have many students who don’t know each other.So a teacher needs to build a learning environment that is safe and supportive—family-like.How can this be established?Have students take turns interviewing each other.Again, using a randomizer, pair up students who don’t know each other.Provide the class with a set of questions to be used to interview each other.If some of the students have limited English, they could ask for support from those who share the same language.Once things are clarified, they would return to their partner to complete the assignment.After about 20 minutes, each pair would come to the front of the classroom and then introduce his/her partner to the class.Using this approach, students would need to fully pay attention to what their partners say and not focus on their comments alone.
3. Create a class poster in which the diversity of the class is highlighted.A class poster coming directly from the students provides the students with a feeling of ownership.The finished products could be used for BACK-TO-SCHOOL night and would be a definite crowd pleaser as students explain the meaning of the posters and highlight their contributions to them.

Second, technology that could be used to ease student adjustment to a new school year is always fun.  Here are a few (again, no order is implied here):
 

1. One fun approach is to have students write a letter to their future selves.Teachers may wish to provide a general outline of what students could include (ELLs and those with special needs might need that extra assistance).Such an assignment would of course be ungraded (and that lowers stress greatly).I would suggest giving the class the same end date so that the results could be reviewed as a fun assignment.Students will be shocked at their growth (smiles and laughter will fill the room---guaranteed).
2. One strategy to build student confidence is to provide them with a MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCE online test.Students are always pleasantly surprised at learning what their intellectual gifts are.Once the test is completed, the class can survey their classmates for their strengths and then create a chart (or graph) on the results.Another benefit here is that for students who may have struggled in school, they now have the opportunity to see what they excel at.Further, the results benefit the teacher in planning class projects to make sure that such activities tap each strength in the class.
3. Have students create a comic strip on their lives, their plans for the new school year, their family or friends, on their own imagined super heroes, etc.Once completed, teachers can have them print them out, dress them up with a dash of color, and then post them around the room (to use as a GALLERY WALK).Students would rate each one with 2 STARS and 1 WISH (no negative responses just ones that seek clarification).

Again, time spent making the students feel confident in facing the new school year is time well spent.  The more teachers know about their individual students the more effective their learning will be (and that leads to less stress on the teacher’s part).

Have a great school year!  Our September newsletter will be out after Labor Day .

Denise (denise@ellteacherpros.com)
Marnie (marnie@ellteacherpros.com)
Cheryl (cheryl@ellteacherpros.com)

P.S.  Follow us on Pinterest (dmcyberteacher)—7,200 followers and growing.
        Follow us on TWITTER (@ell_teacherpros)—4,300 followers and growing.
        Follow us on FACEBOOK (ELL Teacher Pros)—167 followers (humor).


 

Be a Constant Source of Inspiration and Support for Your ELLs:)

View this email in your browser

ELL Teacher Pros                                          March 2016 Newsletter With the start of March, students start the countdown to June:).  All too often, they need a gentle reminder that school continues for 3 more months.  At this point, ELLs need to be made aware of how much progress they have made in acquiring English skills.  How can this be done with meaning?  How can this be done in a personal way that sees the whole student and not just the grade received? 20 Tips on Delivering Positive Feedback includes many of the approaches I have used over the years.  Though all of these approaches are quality ones, I have my favorites (as any educator would):   Feedback must be delivered in a timely manner.The longer it is delayed, the less effective it will be in addressing the problem.This type of feedback should be personal in nature keeping in mind that ELLs are trying to demonstrate their understanding of the assignment in a language that is new.The sooner the teacher and ELL have this conversation, the better. (#2 and #3 in article) Focusing on key questions (#4) is also a must.What can the ELL do, what can’t s/he do, how does her/his work compare to the class overall, and how can s/he do better?These are questions all teachers grapple with daily.For ELLs to do well, all content teachers must tie those questions to all assignments if ELLs are to successfully pass the class and be fully prepared to move to more challenging work in the next school year. One-on-one conferences (# 7) is a favorite of mine.ALL students love that time with the teacher in this setting.I always tell mine though that they must have a solid question to ask me on the work they produced (of course, as a class, we practice what is a quality question and what isn’t).Here, the risk of embarrassment is a non-issue Number 15 is an excellent one.Return tests and assignments at the beginning of a class.This gives students time to ask questions.Assignments given out at the end of class are generally crammed into backpacks. Another great source on this same topic is found in Edutopia’s article entitled 5 Research-Based Tips for Providing Students with Meaningful Feedback.   “Be as specific as possible” (# 1).ELLs especially need to know what they must correct and how.In delivering this information, teachers need also to let ELLs know if the quality of their work is improving and specifically how.This type of encouraging feedback boosts their self-confidence. “Present feedback carefully” (# 4).When corrections are offered, they must be for every single issue.Over-correction leads to ELLs giving up.The “red massacre” should never be used for any student since it kills any desire to improve. One last excellent source for supporting ELLs is found in TESOL’s Motivating Language Learners to Succeed.  Several suggestions are very successful techniques in any classroom, but especially beneficial for ELLs.   Teachers should build pair and small group activities into classroom lessons on a regular basis.Such learning environments build the ELLs confidence in learning the content while building English skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) in a low anxiety environment. Create a friendly classroom environment.Basically, set up a classroom where students help each other. Competition should take a back seat to assisting fellow classmates in learning the content.Small group activities are perfect tools for doing this.ELLs feel safer sharing their insight in small settings than in front of the entire class. Again, many of these tips probably cover approaches that are probably already being used in most classrooms, but a refresher is good as the school year is quickly coming to a close. Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Denise, Marnie, and Cheryl ELL TEACHER PROS Visit our blog at TEACHING SUCCESSES WITH ELLS Follow us on Twitter @ell_teacherpros (3,950 followers) Follow us on Pinterest User Name dmcyberteacher (4,600 followers) Follow us on Facebook as ELL Teacher Pros P.S.  We will be presenting at CABE in San Francisco in March 24th.  Come by and say hi:)

Academic Lifesavers For Struggling Students:)

Wow!  Is it November already?  The Halloween sugar rush is over finally so hopefully students are happily on task with their assignments in the classroom.  Students may also have started the countdown to winter break.

As the semester begins countdown to the winter break, some students may begin to stress out over grades.  They will beg the teacher for options to pass.  What is a teacher to do?  If students are truly motivated and parents are fully supportive, teachers can do several things.  This newsletter will offer some suggestions on motivating such students to pass with grades of C or higher.

First of all, teachers should not promise a student a passing grade immediately.  Sitting with the student privately before school, lunch, or after school is often the best way for the student to not risk embarrassment.  Often that one-to-one time will help the student open up about his/her difficulties in doing assignments or passing tests.  A teacher should listen carefully while mentally taking notes on the issues and how they might be dealt with in the most efficient way possible.  Then, a teacher might devise a plan with the student’s input on how to address the concerns raised and have parents sign off on it as well as the student (parents will be more than willing to support a teacher here).  By enlisting parents as partners here, students will have support on both ends to be successful.

Second, rewards don’t work.  They send the wrong message that immediate gratification will do wonders, but it doesn’t because students only work for the immediate reward and learn little from the experience.  Instead, a teacher may need to look at alternative intervention models.  A teacher may wish to consider small group tutoring within the class (the majority of students are on task so the teacher can pull the few who are lost to a corner of the classroom and support them with additional materials or instruction).  If small group setups don’t work, then one-on-one is the next option.  In this setting, a student will be more likely to discuss his confusion.  Again, keep parents informed throughout since with their support, a student is more likely to experience success in improving his/her grade.

Third, encourage peer support. Obviously, excellent students don’t need credit, but if they think that they can help a teacher they like and respect, they will gladly do it.  Sometimes they have a way of making course content more accessible to struggling students.  Provide them with a task and pair them up with students who are open to working with them (watch out for personality differences).  Once the struggler feels more confident, a teacher can provide him with an alternative assessment to see if he has mastered the content.  The grade he earns there would replace the failing one.

Last, here are some great openers for teachers to assist students who are failing and lost.  By staying with the non-judgmental openers, students are far more willing to try.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Denise

Marnie

Cheryl

ELL TEACHER PROS

Please follow us on the following:

Pinterest PINNER dmcyberteacher (4450 followers)

Twitter @ell_teacherpros (3800 followers)

Blog TEACHING SUCCESSES WITH ELLS

Post-Its---Great Tools to Involve Students Who Hate Writing:)

How can teachers motivate students to stay on task and enjoy the learning process along the way?  POST-IT NOTES! 

For students to process new information, they must take notes along the way of what they want to remember, what they don’t fully understand, what connections to prior learning, what they may wish to share with partners or small learning groups, etc. 

Binder paper is bulky to work with.  Further, students with limited English skills in both reading and writing (English language learners especially) may feel a bit intimidated by a sheet of paper.  So what is a realistic alternative that every student will warmly welcome?  POST-ITS!

How might teachers incorporate their use in the classroom?  Here are some approaches:

1.     Teachers give a pre-reading activity where students are expected to explore unfamiliar material (as a pre-curser to the lesson) in small groups.  As they analyze the text in teams, they note their reactions, questions, and thoughts to share with their partners on the post-it.  Such a small slip of paper is not intimidating since they can note anything from a complete sentence to a powerful vocabulary word.  Students are also free to draw images that tie into what they understood as well.  For some students a picture can be worth a thousand words.  Once the small groups have gathered their notes and reached a consensus on their take on the reading, they can defend their interpretation citing their notes.

2.     How about using post-its as EXIT TICKETS throughout the lesson?  Instead of a raise of hands (not often very effective since students who don’t understand are not likely to admit it in front of the entire class), teachers can assign 3 numbers with each indicating a level of understanding (no names):  3-I understand everything and be able to explain it to a classmate without help, and 3-I really don’t understand most of it.  The results would be posted on 1 wall.  Since there is no grade, students would not be afraid to be truthful.  The teacher could do a quick glance over and adjust delivery as needed.

3.     What about using post-its as quick notes of recognition for hard work?  These notes would not have grades.  Instead, they would be attempts to recognize hard work and staying on task.  This type of respect for student work boosts self-esteem and that leads to increased engagement in the lesson.

Edutopia video on using POST-ITS.

TEACHING CHANNEL ON USING POST-ITS

POST-IT IDEAS FROM POST-IT

There are also POST-IT apps that might be used if students have cell phones.  Sharing could be done with ease and students would enjoy it.  Here are 13 ways to bring in virtual post-its into a classroom and they are free!

POST-IT APPS

Enjoy the links and have fun with your students using post-itsJ

Denise, Marnie, and Cheryl

ELL TEACHER PROS

Please follow us on TWITTER @ell_teacherpros (3500 followers), on PINTEREST as dmcyberteacher (4,550 followers), and on FACEBOOK as ELL Teacher Pros (135 followers).

Hello Spring! Now to Re-energize Students By Stimulating Creativity in Just 5 Minutes a Day:)

Oh beautiful March!  Spring will soon be in the airJ. With that happy thought in mind, this newsletter is dedicated to igniting student interest on issues outside of the traditional curriculum.

Edutopia’s article on making curiosity a integral part of the classroom setting is well worth a read.  Imagine a student’s face walking into a classroom and seeing this.

Of course, we know that there is no up and down in space, but most students will have the reaction that the map is “upside down.”  Questions would quickly surface as to WHY the map of the world was never given as this and WHO benefited from it. 

(upside down map of the world)

In a science class, why not have a picture of fully bloomed flowers in February-two months early due to climate change or shots of Boston under several feet of snow?  Pull shots from National Geographic or the internet to have students review and

question.  (Climate change and impact on polar bears)

In a history or social studies class, why not a photo such as this one.  What messages can they pull from these images?  Is discrimination still a problem in schools today? 

(Racism in America’s schools today) (Dropout rates by race today)

(Racism 1)

(Racism 2)

The list of items to bring in is probably endless.  You know your students as well as what items would peak their interest.  Such activities would not take a class period.  It might only take a few minutes and would intellectually energize them for the lessons that followJ

Denise

Marnie

Cheryl

ELL TEACHER PROS

Teaching Successes With ELLs

Pinterest (dmcyberteacher)-all academic boards and 3800 followers

Twitter:  follow @ell_teacherpros (3100 followers—academic subjects)