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:)

Supporting Academic Struggling Students Does Not Equal Watering Down the Course Content

Common Core is here and, with it, more academically challenging learning for all students.   English language learners may find the new demands of core content reading a bit overwhelming.  Further, those found in mainstream classes might feel very overwhelmed as they try to process new vocabulary, very difficult text, highly sophisticated written language in the reading assignments, and more complex writing assignments than in their former English language development classes.

So what are teachers to do to lower anxiety levels for those students while delivering more demanding lessons without diluting the message?  Here are some suggestions.  More likely than not, most will be quite familiar to teachers with few exceptions. 

It is necessary for teachers to carefully review material to be taught before the class meeting.  This way, teachers will have adequate time to predict areas of the material that ELLs may have problems with and plan accordingly to address those weak areas.  With such planning, the ELL will be able to not only get the "big picture," but also grasp many of the details.  How might a teacher build in such support?  Visuals, short videos, jigsaw activities, graphic organizers, lots of cooperative learning activities with mixed ability groups, etc.

As teachers deliver the lesson with the tools in the paragraph above, they must also be on the look out for those clues which tell a teacher who understands and who doesn't.  As with any effective facilitator, teachers must circulate room and interact with students as needed.  This can be most effectively done by sitting within small groups (less intimidating for many) and asking those probing questions to determine how well a concept is understood or not.  Yes or no questions should only be used as a lead-in to deeper questions containing words such as EXPLAIN, CLARIFY, DESCRIBE, HOW, etc.  In small groups, ELLs can easily gather assistance from peers in his/her group to help him/her answer such questions.

Using such techniques will avoid the destructive cycle for ELLs.  That is the cycle where the student has given up and basically accepts failure.  Instead a positive approach builds student self-confidence and with that comes a decent grade:)

Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS

Twitter @ell_teacherpros (1950 followers).
Pinterest dmcyberteacher/denise@ellteacherpros.com (950 followers--all academic boards).

Have Failing Students? Read On:)

The end of the school year is fast approaching.  With the end of the semester, teachers are often times faced with a few students who did not pass the course regardless of  support teachers had provided. Though there is probably little chance, if any, of such students earning passing grades now, there is always a  chance to reverse the downward spiral with the start of the second semester.  Students need guidance and hope.

Though this article ("Helping Students Succeed:  A Twelve Step Program" by Marty Dawley) is from 1999, its content rings just as true now as it did when it was first published.  There is no magic fix for the problem.  The latest greatest tech gadget won't help here nor will that one shot engaging professional development workshop without follow-up and intensive support.  Instead, the solution may rest with the teacher's ability to connect with students on a personal level and hold them accountable. 

The 12 steps should sound quite familiar to educators to some degree, but for the first time, there is an actual "checklist" for teachers to refer to as needed.  I intend to start the new year with this approach.  I need to change behaviors. 

Denise


ELL TEACHER PROS
Pinterest Denise Stewart (880 followers)
Twitter @ell_teacherpros (1,913 followers)

How Will Common Core Based Instruction Change Classroom Practice?

At various times during the summer, the vast majority of teachers will start prepping for the start of the new school year.  This activity will more likely than not go on a few days a week for several hours at each sitting. Why do teachers do this?  Teachers (including me) want the new school year to start off on the right foot with no lost time preparing students to have a successful year under the common core framework.

So, though teachers will still be able to hold on to probably 90% of what they taught in the past, they will need to reflect on new ways to cover the material.  A "less is more" approach will probably be the most effective since teachers will be able to go into far more depth in instructional delivery than in the past.  THAT is a good thing for in the past most teachers were forced to take a mile-wide 1 inch deep approach to instruction due to the pressure of meeting state standardized mandates for student performance in their districts.  Start selecting material that really inspires you--the type of material that you wished you had had more time to spend on but pressures being what they were, you could not do so.

Here are some suggestions which might provide some support in planning for the fall.  Remember that these suggestions are only that--suggestions:)

1.  With the support of administration, create a group of willing colleagues to do collective planning across disciplines to develop lessons.  This way students see, for example, that key academic words are not limited to just one discipline, but instead, will surface in all content classes.

2.  Locate teachers seen as model educators who would be willing to have a open door policy so that teachers can see what model common core lesson delivery looks like in practice.  At my site, 22 of my fellow staff members will also be delivering professional development workshops throughout the year as well.  This approach has the potential to be far more effective than bringing in outsiders to do the same.

3.  Ask administration for time to meet monthly with teachers who share the same students.  Why?  With this approach, a team plan can be created to best meet the needs of struggling students (especially English language learners).  Such meetings often times present different viewpoints on student strengths and weaknesses.  With such knowledge, the team devises agreed upon strategies to tackle student academic needs and monitor progress as needed.

4.  Build into the school day, tutoring support for students who are having a difficult time in their academic classes.  Provide primary language tutors along with content teachers if possible.  University students who plan on becoming teachers would be an excellent resource to tap here.

Here are some additional thoughts on preparing for the major changes coming to classroom practice from Harvard's Graduate School of Education.  Check them out and see what works for you:)


Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS

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

Check out our ELD For ALL writing text.  10 weak writing scenarios that students must improve upon collaboratively.  Remember that weak writers need time to play with language and our book does just that.  Order it on our website at $12.95 (ebook).

Here Are 5 High School Students Who Succeeded Despite the System Rather Than Because of It.

With the end of every school year, many of us reflect on how effective the educational setup in place was overall.  Could the present system have done a better job at reaching the increasingly diverse needs of its many students?  What innovations in school structure could be implemented so that NO child would ever be left behind?  What options could be offered to meet the many unique learning styles or needs of every student?

Take a look at these  5 fascinating stories from high school students who might not have done well in school if their entire academic future rested entirely on standardized test scores and a 1940 factory style learning environment.  Teachers they felt a connection with enabled them to achieve success.  One has to wonder what the world of education would look like if teachers had more freedom to reach more students by allowing them to experience true learning in formats that were individually tailored to support them in realizing their own dreams. 

Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS

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

Quick Assessment Strategies From S.I.O.P. (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol) Provide Access to Language and Content for ALL

Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol is an instructional program aimed at English language learners at all levels of English proficiency including long term ELLs.  Though geared to English language learners, all students would benefit from the many tools employed in SIOP to deliver solid understanding of content and boost use of academic vocabulary/writing.  Accountability is held throughout any lesson through creative ongoing checks for understanding and quality quick assessments.

How does SIOP live up to its reputation?  Take a look at successful and easy to implement assessments for a clear view of the effectiveness of these strategies in the classroom.  Though a great deal of prep on the teacher's part is involved since 90% of the time students should be actively using language as they delve through content, the prep time is worth it since students make amazing jumps in both language and grade level content mastery.  THIS approach is what Common Core is aiming at in the new curriculum. 

Remember as stated before in this blog, implementing common core lessons will not necessitate throwing out strategies used in the past, but rather applying a different focus in their use:)

Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS
Follow us on TWITTER @ell_teacherpros.
Like us on FACEBOOK (ELL TEACHER PROS).
Check us out on PINTEREST.  (Should be under Denise Stewart)

Boardwalk Butcher Paper, 15 x 900', White (Google Affiliate Ad)
Post-it 3" x 3" Pop-up Notes Canary Yellow Value Pack with 4 Bonus Pads (Google Affiliate Ad)
Student Dry-Erase Boards, Melamine, 12 x 9, White, 10/Set (Google Affiliate Ad)

A Good Dose of Fun in Geometry Class Offers Lively Access to Content for Students Who Struggle in Math

For poor readers and many English language learners, the language of geometry can be overwhelming at times.  Though these students can often times with scaffolding handle simple geometry number problems, they struggle with the language of word problems.  The frustration in encountering those "brick walls" often times leads to an unbroken string of poor grades. 

So, what is a teacher to do to provide positive access to the language of geometry?  How about creating a scenario where a background in geometry is needed to build a city?  The problems which will surface here will offer students multiple ways to bring in architecture and civil engineering.  Students in teams of mixed ability will need to basically create the word problem (how to construct a city-roads, bridges, apartments, etc.) and then as a team map out potential solutions.  Once this is done, they are ready to go to: 

BUILDING BLOCKS:  GEOMETRY & MATH-MINDED (SIM) CITY BUILDING  (lessons, planning sheets, questions, etc. are included)

Teachers will delight in seeing the transformation within students as they move from a state of failure (the weak ones that is) to one of imagination and creativity as they put geometry to work in the "real world."  As students take charge in designing this city, they will see members of the team as co-planners and the teacher as a guide.  To build a viable city, the rules of geometry need to be followed and upon completion of the city will come a deeper understanding of how problems dealing with geometry are solved outside the textbook. 

Also, though teachers must register, the site is free:)

Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS

Follow us on TWITTER@ell_teacherpros

Post-It 3M(TM) Flip Chart, 25" x 30", White, 40 Sheets/Pad (Google Affiliate Ad)
Crayola Original Markers - Broad Line, Classic Colors, 10 ct. (Google Affiliate Ad)
Westcott Stainless Steel Ruler (Google Affiliate Ad)

 

How to Use Journal Writing to Build Subject Matter Mastery

As students become engaged in analyzing increasingly more complex informational text, they will need to not only reflect on what they read, but keep careful notes on what they understood from the content of the text. 

How can this be achieved in the class?  Incorporate reflective journal writing into every subject area on a daily basis and give students credit for maintaining them.

If it is a math class at any level, having students towards the end of the class write in their own language what they learned about in that lesson and include key notes along with examples on the mathematical concepts covered in class.  Such an instructional tool would fully support students in better preparing for tests or assignments since students would have easy access to their not only their notes, but also sample equations along with explanations as to how the answers were arrived at.  This technique takes them through the thinking process and that could boost self-confidence in doing future assignments based on those notes.

If it is a literature class, students could use their reflective journals for many activities.  For example, they could track of characters in a novel as those characters.  This would mean that they would respond to events in the novel as they would expect the character might respond.  Teachers could also pose a host of "what if" scenarios where students would write about their interpretations of the outcomes of those scenarios.  If teachers are looking for student buy-in, this is a must have tool.

The same approach could be used in science, social studies, and geography classes.  Approach the journal activities as ways to fully engage all students (especially the strugglers).  Weave in creative activities (new level of Bloom's Taxonomy) in every class and have students keep notes on all that is considered important in classroom lessons.

Below are two sources which offer more ideas on how to integrate journal writing into class.  


REFLECTIVE JOURNAL WRITING IN THE CLASSROOM


HOW TO BUILD THE USE OF ACADEMIC LANGUAGE IN THE CLASSROOM

Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS

TWITTER @ell_teacherpros

EXIT SLIPS: Highly Effective Formative Assessment Tool For ALL Content Areas

Common core will enable teachers to deliver far more powerful, and therefore more effective, lessons than in the past.  This radical change in instruction which will reach a much greater student audience including the rapidly growing English language learner population. 

With this new approach to approaching learning (more emphasis on informational text with practical applications to the real world), teachers will need to monitor student grasp of key concepts every few minutes.  This checking-for-understanding (cfu) must go beyond simply asking a few questions on what a teacher just lectured about to those few students who have their hands up to answer questions.  To engage all students (and hold them accountable for learning), teachers must have a variety of tools to use throughout a lesson to make sure that students who don't understand the point of the lesson can be quickly identified and supported.  This is how a teacher can be sure that at least 80% of the students are fully prepared to go on to more complex work, start individual assignments, attempt the homework assignment, etc.  For that 20% who are lost, the teacher can pull them aside to offer a mini-lesson (typically such lessons only last for a few minutes where problems are quickly sorted out and addressed in a format that is more easily understood).

Though there are many techniques to check for student understanding, one popular one is EXIT SLIPS.  It can take several forms from half-slips to index cards (and more).  What ever tool is used, it should not be overwhelming in size (no 8 X11 sheet of paper for example).  English language learners are especially intimidated by paper that size.  An index card is less scary and more effective since students want to fill up the card with everything that they can recall whereas an 8 X11 leads to writer's block.  The link in this blog does offer some PDF with various types of exit slips.  They should serve as models.  They are here just to provide some examples of what is out there.

Typically, this type of assessment takes only about 5 minutes of class time.  Students can turn them in as they leave the room (hence "exit slip") or just before the teacher enters closure (a last check before students move on to assignments based on the class lesson or before they start homework).  If the teacher gives this assessment as an EXIT TICKET, s/he would review the results before the start of the next class and then open up the class with either a review of the areas the students didn't understand or some praise on the results and move into the next lesson.  Again, this is only one tool of many a teacher should weave into classroom instruction.

Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS

Oxford - Index Cards, Ruled, 3 x 5", Rainbow Assortment - 100 Cards - (Google Affiliate Ad)

Oxford - Index Cards, Unruled, 3 x 5" - 100 Cards - Index Cards (Google Affiliate Ad)

OfficeMax Padded Handle 2-Hole Punch (Google Affiliate Ad)

Blogging - Great Tool to Change Student Attitudes About Writing:)

With the numbers of long-term English language learners rising, schools are exploring all venues to see what can be done to reverse the trend.  These students have been in school since the early grades and now in middle school and high school are failing.  Their academic language skills in reading and writing are far below those of their American peers (those from English speaking homes).  Conversational language is fine, but that skill will not make the language in a textbook more accessible or an academic writing assignment easier to complete.

So how can a teacher re-introduce the skill of writing in a way that will spark interest?  Blogging might be just the ticket to show students that writing is a skill that the vast majority of people have and that they should not consider themselves and exception to the rule:)  There are blogging sites available to teachers to use with their students.

One of my favorites is BLOGGER (this site).  Several teachers at my site have class blogs up with details from their lectures, power points, notes, etc. loaded on it.  Students must create GMAIL ACCOUNTS and then they can create small group blogs on their class projects.  These blogs are stored on the teacher's class blog to share with every student in the class.  Students are describing, noting, clarifying, generating hypotheses, etc. online.  It should also be noted that the teacher assigns the usernames and passwords so that parents can see what their children are doing at any time.  Further, the teacher can prevent strangers from entering the blog since s/he sees the comments first and can decide what does or does not get published so students can write and then publish their results to the web safely!  Long term ELLs are provided with sentence stems to set them up to eventually write up their own lab reports using academic English formats.  Over time and with lots of scaffolding, long term ELLs see their use of academic English improve.  Their blogging entries will develop over time with patience, support, class charts, notes, etc. 

EDUBLOGS is also a free blogging site for classrooms. Like BLOGGER, it is another tool to use to have students publish to the internet.  It claims to be the largest educational blogging site on the internet. Here, blogging is just as easy as sending an email.  If something is stress free to use, more students will use it.  Further, teachers can create as many student blogs as they like.  Managing the sites is also not an issue for the teachers.  Some of the features here--discussion tools, video embedding, Facebook and Twitter integration, and calendars--are also in BLOGGER.  Again, research based assignments are possible here.  Students can collaborate with classmates through them using computers, iPads, OR cell phones/smart phones.  With common core project based learning assignments on the way, this is a tool that will enable students to develop those life long skills to survive in the real world where team work is valued.

Other advantages to having struggling students blog?  Teachers can have students use them as "notebooks."  Just think about it.  No more will students be able to say, "I left my binder home."  No longer will teachers have to struggle in trying to read illegible handwriting.  More importantly, students will be able to embellish more with pictures, videos, links, etc.  These additional supports will enhance their writing efforts.  As mentioned at the start, this is a tool that might excite them about writing.

BLOGGING -- GET STUDENTS EXCITED ABOUT WRITING!

Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS


Acer A200 Iconia Tablet, 16 GB, Titanium Gray XE.H8QPN.001 (Google Affiliate Ad)

HP g6-1d60us Notebook PC (Google Affiliate Ad)

ELLS in Your Class? Create a Website For Additional Support for Struggling Students--SUPER EASY!

With more smart phones surfacing in classrooms nowadays (with teacher/school approval), students can access the internet with just a few clicks.  These are potential learning tools that teachers should use to their advantage:)  As the cost of such phones becomes increasingly more affordable than in the past, almost every student has one regardless of his/her socio-economic status.  For ELLs, these mini-computers have the potential to provide additional access to classroom content that they might not have fully grasped in the classroom lecture/activity.

So, how can a teacher use this device to further support their students?  Create a classroom website which reinforces content and language.  Now, some teachers may be a little hesitant on building because they might feel the construction of a website might be beyond their computer skills.  Well, nothing could be further from the truth...honest.  Using WEEBLY literally anyone can build one with their unique DRAG and DROP layout.  The only areas that will take time are the ones where content is concerned--what files are needed, pictures, online videos, class calendars, etc.  Setting up the layout of the site doesn't take long at all.


I suggest viewing these two YouTube videos on how to use the site.  In watching it, the presenters focus on the free parts.  If still on vacation, take a peek at this site and think about how you might use it to support your ELLs and other struggling students.  PLUS, parents will be quite impressed with you at Back-To-School Night:)

WEEBLY TUTORIAL PART 1

WEEBLY TUTORIAL PART II

Have fun with this!  I know I did:)

Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS

Post-it 3M Flip Charts with Bleed Resistant Paper (Google Affiliate Ad)

25 Quick Teaching Tips For ELLs To START the NEW YEAR With!!!

25 GREAT TEACHING TIPS FOR TEACHERS OF ELLS

As the pressure builds around the country to raise test scores, graduation rates, and overall academic performance of ELLs, teachers feel pressure.  To lower this anxiety, here are some solid teaching ideas which will definitely lower the pressure:). In fact, most of you are probably using many of these ideas in your classes already.

Now, to freshen your present, let me suggest the following site:  25 TEACHING TIPS FOR WORKING WITH ELLS.  Type this up as a checklist.  Why you ask?  If you convert this into a checklist for yourself, you have a record of how often you have used these ideas in class.  Further the weekly results will show you if you favored some ideas over others.  After all, it is natural for us to unknowingly favor some techniques over others since each of us has our own learning style.  If the list looks lopsided by the end of the week, see how you can bring in some new approaches the following week. Ask kids for feedback on new techniques and what they would change and why (students love it when teachers ask for their input).

Next, add to the list.  Take successful approaches of your own and include them.  The list will always be in edit mode and that is a good thing.  Chat with colleagues on effective strategies they use.  Ask to visit their rooms when they plan to use them.  If you like their ideas, add them to your list.  Tweak them to suit your own teaching style.  Share your list with new teachers who may have never worked with ELLs.  Remember your ELLs are students first and each one has his/her own unique approach to acquiring new knowledge.  A variety of teaching strategies will allow everyone a chance to demonstrate to your satisfaction how well they understood a lesson.

Denise

P.S.  I am at Disneyland presently on "vacation."  I might not be blogging until Sunday evening.  With the end of a very busy school year, I wanted to go to "the happiest place on earth."  It was expensive, but oh so much FUN!!!!