Great FREE Academic Support Sites for ELLs and other Struggling Students!

 

Welcome to April!  Isn’t it difficult to believe that the end school year is just around the corner? 

So with that fun thought in mind (and 10 more weeks to go), what can be done to support those few English language learners who are doing poorly though they seem to put their best efforts forward regularly in class?  What can a teacher do to address the needs of those students who just arrived in the middle of the school year (very common with ELLs)?  How can their fellow classmates help these students without neglecting their own studies?  There are many solutions here and this newsletter will focus on many of them.

Technology-In planning any lesson for a class, some special consideration must come into play in preparing ELLs to do well.  SHOWME is an app that allows a teacher to develop videos, power points, white board activities, etc. for free!  Get the app and use some of the lessons already on file.  This is a great tool to use for ELLs who need to go through the content again or for students who were absent for the lesson.  This app helps the teacher keep her/his sanityJ

How about providing students with virtual tours of historical sites?  These tours would be available online 24 hours a day and accessible through iPads, smart phones, laptops, etc.  When students have the option to revisit material at home without peer pressure (and more L1 support), they are more likely than not going to understand more and that builds self-confidence.  The Statue of Liberty tour is exceptionally well done.

Knowmia provides over 30,000 video lessons from great teachers (you may also submit one of your own that you are particularly proud of as well).  Just imagine how this might alleviate a student’s anxiety in not fully understanding a lesson.  Here, a teacher would provide the link to both student and parent to make the lesson more accessible.

Organized Small Group Activities are a must for not just ELLs, but for students in general.  Asking students to make their own groups is essentially a train wreck in the making (humor intended).  Teachers need to create the groups with a healthy mix of students and talents.  Students must be clear that every person in the group (and that there is not only a group grade but an individual one as well) must work. Each person in the group has an assigned task for which she/he will receive a grade as well as a grade for the group as a whole.  With clear expectations laid out, teacher going from group to group to randomly call on persons in the group for information on group’s progress, and time constraints (to keep them on track), everyone benefits. 

Alternative assessments are only limited by a teacher’s imagination.  ELLs (as well as students with special needs) may require other approaches to demonstrate their understanding of a topic.  This link provides many tools that would offer such students a way to say to the teacher and the class that they have the same understanding of a given topic that all the others have.  Great self-esteem and self-confidence builder guaranteed!

Have a great spring break!

Denise, Marnie, Cheryl

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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

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Spark Student Imagination Using Just Google Images:)

Spring break is just around the corner.  Students are a bit antsy as they think about their upcoming one week vacation:)  So, how can teachers bring them back to reality with some humor tied to an academic purpose?   Is it possible to address writing development in such a lighthearted setting?  Yes, it is thanks to an imaginative use of Google Images!

First, find a few images that might generate some active interest and then model the process behind writing to that image.  It can be humorous, serious, academic, etc.  The teacher can model through "think aloud" what s/he "sees" with students chiming in to enhance the story.  This story would be then transferred to chart paper to serve as a model for them. 

Second, now teacher pairs students up to create their own story on a different photo.  Students refer to model as needed while teacher circulates room to monitor/facilitate as needed.  Here, they should not worry about spelling since it is a timed activity.  In this scenario, laughing and creativity are heard throughout the room as students explore their topic with gusto:)  Students could then share their stories with the class.  There would be no grade for this since the purpose is to lower writing anxiety.

Finally, students split up in teams of 4 and as a group, create a story on their assigned photo.  Each member of the group has a role and teachers will monitor to make sure that each member is contributing to the story.  This activity might take two days.  After the story is finished, each group will present their story to the class who will rate the story through a rubric generated by the class.  Finally, a gallery walk occurs where each team's story with photo is posted around the room for peer review.  Students will use post-it notes to add comments (no grades and no grammar mistakes---just a focus on content issues).

Here are some photos I pulled for this blog:

Though there is an historical theme here, the photos can be on anything the students would benefit from exploring:)

Have fun!

Denise

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Comic Books in History Classes? Yes!

A fun way to grab the attention of all students is to bring in comic books to supplement a lesson.  Yes, comic books such as Superman, Wonder Woman, Captain America, Ironman etc. motivate even the most reluctant student to wake up and pay attention:) 

Some of the comics are tied to building patriotism in World War II.  America felt the need to rid the world of terrorism and restore peace world wide.  Superman helped nurture that belief that America was the world's defender.  He stood for "truth, justice, and the American way."  Granted some propaganda was involved here, but he helped America enter the war to stop evil dictators and correct the evils of the world.  Wonder Woman was more of the same.  She defended the downtrodden and improved the life of humanity.  Captain America still was another example.  He fought the Nazis and once again made Americans proud.  Students could research the authors of these comics and what their inspiration was in creating them.  They would then write a paper, do a presentation, create a group project, develop a "screen play," etc. 

Ironman also fights for justice, but what I find even more intriguing is his external super armor.  I think of him as a cyborg at times.  Students in robotics classes would probably find many tie-ins here.  In fact, some of this "super wear" is already being used in the military.  Students here could create on paper new features and then not only describe what they look like, but also go into detail on its purpose and use in the military.  Then, what about writing about WHY their adjustments would be needed. 

Using comic books in class has other benefits for ELLs also.  There are the visual layouts which provide context.  Though language is limited, there are still some very high level academic vocabulary words included (along with visual context).  Why not have students create comics as a class project in the content area you working in?  Your students will really appreciate it. 

Denise

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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


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Prepare Students for Life Beyond School---Build Relevance Into Homework

Homework is assigned to just about every class on a daily basis.  However, the purpose behind it is sometimes not clear to students or their parents.  What are the students expected to learn from it or is it just a continuation of unfinished classwork?  Do students receive additional insight into the topic or just complete a worksheet? For homework to have purpose, it should have students applying newly acquired knowledge to the real world which generally involves ongoing problem solving in team settings for the most part.

So what is the key to motivating students to want to do any type of assignment after school?  Well, it must be interesting.  Students must be excited about trying the assigned task.  Teachers must set the tone by tempting them with an approach that resonates with them.  For example, if studying biology, why not have students create a garden on school grounds.  This would involve a team effort to plan and tend the garden from the planting of the seeds to the harvesting of the vegetables and fruits.  This type of activity adds meaning to ecology.  Further, the produce can be taken home to add to meals or given to homeless shelters to feed those who are struggling.  This "homework" would not be a one day event, but would span the semester and would involve math, science, internet research, reading, writing/blogging, etc.  In this type of team setting, one student could also be the groups official chronicler (one who would blog team's progress).

Take a look at this article on  homework  for more ideas on getting students jazzed about doing homework! :)

Denise

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Bring Writing Activities Into the 21st Century With EDUBLOG!

Often times, when teachers start their classes on writing assignments, students are only "politely" enthused.  Though the traditional approach does have merit and is a good place to start, teachers should consider using it only as a jump-off point to publishing on the internet.  When students discover their essays will be published to the worldwide web, they become genuinely excited at the prospect.  For them, people beyond the teacher will have the opportunity to see their creativity and possibly provide feedback (if the teacher allows comments to be entered).

How can this safely be done?  Though there are many blogging sites on the internet, here is one that is geared to teachers and their students---EDUBLOGS.  A simple blog is free, but if a teacher wishes to have the entire class interacting with it, there is a small fee, but many teachers don't go that far. 

There are other blogging sites with GOOGLE BLOGSPOT being the most popular.  However, Edublogs has the option of uploading PDFs while BLOGSPOT does not.  BLOGSPOT is also used in classrooms but with the understanding that the submissions are strictly for class use.  Again, teachers use it as a blog and as a "website."  Both are easy to use for teacher and student.

How can blogs be used to motivate students to write and enjoy the process?  What about students completing class projects on their blogs instead of with power points?  Students can upload videos (their own files or ones from the net), incredible photos to support their project, audio if it supports their writing, etc.  All these tools would be used to add grab the attention of the reader of their written work.  Every add-on would serve only one purpose-to make the student's writing more engaging and informative for the reader.  In the global workforce, this is done regularly so why not give students the opportunity (actually multiple opportunities from multiple disciplines) to use it in the classroom?

Anyone can write and blogging will support that statement with ease:)

Denise

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English Is Truly a Crazy Language:)

English is a challenge for native speakers as well as English learners.  English speakers spend countless hours in class learning English spelling rules and then even more hours learning the many exceptions (ex. child becomes children and not childs:)  Add to spelling, the many inconsistencies in pronunciation depending on the function of the word in the sentence (ex. read present tense-read past tense---same pronunciation). 

Well, here is a fun look at English.  Students will definitely enjoy exploring the bizarre nature of English.  To share this with students, a less is more approach would be the best.  I offered it in small chunks usually at the end of class one day in the week (for me, it is Friday).  Such information generally opens up a lively conversation as to why those inconsistencies exist.  These conversations easily lead to how to use reading skills to decide which pronunciation is called for and why.  For example, THE STUDENTS WERE TOO CLOSE TO THE DOOR TO CLOSE IT.  The first CLOSE is an adjective while the second is a verb.  As these forms are discussed, grammar can be woven in with ease in studying the parts of speech and their functions in a sentence.

Studying English can be fun at times and this is one of them:)

Denise

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How to Write a Scary Story---Just in Time for Halloween:)

Halloween is just around the corner.  This fun day is enjoyed by all grade levels.  Since the day's events are fun for all, why not build an academic activity into it?  Student background knowledge is already there so all a teacher has to do is tap into it to use it for academic purposes--here writing:)

Writing scary stories activates student creativity with ease.  Remember that they love horror/monster movies so Hollywood has provided quite a bit visual stimuli.  No student starts from zero here.  Such activities may be completed within a small group of no more than 4 or in groups of 2.  For this to be a language developing assignment, students of mixed abilities must be in a collaborative setting where verbal give and take rules the day. 

The activity here lends itself to elementary through high school with adjustments for age group.  The video component is definitely a favorite with kids.  They will gain experience in "directing" the actors and in designing the set.

Make Halloween work for you:)

Denise

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9 Methods to Provide More Effective Feedback to Student Writing:)

Very few English language learners find the writing process in English a challenge.  The same can be said for the average native speakers of English.  The simple act of writing anything academic in nature is often seen as a painstaking process.  So what are teachers to do to change attitudes and, by doing so, raise self-confidence in accomplishing this crucial skill?  The red pen/pencil is not the way to go.

The article, "9 Ways to Give (More Effective) Writing Feedback", provides some very creative approaches to nurture students through the writing process.  Each of these 9 suggestions could easily be woven into any writing instruction with ease. 

I have used 2 (for me 2) stars and a wish.  In fact, this is done through a gallery walk where writings are posted around the room and students, with post-it notes, find 2 things they liked in a student's writing and 1 area where they wish they had more information. 

Creating little mini-lessons personalizes the writing experience.  Teachers identify unique writing problems that some students have and then design little 2 minute mini-lessons to address those errors.  This can be done at the teacher's desk as a "conference."  Students really enjoy that one-on-one time with the teacher.  Embarrassment is never an issue here since it is a conversation between the teacher and the student only.

Bring in peer editing.  My policy is that I am the 3rd reader of a student's work---never the first.  Students seem to be a bit more attentive to writing when they know that their classmates will read their work before I do:)

The article has additional suggestions.  Add them to what you already do and see student attitude towards writing change for the better:)

Treasure Trove of Scaffolding Tools for Building Writing Skills for ALL Students (especially ELLs)

After a very demanding summer and start of the school year, I am back pursuing my passion in blogging:) 

With common core and English language learners in every mainstream classroom, teachers shall have an increasingly diverse student body to deal with.  Adjusting instructional delivery will be required throughout the lesson if all students are to do well.

One of the most difficult language skills to develop for many students is writing.  Though there are many techniques to boost student skill in this area, one of the most effective ones is scaffolding using tools such as those in this post. 

With writing scaffolding tools,  teachers will find everything from sentence starters through 5 paragraph essays.  Each graphic organizer is student friendly and therefore easy to use.  I have used some of the tools with my own ELLs and found them very effective in building writing skills of high beginners.

Denise
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Common Core Gives Purpose to Grammar:)

All too often, many teachers spend a great deal of instructional time on the teaching of grammar in isolation.  Though the intention is good, it rarely leads to a deeper understanding of the written language.  This issue surfaces often in classes where there are English language learners.  Well-intentioned teachers provide a wide range of activities all around mastering a specific form of grammar--tense, word choice, subordinate clauses, etc.  However, this instruction occurs out of context so students rarely see the "big picture" on the need for specific forms of grammar.

With common core, the shift will be addressing grammar within the context of a novel, piece of informational text, a textbook, the internet, a writing assignment, a math word problem, student writing assignments, etc.  The ten tips for teaching grammar in this Eye on Education link are excellent guides for teachers in this area.  Using them, grammar will take on lasting meaning for students.

I was particularly impressed with #8.  The suggestion here is to avoid writing sentences on the board with mistakes for students to correct (popular in many English classes) because such sentences may stay with students more than the corrections.  This is especially true of those still learning English. 

Grammar will find its place within quality reading and writing activities:)

Denise

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Turn the Writing Process for Students Into a Major Publishing Event---Bring in Blogging as Part of Class Routine:)

Often times, when teachers start to address the writing process with their students, they face a classroom of uninspired students:)  The traditional paper and pencil approach is needed of course from time to time, but those tools could definitely benefit from a little 21st century technology.  After all, students are already using the internet daily through laptops, iPads, and smartphones so why not bring the familiar into the classroom to work to the teacher's benefit?  This approach to writing will energize kids as they find out that what they create will be published online for all the world to see.  This will be a worldwide audience extending far beyond the walls of the classroom:)

If teachers are a bit hesitant about trying it due to a lack of familiarity, they will benefit from reviewing this chart.  Class blogs are great starting points since the teacher can maintain control over what does and does not get posted.  Further, this vehicle allows the teacher to model the process with student input.  As the students explore the features (pluses and minuses) of a blog, they build the confidence to try blogging for the teacher on their own (on school related assignments which the teacher would have some control over).  Parents would need to be involved here.  Their permission would be called for in many districts. 

So where should a teacher look for blogging platforms?  Here is a link which offers some of the best ones out there. Teachers should explore them all to see which one feels most comfortable for them to work with in their classes. 

Last, but not least, 8 REASONS why teachers should include blogging in their classrooms.

Denise

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Amazing Site "Common Core Standards in Action!"

First, let me apologize for not posting daily of late.  I am leading a 3 hour institute at the annual California Association of Bilingual Educators in two weeks and am still working on it.  When the conference is over, I will be posting all my materials on my website (ELL TEACHER PROS).  My institute is on developing teaching resources to support ELLs in mainstream classes.  I am quite excited about this opportunity to be a resource for teachers around the state (and beyond through this blog and the website).

Now---on to the blog post for today:)

If teachers still have some concerns over implementing common core over this year and the next, they may wish to keep this site in their bookmark folder (or mark as a favorite) for future reference.   Quite a few teachers are wondering if they must re-create all their lessons, assessments, assignments, etc. so they require proof positive that nothing could be further from the truth.  In the past, a "mile wide and one inch thick" was golden rule in prepping students to take standardized tests.  This is no longer the case.  Pacing calendars which were developed to make sure that teachers "covered" all the material in time for the test are on their way to being dropped.   Will implementation of CCSS improve the high drop out rate among high school students?  The belief is that they will if teachers are fully supported in developing a firm handle on how to effectively re-energize instruction with them.

So, though many schools in 46 states implementing CCSS have (or plan to have) already provided their teachers with many professional development sessions to facilitate the move to CCSS, teachers will need support far beyond a few all day inservices.  Some districts have added academic peer coaches to ease the transition.  Further, many schools encourage teachers to attend academic conferences in their field of expertise to further hone their skills.  Still, even with such support, it is not there 24/7:)  What other options are available to teachers then?

Let me state a resource which most don't really think about and yet use this source regularly--colleagues.  It seems that on almost every campus and within every department there exists several teachers who jump at new approaches and enjoy the process.  They are more often than not willing to jump and assist any colleague who asks for help.  Such untapped sources should be looked at for immediate feedback:)

There is also the internet.  That being said--it can be an exhausting process trying to find just the right tool.  With this in mind, this site (and there are others) has tried to develop a bank of sites, suggestions for their use, lesson ideas in all content areas and at all grade levels (just go to SEARCH and type in the subject area), etc. 

Here is the latest tool on assisting teachers with using CCSS based lessons--COMMON CORE STANDARDS IN ACTION!  Most of the material is free, but to receive support in developing lessons (as well as have access to already developed ones), teachers must have a premium account.  However, that is only $50 a year.  This is small change and title 3 would cover it.  Such a tool for such a price will ease teacher stress levels.  Still, some might not need that level of service.  If that is the case, just sign up for the limited access one (I have that one since I have been following CCSS for over 1 year now).

Last, if you look at the top 10 blog posts for this site, 9 of them are on CCSS--videos, lessons, instructional strategies, etc.:)

Denise
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P.S.  Enjoy the inauguration of Pres. Obama tomorrow.  It will be broadcast around the world.  Regardless of political party loyalties, the history beyond this inauguration to all the others which preceded it will be woven throughout and that should excite history buffs:)

Great Free Vocabulary Building Site With Many Additional Features

English spelling is often times a headache for English language learners and native speakers alike.  With silent letters (ex. knight), irregular spelling patterns (ex. "i before e except after c or when sounded like a as in neighbor or weigh"), etc. , mastering spelling is no easy feat.  For English language learners, the problem is compounded by the fact that they are still trying to acquire English.

SPELLING CITY takes the pain out of mastering spelling.  English learners will especially benefit from not only typing in the words they need to learn (any number of words can be entered, but more than 20 would probably be overwhelming), but also hear the words read back to them.  Furthermore, the program will teach students the definitions and then test them when they are ready.  Students may retake the test as often as they like and that leads to better retention.

SPELLING CITY FREE GAMES 
For those students who benefit from word game approaches to learning new vocabulary, they will find lots of activities to keep them busy here.  Match It Sentences, Which Word Sentences, Sentence Unscramble, Sentence Writing Practice, and Paragraph Writing Practice all over students many creative approaches to working on those skills which will transfer over to many of the writing activities required in class. 

FREE TEACHER RESOURCES  will offer teachers a treasure trove of lessons, educational articles, word lists covering vocabulary words in most content area subjects, and instructional videos on a wide range of language building topics.

All of the above is from the free section.  The premium version is relatively inexpensive, but I have been quite content with the free version.

Denise

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Boosting Editing Skills of ELLs

Editing is a skill that all students must eventually master if they are to write convincing arguments on paper.  It is a skill that basically develops over time with lots of focused practice.  For English language learners, structured focused practice under the guidance of a teacher (regular feedback) is a must if they are to become fully proficient writers in English. 

So how does a teacher address editing in class so that everyone will benefit from it and no one will feel singled out (an ELL's biggest fear)?  Incorporate it into every writing activity.  It is a MUST-DO for every type of writing regardless of the eventual career entered.  Poorly written work detracts from any argument on paper in any content area.

Take students through the process by modeling and using think-aloud activities.  Here the teacher pulls up a piece of student writing (no name and not from the period in which the activity is being conducted), puts it under the document camera, and starts demonstrating the editing process by "discussing" aloud items in the writing that "just don't sound correct."  Students truly enjoy teachers acting out the process (a little humor never hurts), but more importantly, it sets them up to continue the process with a partner or within a small carefully structured cooperative learning group (no bigger than 4).

Let students know that editing gets easier with practice.  Students will soon become more aware of the types of mistakes they make.  Once this is clear, they know what to look for as they review their work.  Further, have students review the work of other students.  They won't correct grammar, but they can note what areas they were not clear on or what sections they particularly liked and why.  A teacher should be the third reader in the process and not the first. 

BUILDING MORE CONFIDENCE IN WRITING FOR ELLS

Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS

How Do You Get Students to Write? Find Topics They Relate to:)

Often times, when teachers mention the goal of the day is to address the finer points of writing, sighs fill the room:)

Here is an idea that might lead to animated student interest.  This is a cartoon on the life of a teenager in ancient Rome.  Before students start studying the cartoon, teachers should try activating some background knowledge on what their students know (or think they know) about life in Rome over 2000 years ago.  Have them compare notes with peers and then call on some students to offer what they came up with.  Here there is no right or wrong.  Once this is done, post their ideas on the wall (the chart paper their ideas are noted on).

Now, show the 6 minute cartoon LIFE AS A TEENAGER IN ANCIENT ROME  Students need to take notes as they watch.  They need to remember that they are looking for things teenagers did at that time.  Simple note-taking works here.  When they are done, have them in groups of 4 compare notes on what they observed.  This type of activity is especially helpful for ELLs because it gives them time to catch what they may have missed in the video.

Once that is done, draw students' attention to the brainstorming results they arrived at with the start of the lesson.  It should be their job now to see how correct they were in their guesses.  This activity will probably lead to some lively class discussion, and that is perfect because it naturally leads to the ultimate goal of the lesson which is to have them write a comparison/contrast paragraph (or essay if they are older and familiar with the more demanding writing assignment) contrasting the life of teenager in the 21st century with that of a teenager in ancient Rome.

When they have completed their writing, have each student find two other students to read his/her work and comment on it (not grammar but content).  Once the work is edited, students can jazz up their work with visuals to emphasize their point of view.  Teachers can then post them around the room and have students do gallery walks (walk around the room to see what their classmates have written).

If teachers give the impression that writing can be fun, students will pick up on it:)

Denise

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Teacher-Student Conferences On Writing Do Wonders to Improve Writing Skills of ELLs:)

Becoming fully proficient in the writing process is no easy task for many English language learners.  It takes time, practice, and regular productive feedback and guidance from teachers.  Technology, group work, partner paragraphs/essays, daily journals, etc. all assist ELLs along the way, but it is that special time with the teacher which can make a major difference in clarifying the writing process.

In my classes, I have always included that one-to-one conference time with each student when working on essay writing.  Students enjoy it because they know that for 2 or 3 minutes, they have 100% of my attention while the rest of the class continues to revise or edit their writing. 

How are such conferences conducted?  Let me share how I do it and then I will address the video clip of a teacher conducting a writing conference with a 5th grader.   For me, the type of writing conference would depend on where the student is in the writing process. 

If analyzing for grammar issues, I would tell the students that I am looking to see X amount of complex sentences in their work.  In a conference, we would read the student's work as a team with pausing to identify complex sentences while checking for accuracy.  If there were no complex sentences, we would see how some of the simple sentences could be joined and how.  I would start the process with one and then have the student try it on his/her own with me watching.

If looking for more details (The man ate his dinner-->The tall thin man gobbled down his food because he hadn't eaten in 2 days!), I would have the student pull out a sentence that he felt was weak on development and then we would collaborate in strengthening it.  The student would then try a few more with me providing feedback through the process.

Basically, the focus of the conference could be determined by the student, the teacher, or both.

In this video, STUDENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES, the teacher reviews a student's work with him.  She praises what he has done well and then, by helping him analyze the problems of his writing through referral to the sample essays in his writing book, guides him along the path to writing a more detailed, more complete, more effective persuasive essay.  Here it is crucial not to tell a student what to do, but rather set him/her on the right path to creating an original work worthy of the teacher's praise.

There are many ways to conduct such conferences AND they can be done in all content areas.  I think that they are worth the time because students can safely open up to teachers about any problems they are having with an assignment:)

Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS
Schoolio Composition Books, Assorted Marble (Red, Blue, Purple, and (Google Affiliate Ad)
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Moving Students From SENTENCE to PARAGRAPH and BEYOND!

With the emphasis on writing found in the new Common Core Standards, teachers from all content areas will need to build a writing component into all courses.  Again, for English language learners they will need to master a writing style that may be different from their own. 

So how can teachers move all students from a basic simple sentence to a paragraph and beyond?  Here are some practical approaches which are highly effective. 
1.  Class journal writing with the teacher guiding the discussion and writing everything down that the class says.  This "I DO" phase allows the students to see how a paragraph can be developed from a small thought.  With everyone sharing and all comments being recognized by the teacher, anxiety levels drop.
2.  Offering students overly simplistic paragraphs with no details to have them rewrite them.  Again, the teacher models, then the students work with partners on their own version, and last, students try it on their own (or in small groups if the teacher thinks that they still need more support).  I have written a book in this technique.  There is a sample passage on ELL TEACHER PROS-THE DETECTIVE.  Here, students are to add details to make the passage one would want to read.  Again, teacher starts things off, charts results, scaffolds as needed, etc. (more detailed directions are in the book).  Students are always impressed with what they generate in such writing activities ($12.95-ebook).
3.  Break up the 5 sections of an essay topic.  Give students the THEME of the essay.  Divide the class into 5 groups and let each group on their own write a paragraph on their assigned section.  Bring the class together, review the group paragraphs and then discuss how they can be woven together to make a convincing essay.  This activity opens the door to lots of discussion.
4.  Create puzzles of cut up sentences from paragraphs to have students reassemble as small teams.
5.  Ask colleagues for more ideas.  The more ways teachers can trick students into liking writing, the better:)

MOVING FROM SENTENCE TO PARAGRAPH  With the Common Core Standards, every teacher will become a writing teacher.  Some will take to it easily while others may need some assistance.  This site cuts the process of writing down to a few short comprehensible chunks.  Teachers who might not be that comfortable with teaching writing to students will feel a bit more confident after this:)

WATCH 3 WORD SIMPLE SENTENCE GROW INTO A PARAGRAPH!
Need a visual on how to move from a 3 word sentence to a 10 sentence paragraph?  Click here and be prepared to be amazed:)

Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS

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Film in the Classroom Thanks to the Learning Network from The New York Times

The New York Times' Learning Network is a must-have for any classroom teacher at any grade level for any content area.  It includes a multitude of lessons on all subject areas, graphic organizers, templates, additional resources, incredible websites...and everything is free.

FILM + CONTENT=POWERFUL INSTRUCTION  Every lesson or activity found here is linked to the common core standards.  In fact, the NYT considers itself a partner with teachers in implementing the common core through all grade levels.  Everything offered here is free including subscribing to their blog.  Teachers may also access lessons by subject category (16 groups are listed).  Here is also a link with suggestions on how to use this incredible tool:  HOW TO USE THIS BLOG.

BIOLOGY IN FILM:  USING ANIMATION TO STUDY CELL STRUCTURE
For biology teachers, this is an amazing link.  Though the lesson is meticulously planned out, the animation on CELLS is breathtaking.  The details are amazing.  Students, especially ELLs, in watching the clip will develop a deeper knowledge of what the inner components of cell structure.  Textbooks can not capture this type of detail (from Harvard University).  This should be part of every biology lesson in cells.  Here is the animation clip by itself:  CELL STRUCTURE.

Inspire students with a new way at looking at course content material.  Learning can indeed be fun:)

Denise
ELL TEACHER PROS

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