I had the opportunity of doing running records with two high school English Language Learners. One was a native speaker of Chinese and one was a native speaker of Japanese. The one true speaker of a language other that an Asian language within the ELL curriculum speaks a dialect of Mayan and just arrived in the United States. As a result, it was recommended that he not be used for this assignment by the cooperating teacher due to the fact that he just went through a set of measurement tests and it may be overload for him.
For this assignment, I used a format assessment for the running record. When chatting with the ELL teacher, she actually thought it would be a good idea to use something that would provide a measurement of leveling. So it was agreed that I would use the Classroom Reading Inventory (12th edition) by Warren Wheelock and connie Campbell. This format provides level readings from 1-8 grade. They are currently producing a secondary version as well that will provide assessment materials into high school levels. The CRI has three versions. Version A focuses on the students ability to decode words in and out of context as well as comprehension on a basic level (factual, vocabulary) and then infer conclusions based upon the reading. Version B focuses upon prediction and retelling of the text with an emphasis on characters, problems, and outcomes/solutions. Version C is a combination of the two incorporating all parts and is designed for high school usage grades 9-12. For this assessment, Version A was used as to target the decoding of words within written passages. The assessment was able to start at a level and then build up to find the level at which the student effectively struggled. We did not access the graded word lists as we wanted to focus upon the ability to comprehend meaning as well as decode. In the high school ELL classroom, there is a much bigger emphasis on comprehension then on the ability to use perfect decoding of every word.
The results of the data are interesting. It was suggested to focus upon non-fictional pieces within the samples over the use of fictional pieces. The female Japanese student was one of the higher achieving ELL students in the class. We started her at level 5 (5th grade). Her biggest issue decoding was with names of people and places. The Chinese student also had issues with names and vocabulary, but since he was a much lower level of English proficiency, he also had difficulty with the dropping of endings (i.e. -ed) of words and the substitution of similar words (i.e.- charging for chasing).
Most of the miscues were found in the introduction of new vocabulary and the necessity for a visual cue to help explain the meaning. Words like astronaut (for the female student) had to be visually cued to establish meaning. This made it hard to establish an independent level of functioning of reading due to the necessity to sound out and have the instructor verbally pronounce and define some words. This is attributed to the fact that it is a second language as both students function fluently in their native language. The instructional level in English was also difficult to assess due to the language learning. When asked comprehension questions, there were miscues in understanding the vocabulary of the question. If the instructor reworded the question for the student into vocabulary they understood, then the student was able to answer and provide a measure of instructional level. This made the validity of the assessment slightly in question.
Some of the miscues are ones that are found with students who have a foundational base in English. In order to get a solid comparison, I ran the same tests with a very low, struggling non-proficient freshman from the Read/Write strategies. The results showed that the same miscue in word substitution. So these are not unique to just ELL students. Where English as a primary language students succeed is in the ability to recognize the words as vocabulary. There are fewer words requiring assisted pronunciation by the teacher and fewer requests for definitions of vocabulary.
At the same time, when working with ELLs at the secondary level it is the comprehension and ability to explain what they are reading that is key. The co-operating teacher and I discussed this aspect of tests like this to determine what is the goal. For her mind, she would rather see a student get the basic understanding of a passage then worry about knowing every word perfectly. She also admitted that she sees a ton of frustration within the students as they have so many new vocabulary terms/ new words presented daily that they do not have the capacity to learn all and internalize them. As a result, ELL students must focus upon vocabulary that is frequently presented to them and then be given lessons with which to utilize those terms. This includes more oral reading and the repetition of samples from throughout the semester. Students also need time to collaborate and be able to explore vocabulary at the secondary level. Most who arrive in the secondary ELL classrooms and have very little English foundation have a curriculum that is designed to be functional for society. This requires an emphasis upon social language and the ability to communicate orally. The reading aspect is taught with a focus upon everyday visual reading (i.e. street signs, business directions). This type of vocabulary is very different from the vocabulary found within textbooks and novels. There is a sense of urgency as once these students reach the age of 21, they no longer can be serviced in the high school setting. In fact, all seven of the students within the ELL class are classified as either a Freshman or a Sophomore, but are 17-19 years of age.
As I continue to work with these high school ELL students, I am finding that the rules of what the theory states for teaching the five elements of reading are blurred. The goals and targets change and it is about using as many strategies as possible to prepare them for life on their own; in a supportive community setting that fosters continued learning as an adult. High school ELL classes are about establishing this transition, whether it be work or extended education, that students can find themselves able to function at a base level within society.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Monday, January 21, 2013
ENTRY #6
Blog post #6
Diections: Label each activity (L) for learning/word
recognition or (A) for acquisition/sociopsycholingiustic view.
Some activities can have both labels.
Be prepared to explain your choices.
The students:
L Look up
words in the dictionary to write definitions.
A Make a Venn
diagram to compare two stories
L/A Practice
sounding out words
L Read in
round-robin fashion
L/A Correct
peers when they make a mistake during reading
L Identify
words on a big book page that start with the same sound
A Group cards
with classmates’ names by a criterion on such as first or last letter
A Write
rhyming poetry and then discuss different spellings for the same word
A Ask the
teacher how to spell any word they don’t know
A Read a
language experience story they have created with the teacher
A Work in
pairs to arrange words from a familiar chant into sentences
L Divide words
into syllables
L On a
worksheet, draw a line from each word to the picture that starts with the same
sound
A Make
alphabet books on different topics
The teacher:
L/A Preteaches
vocabulary
A Does a
shared reading with a big book
L Makes sure
that students read only books that fit their level
L/A Has
students segment words into phonemes
A Writes words
the students dictate for a story and has students help with the spelling of
difficult words
A Asks
students to look around the room and find words starting with a certain letter
L/A Uses
decodable text
L/A Sets aside
time for SSR each day
L/A Teaches
Latin and Greek roots
A Has students
meet in literature circles
L Conducts
phonics drills
L/A Chooses
predictable texts
A Teaches
students different comprehension strategies
A Does a
picture walk of a new book
L Uses a
variety of worksheets to teach different skills
Reasons for selection:
I see many activities that students
do as part of the acquisition process if not explicitly told to do it. By this I mean that any student who has
internalized strategies that help them in comprehension and articulation has
acquired learning. This also means that
there is a grey area within the definition due to the fact that students have
to be taught the strategy first before it can be internalized. To separate this, I then looked at the
formality of the task and how much of a “routine” is forced upon the students
without much room for personalization.
Those tasks were then labeled with an L instead of an A. Maybe it is due to my teaching experiences,
but I often find that activities done by students involve the act of rehearsal
and internalization with the ultimate goal to provide the skills that can be
used upon command at a later date. Some
of that is formulaic. Hence the idea that students use a base format for
writing essays in high school (5 paragraph).
The structure provides the beginning place and the security for students
to have a target of what to produce. The
key is then progressing further by allowing students to deviate from the
structure as they see fit. This is where
the teacher actions become so important to the process. If a teacher stifles that exploration by
“grading” the essay on a straight formula rubric that is too structured, the
student then begins to fall into the idea that there is only one correct way of
writing. So a balance has to be
maintained. This is not simple either as
every student is at a different pace in their ability to explore other ways of
articulating that go beyond the base rubric.
So for
example; a student may need to know how to break words into syllables; a strong
learning/word recognition process. At
the same time, if the syllable process is used to denote roots (Latin and
Greek) that then can be used to apply to new contexts and readings outside of
school that they may not consciously be aware of using then they are getting
into the acquisition of knowledge within the present world students live in. That effectively begins the process of taking
learning beyond the classroom.
Ultimately, I see that there needs to be a combination of both processes
within the teaching of students. Just
one way never seems to work with students. A quality teacher must acknowledge
and be able to utilize both aspects at appropriate times. Of course, in order to get students to be
able to function in a world of English language on their own, the target must
be on reaching acquisition methods in a majority of lessons that students
learn.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Entry #5
Evaluation of two pieces of literature for cultural issues that would hinder the ability of ELL students to comprehend the text.
Since I teach in the secondary world, I asked Heidi if I might use novels that are used within the high school curriculum. She agreed. So as a result, I am analyzing the two novels routinely taught in our English department to a variety of students; The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and Hamlet by William Shakespeare.
Hamlet of course is the tragic story of a young prince of Denmark who loses his father and is visited by his ghost to announce that he was murdered and that Hamlet must avenge his fathers death. In the mean time, Hamlet's mother has is remarrying (to his uncle who is also responsible for the murder). It has twists and turns and ends with the death of almost every character (a tragedy by definition). It reads at a 10th grade Lexile so already presents a challenge to ELL students.
1) ELL students would have some of the same issues with comprehending this text as regular students due to the use of Victorian English. Things are further compounded though as the structure of English utilized breaks patterns that the ELL students are just starting to master. This creates confusion and frustration as it appears that the rules have changed in the middle of the game.
2) The background knowledge of ELL students may not be able to comprehend the intricacies of court life in Europe. The idea of a prince not becoming king or even the idea of how leadership is inherited could through ELL students off.
3) One of the main concepts of the plot involves the existence of ghosts and visitations by non-human entities. This is a cultural element that many ELL students can struggle with or be able to have an easier time connecting with. The many ideas of afterlife and spiritual foundations are very diverse and are a core to the personality of the student. By inadvertently challenging the belief structure, a personal blockade of comprehension can be created.
4)Vocabulary is ultimately going to create an issue for students. European names, places, and slang would all create problems.
Ways to teach Hamlet to ELL students. First thing is to get a copy of Shakespeare Made Easy version of Hamlet. This is a version of the text where students are able to read English version alongside the original. This is imperative to provide scaffolding for the ELL who are not beginning readers of English, but still have deficiencies. Second is to get a copy of the graphic novel of Hamlet. This is a version of the text that reads like a comic book. Third is to have students view a copy of Hamlet starring Kenneth Branaugh. This is the complete version of the text in order (most other film versions are out of order of the original text). This provides both visual version as well as an audio version of the text that students can see, listen to and then read aloud to partners. It would also be extremely important to have collaborative activities that breakdown the reading and allow for examination of vocabulary and how it connects to ideas.
The Alchemist is the tale of a shepherd boy in Spain who decides to embark on a journey looking for treasure in the Pyramids of Egypt. Along the way he meets all sorts of characters that encourage him along the way even though none know what the treasure truly is at the end. It starts as a search for wealth and morphs into the tale of inner value of trying to achieve our dreams. It reads at an 8th grade Lexile level and is used with 10th and 11th grade students.
1) Again, Background knowledge will interfere with the ability for comprehension. The idea of open markets, for example, could potentially be something students are familiar with. At the same time, all open markets are different depending upon location. This text also requires a good sense of geography knowledge due to the fact it is a journey across Spain and North Africa.
2) Vocabulary is a constant dilemma for ELL students. This book is no different. Names (ie. Fatima, Santiago) come from a range of cultures so some name will be familiar and some will not depending upon the student context.
3) Along the way, the main character meets individuals that have specific traits that students may not be used to. There are liars and thieves, individuals who pretend to be something in order to hide their true identity, young individuals who have more wisdom then their elders and a variety of other personalities. This is compounded by the fact that nearly all of them willingly aid the main character without knowing if there is anything in it for them. This may be a concept that students will struggle with depending on culture and background.
4) Finally, students will continue to have issues with phonics and the sounding out of words. A unique thing about this text is that it is translated into English from Portuguese. As a result, there are words that do not always flow together and may seem appear unnaturally connected to those learning the English language.
Ways of teaching The Alchemist to ELL students. First, there is an advantage with this text as it has been published in 150 countries and translated into 60 languages. As a result, there is a good chance that it has a copy in the students native language. Therefore the text can be used in conjunction with the students native language, hence reducing the gap in comprehension. It also then allows the text to be something that can be used as a bridge between the native language and English. The plot of the text is also something that many of these students will be able to comprehend as it is about dreams and finding inner strength to achieve for ones self what they desire. On top of that, it is about a cross country adventure, something many of the ELLs at TRHS have experienced in their journey to our school.
Since I teach in the secondary world, I asked Heidi if I might use novels that are used within the high school curriculum. She agreed. So as a result, I am analyzing the two novels routinely taught in our English department to a variety of students; The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and Hamlet by William Shakespeare.
Hamlet of course is the tragic story of a young prince of Denmark who loses his father and is visited by his ghost to announce that he was murdered and that Hamlet must avenge his fathers death. In the mean time, Hamlet's mother has is remarrying (to his uncle who is also responsible for the murder). It has twists and turns and ends with the death of almost every character (a tragedy by definition). It reads at a 10th grade Lexile so already presents a challenge to ELL students.
1) ELL students would have some of the same issues with comprehending this text as regular students due to the use of Victorian English. Things are further compounded though as the structure of English utilized breaks patterns that the ELL students are just starting to master. This creates confusion and frustration as it appears that the rules have changed in the middle of the game.
2) The background knowledge of ELL students may not be able to comprehend the intricacies of court life in Europe. The idea of a prince not becoming king or even the idea of how leadership is inherited could through ELL students off.
3) One of the main concepts of the plot involves the existence of ghosts and visitations by non-human entities. This is a cultural element that many ELL students can struggle with or be able to have an easier time connecting with. The many ideas of afterlife and spiritual foundations are very diverse and are a core to the personality of the student. By inadvertently challenging the belief structure, a personal blockade of comprehension can be created.
4)Vocabulary is ultimately going to create an issue for students. European names, places, and slang would all create problems.
Ways to teach Hamlet to ELL students. First thing is to get a copy of Shakespeare Made Easy version of Hamlet. This is a version of the text where students are able to read English version alongside the original. This is imperative to provide scaffolding for the ELL who are not beginning readers of English, but still have deficiencies. Second is to get a copy of the graphic novel of Hamlet. This is a version of the text that reads like a comic book. Third is to have students view a copy of Hamlet starring Kenneth Branaugh. This is the complete version of the text in order (most other film versions are out of order of the original text). This provides both visual version as well as an audio version of the text that students can see, listen to and then read aloud to partners. It would also be extremely important to have collaborative activities that breakdown the reading and allow for examination of vocabulary and how it connects to ideas.
The Alchemist is the tale of a shepherd boy in Spain who decides to embark on a journey looking for treasure in the Pyramids of Egypt. Along the way he meets all sorts of characters that encourage him along the way even though none know what the treasure truly is at the end. It starts as a search for wealth and morphs into the tale of inner value of trying to achieve our dreams. It reads at an 8th grade Lexile level and is used with 10th and 11th grade students.
1) Again, Background knowledge will interfere with the ability for comprehension. The idea of open markets, for example, could potentially be something students are familiar with. At the same time, all open markets are different depending upon location. This text also requires a good sense of geography knowledge due to the fact it is a journey across Spain and North Africa.
2) Vocabulary is a constant dilemma for ELL students. This book is no different. Names (ie. Fatima, Santiago) come from a range of cultures so some name will be familiar and some will not depending upon the student context.
3) Along the way, the main character meets individuals that have specific traits that students may not be used to. There are liars and thieves, individuals who pretend to be something in order to hide their true identity, young individuals who have more wisdom then their elders and a variety of other personalities. This is compounded by the fact that nearly all of them willingly aid the main character without knowing if there is anything in it for them. This may be a concept that students will struggle with depending on culture and background.
4) Finally, students will continue to have issues with phonics and the sounding out of words. A unique thing about this text is that it is translated into English from Portuguese. As a result, there are words that do not always flow together and may seem appear unnaturally connected to those learning the English language.
Ways of teaching The Alchemist to ELL students. First, there is an advantage with this text as it has been published in 150 countries and translated into 60 languages. As a result, there is a good chance that it has a copy in the students native language. Therefore the text can be used in conjunction with the students native language, hence reducing the gap in comprehension. It also then allows the text to be something that can be used as a bridge between the native language and English. The plot of the text is also something that many of these students will be able to comprehend as it is about dreams and finding inner strength to achieve for ones self what they desire. On top of that, it is about a cross country adventure, something many of the ELLs at TRHS have experienced in their journey to our school.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Entry #4
This entry is one that I spent quite a bit of time thinking about. I originally thought that I would look at a foreign language and the utilize my resources at TRHS to find text. That language would have to have a Latin base as I know right off the bat that there was no way that I could make any sense of Mandarin Chinese and this would be a short experience as I would simply have to go all the way back to the beginning by asking many questions of our Chinese teacher and reading up in English to try and obtain comprehension. The problem I found with Latin languages was that the association of my knowledge of Spanish was providing me an unfair advantage. In college, I focused upon Latin American History and had to learn Spanish. I got to where I could read pretty fluently, but could not speak it fluently. The transfer of words in Latin bases similar to Spanish made it easier to comprehend the texts I was trying to read. Where, I admit that it has been a while, I was able to make a rough, disjointed understanding of adult literature.
So where did that leave me? I wanted to have a true experience with having to struggle with a language. It wasn't until I came home Monday afternoon and realized that I had the perfect "language" to use for this assignment. Over Christmas, my loving wife got me an electric base. I had played the standup base in high school and she thought it might be fun to have more music in the house (She plays the flute incredibly well and my daughter who is in 6th grade plays the clarinet). The problem is that there are distinct differences between reading sheet music for the electric vs. the stand-up base. I found a challenge now as I had not spent any time on the instrument since it was opened Christmas day (simply not time for it LOL).
I began with trying to read the music and play it without having done any research. This did not turn out well and my wife started to doubt the fact that she bought it as I could not get anything out the way it looked on paper. I tried to figure out fingerings, guessing on notes from what I could remember. I could get the beat down, but nothing sounded right. There was not a song in the book that I could get to sound remotely the way it should. I tried to slow it down and take each note individually in turn. I found the song on Itunes (She knew I enjoyed Pink Floyd and that was the first book of songs she got for me) and played it a second at a time and then tried to experiment finding the same sound. All was futile. I finally asked the master musician herself to come help me. She started talking in notes and not how to play the note. Lost me right away even though I knew I once had this language down pat. After about an hour of getting no where, she final told me that I needed to get a method book. In a way I was extremely disappointed as I did not realize I had lost so much ability to read music. I would have thought that I would have had similar if not better success then I did with the attempts to read French because of the connection to Spanish. I was definitely wrong.
So, this afternoon after school, I went and got two method books; one intermediate and one beginning and each contained an audio CD to help. If I was going to do this experiment right, I figured that I would work my way backwards to see at what point I might be able to make some head way. Quickly realized that a majority of the intermediate book was still over my head. Too many notes were not sounding correctly especially since I had no clue where the fingerings were for each note. At this point I thought about calling up and expert bass player that I know (current student), but could not bring myself to admit that a high school student had more knowledge then I did about being able to play the darn thing. So I dove backwards into the beginning book. I started to find some common ground about halfway through, right about where the fingerings for each note started. So here I was realizing that I had to go completely back to square one. All the way to page one!
So where did this take me? Upon reflection, it is easy to see how an ELL student can feel when learning a new language. Even if it is a language that one might have some limited exposure to. I found the frustration of not being able to read at the level I should be able to or once could. I also found that I had to slow way down. Repetition was going to be extremely important to providing me the ability to advance learning. On top of that, I was going to need time to process the language. All of these things are important elements that teachers have to keep in mind when instructing ELL students.
So where did that leave me? I wanted to have a true experience with having to struggle with a language. It wasn't until I came home Monday afternoon and realized that I had the perfect "language" to use for this assignment. Over Christmas, my loving wife got me an electric base. I had played the standup base in high school and she thought it might be fun to have more music in the house (She plays the flute incredibly well and my daughter who is in 6th grade plays the clarinet). The problem is that there are distinct differences between reading sheet music for the electric vs. the stand-up base. I found a challenge now as I had not spent any time on the instrument since it was opened Christmas day (simply not time for it LOL).
I began with trying to read the music and play it without having done any research. This did not turn out well and my wife started to doubt the fact that she bought it as I could not get anything out the way it looked on paper. I tried to figure out fingerings, guessing on notes from what I could remember. I could get the beat down, but nothing sounded right. There was not a song in the book that I could get to sound remotely the way it should. I tried to slow it down and take each note individually in turn. I found the song on Itunes (She knew I enjoyed Pink Floyd and that was the first book of songs she got for me) and played it a second at a time and then tried to experiment finding the same sound. All was futile. I finally asked the master musician herself to come help me. She started talking in notes and not how to play the note. Lost me right away even though I knew I once had this language down pat. After about an hour of getting no where, she final told me that I needed to get a method book. In a way I was extremely disappointed as I did not realize I had lost so much ability to read music. I would have thought that I would have had similar if not better success then I did with the attempts to read French because of the connection to Spanish. I was definitely wrong.
So, this afternoon after school, I went and got two method books; one intermediate and one beginning and each contained an audio CD to help. If I was going to do this experiment right, I figured that I would work my way backwards to see at what point I might be able to make some head way. Quickly realized that a majority of the intermediate book was still over my head. Too many notes were not sounding correctly especially since I had no clue where the fingerings were for each note. At this point I thought about calling up and expert bass player that I know (current student), but could not bring myself to admit that a high school student had more knowledge then I did about being able to play the darn thing. So I dove backwards into the beginning book. I started to find some common ground about halfway through, right about where the fingerings for each note started. So here I was realizing that I had to go completely back to square one. All the way to page one!
So where did this take me? Upon reflection, it is easy to see how an ELL student can feel when learning a new language. Even if it is a language that one might have some limited exposure to. I found the frustration of not being able to read at the level I should be able to or once could. I also found that I had to slow way down. Repetition was going to be extremely important to providing me the ability to advance learning. On top of that, I was going to need time to process the language. All of these things are important elements that teachers have to keep in mind when instructing ELL students.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Entry #1
I was able to interview and set up time to collaborate with both the ELL/ESL teacher (Mrs. Richert) and our Literacy specialist (Mrs. Loritsch) during the field hours required for this course. I have spent many hours working with and observing Mrs. Loritsch due to her using my classroom during a planning period. Mrs. Richert just returned from a semester of maternity leave and is looking forward to having me to bounce ideas off of and discuss ideas surrounding literacy. Since I have worked closely with Mrs. Loritsch, I felt that using Mrs. Richert for this blog entry would be more appropriate.
Thoughts on literacy:
She is a firm believer that ELL students cannot begging to truly learn literacy skills until they are motivated to do so. She sets up tasks that push the students to find something that they are interested in. By finding ways of motivating them and then picking text that is close to the reading level but slightly above, students are more likely to show growth. She is also a big proponent of covering all four areas of literacy (speaking, listening, reading and writing) in each and every class period. As this is the basis for the scaffolding described in both Gibbons and Freeman, I look forward to observing her classroom later this week.
On an expansion note, we also discussed the trend that more and more ELL students are being mainstreamed and even as she put it "kicked out of " ESL classes at the secondary. This follows along the lines of what Gibbons talks about in Chapter 1 under integrating language and content. She finds this a trend that is not helping these students make large gains in the gaps they have due to the failure to train the content area teachers specifically how to teach ELLs. The main deficiency that content area teachers have is being able to separate the ability for the students to copy words in English or read fluently the words in English, but fail to comprehend what they are reading. In fact, she stressed that the students we see in our high school are very adept at the fluency of reading in English. It is the comprehension that all struggle with. So she spends much of her time at the secondary level with a focus upon comprehension/vocabulary. She will do this in context, but does mini-lessons on the grammatical structure of sentences so that comprehension is improved. Ultimately, she would like to see more teachers be wars of the dynamics with the ESL population.
Thoughts on literacy:
She is a firm believer that ELL students cannot begging to truly learn literacy skills until they are motivated to do so. She sets up tasks that push the students to find something that they are interested in. By finding ways of motivating them and then picking text that is close to the reading level but slightly above, students are more likely to show growth. She is also a big proponent of covering all four areas of literacy (speaking, listening, reading and writing) in each and every class period. As this is the basis for the scaffolding described in both Gibbons and Freeman, I look forward to observing her classroom later this week.
On an expansion note, we also discussed the trend that more and more ELL students are being mainstreamed and even as she put it "kicked out of " ESL classes at the secondary. This follows along the lines of what Gibbons talks about in Chapter 1 under integrating language and content. She finds this a trend that is not helping these students make large gains in the gaps they have due to the failure to train the content area teachers specifically how to teach ELLs. The main deficiency that content area teachers have is being able to separate the ability for the students to copy words in English or read fluently the words in English, but fail to comprehend what they are reading. In fact, she stressed that the students we see in our high school are very adept at the fluency of reading in English. It is the comprehension that all struggle with. So she spends much of her time at the secondary level with a focus upon comprehension/vocabulary. She will do this in context, but does mini-lessons on the grammatical structure of sentences so that comprehension is improved. Ultimately, she would like to see more teachers be wars of the dynamics with the ESL population.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Entry #3
Literacy is a system that utilizes four skills simultaneously: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Oral language is the foundation of the reading process. Without it, scaffolding to reading would not be effectively possible. Language is something that has to be created within context. These context vary and have to many times be experienced orally before can be effectively interpreted via reading. As seen in Chapter 2 of Gibbons, much of the scaffolding that occurs within literacy begins with oral communication between the teacher and peers. Gibbons stresses that in order for a good task to be completed within scaffolding, "Talk is necessary for the task". Students need to interact and collaboratively work to help each other create and expand vocabulary that then can be used to increase reading fluency.
Entry #2
Maybe it is just me, but I found myself digging into other chapters that are assigned later in the course to truly be able to answer this question: Which view of writing described in this chapter corresponds most closely to your experiences? Especially Freeman Ch 2. So you will see reference to ideas that come from that chapter within this post.
Since I am 20 years removed from high school, I know that in many ways I was taught that writing was a learned process. One where the strategies were broken down into logical steps and presented by the teacher. For a mind that was once an Engineer, it makes sense. Occasionally, I would have peer editing, but it was mainly this a situation where the teacher was the "all knowing" while the students had to learn the process to perfection.
As a teacher, I have found myself leaning more toward an acquisition approach to writing. I have discovered working with partial proficient and non-proficient writers that they need a combination of both styles when at the high school level. They need the direct guidelines for how to accomplish longer essays, but also need the freedom to bend and twist the "rules" in order to establish solid explanations of what they are wanting communicated.
The other key point is that they need to become aware of audience. When they are writing for a teacher alone, they do not always produce their best writing. When they are writing for peers and others, they tend to want to show off more and spend more time working to perfect their writing.
Since I am 20 years removed from high school, I know that in many ways I was taught that writing was a learned process. One where the strategies were broken down into logical steps and presented by the teacher. For a mind that was once an Engineer, it makes sense. Occasionally, I would have peer editing, but it was mainly this a situation where the teacher was the "all knowing" while the students had to learn the process to perfection.
As a teacher, I have found myself leaning more toward an acquisition approach to writing. I have discovered working with partial proficient and non-proficient writers that they need a combination of both styles when at the high school level. They need the direct guidelines for how to accomplish longer essays, but also need the freedom to bend and twist the "rules" in order to establish solid explanations of what they are wanting communicated.
The other key point is that they need to become aware of audience. When they are writing for a teacher alone, they do not always produce their best writing. When they are writing for peers and others, they tend to want to show off more and spend more time working to perfect their writing.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Welcome to the EDRG604 Blog for Graduate School. The focus of this blog will revolve around Literacy for the Diverse Learner. Only those who are part of the graduate course should have access to this blog. If you have reached this and are not part of the class, please do not provide input and leave this webpage. Thanks.
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