How Language Transformed Humanity

Data on ELLs in Public Schools

Each year, the number of English language learners in public school classrooms across America increases.  View the entire data table here.

The Most Dangerous Phrase in Education

Something to think about...

Two Heads Are Better Than One: Fostering Collaboration

A great article on creating a collaborative climate. 

Encouraging Students to Use Strong Words

When students mindfully focus on an author's word choice, they become better writers.  Bulletin boards like this one in my classroom are simple tools my school is using to help our students become better readers and writers.
  

The "wordly wise" bulletin board in my classroom.

Students simply add strong words to the wall after encountering them in a text or conversation.  The wall then becomes a resource for improving both writing and speaking skills.

To launch my wordly wise wall, I showed my class this video of a young author reading aloud her poem, "My Dream."  

 

On the second watch, I asked students to listen closely for powerful words she used in her writing.  We added those to the wall together, and I've since modeled how a reader might consider an author's word choice during read aloud time.  After adding a few words to the wall whole-group and then modeling my thought process aloud when I've added words, my kids have approached this exercise with enthusiasm.  I love seeing them test out words in their writing and conversations.  

Here's just one sample of a student using the bulletin board to improve her writing!

Remember This!

While standardized assessments have value, authentic assessment is where it's at! 

Assessment Resources for CLD Families

As the school year draws to a close, the K-PREP test--always in the back of their minds--becomes a frequent topic of discussion among administrators, teachers, and students across Kentucky.  Preparation for this standardized test takes place year round; however, families may have little knowledge about assessment.  This article on testing contains a wealth of information and many helpful resources that can be shared with students' families.

  

ACCESS 2.0

Click here to learn more about WIDA's new computer-based ACCESS test for the 2015-2016 school year.

Putting It into Action--Part II

2. Developing Academic Language through the Generative Vocabulary Matrix & Collaborative Discussion 

THOUGHTS: In January 2015, I attended Dr. Sue Larson's presentation on the Generative Vocabulary Matrix (GVM) and Learning Workshop.  My main takeaway from the professional development is that content vocabulary should be taught in an authentic context and that teachers should be intentional about providing explicit instruction on the "brick and mortar" language structures that enable students to use key terms in meaningful ways.  Basically, Dr. Larson demonstrated how content vocabulary is much more meaningful to students when the words come from them and when they are given to tools to effectively use the terms in speaking and writing.

ACTIONS: I modified the GVM concept to fit within the constraints of the curriculum and school schedule and to meet my students' unique needs.  

My learning wall or GVM is structured as follows: the unit title--fractions--at the top, an area for "big idea" questions (e.g. How can I write a fraction?  How can I draw a model of a fraction?), a web organizer to record prior knowledge and student questions, a place to record "words mathematicians use"--including the subsections "language for thinking" and "word choice for math," and a blank open area for students to list content vocabulary words as they discover them.  My students requested that we add a "what we have learned" section where we could make notes throughout the unit, so I went with it!

Throughout our fractions study, students have self-identified key content vocabulary (e.g. fraction, numerator, denominator, bar model, decimal, percent, etc.).  These terms were discovered as students explored the text set mentioned in my first post in this series, and through mini lessons and center work.  These content vocabulary words were posted on the red sticky notes.  With my guidance, students also identified "word choice for math" (e.g. equivalent, equal, partition, amount, unlike, distribute, quarters, etc.).  These words were recorded on the blue sticky notes.  As I listened to student discussions, I made sure to draw attention to "language for thinking" words and phrases (e.g. if ___, then ____).  These were also added to the learning wall.

After having time to explore fractions with manipulatives, this student suggested adding the word "halves" to the GVM.

Similarly, this student suggested adding the words "whole" and "twelfths" to the learning wall.

As the unit progresses, students are naturally discovering connections between the content vocabulary terms.  When they have these epiphanies, I've tried to stop and give them the chance to share their thinking with the class.  Students have explained their ideas individually and in small groups and then re-stuck related terms together on the GVM.

A student groups the words bar model, circle model, and number line together after explaining how the three concepts are related.

A group of students discusses how the words fraction, decimal, and percent are related before sharing their ideas with the whole class.

It's been amazing to see students use the learning wall as a reference and resource.  Because everything on the GVM has come directly from my kids, the vocabulary is much more meaningful to them.  Contextualizing the terms with books, manipulatives, mini lessons, and opportunities for deep practice through center work has helped students truly understand the vocabulary.

In my next post, I'll describe how collaborating with students families has enabled me to make connections between the content and students' lives.

Putting It into Action--Part I

Overflowing with ideas from all the professional development sessions I've attended and graduate course work I've completed so far this school year, my brain is currently working to find that delicate balance between what research calls best practice and reality calls a kid getting sick in the garbage can while my classroom phone is ringing during the middle of a lesson.  

In this series of posts, you'll see some of the strategies I've learned over the last few months and how I'm using them in a math unit on fractions.  Please understand that I'm both a dreamer and a realist; everything below is just me trying to reconcile the awesome instructional content I've been exposed to with the very real demands and pressures every teacher experiences.  Without further ado, here's a peek inside my mind and what's happening right now in my third grade world.

1. Inquiry, Student Choice & Knowledge Construction

THOUGHTS: So much of what I've heard and read lately harps on the benefits of student-led inquiry.  I find myself both nodding along and shaking my head as I think about letting my students develop questions and discover topics on their own.  How in the world can I teach the standards AND let them explore whatever they show interest in at the same time?!   Finally, I'm realizing that, yes, providing choice and control motivates students and increases engagement; however, I can structure and guide inquiry in a way that accomplishes the requirements outlined for me by _______ (the Common Core, the state assessment system, the school schedule, my principal, etc., etc. you fill in the blank!)

ACTIONS: To start our unit on fractions, I put up a modified version of what Dr. Sue Larson of Judson University has coined a Generative Vocabulary Matrix or GVM.  (More to come on the GVM later!)  As part of the display, I created a web organizer and had students consider three questions--What questions do you have about fractions?  Where do you see fractions in the real world?  What do you already know about fractions?  After having time to think about each question independently, students were given opportunities to discuss with partners, in small groups, and in the whole-group setting.  Ultimately, I wrote down student responses and color coded them, because who doesn't like a little coordination.  And voila!  A little (guided) inquiry!

After activating some prior knowledge and hashing out some questions about fractions, I set my kids loose with a text set, manipulatives, sticky notes and a graphic organizer to record their findings.

  

I complied about twenty books for the set--a collection of informational texts on fractions from the public library, my school library, and my personal classroom library.  Finding enough books and books on a variety of reading (and math) levels took probably thirty minutes, including my drive to the public library.  I wanted to have a decent amount of texts so that students had some choice and so that there wouldn't be more than two kids sharing a book.  

As this was still the first day of the unit, I didn't give much direction at all and instead opted to let the students take the lead.  I let them pick their books and decide if they'd like to read independently or with partners.  The graphic organizer they used had three headings--Questions I Have about Fractions, Key Words, and Why Fractions Are Important.  My kids are used to using sticky notes and recording ideas on graphic organizers, so after just a minute of modeling, I gave them about fifteen minutes to explore.

In my next post, I'll tell you more about how we students' discoveries from the text sets to develop our GMV or learning wall about fractions.

Snowpocalypse 2015 Part II

With another 8-14 inches of snow predicted for today into tomorrow, I thought this Spanish read aloud of There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Who Swallowed Some Snow was most appropriate! 

Supporting Academic Language Development through Discourse

In this video, you'll see an excellent technique for scaffolding academic conversation.  The teacher explains how she uses a file folder/table tent with sentence frames and key vocabulary terms to support students and hold them accountable during small group discussions.

Response to Intervention for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students

Response to Intervention (RtI), a model utilized in schools across the country, outlines a multi-tiered approach to supporting students with academic and behavioral needs. While many mainstream teachers and administrators are familiar with the RtI model, they may be unsure about differentiating the approach for CLD students. Check out this resource from Colorin in Colorado for more information on RtI for ELLs.