518+Agenda+2.1.12

How can I design instruction to support second language acquisition? How can I give helpful feedback on student writing to encourage content __and__ language learning?
12:00 - 12:10 - Welcome >> https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XoLagY2Z9RkPHWRe2xqw3miQQr9-r0QZoWZNMeg5Tok/edit?hl=en_US >> 12:10 - 12:50 - ** Second Language Acquisition and Content Instruction: Making the Match **
 * Just a reminder: Always include your last name in the file names of your googledocs.
 * TPA meeting is forthcoming; ELC next week
 * Homework Showcase
 * https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bQg3dYcMMqe1FVsnPxNRulSVOSyQAeBMzzBzTWEsLR0/edit?hl=en_US
 * In groups of four, share your graphic organizers from your reading. Choose one example to show to the entire class. Each group will have 3 minutes to talk through the organizer including explaining why you chose this one.
 * The Bare Bones of SLA
 * Negotiated Social Process: Comprehensive Input (making meaning) --> Interaction (social, communication) --> Output --> Comprehensive Input --> so on...
 * Cycle above is Social, Meaning Based, and Negotiated... AND, takes a lot of time!
 * Linguistic variety within cycle (contexts, communication styles, dialects, etc.)
 * Individual variety -- L1, L1 prior knowledge and education, external circumstances (home life, stress, opportunities to interact, past experiences with learning, etc.), personality (i.e. introverted vs. extroverted person), willingness to take risks (could result from your cultural background), cultural disposition towards learning, attitudes towards L2 language/culture, age
 * "If it's not comprehensible, it's like gibberish for your brain."
 * Aquisition "Natural Development"
 * Certain patterns to learning English are relatively fixed (according to research) and developmental
 * Instructed (Corrective Feedback) can make a big difference!
 * Hyper emphasis on accuracy does //not// tend to work well
 * Foundational Principles for Working with ELLs (5 principles)
 * [[file:foundational principles_ells.pptx]]
 * 1) Caring - if you feel like you're at risk, you are far less likely to engage in process of learning and taking risks
 * 2) Multiple Pathways to Access Instruction and Show Understanding - idea that there are different ways to get to the same destination; from an instructional standpoint, you must use //many// different instructional tools to present an idea (differentiated instruction); Jason: Multiple Intelligences; modeling is very important
 * Showing Understanding: multiple options for assessment, be willing to adapt assignments/assessments so students have more than one way to show what they know
 * 3) Explicit Attention to Language - deliberately and strategically teaching language; what are the essential words and structures you may not know?; basic building blocks; recognizing language could be a barrier (Jeremy: paying attention to language on your assessments)
 * 4) High Academic Expectations - avoid "feeling sorry" for ELL students (it says to them, "I think you're not capable"); Anna: just because a student doesn't say anything doesn't mean he doesn't know what's going on (ex: student who aced President test but never said anything in class); appropriate high expectations will not necessarily be the same for each kid
 * 5) Social Support - fostering peer support (helping students support each other); importance of group work; ELLs tend to self-segregate -- teachers can play a big role in teaching how to integrate and crafting some safe opportunities for that to happen

12:50 - 1:50 - ** Evaluating ELLs' writing - A basic framework **
 * What is the **message?**
 * What is the student trying to communicate? What is he/she saying? (Don't get too caught up in the language; avoid the red pen!)
 * Josiah: beware of stifling motivation with too much corrective feedback
 * there is a fine balance of too much feedback and not enough feedback -- we need to find a happy medium!
 * the right amount of feedback = more motivation for ELL students
 * "two stars and a wish" is a good ratio for feedback
 * strategic feedback - "address issues we can get the most mileage out of" (easy fixes that will play a role in everyday life and communication)
 * **What does the student know** about writing and the content area? What linguistic and academic **strengths** does he/she have?
 * Pointing out strengths
 * Are there any **conceptual understanding gaps?** Based on this writing sample, what is the **next step** in terms of deepening content understanding?
 * this is a piece that is often missed in ESL (complex understanding)
 * What are **1-3 areas of improvement** in terms of writing, English language use, and/or academic language?
 * give students 1-3 areas to focus on (i.e. run on sentences -- but we need to //explain// what that means and looks like, not just write "work on run-on sentences" as feedback)
 * teacher should be spending 10-15 minutes on a paper, not 30 minutes!
 * never a bad idea to ask student to revise paper and make it better
 * SpellCheck is a good thing only if we teach them how to use it!
 * Provide feedback that communicates these things:
 * Wow! You have something important to say! (Engage with the writer's IDEAS and offer sincere compliments)
 * Because I believe you're capable, I'm going to push you to think even harder. (Suggest 1-2 ways to deepen content knowledge)
 * Because I believe you're capable, I'm going to help you improve your English. (Suggest 1-2 very specific ways to improve academic language proficiency. Focus on areas that most profoundly affect communication and how the message is received.)
 * In most cases, it's a good idea to invite/allow the writer to **revise and resubmit** the writing.


 * Writing Samples**
 * Oscar's Paper Example
 * How do we give feedback? What are we assessing?
 * Comprehension, format, content, prior work (improvement), academic language
 * Prioritize big issues to choose to give feedback on -- context of academic language (Megan: example of "cause" instead of "because" in Oscar's paper)
 * Three main categories: CONTENT, ORGANIZATION, and LANGUAGE ISSUES
 * Kinsey: run-on sentences are an issue (as well as commas, etc.)
 * Thuy: give positive feedback first and recognize ideas before saying what they did wrong
 * Nicielle: deal with big issues first and then take it down to specifics (the most critical part is the message)
 * Nick: don't mark everything wrong (grammatical errors, etc.) in effort to not overwhelm them; prioritize!


 * To Do for Next Class:**
 * 11:00 on Friday - here- TPA/videotaping information meeting
 * 10-15 minute feedback on ELL student writing sample
 * Key Assessment personal timeline - Tell me 1) when you will videotape your lessons, 2) when you will have your plans prepared and an approximate date to conference about your plans, 3) if/when you will submit a draft of your commentary prior to the final draft due on Feb 24 (googledoc)
 * Reading Assignment
 * 1) __Pre-Reading - Review the requirements for__ ** Arizona's Structured English Immersion Law **
 * 2) AZ requires schools to teach English.
 * 3) Requires materials and instructions to be in English
 * 4) Requires English language learners to be grouped together in a structured English immersion setting.
 * 5) The goal is for ELLs to become fluent English proficiency in one year.
 * 6) Requires a minimum of four hours per day of ELD during the first year a pupil is classified as an ELL.
 * 7) Requires cost efficient, research based models that meet all state and federal laws.
 * 8) __Read the following articles about Arizona's Structured English Immersion Programs:__
 * 9) http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/journals/ed_lead/el200904_clark.pdf - The Case for SEI
 * 10) http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0226ellday1blomo0226.html - The Case Against SEI
 * 11) Read - While you're reading think about this information in light of Arizona's SEI program.
 * Faltis, chapter 8 and choose __one__ chapter from section 11 (chapters 4-7)
 * Samway & McKeon, chapters 3, 5
 * 1) __Post-Reading__: Based on your professional judgement, is Arizona's SEI approach in the best interest of ELLs? Why or why not? Explain your position in approximately 1 page. (googledoc)
 * Module 3 due on Monday