Thursday, November 30, 2017

BUF Collaboration Celebration!

BUF Collaboration Celebration!

Thank you to 2-5 grade bilingual teachers for your contribution and dedication to improving our Biliteracy curriculum!

                 
          All schools are within a week of the pacing guide!Yay!!


Adding definition to Phase 2 of the BUF

 

Set Goals and priorities for next meeting dates!


               

#GOALS: Language Objectives



Why are language objectives important?

Click on the link
Because...


How do I write a language objective?

Click on the link




The ELD department diving into language objectives

The ELD department diving into language objectives

The ELD department diving into language objectives

Shout out to dual language teacher Lindsay Vidal at Bethesda Elementary for diving right in with language objectives!


Monday, November 27, 2017

Dual Language Guiding Principles Edition 3


New Dual Language Guiding Principles Edition 3

New Guidelines have reprioritized our work!


Oral Language Development and Instruction Considerable debate has existed about the importance of explicit second language instruction in the process of second language learning (Larsen-Freeman & Tedick, 2016; Lyster, 2007). Because many foreign language immersion programs were grounded in the Natural Approach, which eschews formal skills instruction in the immersion language, two important but incorrect assumptions were made. The first assumption was that students would learn the language through its use in subject matter instruction, and the second was that students would achieve more native-like proficiency if they received the kind of language exposure that is similar to first language learning. However, as some language education practitioners and researchers have discovered, the fluency and grammar ability of most immersion students is not native-like, and there is a need for formal instruction in the second language. However, this does not mean traditional translation and memorization of grammar and phrases. It is important to use a language arts curriculum that specifies which linguistic structures should be mastered (e.g., conditional verb forms) and how these linguistic structures should be incorporated into the academic content (e.g., including preterit and imperfect forms of verbs in history instruction and conditional and future verb tenses in mathematics and science). National and state policies stipulate the need for English language development instruction for English learners. Saunders, Goldenberg, and Marcelletti (2013) proposed some guidelines on providing this instruction, based on their summary of six major syntheses and meta-analyses of oral language development. Many of these guidelines are likely applicable to second languages other than English as well. Providing instruction in English language development is better than not providing it; that is, research shows that focused second language instruction that is designed to teach a particular aspect of the language is more effective than mere exposure or minimally focused instruction. This is consistent with research mentioned previously (e.g., Ballinger, 2013; Lyster, 2007; Swain & Lapkin, 2013). Instruction needs to explicitly teach forms of linguistic complexity (e.g., vocabulary, syntax, morphology, functions, conventions). Though there is no research with English learners that demonstrates this practice to be effective, it is consistent with other research cited previously. INSTRUCTION 49 Instruction in English language development should continue until learners achieve advanced English language proficiency; that is, English learners should continue to receive instruction after they reach intermediate levels of proficiency so that they develop higher levels of proficiency rather than get stuck at an intermediate level. Saunders, Goldenberg, and Marcelletti (2013) also address two other issues based on typical instruction of English learners in mainstream, English-only, or transitional bilingual programs. They suggest that English language development be provided in a separate block of time to groups of students separated by language proficiency. Because most dual language programs keep native speakers and language learners integrated 100% of the time, this is not always feasible in dual language; instead, dual language teachers typically integrate language development consistently into language arts and other content area lessons. Several studies point out the importance of using metalanguage strategies to promote language and literacy development (e.g., Klingelhofer & Schleppegrell, 2016; Schleppegrell, 2013). Metalanguage strategies provide students the skills to talk about language as a system and help them understand more about how language functions. Schleppegrell (2013) provides an example of a second grade study of understanding how the same speech function (e.g., command) can be realized in three grammatical moods: • Declarative – I’d like you to close the door. • Interrogative – Would you please close the door? • Imperative – Close the door! Students often have difficulty producing native-like speech in the second language. Part of this difficulty stems from a lack of opportunity to speak the language with fluent speakers. According to classroom research, second language learners get few opportunities to produce extended discourse in which they are forced to make their language coherent, accurate, and sociolinguistically appropriate (Lyster, 2007). This is even true when teachers require students to use the language of instruction during group work. Thus, promoting highly developed oral language skills requires providing both structured and unstructured opportunities for oral production (Saunders & O’Brien, 2006; Schleppegrell, 2013; Wright, 2016). 

http://www.cal.org/content/download/4411/67686/file/Guiding%20Principles%20for%20Dual%20Language%20Education%203rd%20edition.pdf

What does Oracy mean for the teacher who accepts the call to teach Language and Content?



Our Dual Language Secondary PLC has transformed simple I can statements into POWERFUL Language Objectives for Academic Language Learners....see their work below!


Green - Language Function Red - Content Purple: Support


7th Grade Science Course
I can use a punnett square to predict probable genotypes and phenotypes.
Language Objective
Students will predict genotypes and phenotypes with the use of manipulatives and a
punnett square organizer in partners


6th Grade Physical Education Course
I can describe and demonstrate proper form.
Language Objective
Students will describe proper form while dribbling a basketball with the use of a
video of themselves dribbling and a mentor peer.


Students will demonstrate proper form while dribbling a basketball by physically dribbling the ball and reviewing with their mentor peer.

Thursday, November 16, 2017

How do we Ensure that ALLs know what Success Looks Like?

Through the use of Language and Content Objectives!


Support Alert!!!

Check out this Language Objective Cheat Sheet!


Student engagement and collaboration at South High School 

Students making thinking visible through the use of a co-created anchor chart
Students engaging in a collaborative conversation




Friday, November 10, 2017

Teaching Channel back in SDW at Horning Middle School

Click on the links in red to see the videos that highlight Shannon Kay, Meredith Sweeney, and Chris Knutson at Horning Middle School. They highlight some great practices for ALLs!!!

The Power of Collaboration for ELLs

Collaboration Temporary Header
As educators, we know the value of collaboration. We ask our students to do it daily, and we hopefully get to do it ourselves. In this new series, The Power of Collaboration for ELLs, we have a chance to see both teacher and student collaboration in action, supporting the learning of all students.
In this set of videos, we’re back in Waukesha, Wisconsin, where we first showed you co-teaching in a bilingual classroom at Banting Elementary. This time we visit Horning Middle School, where we get to learn from the collaboration between two content area teachers and an ELL specialist. Teachers Meredith Sweeney, Shannon Kay, and Chris Knutson create a learning environment that embraces the social nature of middle schoolers, while fostering simultaneous language and content learning for all their students, especially ELLs.

Multiple Speaking & Listening Opportunities

In this classroom, students have a major voice in learning, from being the teachers of new content, to evaluating their progress towards goals. Because the students have a diverse set of skills, especially when it comes to literacy, Meredith, Shannon, and Chris have multiple scaffolds in place to create a learning environment that works for everyone.
In Peer Teaching Through Expert Groups, we step inside a humanities lesson where one of the scaffolds is small group instruction. While studying the Civil War, rotating student experts are responsible for teaching their heterogeneous table groups a selection of new content. These experts prepare for teaching the lesson by working with the ELL specialist, Shannon, in a small group organized by reading level.
Grade 8 / Social Studies / Ell
 
One of the benefits of this co-teaching model is the ability to use teaching time and learning space creatively. While part of the shared class is working with Meredith and Shannon on the new Civil War content, the other half is working on individual Civil War projects and meeting with Chris for conferring. Watch Guiding Student Learning Through Conferences to see how the conferring process works.
Another strategy that gives students an opportunity to practice new language is Total Physical Response Vocabulary. Meredith, Shannon, and Chris teach students a new word, definition, and movement to use during transition moments in class. The physical nature of the strategy coupled with the repetition helps students remember and understand challenging academic vocabulary.
All Grades / All Subjects / Ell
 

Supporting Student Collaboration

Because students in this classroom are constantly communicating, whether in small groups or as a whole class, Shannon, Meredith, and Chris use tools to promote equitable participation. Sticks and Spoons is a strategy where students are called upon by table group and number to share. Each time a teacher pulls a random spoon and stick, one person is called to speak for the group, but they’re allowed and encouraged to consult with their tablemates. The ability to consult is especially useful for ELLs. Teachers can scaffold this activity further by assigning two students the same number at a table, in case one student may need extra support based on their language proficiency.
All Grades / All Subjects / Ell
 
In Building Class Culture with Social Skills Goals, you’ll see how Meredith, Shannon, and Chris help build and refine students’ social skills weekly. The teachers choose a skill focus for the week, and the students pick an area of that skill to focus on as a group each day. Each table group sets goals and assesses their own work towards those goals. This strategy is great for building class culture, encouraging social-emotional learning, and as a class management tool.
When teachers collaborate, they get a chance to share their strengths and expertise to carefully craft learning experiences for their students. They also model what effective collaboration looks like, which is especially important at the middle school level.
For more resources on teaching and learning with ELLs, be sure to check out our ELL Deep Dive. And for a closer look at how Meredith, Shannon, and Chris set up their collaborative space, check out this classroom tour.
How do you work with your colleagues to support your students? Share your thoughts below.
This work was made possible through support fromhelmsley-logo

Gretchen Vierstra taught middle school for ten years in the San Francisco Bay Area. During her 15+ years in education, she’s also been a department chair, new teacher coach, curriculum developer, and policy analyst. She is Director of Educational Content at Teaching Channel.