Chapter 5

One thing we as teachers to the English Learners, should do to is to
get to know who our students are, and where they are coming from. Yes,
on the summary it says, "Just because the students can't read well doesn't
mean they can't think!" or, "Just because they can't speak English proficiently
doesn't mean they can't think!" and I say, "Just because the English Learners are
not responding to a question right away doesn't mean they are not thinking."
It is important to teach different kinds learning strategies to the students to help them
to connect what they know to what they are learning, problem solving, and to promote
retention of newly learned information. scaffolding is an instructional technique where
teacher models the desired learning strategy or task , then slowly shifts the responsibility
to the students. Whatever strategies are emphasized, learned, and used, it is generally
agreed that they should be taught explicit instruction, careful modeling and scaffolding.
This scaffolding reminds me of how my mother taught me how to do many different
things as I was growing up. One of the things I remember the most is when she did skin
sewing and she had me watch, and sometimes without saying a word. After carefully
her, she gives me a needle and thread, I work on a project with her there to help me. From
then on I would practice and finally work on something like making yo-yos without her
help. That is something like model, lead, teach what we do in SRA.