On page 154, the text says “We caution against any inclination to list the state standard in an abbreviated form, like CA history 5.2.3, as an objective”
Using the state standard such as CA history 5.2.3 for an objective does not qualify in serving the purpose of posting the objectives for any learner, especially the ELL. It would be like me trying to decipher the meaning of technical jargon. It would not make sense and I would struggle to attach meaning to it. The objectives need to be clearly defined in a language that is comprehensible to the learner in order to take him to the next level.
Read pages 157-158. List 3 things Ms. Chen did to support the content objectives in her lesson? Which of these things do you do? What techniques can you add to your teaching practice that will help students learn the content goal?
I liked how Ms. Chen built up background knowledge with the piece of “fools gold” and pre-taught the key vocabulary words so that when she presented to the class, the ELL’s were more apt to comprehend the objectives. When teaching action verbs in my classroom, I had action words written on cards and the students came to the front of the class and pulled a card out of the hat and then acted out the word. The audience got to guess. This gave real life practice to the meaning of an action word, fitting into our lesson of sentence structure. Thinking back on it, I should have had the students write the action word on their white boards. Next time! AND have a volunteer say the word in a complete sentence.
She also modeled coloring the map on the overhead and then let the students work in small groups. Working in small groups allow students to help one another and build confidence in knowing how to understand and apply the task. I find in my classroom I basically teach from the standpoint that vocabulary and expected processes and outcomes need to be pre-taught frequently because of the language and the primary grade level of learning.
➢ What makes this component so important to include in your teaching practice?
Time in the classroom is valuable. Clearly stating objectives eliminates the guesswork of where the lesson is going. Starting on a firm base followed by direct and guided instruction leads to comprehensible practice that reinforces the content and language objective.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Component 7: Lesson Delivery, chapter 8!
Chapter 7: Lesson Delivery pages 152 - 185.
Features 23 and 24: Content and Language Objectives Clearly Supported by Lesson Delivery
Feature 25: Student Engaged Approximately 90% to 100% of the Time.
Feature 26: Pacing of the Lesson Appropriate for Students’ Ability Levels
Before reading: Predictions
➢ How do you know when you know you need to change the pace of your lessons, either to make it faster or slower?
➢ What techniques and strategies have you developed to keep students engaged throughout the lesson?
➢ When and how do you reflect on your lessons to make them better?
➢ What have you learned from your experience with writing SIOP lesson plans this year?
After reading, discuss the following questions:
➢ How do you support the language and content objectives throughout your lessons? How many times during a lesson do you refer to the objectives posted in the front of your class? DO students refer to them on their own?
➢ Why is it important to write out the objectives in student friendly language?
➢ On page 154, the text says “We caution against any inclination to list the state standard in an abbreviated form, like CA history 5.2.3, as an objective”?
➢ What percentage of time do you think students are engaged in learning in your class? What activities work the best for student engagement? Share your ideas with other teachers.
➢ Read pages 157-158. List 3 things Ms. Chen did to support the content objectives in her lesson? Which of these things do you do? What techniques can you add to your teaching practice that will help students learn the content goal?
➢ What makes this component so important to include in your teaching practice?
Features 23 and 24: Content and Language Objectives Clearly Supported by Lesson Delivery
Feature 25: Student Engaged Approximately 90% to 100% of the Time.
Feature 26: Pacing of the Lesson Appropriate for Students’ Ability Levels
Before reading: Predictions
➢ How do you know when you know you need to change the pace of your lessons, either to make it faster or slower?
➢ What techniques and strategies have you developed to keep students engaged throughout the lesson?
➢ When and how do you reflect on your lessons to make them better?
➢ What have you learned from your experience with writing SIOP lesson plans this year?
After reading, discuss the following questions:
➢ How do you support the language and content objectives throughout your lessons? How many times during a lesson do you refer to the objectives posted in the front of your class? DO students refer to them on their own?
➢ Why is it important to write out the objectives in student friendly language?
➢ On page 154, the text says “We caution against any inclination to list the state standard in an abbreviated form, like CA history 5.2.3, as an objective”?
➢ What percentage of time do you think students are engaged in learning in your class? What activities work the best for student engagement? Share your ideas with other teachers.
➢ Read pages 157-158. List 3 things Ms. Chen did to support the content objectives in her lesson? Which of these things do you do? What techniques can you add to your teaching practice that will help students learn the content goal?
➢ What makes this component so important to include in your teaching practice?
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Chapter 8: Lesson Delivery - Sabrina
In order to effectively deliver our lessons, we must prepare ourselves to handle what our students may or may not understand. Posting clear, simple content and language objectives not only help the teacher guide their lesson, but helps the students to track their learning.
In terms of student engagement, students who are engaged less than 50% of the time is extremely unacceptable. Not only are the students not learning, but if they are not engaged there is a high likelihood they will misbehave because they are bored. When considering the lessons I teach, I like to use Reading as an example. Since the students are in small groups, students are able to feel more like an individual rather than student #3 out of 17. Students are given ample opportunities to shine: individual turns (students will say letter sounds, words, and whole sentences); and pretending to be the teacher (when students come to the front of the group and point to certain words or sounds and take a turn as the teacher). This gives the student leadership opportunities as well as a chance to get out of their seats. Students are more actively engaged in the small group setting because there is less of a chance they will get lost within the material. The direct instruction method, I feel, leads to more student engagement.
This ties right into pacing the lesson so that it is appropriate to the students' ability levels. There are tests every five lessons that give the teacher an idea of how the students are doing (in addition to your daily lessons). If all the students are firm on certain sounds, words, and readings, there is opportunity to move forward within the program, bringing the students to the level at which they are currently at mastery. On the other hand, if students are not firm on the tests, the teacher is able to backtrack, and repeat the necessary lessons in order to ensure their mastery.
As stated in the book, having a general objective and refusing to deviate from a lesson's "flow" is not helpful for English Language Learners. Teachers must recognize when their students are not understanding the concepts being taught in order to accommodate those who might need more assistance. If teachers fail to recognize the needs of their students, they will fall behind. I have experienced this in my classroom, and am coming up with ways to rectify the situation. I have found that using my center time in the afternoon to review topics that are difficult for some students, gives them another chance to cement that information and hopefully retain it. While teaching at a slower pace might be difficult for some teachers, it will greatly benefit the students in their retention of information. As teachers, we must effectively deliver our lessons so our students can be successful.
That was a bit wordy...I apologize!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Perfect Practice
Piggy-backing on Voni's statement...Perfect Practice Makes Perfect. I disagree that we should correct only errors that impede communication. I think we should gently, and in a non-threatening way, correct all mistakes in speaking. "My parents sends congratulations to you," can be corrected simply by saying, "Oh! Your parents send greetings to me?" "Mr. Magoo, I have came to get my stuffs," would be, "I see you have come to get your stuff."
-I want to thank you all for your audience
-I want to thank you all for your audience
Friday, April 16, 2010
Chapter 7
SIOP Chapter 7
Material learned must be practiced over and over to stick in a student’s mind. Practices should be kept short and meaningful. When we were kids we played a game called “London Bridge” in which we sang a short little song and passed under our friends’ uplifted hands. It was a very short little song and we sang it over and over again. Even 40 or 50 years later, we remember the song as well as the movements. Students’ learning works exactly the same way. They need short, frequent practices and specific feedback. It is much better if they can use manipulatives as well. One teacher said her elementary students practice making letters by writing the letters with glue, then sprinkling salt on them. You could also use sand, glitter, or any very small interesting items. The students then put their letters on the wall and later added to them to spell simple words. They read their letters and words aloud every day.
Language skills practice needs to be integrated. When students interact by reading, writing, listening and speaking, they naturally reinforce language skills.
Material learned must be practiced over and over to stick in a student’s mind. Practices should be kept short and meaningful. When we were kids we played a game called “London Bridge” in which we sang a short little song and passed under our friends’ uplifted hands. It was a very short little song and we sang it over and over again. Even 40 or 50 years later, we remember the song as well as the movements. Students’ learning works exactly the same way. They need short, frequent practices and specific feedback. It is much better if they can use manipulatives as well. One teacher said her elementary students practice making letters by writing the letters with glue, then sprinkling salt on them. You could also use sand, glitter, or any very small interesting items. The students then put their letters on the wall and later added to them to spell simple words. They read their letters and words aloud every day.
Language skills practice needs to be integrated. When students interact by reading, writing, listening and speaking, they naturally reinforce language skills.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Chapter 7 - Voni
As the old saying goes, "Practice makes perfect" and to our students that means ample opportunities to practice new skills or concepts in a variety of ways. Looking back at a science unit that I taught my students, I saw hands on activities, an action song, writing and reading. Through these means, the students learned and expressed what they learned about the body parts of an insect.
I read "insect" books aloud to them and I also checked out books about insects from the library so the students had access to insect books in the classroom for independent or paired reading. We learned an "action" song that taught the vocabulary of the body parts of an insect. Last time I checked, some still remember the parts! Students also made a paper sculpture of a butterfly in which they could identify the body features of the insect. As a class we wrote a report, each student wrote his own copy, sentence by sentence. This gave them the opportunity to hear and write in complete sentences what they had learned.
Throughout the unit the students were able to practice what they learned by means of speaking, writing, and demonstration. The end.
I read "insect" books aloud to them and I also checked out books about insects from the library so the students had access to insect books in the classroom for independent or paired reading. We learned an "action" song that taught the vocabulary of the body parts of an insect. Last time I checked, some still remember the parts! Students also made a paper sculpture of a butterfly in which they could identify the body features of the insect. As a class we wrote a report, each student wrote his own copy, sentence by sentence. This gave them the opportunity to hear and write in complete sentences what they had learned.
Throughout the unit the students were able to practice what they learned by means of speaking, writing, and demonstration. The end.
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