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.
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Paula, I like the last part of your reflection where you said, "Language skills practice needs to be integrated, and that when students interact by reading, writing, listening and speaking, they reinforce language skills." That part just got me thinking about how I sometimes do dictation. You know how most of the students a lot of times say things like..."I go store." What I do is, we look at picture cards and the students tell me what the pictures are. I always say the correct way of what it is, and the students repeat what I say. For example, they say "jumping" and I say, "She is jumping." To take that activity from listening and speaking, we go to our desks and do dictation. I say, "She is jumping." "I am going to the store." When we are done, the whole group reads what they wrote in unison, or to a partner.
ReplyDeleteThis activity than reinforces language skills.