This chapter was all about assessment, different types of assessment, and the purpose of assessment and how it should guice instruction. Performance based learning suggests that there are 3 important objectives that should be included in an optimal lesson for English learners. They are : 1) Content (knowledge or skills in subject area, 2) Learning to learn (knowledge, skill, or learning strategy that teaches student how to azquire or process information, and 3) Language (knowledgeor skill in some facet of English). The chapter discusses the TESOL standards , broad statements, which describe the competencies that English Learners need to become fully proficient in English. The presence of TESOL standards insures that the expectations and content of English language instruction are standard from one place to another.
Assessment is the process of determining current levels of a student's performance or knowledge. Ongoing assessment throughout a school year shows how a student is meeting standards or goals and clearly demonstrates progress made throughout the year. Assessment shows a student's strengths, areas of weakness, and should guide instruction. Outcome-based performance assessment provides feedback about what a student has learned and helps a teacher to adapt instruction to a student's changing needs. There are many different types of effective outcoem based assessments- they include rubrics, teacher constructed tests, portfolios, and teacher observation and evaluation. Assessment is also important to initially place English learners into a program and then it is important to show progress and redesignate learners who are making progress in learning English. As an SDC preschool teacher, assessment is critical to find the strengths and weaknesses of students, to determine current levels, to write goals for improvement in needed areas, and to adapt instruction. Much of our assessment in preschool is informal- observation , anecdotal notes, portfolio assessment, file folder games, etc . The students are formally assessed twice a year through teh DRDP. Assessment is any form is necessary to hold me accountable and to determine progress fo the students.
In the text' "Sheltered Content Instruction: Teaching English Language Learners with Diverse Abilities", the authors Echevarria and Graves state that " To best meet the needs of each of these students, it is imperative that a systematic process be followed to program and educate properly all students to their potential." This process includes gathering data, conducting assessments, and implementing the instruction in 1) native language knowledge, 2) English-language knowledge, 3) academic background, and 4) learning and behavior problems.
In sposton1's blog, it stated "Education today is all about assessment. Learning today is about performance on measurable outsomes." I agree. Standards based teaching is a good thing- to have certain measurable things that a student should learn in a school year. But, it becomes a problem when there are so many standards that there is not time anymore for other im portant subjects such as music, art, physical education, etc...The downside of standardized testing is that many teachers teach to the test and don't have time for anything else. Assessment shoudl guide instruction- and teachers should adapt instruction often based on their assessment of student learning.
In Viaverlia's blog, it shared information about specific recommendations for assessing English Language Learners. It stated that "The student should be tested in native language and English and a variety of techniques should be used." I think it is important to assess students in their native language to get accurate and reliable information about current levels. Jsut recently, I assisted in assessing an ELL preschool student in Spanish. This little girl really surprised us with how much she knew and understood. We would not have gotten an accurate picture of her had we tested her in Spanish. We also used a variety of methods of assessment to get a clear picture of her language abilities, including observation, language samples, interview with parents in Spanish, standardized test in Spanish, a home visit to observe her in a familiar environment. using a battery of assessment techniques and assessing her in Spanish gave us a much needed true picture of this child's abilities adn potential.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Chapter 2: Critical Roles for Teachers
As the title suggests, this chapter discusses the many roles that educators play in the lives of their students. A few of these roles include: language emissaries adn mediators, as agents of introduction to the target culture, and as sources of knowledge for their colleagues. The author discusses two main instructional techniques that are in great contrast. The first, critical pedagogy, begins with problem posing and draws on real life,ie...teh student's experiences, culture, adn personal stregnths to resolve problems in their everyday life.. The teacher converses with the students about difficulties in their lives and how their lives here differ from in their native country. The teacher presents pictures, photographs, drawings, collages, etc..to students that represent a personal or emotionally charged social conflict. The teacher then begins asking very simple concrete questions, like "What do you see?" and then follows up with inductive, open ended questions, like "How does this apply to you?" and "What are some solutions to this problem?"
The other main teaching strategy presented in this chapter is the "Banking Model of Instruction." This strategy falsely assumes that the students minds are empty accounts in which to deposit information. This strategy of instuction is based on two premises...1) that students/learners are empty, and 2) standard knowledge is useful for everyone. I believe that it is more motivating to learn language that relates to real life, what the student is experiencing and real challenges that the student faces. So, I agree more with the first "Critical Pedagogy" approach. This seems like it would be much more motivating to students to talk about "real life" as opposed to random knowledge that may or may not be useful.
In the text, "Sheltered Content Instruction: Teaching English Language Learners With Diverse Abilities", the author explains the "Social Interactionist Learning Theory" by Les Vygotsky.In discussing this theory, the authot Echevarria and Graves state that "Through social interaction, student's confront other people's points of view and discover how other people respond in various situations." This quote reminded me of the the "Critical Pedagogy "theory where teacher pose real life problems and discuss with students how they might solve the problem. In this way, everyone hears the views and opinions of others.
In specialteach2's blog, she states, "teachers may not be able to control much about their students lives, but they can control the atmosphere in our own class." I agree with this statement. As teachers, we each have the opportunity to create a positive, safe and secure, and motivating learning environment for our students. Despite a students home environment, they can create a community within the classroom where students are accepting, encouraging, and motivated to learn.
In responding to Nicoel William's blog, Robinjcarver stated, "Think of the power that so many people have who have the privelege of knowing/learning multiple languages." This is so true, especially in California. A student who speaks Spanish, for example, and is fully bilingual, will have greater opportunities for e mployment than one who does not. Many employers pay a stipend to those who are bilingual also. Being bilingual and speaking 2 languages is a very important skill and will open doors and empower that person.
The other main teaching strategy presented in this chapter is the "Banking Model of Instruction." This strategy falsely assumes that the students minds are empty accounts in which to deposit information. This strategy of instuction is based on two premises...1) that students/learners are empty, and 2) standard knowledge is useful for everyone. I believe that it is more motivating to learn language that relates to real life, what the student is experiencing and real challenges that the student faces. So, I agree more with the first "Critical Pedagogy" approach. This seems like it would be much more motivating to students to talk about "real life" as opposed to random knowledge that may or may not be useful.
In the text, "Sheltered Content Instruction: Teaching English Language Learners With Diverse Abilities", the author explains the "Social Interactionist Learning Theory" by Les Vygotsky.In discussing this theory, the authot Echevarria and Graves state that "Through social interaction, student's confront other people's points of view and discover how other people respond in various situations." This quote reminded me of the the "Critical Pedagogy "theory where teacher pose real life problems and discuss with students how they might solve the problem. In this way, everyone hears the views and opinions of others.
In specialteach2's blog, she states, "teachers may not be able to control much about their students lives, but they can control the atmosphere in our own class." I agree with this statement. As teachers, we each have the opportunity to create a positive, safe and secure, and motivating learning environment for our students. Despite a students home environment, they can create a community within the classroom where students are accepting, encouraging, and motivated to learn.
In responding to Nicoel William's blog, Robinjcarver stated, "Think of the power that so many people have who have the privelege of knowing/learning multiple languages." This is so true, especially in California. A student who speaks Spanish, for example, and is fully bilingual, will have greater opportunities for e mployment than one who does not. Many employers pay a stipend to those who are bilingual also. Being bilingual and speaking 2 languages is a very important skill and will open doors and empower that person.
Chapter 6: Oracy Instruction that Builds on the First Language
This chapter discusses the need to build oracy systematically, bulding on primary language skills. Vygotsky emphasized the importance of the primary languagge - he believes that learning and being able to communicate in a first language (speaking, listening, writing, and reading)helps children engage in higher level thinking skills. The more that children use language in a classroom environment, the more they will learn how to think. The natural sociability in children in their first langauge is the foundation for their intellectual development.
I agree with these premises. Children who are not delayed with the development of their primary language and are able to speak fluently in a primary language to express themselves have laid a foundation for further learning and development. I have seen that a child who is understands how to communicate, using a system of language, including sign language, will transfer language skills learned to English and will have an advantage to a child who is delayed in primary language and has never developed the ability to communicate. In the text, "Sheltered Content Instruction-Teaching English Language Learners with Diverse Abilities", the author states "We know that those who speak their native language fluently adn have developed age apropriate literacy skills have increased opportunities of developing language and literacy skills in English." The author goes on to state, "Those who have developed cognitive knowledge and concept comprehension in their native language have better opportunities for learning English."(page 4)
Robinjcarver, in her blog, stated that "At times, English language learners face challenges of not having the words to express themselves in the English language or may not comprehend what is being taught in English." This is true and adds credence to why this c hapter on developing oracy skills is so important. To become competent speakers of English, our students must be able to listen and understand and also speak clearly to share the important messages that they would like to share. In special education preschool, we at times get students who are delated in primary language and not able to express selves in any language. At the beginning stages, we do a lot of modeling, use gestures, total communication, etc...to help the children express basic needs.
In sposton1's blog, it states, "There are many challenges involved in teaching English Language Learners." I agree. Having learned a second language myslef, I have some idea of the difficulty and overwhelming task that it is. There are so many facets of learning another lan guage, including receptive understanding, expressive abilities, understanding and being able to use idioms, inflection...and, on top of these things, there is the basic literacy skills of being able to read and write in English. To not get overwhelmed with such a huge task, setting incremental goals is important.
Developing oracy skills includes the abilities to listen, understand, and to speak. Part of the chapter is devoted to discussing different purposes for listening-The majority of the chapter goes over speaking processes. The author states that children need opportunities to talk in natural interactional contexts and for a variety of purposes, such as: to establish/maintain social relatioships, to express reacctions, to give and seek information, to solve problems, discuss ideas, or teach adn learns skill, to entertain or play with language or to display achievement, etc... Many examples are given to practice oracy skills in the classroom. The one that caught my attention was that "speaking can be integrated with other literacy and oracy activities. Students can retell the stories they hear in storytelling or sharing time and finish them in new ways." This is something that I have my preschool students practice in my classroom- retelling stories and simple sequences of events.
I agree with these premises. Children who are not delayed with the development of their primary language and are able to speak fluently in a primary language to express themselves have laid a foundation for further learning and development. I have seen that a child who is understands how to communicate, using a system of language, including sign language, will transfer language skills learned to English and will have an advantage to a child who is delayed in primary language and has never developed the ability to communicate. In the text, "Sheltered Content Instruction-Teaching English Language Learners with Diverse Abilities", the author states "We know that those who speak their native language fluently adn have developed age apropriate literacy skills have increased opportunities of developing language and literacy skills in English." The author goes on to state, "Those who have developed cognitive knowledge and concept comprehension in their native language have better opportunities for learning English."(page 4)
Robinjcarver, in her blog, stated that "At times, English language learners face challenges of not having the words to express themselves in the English language or may not comprehend what is being taught in English." This is true and adds credence to why this c hapter on developing oracy skills is so important. To become competent speakers of English, our students must be able to listen and understand and also speak clearly to share the important messages that they would like to share. In special education preschool, we at times get students who are delated in primary language and not able to express selves in any language. At the beginning stages, we do a lot of modeling, use gestures, total communication, etc...to help the children express basic needs.
In sposton1's blog, it states, "There are many challenges involved in teaching English Language Learners." I agree. Having learned a second language myslef, I have some idea of the difficulty and overwhelming task that it is. There are so many facets of learning another lan guage, including receptive understanding, expressive abilities, understanding and being able to use idioms, inflection...and, on top of these things, there is the basic literacy skills of being able to read and write in English. To not get overwhelmed with such a huge task, setting incremental goals is important.
Developing oracy skills includes the abilities to listen, understand, and to speak. Part of the chapter is devoted to discussing different purposes for listening-The majority of the chapter goes over speaking processes. The author states that children need opportunities to talk in natural interactional contexts and for a variety of purposes, such as: to establish/maintain social relatioships, to express reacctions, to give and seek information, to solve problems, discuss ideas, or teach adn learns skill, to entertain or play with language or to display achievement, etc... Many examples are given to practice oracy skills in the classroom. The one that caught my attention was that "speaking can be integrated with other literacy and oracy activities. Students can retell the stories they hear in storytelling or sharing time and finish them in new ways." This is something that I have my preschool students practice in my classroom- retelling stories and simple sequences of events.
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