Kiel - Refine Paper 1

Reflection 1

Casey Kiel

Gwinnett County: ESOL Endorsement Program

Methods

08 March 2013

Refine:

            The section on exploring written language functions brought some ideas that I already use, such as, posting rules or directions and a schedule.  However, it also had some ways of exploring writing that I hadn’t thought of or just haven’t tried.  I liked the idea of the question box.  I could see that being set up in my investigation station.  While exploring nonfiction books on our science and social studies units they could enter any wonderings they have.  The idea of the post office is one that I have thought of before, but am concerned about the management.  I think I may try a mailbox just between myself and each student.  I already have about four students who bring me a note every other day.  They would love it if I found a way to write them back more than once in a blue moon. 

This chapter also suggested “dialogue journals”.  One of my co-workers at school, has started something similar to this called blogging journals.  She has four journals with different topic labels (sports, travel, family, and fun).  Students can write their own entry and or respond to a friend.   

There were several helpful hints in the book by Zainuddin, as well.  The first suggestion, which I need to follow, is to post technology vocabulary in a kid friendly way near the devices.  In addition, I hope to try videotaping students performing in reader’s theater, very soon.  This will be available to view for rainy day recess, rewards, or perhaps for early finishers.  There were a couple of websites I want to bring to my media specialist.  She and I often team teach research lessons, and I am always looking for new ways for students to present their research.  This book offered some websites that look like fun ways to create slides.  Finally, I want to learn more about e-pals.  Perhaps, we can become e-mail buddies with another class across the country or maybe even another country.  I envision us beginning writing by reading or writing our e-pals one or two times a week. 

I look forward to trying out these new ideas and exploring the many websites our books had to offer.

Refine Methods CHoover

Part 3-Refine

One strategy I use to help students learn content vocabulary is picture flash cards.  Students write the words on one side and draw a picture and/or write the definition on the other side depending on their level of writing development.  Creating images of the vocabulary help students to more easily remember them.   Also, flashcards are portable and students can take the cards home to study them.  Also to help students master vocabulary words, I use word walls and games.  In the “Fly Swatter” game, students take turns standing in front of the word wall and swat the correct vocabulary word when the definition is read to them.  This allows students to use be active and utilize physical responses to help them remember the new vocabulary words.  It also offers an informal way to assess student vocabulary development.  Another flash card activity we use is the “matching” game. Students work with partners flipping cards over until they match all of the vocabulary words and their meanings.  Mimio connect versions of match games can used as well.  Mindmapping is another great way to learn new vocabulary.  Students need to start by writing a vocabulary word on a piece of paper.  Then, students surround the word with other words and drawings that define it. This can also be completed as a whole group activity using the computer with the wordle.net website and classroom projector.  Wordle is a website for generating “word clouds” from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text.

I try to encourage parents to read to or with their children every night by assigning a “read and respond” assignment each night as homework.  Students are encouraged to read to their parents at least 20 minutes every evening and respond on a weekly response sheet.  On my website, I encourage nightly reading with parents.  Parents can help their children learn by listening to them read either in their first language or English, whichever they feel most comfortable using. Even if they don’t read, it is very important to look at books and talk about the pictures.  It is also important to give them paper and pencils, encourage them to write or draw, and look at their homework.

Reflection Methods Journal 1

Part 3-Refine

One strategy I use to help students learn content vocabulary is picture flash cards.  Students write the words on one side and draw a picture and/or write the definition on the other side depending on their level of writing development.  Creating images of the vocabulary help students to more easily remember them.   Also, flashcards are portable and students can take the cards home to study them.  Also to help students master vocabulary words, I use word walls and games.  In the “Fly Swatter” game, students take turns standing in front of the word wall and swat the correct vocabulary word when the definition is read to them.  This allows students to use be active and utilize physical responses to help them remember the new vocabulary words.  It also offers an informal way to assess student vocabulary development.  Another flash card activity we use is the “matching” game. Students work with partners flipping cards over until they match all of the vocabulary words and their meanings.  Mimio connect versions of match games can used as well.  Mindmapping is another great way to learn new vocabulary.  Students need to start by writing a vocabulary word on a piece of paper.  Then, students surround the word with other words and drawings that define it. This can also be completed as a whole group activity using the computer with the wordle.net website and classroom projector.  Wordle is a website for generating “word clouds” from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text.

I try to encourage parents to read to or with their children every night by assigning a “read and respond” assignment each night as homework.  Students are encouraged to read to their parents at least 20 minutes every evening and respond on a weekly response sheet.  On my website, I encourage nightly reading with parents.  Parents can help their children learn by listening to them read either in their first language or English, whichever they feel most comfortable using. Even if they don’t read, it is very important to look at books and talk about the pictures.  It is also important to give them paper and pencils, encourage them to write or draw, and look at their homework.

Journal 1-Findlay

Refine-How will I use this information in the classroom?

            The section on chapter 5 in Reading, Writing, and Learning in ESL titled Home and School Environments that Nurture Emergent Literacy really hit home to me.  The families described sound very much like the families my students come from.  18 of my students come from a home where English is not the primary language.  All of my students are served by free and reduced lunch, and many of their parents are not literate or did not attend school after middle or high school.  I will admit that I have used that as an excuse in the past, by saying, “my students don’t have literature at home to build on.”  If I only took one thing from this reading assignment, it’s the fact that no matter the level of education, poverty, or language, all children have literacy experiences outside of school and these experience help them build their language abilities. 

            This is not to say that my job is over.  My job is just beginning.   I must use the literature that students do have to help promote both the students and their families understanding of what students should be learning.  Some suggestions given by the authors are ones that I plan on using in the near future.  A literacy backpack is a terrific idea.  I plan on using this to send home Language Arts games that the families can play together.  I would like to have several bags with different games that can be rotated through the students.    I would also like to use the idea presented in class and record books online that students can access at home.  I am going to have to begin by setting up a class website that I can save the recordings on.  Then I’ll have to choose some of the favorite books that we’ve read as a class and spend some time recording them.  This may be a big task but I think this is something that all of my students will love and benefit greatly from.  Lastly, I would like each student to have a journal as part of their homework.  It could serve two purposes.  First, this is where they will respond to the books they’ve read for reading homework.  I’d like this also, to be somewhat of a communication between the student and myself.  I think having them write a letter to me telling about what they read would be a fun way to practice writing with a purpose.  I then could respond to their letters with instruction or simply a note of encouragement.  

            Another topic discussed that I would like to improve on is involving parents in their child’s writing process.  After talking with parents during parent-teacher conferences, I realize that when I explain their child’s grades in writing, many of them think I am talking about handwriting.  They always tell me that they have their child write or copy things over and over again to practice writing neatly.  I try to explain, in my broken Spanish, that what I am more concerned about is their ideas, creativity, and originality in producing written pieces.  I think that if I included more writing activities that students could do at home which include the other members of the family, the students’ writing abilities would increase and the parents would become more aware of what it is that I’m looking for in terms of their child’s writing abilities. 

Lastly, chapter 26 in Fundamentals of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages focuses on using technology in the classroom.  Now, this is my cup of tea, however, I did read some great ideas on how to improve my technology use in the classroom.  One suggestion given was recording directions so that English learners can replay them and listen to them over and over again.  The website Voki.com allows you to create a character, record or type in text and the character talks.  I would like to use this for center directions.  I can record the directions for my math centers using a cute character and even a funny voice, and my students can replay them if needed.  This would not only provide them an opportunity to listen for an authentic purpose, and replay it for comprehension, but it would also relieve me of having to repeat directions multiple times for students who didn’t listen or failed to understand the first time. 

I believe that all of these ideas will benefit my English learners as well as native English speakers.  I am anxious to put them into use in my classroom. 

Journal 1- Courtney Ellis

Refine- How will you use the information in your classroom?

            While reading this week, I have several things that I want to try in my classroom. The first is the use of dialogue journals. Having students write about their day, what they have learned, or even what is on their mind and then taking time to respond to them is a great idea. This helps them to learn that writing has a purpose and is meaningful. Since we only have nine weeks left of school, I think this is something that I could try and see if it works with my class. Then I could incorporate it at the beginning of the year with my students next year. The teacher that teaches next door to me has students write about their day in a bus journal during dismissal. When they finish, they come up and show her what they have written and she talks to them about it. It only takes about two minutes per student and they get really excited to have the opportunity to share their writing. I want to find a balance between these two ideas in my classroom.

            Another good idea that I want to try is to incorporate more technology in my classroom. I basically have been sticking to what is quick and easy using resources like Brainpop Jr. and PebbleGo. There are many new things that I learned about that I would like to try. One of them is to use short videos or songs to pre-teach a skill or help them remember one. I have seen several great songs to teach grammar skills like adverbs and adjectives. Music is a fun way to remember concepts and I have seen beginner ELL students remember things they learned in songs from music class.  My students all seem to like music so that would be something fun and different to try. I could also post the videos/songs on my webpage so that the students could access them at home. This would also be a great way for them to teach their parents as well.

            Another idea I really liked was the one shared in our class last week about recording different stories for students to listen to. I think this is a great way for students to hear what a fluent reader sounds like and would be great for ELL students who still need help reading books. I know my students love the listening center in the classroom and I could even play these recordings there for students that cannot access them from home. This also does not have to just be limited to recordings of stories. In Social Studies, we learn a lot about different people from the history of our state. We do not have enough of the books to send home with the students. I could record these biographies and then email them to parents so that the students could hear the information at home. This will help the parents that want more resources for their children at home.

            Overall, I have some great strategies and ideas that I can’t wait to try using in my classroom for the remainder of the school year. Trying these new things will help keep my students motivated and focused on learning during what can be a crazy time in the school year.

Kristin Neely

Refine- How will you use the information in your classroom?

Both of these chapters had lots of great ideas for my classroom.  I love the idea of acting out a play or story in groups.  You could also videotape this to watch later or share with parents.  The ELs could have smaller speaking roles or just roles that require them to act like an animal or make animal noises if they are not completely comfortable with English.  This chapter also suggested having email pen pals from a reliable group called ePALs.  I am definitely going to go online and check this out.  Children need to practice communication and writing skills, and this is a way to easily use technology to communicate! You can help the ELs with their writing, or two children could buddy up in our classroom to write an email together to their new friend. Another way I integrate technology is by using websites like Pebble Go and Book Flix.  These websites read books online to the children, which models fluency and expression.  This is an easy homework assignment and can help the parents become better readers too.  Through Pinterest, I am also discovering some reliable sources on YouTube of famous authors reading children’s books.  Along with listening to books on CD, these are easy and fun ways for ELs and other struggling readers to gain more exposure to quality texts read aloud in their new language. 

Chapter 5 had some great ideas on how to better immerse literacy into the classroom.  I liked the idea of adding a picture of the child to their name on the word wall.  I always have my kids decorate their name for the word wall on the first day of school.  Adding a picture would be fun, helpful for those who can’t read yet, and it would build a sense of community!  On page 202 in chapter 5, the authors suggest using dialog journals to model correct writing habits.  The student will write 1-2 sentences to the teacher, and the teacher will respond and ask questions.  The teacher won’t blatantly correct grammar or spelling, but will model the correct way to write and spell inconspicuously.  The EL will hopefully feel comfortable writing to just the teacher and can practice spelling and writing without the fear of embarrassment.  I tried these journals a couple years ago, and it was a struggle to keep up with the job of responding to all of my kids.  It's a fantastic idea, and any suggestions on managing this with 25 first graders this year are quite welcome!

Doris Reynierson - Journal 1 - Refine

REFINE

As a special education teacher to mid-functioning children in the autism spectrum, I use many adapted and modified strategies to teach my students to read and write.  I rely on visuals and repetitive strategies to support reading and writing as these are the strategies found most successful in autistic children.  I use assessment, daily journals, labeling, name charts, play centers, read aloud, shared reading, wall charts, word recognition,  alphabet books, big books, holiday books, teacher made books, books related to themes. I use technology to maintain engagement, simplified and supplemental materials for individual instruction, and choral and class reading to create a reading and writing community in the classroom.  I will refine my instruction by leveling student reading and writing development to make better decisions when implementing individual student modifications to optimize reading and writing growth opportunities.  Maintaining student portfolios with check lists of development and planning scaffold will ensure individual student need is addressed. This practice will fine tune my teaching skills when called upon to teach English Language Learners as well. Another practice I will refine is home to school activities that promote parent involvement.  In any learning environment, general, special, or ESOL, parent involvement is directly related to student success.  Research shows the greater the parental involvement, in terms of communication and educational input for their children, the higher grades, test scores, graduations rates, better school attendance, increased motivation, and better self-esteem, and in this case, increased literacy development. Home/school partnerships help all students succeed in school and later in life.