RUNNING HEAD: Language Diversity Plan

Language Diversity Plan Stephanie Schott University o Utah

Language Diversity Plan Language Diversity Plan

English Learners "ELs# are an ever$gro%ing population& an' teachers have a uni(ue opportunity to help the) 'evelop *oth in content an' language pro iciency+ ,hen I too- the content$*ase' language instruction class& one o the ele)ents that struc- a chor' %ith )e %as the 'ual co))it)ent place' on language an' content o*.ectives+ I %as ascinate' to learn that there %as signi icant research *ac-ing up )y intuition that language an' content *oth strengthen an' increase the 'evelop)ent o each other+ As hu)ans& %e learn nothing in a vacuu)+ I have learne' the i)portance o helping )y stu'ents 'evelop language s-ills& not .ust or the sa-e o allo%ing the) to co)prehen' )ore content& *ut *ecause /ath is also a language 0 un'erstan'ing the rules o one helps us un'erstan' the rules o the other+ As such& it is i)portant as %e plan each lesson that %e ta-e care to use a variety o language 'evelop)ent activities throughout the year so that %e can strengthen our stu'ents1 language a*ility in all our language )o'alities "rea'ing& %riting& listening& an' spea-ing# as %ell as learning a*out language itsel "gra))ar an' conventions& %or' stu'y& etc+#+ ,hile e2plicitly teaching content voca*ulary an' having stu'ents use language to convey content un'erstan'ing are i)portant aspects o teaching& these alone %ill not *e enough to help our stu'ents 'evelop linguistically+ An' although English classes are %on'er ul opportunities or stu'ents to i)prove language s-ills& stu'ents %ith 'eveloping English a*ilities nee' all the opportunities to practice an' receive ee'*ac- as they can get+ 3ecause co))unication is an integral part o )athe)atics& I %ill incorporate spea-ing& listening& rea'ing& an' %riting into )y activities %ith speci ic language goals that co)ple)ent the content o*.ectives *ecause this %ill help all o )y stu'ents *eco)e *etter )athe)aticians an' hu)ans in general+ An i)portant aspect o %or-ing %ith EL stu'ents is un'erstan'ing appropriate )o'i ications as outline' in ,IDA stan'ar's in or'er to help the) access content an' utili4e their intelligence %hile

Language Diversity Plan

sca ol'ing their linguistic 'evelop)ent+ 6his is %hy having language an' content o*.ectives is critical& *ecause it helps us as e'ucators )a-e in or)e' 'ecisions 'uring lesson planning& i)ple)entation& an' assess)ent+ It is i)portant to 'eter)ine ahea' o ti)e the levels o language an' content pro iciency e2pecte'& an' to *e sure that there is a *alance' cognitive 'e)an' or EL learners+ 7or e2a)ple& %hen intro'ucing a ne% content& I %oul' *e care ul to ollo% ,IDA gui'elines in 'eter)ining accessi*ility o planne' activities an' assess)ents& preparing )o'i ications as nee'e'& such as allo%ing stu'ents to 'ra% an' la*el 'iagra)s rather than %riting a short response+ Ho%ever& %hen %e get to the stage o consoli'ating an' revie% that sa)e content& I %oul' plan a content relate' activity that %oul' have a speci ic linguistic ocus+ 7or e2a)ple& I %oul' have stu'ents %rite a response to content$*ase' pro)pt& *ut articulate that part o their gra'ing %oul' inclu'e proper gra))ar conventions an' co)plete sentences& an' 'e)onstrate so)e e2a)ples an' non$e2a)ples stu'ents can use as re erence+ Using a variety o assess)ent types %ill help )e to *etter 'eter)ine the language an' content -no%le'ge o in'ivi'ual stu'ents& an' giving stu'ents a choice in their assess)ent type can help the) 'e)onstrate their content -no%le'ge the *est %ay they can+ So)e o these assess)ent types inclu'e& *ut are not li)ite' to: ver*al or %ritten responses& )ultiple choice (ui44es& art or cra t& poster& )ulti)e'ia presentation& vi'eo or s-it& )usic or poetry& oral presentation& 'e)onstration& %ritten report& port olios& *ench)ar- (ui44es& partner shares& *log posts& %or-sheets& etc+ ,hen it co)es to assess)ents one o the )ost i)portant aspects is to *e e2plicit in 'eveloping ru*rics or gra'ing criteria as %ell as the )aterials the)selves "such as test (uestions& pro)pts& or presentation gui'elines# that speci ically 'elineate the content an' language e2pectations+ Literacy an' language 'evelop)ent is one o the ocuses o the 8o))on 8ore+ ,hile inclu'ing language o*.ectives in 'aily lesson plans is one %ay to achieve these goals& I also plan on involving language on a *roa'er sense+ I %ant )y stu'ents to get lots o practice %ith all our language )o'es in all %e 'o& so I plan to inclu'e )ath .ournaling& group an' %hole class 'iscussions& presenting in ront

Language Diversity Plan

o the class& rea'ing )ath articles& *oo-s& an' other te2ts or co)prehension& activities that challenge listening s-ills& an' )ore or)al aca'e)ic %riting "inclu'ing the 'ra ting process# on a regular *asis as part o the *asic classroo) structure+ 6hese practices not only help stu'ents to 'evelop linguistically& *ut it also helps to re'e ine stu'ent1s conception o )ath an' prepare the) or all acets o %hat it )eans to *e a /athe)atician+ 6he %ay %e teach content itsel )a-es a huge i)pact on our stu'ents an' their linguistic 'evelop)ent+ Rather than si)ply teaching )ath as a series o rules an' algorith)s& I thin- it is ar )ore e ective to allo% stu'ents to e2peri)ent an' 'iscover relationships an' i'enti y concepts the)selves+ /any stu'ents are una%are o the origins o every'ay li e+ 3y intro'ucing the) to to the conte2t an' pro*le)s surroun'ing )athe)atical 'iscoveries& an' helping the) )a-e parallels to their o%n e2periences& %e help the) in' a place to tie ne% -no%le'ge to an' )a-e it )eaning ul& regar'less o the language they originally connecte' to these e2periences+ 3y allo%ing stu'ents to %or- %ith visuals an' )anipulatives& %e can help the) to 'evelop their o%n representations an' )ne)onics or )ore a*stract concepts that %ill help the) )a-e sense o i'eas an' things *e ore 'escri*ing the) %ith language+ 3ut one o the )ost i)portant things )ath e'ucators can 'o is to help stu'ents to see the relevance o the )ath they are learning+ I thin- that stu'ents 'evelop a ar greater un'erstan'ing o )athe)atical concepts an' s-ills *y solving a challenging& )eaning ul pro*le) "such as a co))unity concern# than *y co)pleting a %or-sheet ull o 'econte2tuali4e' co)putations+ Incorporating social .ustice& sustaina*ility& an' co))unity concerns into the curriculu) as the the)es or the pro*le)s& e(uations& an' concepts they learn can help the) to see that *oth )ath an' language help us to 'iscover an' co))unicate -ey i'eas that lea' to solutions+ 8ulturally relevant teaching an' )eaning ul pro*le)s can help stu'ents o all a*ility levels eel there is so)ething %orth %or-ing or& that they are nee'e' personally+ A''itionally& it is i)portant to 'o all %e can to set stu'ents up or success+ 3y having an or'erly

Language Diversity Plan

classroo)& having set classroo) processes an' proce'ures& an' *y posting agen'as an' 'irections "possi*ly inclu'ing pictures# %e can help stu'ents -no% %hat to e2pect an' prepare or the 'aily activities so that %e re'uce their a ective ilter+ Also& it is i)portant to *e %illing to %or- %ith stu'ents& *e le2i*le& an' *e on the loo-out or potential )isco))unication+ Another aspect o e ective teaching or ELs is 'eveloping a co))unity environ)ent in the classroo) %here )y stu'ents -no% that e(uity an' e(ual opportunities or success %ill pro*a*ly loo'i erent or each stu'ent& *ut %hat )atters is that %e are 'oing all %e can to )a-e sure every )e)*er o the class has the opportunity to learn an' gro%+ I %ant )y stu'ents to -no% that I respect the 'e)an's that learning content an' language places on the)& an' I %ill *e un'erstan'ing o this %hile )aintaining high "*ut reasona*le# e2pectations+ I %ill re(uire all o )y stu'ents to step outsi'e o the in'ivi'ual success )o'el an' %or- together to help everyone progress& %hich )eans that I %ill *e very strict a*out en orcing class rules *ase' on the principle o respect+ I also -no% ho% i)portant it is or ELs in particular to *e a*le to hear instructions& an' *y )aintaining class )anage)ent 'uring the instructional perio' I %ill -eep things or'erly so it is easier or stu'ents to hear an' ollo% along+ ,hile I %ill have high e2pectations o all o )y stu'ents& I %ant )y ELs to -no% they are not alone& an' I %ill 'o all I can to %or- %ith the) an' )eet the) hal %ay+ English is )y only luent language+ I 'o -no% a little o so)e languages an' %ant to learn )ore& *ut I %ill not *e a*le to learn all the languages )y stu'ents %ill spea-+ Ho%ever& going to the trou*le to learn a e% %or's& or ta-ing the ti)e to arrange or translation %here possi*le can *e a goo' aith gesture that lets stu'ents an' parents -no% that %e value the)& that %e %ant to un'erstan'& an' that %e care+ E2pan'ing on this& 'eveloping positive relationships %ith EL stu'ents is also critical or their success+ I have e2perience' irsthan' the struggles o co))unication an' e2pression %hen you are in a setting %here the 'o)inant language is 'i erent ro) your o%n+ I e2perience' the cognitive atigue o co'e s%itching an' constant active attention& an' I also oun' strategies that helpe' )e to *e

Language Diversity Plan

success ul+ Ho%ever& one o the greatest lessons I learne' %as the po%er o the relationships I or)e' %ith the in'ivi'uals I %or-e' %ith to overco)e )any challenges+ ,e all %or-e' together to try to un'erstan' each other& an' there %as )utual respect an' appreciation or %hat each other ha' to o er& an' all parties )a'e e orts to help each other succee'+ I learne' that it is o ten e2hausting or our ELs& an' %e have to *e patient an' un'erstan'ing& %hile at the sa)e ti)e creating opportunities that %ill e)phasi4e continue' engage)ent+ 3y )aintaining relationships %e give the) a reason to -eep trying even %hen it gets har'+ I %ant to learn a*out each o )y stu'ents& particularly a*out their strengths an' interests& so I can use the) as assets in the classroo)+ I -no% all )y stu'ents have vast s-ills& a*ilities& an' e2periences they can share& an' *y giving all stu'ents respect an' 'ignity I can help the) stay )otivate' an' )ove past 'iscourage)ents an' help the) eel that they are a value' an' essential part o our co))unity+ < ten the uni(ue personal e2periences an' custo)s these stu'ents have can *e precisely the insight or 1out o the *o21 thin-ing %e nee' to solve pro*le)s I -no% I have a lot to learn %hen it co)es to e ectively teaching EL stu'ents+ 3ut I also -no% that )y stu'ents an' I %ill %or- together an' learn together& an' *y %or-ing together rather than against each other %e %ill all gro% 0 not only as stu'ents an' teachers& *ut as in'ivi'uals in society %ith great potential+