The Language & Learning Post

Weekly News, Tips and information for the classroom teacher of English Language Learners!
Key Ideas--
One of the BEST books I have ever read and actually put
directly into classroom instruction is Comprehension
Connections: Bridges to Strategic Reading by, Stephanie
Harvey. This book outlines seven specific skills all readers
need. She presents each skill through an ordered sequence:
concrete experience, sensory exercise, wordless picture book,
and time for text. If you have never read or used this book, I
have a copy and highly recommend it. (And I am not a huge
reader!)
Every chapter is so good I dont even know where to start to
share with you! This week I want to share a glimpse from her
chapter on teaching Determining Importance. As many of
you have been teaching persuasive, poetry and procedural
text, determining importance is a skill kids struggle with. Sifting
through the details to find the meat takes training. Harveys
sensory exercise is an activity of pouring a pot of water and
pasta noodles into a strainer to separate the noodles and the
water. She then asks, How is good reading like preparing
spaghetti? Some of the student responses were...
Your brain is like the strainer and the words are like the
noodles. When you read something its like pouring in
through your eyes and then it goes through your brain. The
spaghetti water is not important so you dont need it. --- I love
this example! I think we forget that our kids need us to make
the INVISIBLE job of thinking VISIBLE. And for the ELL student,
it is nonnegotiable. I will share a little from this book each week
for the next few newsletters, but feel free to come check it out if
you would like.
ELPS FOCUS For the week of 1/13/13
Kinder
use sLraLeglc
learnlng
Lechnlques such
as concepL
mapplng,
drawlng,
memorlzlng,
comparlng,
conLrasung, and
revlewlng Lo
acqulre baslc
and grade-level
vocabulary.[1C]
FIrst
*4! demonsLraLe
Lngllsh
comprehenslon
and expand
readlng skllls by
predlcung,
maklng
connecuons,
drawlng
lnferences and
concluslons from
LexL and graphlc
sources.
Second
*use prereadlng
supporLs such as
preLaughL Loplc-
relaLed vocabulary
and oLher prereadlng
acuvlues Lo enhance
comprehenslon of
wrluen LexL.
[4u]demonsLraLe
Lngllsh
comprehenslon and
expand readlng skllls
by employlng baslc
readlng skllls such as
demonsLraung
undersLandlng of
supporung ldeas and
deLalls ln LexL [4l]
Third
*[4l] use vlsual
and conLexLual
supporL and
supporL from
peers and
Leachers Lo read
grade-
approprlaLe
conLenL-area
LexL.
Fourth
* Leachers Lo read
grade-approprlaLe
conLenL-area LexL,
enhance and
conrm
undersLandlng,
and develop
vocabulary, grasp
of language
sLrucLures, and
background
knowledge needed
Lo comprehend
lncreaslngly
challenglng
language.
Fifth
* 4l demonsLraLe
comprehenslon by
employlng baslc
readlng skllls such
as demonsLraung
undersLandlng of
supporung ldeas
and deLalls ln LexL
and graphlc
sources,
summarlzlng LexL,
and dlsungulshlng
maln ldeas from
deLalls
commensuraLe
wlLh conLenL-area
needs.
Sixth
* 4k demonsLraLe
Lngllsh
comprehenslon
and expand
readlng skllls by
employlng
analyucal skllls
such as evaluaung
wrluen
lnformauon and
performlng crlucal
analyses
commensuraLe
wlLh conLenL area
and grade level
needs.
by, Alissa Tubbs
ESL Teacher
Lawrence
Songs & quotes to use for Determining Importance
*Coat of Many Colors by, Dolly Parton
*Secret o Life by, James Taylor
----The truth is more important thant he facts.
Frank Lloyd Wright, architiect
----In your thirst for knowledge, be sure not to drown in all the information.
Anthony J DAngelo, author
A Word about VOCABULARY...
One tool to include with new vocab words
is a pictoral or nonlinguist representation.
As I was reading Classroom INstruction
that Works with English Language
Learners, I noticed they suggested
pictograph images. These look like stick
people and caveman drawings. I have
found that for many learners any kind of
picture helps when learning a new
concept. Try adding some stick people or
cave drawings to your interactive
journals the next time you introduce new
content vocabulary!