Active Engagement in Learning!

Active Engagement in Learning!





Role playing, storytelling, drama






Tuesday, April 30, 2013

ED481/G REMINDERS AND MORE

Dear ED481/G Students,

I'm pleased with the work that you've accomplished, knowledge that you've gained, strategies that you've learned, and so much more! In any event, it's that time of the semester again wherein we need to finalize all remaining course requirements. By now all assignments that you've submitted throughout the semester should have been graded. If I missed anything, please let me know as soon as possible.

If you haven't caught up, it is imperative that you communicate with me immediately. I have made considerations on a case-by-case basis with the understanding that quality work will be submitted.

Keep in mind that this Thursday we will be meeting in class. Be prepared to present your ESL Method Demonstration. We will also review Chapters 19 & 20.

As a recap, the following are the remaining topics for our class:

MAY 2:
-Chapter 19: Foreign Language Programs
-Chapter 20: Two-Way Bilingual and Heritage Tribal Language Programs
-Chapter 18 Reaction Paper Due
-LiveText Portfolio Discussion Continued
-Post Reflection in Class Blog at www.blogger.com (http://ed481spring2013.blogspot.com) 

MAY 9:
-Moodle online session–University of Guam: campus.uogdistance.com
-Case Studies: Teacher Narrations to Stimulate Professional Dialogue
-Chapters 19 & 20 Reaction Papers Due
-Final Self-Reflection Due
-Finalization of Online Portfolio Discussion
-Post Reflection in Class Blog at www.blogger.com (http://ed481spring2013.blogspot.com) 

MAY 16:
-Service Learning Presentation
-LiveText Portfolio Submission
-Post Final Reflection in Class Blog at www.blogger.com (http://ed481spring2013.blogspot.com)

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Be sure to also keep up with your blogging, as it is part of our online collaboration. You must reply/comment on your classmates' postings/entries as well.

As you know, I modified the lengthy LiveText Portfolio designing/submission in order to meet the needs of those who require additional time to complete the rest of the course requirements. Therefore, with regards to LiveText, you will only be required to submit the main artifact, namely the SIOP lesson plan, which was due on April 11, 2013. You may submit this in LiveText now, if you haven't already.

Good luck, keep me posted, and I'll see you on Thursday!

All the best,
Dr. Rivera

Friday, April 26, 2013

ESL Struggles and some strategies to help these students

This video identifies the struggles that face ELS today as well as numerous effective teaching strategies that can be used to combat them.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

SIOP in Action

I wanted to know what was out there for SIOP lesson plans, and found this one. There is a lesson that makes use of SIOP lesson plan called “Exploring China through Folktales,” focusing on education for global understanding. I think it is one example of teaching language through content area, enhanced with technology. I am not planning to use the lesson but I have gotten some good ideas after I looked at the lesson plan. Having your own professional blog and reading other’s in the same profession seems like a seminar online, exchanging ideas and learning from each other.
http://mswaughsclass.blogspot.com/2013/03/exploring-china-through-folktales-siop.html

Monday, April 22, 2013

Tools for teaching-"Teaching Without Words"

The following clip explains how words pose an obstacle to learning, most especially for our English Language Learners. The narrator of the clip is Matthew Peterson, the creator of an instructional software that teaches math without using language. Peterson provides games that teachers can use within the classroom as a way of being effective without having to speak.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2VLje8QRrwg




Affective Learning at BMS

As a first -year teacher at Benavente Middle School, I have witnessed many exciting initiatives that are taking place at my school. For example, an Advisor-Advisee Period (AAP) has been implemented as a course that replaced home room. The focus of AAP is not academics. Instead, teacher and student work intimately within a small classroom setting in order to improve and build positive characters. Students engage in a myriad of activities that highlight our school ESLR's. Every month a new theme is introduced and taught to the students using a structured lesson plan that is distributed school wide and created by teachers. Examples of past themes include: Peace, Giving Back to the Community, and Preventing School Bullying. In addition, students participate in Exploratory Day (initially called AAP Fun Day) in which a variety of courses ranging from intra-murals to cooking to Anime are offered and taught by teachers. Students have the option to change their Exploratory Day course every quarter, thus allowing them the option to explore and participate in activities that are of interest. So far, the AAP program at BMS has proven to be a success among the students because of its focus on personalization and building stronger relationships. 


Thursday, April 18, 2013

Post by: FINA LEON GUERRERO

Shared Knowledge or Cooperative Learning

I have not missed to post reflection on the blog once. But, this time, when I opened the blog, I found many shared ideas all of which are very intriguing. So, I decided to write comments for those postings instead of putting something new this week. I enjoyed watching video clips, reading your ideas and picking your brain from your posting. I see this as an example of cooperative learning since you are sharing your experiences and findings with the rest of the class. Obviously, we can have cooperative learning without being in a physical classroom, thanks to the technology and thanks to you all.

Affective Activity: BLOGGING

Affective activities are great ways to make learning meaningful. One idea for an affective activity would be to create blogs for students to use. Because students are technology savvy and have access to it at home or at school, it would be an engaging way for students to apply their skills in the target language. Here is a link for teachers to create educational and safe blogs for students of all grades and courses: http://kidblog.org/home/

 

Digital Storytelling in the Foreign Language Classroom



Digital storytelling is a compelling activity for the language classroom. Easy to use for both writing and speaking practice, digital storytelling can be a good way to motivate students to use the language both inside and outside the classroom. Many teachers report high motivation levels, and not only for their students! This is interesting!



Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Using the first language and the target language in the classroom

Only having the target language spoken in a second language classroom, I think, could be too overwhelming for students. However, just speaking completely in the students' first language might not be much better. I think a mix of the two should be used. A teacher should modify their speech so when they do speak in the target language, they say words that the students know and have studied. If a word has to be spoken that the students do not know, then the teacher should provide the students a translation of the word. Although the below video is on the subject of a game, the teacher mostly speaks in English to his Japanese students. However, he then says it in Japanese if they don't understand. For example, the first question he asks is, 'What day is today?'. When none of the students answer he say in Japanese, '今日は何曜日ですか?' , which is 'What day is today?'( Although he doesn't say the particle は in the video.) That way the students can hear the question in English first and then the question in Japanese. 

-Kaylynne


Tuesday, April 16, 2013

The Power of Poetry

In chapter 10 it discussed the effectiveness of incorporating chants, music, and poetry. So, I saw it fit that I share with the class this YouTube clip on the power of poetry. The affect it has on an individual, especially an ELL, who can use poetry to express deeper thoughts and messages in a creative way that may be more comfortable for the ELL. Overall, this clip is the animation of Shane Koyczan's deepest issues and thoughts and how poetry helped him. What are your thoughts on the clip? 

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Online Games

As we discussed in class and in our readings, we know that games are effective when it comes to learning. Considering our students are technologically savvy, online games came to mind. Because we are starting to see an increase in technology use within our student population, it would be a great idea to introduce our students to online games that are related to our lessons or provide practice in particular skills. There are various games online for different ages and contents and skills. Some games even require cooperative learning. I found images of a few games. Many games are made for younger students, however they have realistic online games that cater to the vocational and life skills for older students (such as the ATM game shown in the image below). The Internet is filled with games that are free and available. Looking through different apps and recommending them to students is also a great idea.
  

Ways to Promote Literacy Development

“Activities to promote literacy – Raising Children Network” is a parenting website in Australia and their slogan is “A child’s journey towards literacy involves learning to speak, listen, read, understand, watch, draw and write. You can help your child develop these skills from birth.” I will adapt their slogan to facilitate my ESL students, trying out the activities that the website has to offer. I believe that as a teacher, I can help my ELLs develop their language skills in promoting their literacy just like a parent could for his or her child. http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/activities_to_promote_literacy.html.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

The Silent Way Approach

Being I am not a teacher, I find that videos of methods discussed in the book really help in my understanding. Sometimes I will just go through Youtube watching any type of method being taught in an ESL class. I came across the 'Silent Way' approach and thought it was quite interesting. There isn't anything quite silent about this method, but instead the students will come up with their own sounds from the English language. After enough of these sounds are assigned to colors, they can be stringed together to form words. I don't know how effective this method would be but I think if it was paired with other approaches, it could be helpful for students.

-Kaylynne

   

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Simon Says!

In this clip, the game Simon Says is used as an instructional teaching strategy rather than simply an elimination game. Students are not eliminated as soon as they make a mistake. Instead, students acquire points and are allowed to continue playing whenever the teacher says the game is over. As discussed in our class, using games to teach our ELLs is beneficial because it appeals to all types of learners--visual, tactile, and, aural. Students are able to more quickly grasp concepts, such as the different body parts, because the game allows students to engage their sense of sight, sound, and touch when making the connection.

Jazz Chant Workshop

The creator of jazz chants, Carolyn Graham, conducted a workshop for teachers to develop unique jazz chants for their ELLs.  Jazz chants reinforce vocabulary and grammar, while lowering anxiety.  Watching Graham's workshop brought the concept alive and gave me a method for creating jazz chants.  The following is an informative 10 minute clip from Graham's workshop.

Carolyn Graham Jazz Chant Workshop


Thursday, April 4, 2013

Active Engagement in Learning - 4-4-13


Songs for kids

Kids enjoy songs and are able to pick it up quickly when used in the classroom. The following clip is an example of a song about making new friends that is accompanied by music, lyrics, and visuals. Showing these kinds of clips may be beneficial for english language learners. This and many more songs and clips can be found at this website:


Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Learning a second language with music

In my own personal experience, I found listening to songs in the target language that I was learning to be very helpful in my listening comprehension. I would first listen to the song and write down any words that I understood. Afterward, I would go over the lyrics in the target language while listening to the song again. I would then start to translate the song into English with the help of a dictionary. While I could have easily just found the song already translated off of the internet, I found that if I translated the song myself, I was able to remember new vocabulary that was in the song better.

-Kaylynne

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Storytelling: One activity dear to our hearts, valuable to our ESL teaching career

We grew up listening to our bedtime stories. Being a mother of two and having worked at a community childcare center and a daycare facility, I have told stories many of a time. After reading "Exploring Methods and Activities" in Making It Happen, I am more convinced of the value of storytelling, its positive impact and  impeccable result in language learning. Enjoy this clip of storytelling with young children and see if you want to modify some things for your ESL class.