I think it is a benefit to have literary circles. It gives the chance for the students to interact without worring about giving the wrong answers. Since we were working together as a group, the students were working together and giving suggestions to each other.
The students seemed to enjoy the project. I think they were releived that we did a literature circle instead of a normal test. They were open about their family traditions, and we learned as much about each other as we did from the story.
The students liked the story. Since our school has only white and Hispanic children, it gave them the chance to learn about other cultures. They were asking questions about the children in the story, especially Sanu. The Hispanic students are not familiar with Africian American families, and they asked many questions concerning their culture.
I think literature circles are good for ESL students because it is safe. They could share answers and experiences. It was a way that they could relax and enjoy learning without worring about missing an answer. The students were able to bond through similiar experiences, yet appreciate differences.
If I were to repeat this lesson, I would bring pictures of my family celebrating American customs such as Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July. I would also allow them to bring pictures of their families so we could compare different family traditions.
I would suggest that other ESL professionals implement literary circles. It is a great way for the students learn to work as a team and learn more about each other as individuals.
Two excellent sites for implementing literature circles are as follows:
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=19
http://www.litcircles.org/
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Reflective Fieldnote Blog #4
My overall impression of this evaluation is that it is a very useful tool for teachers. By focusing on one particular student, the teacher is able to identify the needs of the student. The personal interview is an excellent way to form a relationship and trust. By finding out
more about the student's family, interests, and culture, the teacher can modify instruction to better meet his/her needs.
One result of the field work was that I was able to identify some educational gaps in E.H.'s reading foundation. I knew he struggled with multi-syllable words. However, by focusing on him, I was able to identify that he did not understand the difference between open and closed syllable types. In addition, E.H. was having trouble identifying many sight words.
I think the value of the case study is that teachers can realize important information about a particular student and evaluate how to meet his needs. With 20 students and many new state standards, it is easy to overlook the needs of any one student. By focusing on one student as much as possible, the teacher can discover new ways to help this child.
The ethnographic narrative was a bonding experience for E.H. and me. Since he is new, I have not been able to spent a lot of time with him. Before the interview, he would participate in my reading group, but it was only part of the routine. After the interview he hugged me and asked me if we could do it again. Since we were able to form a relationship, I think he will be more receptive to instruction. Also during the interview, I realized that E.H. had an interest and talent for art. I was able to enroll him in an after school art program so he can develop his artistic talent.
Since I know that multi-syllable words and some sight words are a problem for E.H., I would ask the teacher to review these concepts at the beginning of the year. Also, I would encourage his teacher to help develop his artistic ability by giving him assignments that would provide him the opportunity to be creative.
Some Internet websites that encourage art in the regular classroom are as follows:
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/articles/art-classroom and http://www.nga.gov/education/classroom/
more about the student's family, interests, and culture, the teacher can modify instruction to better meet his/her needs.
One result of the field work was that I was able to identify some educational gaps in E.H.'s reading foundation. I knew he struggled with multi-syllable words. However, by focusing on him, I was able to identify that he did not understand the difference between open and closed syllable types. In addition, E.H. was having trouble identifying many sight words.
I think the value of the case study is that teachers can realize important information about a particular student and evaluate how to meet his needs. With 20 students and many new state standards, it is easy to overlook the needs of any one student. By focusing on one student as much as possible, the teacher can discover new ways to help this child.
The ethnographic narrative was a bonding experience for E.H. and me. Since he is new, I have not been able to spent a lot of time with him. Before the interview, he would participate in my reading group, but it was only part of the routine. After the interview he hugged me and asked me if we could do it again. Since we were able to form a relationship, I think he will be more receptive to instruction. Also during the interview, I realized that E.H. had an interest and talent for art. I was able to enroll him in an after school art program so he can develop his artistic talent.
Since I know that multi-syllable words and some sight words are a problem for E.H., I would ask the teacher to review these concepts at the beginning of the year. Also, I would encourage his teacher to help develop his artistic ability by giving him assignments that would provide him the opportunity to be creative.
Some Internet websites that encourage art in the regular classroom are as follows:
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/articles/art-classroom and http://www.nga.gov/education/classroom/
Friday, October 9, 2009
Blog #3
I think taking the time to conduct action research is beneficial as long as the researcher uses the information to plan their instruction. As a teacher, I am constantly presented with students that may not always understand different concepts. By recording specific areas missed by the students, I can often find patterns needed to be retaught. It also gives me a chance to evaluate the way I am presenting the material, and make necessary accommodations for the students.
In my project, I helped the regular classroom kindergarten teacher complete activities from Phonemic Awareness in Young Children. The book uses auditory examples to teach different PA skills. The area of focus was identifying rhyming words, rhyme production, and beginning sounds. After giving a PA test, I worked with the six students with the lowest scores using visuals and manipulates. Four out of six of these students were ESL. These students received explicit instruction for one week. The students did much better on the post test. The visuals and manipulates helped the students understand the concepts, and helped the students "see" the auditory skills needed for Phonemic Awareness.
All children, especially ESL students, need as much visual clues as possible. By showing the pictures, I was also able to increase their vocabulary and language abilities. It is difficult for the students to identify words that they are not familiar to them. The more visual you can make your instruction, the more verbal you students will become.
Adams, M.L., Foorman, B.R., Lundberg, I. & Beeler, T. Phonemic awareness in young children: A classroom curriculum. Baltimore: Brookes.
Web resources for ESL lesson plans: http://www.csun.edu/~hcedu013/eslplans.html
http://www.eslflow.com/esllessonplans.html (The teaching with pictures ideas are great.)
In my project, I helped the regular classroom kindergarten teacher complete activities from Phonemic Awareness in Young Children. The book uses auditory examples to teach different PA skills. The area of focus was identifying rhyming words, rhyme production, and beginning sounds. After giving a PA test, I worked with the six students with the lowest scores using visuals and manipulates. Four out of six of these students were ESL. These students received explicit instruction for one week. The students did much better on the post test. The visuals and manipulates helped the students understand the concepts, and helped the students "see" the auditory skills needed for Phonemic Awareness.
All children, especially ESL students, need as much visual clues as possible. By showing the pictures, I was also able to increase their vocabulary and language abilities. It is difficult for the students to identify words that they are not familiar to them. The more visual you can make your instruction, the more verbal you students will become.
Adams, M.L., Foorman, B.R., Lundberg, I. & Beeler, T. Phonemic awareness in young children: A classroom curriculum. Baltimore: Brookes.
Web resources for ESL lesson plans: http://www.csun.edu/~hcedu013/eslplans.html
http://www.eslflow.com/esllessonplans.html (The teaching with pictures ideas are great.)
Saturday, September 19, 2009
blog #2
Blog # 2
Observation and Problem Identification
School: Flintville Elementary
Primary Language: English and Spanish (2 students)
Age of Students: 5-6 years old
Grade Level: Kindergarten
Time of Observation : 50 minutes
Date: 9-17-09
Mrs. Cagle was using picture cards for a phonemic awareness activity. She was using the picture cards to categorize beginning sounds. She would place three cards on the pocket chart. Two of the pictures begin with the same sound. For example, one set of pictures contained a bear, boy, and a skunk. As a group, the children identified the two pictures that begin with the same sound. After practicing the routine several times, the teacher let the students have individual practice.
There are two ESL students in this class. The female student choose between a hat, house, and a monkey. She provided the correct answer. The male ESL student choose between a mouse, a kite, and a kangaroo. He choose a mouse and a kangaroo. The teacher asked him if he was sure he wanted the mouse and kangaroo. The student asked, “What's a kangaroo?” The teacher showed him the picture. She handed him the kite and told him that kangaroo and kite both started with the /K/ sound.
After finishing activity on beginning sounds, she had the class participate in another listening activity. Mrs. Cagle read the story The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle. In the story, different farm animals tried to get a spider to play instead of building his web. Mrs. Cagle did not show the pictures until after she read the page. Instead, she would read the first part of the page and have the children say the animal name after she said the sound. For example, she would say “Baa, Baa said the __________”
and the students would complete the sentence by naming the animal. The male ESL student asked another student to identify what animal said quack, whoo, and neigh. Without the visual clues, the student could not identify the animal.
The teacher was participating in activities to improve listening,. However, the male ESL student lacked the necessary vocabulary to benefit from the lesson. This student has a limited English vocabulary. Although he lives in a rural area, he may not have visited a farm and did not know the animal sounds. Also, it is difficult to match beginning sounds when a student does not know the English word. Even if the student knew the pictures in his native language, the word could begin with a different phoneme. With a limited English vocabulary, the male student struggled to answer the teacher's questions.
For lesson plans to help improve vocabulary for ESL students, please visit the following websites:
http://www.esl-galaxy.com/vocabularysheets.html, and http://a4esl.org/.
Observation and Problem Identification
School: Flintville Elementary
Primary Language: English and Spanish (2 students)
Age of Students: 5-6 years old
Grade Level: Kindergarten
Time of Observation : 50 minutes
Date: 9-17-09
Mrs. Cagle was using picture cards for a phonemic awareness activity. She was using the picture cards to categorize beginning sounds. She would place three cards on the pocket chart. Two of the pictures begin with the same sound. For example, one set of pictures contained a bear, boy, and a skunk. As a group, the children identified the two pictures that begin with the same sound. After practicing the routine several times, the teacher let the students have individual practice.
There are two ESL students in this class. The female student choose between a hat, house, and a monkey. She provided the correct answer. The male ESL student choose between a mouse, a kite, and a kangaroo. He choose a mouse and a kangaroo. The teacher asked him if he was sure he wanted the mouse and kangaroo. The student asked, “What's a kangaroo?” The teacher showed him the picture. She handed him the kite and told him that kangaroo and kite both started with the /K/ sound.
After finishing activity on beginning sounds, she had the class participate in another listening activity. Mrs. Cagle read the story The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle. In the story, different farm animals tried to get a spider to play instead of building his web. Mrs. Cagle did not show the pictures until after she read the page. Instead, she would read the first part of the page and have the children say the animal name after she said the sound. For example, she would say “Baa, Baa said the __________”
and the students would complete the sentence by naming the animal. The male ESL student asked another student to identify what animal said quack, whoo, and neigh. Without the visual clues, the student could not identify the animal.
The teacher was participating in activities to improve listening,. However, the male ESL student lacked the necessary vocabulary to benefit from the lesson. This student has a limited English vocabulary. Although he lives in a rural area, he may not have visited a farm and did not know the animal sounds. Also, it is difficult to match beginning sounds when a student does not know the English word. Even if the student knew the pictures in his native language, the word could begin with a different phoneme. With a limited English vocabulary, the male student struggled to answer the teacher's questions.
For lesson plans to help improve vocabulary for ESL students, please visit the following websites:
http://www.esl-galaxy.com/vocabularysheets.html, and http://a4esl.org/.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Observing in the field
Observing in the Field Jena Tabor
I observed Mrs. Cagles's kindergarten on Tuesday, September 8th from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm. There are two ESL students in the classroom. The female student is in the high reading group and speaks fluent English. The male student struggles because of his limited English proficiency.
At the beginning of the lesson, Mrs. Cagle read the book What Rhymes With Snake by Rick Brown. The students were sitting on a large rug listening to the story. The story illustrates different sets of rhyming words such as a snake eating a cake, etc. After reading the book, the teacher gave each student a picture card. On the large pocket chart, Mrs. Cagle placed the matching rhyming picture card. Each student would and identify the picture on his/her card. Next, the student would find the card that rhymes with the one he/she was holding. The teacher explained pictures that the children did not understand, such as shell, snail, and slug. As a class, the students would say the rhyming pairs. For example, the students would say that pig rhymes with wig, or clock rhymes with block.
After all the students completed the activity, they returned to their seats. The teacher passed out a cut and paste worksheet with rhyming words. The students colored and matched the words that rhyme. The teacher monitored the class and helped several students match the correct words together.
Teaching: I feel the purpose of this lesson was to help the students identify rhyming words. The lesson was appropriate for this age group. The story had colorful illustrations that made the students laugh.
By using the picture cards and having each student match a rhyming word, she was able to informally test the students' knowledge of rhyming words. The female ESL student was excited when it was her turn. She matched her rhyming picture on the first try. The male ESL did not understand the picture on the card. It was a picture of a slug. The teacher explained the words and narrowed the choices to a rug and a clock. He was then able to match the picture cards.
Community: There was evidence of “community”when the male ESL student choose the correct picture card. The other students cheered for him. When he returned to his spot on the rug, the little girl next to him leaned over and said, “Good job.”
There is no requirement for being in this classroom except the student must be five by September 30, 2009. The students must live in the Flintville/ Elora area, have proof of age, and an up to date shot record .
Ethnographic Perspective: During this lesson the teacher helped the students comprehend rhyming words. The teacher read a story about rhyming words. The students matched words that rhyme. Next, the students completed a worksheet matching rhyming words. Details of the lesson are given at the top of this entry.
If an observer entered the room, they would see a very organized classroom. The children are well trained to follow daily procedures, and the room itself is neat and orderly. The students are actively involved in learning, and participate in many hand's on activities. Behavior problems are kept to a minimum because the teacher is consistent in following the discipline plan.
I think a second language learner would be welcomed by the teacher and the other students. The students all play and work together, and the ESL students seem to have many friends. As a matter of fact, the students all try to help the male ESL learner with his work, and they often remind him when he forgets to turn in his paper or clean up his art supplies.
I observed Mrs. Cagles's kindergarten on Tuesday, September 8th from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm. There are two ESL students in the classroom. The female student is in the high reading group and speaks fluent English. The male student struggles because of his limited English proficiency.
At the beginning of the lesson, Mrs. Cagle read the book What Rhymes With Snake by Rick Brown. The students were sitting on a large rug listening to the story. The story illustrates different sets of rhyming words such as a snake eating a cake, etc. After reading the book, the teacher gave each student a picture card. On the large pocket chart, Mrs. Cagle placed the matching rhyming picture card. Each student would and identify the picture on his/her card. Next, the student would find the card that rhymes with the one he/she was holding. The teacher explained pictures that the children did not understand, such as shell, snail, and slug. As a class, the students would say the rhyming pairs. For example, the students would say that pig rhymes with wig, or clock rhymes with block.
After all the students completed the activity, they returned to their seats. The teacher passed out a cut and paste worksheet with rhyming words. The students colored and matched the words that rhyme. The teacher monitored the class and helped several students match the correct words together.
Teaching: I feel the purpose of this lesson was to help the students identify rhyming words. The lesson was appropriate for this age group. The story had colorful illustrations that made the students laugh.
By using the picture cards and having each student match a rhyming word, she was able to informally test the students' knowledge of rhyming words. The female ESL student was excited when it was her turn. She matched her rhyming picture on the first try. The male ESL did not understand the picture on the card. It was a picture of a slug. The teacher explained the words and narrowed the choices to a rug and a clock. He was then able to match the picture cards.
Community: There was evidence of “community”when the male ESL student choose the correct picture card. The other students cheered for him. When he returned to his spot on the rug, the little girl next to him leaned over and said, “Good job.”
There is no requirement for being in this classroom except the student must be five by September 30, 2009. The students must live in the Flintville/ Elora area, have proof of age, and an up to date shot record .
Ethnographic Perspective: During this lesson the teacher helped the students comprehend rhyming words. The teacher read a story about rhyming words. The students matched words that rhyme. Next, the students completed a worksheet matching rhyming words. Details of the lesson are given at the top of this entry.
If an observer entered the room, they would see a very organized classroom. The children are well trained to follow daily procedures, and the room itself is neat and orderly. The students are actively involved in learning, and participate in many hand's on activities. Behavior problems are kept to a minimum because the teacher is consistent in following the discipline plan.
I think a second language learner would be welcomed by the teacher and the other students. The students all play and work together, and the ESL students seem to have many friends. As a matter of fact, the students all try to help the male ESL learner with his work, and they often remind him when he forgets to turn in his paper or clean up his art supplies.
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