Keystone Assignement

Here is my Unit Plan Weather 

Keystone Assignment

ELL Reader Case Study

ELL Reader Case Study

I did my observation field work at George R. Staley Upper Elementary School, grades 5-6, which is located in Rome, New York. The student that I observed was a 5^th grade ELL student named Cristina Lopez. Cristina is a 10-years-old girl who prefers to be called by her nickname “CeCe.” CeCe was born in Utica, New York. Her parents are both from Puerto Rico who both speak little English. Her father speaks more English than her mother does. She has one older sister that is in the 8^th grade and two younger brothers (3^rd grade & 2years old). CeCe speaks Spanish and English fluently. CeCe speaks English very well; she even says she speaks it better than her older sister. CeCe is in Mrs. Cianfrocco’s 5^th grade class. She is the only ELL student in her class, which is a total of 21 students. 

I did my observation hours with the AIS reading teacher Ms. Lanzi. This year the AIS teachers are pushing into the classrooms instead of pulling the students out. I think this is a great way for the students that need extra help from the AIS teachers to be able to get the extra help they need and not miss the lesson by leaving the room. By working with Ms. Lanzi it really gave me the opportunity to observe CeCe in the classroom and to work with her when the class broke up into groups. When we broke up into groups 4 students including CeCe came to the back table to work with Mr. Lanzi and I. CeCe spoke English very well, but sometimes struggled with her reading. CeCe would get discouraged if she didn’t know a word and pout. I told her to look at the words around it for clues of what the word could be. I also told her to sound the word out. I noticed this worked very well for her. Most of the time she ended up figuring out the word with little help, but getting her to sound it out on her own or telling her to look for clues was the hard part. CeCe would rather just ask what the word was instead of trying to figure it out on her own. I did noticed after working with her for awhile, that she knew I wasn’t going to just give her the word automatically...so she started on her own looking for context clues or sounding out the word on her own.

The students had to listen and read some of the passages from the chapter that they were on. Then the teacher would ask some questions about the chapter that they were reading and the students had to answer the question and also find the evidence that supports their answer in the chapter. CeCe raised her hand on almost every question the teacher asked. CeCe knew the correct answer, but sometimes struggled with what she wanted to say. Mrs. Cianfrocco understood what CeCe was getting at and helped her along. I thought this was great! Instead of telling CeCe she was wrong or not giving her a chance to explain, Mrs. Cianfrocco helped her along, but didn’t give her the answer. She encouraged her and guided CeCe in saying the correct answer. I thought this really showed great patient.

I completed the SOLOM Proficiency Assessment after I observed CeCe for a few weeks. Based on my observation CeCe scored a 4 in comprehension, fluency, vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar. I also scored CeCe on the ELL observation rubric. I scored CeCe at the Advance-High Level-Listening. She can comprehend many important aspects of oral language on social and academic topics, such as main points, most details, speaker’s purpose, attitudes, levels of formality, and inferences. She can understand sufficient vocabulary, idioms, colloquial expressions, and cultural references to understand detailed stories of general popular interest. I scored CeCe at the Advanced-Low Level-Speaking. She can communicate effectively in most daily social and school situations. She can initiate and participate in conversations with confidence, speaking on familiar social and academic topics. Grammar and pronunciation errors still arise but rarely impede communication. Her speech is reasonably fluent and they are usually easily understood by native English speakers.  I scored CeCe at the Advanced- Low-Level-Reading. She can understand main ideas, key words, and important details in lengthier passages in a wider range of personal and academic texts. She can understand most new words, given a clear context (she uses context clues to figure out words she cannot read). Lastly I scored CeCe at the Advanced-Low-Level-Writing as well. She can construct coherent paragraphs on familiar concrete topics, with clear main ideas and some supporting details, and with a developing sense of audience (she has a little more trouble writing independently rather than having a little help writing her answers with supporting evidence).  Her errors, however, rarely interfere with communication.

One strategy that I found that worked really well for CeCe was model reading. When Ms. Cianfrocco read a chapter or a passage out loud first and CeCe heard the correct sounds of each words allowed CeCe to pronounce that word correctly when she read it. I think this is a great strategy for CeCe and other ELL students. They first listen and hear fluent readers read so they can comprehend what a fluent English-speaker/reader should sound like. Model reading also allows the student to focus on the story and what is being read. They can comprehend what is going on more easily than reading the passage themselves. I noticed this worked really well for CeCe…when Ms. Cianfrocco read a passage out loud and asked questions CeCe easily answered the question correctly. When CeCe had to read independently she still raised her hand to answer the question but often struggled with answering it correctly. I think by model reading CeCe was able to focus more on what was going on in the chapter rather than focusing on reading the words correctly.

I don’t know if this is a strategy, but I think it is a great thing that Ms. Cianfrocco did with CeCe. Having great patience, during one of the lessons I really noticed this. I know being a teacher requires you to have patience, but I really noticed this worked for CeCe. Ms. Cianfrocco continually called on CeCe… waited and guided her if she needed help in answering the questions. I think this is a great strategy to keep CeCe interested and motivate in learning. Ms. Cianfrocco didn’t just give CeCe the answer when she struggled, but instead encouraged her to find and say the correct answer. I thought this was a great way to motivate CeCe.

Overall I had a great experience working with CeCe and observing Ms. Cianfrocco’s class. I really enjoyed working with the AIS reading teacher Ms. Lanzi as well. Working with Ms. Lanzi really gave me another look at teaching all together. Pushing into the classroom instead of pulling the students out is a great idea I think. Now the students can work with their peers and follow along with the teacher instead of being removed from the classroom. I don’t think I would have got to spend as much time with CeCe if we had to pull her out instead of coming into the classroom and working with her. I got to work with her and also observe her at the same time! I think that Ms. Cianfrocco and Ms. Lanzi are both great educators and have some great strategies for both ELL students and native English –speaking students. I would have liked to see Ms. Cianfrocco encourage CeCe to practice her Spanish as well. I think it is an awesome talent to speak another language. Ms. Cianfrocco doesn’t speak Spanish, but maybe encourage CeCe to speak both at home or even allow CeCe to teach the class a Spanish word a week maybe. I think this could be a cool thing to bring to the classroom. This field work was overall a great experience which taught me many new exciting things. 

Week 11 Reading and Writing in Content Areas

Learning Task and Assignment#2

1. Read the article, Seven Literacy Strategies that Work.
2. Choose one from the seven strategies mentioned in the article.
3. Explain how this strategy can be employed in the classroom.
4. Find a scholarly article to support your rationale. Share a lesson plan (research one online) that use this particular strategy to enhance students' learning in reading.

Read-Alouds

Read-Alouds can be fit into any classroom at anytime and it’s FREE! Some benefits from read-alouds/shared readings is that it can motivate students to read more and improve their reading and writing vocabularies. Teachers can fit read-alouds in any lesson at any grade level. Teachers can begin the lesson with this strategy to get their students motivated and excited to learn. Read-alouds/shared reading builds on students understanding and fluency.

Take a look at this article!

http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/profdev/profdev083.shtml

Here is an example of a read-aloud lesson
 http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/catching-reading-through-interactive-241.html

Week 7 Building Vocabulary

Week 7 Building Vocabulary

Learning Task#1 Anticipation Guide

What Do You Do (What does your cooperating teacher do)?

Fluency (the ability to read accurately, with proper phrasing and intonation, and to understand what you're reading) and word study (the ability to decode words and understanding their meaning) are key concepts in intermediate-grade reading programs. Consider how you teach and provide opportunities for practice in these areas (if you do not teach currently, draw upon the observation experience or personal experience). Complete the Fluency and Word Study Chart (PDF), outlining how your literacy program (or cooperating teacher’s program) advances students' reading fluency and word development.

Think about these questions before completing the Fluency and Word Study Chart:

• What texts and materials do teachers have in their classrooms that support students' development of fluent reading?

The classrooms that I am observing have many books in each of them for the students to read and practice their fluency. They also have vocabulary charts around the room that they add to each week. I think this is a great strategy to use, because the students can always look at these charts and refer to the words whenever they need to. Also the AIS reading teacher pushes into the classrooms for the students who need extra help.

• How do they select vocabulary to teach in all areas of your curriculum?

The teachers follow along with the modules that are provided. Also, the teachers introduce new vocabulary that goes hand-in-hand with the stories that they are reading. The students use their notebooks to add new and difficult vocabulary to their vocabulary charts (while they are reading independently).

• How much time do they allocate to word study?

Each day the students follow a daily routine that includes this in each lesson. The teachers also have the students define and make sentences (for homework) using the words they wrote in their vocabulary charts.

• What word study routines do they teach and encourage their students to use?

The teachers encourages the students to try and sound out the words they are struggling with. They also teach the students to break up the word (first reading the first part of the word…then the second…then putting it all together). Another routine the teachers do is having the “vocabulary chart.” The students add vocabulary words that they are struggling with to this chart. Then for homework they have to define the word and use it into a sentence. Lastly the teachers always go over new vocabulary words that may be difficulty in the next chapters before reading them.

• How do they differentiate instruction and tasks based on their students' needs?

The students who need extra help work in small groups with the AIS reading teacher. The AIS reading teacher pushes into the classrooms instead of taking the students who need extra help out of the classrooms now. I think this is a great technique to use. The students who need extra help get to stay in the classroom and follow along with the class. If they are struggling or need help the AIS teacher is right there to help. Also the teacher is always there to help as well.

Learning Task#2 Watch video clip segment#1 onFluency and Word Study

In the first segment, Professor Allington discusses practices that improve fluency: providing students with texts they can easily read, giving students extended time to read, and teaching students to monitor their own comprehension. (If you are watching the video in segments, you will find this image at the beginning of the video.)

Assignments#2

1.      How can you ensure that your struggling readers have access to texts they can easily read?

Teachers can ensure that your struggling readers have access to texts they can easily read by having books that are ready for students to read that they are interested in reading and able to read. One example in the video was a teacher had a collection of different books in her room that were categorized by genre. Then the students had to choose a book that was “just right.” This is a very important step. Students who choose books that are too difficult will get discouraged, and students who pick books that are “too easy,” will not be practicing and building on their fluency. Students need to practice reading so they can build their fluency.

2.      How can you foster a learning environment in which students have many opportunities to practice reading?

One way you can foster a learning environment in which students have many opportunities to practice reading is creating a library of books. You can create a library of a combination of different books for the students to read. You will be spending the same amount of money buying 25 books that are the same and buying 25 different books. This way you will have a collection of different books that the students can read and become interested in. Students who are intreseted in reading a book will be more engaged and willing to practice their reading fluency.

3. Describe ways in which you can model fluent reading in your classroom throughout the day.

 One way you can model fluent reading in your classroom throughout the day is reading out loud to your class. This will allow the students to practice while they are following along while you are reading. Also the students will be able to easily comprehend the story because they can focus more on that then reading and decoding the words that they are struggling with.

Week 10

Learning Task and Assignment #1 Watch the video and answer the following questions 

Teaching English Language Learners

Workshop 6. Teaching English Language Learners
Changing classroom demographics call for a range or teaching strategies. In this session, literacy expert Robert Jiménez discusses strategies teachers can use to create a successful learning environment for all students, while supporting English language learners. Classroom examples illustrate the research.

(http://www.learner.org/workshops/teachreading35/session6/index.html)

Segment 1: Where do I start?

1.    How can teachers' expectations of ELLs affect students' learning and performance?

Some teachers believe that ELL students are not going to perform well and they are going to fall behind. Teachers need to be positive and change their view on ELL students. Teachers have to believe that every child is capable of being successful.

2.    How can you use what you already know about literacy instruction and your English language learners to enhance their learning?

Teachers should use their knowledge and experience that they all ready know and enhance all their students to learn. Teachers should have the same expectations for all their students no matter what their students backgrounds are. Teachers should apply the same principals to teach ELL  students as they do to their English-speaking students.

Segment 2: How can I build on what English language learners bring to the classroom?

1.    Think about your ELLs. What ideas from the video might be useful in your classroom?

I would use the group sharing in my classroom. I really liked the idea of the students having “show-in-tell.” It allowed them to tell stories and share their lives with the entire class.  

2.    How can you ensure that ELLs and their English-speaking peers have equal access to the curriculum?

To ensure that ELLS and their English-speaking peers have equal access to the curriculum is for the teacher to have the same expectations for all students. The teacher has to apply the same principals to all students equally.

3.    How can you support students in maintaining their first language?

In the video the teacher told a student that she is special for knowing two languages. I think this is a great way to support her student in maintain their first language. I think that it is very important for teachers to tell their students that it is great that they know two languages. To teach their students to have pride for whom they are and where they came from.

Segment 3: How can the classroom context support ELLs?

1.    How can you use multicultural literature to support ELLs in your curriculum?

Teachers can build libraries in their classrooms. Fill the libraries with books that students want to look at and want to read. Make sure they include books that are bilingual and fill the classroom with many culturally authentic materials as possible. So the students can make connections with the materials and their everyday lives.

2.    How does your classroom reflect the nature of the community itself as well as materials written by the students?

Teachers should include the community itself into the classroom because these are the students everyday lives. This allows the students to make connections with their everyday lives to school and what they are learning.

3.    How can you group students so that they use their native language to support their language and literacy development?

Students that are grouped with their peers that share the same background give students confidence and comfort. They can relate to one another, because they understand what it is like learning a new language. Working with someone who has shared the same experiences builds self confidence and comfort.

Segment 4: What are some strategies for teaching ELLs?

1.    What aspects of reading development are most critical to address when instructing ELLs?

Some aspects of reading development are most critical to address when instructing ELL are reading comprehension, drawing conclusions and interferences. It is important that students understand how to link and comprehend what they are reading and how it relates to them. Teachers can choose topics that are easy for ELL students to relate to.

2.    How can modeling oral reading support ELLs?

Modeling oral reading can help support ELL students because the pressure is off them. They can focus more on comprehending than trying to read and comprehend at the same time. It allows them to practice comprehending by visualizing, and hearing the new vocabulary words as they follow along.

3.    What strategies can you use to teach students how to figure out and remember unknown words?

One strategy that you could teach your students to figure out a word, is to look at the words around it and use them to figure out the word (context clues). What information do you all ready have in the text that could help you figure out that word. Then put the word into a sentence and see how it sounds. Also, teachers should write down the new vocabulary words that they are introducing to the students so they can refer back to these words. This will help to remember the words, because the students can refer back to them and remember them. Spoken words tend to be forgotten quickly.

4.    What are some strategies you might use to encourage students' to maintain their native language as they develop literacy in English?

One thing I would do is constantly tell the students that it is a great thing to know two languages and have them practice their native language as much as they can. I could have them compare and translate the new vocabulary (English words) into their native language weekly. But most importantly I would tell them over and over that they are unique and special to have the ability to speak two languages. 


Assignment #2 
Video 

http://screencast.com/t/q7mURjsNcqP