Links to websites about graphic organizers are in the column on the right.
What is your favorite resource for graphic organizers?
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Unlocking the Treasures of 21st Century Learning
Monday, October 21, 2013
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Artistic PowerPoints
I created these PowerPoints of artworks to stimulate academic language.
Most artworks are from the permanent collection of the High Museum, Atlanta. Some were on temporary loan.
All photos were taken by Alec Soth. His works have a cinematic feel with elements of a story behind the images. Soth's works are perfect launching devices to spur spontaneous language.
These photos are designed to make computer lab an interactive experience. Students work in pairs.
"The Voyage of Life", Thomas Cole's series of four allegorical paintings, is found in the National Gallery of Art, Washington.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
The Georgia TESOL 2013 Southeast TESOL Travel Grant
This is the fifth Southeast Regional TESOL convention of my career. I have visited Myrtle Beach, South Carolina countless times. Each visit built warm, positive memories. Our family time was always more relaxed here. Camping at Lake Arrowhead with my youth group was a blast, as was visiting the Pavilion with college friends. The first time I heard live rock music, stood up on a surf board, and rode an upside down roller coaster was by the Grand Stand. As adult, this area has become a place of great rest, relaxation, thought and peace. I have never worked on any day spent here by the Atlantic. That is about to change.
My 27 year career as an ESL teacher has been immensely rewarding; a huge part of my professional experience. It is fitting that I return to a location so significant to me and labor a bit, for I am passionate about immigrants gaining communicative competence. My new beach memory will be one of contributing to the conference through leading a concurrent session: Graphic Organizers: Visual Treasures for 21st Century Learning. Plus, I plan to gain new ideas and methods to make my course full of 21st Century learning. Hopefully my posts here will be of practical benefit to TESOL members, my co-workers (past and present), and the new professionals I encounter this fall.
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Academic Language, Power, & Pedagogy
Dr. Jim Cummins, University of Toronto
Dr. Cummins, well-steeped in educational research, communicated in very teacher-friendly language the evidence provided by scholars that should guide our methods for helping students build language. At all times, Cummins ideas were clearly given, quite informative, and rather motivating.
Cummins repeatedly stresses that there should be literacy engagement. If pupils are socialized into books they have no problem reading, acquiring language, or decoding skills in school. All learners should be as engaged in reading as the two in this delightful video.
Vocabulary development should be seen as “collecting specimens,” as teachers help ELLs become conscious of words as an identity message. A graphic organizer, the Frayer Model, was presented as a way to illustrate “big words for big minds.” Students make connections with an image associated with a word. Plus they provide the definition, synonyms, as well as create an example sentence. It is affirming to know that an instructional strategy currently used with my pupils is in line with current research.
Cummin’s remarks motivate me to get more of my instruction under the umbrella of research. Here is my list of how I now desire to be more useful to students.
Top Ten List for Building Academic Language
10. Scaffold meaning with a tool kit of: visuals, paraphrasing, redundancy ('abundancy'), & demonstrations.
9. Technology is not passive filler, but a tool to enhance academic engagement & progress.
8. Increase student access to real printed material in each class.
7. Activate background knowledge to connect to students’ lives.
6. Help students see themselves as linguistically talented.
5. Modify instruction to evoke higher order thinking.
4. Demystify & reinforce academic language.
3. Maximize literacy engagement.
2. Affirm the dignity of learners.
1. Increase my expectations.
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Unlocking Cognates: the Thousands of Similarities between English & Romance Languages
Cognates are more than 20,000
frequently used English words that are understood by speakers of other
languages. The Cognate Lexis and Syntax
that languages share represent the most plausible foundation for English
acquisition. This concept is made
amazingly clear by a very enthusiastic Ruben Moran. He emphasizes that cognates help learners
understand a complete message, reducing the difficulty of English. Cognates are a great asset, not yet been
exploited. They encourage pupils to
exploit the positive knowledge they have.
An animated, humorous Moran makes psycho linguistics approachable and
alive. After his concurrent session a
packed room slowly emptied as a long line of participants waited to interact
with Moran. Not being among them, I was
very blessed to enjoy a stimulating lunch with him at the end of the
conference. Part of this information I
already know, but have never made the time to build this into my lessons. Ruben Moran’s session motivates me to do
this.
Ruben Moran's website
RTI and ELLS
Carol Rothenberg has a wealth of
experience and a deep understanding of the culture of schools and how it
affects the environment for ELLs. I was
fortunate to be in a group of 15 who spent six hours with a presenter offering
innovative pedagogy. She offered multiple
interventions to enhance learning.
Rothenberg urges teachers to “offer the right strategy, with the right
focus, by the right person.” Her session
motivates me to be that person.
Here are Rothenberg's instructional routines which I
now want to employ in my ‘low intermediate’ adult education course: Final Word, Communication Lines, Formative Assessment, Conversation Cards, Word Sort, Anticipating Guides, Foldables. If you have found them successful in promoting oral language, please leave a comment.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Using Art to Access Informational Texts
A most enthusiastic teacher, Jennifer Meyer, led a session
on how she aims to challenge students.
Her objective was met for she exposed learners to modern art and
American culture through various media plus YouTube videos. Pupils were taught to screen print following
the example of Andy Warhol. Learners had
to write their own procedural manual on how to do printmaking. After examining the artist’s prints of
Marilyn Monroe, English was built by taking notes plus analyzing &
evaluating movie clips. Argumentative
paragraphs critiquing Monroe were composed.
Ms. Meyer cites ten common core standards utilized in this unique unit. She received a travel grant from Tennessee TESOL which made this excellent contribution possible.
A teacher from Charlotte, my second home, stated this was
the best concurrent session he attended.
I share his enthusiasm. Resource:
Discovering Great
Artists: Hands-On Art for Children in the Styles of the Great Masters
(Bright Ideas for Learning) [MaryAnn F. Kohl, Kim Solga]
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