Homework

Homework Procedures

Mrs. Bell – Kindergarten

            This year, Kindergartners will have the opportunity to practice, review and apply what they already know through homework!   Since students only spend about 13% of their waking hours in education, homework will give your child the much needed opportunity to learn beyond the school day (Hill, 2006)! 

Since the purpose of your child’s homework is to practice or review, then it will be in small doses as “Practice is more effective when distributed in small doses over several days or weeks,” (Marzano, Pickering,& Pollock, 2001). 

Homework should take about ten minutes per night. Your kindergartner will be practicing, reviewing or applying what they already know and should be able to do their homework with little or no assistance.  They only things they should need from you, their parent or caretaker, are a quiet space, time and materials (pencils, crayons, etc.) for completing homework.

 If your child becomes frustrated or goes far beyond ten minutes please stop the homework and send me a note along with the incomplete assignment.  This could mean I need to reteach the objectives in the assignment so that it becomes review and practice! 

Please take the time to review and understand the following homework rubric.  It is designed so that your child can understand and ‘grade’ his or her own homework!  We will review this rubric in class so that your child has a clear understanding of what they are expected to do for their homework! 

	Neatness	Complete	Effort	Ease
	I took my time and my homework is neat and easy to read!	I did all my homework!	I did my best work!	My homework was easy!  I knew how to do it all without help!
	I rushed a little and so some of my homework is hard to read.	I did most of my homework!	I could have done a little better.	My homework was a little hard and I needed to ask for some help.
	I rushed and my homework is messy and hard to read.	I did not do my homework.	I didn’t try very hard.	I didn’t know how to do my homework.

In addition to nightly homework please take the time to read aloud to your child each night.  Consider the following questions as you read with your child:

Questions to ask before you read

·         Can you look at the pictures and predict what you think will happen in this book?

·         What makes you think that?

·         What characters do you think might be in our story?

·         Do you think there will be a problem in this story? Why or why not?

·         Does the topic/story relate to you or your family? How?

Questions to ask during the reading

·         What do you think will happen next?

·         What can you tell me about the story so far?

·         Can you predict how the story will end?

·         Why do you think the character did _______?

·         What would you have done if you were the character?

·         How would you have felt if you were the character? (use different characters)

·         As I read____________, it made me picture________ in my head. What pictures do you see in your head?

·         As you read, what are you wondering about?

·         Can you put what you’ve just read in your own words?

Questions to ask after reading

·         Can you remember the title?

·         In your opinion, was it a good title for this book? Why or why not?

·         Were your predictions about the story correct?

·         If there was a problem, did it get solved?

·         What happened because of the problem?

·         Why do you think the author wrote this book?

·         What is the most important point the author is trying to make in his writing?

·         What was your favorite part of the story?

·         If you could change one thing in the story, what would it be?

·         Can you retell the story in order?

·         If you were __________, how would you have felt?

·         What is the most interesting situation in the story?

·         Is there a character in the story like you? How are you alike?

·         Why did you like this book?

Feel free to pick one or two to talk with your child about.  As well, your child will need

to complete the following Reading Response for each book read aloud!  We will practice this at

school prior to sending home for your child to complete independently! 

Date	Title	My Review J   K  L	Visual Response	One Word

Thank you for your support this school year!  Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. 

References

Hill, A.  & Flynn, K. (2006).  Classroom Instruction that works with English Language      Learners.  Alexandria, VA.  ACSD.

Marzano, R. J., Pickering, D. J., & Pollock, J. E. (2001). Classroom instruction that works:

            Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Alexandria,VA: ASCD.

Graphic Organizers

Graphic Organizers

Fiction –

            The graphic organizer I use most often for fiction is a story map. Story maps help to break down the information from the narrative text into manageable components. I find that they are useful for retells and summarizing the story. They help students to focus on the important, key points in the text. I have attached two examples of story maps. 

            Story maps can be used for all types of narrative text from Kindergarten to highs school.   A sample text that could help to break down the sequence of events in a story using a story map is The Hat by Jan Brett.

Non- Fiction –

            For non-fiction the graphic organizer that I utilize the most is a Venn diagram. Hill states, “When students identify similarities and differences in the content they are learning, they make new connections, experience new insights and correct misconceptions.” Similarities and differences can be shown in a Venn diagram in a fairly easy manner. 

            Venn diagrams can also be used throughout the grade levels. In primary grades they can be used to compare and contrast science terms like closed and open circuits or frogs and toads or different types of plant or animals. Their use is endless. In social studies they can be used to compare all types of ideas and places.  They can also be used to compare characters in fiction text. 

Frogs and Toads by Diane Swanson is an example of a book that could benefit from a venn diagram.

            Poetry –

            I have not used graphic organizers when teaching poetry. I searched for examples online and found a few examples. The first one I am sharing is for identifying different types of figurative language in a poem. It could be used in finding different uses of imagery in the poem and then breaking down what the meaning of that language is. The second example is an way to analyze poem elements. In this graphic organizer the reader would use the organizer to determine the rhyme scheme of a poem. This graphic organizer is on page 115 of the attachment titled graphic organizers for reading.

When using identifying different types of figuarative language in a poem graphic organizer you can use any poem the uses different types of figuarative language.  For example:

 Shakespeare's Sonnet 130:

CXXX, William Shakespeare

My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red, than her lips red:
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damasked, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound:
I grant I never saw a goddess go,
My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:
And yet by heaven, I think my love as rare,
As any she belied with false compare

When using the determining a rhyme scheme of a poem you can use any poem that rhymes like:

I Miss You

I miss you in the morning;
I miss you late at night.
Just to think about you
Is my joy and my delight.

I can't wait to see you;
Please hurry and come back.
You always make me happy;
You have that special knack!

By Joanna Fuchs

Additional websites for graphic organizers:

http://eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/

http://freeology.com/graphicorgs/

References

Hill, A.  & Flynn, K. (2006).  Classroom Instruction that works with English Language      Learners.  Alexandria, VA.  ACSD.

Blog 8 - Sheltered Instruction

In the article, Teacher Skills to Support English Language Learner, Short and Echivarria give several components that should be included in a sheltered lesson.  According to the article a sheltered instruction is a way to teach content to English language learners in strategic ways that make the concepts comprehensible while promoting the students’ academic English language development.   Initially sheltered instruction included techniques that help students understand content.  These techniques include slower speech, clear enunciation, use of visuals and demonstrations, targeted vocabulary development, connections to student experiences and use of supplementary materials. 

The article goes further into sheltered instruction through the use of the Sheltered Instruction Observational Protocol (SIOP) model.  The components of SIOP include preparation, building background, comprehensible input, strategies, interaction, practice/application, lesson delivery and review/assessment.  The SIOP model also includes the inclusion of language objectives in all content lessons.

In order to promote academic literacy, teachers need to identify the language demands of their curriculum.  They must pinpoint the areas that will need extra support and then provide that support.  Teachers must make the content vocabulary accessible to their ELL students by giving them opportunities to practice the words, through word walls, semantic webs, structural analysis, demonstrations, illustrations, and art projects. 
            In addition, teachers must activate background knowledge through prior experience or build background knowledge through experiences.  They must also give students the opportunity for oral language development by giving the them opportunities to for scaffolded discussions. 

            Lastly, it is important for students to receive feedback not only on content but language usage.

Short, D.  & Echivarria, E. (2004). Teacher Skills to Support English Language Learner.

            Educational Leadership.

Blog 7

Student 1 is fifth grader from Mexico and reading at a DRA level 38.  His primary language is Spanish.  He tended to repeat many sentences to be sure he had a clear understanding of the story.  He self-corrected several times.  When an error was made he had control over the initial sound but the word he substituted for the correct word did not make sense in the story/sentence.  He would then go back to the beginning of the sentence and when coming upon the word would self-correct.  His self-corrections led me to infer that he was using meaning to figure out the unknown word. 
Student 2 is a fifth grader from Turkey reading at a DRA level 24.  He struggled with the first word in the passage which was the main characters name, Albert.  I wonder how many names are unknown due to cultural differences in names.  In all the unknown words he substituted with a word that had the same initial sound.  Many of the words he struggled with seemed to be a lack in vocabulary.  Many of the errors were meaning based.  His summary at the end reflected his poor reading of the text.  Though he scored within the instructional range, he was unable to retell the story with much detail.  Though the text was deemed instructional, the words that he was unable to read impeded his ability to understand the story.  My next steps for this student would be to find a level that was instructional, not just in decodable but comprehendible as well.  I would then teach finding meaning out of the text.
A game that would be fun is called Guess the Covered Word.  In this game you use sentences or a paragraph and cover up words.  You read the sentence aloud omitting the covered word.  Then allow students to guess what the word might be.  As they give words, write them down.  Once a word is given you read it aloud within the sentence to make sure it makes sense within the sentence.  Then reveal the first letter and allow students to make corrections from the choices given. Continue to do this until the correct word is given.  Be sure to tie these strategies into a ‘ independent reading. 
http://www.amazon.com/Guess-Covered-Word-First-Grade/dp/0887245625
            Based on these two examples it would seem that English language learners tend to make mistakes in meaning while reading.  It would seem that scaling back the levels would be beneficial so that the students could read and comprehend the text. 

Blog 6 - Learning vs. Acquistion

Here are my results of the Learning versus Acquisition activities.  I am open to discussion, as I debated some of them in my own mind!

The students:

L - look up words in the dictionary to write definitions - Drill and practice
A - make a Venn diagram to compare two stories - Using language for a variety of purposes
L- practice sounding out words - Drill and practice
L- read in round-robin fashion - Drill and practice
L - correct peers when they make a mistake during reading - Teachers correct immediately (p34)
L - identify words on a big book page that start with the same sound - Drill and practice
L - group cards with classmates' names by a criterion on such as first or last letter breaking language into component parts
L - write rhyming poetry and then discuss different spellings for the same sound- breaking language into component parts
L - ask the teacher how to spell any word they don't know -emphasis on correct language forms
A - read a language experience story they have created with the teacher - Using language for a variety of purposes
work in pairs to arrange words from a familiar chant into sentences
L - divide words into syllables - direct teaching a part of the language
L - on a worksheet, draw a line from each word to the picture that starts with the same sound
make alphabet books on different topics - Breaking language into component parts

The teacher: 
L - preteaches vocabulary - breaking language into component parts
A - does a shared reading with a big book- teacher provides students with opportunities to use language in a variety of purposes
L makes sure that students read only books that fit into their level -teacher  does NOT provides students with opportunities to use language in a variety of purposes
L has students segment words into phonemes  breaking language into component parts
L writes words that the students dictate for a story and has students help with the spelling of difficult words - emphasis on correct language forms
L asks students to look around the room and find words starting with a certain letter - breaking language into component parts
A - uses decodable texts- teacher provides students with opportunities to use language in a variety of purposes
A sets aside time for SSR each day-teacher provides students with opportunities to use language in a variety of purposes
L - teaches Latin and Greek roots - breaking language into component parts
A - has students meet in literature circles - teacher provides students with opportunities to use language in a variety of purposes
 L - conducts phonics drills breaking language into component parts
A - chooses predictable texts - teacher provides students with opportunities to use language in a variety of purposes
teaches students different comprehension strategies
A - does a picture walk of a new book -teacher provides students with opportunities to use language in a variety of purposes
L - uses a variety of worksheets to teach different skills - drill and practice

Decoding Unfamiliar Text

In 2007, I decided to take a huge leap of faith and move to Costa Rica with my then 6 year old daughter.  I had been there in 2006 and thought it would be fun to teach there.  So, I found a second grade position at a school called Golden Valley. 
I had "learned" Spanish in high school but it had been 14 years since I had graduated so you could say I was a little rusty.  I certainly couldn't read or write in Spanish.  So there I was a second language learner teaching a group of students who were also second language learners...we were quite a team!
During the first few weeks my daughter and I lived with another teacher who was a Spanish only speaker.  We both spent a great deal of time acting out what we wanted or needed.  I spent a lot of time in my Spanish-English dictionary searching for words that might be helpful.  But, since we were both in the early stages of our language development we spent a lot of our time together silent.
Living in a new country where I didn't know the language was overwhelming.  The most valuable instruction at the onset was in environmental print.  I found simple signs, like stop and for the bathroom, easy to figure out and slowly my second language began to develop.  Fortunately, I made a few bilingual friends and was an eager student (I mean my life kinda depended on learning the language).  This made life a bit easier.  I recall a silent period where I absorbed a lot of new words.  After a few months I began attempting to read longer passages in Spanish, I would then try to translate them into English without the help of my dictionary.  I found this to provided great humor for my bilingual friends when they read the translation, usually I was way off! 
After a several months I was able to speak fluently in Spanish and my reading and writing were definitely coming along.  I was beginning to communicate to my students parents via a communication notebook though I still relied on my "editors"  for helping me to properly conjugate verbs! 
I can honestly say my year in Costa Rica was an amazing learning opportunity.  I have been back for 3 years and am still fairly fluent speaking Spanish though without much opportunity to practice I have lost a great deal of my writing abilities.  The greatest gift I received in that experience was the ability to empathize with my future ELL students.  I truly know the fears, frustrations and joys of learning a new language, in a new place!

Children's Books

When teaching English language learners, it is important to realize that cultural differences can impact a student's comprehension.  The following books are read alouds for primary students.  I have noted a few cultural differences and ways to develop schema for English language learners.  My current assignment is as a Kindergarten teacher so my focus is on that grade level. 

Careful, Santa by Julie Sykes 
 This picture book is about a very clumsy Santa who loses his bag of presents.  He searches for them and with the help of some animals finds all the lost gifts.

Christmas and Santa are both parts of our culture that may not be familiar to ELL students.  The concept of a night where gifts are brought by a man with a white beard may seem strange to students from other cultures.  In addition, younger students from areas closer to the equator may not be familiar snow or snowmen.  Even the animals depicted in the story may not be familiar to students from different parts of the world. 

In order to build background knowledge for students about the topic of Christmas and Santa, I would complete a unit on holidays around the world. I would become familiar with the cultures and holidays of the students in my class and share the similarities and differences between them all.  Identifying similarities and differences helps students make connections in their learning (Hill, 2006). 
To build schema for snow and unfamiliar animals I might teach a unit on weather or precipitation and/or animal habitats.  While doing this I would be sure to include those that would be familiar to the English language learners in my class. 

Arthur Meets the President by Marc Brown
In this book, from the popular series, Arthur and his classmates write essays for a competition. Their topic is "How to Make America Great!"  Arthur wins the contest and goes to Washington D.C. to meet the president. 
One cultural aspects that might be unfamiliar to an English language learner is the idea of a president.  Not all countries have presidents so this may be an unfamiliar idea.  As well, students may be unfamiliar with Washington D.C, the capital, monuments, and the White House.  All of these are distinctive to the United States. 
I think that the book itself does a great job explaining and picturing most of these ideas.  In order to enhance learning for students who are unfamiliar with these terms and ideas, I would associate them with the culture(s) of the students in class.  I would point out terms that are similar to president like Prime Minister or Head of State.  In addition, I would use a non linguistic representation or picture of monuments and the White House to explain these terms.  I would also include pictures of similar places in the countries of my English Language learners. 

All students enjoy  making connections with their reading.  It is important to include texts that ELL students can identify with. The following website includes titles of texts for different cultures!  I encourage you to utilize texts of all cultures but especially of those who are in your classrooms!

 www.multiculturalchildrenslit.com