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Overall, we find this process will make grammar/vocab instruction more meaningful for our students. We'd love to see even more examples as we create our own!

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One thing that resonates with us...
One challenge...

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What might you take, tweak, and/or synthesize?

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How can grammar be fit into a 50-min class period?

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How can grammar be fit into a 50-min class period?

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How do we fit it in? From Patterns of Power 6-8

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How do we fit it in? From Patterns of Power 6-8

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How do we fit it in? From Patterns of Power 6-8

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Resonates: Being very intentional with our language: reducing teacher talk time and centering student talk time.

Trend: Jess and Karen are seeing a trend in personalization around the learner through focused feedback and instruction, prioritizing student agency, and a strength-based mindset. =)

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Reader responsibility. Not having a book to quote from. Not having the book in class or not having a short summary to help them remember. Not reading enough.

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Resonates:
feedback is key - what's our balance of content / feedback. I feel like I work a lot on making content accessible but not as much on making sure all students are understanding feedback

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Acknowledgments
Introduction: Wired to Be Inspired

Part 1
Chapter 1 Into Planning: What Do You Need to Do Before Teaching the Invitations?
Chapter 2 Into the Classroom: How Do You Teach Conventions with the Invitation Process?
Chapter 3 Into Application: How Do You Nudge Writers to Apply and Consolidate Learning?

Part 2
Chapter 4 How Do Writers and Readers Use SENTENCES?

Chapter 5 Why Do Writers and Readers Need COMPOUND SENTENCES?

Chapter 6 How Do Writers and Readers Use COMPLEX SENTENCES?

6.1 When Introductory Clauses . . . Subordinate Opener

6.2 To Comma or Not to Comma: Subordinate Clause Closer

6.3 Comma Don't or Comma Do: AAAWWUBBIS Placement

6.4 Comma Which: A Relative Pronoun Clause

6.5 Comma Who or No Comma Who? A Relative Pronoun Interrupter

6.6 Beyond the Breakwaters: More than AAAWWUBBIS

Chapter 7 How Do Writers and Readers Use PHRASES and CLAUSES?

7.1 If You Continue . . . The Conditional Mood

7.2 Could You Say That Another Way? The First Interrupter Is an Appositive Experience

7.3 Double the Comma Fun: Interrupters

7.4 It Don't Mean a Thing if It Ain't Got That -Ing: Participial Phrases as Closers

7.5 Creating a Setting: Prepositional Phrases

7.6 Closing Time: Ending Sentences with the Holy Renamer

7.7 Thatery and Whichery: The Essential and Nonessential Clauses That Tell Which One

7.8 Whodunit: Who or Comma Who? What Makes a Clause Essential or Nonessential?

Chapter 8 What Does the MOOD of a VERB Do for Writers and Readers?

Chapter 9 How Do Writers and Readers Use VERBALS?

9.1 Shopping for Participles: The Bling of Sentences

9.2 Inviting Understanding: Gerunds Are Activities

9.3 To Infinitive and Beyond! The Definitive Infinitive

Chapter 10 What Does PUNCTUATION Do for Writers and Readers?

10.1 This, That, and the Other: Serial Commas

10.2 And a One, and a Two, and a Three: Colons Introduce Lists

10.3 He Said, She Said: Colons Introduce Quotations

10.4 Birds of a Feather: Semicolons

10.5 Don't Be Afraid; Use Semicolons!

10.6 Dashing Through the Sentence: Dash Interruption

10.7 A Little Extra: Using Parentheses

10.8 Where We Put Extra Goodies: (Parentheses)

10.9 Wait for It . . . Ellipses to Indicate a Pause or Break

10.10 Less Is More: Ellipses to Show Omission

10.11 Quotation Marks: Dialogue

10.12 That's What's Up: Apostrophes

Chapter 11 What Do PRONOUNS Do for Writers and Readers?

11.1 Who We Are: Introducing Pronouns

11.2 All Mine or My, My, My Boogie Shoes: Possessive Pronouns

11.3 Respect Yourself: Reflexive Pronouns

11.4 Make Yourself at Home: Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns

Chapter 12 How Do Writers and Readers Continue Using CAPITALIZATION?

12.1 Capitalize Names: It's a Date with Proper Nouns

12.2 Capitalizing on Shortcuts: Initials, Initialisms, and Acronyms

Chapter 13 What Other AMAZING THINGS Can Writers and Readers Do?

Conclusion: Moving from Correction to Connection
Appendix A
Appendix B
Professional Bibliography
Young Adult Literature Bibliography
Index

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"Is this right? Is this how it's supposed to look?" Adolescent writers often ask these kinds of questions because traditional grammar instruction focuses too much on what's right or what's wrong. The fear of making a mistake hides the true power of conventions-the creation of meaning, purpose, and effect, the ultimate reading-writing connection.

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" Between the Commas, I believe, will make you a better writing teacher. Martin Brandt's understanding of language, his work with teenagers, and his lucid writing will increase your skills and rhetorical awareness. What you learn will enable you to train your students to create powerful sentences with an eye toward development, both the students' development as writers and your development as teacher."-Tom Romano, Miami University, as reviewed in English Journal

"Making sentences is a profound human capacity, one that defines us as a species. Every intellectual move could happen within them. In this engaging, honest, and innovative book, Marty Brandt makes all that clear. So welcome with me, a new and original voice in writing instruction."-Thomas Newkirk, from the Foreword

"What a special pleasure it is to celebrate Martin Brandt's new book. He illustrates with great clarity and passion the difference between assigning and teaching writing. Here is a book filled with deep, practical wisdom we can all use to teach the craft of writing in ways that will make a difference."-Jim Burke, author of The English Teacher's Companion, 4/e and The Six Academic Writing Assignments

"Marty Brandt has captured the tentativeness and problem solving that are inherent in teaching students to write well. He offers new frames for understanding sentence possibilities and new language to use in conferences. The lessons here will empower you to prepare all students well for college writing. You will love Brandt's own playful and interesting writing. I'm certain that this book will make me a better teacher.-Penny Kittle, author of Write Beside Them, Book Love, and 180 Days (coauthored with Kelly Gallagher)

"Frustrated with the pedestrian prose your students produce? Between the Commas describes a fresh approach that focuses on how artfully constructed sentences work both individually and in concert with one another. Brandt's classroom practices will help your student writers develop both compositional confidence and prowess."
-Carol Jago, author of numerous books including The Book in Question, and past president of NCTE

"By providing witty and innovative descriptions of how different sentence patterns help shape students' essays, Marty addresses one of the great difficulties faced by beginning writers (and writing teachers). He guides teachers toward practices that can help students produce essays that are thoughtfully structured and a pleasure to read. And similarly, Marty's own writing is compelling and high-spirited: a timely reminder that the best writing teachers practice what they preach."
-Jonathan Lovell, Director of the San Jose Area Writing Project and Emeritus Professor of English at San Jose State University

"Marty Brandt writes with wry, self-deprecating humor, sharing classroom-tested strategies that help high school kids truly engage with language. This lucid, well-written book is a joy to read and a smart reminder that having fun with language helps prevent school from becoming a Life Sentence-for students and for us."-Bill Strong, Founding Director of the Utah Writing Project and author of Coaching Writing

"If careful attention is a sign of respect, in this book Marty Brandt shows a deep and loving respect both for sentences and for students learning to write them. Brandt, a National Writing Project teacher consultant, draws on a history of focused writing instruction, his own rich classroom experiences, and his network of NWP teacher colleagues, creating a book that will make you laugh while showing you how to support students toward more mature and complex thinking and writing."
-Tanya Baker, Director of National Programs, National Writing Project

"I have been struggling for years to find better ways to teach good writing. Today, I had my 10th graders look at the Krakauer paragraph, and every single student was able to write their own version! They usually groan about writing anything, and it was so wonderful to see them having fun and doing something they didn't think they could do. Between the Commas is an innovative and practical way of approaching writing instruction."-Leisha Cowart, English teacher, Nease High School, Ponte Vedra, Florida

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Activities, exercises and lessons for sentence-level instruction your students will actually have fun with. - Heinemann

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The Vocabulary Book: Learning & Instruction (Language and Literacy Series)

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This text presents a comprehensive plan for vocabulary instruction from kindergarten through high school, one broad enough to instruct students with small vocabularies, exceptional vocabularies, and every child in between. Written by one of the top experts in the field, this practical book presen...

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"...in reading Jeff's book, I learned something invaluable: how to actually create that 'context' we have all heard so much about, how to make editorial instruction meaningful, engaging, and understandable, even for students who struggle."
-Vicki Spandel, from the foreword

Some teachers love grammar and some hate it, but nearly all struggle to find ways of making the mechanics of English meaningful to kids. As a middle school teacher, Jeff Anderson also discovered that his students were not grasping the basics, and that it was preventing them from reaching their potential as writers. Jeff readily admits, "I am not a grammarian, nor am I punctilious about anything," so he began researching and testing the ideas of scores of grammar experts in his classroom, gradually finding successful ways of integrating grammar instruction into writer's workshop.

Mechanically Inclined is the culmination of years of experimentation that merges the best of writer's workshop elements with relevant theory about how and why skills should be taught. It connects theory about using grammar in context with practical instructional strategies, explains why kids often don't understand or apply grammar and mechanics correctly, focuses on attending to the "high payoff," or most common errors in student writing, and shows how to carefully construct a workshop environment that can best support grammar and mechanics concepts. Jeff emphasizes four key elements in his teaching:

short daily instruction in grammar and mechanics within writer's workshop;

using high-quality mentor texts to teach grammar and mechanics in context;

visual scaffolds, including wall charts, and visual cues that can be pasted into writer's notebooks;

regular, short routines, like "express-lane edits," that help students spot and correct errors automatically.

Comprising an overview of the research-based context for grammar instruction, a series of over thirty detailed lessons, and an appendix of helpful forms and instructional tools, Mechanically Inclined is a boon to teachers regardless of their level of grammar-phobia. It shifts the negative, rule-plagued emphasis of much grammar instruction into one which celebrates the power and beauty these tools have in shaping all forms of writing.
eBook Available Through Major Retailers
We offer ebook editions for most of our print titles so you can access on your computer, tablet, or e-reader from several major retailers including Amazon, Barnes and Noble, OverDrive, and ebooks.com. View the full list of retailers here. For eBook purchases of 10+ please email us for a quote. Purchases of 20+ qualify for a bulk discount.

If you previously purchased an ebook from Stenhouse.com, they will remain available in your digital library.

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"...in reading Jeff's book, I learned something invaluable: how to actually create that 'context' we have all heard so much about, how to make editorial instruction meaningful, engaging, and understandable, even for students who struggle." -Vicki Spandel, from the foreword

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This reference manual includes several useful features:

takes teachers through how English spelling uses morphology to represent the meaning of words

teaches word sums and word matrices as tools for examining word structure and constructing and deconstructing words morphologically

contains a series of ready-to-use lessons, helping teachers and students act as word detectives who problem-solve the links between structure and meaning

targets vocabulary, reading, and spelling skills!

By: Peter Bowers

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teaching how the written word works [wvc216] books and workbooks grammar and writing workshops | trainings classroom sets games gift certificates multisensory learning beginning reading morphology and vocabulary free downloads multisensory bundles high-frequency words multisensory instruction kit books and workbooks grammar and writing workshops | trainings classroom sets games gift certificates proceeds to charity multisensory learning beginning reading morphology and vocabulary free downloads o-g multisensory bundles sight words multisensory instruction kit ecommerce

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Kendore Learning Store Teaching How the Written Word Works [WVC216] - This reference manual includes several useful features: takes teachers through how English spelling uses morphology to represent the meaning of words teaches word sums and word matrices as tools for examining word structure and constructing and deconstructing words morphologically contains a series of ready-to-use lessons, helping teachers and students act as word detectives

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The resources in this section help school staff and leaders reflect on the ways all students' language practices might be integrated into the school environment to create a truly multilingual ecology.

The Languages of New York State: A CUNY-NYSIEB Guide for Educators: Learn more about the languages your students speak! This guide provides information about the top ten languages other than English spoken by emergent bilinguals. Descriptions include a brief history of the language, a few details about the cultures of the people who speak the language, and their experiences in New York State. It also includes some basic structural features of the languages as well as cognates and basic phrases. Download a copy.

Lead a PD about ME: This includes a PowerPoint presentation of photographs of multilingual elements at other schools which can assist you in running a professional development session about the importance of fostering a multilingual ecology at your school .

PS 153 Welcome Packet and Welcome Letter PS 153: Get inspired by this example of a bilingual welcome packet created for newcomer students by staff at PS 153 in Brooklyn. The packet familiarizes students with the school, materials he or she will need, and basic English Vocabulary. Activities encourage the use of both English and the home language. The packet can be used in the classroom or as homework, and attempts to take the pressure off both new students and their teachers in the first couple of days of school. This packet is most appropriate for elementary school students, though the welcome letter to families could be used at all grade levels. Download a copy here.

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The resources in this section help school staff and leaders reflect on the ways all students' language practices might be integrated into the school environment to create a truly multilingual ecology. The Languages of New York State: A CUNY-NYSIEB Guide for Educators: Learn more about the languages your students speak!

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Example of Selecting Goal for Grammar inquiry

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Example of Selecting Goal for Grammar inquiry

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Talking Points - Translate Announcements and Messages into Many Language

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Talking Points - Translate Announcements and Messages into Many Language

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TalkingPoints - Improving student outcomes through meaningful school-family partnerships.

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TalkingPoints - Improving student outcomes through meaningful school-family partnerships.

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Colleen Ackford
colleen@erinkentconsulting.com

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Article with lenses for planning for translanguaging

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-How am I already fostering flexible use of languages?
-What ideas am I interested in trying?

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Great for word study and morphology
https://www.etymonline.com/

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Literacy Consultants & Consulting Services | Erin Kent Consulting

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Literacy Consultants & Consulting Services | Erin Kent Consulting

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EKC provides literacy consultants, consulting services, and literacy professional learning for schools.

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Reading & Writing Workshop in International Schools FB Page

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Reading & Writing Workshop in International Schools FB Page

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Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

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Welcome to a group dedicated to sharing and learning about translanguaging in schools. What is translanguaging? Translanguaging is the act performed by bilinguals of accessing different…

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-Promise to let students know that their voices and ideas are valued and valid, and to provide time for them to share this (Jess)
-Promise to put their needs first, share joy, push to inquire (Karen)
-Promise to read and write with the students (Ryan)
-Clear road to progression so that students know what their next steps are (Rhian)
-Promise to set reading goals as a teacher, and push yourself a little more each day, push your thinking (Ebonee)
-Promise to create an inclusive community and sense of belonging that affirms all backgrounds and talents (Chelsea)
-Promise to create a safe space to take risks in their learning (Michelle)
-Promise to value everyone in the room and be interested in what everyone has to say (Will)

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I was reminded of some of the great things I've tried or seen with word study, so I'm anxious to revisit those.  Thanks!!!!

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Got: Some tangible, transferable strategies to foster a love of words in the classroom
Want: More ideas to try out!
Something To Try: Minute Mysteries
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_L58R-7EJA6ZUt9qE1db86RrvuVdO8Dw?usp=sharing

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Wants: I'd like to gather more strategies to take into individual conferences. I'd also like to hear what strategies teachers have tried or want to try in the class/see how it went.
Gots: Affirmation! We're using research-based practices to support our kids. I was able to set some goals in terms of reducing teacher-talk/streamlined feedback for students. Thank you, Colleen!

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Gained a whole lot of affirmation today! I felt empowered in our approach to literacy through personalized instruction and meeting our learners where they are. Our reflection and turn-and-talk with teammates made me feel connected through our collective philosophies and passions!

Wants: I really liked reviewing writing samples with ideas for teacher response. I found the strategy of naming the specific skills we notice in the student work insightful. Additionally, I noticed that the language used in the feedback centers and empowers the learner while removing the teacher (awesome).
For example: "you're a writer who can..."  versus "I really like how you..."
I'm interested in further exploring ways to intentionally craft our language to empower the skills our learners already possess while facilitating student agency as they continue working towards new skills.

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Got: confirmation that I am on the right track with Reader/Writers work shop. Good to think about my 'why'.
Want: to understand more about Word Study, and Translanguaging as these are new to me.

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Notable Sentences (and Some Passages) for Imitation and Creation

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Notable Sentences (and Some Passages) for Imitation and Creation

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This blog is both a forum for collaboration and a resource for language arts teachers to use. Please use the sentences you find here as models for exploration and imitation in your classrooms, and add to them as you find strong examples through your personal and class readings. Use the sidebar to the left to view or add to the collected sentences.

The idea for the blog grew from a conversation at one of Jeff Anderson's workshops. Jeff is the author of Mechanically Inclined: Building Grammar, Usage, and Style into Writer's Workshop , a very practical and valuable exploration of grammar and writing instruction. Through discussion of how to promote positive development of students' grammar knowledge and writing style, Jeff encouraged us as teachers to find powerful model sentences in the stories and books we read, and to present these sentences to our students as models for discussion (what he calls "noticing") and imitation. When teachers asked if there is a collection of these model sentences somewhere, the idea for this blog was born. Jeff's second book, Everyday Editing: Inviting Students to Develop Skill and Craft in Writer's Workshop , also holds many lessons to help you teach editing outside of the "vacuum" of canned instruction.

Use in the Classroom: These are meant to be noteworthy sentences from published authors that students can examine ("What things do you notice about this sentence?") and imitate ("Now you try it, using this sentence as an example.") within the context of writing instruction of all types. Some sentences could also serve as leads, prompts, or stems for journal entries or more formal writing assignments.

Organization of Blog: In the left sidebar, I have grouped these entries in a variety of ways, knowing that teachers look for sentences for many reasons. There is a general "Best Sentences Ever" Section, and below that there are numerous more specific categories of the following titles: Parts of Sentences (with subheadings of Parts of Speech, Phrases, and Clauses), Purpose of Sentences, Structure of Sentences, Length of Sentences, Syntax Techniques, Figurative Language, Sound Devices, Literary Techniques, Punctuation, and Style/Voice.

How to use this site as a resource: Use the links in the left sidebar to select a category of sentences. Once on the category page, click on individual types of sentences to view or add sentences. Read the "Comments" to find sentences relevant to your current search.

How to contribute to this resource: Below any post about a type of sentence, click on the "Comments" link, and type the sentences according to the following directions. Please write out your selected sentence(s) in quotations, followed by the name of the author, the work in which these lines appear, and the page number(s) on which these lines appear. Please proofread before posting. NOTES: Colorful quotations are wonderful, but please try to make sure they are also appropriate. If you have a strategy that has worked well with this particular sentence you are posting, you may also include a brief description of that strategy.

Thanks for contributing! If you have a comment or suggestion, you may email me at lswolter@gmail.com.

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Notable Sentences...for Imitation and Creation

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"As writers, we learn most of what we know just by watching the pros, don't we?" ~John R. Trimble

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Patterns of Power Planning Process - KIS MS

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Got: Feeling more confident that I am working within the workshop standards that I recently just learned and developed.

Wants: I really enjoy the discussion around the samples and the word study. I just took a PD on translanguaging and wondering more about what that looks like in the classroom with workshop

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Some Criteria for Identifying Tier Two Words

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Some Criteria for Identifying Tier Two Words

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EKC

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Unit(s):

4-5 Potential Words (leaving space for students to add 2-3 more)

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ACADEMIC VOCAB. protagonist, antagonist, archetype, (check the TC materials for these terms they'll need to discuss), plot/power structure
WORDS TO DISCUSS THEIR BOOKS, dilemma, hierarchy,

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Gots: The importance of creating 'active' experiences when learning new vocabulary.
Wants: More work on how to make learning about grammar fun.

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Got: A streamlined method of viewing trends and using standards to create inquiry-rich grammar instruction (thank you for the docs)! A reminder that our goal is for the students to see the why (purpose) and how (craft) of writing, so this should be taught in context. If they aren't using it, it won't transfer.

Want: Teammates to feel successful trying out different strategies in upcoming units and to know that even a little bit will go a long way. Vocabulary/Grammar curiosity can be built into reading goals, so how can we leverage that G6-8 work?
More information/strategies regarding translanguaging and word work

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Taking a look at some of the following words:

Exposition (lead/beginning), Conflict (problem/dilemma), Obstacle (barrier/problem), Point-of-View

Narrative, Perspective, viewpoint, figurative language, suspense, climax/turning point

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Please post any wonderings that pop up throughout your time together, as well as any ideas that you're growing together that you want to capture here!

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-Juggling academia in different contexts (Ryan)
-Withstand pressure (Rhian)
-Function with little sleep (Michelle)
-Straddling different cultures and languages with resilience (Michelle)
-Excited about possibilities and to use their potential (Ebonee)
-Multilingual global citizens, supportive home lives, access to resources (Chelsea)
-Teetering between childhood and becoming a teen, access to information, Broad perspective about the world already, well-travelled (Karen)
-Vulnerable, open-minded, empathetic in a way that didn't seem possible to us when we were there age (Will)
-Different view of the world from all of us (Jess)

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Co-Planning a 1-2 Week Word Study Experience

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Co-Planning a 1-2 Week Word Study Experience

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Patterns of Power Planning Process - KIS MS

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Patterns of Power - Compound Sentence & Introductory Clauses

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1. G6: Ryan, Chelsea, Rhian: introducing narrative unit and word study to complement sessions, switching between grammar and conventions/keeping lessons to 10 minutes.

2. G7: Coming out of realistic fiction and entering characterization and perspective (breaking down specific words ie: perspective)

3. G8: Michelle and Ebonee: morphed word study into memoir/well timed in organically fitting into the unit’s closing

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Structures of Impactful Passages: I enjoyed this part of the planning phase. While we did not finish what we were working on, even with more time added to this section of the day, we will revisit during grade-level meetings. As I draft my narrative with my students, I will model my lead based on our mentor text.

Wants: More time for the Inquiry and Design and Co-planning Word Study Experience- We have ideas, but ran out of time.

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In Partnerships:
Click to make a copy. Complete the rating with your partner.  What are some current strengths and next steps?
As a Team:
What ideas do you have for further fostering a multilingual ecology?

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Patterns of Power Planning Steps - Translanguaging

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Dr. Crisfield explains translanguaging.

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Translanguaging - should we all be doing it? - Article

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Translanguaging - should we all be doing it? - Article

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Translanguaging - should we all be doing it?

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Translanguaging is becoming a hot topic in education, especially in international schools, where linguistically diverse classes are the norm. However, the topic also generates confusion and concern for many educators, due to the fluid nature of the definition and conflicting/concurrent definitions such as code-switching, code-meshing, interlingual teaching and so on.

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Crisfield Educational Consulting

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The myth of the ‘native-speaker’ teacher

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Last week I worked with three different schools in the Netherlands, all with different profiles. All of them are international schools, using a variety of national and international curricula. When non-English background parents put their children in these types of schools, they generally have very…

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François Grosjean

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François Grosjean
University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland

A number of myths about bilingualism are discussed in my new book, Bilingual: Life and Reality (Harvard University Press, 2010). They are summarized here.

Bilingualism is a rare phenomenon. WRONG. It has been estimated that more than half the world's population is bilingual, that is lives with two or more languages. Bilingualism is found in all parts of the world, at all levels of society, in all age groups. Even in countries with many monolinguals, the percentage of bilinguals is high. For example, one can estimate that there are as many as 50 million bilinguals in the United States today.

Bilinguals acquire their two or more languages in childhood. WRONG. One can become bilingual in childhood, but also in adolescence and in adulthood. In fact, many adults become bilingual because they move from one country (or region) to another and have to acquire a second language. With time, they can become just as bilingual as children who acquire their languages in their early years (minus the native speaker accent). In general, people become bilingual because life requires the use of two or more languages. This can be due to immigration, education, intermarriage, contact with other linguistic groups within a country, and so on.

Bilinguals have equal and perfect knowledge of their languages. WRONG. This is a myth that has had a long life! In fact, bilinguals know their languages to the level that they need them. Some bilinguals are dominant in one language, others do not know how to read and write one of their languages, others have only passive knowledge of a language and, finally, a very small minority, have equal and perfect fluency in their languages. What is important to keep in mind is that bilinguals are very diverse, as are monolinguals.

Real bilinguals have no accent in their different languages. WRONG. Having an accent or not in a language does not make you more or less bilingual. It depends on when you acquired your languages. In fact, some extremely fluent and balanced bilinguals have an accent in the one, or the other, language; other, less fluent, bilinguals may have no accent at all.

Bilinguals are born translators. WRONG. Even though bilinguals can translate simple things from one language to another, they often have difficulties with more specialized domains. The reaction people have is almost always, "But I thought you were bilingual!". In fact, bilinguals use their languages in different situations, with different people, in different domains of life (this is called the complementarity principle). Unless they learned their languages formally (in school, for example), or have trained to be translators, they often do not have translations equivalents in the other language.

Mixing languages is a sign of laziness in bilinguals. WRONG. Mixing languages such as code-switching and borrowing is a very common behavior in bilinguals speaking to other bilinguals. It is a bit like having coffee with milk instead of just straight black. The two language repertoires are available in bilingual situations and can be used at will. Many expressions and words are better said in the one or the other language; mixing permits to use the right one without having recourse to translation which simply may not do justice to what one wants to express. This said, in other situations, bilinguals know that they cannot mix their languages (e.g. when speaking to monolinguals) and they then stick to just one language.

Bilinguals are also bicultural. WRONG. Even though many bilinguals are also bicultural (they interact with two cultures and they combine aspects of each), many others are monocultural (e.g. the inhabitants in the German speaking part of Switzerland who often acquire three or four languages during their youth). Thus one can be bilingual without being bicultural just as one can be monolingual and bicultural (e.g. the British who live in the USA).

Bilinguals have double or split personalities. WRONG. Bilinguals, like monolinguals, adapt their behavior to different situations and people. This often leads to a change of language in bilinguals (e.g. a Japanese-English bilingual speaking Japanese to her grandmother and English to her sister). This change of language has led to the idea that bilinguals are "different" when speaking the one, or the other, language. But like monolinguals, it is the situation or the person one is speaking to which induces slight changes in behavior, opinions, feelings, etc., not the fact that one is bilingual.

Bilinguals express their emotions in their first language. WRONG. Some bilinguals have grown up learning two languages simultaneously and hence have two first languages with which they will express their emotions. And for the majority of bilinguals who have acquired their languages successively-first one language and then, some years later, another-the pattern is not clear. Emotions and bilingualism produce a very complicated but also very personal reality that has no set rules. Some bilinguals prefer to use one language, some the other, and some use both of them to express their feelings and emotions.

Bilingualism will delay language acquisition in children. WRONG. This is a myth that was popular back in the middle of the 20th Century. Since then much research has shown that bilingual children are not delayed in their language acquisition. This said, one should keep in mind that bilingual children, because they have to deal with two or more languages, are different in some ways from monolingual children, but definitely not on rate of language acquisition. As for bilingual children with language challenges (e.g. dyslexia), they are not proportionally more numerous than monolingual children with the same challenges.

The language spoken in the home will have a negative effect on the acquisition of the school language, when the latter is different. WRONG. In fact, the home language can be used as a linguistic base for acquiring aspects of the other language. It also gives children a known language to communicate in (with parents, caretakers, and, perhaps, teachers) while acquiring the other.

If parents want their children to grow up bilingual, they should use the one person - one language approach. WRONG. There are many ways of making sure a child grows up bilingual: caretaker 1 speaks one language and caretaker 2 speaks the other; one language is used in the home and the other outside the home; the child acquires his/her second language at school, etc. The critical factor is NEED. The child must come to realize, most of the time unconsciously, that he/she needs two or more languages in everyday life. This is where the one person - one language approach often breaks down as the bilingual child quickly realizes that the weaker (often minority) language is not really needed (the caretakers or other family members often speak the other, stronger language, to one another, so why keep up the weaker language?). A better approach is that all family members use the weaker language at home, if at all possible, so as to increase the child's exposure to it and mark the language's "main" territory.

Children raised bilingual will always mix their languages. WRONG. If bilingual children interact in both bilingual and monolingual situations, then they learn to mix languages at certain times only. When they are with monolinguals (e.g. Grandma who doesn't speak any English), they quickly learn to speak just the one language (communication breaks down otherwise). It is important though that the situation be truly monolingual (and not a "pretend situation" in which a bilingual parent pretends not to know the other language); children will make an effort to speak only one language if they feel it is vital for communication. Thus, caretakers will want to create natural monolingual environments where children will need, and hence use, just one language.

For further reading click on the following links:

1. François Grosjean's new book Bilingual: Life and Reality (Harvard University Press, 2010)

2. A short text, "What parents want to know about bilingualism", by François Grosjean

3. An interview of François Grosjean on bilingualism

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Francois Grosjean - Myths about bilingualism bilingualism

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Francois Grosjean, François Grosjean, Grosjean, psycholinguistics, language processing, bilingualism, biculturalism, sign language, aphasia, applied linguistics, BIMOLA, language processing in aphasics, prosodic structures, second language grammar checking, Life with two languages, Bilingualism: Language and Cognition

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Gots: I set some personal goals regarding my resources. While I have multiple languages on current resources, I need to adapt the rest of my resources.
Wants: Thinking big picture, I'd like to complete the Multilingual Ecology Scales audit as a team. We got to grade-level and personal, so that will be our next step. I am also sending it to our director as a resource for the school. I still want to take time to go through "Patterns of Power" and be sure to make this part of class enjoyable and engaging.

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Gots: I enjoyed connecting with colleagues on what we're all trying out in our classrooms with word study.
Additionally, I appreciated the opportunity to audit our current practices using the multicultural ecology chart as we all have a lot of work to do. =)

Wants: I'd like to continue learning more about how I can leverage my students' language abilities to intentionally design instruction while continuing to foster a community of curiosity (words transforming into cultural curiosity!)

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1. Make a Copy
2. Post your planner on our Padlet so we can continue growing ideas together!

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Writing - Supporting Word Study & Leveraging Translanguaging - KIS MS

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Article with lenses for planning for translanguaging

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Grade Six Word Study / Translanguaging Planner (Unit #3 & 4)

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Grade Six Word Study / Translanguaging Planner (Unit #3 & 4)

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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sPOXLq9NIH9L4B68KE0YrtYnGHsJ_2YgDyRBRSr2h_M/edit

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Grade Six Unit #3 & 4: Using Nonfiction (Word Study and Translanguaging)

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Rhian Gots: the importance of valuing other cultures and languages. Wants: How to add grammar in 'naturally' during the non-fiction unit. 

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Rhian Gots: the importance of valuing other cultures and languages. Wants: How to add grammar in 'naturally' during the non-fiction unit. 

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Gots: Thank you for the planning template! I got to evaluate our content through the lens of translanguaging. I recognize that we have a lot of work to do, but am excited to get to it.

Wants: I hope to have additional time working with grade-level teams and co-teachers to identify areas of inaccessibility and transform them into opportunities for authentic learning. Having thought partners was really helpful for me in this process.

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Gots: As my teammates mentioned, the planner is really useful. I find that I am hovering over certain sections for a while so the more often I use it during planning, the more natural it will be to include in every lesson, unit, etc.

Wants: I want to encourage the composition of multi-language

texts and/or have students write and

publish texts, or portions of their texts, in their home languages. I need processing time to see how I can fit this in more often but loved trying it out last year during our poetry unit. I want to be more intentional with this work

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Welcome to the Patterns of Power Community Facebook Group! This community is inspired by the popular resource, Patterns of Power by Jeff Anderson and Whitney La Rocca. While this group was created...

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Our Beautiful Sentences KIS - Google Jamboard

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