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by Valentina Gonzalez

Andrea was a new immigrant. Her family had just arrived from Venezuela in January, and she was enrolled in third grade right away. She was a fluent Spanish speaker, completely capable of doing third-grade level work in Spanish. Back home, she excelled in school. On the other hand, this was her first experience with English in a classroom setting, and she was not in a bilingual program. Although Andrea's teacher was ESL certified, he did not speak Spanish. During the first few weeks of school, Andrea's teacher found it difficult to figure out what Andrea understood during instruction. She seemed lost and unsure. Andrea's teacher often went through lessons and watched Andrea in hopes that he could see if she was following along. But it only became clear when she began to do independent work that Andrea did not understand the lesson. Through all of this, Andrea herself felt defeated, sad, and as if she lacked the ability to learn.
Sound familiar?

This Is a Problem

Andrea was not my student, but I have had my own experiences (both as an ESL student and as a teacher) similar to hers. What I discovered was that the lack of immediate and timely feedback during instruction was the problem.

Even the smallest feedback can provide information that can prompt the teacher to change the course of instruction in order to increase learning. The power of gauging where students stand during a lesson is very important when working with English learners who are trying to learn content and develop language simultaneously.

If we don't stop frequently to find out how students are doing, gaps in learning will emerge and may continue to widen the longer we go without stopping to gauge understanding.

A Solution that Closes Gaps

Total response signals can help teachers quickly and effectively engage students while also gathering formative information. This enables teachers to discover what students know (or don't know) on the spot. Total response signals are nothing new in instructional practices; they have been around for many years, and lots of teachers are using them but may not know what they are called. Sometimes they are confused with Total Physical Response (TPR), which I wrote about here.

The most effectively used total response signals are intentional and planned. But honestly, I've seen some pretty good ones that were on the fly, too! In the book 7 Steps to a Language Rich, Interactive Classroom, Seidlitz and Perryman write that "total response signals enable us to consistently check for student understanding" (p.30). If we know what our students know, we can certainly do a better job of guiding and facilitating their instruction.

Think back to the example of Andrea at the beginning of this blog. Stopping occasionally during instruction to gauge her understanding would have made an impact on her teacher's next steps, and in the end Andrea's content and language progress might have been accelerated. In addition, knowing that her teacher cared about her instruction and whether or not she was comprehending the content might have made her feel safer. This has the added bonus of increasing her chances of learning and retaining new information.

Total Response Signals in Face-to-Face or Virtual Classrooms

Probably one of the most common total response signals is something similar to "put your pencils down when you're finished." But let's focus on a few other powerful total response signals that can not only include all students but also inform instruction and help close gaps.

Below you'll find a chart with total response signals for face to face or virtual classrooms.

Written Response
Students write their response on a sticky note, index card, or paper and hold it up when they are finished

Same, OR students write their response in the chat, on padlet, menti.com, jamboard, or polleverywhere.com.

Ready Response
Students show they have finished a task by standing when they are ready, closing their books, or putting their pens on their papers.

Same, OR students show they have finished a task by typing YES in the chat.

Making Choices
Students have letter cards with A,B,C,D and hold up their response when ready.

The teacher provides choices A,B,C,D and students type their choices in the chat or show their response on a piece of paper.

Ranking
Students rank with their fingers 0-5 to show their understanding of or agreement with a statement.

Same, OR students rank on a menti.com or polleverywhere.com

For more examples of each type of total response signal see page 31 of 7 Steps to a Language, Rich-Interactive Classroom.

One way I've successfully used total response signals to catch gaps before they widen is through "Written Responses." At the end of a lesson, I ask students to write a ticket out. Then I gather those Written Responses and divide them into three groups: Group 1: Reteach, Group 2: Review, Group 3: Enrich. This process helps drive instruction for the next time we meet.

I also love using "Making Choices" because it's quick and I can do it on the spot to gauge my own instruction and determine if I need to be more specific or explicit, or reteach the material in a different way. I quickly give students a multiple choice, yes or no, or true or false question and wait to see each students' answers as they hold them up.

Which of these have you tried with your students in traditional classrooms?

A. Written Responses

B. Ready Responses

C. Making Choices

How about virtually? I'd love to hear about what you've tried. Tweet your response using the hashtag #SeidlitzEdChat so we can all see and chime in on the conversation. I can't wait to hear from you.

And finally which of these will you try in the coming week? Just reflect on that one. And then when you do it, give me a shout out on social media or in the comments below.
References
Seidlitz Education. (2019, May 05). Total Physical Response: Learning through Action! Retrieved from https://seidlitzblog.org/2019/05/08/total-physical-response-learning-through-action/

Seidlitz, J., & Perryman, B. (2011). 7 steps to a language-rich interactive classroom: Research-based strategies for engaging all students. Seidlitz Education.

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Gauging Student Understanding With Total Response Signals

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by Valentina Gonzalez Andrea was a new immigrant. Her family had just arrived from Venezuela in January, and she was enrolled in third grade right away. She was a fluent Spanish speaker, completely capable of doing third-grade level work in Spanish. Back home, she excelled in school.

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by Sally Barnes

As a secondary teacher, Step 4 from the 7 Steps to a Language-Rich, Interactive Classroom was always the one I was most "lukewarm" in implementing. The idea of my 16-year-old students collectively giving me a thumbs-up or standing back-to-back seemed unrealistic. In my mind, I felt like I would get the same students giving me a thumbs-up that would normally verbally tell me they were good to go, or they'd show me they were ready because they had stopped working.

Here's the thing: I felt like I couldn't use total response signals with fidelity while simultaneously struggling with wait time. I always cut students short on time, saying, "We've got three minutes," and then giving them two. I'd glide past moments where I could've asked students if they understood because I was excited about what was coming next or I assumed they got it. It wasn't that I was uncomfortable with silence or that I didn't have an awareness of time. To be honest, wait time wasn't a priority, and it had become a problem. Being asked to "slow down" was something I both loathed and completely understood.

I was at a session with Paul Emerich France, and he had us utilize this graphic organizer to analyze our obstacles and make goals for overcoming them. First, we identified our obstacles; mine was the "processing time" piece. Next, we brainstormed causes-why is this obstacle there in the first place? Finally, we developed consequences that can, do, or will occur if we did not overcome our obstacles.

Next, we transformed our obstacles into goals by rewording our statements, then identified steps we needed to take, as well as rationale-how will this help me and others (for example, my students)?

So, I began a committed relationship to total response signals. I started easy, trying to build a habit for myself. (Hint: Put an extra slide after a topic to remind yourself to ask for the signals-it's a lifesaver).

The signals I focused on were...

Hold up 1 - 5 to show me how well you understood _________.

Give me a thumbs-up if you're ready to move on.

Show me how many minutes you think you need for this task.

Show me how many more minutes you need.

Put your folder divider down when you're done.

And guess what? Once we got into the habit in my class, students used it! The more we did it, the less protective students were of saying they were a two or three instead of a five, or giving me a thumbs-down if they needed to. It became low stress for them and was an easy way to redirect the class when necessary.

For me, the use of these signals truly slowed me down and helped me take the temperature of the room. Sometimes they'd tell me they needed five minutes instead of the two minutes I had planned, and I would adjust accordingly. Sometimes they'd ask me to slow down, not because they needed more time or didn't understand, but because they just needed a moment to breathe. If their responses varied, I gave them time to turn and talk about what we had just covered to develop a better understanding and peer-teach. (Tying this into an activity like Expert/Novice as the way to review is super effective!) This not only increased my awareness of my students and their needs, but it also increased student agency and self-advocacy because I was consistently asking them for feedback.
Reflect on Your Own Relationship to Total Response Signals

How do you use total response signals in your class?

What are some obstacles you encounter, and what are possible solutions to these obstacles? (I highly recommend you use the format I used above to analyze your obstacles and turn them into goals!)

How do total response signals help the students in your class, and how do they help you?

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Total Response Signals in the Secondary Classroom

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by Sally Barnes As a secondary teacher, Step 4 from the 7 Steps to a Language-Rich, Interactive Classroom was always the one I was most "lukewarm" in implementing. The idea of my 16-year-old students collectively giving me a thumbs-up or standing back-to-back seemed unrealistic. In my mind, I felt like I would get the same...

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7 Steps to a Language Rich Interactive Classroom: STEP 4

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Teacher Toolkit: Attention Signal (Elementary)

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Teacher Toolkit: Attention Signal (Secondary)

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Teacher Toolkit: Attention Signal (Elementary)

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7 Steps to a Language Rich Interactive Classroom: STEP 2

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Jenny White: ESL Games and Teaching Tips

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Pass the clap around the classroom: vocabulary game

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Watch _Step2 Have Students Speak in Complete Sentences - Barrera_ on YouTube

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Watch _Step2 Have Students Speak in Complete Sentences - Tobias_ on YouTube

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Copy of Generic Template: Roving Paragraph Frames (English)

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Copy of Expert and the Novice Directions

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Step3 Randomize & Rotate When Calling On Students - StepItUp

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Foster Interactions with T Chart, Pair, Defend

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Fortify Output with Inside Outside Circle

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Foster Interactions with The Expert and the Novice

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Calling on Students & Keeping Track of Participation

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Our Colorín Colorado resource library is filled with tools and materials that you can use in the classroom, with parents, and for your own professional development!

These resources include tip sheets, research reports, recommended websites, resources organized by state, and much more.

What You'll Find in This Section

How can we help English language learners successfully meet the Common Core State Standards? This resource section offers ideas and materials including classroom videos, teacher interviews, and bilingual parent tips.

How can we help English language learners successfully meet the Common Core State Standards? This resource section offers ideas and materials including classroom videos, teacher interviews, and bilingual parent tips.

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Our Colorín Colorado resource library is filled with tools and materials that you can use in the classroom, with parents, and for your own professional development! These resources include tip sheets, research reports, recommended websites, resources organized by state, and much more. How can we help English language learners successfully meet the Common Core State Standards?

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Sometimes the relational question, or middle question, is not appropriate for the scope and sequence of your lesson, or you want to ask students to relate a vocabulary word to a different vocabulary word. When this is true, use the following question templates with two key vocabulary words. Simply fill in the blanks with vocabulary words, show students the corresponding visuals, and ask the question!

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Sometimes the relational question, or middle question, is not appropriate for the scope and sequence of your lesson, or you want to ask students to relate a vocabulary word to a different vocabulary word. When this is true, use the following question templates with two key vocabulary words.

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Step5 Use Visuals & Vocabulary Strategies That Support Your Objectives - Tobias

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Develop Academic Language with Word Walls

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Step1: Teach Students What to Say When They Don't Know What to Say - Barrera

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Step1 Teach Students What to Say When They Don't Know What to Say - Legacy

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Step1 Teach Students What to Say When They Don't Know What to Say - Kayem

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Seidlitz 7 Steps: Step 1 Sticky Notes (Shared)

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Serving Multilingual Learners of All Ages

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"A picture is worth a thousand words"...Yes, so how we get those words out? Picture Word Inductive Model (PWIM) first developed by Emily Calhoun (1999) to the rescue!

What is PWIM and how do I use it to help my students with listening, speaking, reading, and writing?

You may be thinking that pictures are for primary students or for Beginner level ELs. But that's not the case. Though PWIM does benefit primary students and Beginner ELs, even intermediate and Advanced ELs gain valuable insights from this method across all content areas.

Here's how I've used it in a modified version.

Step 1: The teacher begins by

selecting a picture relevant to the unit of current study. If you teach science you might select a picture about the water cycle, life cycle of a butterfly, the Grand Canyon, etc. A social studies teacher might choose a picture from history such as The Boston Tea Party, Amelia Earhart next to her plane, the Constitution, or a map, graph, chart or timeline, etc. A language arts teacher may present a picture that exemplifies character traits or feelings, a picture that relates to a theme that is being showcased, etc. Even math teachers can use PWIM by selecting pictures such as pictures with shapes, graphs, clocks, money, etc.

Step 2: Share the image with students either in whole group or in a small group setting. (Day 1)

Label the picture together. Tell students that you will "shake out" all the words from this picture. Sometimes I let students brainstorm words on their own first and then share with a partner before we label the picture. As I label words, I spell them out or focus on phonics depending on the grade level and students' needs. We stop to read the words frequently, reading chorally or echo reading. (Day 1) Step 3:

Put the words into categories. Ask students to categories the words either by spelling or by parts of speech. (Day 1 or 2 depending on time)

Ask students to brainstorm possible titles for the picture. Once many have been generated, discuss them. What makes a strong title? If needed, share examples from picture books or chapter books.

Step 6: Give students time to discuss the picture in cooperative groups and then orally compose sentences. Provide students with sentence stems, starters or language frames to support complete sentences as needed. This step allows students to access their own background knowledge as well as tap into one another's knowledge. It builds on prior knowledge by supporting what they already know about a particular topic. For example, if you give students a picture of a tee-pee, and students share in their groups, some might say they see a house, while others would say it's a home or dwelling. (Day 2)

: Next, record the sentences either on a chart or below the picture. Guide students in choral or echo reading the sentences after you write them. This reading practice supports language development. Not everyone will need the support of the teacher's example sentences. The students who can independently write their own sentences using the labels can work on their own while the teacher pulls a small group to model using the label to compose sentences. Consider asking the group the 5 Ws-Who, When, Where Why, What to help vary the sentences and create a strong understanding of the visual. (Day 3)

Step 8: Give students the opportunity to use the labels to write their own sentences. Provide students scaffolds as needed. Some will need sentence frames or starters. Beginner ELs may need to copy your sentences. To push students who are at the Advanced level up a notch, give them the stems: Additionally, Furthermore, For Example. Teach them to use those stems in their writing. (Day 3)

There are many ways to vary PWIM to meet your own classroom and students' needs. There is no right or wrong way to do them as long as you are using pictures to develop language: thinking, listening, speaking, reading and writing. PWIM doesn't have to take long. They are not 45 minute lessons. And they are not solely for language arts classrooms. Pictures of historical events, cycles (water, life, etc.), geography, scientific experiments, math problems lend themselves beautifully to PWIM activities. Pictures are engaging, thought provoking, and help to make content comprehensible for students. The steps above are just suggestions. Make this model fit your students' specific needs. Try out a PWIM lesson and see where it takes you. This language rich learning strategy requires students to think, listen, speak, read and write in the content area of instruction. That's why I love it!

Below are examples of a primary PWIM. The unit was on predators and prey. The teacher used the owl picture first to discuss one type of predator. After the Picture Talk cycle, the teacher modeled how to use the picture to support writing. Some students were able to write about a different predator or prey while Beginners and struggling learners wrote about the owl.
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Resources used: . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Ferlazzo, L., & Sypnieski, K. H. (2012). The ESL/ELL teacher's survival guide. ready-to-use strategies, tools, and activities for teaching English language learners of all levels
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Calhoun, E. (1999). Teaching beginning reading and writing with the picture word inductive model. Alexandria: ASCD.
Meredith Alvaro
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A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words...but how do we get those words out?

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"A picture is worth a thousand words"...Yes, so how we get those words out? Picture Word Inductive Model (PWIM) first developed by Emily Calhoun (1999) to the rescue! What is PWIM and how do I use it to help my students with listening, speaking, reading, and writing?

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Directed Discourse Academic Conversation Moves