# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Define hundreds of thousands of words from the safe and trusted online encyclopedia resource, Britannica Kids (definitions powered by Merriam-Webster)...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
I Can Rubric for Key Ideas and Details 24

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Video 1. Lesson Elements, Grades K-5Video 2. Elements of Instruction, Grades 1, 3, and 5Video 3. Teacher Clarity

# data[].attributes.body
Then and Now Haiku

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Long Ago and Now | Culture and History | Time | Little Fox | Bedtime Stories

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Transportation Song  | Kids Songs | Easy Monkey Songs

# data[].attributes.body
Review Slide 6

# data[].attributes.headline
Understanding Academic language in edTPA

# data[].attributes.subject
Understanding Academic language in edTPA

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Orchard Academies 2C is located in Bell, CA.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A word map is a strategy to help learners learn new vocabulary word. There are many different variations of how to use this strategy. One way is to use the four-corner vocabulary chart, and with this method students write the definition, use it in a sentence, they draw picture of the word, and write the word in the corner. Other methods to use this strategy is to add antonyms, synonyms, dictionary definitions, part of speech and more. This strategy can be adjusted to meet the needs of all learners. Throughout this strategy students are making personal connections, because they are drawing their own picture, writing their own sentence and the definition in their own words. By doing this, it gives more meaning to learning the vocabulary word, and this would help struggling readers tremendously. Graphic organizers are helpful for all learners because it really helps them organize their thoughts. According to Echevarria, Vogt & Short (2014), "These charts provide more context and "clues" than typical word walls, because they include an illustration, definition, and sentence for each vocabulary word" (p.81). According to Robert Marzano (2009), an educational researcher, he mentions that in order for students to effectively learn vocabulary they need to follow a six-step process. The steps are as followed:

(Marzano, 2009).
The first three steps are in a word map. The following three steps can be done after the word map has been completed.

The image above is an example of a very common word map. In this word map, students write the vocabulary word in the center, they define the word, provide synonyms, use it in a sentence, and draw a picture of it.

In this example above students go into more detail with the word. They find the synonym, antonym, dictionary definition, sentence from the text and other forms of the word.

The image to the left is similar to the other two word maps above. Students write the word, use it in a sentence, write the definition, find a synonym for the word, illustrate it and determine it's part of speech.

Math- For a math lesson, a word map can be easily adapted just like in the photo to the left. In one corner the student can write the word, in another corner the student can write the definition. In the other two corners students can write an example and then some facts to go along with the math vocabulary word. By providing examples it brings meaning to the word, just like a picture does when learning reading vocabulary words.

History- For a history lesson, one way to adapt this strategy is to change the headings slightly. On this graphic organizer it could include: the vocabulary word, time period, definition, and picture. By adding the time period it gives an understanding of when the word was used, and it give more meaning to the word. For example if a student is learning about what a Red Coat is, they could write Revolutionary War (1775-1783) in the time period section.

Science- For a science lesson, the template would not change very much. However, a teacher could ask the student what area of science the word falls under. This might help students categorize what vocabulary words belong where. For example, if the vocabulary word is cumulus, the area of science might be meteorology.

Physical Education- For a physical education lesson, a student could still write the word, draw picture, define the word, and maybe list games they can play relating to the topic. For example, if students are learning about basketball students can list lightning, 3 vs. 3, and others for possible games they could play.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
1-4 fieldwork activities for professor Kim

# data[].attributes.headline
DOK Qest. Stems and Bloom Taxonomy Questions stems 

# data[].attributes.subject
DOK Qest. Stems and Bloom Taxonomy Questions stems 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
3.2 - How to Write Learning Objectives Using Bloom's Taxonomy

# data[].attributes.body
Language Functions

# data[].attributes.headline
Graphic Organizer Language Function Tools

# data[].attributes.subject
Graphic Organizer Language Function Tools

# data[].attributes.body
Life Then Vs. Now

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Daniela Garcia's Final Written Exam 23.docx

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
History-Social Science Framework - History-Social Science Framework (CA Dept of Education)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The State Board of Education adopted the History-Social Science Framework on July 14, 2016. This is the final digital version of the Framework.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
English language learners (ELLs) often have problems mastering science, math, or social studies concepts because they cannot comprehend the textbooks for these subjects. ELLs at all levels of English proficiency, and literacy, will benefit from explicit instruction of comprehension skills along with other skills.

Examples of comprehension skills that can be taught and applied to all reading situations include:

Summarizing

Sequencing

Inferencing

Comparing and contrasting

Drawing conclusions

Self-questioning

Problem-solving

Relating background knowledge

Distinguishing between fact and opinion

Finding the main idea, important facts, and supporting details

These skills are particularly important for comprehending what is generally known as information reading or expository reading.

For more information, see our related articles and classroom videos:

Why reading comprehension skills are particularly important for ELLs

ELL students will still need a lot of vocabulary development and teaching of comprehension strategies even if they:

have been mainstreamed after some bilingual instruction;

are being pulled out for English as a Second Language or Sheltered English instruction; and/or

have been assessed as English proficient but you know that they still need additional help with language, reading, and writing.

Here is a way of thinking about the support your ELLs will need:

Classroom strategies: Steps for explicitly teaching comprehension skills

The following steps are useful for all students. However, these need to be complemented with the additional steps below to ensure comprehension for ELLs.

Introduce the comprehension strategy or skill (see above list) through examples. Discuss how, when, where, and why the strategy or skills are used. For example: contrast main idea with details, fact with opinion, good summaries with poor summaries.

Have students volunteer additional examples to contrast and discuss.

Label, define, model, and explain the strategy or skill. For example, after listing four facts about a healthy diet and four opinions about what is good to eat, label one list as facts and the other list as opinions.

Give students opportunities to practice using the strategy with a peer as they apply it to a short, simple paragraph from a science text or any expository text.

Debrief with the whole class to ask students to share how they applied the strategy or skill.

Additional steps for ELLs

Identify vocabulary words that you think might be difficult for students to understand when they read the text. Write ELL-friendly definitions for each - that is, simple, brief definitions ELLs can easily understand.

Model think-alouds. For example: verbalize a confusing point or show how you use a strategy to comprehend something. "This sounds very confusing to me. I better read this sentence again."

Demonstrate fix-up strategies. For example: I need to think about this. Let me rethink what was happening. Maybe I'll reread this. I'll read ahead for a moment.

Partner ELLs with more dominant English speakers and ask each student to take a turn reading and thinking aloud with short passages.

After working with partners successfully, ask ELLs to practice independently by using a checklist such as the following. Be sure to explain all the terms and model each.
While I was reading, how did I do?

Celebrate each ELLs' progress with recognition notes, praise, and/or class applause.

For advanced ELLs

When students' English proficiency and basic reading skills have increased, you can teach the following steps not just to ELLs, but to all students - because everyone will benefit.

In pairs, have students survey the text and use an idea map to record the main idea and details.

Ask partners to read the text.

Have partners restate the main idea and supporting details. At this point, they can add to their idea map or make necessary corrections.

Then ask students to reread the text and either develop their own questions (pretending to prepare a test for their partner) or write a short summary of what they just read.

After that, have partners check each other's work.

Finally, partners can share their questions or summaries with other teams.

Other ideas

For building ELL comprehension

Teach students how to use these tools for informational or expository reading:

Ask students to use the following strategies to summarize (orally or in writing):

Retell what you read, but keep it short.

Include only important information.

Leave out less important details.

Use key words from the text.

Questioning ELLs after reading

After the ELLs and/or whole class have completed the reading comprehension activities above, you can anchor or test their comprehension with carefully crafted questions, taking care to use simple sentences and key vocabulary from the text they just read.

These questions can be at the:

Literal level (Why do the leaves turn red and yellow in the fall?)

Interpretive level (Why do you think it needs water?)

Applied level (How much water are you going to give it? Why?)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Reading Comprehension Skills for English Language Learners

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
English language learners (ELLs) often have problems mastering science, math, or social studies concepts because they cannot comprehend the textbooks for these subjects. ELLs at all levels of English proficiency, and literacy, will benefit from explicit instruction of comprehension skills along with other skills.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"The meaning of even a single word is rather more complex than one might imagine."

- Editors of the American Heritage Dictionary, 1980, p. viii

"Teacher, do we need our pencils today?" my Puerto Rican elementary students would urgently ask when I came to their classroom to escort them to my English as a Second Language classroom. I was a student teacher in a Massachusetts elementary school, and it took me awhile to figure out the correlation between the pencil and hallway behavior. If I replied, "Yes, you should bring a pencil," the walk to my classroom took 15 minutes and involved a lot of disruptions, student squabbles, drifting students and other various misbehaviors. As a student teacher, I was very focused on keeping order and creating a challenging learning environment. If I replied, "No, you don't need a pencil today," the walk to my classroom took about five minutes, even with a stop at the drinking fountain.

So, what was the correlation? Writing. The students knew that if they had to bring a pencil they would have to do writing in the class, and they dreaded it. If they didn't need a pencil, we would be working on projects or doing more verbal work, and they liked that. What they weren't expecting was that half-way through my student teaching, I bought 10 boxes of pencils and kept them in my classroom, so they never had to bring a pencil to class - I had plenty to go around. This improved the hallway behavior, but still left me with the question of how to improve ESL student writing when they were frustrated by the practice and went to great lengths to avoid it.

I have been teaching ESL for many years and there is no perfect solution to this problem; however, I do believe I have added quite a few writing activities to my bag of tricks and improved my ability to differentiate writing tasks based on student ability. As I improved my ability to ensure that each student would be successful in the writing activity, their confidence increased, and they were less likely to engage in disruptive behavior. You know what I'm talking about - the long, dramatic search for a pencilâ€¦ and then paperâ€¦ or the meandering walk about the room to get yesterday's writing draft, or the ever popular, "15 minute pencil sharpening" session. I hope some of the writing activities I share with you will help you to reduce anxiety in your ESL students and increase their language and writing skills.

There is a very important correlation between writing and language development. As students develop language skills, they often develop listening skills first (lots of input they can understand), then speaking (they begin to formulate their ideas in the second language), then reading (they can understand the sound/symbol correspondence of the new language and make sense of the words) and finally writing (they have enough language to express their own ideas in writing). This is not true for 100% of language learners, but it is true for the majority of them. Why is writing often the last skill to emerge? It almost seems that reading would be more difficult because the student needs to sound out words and understand the author's message. It would seem writing might be easier because students are sharing their own ideas already in their heads and simply putting them on paper. However, writing requires a lot more processing of language in order to produce a message.

First the student must have an idea, then think of the appropriate way to say it, then start to write it and spell it correctly, and then create another sentence to continue to communicate the idea. If we add the students' worry that they are making huge, embarrassing errors or that their ideas aren't very good in the first place, then we begin to understand the complexity involved in writing in a second language. In fact, the way we communicate, or the way students put their ideas on paper, is largely influenced by their culture. In some of my classes, my Asian students were very confused when I told them to revise their writing because this was a "first draft." In their experience they had always written an item once and submitted it as "the final," and then the teacher would correct it. The idea that they had to write it over again didn't make sense to them. Students from other cultures may have developed a storytelling style that involves laying out a lot of background information and detail and takes quite a while to get to the point. In most western writing, we expect a topic sentence or a lead paragraph that will tell us what the point is, and then everything written after that leads to a direct conclusion. Many of my students had great difficulty connecting their ideas this way.

With that said, teachers have a big task in improving ESL student writing skills, but the payoff for instructional dedication can be great. A researcher on adolescent literacy at the University of Minnesota, David O'Brien, did a study on improving the reading skills of adolescent students. All of the students were involved in a six week study and during that time they were responsible for creating brochures and other types of communication on computers. They had criteria to input a certain amount of text and graphics to create a final project. This required lots of thought and revisions to achieve the final result. At the end of the six weeks the students took a reading test and the majority of them had improved their reading skills significantly. This was a very interesting result, considering that the teachers had not focused on teaching reading skills. The conclusion was that students used meta-cognition to process language and work with it in a more meaningful way, so that consequently their reading skills improved even though they were mostly working on writing.

Additional positive academic results have been seen in the "90 90 90 Schools." These are schools that researchers have identified as 90% poverty, 90% students of color and 90% achieving standards. This is a most remarkable combination in the educational world. The researchers examined these schools and found one common denominator among them - they all focused on developing writing skills. Each school had an agreed upon writing curriculum and methodology that was used at all grade levels, and student writing was prominently displayed throughout the building and in classrooms. Students used writing in all content areas to demonstrate academic concepts learned. In the end, 90% of the students in these schools were able to pass state grade-level tests based on the academic standards.

Now that I have hopefully convinced you that all your hard work will pay off, I would like to introduce some effective writing activities. I would like to acknowledge that there are many types of effective writing instruction used in classrooms today, including process writing, graphic organizers as writing planning tools, vocabulary stretchers, etcâ€¦ and all of those are beneficial to ELL students. For the purpose of this article, I will focus on a few writing activities that I think are particularly useful when working with students with a wide-range of English language skills.

How to differentiate writing activities:

With some pre-planning, a teacher can create a writing assignment that will allow every student to be successful. For example, the teacher may give a writing assignment that has A, B and C levels (or they can be number or color-coded).

ELL students at Level A copy a sentence or short passage exactly as it is written. This helps beginning-level students who are not very familiar with the language, but may be able to interpret some of the information as they copy it.

Level B students receive a paragraph or two that has blank spaces in the text. The students write the word or phrase that completes the sentence. This allows the student to write an amount that is not overwhelming and helps them comprehend the information.

Level C students write on their own, but perhaps they receive paragraph prompts or are allowed to look in a book, but must put the idea in their own words. After some practice with this system and getting to know your students' English language skills, you will be able to create a system that works best for your class.

Language Experience Approach

The Language Experience Approach draws on instructional techniques used with younger children who have not yet developed literacy skills. In this approach, the teacher presents information to the students, or they have an "experience" of some sort - for example, a field trip, or acting out a scene in a book. Then the students tell the teacher what to write on the board to explain the experience. This may be useful as an activity for a volunteer or teacher's aide to use with a small group of ESL students during literacy time. Here are the steps.

1. Experience something - for example, the students have listened to the story, "The Little Red Hen" and then acted it out.

2. The teacher stands by the board or a large sheet of paper and says to the students, "Tell me the story of the Little Red Hen."

3. As each student tells a part of the story, the teacher writes it down on the board, just as it was stated. For example, a student might say, "The Little Red Hen work so hard and nobody want help her." This continues until each student has spoken or the story is finished.

4. Then the teacher tells the students, "Let's read the story together and listen to see if the story makes sense and if there is anything we want to change."

5. After reading the story, the teacher asks students if they want to change anything. For example, one student may raise her hand and say, "I think it should say, "worked" not "work." The teacher may ask other students if they agree or disagree.

6. If the suggested change is correct, the teacher offers praise and moves on to the next suggestion. If the suggested change is not correct, the teacher should help the student analyze the suggested change. For example, if the student says, "I think it should say, â€˜The Little Red Hen she worked so hardâ€¦." The teacher would ask if others agree and see if there is discussion, then the teacher could point out that the Little Red Hen is the pronoun or "name," so in English we don't need to put it in twice. We can say "She worked so hard." Or "The Little Red Hen worked so hard."

7. When students have analyzed and corrected the whole text, the teacher may either circle a few more spots where students missed corrections and they can be challenged to figure out what the change should be, or the students can be instructed to copy the text with the corrections included.

8. As a final activity, students are instructed to take the story home and read it to three people and bring it back with signatures.

After this activity, usually even beginning-level ELL students are able to read the story to others because it was their experience, it is in their own words, and they have worked with the text in a meaningful way.

Sentence Auction

This activity helps students analyze common writing errors through a personalized activity since they are trying to buy their own sentences. Once a week or once a month, a teacher can hold a "Sentence Auction." The teacher takes sentence examples from student writing - some of which have errors and some that don't, and writes them on a handout or overhead projector. The identity of the student who wrote each sentence is not revealed. To begin the sentence auction, each student is given an "account" of perhaps $300. The students are told to "bid" on the good sentences. The winner is the student with the highest number of "good" sentences.

1. The teacher takes on the persona of an "Auctioneer" and opens the bidding at $10.

2. The teacher reads out the sentence confidently exactly as it is written. "Him want to go to school very bad." Who will give me $10?"

3. The students take turns bidding until the teacher decides who has "won" the bid.

4. Some sentences will not sell because students will know they are "bad." Just leave those sentences and move to the next one.

5. After all the sentences have been sold, the teacher goes through the list and the students say whether the sentence was good or bad. If they agree that it was a bad sentence, then the teacher asks them to explain how they can make it a "good" sentence.

6. Finally the students can count how many "good" sentences they have (since they may have bought some bad ones) and a winner is declared.

7. The teacher may want to give a little prize or certificate to the student. In a variation of this activity students can work in pairs or groups to buy the sentences.

Error correction

I have never "corrected" my students' writing mistakes, at least not in the traditional way. I have always told my students, "If I correct your English, I improve my English; if you correct your English, you improve yours." I handled corrections in one of two ways: either I identified what errors I would be looking for in the writing submission or I told them I would only circle five errors in the whole paper. If I pre-set the errors I would look for, for example correct use of past tense, I would only correct past tense errors, even if I saw other glaring errors in the paper. Sometimes this was hard to do, but I wanted to maintain the students' focus on the writing improvement we were working on. If I set a number of errors I would circle, for example, five, then I carefully chose those five and ignored the rest. When I returned the papers, the students were responsible for correcting their own mistakes. If they weren't sure how to do it, they could check with a classmate, and if no one knew, then I would assist. Invariably the students would ask, "Are these the only errors in the paper?" and I would tell them no. They might be disappointed, but they came to understand the value of correcting their own errors when they submitted a piece of writing.

Quick Write

One of the challenges for ELL students when they approach writing is their anxiety about writing their ideas correctly and writing a lot of information in English. This may feel overwhelming when a student is assigned an essay. In order to get students comfortable with the idea of just putting ideas on paper and not worrying about mistakes, we do regular "quick writes." For "quick writes" I give the students a topic and then tell them to write as much as they can for five minutes. They need to keep their pencils on the paper and even if they can't think of anything to write or they are worried about how to spell things, they are supposed to keep writing. At the end of five minutes, the students count how many words they were able to write and they keep track in a log. The objective is that they will see progress in the amount of writing they are able to do in five minutes' time and hopefully apply this fluency to their essay writing.

Cinquain poems

Cinquain poems offer great flexibility in working with ELL students of a variety of language levels. The basic Cinquain formula is as follows, but teachers can modify it as needed according to the student language level.

One noun
Two adjectives
Three gerunds (words + ing)
A short sentence.
A one-word summary
An example of a Cinquain a student might write:
Home
Warm, happy
Loving, welcoming, helping
People you love.
Family

There really is no wrong way to do a Cinquain, students can put key vocabulary words together any way they like to create the message they desire. Teachers may want to use Cinquains to reinforce new content vocabulary and concepts as well.

With these writing activities to try in your classroom, the only thing left is to buy a few boxes of pencils, hand them out to your ELL students and help them discover the possibility of joy in writing. Teachers who use a variety of activities and strategies to help ELL students become comfortable with expressing their ideas in a new language and finding success with small writing tasks, will give their students' confidence for a lifetime of self-expression. I offer this Cinquain poem to sum it up.

Writing
Fun, creative
Thinking, sharing, revising
Lots of ideas.
Proud
The TESL Reading and Writing Forum
A forum to share teaching tips, handouts, syllabi, lesson plans and more!
Make Beliefs Comix
Make Beliefs Comix, created by acclaimed "Make Beliefs" author Bill Zimmerman, allows kids to create their own comics in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, or Latin.
LD OnLine: What is Dysgraphia?
This article from the National Center for Learning Disabilities, featured on LD OnLine, discusses dysgraphia and its warning signs, as well as strategies for addressing it for different age groups.
Reading Rockets: Writing Webcast
Reading Rockets webcast featuring Dr. Steven Graham, Dr. Louisa Moats, and Dr. Susan Neuman. These three renowned reading and writing experts address why writing is important, what the latest research tells us, and what educators and parents can do to support our children's development as writers.
Reading Rockets: Teaching Plot Structure with Picture Books
Use picture books to teach young writers how to organize plot logically. This article includes examples of basic plot structures, along with picture books that use those structures.
Reading Rockets: An Introduction to Letter Writing
This article from My Child Magazine, featured on Reading Rockets, offers samples of different styles of letters (from thank-you notes to letters to Santa) and style guidelines that children can follow.
ESL Writing Wizard: Handwriting Practice
This site lets you create your own handouts of words that students can practice writing. The paper is lined and the word is outlined in small dot print. Good for ELL students developing initial literacy skills.
ReadWriteThink: Comic Creator
ReadWriteThink offers a variety of fun, interactive writing activities, including the Comic Creator. Students can fill in comics with their own words and storylines.
PIZZAZ: Cinquain poems
A poetry site designed to assist instruction of ESL students in poetry and other creative writing forms. The site has links and detailed information on poetry such as Cinquain, Diamante, Haiku and Limericks. It also has further information on other types of creative writing and tips for instruction.
TeacherVision: Language Arts Graphic Organizers
These graphic organizers can be used to prepare for a five-paragraph essay, organize sentences in a paragraph, map concepts and events, compare topics with a Venn Diagram, organize notes for a presentation, create a double-entry journal, and much more.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Improving Writing Skills: ELLs and the Joy of Writing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
"The meaning of even a single word is rather more complex than one might imagine." - Editors of the American Heritage Dictionary, 1980, p. viii "Teacher, do we need our pencils today?" my Puerto Rican elementary students would urgently ask when I came to their classroom to escort them to my English as a Second Language classroom.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Teaching and Learning / English Language Development (ELD)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Constructing Meaning provides teachers with the process and tools for weaving explicit language instruction into content-area teaching. Lesson planning is driven by the content and academic language demands of discipline-specific learning. Based on backward design and a gradual release of responsibility model, the Constructing Meaning process prompts teachers to:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
National Council of Social Studies 10 Thematic Strands

# data[].attributes.headline
Theories supporting MS Credential Program

# data[].attributes.subject
Theories supporting MS Credential Program

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
B.F. Skinner, an American psychologist, used behavioral learning to teach pigeons how to play ping pong. In his experiment, a pigeon stood on each end of a ping pong table and pecked the ball toward its opponent. Each time the ball went past the opponent and dropped off the table, the pigeon that pecked it across could eat.

By repeating this, Skinner helped the birds associate the movement of the ball toward a goal with a reward (pigeon food). He argued that, just like pigeons, all human behavior is the result of our environment and the conditioning we receive. The reality is a bit more complex than that, but Skinner was right. We learn by doing.

Behavioral Learning Theory is a school of thought that believes humans learn through their experiences by associating a stimulus with either a reward or a punishment. This learning theory is instrumental in understanding how to motivate humans-your employees-to learn.

The task for L&D leaders then is to use Behavioral Learning Theory to create the right learning environment, provide appropriate courses of action, and help employees form associations between rewards and outcomes. This is critical in motivating employees to become lifelong learners.

Behavioral Learning Theory states that all learning is based on experience. From potty training to performance-based incentives at work, humans use behavioral learning to teach and modify behaviors to achieve the desired outcome.

For example, parents have long used behavioral learning to teach toddlers to eat their vegetables. If a toddler is repeatedly given a sticker each time they finish their peas instead of throwing them to the ground, the child connects the reward (sticker) with the vegetables and will not only expect it but will work toward it. The positive reinforcement helps make healthy eaters of them for life.

In this case, behavior is learned with the help of operant conditioning, where a specific behavior leads to a consequence. Similarly, when employees are given praise or even receive a badge (or bonus) each time they perform well or exceed a desired quota, they are motivated to repeat the behavior in hopes of a reward.

Behavior is also learned through classical conditioning, where two events are unconsciously related even though they may not be intuitively associated with each other. Pavlov's dog study is a famous behaviorism experiment in which Pavlov rang a bell each time a group of dogs was about to be served their food. Even though the bell was a neutral stimulus, the dogs began to associate the sound of a bell with mealtime. Before they were able to see or smell the food, they would salivate.

Classical conditioning is useful in learning and development to understand behavior patterns and preconceived associations that employees may hold from previous workplace experiences. Having this insight helps you promote desirable behaviors and discourage undesirable behaviors by creating new associations.

Learning and development leaders can apply behavioral learning to the workplace to boost engagement, improve performance, and even pursue behavior modification of less engaged employees.

The key is to create the right environment with a "conditioned stimulus"-a reward that triggers a desired response or behavior in employees. This strategy works regardless of the behavior, whether it's curiosity, continuous learning, or taking initiative. After all, business growth and innovation depend on continuous learning. Set your team up for success by introducing self-directed learning and gamification, along with active and social learning techniques.

Employees are motivated to seek out learning opportunities and further their own professional development when they repeatedly see self-learning initiatives linked with a reward. For example, when an employee volunteers to take a course or solve a job-related problem, employers could give public praise or provide them with a specialized training opportunity. This "conditioned stimulus" sets a precedent for other employees, who are encouraged to take charge of their own learning.

In today's work environment, the behaviorist theory is even easier to apply. Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z believe that learning is the key to career growth. In 2020, when the pandemic hit, Gen Z watched 50% more hours of training per learner than in 2019, and 69% reported scheduling more time to learn.

This classical conditioning provides critical insight into how organizations can use self-directed learning opportunities to help employees build skills and promote internal mobility.

When you combine the principles of behavioral learning with game elements like points, badges, and leaderboards in a training context, it has distinct advantages. Playing a game is entertaining and engaging-it motivates learners to keep playing and increases knowledge retention. This is the principle behind gamification.

By nature, games have built-in rewards and gratification in the form of ranks and recognition. This gives learners more tangible goals to chase while giving them the training they need. When learners connect these tangible goals with a feeling of accomplishment, it boosts the quality and frequency of participation, and in some cases, even reduces training time.

The premise of behavioral learning somewhat lines up with the classic 70:20:10 framework of learning, which states that 70% of learning is from on-the-job experiences, 20% from peer interaction, and 10% from formal training. Since the fields of psychology and L&D both agree that behavior depends on observational learning, there is value in providing employees with active learning opportunities that allow them to learn in the flow of work.

Active learning can take the form of a live discussion or collaboration with a peer. Through group interaction, employees can build their understanding of concepts, share their expertise with peers, and problem-solve together. In fact, skill-sharing practices, such as an employee-led workshop on sales tactics from a top performer, have huge benefits in helping organizations preserve their institutional knowledge. Plus, in keeping with the stimulus-response concept of behavioral learning, such practices can be tied to rewards and recognition to motivate employees to share their skills and knowledge.

Social learning through peer feedback, comments, and Reactions helps create a learning environment where employees feel a sense of connection. Instead of passively obtaining information from an instructor, social learning taps into the basic human need for connection and interaction.

A continuous peer feedback loop helps spark new ideas and provides fresh direction without it feeling like criticism. Comments on an article or reactions to training material give employees a voice and make them active participants in the learning process. When learners associate feedback and reactions with learning, it makes them more open to receiving peer inputs.

Need help crafting your peer feedback? We have a handy template for that, here.

(unboring) way of learning

Our weekly newsletter of the best insights from L&D peer to L&D peer.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Is Behavioral Learning Theory, and How Can L&D Teams Use It?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
How can ping pong-playing pigeons and drooling dogs help L&D teams create better courses? Behavioral Learning Theory, of course! We'll explain it all, here.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Framework

2014 English Language Arts/English Language Development Framework (ELA/ELD Framework) (Dated Jul-2015)
The 2014 ELA/ELD Framework has been developed to support and incorporate the California Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects (CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy) and the California English Language Development Standards (CA ELD Standards). The SBE (California State Board of Education) adopted the ELA/ELD Framework on July 9, 2014. This is the final digital version of the ELA/ELD Framework.

Executive Summary: English Language Arts/English Language Development Framework (Dated Oct-2015).
The executive summary provides a glimpse into the ELA/ELD Framework and the guidance it provides for educators, including descriptive snapshots and vignettes of grade-level instruction.

Contact the CDE Press at 1-800-995-4099 or visitCDE Press web page.

Video: Overview of the ELA/ELD Framework (Video; 10:40) (Dated 24-Feb-2015)
This video provides an overview of the English Language Arts/English Language Development (ELA/ELD) Framework for California Public Schools, which provides guidance to teachers, administrators, and other educators for implementing the CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy and the CA ELD Standards.

Implementation Support

Circles of Implementation

The Circles of Implementation figure and corresponding narrative description (which appears in the State Board of Education-Adopted ELA/ELD Framework, Chapter 2, on Page 4) have been translated into Spanish to support the implementation of the ELA/ELD Framework. The English version is provided for reference.
Circles of Implementation (PDF; Posted Jan-2016)
Los Círculos de la Implementación (PDF; Mar-2016)

Implementation Support for the ELA/ELD Framework

Implementation Support for the ELA/ELD Framework (20 Jan-2017)
This select collection of resources connects the content in the ELA/ELD Framework with other resources from the California Department of Education, as well as other reputable sources that address the five key instructional themes: meaning making, effective expression, language development, content knowledge, and foundational skills. The intent of this collection is to provide educators additional resources they can use to expand the scope of the guidance in the ELA/ELD Framework and to inform professional development and instructional decisions at all schools and districts.

Guides for Supporting English Learners and the Five Key Themes in the ELA/ELD Framework

Resources with an English Learner Emphasis

Resources Tracing the Five Key Themes

Additional Resources Supporting the Implementation of the ELA/ELD Framework

Chart of ELA/ELD Framework Snapshots and Vignettes | PDF; Posted Jul-2015)
Brief snapshots and longer vignettes are included throughout the ELA/ELD Framework to provide examples of instruction. This chart lists all the snapshots and vignettes, by chapter, and includes the grade level, page number(s), and indicates the different content areas each snapshot and vignette addresses. (Note: In the items column, "S" stands for a snapshot, and "V" represents vignettes.)

Chart of ELA/ELD Framework Figures (PDF; Jul-2015)
A variety of figures (including charts, definitions, descriptions, explanations) are included throughout the ELA/ELD Framework to provide more detailed support for implementation and instruction. This chart lists all the figures, by chapter, with figure titles and page number (s).

ELA/ELD Figures: Introduction - Chapter 2 (PDF; 8MB; Posted Jul-2015)
All figures (includes charts, diagrams, definitions, descriptions, explanations) for the introduction and chapters 1 and 2 are compiled into this document

ELA/ELD Figures: Chapter 3-7 (PDF; 5MB; Posted Jul-2015)
All figures (includes charts, diagrams, definitions, descriptions, explanations) for the grade-level chapters 3-7 are compiled, by chapter, into this document.

ELA/ELD Figures: Chapters 8-11 (PDF; 11MB; Posted Jul-2015)
All figures (includes charts, diagrams, definitions, descriptions, explanations) for systems of support, such as assessment, access and equity, and 21st century learning are compiled, by chapter, into this document.

California State ELA/ELD Resources for Local Planning (Video; 6:31) In this video, Tom Adams, Deputy Superintendent from the California Department of Education, shares selected State resources that can assist in local planning efforts regarding the implementation of the ELA/ELD Framework.

Highlighting the Needs of English Leaners in the Framework Sonoma County Office of Education (SCOE) has developed two web pages to provide easy access to resources within the ELA/ELD Framework that specifically highlight practices, programs, and structures that address the needs of English learners. Links connect to Framework Snapshots and Vignettes andFramework Figures .

Secondary Literacy Partnership Webinar Series: ELA/ELD Implementation: Teachers Lead the Way!
Presenters Nancy Brynelson and Jo Ann Isken, lead developers of the ELA/ELD Framework, gave an orientation to the Framework via the new Executive Summary and guided participants in activities exploring the Framework's vignettes, figures, and snapshots. They also shared strategies for collaboration and professional learning. (Presented on October 14, 2015.)

Secondary Literacy Partnership Webinar Series: A Close Encounter, Through the Writers' Eyes, of the New ELA/ELD Framework
The lead writers of the ELA/ELD Framework - Pam Spycher, Hallie Yopp Slowik, and Nancy Brynelson - share important understandings in the framework, including instructional strategies that support the goals of the CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy and the CA ELD Standards. (Presented on September 17, 2014.)

California's Recently Adopted English Language Arts/English Language Development Framework: Translating the Common Core State Standards to a Coherent and Sequenced Curriculum for All Students (PDF)
Article by Jo Ann Isken, Chair, and Bill Honig, Vice Chair, of the California Instructional Quality Commission and Carol Jago, contributing writer to the ELA/ELD Framework and Associate Director of the California Reading and Literature Project at UCLA.

CCSS English Language Arts Resources
Resources to support the teaching of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English language arts (ELA).

CCSS and CA ELD Standards Resources
Resources to support the teaching of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) with the California English Language Development Standards (CA ELD Standards).

CCSS Literary Resources
Resources to support the teaching of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects.

Integrating the CA ELD Standards into K-12 Mathematics and Science Teaching and Learning (DOC)
State Board of Education approved Correspondence Study Report that demonstrates a strong correspondence between the California ELD Standards and the California standards for mathematics and science.

Content Standards
Links to downloads of all Content Standards.

All Curriculum Frameworks
Links to downloads of all Curriculum Frameworks.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The State Board of Education adopted the English Language Arts/English Language Development Framework (ELA/ELD Framework) on July 9, 2014. Curriculum frameworks provide guidance to educators, parents, and publishers, to support implementing California content standards.