# data[].attributes.headline
What to Say Instead of "I Don't Know" poster

# data[].attributes.subject
What to Say Instead of "I Don't Know" poster

# data[].attributes.body
You will be asked to make a copy of access.  An Apps Script is also included to allow for the Google Slide Translation Add-On

# data[].attributes.body
Definition:
Organizing, synthesizing, and extending conceptual knowledge
Driving question:
How and when do I use this for my own purposes?
Processes:
Making associations across knowledge bases and application to novel situations

# data[].attributes.headline
Transfer:  Reading across documents to conceptually organize     (effect size 0.85)

# data[].attributes.subject
Transfer:  Reading across documents to conceptually organize     (effect size 0.85)

# data[].attributes.body
Reading across documents provides students with the chance to formulate reasoned conclusions across dissimilar information as they engage in a series of mental representations that move from understanding texts singly to formulating conclusions drawn from multiple pieces.

# data[].attributes.body
Students can explain and share information through the use of analogies and metaphors.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Part 10 of WIDA's Essential Action Series. Click here to return to the first article in the series.

Would you join me in a rigged game of chess? I get all my pieces, but you only get to have pawns and the Queen. Sure, there's a chance you can win, but the chances are slim.

The principle of "all pieces in play" is the core of WIDA's Action 13 from E ssential Actions: A Handbook for Implementing WIDA's Framework for English Language Development Standards (Gottlieb, 2013). Action 13 encourages integrate all the language domains (listening, reading, speaking, and writing) within a lesson cycle instead of teaching it as separate skills.

Gottlieb (2013) suggests that a classroom be filled with spoken and written words and accompanied by images that support these words. Language-rich classrooms empower ELs to switch between social to academic language .

One way to structure a lesson so that all language domains are incorporated is through Talk, Read, Talk, Write (TRTW). This process develops literacy skills while teaching content knowledge. In this process, ELs read, write, and talk to develop a stronger command of language.

Research Says

The research about creating a language-rich classroom is highlighted below:

Different forms of print that are generated by the teacher and students provide a language-rich environment (New Levine & McCloskey, 2008).

A language-rich environment is also created when teachers provide ELs with continuous opportunities for meaningful engagement in academic conversations (Frey, Fisher, & Rothenberg, 2008).

One characteristic of a language-rich environment is the ability to engage with academic vocabulary during reading, while speaking, and in ELs' writing (Blachowicz & Fisher, 2000; Pressley, 2002).

Different reading structures, such as read alouds and ELs reading in pairs or small groups, also characterize a language-rich environment and are linked to higher achievement (Ulano & Pucci, 1999; Elley, 1991; Tsang, 1994; Tudor & Ha z, 1989).

Based on the research, a language-rich classroom consists of the print that ELs see around them and also the interactions they have with each other while talking, reading, and writing about the content. This article will focus specifically on how to structure such interaction so that ELs can engage in language creation. The following article (Article 30) will be about creating a print-rich classroom.

Talk, Read, Talk, Write (TRTW)

TRTW is a process created by Nancy Motley to help students learn content while developing literacy skills. I was introduced to this process by Kim Barger, a fellow ELT on Twitter, and found the approach to be highly effective in shifting the attention away from me and onto students by having them inquire into the content. With TRTW, I no longer feel the need to "deliver" content. Students inquire to learn content, and I guide the inquiry.

Domain-specific teachers can help ELs better access content by using TRTW to plan their lessons. Recently, I was in a science teacher's classroom trying to help ELs access science content. This particular teacher had slides depicting topics such as diabetes, hormones, and homeostasis and proceeded to explain them. The students, however, were unengaged, and the ELs were lost because of the abstract concepts and unfamiliar science-specific vocabulary.

If I were in that teacher's shoes, I would have used TRTW to restructure the lesson while still ensuring that all students learn the content.

Talk (1): Setting a Context

This first phase uses talk to develop a context for learning. I might do a number of things such as ask students to talk about what they they know about diabetes or watch a short video on diabetes and compose questions they would want to the answers to. I could also instruct the students to talk about how life would be if they could not eat anymore sweets.

This response occurs when ELs are not affected by or connected to the topic. Rather, I provide a scenario of someone who suffers from diabetes, and then I ask ELs to think of questions that person might want to know about diabetes. Engagement occurs by shifting from learning content to solving problems with content . Humans are problem solvers, so asking students to create solutions produces authentic buy-in.

I then have students share their ideas in pairs. This informal conversation taps into students' prior knowledge and sets the context for learning.

Read: Cultivating Knowledge

Proceeding along to the next phase of TRTW, I produce a text for students to read that is related to diabetes. This phase of the lesson is when students are developing an understanding of the content itself. For ELs, I recommend reading a section of text aloud because this reduces the cognitive demand of decoding texts.

It helps to everyone on the same leveled playing field. After all, the goal is for them to learn facts, not decode texts. After the first read, I ask them to return to the text to re-read it. I then ask them to annotate the text in two specific ways.

One way is to translate words - not whole phrases or sentences - they don't know and write the translation in the margin because this builds their comprehension. I wrote about the intentional use of translating in this article entitled "Tiered Vocabulary: Not all Words are Equal" . The other form of annotation is to write a summary about the section they just read.

This phase develops ELs' reading skills because it teaches them the value of re-reading the text and reading closely for details. ELs can learn the academic language associated with the discipline when teachers provide students with the opportunity to engage with content-specific texts. In this science example, they are invited to read and think like a scientist through reading science texts.

Talk (2): Co-Constructing Understanding

Students share their understanding about the diabetes text in this phase. Talking often takes the form of students asking questions to understand a confusing part of the text. Students are co-constructing meaning as students answer each other's questions.

Students turn to each other to seek answers during this phase because I assume the role of a coach that guides from the sidelines. They are the "players" engaged in the game; I offer support only when needed. This support is often in the form of helping them reconstruct a difficult sentence structure .

The younger the ELs are, the more intervals of "Read-Talk 2" are needed. This is because they can only handle a limited amount of text before they are overwhelmed with all the details. The older ELs need less "Read-Talk 2" intervals, but they benefit from segmenting the text into manageable parts as well. Often, the older ELs use "Talk 2" as a time to share more abstract thinking and reflect about the ideas.

I push them beyond the comprehension level to the think more critically about the ideas in the text such as sharing opinions they've formed, identifying the author's bias, and examining the applications of the ideas in the text. Below is a diagram of this age-based differentiation.

Write: Demonstrating Understanding

ELs should have gained more knowledge about the topic after reading the text. They are more empowered to demonstrate their understanding independently. The tool I use the most in this phase is called a Quick Write , which is a daily, informal writing task where students provide a written response to an idea or comment on what they just learned. The focus is on allowing students to communicate their ideas, not the accuracy of the grammar or the organization of the sentences. Quick Writes are more of a formative assessment tool that provides teachers with data about students' progress.

For the younger ELs, I might offer some sentences frames to scaffold their ideas. This phase is particularly helpful for younger ELs because it provides them with an opportunity to synthesize the key details in the text. If you want to learn more about using sentence frames, consider reading Jana Echevarria's article entitled " Are Language Frames Good for English Learners " and check out Bathroom Briefs #6-8 for my examples of sentence frames.

In contrast, the older ELs need to be engaged in a different way. They want to create and apply their understanding gained from the text. I will often return to the scenario offered in "Talk 1" and ask students to write a reasonable solution. If the context is appropriate, I often ask them to take a stance regarding the topic and defend it with details from the text. Lastly, I often ask ELs to write about how the information in this text connects to another context or how this information might impact others.

The image below describes my process of differentiating the writing expected of ELs based on their age and language development.

Takeaways

I love the TRTW structure because it prevents me from running a teacher-centered lesson and empowers ELs to explore the topic and communicate their own understanding. This practice also honors several of my Empowering Principles , which include teaching a process vs. teaching just content, allowing ELs to produce language instead of passively learning it, and allowing the content to be a context for using language .

If the well-meaning science teacher would have used the TRTW approach, imagine how engaged all students would have been and how supported the ELs might have felt as they learned the new content. TRTW is particularly helpful to content teachers who often feel pressured to deliver content. TRTW facilitates learning content by segmenting learning through talking, reading, and writing experiences.

Next Post

This was the first of two articles about Action 9. Next week, I'll share how to use the classroom environment as a tool for language development. Yes, I'll cover wall charts, but that's just the beginning of how we can reimagine how we use the physical layout of our class to teach build a language-rich environment.

References

Gottlieb, M. (2013). Essential Actions: A Handbook for Implementing WIDA's Framework for

English Language Development Standards . Madison: Board of Regents of the U of Wisconsin System.

Pressley, M. (2002). Comprehension instruction: What makes sense now, what might make sense soon. Reading Online, 5 (2). Retrieved from http://www.readingonline.org/articles/art_index.asp?HREF=articles/ handbook/pressley/index.htm

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
29. Talk-Read-Talk-Write: Creating a Language-Rich Classroom | ELL Strategies | Empowering ELLs

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Part 10 of WIDA's Essential Action Series. Click here to return to the first article in the series. Would you join me in a rigged game of chess? I get all my pieces, but you only get to have pawns and the Queen. Sure, there's a chance you can win, but the chances are slim.

# data[].attributes.body
Definition:
Interaction with skills and concepts
Driving question:
How do these facts and principles fit together?
Processes:
Planning, organization, elaboration, and reflection

# data[].attributes.headline
Deep: Concept Mapping              (effect size 0.6)

# data[].attributes.subject
Deep: Concept Mapping              (effect size 0.6)

# data[].attributes.body
Concept maps and graphic organizers are tools for students as they bridge from planning and organizing information to the production of written and oral presentations of knowledge.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Author: Carol Salva and Anna Matis

When teachers are asked these questions, and they brainstorm a bit, the ones listed below are the top answers they offer. Ask yourself if you have seen a below-level learner engage in any of these processes:

These tasks engage students who are SIFE at some of the highest cognitive levels we ask of our mainstream, grade-level learners. In the sections below we will discuss ways to develop academic language for students who are SIFE while engaging them at a high level of cognition.

Though receiving comprehensible input is critical in the language acquisition process, encouraging language output is also highly significant.

We also want to emphasize why it is so important to create as many opportunities for students who are SIFE to produce English. From their perspective, they care about how they sound. From our perspective, we want all students to build oral language. The story of Gerson works to help teachers realize the value in having students who are SIFE engaging in various activities that encourage oral language production.

I had shown my students the video of Gerson Bermudez more than once. This video of an actual immigrant student, reflecting on how he accelerated his English language acquisition, has never failed to have an effect. Students and teachers alike are inspired by the evidence of how a growth mindset can help us improve our learning at a rapid pace. Because of this, our class often discusses how we are similar to Gerson and what steps we should take to improve our own English.

This study of a real student overcoming the challenges of being a recent immigrant was highly engaging for my students. To meet speaking goals, I asked my students to think of questions they had for Gerson. I knew they would be compelled to produce language with an opportunity to communicate with him. Some of their questions needed to be translated but they practiced what they wanted to ask in English. This went well and it was fascinating to see how many of the students had questions about pronunciation and sounding like a native English speaker. Many wanted to know if he still had an accent and if not, how did he lose it? They wanted to know what he did and how long it took.

For me, this underscored the urgent need to have students producing as much English as possible in my class. I wanted them to have more opportunities to practice the language in a safe environment. It was obvious to me that many of my SIFE students who were newcomers did not like how they sounded and this would likely affect how much English they produced with me, and throughout their day. Many of my students were still in their "silent period." They were not comfortable yet producing independent English words and phrases. I simply had to create multiple opportunities for them to receive comprehensible input and then jump into the conversation when they were ready. We want to give the gift of academic language to every student. Giving my students who are SIFE compelling reasons and opportunities to use their new language is now at the forefront of all my lesson planning. - Carol

WHAT IS QSSSA?

One approach to scaffolding student/student conversation is Q, Triple S, A. The acronym stands for Question, Signal, Stem, Share, Assess (Seidlitz & Perryman, 2011). This activity gets students using all domains of listening, speaking, reading, and writing in a fun and interactive manner. QSSSA is beneficial for students who are SIFE because it occurs in a low-stress environment, where students have the wait time to negotiate meaning and practice responses with a partner before sharing chorally with the class. Students are guided in their structured conversations by sentence stems and precise, easy-to-follow directions from the teacher.

WHAT DOES QSSSA LOOK LIKE?

This structure begins with the teacher asking a question. This is a great way to help students build academic language into their writing.

The teacher can ask one question, or a short series of questions for the students to respond to. When they have a response ready, students are then asked to provide a total response signal to indicate to the teacher and the class that they are ready to move on. This could be a hand in the air, pencil on paper, standing up, etc. The teacher then provides a sentence stem for the students to use with a partner for sharing responses. The stem could be as simple as "I agree/disagree because_______."

The activity ends with the teacher assessing the students by randomly calling on a few to respond, or rotating around to each group and asking for a response. See the chart on the next page for an example of the different variations that QSSSA can be used in different content areas, with varied response signals, stems, and methods of formative assessment.

STRUCTURED CONVERSATION

ROVING PARAGRAPH FRAMES

WHAT IS ROVING PARAGRAPH FRAMES?

This activity is successful because of its effortless use of grouping, randomization, structured conversations, and structured reading and writing opportunities. To give students who are SIFE as much exposure to various models/examples of spoken and written English, experimenting with various grouping structures is an excellent way to enable this practice in a low-stress environment.

WHAT DOES ROVING PARAGRAPH FRAMES LOOK LIKE?

This activity is excellent for all students and works very well for English learners. We first explain the activity and then provide an explanation of how it can be modified if you have non-English writers in your class.

TO FACILITATE ROVING PARAGRAPH FRAMES:

Give your students a sentence stem to begin the activity, and let them think and respond with a complete sentence. Sample: "It is important to understand the Bill of Rights because________."

Ask the students to stand up with their paper and pencils when they have completed the written sentence.

Have the students "rove" around the room and find a partner.

Ask students to write a new sentence that begins with a new stem, such as "In addition, __________." They can either "borrow or steal" their partner's response if it was different than their own or just create a fresh sentence.

Have the students find new partners, and repeat the entire process with the second partner. It is crucial to instruct students to read everything they have written so far and for the partner to listen and then read everything that he/she has written so far as well. This validates student responses and encourages the use of listening and speaking skills. After reading individual sentences, students then write a third sentence with the stem "Also, ______."

ROVING PARAGRAPH FRAMES FOR STUDENTS WHO CANNOT YET WRITE IN ENGLISH

Content teachers should be mindful of students who cannot yet write in English. For these students, you may decide to cluster them into a group so that you can work with them while the rest of the class is writing their initial sentence. You can use a native language peer, a bilingual dictionary, or translation app to get the students' ideas and help them complete the sentence frame. If the student is very new, it is beneficial to provide these students with the rest of the sentence frame so that they can participate with the rest of the class. You may also consider partnering your students for this activity so that your brand-new students are less apprehensive about roving and speaking. However you scaffold for your students who cannot yet write in English, know that the activity is still very meaningful for English language goals at the beginner writing level.

ROVING PARAGRAPH FRAMES FOR THE NEWCOMER CLASSROOM

If it is early in the school year, it is possible that your class with SIFE learners has a considerable number of students who are not able to complete sentence frames with coherence in the target language. Students should soon be able to complete simple sentence frames, but the reality for some of us is that we are receiving newcomers all the time and our classroom may be made up of many students who cannot yet write in English. Instead of having this activity become confusing for the class, consider taking a more guided approach to Roving Paragraph Frames. After my first attempt ended in a bit of frustration for all of us, I altered the way I facilitated the activity and used QSSSA (page 66) to scaffold for my new arrival class.

FOR A CLASS WITH MANY EMERGENT WRITERS:

Have students in cooperative groups.

Have pre-printed versions of Roving Paragraph Frames with the following stems:

Initial sentence frame (For example,"It is important to understand the Bill of Rights because________." )

In addition ________________________

Have students work in groups or pairs and ask them to develop a complete sentence using the frame. Advise them that you will be randomly calling on them.

Have groups give a signal when they have completed the frame.

Randomly call on groups to give their sentences. Teacher scribes sentences on board to model English writing.

Allow each group to offer a sentence and more if time permits.

Chorally read sentences with class and use sheltered strategies to ensure comprehensible input.

Invite students to choose any sentence from the board to be the beginning sentence of their Roving Paragraph Frames. If students have enough writing proficiency, they can use their own words to write their sentence.

Ask the students to stand up with their paper and pencils when they have completed the written sentence.

Tell the students "rove" around the room and find a partner.

Students find new partners, and repeat the entire process with the second partner. It is crucial to instruct students to read everything they have written so far, and for the partner to listen and then read everything that he/she has written so far as well. This validates student responses, and encourages the use of listening and speaking skills. After reading individual sentences, students write a third sentence with the stem "Finally, _______." At this point, each student should have a well-constructed paragraph in hand, complete with transitions and complete thoughts recorded in academic English.

This activity works well at any point in the lesson cycle. It can be used as a warm-up activity, a transition midway through a class period, or as closure to review the day's concepts and learning. Another perk is that you can use this structure to have your students practice other transition words, not just in addition, also, and finally. Sarah Russell, a former English teacher in Reno, NV created a list of signal words that might be useful.

DMU Timestamp: May 26, 2018 14:45

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Boosting Achievement: Reaching Students with Interrupted or Minimal Education - NowComment.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
When teachers are asked these questions, and they brainstorm a bit, the ones listed below are the top answers they offer. Ask yourself if you have seen a below-level learner engage in any of these processes: These tasks engage students who are SIFE at some of the highest cognitive levels we ask of our mainstream, grade-level learners.

# data[].attributes.headline
Teacher Clarity                  (effect size 0.75)

# data[].attributes.subject
Teacher Clarity                  (effect size 0.75)

# data[].attributes.body
Literacy learning can be enhanced when teachers communicate specific, relevant, and appropriate learning environments.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
The Australian Society for Evidence Based Teaching

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Teacher clarity is critical. Eminent educators, Dylan Wiliam and John Hattie agree that you must be very clear about what you want your students to learn. You need to know exactly what you want them to understand and what you want them to be able to do. More importantly, you need to ensure that your students are equally clear about what they must learn and how they can prove they have learnt it.

In fact, Hattie's review of research showed that teacher clarity has an effect size of d = 0.75.

Put another way, clear teaching helps students to progress 9 months further than students whose teachers did not have high levels of teacher clarity.

Teacher Clarity Misunderstood

Both Hattie and Wiliams encourage you to use learning intentions and success criteria to achieve this clarity. However, this has led to a lot of time being spent on plastering walls with learning intentions, mastery ladders and alike with very little benefit. Teachers are doing it for the sake of doing it, rather than to focus their teaching. Yet, it is focusing your teaching that makes the difference.

In fact, the meta-analysis Hattie reviewed does not refer to learning intentions or success criteria per se, but simply to teacher clarity. This doesn't mean that learning intentions and success criteria are bad, but rather that they are merely one way of achieving teacher clarity. The same applies to other strategies, such as mastery ladders. You can make use of these strategies when they help you achieve clarity what you want your students to learn. However, don't ever use them for their own sake or worse, in contexts where it wastes your time without affecting your subsequent teaching.

And this leads to my next point.

Teacher Clarity Must Lead To Clear Teaching

Hattie reviewed just one meta-analysis on teacher clarity, which was conducted by Frank Fendick. Fendick found that teacher clarity had a substantial impact on students' subsequent results. Yet, being clear about what you want your students to learn is just one aspect of Fendick's definition of teacher clarity. Teacher clarity involves:

1. Being clear about what you want your students to know and be able to do

2. Clearly explaining new content to students

3. Clearly demonstrating relevant skills and processes that you expect students to do

4. Give students practice tasks clearly focused on what you want them to know and be able to do

5. Checking that students have a clear understanding of the new material

Of these dimensions, clearly explaining new content has the largest impact on subsequent results. However, when you attend to the aspects of teacher clarity collectively, your impact on your students' results nearly doubles.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Teacher Clarity: A Potent Yet Often Abused Teaching Strategy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Teacher clarity is critical. Eminent educators, Dylan Wiliam and John Hattie agree that you must be very clear about what you want your students to learn. You need to know exactly what you want them to understand and what you want them to be able to do.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Results on ReadWriteThink - ReadWriteThink

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Classroom Resources | Grades 3 - 12 | Printout | Graphic Organizer Compare and Contrast Chart This organizer can be used to help students explain similarities and differences between two things or ideas. After this organizer has been completed, it could easily be developed into a classroom discussion or writing topic on the information gathered.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
The Australian Society for Evidence Based Teaching

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Do you want to help your students move beyond surface knowledge and develop a deeper understanding of the material you are teaching them?

Research shows that you can use visuals and the SOLO framework to help you.

Visuals

Students learn best when you present information in multimodal ways. This is because we find it easier to learn through a combination of words and visuals.

A visual is simply a diagram or image that you create to get your point across. They come in many forms, and they may even include text. However, they are never text-based. Rather, visuals give you something to talk about, and they give students' eyes something to focus on while they listen.

For example, when describing the differences between a solution and a suspension you would talk (words) about how the substance:

Fully dissolves into the first in a solution,

Is just spread out in a suspension

You could do this while displaying this diagram. You could easily draw this diagram on a blackboard, project it using PowerPoint or display it on an interactive whiteboard. In all cases, it is just a visual representation of the oral explanation that you give.

You could follow this with diagram two while explaining that the second substance doesn't stay spread out in a suspension. Rather, it spreads out when your shake or stir it, but it separates when left still.

The key is to use a combination of words and images at the same time.

The SOLO Framework

The SOLO framework was developed by John Biggs and Kevin Collis as a way to describe how we move from knowledge acquisition to deep understanding.

In this sense, it is similar to Bloom's taxonomy. However, unlike Bloom's taxonomy, it is more closely aligned with how our minds take in and process ideas.

We can take in single ideas, and we can expand the breadth of our knowledge by taking in more ideas. Broadening your knowledge base is an excellent thing to do, but it only expands your surface knowledge.

You can then deepen your knowledge base by connecting different pieces of information together. Connections come in many forms. Which came first? What caused this? How does this compare to that? What effect will this have? Is this part of a group? What other things are also in this group?

Your breadth of knowledge is determined by how much you know

Your depth of knowledge is determined by how well you connect pieces of information to each other

You can only connect bits of information that you know. Therefore, deep understanding is dependent on and restricted by the amount of surface knowledge that you possess.

An Example of Visuals in Action

I will show you what I mean by using a series of concepts contained in a short Year 7 history unit on the origins of humanity. Please feel free to use these visuals yourself.

Inquiry Question 1: What are historical theories?

Theories are a core concept in history, as is the related concept of evidence. This short series of visuals introduces these concepts.

To begin the unit, I would explain that historians have beliefs about what happened in the past. They have reasons why they hold these beliefs, but the beliefs are different from facts. We call these beliefs historical theories. I could support my explanation by displaying and referring to the following visual, which shows what theories are and what they are not.

I would then explain that while theories are not always facts, they are more than just wild guesses. Historians take factual clues and think about them logically. They then come up with theories about what happened in the past based on the clues they have found. I would do all of this while displaying the next visual, which shows how different things combine to create something else.

In the third part of my explanation, I would talk about how there are different types of clues and that historians call these clues evidence. While my focus is the clues themselves, I would also explain that there is a variety of scientific techniques that can help us understand the clues we have found. These methods include radiocarbon dating, analysis of rock layers and DNA analysis. Students do not need to understand the science behind these techniques. Rather they just need to know that they exist, and they help tell us more about the clues we have found. With that in mind, I would do this while displaying the group-type visual below, which focuses on types of clues rather than the scientific techniques used to analyze them.

These three simple visuals help students to have a deep understanding of historical theories and how they are developed. Furthermore, they allow me to succinctly explain some key concepts and to show how they connect with each other and with their own elements.

Inquiry Question 2: What is the Theory of Evolution?

The theory of evolution is not a core aspect of Year 7 history. However, a brief introduction provides a foundation for the historical theory Out of Africa and also allows you to introduce another key historical concept - contestability.

At the core of the theory of evolution is the belief that living things change or 'evolve' over time to better adapt to their environment.

I would introduce this idea with a simple visual showing woolly mammoth evolving into a modern elephant. The actual theory about how elephants evolved, and their relationship to mammoths is more complex than this, but the point here is to illustrate adaptation over time.

While still displaying the woolly mammoth visual, I would talk about other interesting adaptations. For instance, scientists believe that some lizards lost their legs so that could burrow better in the sand and that horses evolved from fox-sized woodland animals. As forests gave way to grasslands, and predators grew faster, horses evolved to grass-eating, quick animals.

I would emphasize the idea that we adapt over longer periods of time with humour and the following visual.

At this point, I would refer back to the idea that theories are a set of beliefs based on factual clues, but that theories are not the same as facts. Then, I'd introduce the idea of contestability - the idea that different people can use the same set of clues to come up with different theories.

I would then explain that while most scientists and historians believe the theory of evolution is correct, there are people who do not. There are some people who believe that all living things were created just as we are today. There are others who believe that animals evolved, but they evolved in a way that was guided by God (or some other intelligent being), rather than evolving on order to adapt to their environment.

Inquiry Question 3: How did humans evolve?

I would introduce human evolution by referring to the commonly held belief that humans evolved from monkeys.

I would then move to what, from a historical perspective, is the main idea of this lesson. Humans did not evolve directly from apes. Rather, apes and human-like creatures evolved from a common ancestor who had a mixture of ape and human features. These human-like creatures were called hominids. Today, humans are the only hominids still alive. However, in the past, there have been many other hominids.

The hierarchical visual above shows you that:

Hominids were different to apes (although we shared a common ancestor)

There were many different types of hominids (even more than I have shown)

You can revisit the idea of contestability, by highlighting that while scientists agree on the idea of hominids vs. apes, they disagree on some of the specifics. For instance, some scientists will include Neanderthals as a type of Homo sapien, rather than being its own species. Other scientists include chimpanzees as hominids.

The above diagram is very useful in differentiating between

Apes and hominids

Various types of hominids

However, it doesn't offer much insight into when each type of hominid lived or when they died out. I would explain that some lived before humans and some lived at the same time while referring to the sequenced and comparative visual below.

Students should now have a deeper understanding of the origins of humanity. Specifically, they should now know that we were one type of hominid, that some hominids existed well before we did and that some hominids existed at the same time as early humans.

However, students still don't know who evolved from who. You could use this sequenced visual to show this. In simple terms, we evolved from Homo erectus, who in turn evolved from Homo habilis. The question marks show that evolution probably involved other hominids in some way, but most scientists agree with this basic sequence.

Inquiry Question 4: What is the Out of Africa Theory?

I would explain that the Out of Africa theory is a belief that all humans (Homo sapiens) evolved in eastern Africa. Then, some of them decided to venture out of Africa and settled in various parts of the world. I would display the following visual while explaining this.

While still displaying this same visual, I would also mention that Homo sapiens were not the only hominids to venture of Africa. Both the Neanderthals and Homo erectus left Africa before we did.

Next, I would explain that this happened a long, long time ago (100-60 thousand years ago). I would then emphasize this point graphically with the following visual.

I would finish by returning to the idea of contestability. Most scientists and historians believe in the Out of Africa theory. However, some of them disagree on the dates, on the paths taken and on the number of times hominids left Africa.

Then, there are others who disagree entirely, and who propose an alternative theory. In this alternative theory, Homo erectus left Africa and settled in different parts of the word. Humans then evolved from Homo erectus, not just in Africa, but in all the corners of the globe.

I would show the following hierarchical visual while discussing this contestability and the alternative theory.

In Closing

1. Remember that the quality of your visual depends upon the insightful connections it shows. It does not depend upon your artistic ability or your familiarity with computer graphics.

2. This article focused on using visuals as one part (I Do) of an explicit teaching sequence. It is still important to ensure your students actively engage with what you have explained. It's just that student engagement was not the focus of this article.

3. This article focused on teacher-generated (or teacher-acquired) visuals. This is only one of the potent ways you can use visuals to help students connect ideas. It is also a great idea to get your students making additional visuals themselves, but only once you have given them sufficient foundational knowledge and explained some critical connections yourself.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Teachers who make effective use of visuals can help students to move beyond surface knowledge and develop a deep understanding of what you are teaching them

# data[].attributes.headline
Corwin:  Making Learning Visible With Teacher Clarity and Expectations

# data[].attributes.subject
Corwin:  Making Learning Visible With Teacher Clarity and Expectations

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Making Learning Visible with Teacher Clarity and Expectations

# data[].attributes.headline
Surface, Deep, and Transfer?  Considering the Role of Content Literacy Instructional Strategies

# data[].attributes.subject
Surface, Deep, and Transfer?  Considering the Role of Content Literacy Instructional Strategies

# data[].attributes.headline
Transfer:  Extended Writing (effect size  0.43)

# data[].attributes.subject
Transfer:  Extended Writing (effect size  0.43)

# data[].attributes.body
Evidence of a student's transfer of knowledge can be found in their extended composition pieces.
Writing instruction, summarization skills, planning, the feedback loop, and understanding what the goal of the writing piece is plays an important role in how well students can construct their knowledge.

Effect size for writing programs= 0.44
Effect size for teaching students to summarize = 0.63
Effect size for concept mapping = 0.60
Effect size for feedback = 0.75
Effect size for teacher clarity = 0.75

# data[].attributes.body
Fisher, D., Frey, N., & Hattie, J. (2016). Visible learning for literacy, grades K-12: Implementing the practices that work best to accelerate student learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin/A SAGE Company.

# data[].attributes.headline
Scaffolding Text Structure for English Learners

# data[].attributes.subject
Scaffolding Text Structure for English Learners

# data[].attributes.body
In this video, students write their claims, evidence and reasoning and in turn use these for debate.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
PLEASE CREATE A NEW ACCOUNT OR LOG IN TO ACCESS THIS CONTENT

Enjoy your first three pieces of content for free. Subscribe for unlimited access.

Have questions about subscribing? Click Here to learn more.

PLEASE CREATE A NEW ACCOUNT OR LOG IN TO ACCESS THIS CONTENT

Enjoy your first three pieces of content for free. Subscribe for unlimited access.

Have questions about subscribing? Click Here to learn more.

Thought starters

1. How do the colors guide students in their writing?

2. What sentence starters do the students use for each section?

3. How can this strategy be applied across subjects areas?

School Details

ENLACE Academy

Lawrence, Massachusetts

Teachers

English Language Arts Social Studies / 9 10 / Teacher

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Enjoy your first three pieces of content for free. Subscribe for unlimited access. Have questions about subscribing? Click Here to learn more. Enjoy your first three pieces of content for free. Subscribe for unlimited access. Have questions about subscribing? Click Here to learn more. Thought starters How do the colors guide students in their writing?

# data[].attributes.body
Have students relate a picture to their writing to tie in analogical reasoning.

# data[].attributes.body
ChatterPix example

# data[].attributes.wish_content.attachment_props.text
ReadWorks at our new technology station @MunfordElem @TcboeE @AngieSRobinson @ChatterPixIt @ReadWorks

# data[].attributes.wish_content.attachment_props.original_text
ReadWorks at our new technology station @MunfordElem @TcboeE @AngieSRobinson @ChatterPixIt @ReadWorks https://t.co/pLJeSQfikM

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.embed_code
ReadWorks at our new technology station @MunfordElem @TcboeE @AngieSRobinson @ChatterPixIt @ReadWorks pic.twitter.com/pLJeSQfikM
— Brinn Doyle (@BrinnDoyle) October 29, 2018

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props_source.data.text
ReadWorks at our new technology station @MunfordElem @TcboeE @AngieSRobinson @ChatterPixIt @ReadWorks https://t.co/pLJeSQfikM

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.original_text
ReadWorks at our new technology station @MunfordElem @TcboeE @AngieSRobinson @ChatterPixIt @ReadWorks https://t.co/pLJeSQfikM

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.text
ReadWorks at our new technology station @MunfordElem @TcboeE @AngieSRobinson @ChatterPixIt @ReadWorks

# data[].attributes.headline
Transfer:  Debate and Socratic Seminars (effect size 0.82)

# data[].attributes.subject
Transfer:  Debate and Socratic Seminars (effect size 0.82)

# data[].attributes.body
These two methods allow for students to discuss texts, explore abstract ideas, and participate in critical inquiry with their peers.  Debate and Socratic seminars are student driven, where considerable knowledge about the topic is needed. The purpose is to not only seek understanding,  but also to link knowledge within and across disciplines.

# data[].attributes.body
The purpose of a Socratic seminar is for members to help one another understand a text or concept deeply by linking it to other ideas and values.  It draws on discussion and thinking such as, accountable talk, rules of discussion, and metacognitive thinking.  Close reading of a text occurs in advance of the Socratic seminar.  The goal of the seminar is not to persuade, but rather to figure out the deeper meaning of the text or concept.

# data[].attributes.headline
Writing Content and Language Objectives based on the SIOP Model

# data[].attributes.subject
Writing Content and Language Objectives based on the SIOP Model

# data[].attributes.body
1.  Content objectives are clearly defined, displayed and reviewed
2. Language objectives clearly defined, displayed and reviewed
3. Content concepts appropriate for age and education background level of students

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The SIOP Model - Writing Effective Content and Language Objectives

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
ELA.RL.9-10.1

Common core State Standards

ELA: English Language Arts

RL: Reading Standards for Literature 6-12

9-10: 9th & 10th Grades

1:
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text
says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

Download Common Core State Standards (PDF 1.2 MB)

|

ELA.RL.9-10.4

Common core State Standards

ELA: English Language Arts

RL: Reading Standards for Literature 6-12

9-10: 9th & 10th Grades

4:
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text,
including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact
of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes
a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).

Download Common Core State Standards (PDF 1.2 MB)

|

ELA.SL.9-10.1c

Common core State Standards

ELA: English Language Arts

SL: Speaking and Listening Standards 6-12

9-10: 9th & 10th Grades

1c:
Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions
(one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9-10
topics, texts, and issues, building on others'\x80\x99 ideas and expressing their own
clearly and persuasively.

a. Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under
study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from
texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful,
well-reasoned exchange of ideas.

b. Work with peers to set rules for collegial discussions and decision-making
(e.g., informal consensus, taking votes on key issues, presentation of
alternate views), clear goals and deadlines, and individual roles as needed.

c. Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate the
current discussion to broader themes or larger ideas; actively incorporate
others into the discussion; and clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and
conclusions.

d. Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarize points of
agreement and disagreement, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their
own views and understanding and make new connections in light of the
evidence and reasoning presented.

Download Common Core State Standards (PDF 1.2 MB)

PLEASE CREATE A NEW ACCOUNT OR LOG IN TO ACCESS THIS CONTENT

Enjoy your first video for free. Subscribe for unlimited access.

Have questions about subscribing? Click Here to learn more.

PLEASE CREATE A NEW ACCOUNT OR LOG IN TO ACCESS THIS CONTENT

Enjoy your first video for free. Subscribe for unlimited access.

Have questions about subscribing? Click Here to learn more.

Discussion and Supporting Materials

Thought starters

1. How do students develop discussion skills by participating in both the inner and outer circles?

2. What can you learn from Ms. Price about using the language of the Common Core with students?

3. Ms. Price says that it's our responsibility to make it their responsibility. How does she do this?

School Details

Mountain View High School
3535 Truman Avenue
Mountain View CA 94040

Data Provided By:

Teachers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ninth graders in Paige Price's ELA class participate in a Socratic Seminar to discuss the role of poetic language. Paige sets up the Socratic Seminar with an inner and an outer circle. Students partner up so that one student participates in the inner circle discussion while the other partner observes from the outer circle.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
SIOP Model for Teaching English Learners - Lesson Delivery

# data[].attributes.body
These roles align to Socratic questioning

# data[].attributes.body
Debate is authentic when students generate their own positions about a concept.
Students develop oral language skills through collaboration and by presenting their argument in a two to five minute speech.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Specifically designed to meet the needs of students in the middle grades (ages 10-14), it serves more than 40,000 students per year in the United States, across the African continent, and around the world. We are committed to sound pedagogy, rigorous practice, accessible materials and meaningful community service.

# data[].attributes.body
Definition:
Acquisition and consolidation of initial knowledge base
Driving question:
What are the key facts and principles?
Processes:
Rehearsal, memorization, and repetition

# data[].attributes.body
Understanding how semantic patterns of text relate to the three related pairs of knowledge structures.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Integrating Language and Content_ The Knowledge Framework

# data[].attributes.headline
Surface:  Leveraging Prior Knowledge Strategies     (effect size 0.67)

# data[].attributes.subject
Surface:  Leveraging Prior Knowledge Strategies     (effect size 0.67)

# data[].attributes.body
Intentionally teaching to build, and incorporating prior knowledge, is a strong predictor of subsequent reading comprehension of topical texts.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Placemat Activity strategy provides an opportunity for each student in a group to record individual responses and ideas regarding an issue, topic or question for consideration. The strategy can be used to brainstorm ideas, record researched information or analyze documents. Individual responses are shared with the group.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Use a Gallery Walk format for students to get feedback on their work. Hang student products, such as drawings, visual representations, poster projects, etc. Students, individually or in groups, rotate around the room and provide feedback to the creator of the work.

# data[].attributes.body
Description: In partners, students read a nonfiction article using the following coding system, inserting the codes directly into the text they are reading: ● A check (√) mark indicates a concept or fact that is already known by the students. ● A question (?) mark indicates a concept or fact that is confusing or not understood. ● An exclamation mark (!) indicates something that is new, unusual or surprising. ● A (+) indicates an idea or concept that is new to the reader. When the partners have concluded reading and marking the text, they share their markings with another set of partners. As misconceptions or misunderstandings are cleared up, the question mark is replaced with an asterisk (*). Following this small group work, the text is discussed with the teacher and the whole class.

# data[].attributes.body
Procedure:

1. Divide paper into quadrants and label each quadrant with 1, 2, 3, and 4.  Assign each member in your group of four a number.

2. Teacher poses a problem to which there are multiple possible responses or solutions, and provides think time.  Teacher may provide a sentence frame at this time.

3. Allow students 20-30 seconds of think time (pens down and no talkingand then 30 seconds to write down as much as they can using the sentence frame, in point form or visually.

4. Now each member has 1 minute to share their ideas.  So Number 1 will share and Numbers 2, 3, and 4 will record Numbers 1's response in the 1 quadrant.

5. Repeat the process until all quadrants are filled and all members have shared.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
SIOP Activity: Expert Stay and Stray with Dr. JanaEchevarria

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Background

An Anticipation Guide is a strategy that is used before reading to activate students' prior knowledge and build curiosity about a new topic. Before reading a selection, students respond to several statements that challenge or support their preconceived ideas about key concepts in the text. Using this strategy stimulates students' interest in a topic and sets a purpose for reading. Anticipation guides can be revisited after reading to evaluate how well students understood the material and to correct any misconceptions.

Benefits

Anticipation Guides are loved by teachers because of their ability to engage all students in the exploration of new information by challenging them to critically think about what they know or think they know about a topic. In doing so, anticipation guides set a purpose to the reading, even for those students who initially may not be engaged by the topic.

Create the strategy

There are several ways to construct an anticipation guide for middle and high school students. Most include the following steps (Duffelmeyer, 1994):

1. Identify the major ideas presented in the reading.

2. Consider what beliefs your students are likely to have about the topic.

3. Write general statements that challenge your students' beliefs.

4. Require students to respond to the statements with either a positive or negative response.

Use the strategy

1. Have students complete the anticipation guide before reading. They may work by themselves, in pairs or small groups. Remind students that they should be prepared to discuss and debate their reactions to the statements on the anticipation guide after they have completed it.

2. After students have finished the guide, encourage a class discussion of students' reactions to the statements. Remember, you want to activate their critical thinking about the topic, so dig deeper than students' answers and get to their justifications.

3. Have students read the text with their anticipation guide responses fresh in their minds so they can react to the text as they read. Encourage students to mark or write down where the text supports their initial reaction to statements, or causes them to rethink those reactions.

4. Have a class discussion after reading. Ask students if any of them changed their position on any of the statements. Encourage students to share how they reacted to the text, given their initial responses captured in the anticipation guide. Make sure students share examples from the text where their initial responses were either supported or challenged.

References

Duffelmeyer, F. (1994). Effective Anticipation Guide statements for learning from expository prose. Journal of Reading, 37, 452-455.

McKenna, M.C. (2002). Help for struggling readers: Strategies for grades 3-8. New York: Guilford.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
An Anticipation Guide is a strategy that is used before reading to activate students' prior knowledge and build curiosity about a new topic. Before reading a selection, students respond to several statements that challenge or support their preconceived ideas about key concepts in the text.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What is ?
Why Does It work?

The Tea Party strategy is called "Tea Party" because students can pretend they are at a tea party, mingling around with each other, listening and talking, and discussing. To use this strategy, distribute index cards to each student with a phrase from the text written on it. Phrases may be repeated. Ask the students to begin the tea party-- move around the room, listen to other students' phrases, and share their own. Encourage them to have a discussion about what may be happening. Allow students to mingle for 8-12 minutes, or until the discussion dies down. Then, ask students either independently, or in a group, to write "I/We Think" statements. These statements are the students' prediction of what the text will be about.

Author Kylene Beers, in When Kids Can't Read, What Teachers Can Do, writes about the Tea Party Strategy. "Tea Party offers a chance to consider active participation with the text and gives active adolescents a chance to get up and move around the classroom. This pre-reading strategy allows students to predict what they think will happen in the text as they make inferences, see casual relationships, compare and contrast, practice sequencing, and draw on their prior experiences" (2003, p. 94).

Not only does this strategy get students up and moving, but it gets them considering phrases from a text before they've read it. Students will look forward to this activity, as they enjoy the social interaction, and the motivation to read.

In order for the activity to be successful, be careful about the phrases and sentences you choose. Literature-Based Reading Activities, by Ruth Helen Yopp and Hallie Kay Yopp has tips for selecting phrases. "If sentences are carefully selected, students will form a number of plausible impressions and hypotheses about the text. If students have revealed too much, the students' responses will converge" (2010, p. 28).

Videos:

The video below is from Snappy Strategies, wegottaread.com. This video provides great steps to follow when implementing this strategy, as well as considerations and tips for successful use of the strategy.

In this video, you see a group of teacher learning how to use the strategy. The instructor explains the strategy, and has the teachers interact as if they were participating.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Tea Party strategy is called "Tea Party" because students can pretend they are at a tea party, mingling around with each other, listening and talking, and discussing. To use this strategy,...

# data[].attributes.headline
Surface: Vocabulary Techniques  (effect size 0.67)

# data[].attributes.subject
Surface: Vocabulary Techniques  (effect size 0.67)

# data[].attributes.body
Providing students opportunities to generalize vocabulary through definitional understanding, gain precision through examples and non - examples, and recall through various techniques, allows vocabulary to become increasingly available to students through discussion and writing.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
JavaScript is not active on your browser. This webite requires JavaScript in order to function.

The Frayer Model is a vocabulary development tool. In contrast with a straight definition, the model helps to develop a better understanding of complex concepts by having students identify not just what something is, but what something is not. The center of the diagram shows the concept being defined, while the quadrants around the concept are used for providing the details. Topics that work well with the Frayer Model include quadrilaterals, insects and forms of government. We have included two variations of the model that we have seen used in school settings.

Copyright © 2002-2023 WorksheetWorks.com All Rights Reserved.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
teaching materials worksheets printables math fractions handwriting geometry homeschooling classroom teachers parents geography spelling language puzzles

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The premier web service for creating professional educational resources. Used by teachers and parents around the world.

# data[].attributes.body
A graphic organizer that requires students to provide a definition, picture, sentence, and synonyms of an assigned term.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
SIOP Activity: Word Generation with Dr. MaryEllen Vogt

# data[].attributes.body
Create online flashcards using the Google Spreadsheet template provided.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Name your set of flashcards by changing the name of the worksheet (at the bottom).

# data[].attributes.headline
Common Roots, Prefixes and Suffixes in English

# data[].attributes.subject
Common Roots, Prefixes and Suffixes in English

# data[].attributes.body
Provides the opportunity to generate your own custom set of bingo cards and other games with the card generator or creator to allow for repeated exposure of vocabulary.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This collection of sight words games gives children opportunities to practice their sight words and build toward mastery while also keeping them engaged and having fun. In general, we recommend using a mix of recently introduced words and some older words for review. The games include:

A sight words variation on a classic game. Read words correctly to put down X or O markers and get three in a row.
More

Leave a Reply

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This collection of sight words games gives children opportunities to practice their sight words and build toward mastery while also keeping them engaged and having fun. In general, we recommend using a mix of recently introduced words and some older words for review. The games include: A sight words variation on a classic game.

# data[].attributes.headline
Surface:  Reading comprehension instruction in context      (effect size 0.60)

# data[].attributes.subject
Surface:  Reading comprehension instruction in context      (effect size 0.60)

# data[].attributes.body
Strategies include: finding connections between concepts and arguments within a document, annotating text, checking for understanding, interpreting text, and rereading to regain meaning.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The post-it note strategy asks students to mark the text they are reading. This strategy encourages students to be active readers, rather than passive readers. Students become engaged in the...

# data[].attributes.body
Also known as fill-in-the blanks and gap-fills, clozes can be used to increase the number of times students work with a piece of text

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Clozes, also know as "gap-fills," are good tools for assessing vocabulary and comprehension and for helping students learn about context clues.

Most clozes you find on the web, I think, are fairly useless because they create the clozes using some kind of formula instead of omitting words strategically. Having students create clozes, and then having their classmates complete them, maximize their learning benefit. I've written a longer explanation of how I use them at Use "LearnClick" For An Excellent Metacognitive Lesson.

Here are my choices for The Best Tools For Creating Clozes (Gap-Fills):

I like LearnClick a lot. You can read more here how I use it (unfortunately, it's begun to charge a a subscription fee for use).

Smile is a free web tool from Michigan State University, and allow teachers (and students) to easily create clozes, drag-and-drop exercises, and sequencing activities. They also allow you to use audio and video with the activities, and will host them as well.

One simple way to make clozes that you print out is just to copy and paste text in a Word document and strategically delete the words you want people to fill-in.

Life Beyond Gap-fill? is from Richmond Share.

Re-imagining the grammar classics: The personalized gap fill is from Teach Them English.

Student Instructions For How They Can Create A Cloze (Gap-Fill)
Fill in the Blank / Cloze Sentence Worksheets is from The Teacher's Corner.

Create a Cloze Test
Cloze Test Worksheet Maker Click School Tools - Gapfill generator
I saw an interesting version of a cloze/gap-fill that had students choose the correct multi-word phrases instead of the usual one word answers. I hadn't though of that "twist" before...

Gap-fill, Sentence Writing or Composition - Which Task Leads to Better Vocabulary Learning? is from ELT Research Bites.

Additional suggestions are welcome.

If you found this post useful, you might want to consider subscribing to this blog for free.

You might also want to explore the over 900 other "The Best..." lists I've compiled.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Best Tools For Creating Clozes (Gap-Fills)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Clozes, also know as "gap-fills," are good tools for assessing vocabulary and comprehension and for helping students learn about context clues. Most clozes you find on the web, I think,...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Guiding Questions

1. How can teachers support ELs development of writing skills?

2. How can ELs foster an awareness of different writing genres?

Goal

The goal of this article is to describe a process of deconstructing mentor texts to help develop ELs' writing skills.

Research Suggests

Martin and Rose (2012) suggest that learning a language is most effective when a more knowledgeable person offers guidance to the learner in a shared context.

For example, an older sibling may teach his younger sister colors by building a structure of just blue and yellow blocks. The brother is indirectly teaching his sister words such as "blue, yellow, blocks, build, put, here" and many more. She is learning all these words in context through a share social interaction.

Therefore, successful language learning requires social interactions, shared context, and scaffolding in order to prosper (Riddett, 2015; Hyland, 2014; Gibbons, 2009). The deconstruction model of teaching genre-based writing (Derewianka & Jones, 2013) contains these elements.

Past Practices
Mistake #1: Idolizing the Grecian Urn
In Kelly Gallagher's Teaching Adolescent Writers (2006) he talked about his own writing instruction mistake, which he termed the "Grecian Urn." Gallagher would draft and revise his own piece of writing that answered the prompt, and his composition would have earned him the highest score possible. He then would show his "Grecian Urn" to students hoping to inspire

Gallagher would draft and revise his own piece of writing that answered the prompt, and his composition would have earned him the highest score possible. He then would show his "Grecian Urn" to students hoping to inspire

He then would show his "Grecian Urn" to students hoping to inspire writing of a similarly high caliber. I used this approach the semester after I had used the "Write by Number" method.Unfortunately, the "Grecian Urn" also failed to develop students' writing skills. The process of writing - brainstorming, drafting, revising, editing - had

Unfortunately, the "Grecian Urn" also failed to develop students' writing skills. T The process of writing - brainstorming, drafting, revising, editing - had became invisible. ELs saw the end product but the process of writing was never modeled to them step-by-step. Consequently, the end product became not just invisible, but unattainable.
Mistake # 2: Playing a "Write by Number" Game
Many of you know of a children's coloring game called "Color by Number", in which you color in an object using the color associated with a number. When I visited an English class at a "high-performing" New York City charter school for professional development, the teacher had a "Write by Number" instructional approach.

She had drafted 90% of the words in the essay and simply wanted the students to complete the rest by filling in the empty spaces. Amazingly, all the transitions were already written in, all the main points were organized into paragraphs already, and the introductions and conclusions were awaiting only a thesis statement.

For one semester of English class, I borrowed this approach, and then almost immediately regretted it. I realized that, by writing 90% of the essay, I had also taken away 90% of the thinking students had to do. After one frustrating semester of trying this "Write by Number" approach, I quickly abandoned it.

These two past practices because they did not model the decisions writers make when crafting ideas. The Grecian Urn simply showed ELs the end product without interacting with the process. "Write by Numbers" took the thinking out of writing and essentially didn't demonstrate the writing decisions made.

Current Practices
Show, Don't Tell
Thankfully, my search for a successful and inspirational writing instruction method came to an end when I discovered Dr. Dianne Gamage's Genre-Based Teaching and Learning Cycle at the 2015 English Language Learning Specialists Conference in Southeast Asia. Since her process was designed for elementary students, I modified it for use in my secondary classrooms, where we use five important steps to take ELs through the process of textual composition.

Step 1: Select a Mentor Text

Identify a mentor text that is written in the same genre as the prompt is expecting. It can be any authentic text (any writing outside the classroom). Examples can be readily found in books, magazines, or blog posts.

Though not as authentic, a teacher-created text can also show how language should function in that particular genre. If your ELs are at the Expanding or Bridging stages of language development, then using authentic texts would be appropriate because these ELs will have the language skills to communicate at the analysis level.

If, however, your ELs are at the Emerging and Developing stages, it's best to use a teacher-created text because the modified composition can be composed with language that is suitable for students at these levels while still communicating the language structure specific to that writing genre. We do not want an analysis of a mentor text to be a reading test.

I will use an example from my 10th grade English class who are expected to write an expository essay that both describes what a hero is and evaluates a hero's most significant character trait. Since they are at the Expanding stage, I use an authentic text we read in class about one of CNN's Heroes, Becca Stevens, to model a text that "describes". The students use a second, teacher-generated, text to deconstruct how to "evaluate".

Step 2: Deconstruct a Mentor Text

As we had read the text in a previous class, my students have already developed an understanding of its ideas. If it is the first reading of the mentor text, it is best to establish students' comprehension or analyzing the text will be more cognitively challenging because we'll be asking them to construct meaning while still analyzing its language function.

I start off by explaining to students that every paragraph has a job, such as providing context or background knowledge, explaining a cause and effect, providing an opinion, connecting ideas together, or forming new insights. I ask the students to identify the job of one paragraph in our mentor text. They write their response as an annotation in the margin of the text. Students then can discuss their answers in pairs or small groups.

This is a video of me deconstructing the CNN Heroes text with my 10th graders.

Next, we take a step back to review our deconstruction, and I ask students to list the main features of this particular writing genre. This is an important step because the language features distinguish one form of genre from another. If ELs can identify the language features, they'll produce texts that contain them .

This is a video of me helping the same group of 10th graders identify the language features of the CNN article, which is an expository text.

This is what their texts look like as we annotate it to identify the language features.

For younger ELs, they can't go straight into deconstructing the text. Instead, they need help seeing the essay from a "higher elevation", which means they need support understanding the organization of the text before they can look at the text features. In the video below, you will see students working in pairs to reconstruct a mentor text. They are trying to find the organization and the sequencing of the essay.

Afterward, I have students return as a whole class to share their reconstruction of the text. Note the critical thinking, listening, speaking, and negotiating that's occurring around the reconstruction of the text. This collaborative and inquiry approach to teaching takes time, but because students are expected to formulate t heir own understanding of the concept of organization, they internalize it far greater than if I had just "talked" to them about it.

Step 3: Co-construct a Text

Then I have the ELs co-construct an example paragraph that contains that genre's essential language features. I use this scaffold below to guide their co-construction. On the left side are the ideas I want students to have in their paragraph. On the right side are the language features that help them organize and connect ideas together. Students are paired up and given whiteboard and whiteboard markers to show their co-constructed paragraph. I learned about this scaffold from a workshop lead by Indu Bedi (2016).

In the video below, my 6th graders are attempting to form sentences and using particular language features to compose an introductory paragraph. Working with the split-screen scaffold gives them an opportunity to "try" writing by talking before they actually compose text independently. It helps them form more ideas and support each other in using the language features.

I repeated the process the following lesson when we deconstructed a body paragraph. This time, I had them identify the ideas that the paragraph was trying to communicate. They then wrote this on the left side of their white boards. After the finished writing the ideas, I asked them to identify the words and phrases used to connect sentences together. They wrote these things on the right side of the board.

This co-construction process is an important step before writing because it acts as a scaffold to students crafting their own text; they become part of the drafting process (Gibbons, 2009). During the co-construction, the mental work of writing that was once invisible is now more evident to the students.

Step 4: Student Construction

After deconstructing a mentor text and co-constructing an example with the teacher, students are finally ready to practice their own writing. Their student-created outlines contain their ideas and thoughts on organization. Their annotated mentor texts remind them of the language features of the text type. They are ready to begin. After five minutes of writing, I visit with one student at time to conference with them over their process.

One quick note: this process works best if the first paragraphs deconstructed are body paragraphs. The introductions and conclusions can be addressed separately at a later session. Otherwise, the students may be overloaded.

This is an image of Jane using her outline and the deconstructed mentor text to draft her own text.

For my younger ELs, I have them take their split screen boards and being writing only the paragraph that we deconstructed together because they now have a better understanding of how to write that paragraph. I want to reduce the amount of time between when they learned the language features and when they actually produce their own texts. Below is an image of Dhong and Long writing their body paragraphs right after they have processed the ideas and captured the language features on their split-screen white boards.

In Defense of Teacher-Created Mentor Texts

While I also caution against a formulaic style of writing instruction, the principle behind the "Five Paragraph Essay" does have merit: it provides ELs at the Entering and Emerging phases of language with a basic model of writing. Without a primitive model and a pre-described structure, writing is often a paralyzing experience for ELs, which causes them to self-identify as "struggling" students.

Here's an example from my 6th-grade class. The 6th-grade Humanities instructor was teaching about ancient civilizations, and I saw an opportunity to teach non-fiction reading and expository writing. I used the content in Humanities class to teach my 6th graders the writing process in English class.

But instead of writing about Athens, I chose to write about the systems at our school. The prompt for the teacher-created text was: Describe the systems at VIS. Evaluate how these systems treat the students. My teacher text communicates ideas just like the one for the writing assignment, but the topic is different to prevent students from just copying.

Below is an image of the teacher-created text that I crafted to help students develop their writing skills. Clicking on it will send you to the actual document.

In my text, I identified each of the type of paragraphs (introduction, body, and conclusion), provided a paragraph (to introduce the topic, to provide details, and to produce a new insight), and included an image for further scaffolding. The real learn does not come from the mentor text, but rather, the deconstruction process.

An Analogy

Olympic gymnasts often have a "signature move" that is comprised of a series of extremely difficult moves. However, to achieve the difficulty of this "signature move", they first had to master the basics of simpler moves like cartwheels, handstands, and forward rolls.

Similarly, to help students write with dynamic, authentic voices, we must develop ELs skill sets gradually, without killing the joy of writing . In addition to skills training, we have to develop their awareness of writing style by allowing them to reflect on their process. Doing so will help them develop their own style and tone - their own unique voice. This belief can be visualized in the graphic below:

Simply put, learning basic skills empowers them to write well in the future. Writing develops an awareness of how the skills work. Using the skills with discretion forges a unique, individual voice.

Does it work?

Last week (November 8, 2016), we were going through the deconstruction-construction process with my sixth graders. As I was walking around to meet with different students, Dunja stopped me and wanted to share what she thought about the process. It was completely unsolicited reflection and shows 1) how effective the process is and 2) how training ELs to think meta-cognitively is become an internalized skill.

Takeaways

1. Writing is an invisible task.

2. Deconstructing mentor texts with ELs teaches the way language is used in different genres.

3. Teaching students to think metacognitively about the writing process helps them transfer writing skills to other contexts.

Next Post

It has taken me years to figure out how to support ELs during the writing process. The strategy in this article may take the longest to teach, but it's also one of the best models to teach the process of writing that I have encountered.

Next week's article continuing the Visible Literacy series will share with you a framework to teach revision. I'll see you here again next week.

Free PDF

References

Bedi, I. (2016). Scaffolding Writing Across the Curriculum: An EAL Approach. Penarth, UK: Dragonfly EAL.

Gallagher, K. (2006). Teaching Adolescent Writers . Portland, ME: Stenhouse. Gibbons, P. (2009). English Learners, Academic Literacy, and Thinking: Learning in the Challenge Zone. Portsmouth: Heinemann.

Riddett, C. (2015, April 2). The Teaching Learning Cycle. Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/teaching-learning-cycle-christopher-riddett

Toner, K. (2016, June 3). Retrieved August 20, 2016, from http://edition.cnn.com/2016/06/02/us/cnn-hero-becca-stevens/index.html

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A. 11 Teaching ELLs to Deconstruct Writing | ELL Strategies | Empowering ELLs

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
How can teachers support ELs development of writing skills? How can ELs foster an awareness of different writing genres? The goal of this article is to describe a process of deconstructing mentor texts to help develop ELs' writing skills.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
SIOP Activity: SQP2RS / "Squeepers" with Dr. MaryEllen Vogt

# data[].attributes.headline
Surface:  Wide Reading on the Topic (effect size 0.42)

# data[].attributes.subject
Surface:  Wide Reading on the Topic (effect size 0.42)

# data[].attributes.body
In order to build background knowledge and deepen student understanding of a single topic, the  teacher compiles readings that are directly related to the subject being studied.

# data[].attributes.body
Compile information on any topic using this online application

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Padlet is an application to create an online bulletin board that you can use to display information for any topic. There are seven different layouts to choose from that allow ... more

Padlet is an application to create an online bulletin board that you can use to display information for any topic. There are seven different layouts to choose from that allow you the ability to present information in various ways, create maps, and make timelines. Easily create an account and build a new board. Add images, links, videos, columns for sorting or refining organization, and more. Return to your Padlet to add additional information at any time and collaborate with others. Settings offer options to make Padlets open for public contributions, private, or moderated by you (you approve all contributions before they show). Free accounts allow you to make 3 Padlets that include search, themes, stats, premium wallpapers, and cross-device support for uploaded videos. You can always delete an old Padlet to make a new one. Find Video tutorials and Examples by scrolling to the bottom menu and finding "Support" on the left side of the page. This is a device-agnostic tool, available on the web but also available for free as both an Android and iOS app. Use it from any device or move between several devices and still access your work. App and web versions vary slightly.

tag(s): bulletin boards (14), DAT device agnostic tool (138), images (258), timelines (46)

In the Classroom
Use a Padlet to collaborate in collecting ideas, brainstorming, and more. Use this tool easily in your Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) classroom since all students will be able to access it for free, no matter what device they have. Padlet does not show which work is attributable to which student, so you may want to require that students initial their contributions in order to get credit. If allowing all students to post to the wall or make comments, you may want to discuss internet safety and etiquette and establish specific class rules and consequences. Making the setting private again will prohibit content from later being replaced by classmate "vandalism."

Use a Padlet to collect webquest links and information to share with students. By leaving the wall open to comments, solicit input, discussions, or viewpoints from students. They can even contribute other sources they find. Color code resources to indicate different reading levels or "high challenge" sources for your more able students. Assign a student project where students choose their theme and design a wall around it. For example, have students create a wall about an environmental issue. They can include pictures, audio or video, links, and other information to display. Use as a new format for book reports. Do your students have favorites such as music or sports? Create a wall around these favorites or hobbies. Use a wall for grammar or vocabulary words. Create walls for debates or viewpoints. Post assignments, reminders, or study skills on a wall. Do you use student scribes or reporters? Use the Padlet site to create a wall with the goings-on in class. Embed your walls in a blog, wiki or website. See a similar tool (and more ideas to use either tool) in the TeachersFirst review of Lino here. Decide which one you prefer! Unfortunately, the Padlet embedded viewer is very small but can be scrolled in both directions.

Use Padlet as a class space during snow days and school breaks. Share the link to a teacher-created, public wall where students can share notes about what they did during the snow day or respond to a thought-provoking question.

Encourage creativity and organization by having your gifted students (or anyone doing independent projects) create Padlets to collect ideas, images, quotes, and more in an "idea bin." Require them to share a brainstorming Padlet to show you the ideas they considered before they launch into a project. Have them brainstorm (and later sort/color code) the possibilities for a creative problem solving or "Maker Faire" project. In writing or art classes, use Padlet as a virtual writer's journal or design notebook to collect ideas, images, and even video clips.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Padlet reviewed by TeachersFirst. Padlet is an application to create an online bulletin board that you can use to display information for any topic. There are seven different layouts to choose from that allow you the ability to present information in various ways, create maps, a

# data[].attributes.body
Newsela offers different entry points of the same current event article by adjusting its text complexity. There are different text sets for each content area.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

# data[].attributes.body
This is a subscription based website, but filled with daily articles, pictures, and vocabulary

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Teaching and Learning With The New York Times

# data[].attributes.headline
Surface:    Summarizing (effect size 0.59)

# data[].attributes.subject
Surface:    Summarizing (effect size 0.59)

# data[].attributes.body
Students consolidate and strengthen their new knowledge through oral and written practice.

# data[].attributes.body
Kahoot! is a game-based learning and trivia platform used in classrooms, offices and social settings. Sign up to create, play and share engaging quizzes on any topic!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Get in the game with new customizable characters to boost creativity and engagement, with 700 different combinations that make learning awesome!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
SWBS (Somebody Wanted But So) is an organized way to summarize reading. This strategy works well for struggling readers, as it assists them in deciphering what is important parts of the text to...

# data[].attributes.body
In addition to watching the video, please read the "How to Use", "When to Use", and "Variations"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This discussion technique gives students the opportunity to respond to questions and/or discuss information with a variety of peers in a structured manner. Students form two concentric circles and exchange information with a partner until the teacher signals the outer circle to move in one direction, giving each student a new peer to talk to.

# data[].attributes.body
Question, Signal, Stem, Share, Assess

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
by Valentina Gonzalez Do you feel like there is just so much curriculum to teach that you don’t have time to ask students to stop and talk? Let’s think about that. Why don’t we allow students to di…

# data[].attributes.headline
Deep:       Metacognitive strategies (effect size 0.69)

# data[].attributes.subject
Deep:       Metacognitive strategies (effect size 0.69)

# data[].attributes.body
Through developing the habits of self-reflection and self-monitoring, students deepen their learning. Metacognition allows students to 'check-in' on their learning progress and plan for next steps.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Power of Visual Notetaking - Education Week Teacher

# data[].attributes.body
Visible Thinking is a flexible and systematic research-based conceptual framework, which aims to integrate the development of students' thinking with content learning across subject matters.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Visible Thinking is a flexible and systematic research-based conceptual framework, which aims to integrate the development of students' thinking with content learning across subject matters.

Visible Thinking began as an initiative to develop a research-based approach to teaching thinking dispositions. The approach emphasized three core practices: thinking routines, the documentation of student thinking, and reflective professional practice. It was originally developed at Lemshaga Akademi in Sweden as part of the Innovating with Intelligence project, and focused on developing students' thinking dispositions in such areas as truth-seeking, understanding, fairness, and imagination. It has since expanded its focus to include an emphasis on thinking through art and the role of cultural forces and has informed the development of other Project Zero Visible Thinking initiatives, including Artful Thinking, and Cultures of Thinking.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Visible Thinking is a flexible and systematic research-based conceptual framework, which aims to integrate the development of students' thinking with content learning across subject matters. Visible Thinking began as an initiative to develop a research-based approach to teaching thinking dispositions. The approach emphasized three core practices: thinking routines, the documentation of student thinking, and reflective professional practice.

# data[].attributes.body
Develop active listening and paraphrasing with this strategy.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Thought starters

1. When might you use this strategy instead of a traditional turn and talk?

2. What factors should you consider when creating your first and second set partners?

3. Why is this strategy especially useful for English Language Learners?

School Details

Lafayette Elementary School
4545 Anza Street
San Francisco CA 94121

Data Provided By:

Teachers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Second Set Partners: A Turn and Talk Strategy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Tip for improving ELL student speaking and listening skills. Second Set Partners can be used with students in any grade.

# data[].attributes.body
These questions align with the intellectual standards

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
by Linda Elder and Richard Paul

Universal intellectual standards are standards which must be applied to thinking whenever one is interested in checking the quality of reasoning about a problem, issue, or situation. To think critically entails having command of these standards. To help students learn them, teachers should pose questions which probe student thinking; questions which hold students accountable for their thinking; questions which, through consistent use by the teacher in the classroom, become internalized by students as questions they need to ask themselves.

The ultimate goal, then, is for these questions to become infused in the thinking of students, forming part of their inner voice, which then guides them to better and better reasoning. While there are many universal standards, the following are some of the most essential:

RELEVANCE: How is that connected to the question? How does that bear on the issue? LOGIC: Does this really make sense? Does that follow from what you said? How does that follow? But before you implied this, and now you are saying that; how can both be true? When we think, we bring a variety of thoughts together into some order. When the combination of thoughts are mutually supporting and make sense in combination, the thinking is "logical." When the combination is not mutually supporting, is contradictory in some sense or does not "make sense," the combination is not logical.
A statement can be clear, accurate, and precise, but not relevant to the question at issue. For example, students often think that the amount of effort they put into a course should be used in raising their grade in a course. Often, however, the "effort" does not measure the quality of student learning; and when this is so, effort is irrelevant to their appropriate grade.

For a deeper understanding of intellectual standards and their relationship with critical thinking, see the Thinker's Guide to Intellectual Standards.

FAIRNESS: Do I have a vested interest in this issue? Am I sympathetically representing the viewpoints of others? Human think is often biased in the direction of the thinker - in what are the perceived interests of the thinker. Humans do not naturally consider the rights and needs of others on the same plane with their own rights and needs. We therefore must actively work to make sure we are applying the intellectual standard of fairness to our thinking. Since we naturally see ourselves as fair even when we are unfair, this can be very difficult. A commitment to fairmindedness is a starting place.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
by Linda Elder and Richard Paul Universal intellectual standards are standards which must be applied to thinking whenever one is interested in checking the quality of reasoning about a problem, issue, or situation. To think critically entails having command of these standards.

# data[].attributes.body
Teachers can use the work of Paul and Elder to help students reflect on the quality and progress of their thinking abilities

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We all have a system to break down how we understand things, how the world looks to us, how we make sense of the world. The ways we think are called the Elements of Thought.

But once we have thought about something, how do we know if we're right? How do we know if our thinking is any good?

Unfortunately, most of the time we don't think well. We tend to favor decisions and ideas that favor us, put our own group over other groups. We are...ego-centric and socio-centric. So, we need to force ourselves to look at things the way they truly are. So, to assess the quality of our thinking, we use the Intellectual Standards.

A standard is a measure of how good something is. The ancient Romans used symbols on the top of long poles to show the troops where they should stand and which way to face. It brought order to a crazy and chaotic battlefield. In much the same way, we use standards in thinking to make sure that hold our feet to the fire, to make sure that what we say and do is actually right.

There are nine Intellectual Standards we use to assess thinking: Clarity, Accuracy, Precision, Relevance, Depth, Breadth, Logic, Significance, and Fairness. Let's check them out one-by-one.

Clarity forces the thinking to be explained well so that it is easy to understand. When thinking is easy to follow, it has Clarity.

Accuracy makes sure that all information is correct and free from error. If the thinking is reliable, then it has Accuracy.

Precision goes one step further than Accuracy. It demands that the words and data used are exact. If no more details could be added, then it has Precision.

Relevance means that everything included is important, that each part makes a difference. If something is focused on what needs to be said, there is Relevance.

Depth makes the argument thorough. It forces us to explore the complexities. If an argument includes all the nuances necessary to make the point, it has Depth.

Breadth demands that additional viewpoints are taken into account. Are all perspectives considered? When all sides of an argument are discussed, then we find Breadth.

Logical means that an argument is reasonable, the thinking is consistent and the conclusions follow from the evidence. When something makes sense step-by-step, then it is Logical.

Significance compels us to include the most important ideas. We don't want to leave out crucial facts that would help to make a point. When everything that is essential is included, then we find Significance.

Fairness means that the argument is balanced and free from bias. It pushes us to be impartial and evenhanded toward other positions. When an argument is objective, there is Fairness.

There are more Intellectual Standards, but if you use these nine to assess thinking, then you're on your way to thinking like a pro.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We all have a system to break down how we understand things, how the world looks to us, how we make sense of the world. The ways we think are called the Elements of Thought. But once we have though...

# data[].attributes.headline
Deep:  Reciprocal Teaching        (effect size 0.74)

# data[].attributes.subject
Deep:  Reciprocal Teaching        (effect size 0.74)

# data[].attributes.body
This is a technique for reading and discussing complex texts within a student-directed group of four. The text is segmented into small passages, and the students pause after reading each passage to discuss questions they have, seek clarification on ambiguous material, summarize key ideas, and offer predictions about the next passage, given the information provided thus far.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Say Something Rules and Sentence Starters

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
PLEASE CREATE A NEW ACCOUNT OR LOG IN TO ACCESS THIS CONTENT

Enjoy your first video for free. Subscribe for unlimited access.

Have questions about subscribing? Click Here to learn more.

PLEASE CREATE A NEW ACCOUNT OR LOG IN TO ACCESS THIS CONTENT

Enjoy your first video for free. Subscribe for unlimited access.

Have questions about subscribing? Click Here to learn more.

Discussion and Supporting Materials

Thought starters

1. How does this strategy help students learn from each other?

2. What can you learn from Mr. Paris about engaging all students?

3. How could this strategy be adapted for different activities?

School Details

Orange Grove Middle Magnet School
3415 North 16th Street
Tampa FL 33605

Data Provided By:

Teachers

English Language Arts Arts / 6 7 8 / Teacher

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Wingman: Engaging Reluctant Students

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Middle school ELA teacher Sean Paris encourages participation from reluctant students by having them monitor the participation of their peers. When Sean appoints a student to be a wingman, the student tracks the frequency and type of participation from the group. Sean explains how this strategy engages students who are reluctant to participate in class discussion.

# data[].attributes.headline
Deep: Discussion and Questioning (effect size 0.82)

# data[].attributes.subject
Deep: Discussion and Questioning (effect size 0.82)

# data[].attributes.body
This is not the "Initiate - Respond-Evaluate" model of teacher led questioning, but rather true discourse where students fully explore ideas and wrestle with abstract ideas in the company of their peers.

# data[].attributes.body
In order for discussion to happen, students need to understand the prompts and how to respond

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
High Leverage Instructional Strategies: Part 1 - Best Practices Institute

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Teaching Multicultural Literature . Workshop 3 . Teaching Strategies . Fishbowl

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Teacher resources and professional development across the curriculum

# data[].attributes.headline
Language Experience Approach (aka Shared Writing)

# data[].attributes.subject
Language Experience Approach (aka Shared Writing)

# data[].attributes.body
Encourage discussion by returning to these after reading.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Background

An Anticipation Guide is a strategy that is used before reading to activate students' prior knowledge and build curiosity about a new topic. Before reading a selection, students respond to several statements that challenge or support their preconceived ideas about key concepts in the text. Using this strategy stimulates students' interest in a topic and sets a purpose for reading. Anticipation guides can be revisited after reading to evaluate how well students understood the material and to correct any misconceptions.

Benefits

Anticipation Guides are loved by teachers because of their ability to engage all students in the exploration of new information by challenging them to critically think about what they know or think they know about a topic. In doing so, anticipation guides set a purpose to the reading, even for those students who initially may not be engaged by the topic.

Create the strategy

There are several ways to construct an anticipation guide for middle and high school students. Most include the following steps (Duffelmeyer, 1994):

1. Identify the major ideas presented in the reading.

2. Consider what beliefs your students are likely to have about the topic.

3. Write general statements that challenge your students' beliefs.

4. Require students to respond to the statements with either a positive or negative response.

Use the strategy

1. Have students complete the anticipation guide before reading. They may work by themselves, in pairs or small groups. Remind students that they should be prepared to discuss and debate their reactions to the statements on the anticipation guide after they have completed it.

2. After students have finished the guide, encourage a class discussion of students' reactions to the statements. Remember, you want to activate their critical thinking about the topic, so dig deeper than students' answers and get to their justifications.

3. Have students read the text with their anticipation guide responses fresh in their minds so they can react to the text as they read. Encourage students to mark or write down where the text supports their initial reaction to statements, or causes them to rethink those reactions.

4. Have a class discussion after reading. Ask students if any of them changed their position on any of the statements. Encourage students to share how they reacted to the text, given their initial responses captured in the anticipation guide. Make sure students share examples from the text where their initial responses were either supported or challenged.

References

Duffelmeyer, F. (1994). Effective Anticipation Guide statements for learning from expository prose. Journal of Reading, 37, 452-455.

McKenna, M.C. (2002). Help for struggling readers: Strategies for grades 3-8. New York: Guilford.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
An Anticipation Guide is a strategy that is used before reading to activate students' prior knowledge and build curiosity about a new topic. Before reading a selection, students respond to several statements that challenge or support their preconceived ideas about key concepts in the text.