Computer, computer,
I love my computer.
My printer, my keyboard, my mouse.

I never have problems,
I use it all day.
I never go out of the house!

Computer, computer,
I hate my computer.
My modem, my disk drive, my screen.

I always have problems,
It’s driving me crazy.
Computers make me want to scream!

The English Passport Project is designed to inspire and support students in becoming confident, capable, and culturally aware English users.

Through a series of authentic, engaging, and practical learning experiences, students will:

• Encourage Active Use – Apply English in real-life contexts inside and outside the classroom, making language learning meaningful and enjoyable.

• Enhance Skills – Strengthen listening, speaking, reading, and writing abilities through task-based, hands-on activities.

• Empower Ownership – Track personal progress, set achievable goals, and celebrate milestones, fostering a sense of pride in learning.

• Expand Cultural Horizons – Gain exposure to the cultures and communities of English-speaking countries, nurturing global awareness.

• Evaluate Growth – Monitor improvement over time with motivating, visible records instead of relying solely on tests.

The English Passport is more than a record book — it is a journey, guiding students step by step toward becoming lifelong learners and confident communicators in English.

• Songs & Jazz Chants 🎵

  • Boost pronunciation, rhythm, and intonation naturally.

  • Make English learning musical and memorable.

• Vocabulary Lists & Idioms 📚

  • Give students ready-to-use expressions for real situations.

  • Idioms add cultural flavor and help them sound more natural.

• Useful Quotes 💡

  • Provide daily inspiration and encourage reflection.

  • Great for warm-ups or writing prompts.

• Puzzles & Games 🧩

  • Turn language learning into a fun challenge.

  • Help with problem-solving and spelling in an engaging way.

• Comics & Jokes 😂

  • Motivate reluctant learners by connecting humor with language.

  • Encourage reading for pleasure.

• Short Stories 📖

  • Offer meaningful reading practice without overwhelming students.

  • Can be tied to moral lessons or cultural awareness.

➡️ 動詞 + 介系詞 / 副詞組成的動詞片語，重音通常落在後面的介系詞或副詞上。

get up

get UP

I usually get UP at 7 a.m.

turn on

turn ON

Please turn ON the lights.

give up

give UP

She will never give UP.

take off

take OFF

The plane took OFF on time.

2. Compound Noun Stress（複合名詞重音）

➡️ 兩個字合在一起變成一個名詞，重音通常落在第一個字。

toothbrush

TOOTHbrush

I forgot to bring my TOOTHbrush.

classroom

CLASSroom

We are in the CLASSroom.

football

FOOTball

He plays FOOTball every Sunday.

homework

HOMEwork

I have a lot of HOMEwork.

3. Adjective + Noun Stress（形容詞+名詞組合重音）

➡️ 形容詞與名詞各自保留重音，名詞部分重音較重，語調較平均。

green apple

green APPLE

I like to eat a green APPLE.

big house

big HOUSE

They live in a big HOUSE.

new student

new STUdent

She is a new STUdent in our class.

old book

old BOOK

He found an old BOOK on the shelf.

When we speak English, not all words are spoken with the same strength.
Some words are stressed (spoken louder, longer, or higher), and others are unstressed (spoken quickly and quietly).

🔑 Key Idea: Content Words vs. Function Words

Type of WordExamplesUsually...Content Wordsnouns, main verbs, adjectives, adverbsStressedFunction Wordsarticles, prepositions, pronouns, helpersUnstressed

🔍 Examples:

I want to go to the store.
➡️ Stressed words: want, go, store
➡️ Unstressed: I, to, the

🎯 Why Is Sentence Stress Important?

• It helps listeners understand the main idea.

• It makes your speaking more natural.

• It gives English its rhythm (like music or poetry).

🧠 Easy Practice Tip:

Try to find the important words in a sentence — usually the words that carry meaning.
Say them a little louder or slower.

Try this:

🟩 Read this sentence:

She is going to eat dinner at 7.

🔊 Which words are important?
➡️ She, going, eat, dinner, 7
➡️ Say the sentence again, giving those words more stress.

🎧 Let’s Compare These:

1. I want a COOKIE. 🍪

2. I WANT a cookie. 😤

3. I want a cookie. (neutral)

➡️ The meaning changes depending on which word is stressed!

🗓️ When You Learn This in Class:

You’ll probably do:

• Listening practice (find the stressed words)

• Speaking practice (repeat sentences with the right rhythm)

• Fun sentence games (like "Say It with Feeling")

  
  

  ※ Stress Hopscotch (跳格子遊戲)

• 在教室地板貼上幾格「單字格」（用字卡或膠帶）

• 每格是一個句子中的字

• 學生照順序唸句子，走過格子

• 每個重音字要「跳一下」，非重音平走

🧒：「I want to go to the PARK.」→ I (走), WANT (跳), to (走), GO (跳), to (走), the (走), PARK (跳)

This chapter focuses on how CLIL changes the approach to teaching the foreign language, analyzing its implications for students, foreign language teachers, and content-subject teachers.

---

### 2. Students in Bilingual Education Programmes and the Foreign Language

In traditional language education in Spain, teaching has focused on "teaching about the language" rather than "using it". In a CLIL context, the foreign language becomes a working tool and a means for communication, which shifts students’ motivation and learning strategies.

Students start to function directly in the foreign language, abandoning reliance on their L1. They develop strategies such as guessing unknown words, using visual information, and activating background knowledge to understand and produce language. This leads to not just improved foreign language proficiency, but also benefits their L1 through transfer.

---

### 3. Foreign Language Teachers and CLIL Projects

Language teachers often feel resistance toward CLIL because their status and role appear to be diminished—**"all teachers become entitled to teach the foreign language"**. Moreover, the language input students receive in content classes is outside the teacher’s control and does not follow traditional grammatical sequencing.

Students now demand communication-oriented teaching and strategy development. However, this shift offers opportunities to regenerate the profession: foreign language classes can now focus more on literacy development, working with longer texts and treating language as a tool for meaning-making, similar to mother tongue instruction.

---

### 4. The Content Subject Teacher and the Language Gap

Content teachers often assume students possess the necessary linguistic tools, but in CLIL they cannot take the language for granted. Teachers need to ensure that students:

1. Understand input (spoken or written),

2. Have language resources to express their knowledge,

3. Avoid fossilization into "immersion interlanguage."

This calls for increased language awareness and learner-centered planning. Access to knowledge must be scaffolded through methods such as experiment-based learning, activating background knowledge, graphic organizers, and text simplification. Students must go beyond vocabulary and use language to construct meaning, producing disciplinary discourse types (e.g., lab reports, historical accounts).

---

### 5. Integration in Bilingual Education

The key strength of CLIL lies in "integration", which should not be limited to the content subjects. True integration involves coordination between foreign language and content teachers.

Teachers need to anticipate language needs (vocabulary, language functions, and discourse functions). For example:

* Competence: “Interpret statistical data”

→ Language functions: “Describe”, “Formulate hypotheses”

* Competence: “Present survey results”

→ Language functions: “Express an opinion”, “Ask for information”, “Describe”

While content teachers build disciplinary literacy, foreign language teachers can support intermediate literacy by working on non-specialist text types and text structure, cohesion, and language use. This synergy avoids working in silos and enhances outcomes.

---

### 6. Coordination Between Teachers

Effective CLIL requires ongoing coordination, not just at the planning stage. Language assistants can address form-focused instruction in real-time.

To track students' language progression, teachers can use shared tables or platforms where they log linguistic functions covered in their lessons. This helps avoid repetition and enables linguistic scaffolding: temporary, targeted language support that fades as learners gain competence.

---

### 7. Conclusion

CLIL reshapes how students, language teachers, and content-subject teachers perceive and use language. When language is seen not only as a vehicle of expression but also as a means of constructing knowledge, teaching becomes more effective.

This potential can only be realized if teachers adapt to new methodologies and if institutions support their development, ensuring that language and content teaching truly go hand-in-hand.

In today's class, teachers were divided into groups according to the textbooks and student levels. We try to think of 2 input and 2 output activities for the targeted lesson, trying to add a little bit more extension activities to make our teaching more abundant and more fun. I think education is art, and teachers are like artists: there is no right or wrong, and there are many ways to guide students as long as they learn something from class. I'm glad to learn so many different ideas from other teachers.

• Always give ss a goal to achieve if you give them a video so that they actively think and apply the information they learn.

• Now that we want to make learning useful, it will be better if we design a context情境 for ss, 無論是學習單還是活動都可以設定情境，讓同學進行角色扮演。

Here’s why, based on Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) principles:

⸻

🔹 Option 1 – Not a task (more of a language exercise):

• Students already see both the shopping list and the store inventory.

• The goal is to practice a language structure (“Do you have any…?”, “Yes, I have…”, “No, I don’t have…”).

• It’s controlled, form-focused, and predictable.

• The outcome is linguistic accuracy, not achieving a real-world communicative goal.

⸻

🔹 Option 2 – A real task:

• Students have separate roles and different information (information gap).

• Student A has a shopping list.

• Student B has the store inventory.

• They must communicate to solve a problem: match needs with availability.

• The interaction involves realistic purpose (finding out what’s available, making a list of missing items).

• The focus is on meaning, negotiation, and successful communication, not just form.

⸻

💡 TBLT Definition Reminder:

A task is an activity where learners use language to achieve a goal that mirrors real-world use, involving:

• A purpose beyond language practice

• An information gap

• A need to process and understand meaning

• An outcome that is not just language production

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

• Option 2 is a task: It has a problem that needs to be solved. The customer A needs to buy some items. The salesperson B needs to talk to the customer and make a list of the missing items.

• Option 1 focus more on "grammar"(forms), and option 2 focuses more on "meaning".

• Option 2 sets up a realistic authentic situation for ss to manipulate English as a tool for communication.

• 
  

You are speaking your second language as native speakers do, as a first language.

We had a wonderful time chatting and sharing ideas with Virginia, who is a graduate student major in music art.

Virginia grew up in Nebraska and finished her under-graduate study in Boston before she came here in Davis.

We shared our shopping experience here, there are all kinds of fruits like cherries, and berries, which are quite expensive back in Taiwan, but we get to eat them every day in every meal, and most importantly, for free!!

Virginia also introduced some nice bars and restaurants in downtown Davis for us. We'll probably visit them if we have time.

※ Teacher Ellen told us that after the chat with the TAs, our rhythms and intonations are changing because we get to speak to native speakers, and we get closer to the way they are talking little by little.

1. Grammatical Awareness

   • Understanding when to add -s for:

     • Plural nouns (e.g., key → keys)

     • 3rd person singular verbs in present simple (e.g., want → wants)

   • Reinforces subject-verb agreement.

2. Pronunciation Focus

   • Helps students recognize the sound of “s” endings:

     • /s/ as in “cats”

     • /z/ as in “dogs”

     • /ɪz/ as in “watches”

   • Improves phonemic discrimination – hearing subtle differences in sounds.

3. Listening Comprehension

   • Develops attentive listening, especially for final consonant sounds, which are often dropped or missed by learners.

   • Encourages active listening in conversational context.

4. Speaking Practice

   • Students practice clear articulation of final “s” sounds.

   • Encourages peer interaction and feedback.

5. Real-life Application

   • Emphasizes how small pronunciation changes affect meaning – useful for real-world conversations, especially when giving/receiving information (e.g., "Did you find your key?" vs. "keys").

💡 Ideas to Extend or Enrich the Activity

1. Sound Sorting Practice

Create a table with three columns: /s/, /z/, /ɪz/. Have students place words into the correct column based on how the "s" is pronounced.

Example:

/s//z//ɪz/catsdogsbuses

2. Minimal Pair Listening Game

Use minimal pairs like:

• key / keys

• want / wants

• student / students

Play recordings or say them aloud—students raise cards or hands to indicate which they hear.

3. Dictation & Correction

Teacher reads a sentence. Students write it down, then compare in pairs and correct if needed. Focus on whether the "s" was present or not.

4. Role-Play Situations

Put learners in real-life situations where plural/singular changes the meaning:

• Asking for lost items

• Ordering food (“cookie” vs “cookies”)

• Describing schedules (“class” vs “classes”)

5. Grammar-Pitch Integration

Ask students to underline the subject and circle the verb, identifying where and why the “s” is added. Then ask them to read it aloud.

6. Silent “s” Challenge

Have students practice writing their own pairs of singular/plural or 3rd person forms, then quiz each other orally — challenging their partner to "catch the S."

7. Use Technology

Use a pronunciation app or AI voice to let students hear and repeat examples with "s" endings.

Task是在課本文法頁面進入教學之前的預備活動，先給學生任務，使用英語來完成任務、解決問題，然後最後在Review的部分才回來進行Accuracy的檢查與修正。當TBLT完成後才進入課本的文法頁面！

Inductive Approach for language training.

Pretask時常教學的內容是主要任務需要用到的Vocabs,

Questions: 如果沒有先教文法，學生要如何使用句子來溝通? 老師回覆：Modeling透過舉例或事前的說明善用例句來展現domonstrate example sentences:

How many doors are there in our classroom? There are 2.

How many windows are there here?

How many studnets...善用當下情境舉例示範。

透過與學生的問答也可以呈現示範：如果Ss: No Window.

Teacher: Oh, there are no windows in your house.

這就是一個很好的demo.

1. Pre-task=Input

2. Task=Output

3. Review 直到此刻才正式將文法規則、正確答案全盤說明。

reductions, linking, connecting words...練習各種聽力技巧。

tip: if the ss want to go to the restroom, have them speak in English: "Excuse me, may I go to the restroom?"

利用"Thought group"來進行斷句：

1. Listen for the key words.

UC Davis Residence Halls Named in Spanish:

Segundo – “Second” in Spanish

Tercero – “Third”

Cuarto – “Fourth”

These names reflect the chronological order in which the residence areas were built:

Segundo was built first (despite its name meaning “Second”).

Tercero came next.

Cuarto followed later.

There isn’t a “Primero” (“First”) dorm complex, interestingly—at least not by that name. The naming tradition began with Segundo, so it's more symbolic than strictly chronological.

Getting to know more about syllables reminded me to slow down and to integrate textbook materials with speaking and pronunciation practice in the future.

In the afternoon, Maria introduced CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning).. I was especially inspired by the idea that students don’t just learn English—they USE it as a tool to learn. Learning something new THROUGH English makes learning not only more fun, but more meaningful to students.

What I really appreciate is that Maria’s class involved less lecturing and more discussion and hands-on practice. She often invited us to share ideas to come up with new teaching activities. This interactive teaching style is something I need to learn and bring back to my classroom in Taiwan to use with my own students.

★Some more ideas worth remembering:

1. The “OK” sign is a useful classroom gesture to quietly get students' attention and help them calm down. I realized that simple, consistent signals like this can really improve classroom management without raising my voice. It’s possible to be effective and elegant at the same time.

2. “Work hard, dream big, and never stop trying.” Ellen encouraged us to build this mindset by sharing how she managed to keep up with technology trends in her teaching. Her story reminded me that teachers also need to be life-long learners, especially in this fast-changing world.

3. “Always remember to think about your students when you are learning here at UC Davis, because you are the ones who know your students best—not me.” Maria’s words reminded me to always reflect on how to apply what I learn here in Davis to fit the needs of my own students in Taiwan.

I haven’t started writing about my life in Davis yet, which has been just as fulfilling as my learning experience here.

Let me save that for next week’s journal~!

Even though we are different, we get along really well. We always laugh (I’m very glad she gets my points easily), get lost together on campus, explore new places, and enjoy every little moment. I feel lucky to have such a great roommate. She gives me energy and makes this trip feel special.

Every day in Davis, I enjoy the food so much. The meals are big, delicious, and most importantly, it’s free! Eating in the student dining hall is also interesting—I can see how American students eat, talk, and get along with one another. Their students are more independent and more confident, which is something I really admire.

The weather in Davis is sunny and not too hot, but very dry! I had to buy more lotion and lip balm to take care of my skin. Even so, I love walking under the clear blue sky here. After just two weeks, I already feel more open and connected—at least I don’t get lost as much as the first week. I’m excited to see what will happen next.

Created by Robert Arneson, an artist as well as UC Davis professor in the 1990s, Eggheads represent a spirit of Davis to be both critical and humorous in the academic field at the same time. Art has something to say about reality. But it speaks in a way that leaves the audience space for reflections. I was so fascinated that I decided at once to turn my curiosity into my cultural exploration report. The Egghead sculptures were

On the first Sunday of our stay, while many others were eager to visit famous sights or go shopping in nearby cities, my roommate Patty and I made a different decision. We chose not to travel far from Davis. Instead, we decided to slow down and spend the day wandering around the campus, exploring the five Egghead sculptures. Thanks to Google Maps, we were able to locate all five artworks and experience them in person. Here is a brief introduction of the five Eggheads in Davis and my reflection on them:

1. Stargazer

• What it looks like: The head is lying on the yard in front of a building, facing the sky. The eyes are wide-open and spiral-shaped. The lips tilt slightly, as if the sculpture is smiling or in a joyful mood.

• What it means: It represents a symbol of imagination, dreaming, or looking toward the future. It encourages students to think beyond the present and reach for the unknown.

• What I learn from it: Despite of the challenges and unknown situations around us, teachers have to stay positive and never stop dreaming.

2. Bookhead

• What it looks like: The face is “buried” in an open book right in front of the school library.

• What it means: It represents students’ academic study in Davis. They work so hard to study and learn. It is said that students come rub on this egghead to pray for good-luck on their exams, which, for me, is a very cute school culture.

• What I learn from it:  I love everything about books. Being a bookworm has always been a cool thing to me, so I rubbed on the head and stayed here for a while before I went on my journey to the next egghead.

3. Eye on Mrak

• What it looks like: A single head placed up-side down. The face is laughing in a satirical, even absurd, way. And on the back of it is an wide-open eye, staring directly at the Mrak building, which is the administration center and the principal’s office.

• What it means: Some comments say the artist attempted to express his critique and keep an eye authority in a humorous way.

• What I learn from it: As an English teacher in Taiwan, there are times when I realize I couldn’t change certain things (no matter how hard I try), and moments when it feels like my efforts won’t make a difference. Still, I must pay attention and care for the issues, and most importantly, never forget to smile!

4. See No Evil / Hear No Evil

• What it looks like: Two heads—two eggheads placed far away from each other on the grass field facing each other. Mouths opened, forehead slightly frowned, with one eye closed and the other slightly open. Both lack ears.

• What it means: Some say it depicts communication among people. And another way to explain this artwork is the way people pretend to see and hear nothing when they are not brave enough to speak the truth, especially in the academic field.

• What I learn from it: This artwork reminds me that communication is mutual, and teaching is no different. Communication is not just about speaking, but also listening, pausing, and trying to listen to others and understand them. Likewise, teaching is not just about lecturing, it requires observation of students so that they can adapt their methods to support meaningful and effective learning. Also, teachers need courage to face the problems before they find a way to solve them.

5. Yin & Yang

• What it looks like: This artwork includes two heads, one seemingly yelling with an angry look, the other looks more indifferent with one eye closed and the other slightly open. As if he is peeking back at the shouting head.

• What it means: The name implies duality and balance. And it is placed in front of the Main Theater, thus may have something to do with performing art.

• What I learn from it: I have a totally different and funny view on this artwork because it reminds me of how the students react when they were scolded. They tend to escape from the adults and refuse to face the problems, not because they don’t want to change, but because before they can accept advice, they first need to trust the person giving it, be it a teacher or a parent.

My Egghead Hunt in Davis began as a casual walk, but turned out to be a meaningful exploration and reflection on my own career as a teacher. This will probably be one of the most wonderful and unforgettable experience here in UC Davis. This Sunday morning walk has taught me a lot, and I realized: learning doesn’t just happen in classrooms, as long as you keep exploring, it can happen anytime and anywhere!

房屋外的特殊符號代表不同群體居住在同一處。

For the past ten years, I have devoted much of my time to guiding and supporting my students through these emotional storms. Only after their daily life problems began to ease could I start thinking about how to guide them in learning English in ways that suit their needs. This is why I decided to join the UC Davis Overseas Teacher Training Program—to explore methods and strategies that can truly help my students grow in both language ability and confidence.

1. School Context & Demographics

Waggoner Elementary School is a public elementary school located in the rural community of Winters, California. It serves students from second to fifth grade, with a diverse student population that includes many English learners and students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Principal Chris Valadez introduced the school’s mission and emphasized the commitment of teachers to student-centered learning and academic growth.

“We are a small school, but we are mighty. Our teachers go above and beyond every single day.”
— Chris Valadez, Principal

2. Instructional Priorities

Waggoner focuses on foundational literacy, academic language development, and social-emotional learning (SEL) for upper elementary students. Teachers use regular assessments to track student progress and provide support through flexible grouping, push-in intervention, and scaffolded core instruction.

The school integrates PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) and maintains clear schoolwide expectations for student behavior. Teachers are encouraged to design inclusive lessons that support both language acquisition and critical thinking.

“We don’t wait until a student is far behind to act. We look at the data weekly and respond quickly.”
— Mrs. Gutierrez, Literacy Coach

3. Teaching Practices with Teacher Quotes

a. Small Group Literacy & Reading Workshop

Teachers use leveled books, phonics-based routines, and comprehension strategy groups to support reading development.

“In my classroom, guided reading is sacred time. We meet in small groups four times a week.”
— Mrs. Vasquez, 3rd Grade Teacher

b. Academic Language & Visual Scaffolds

English learners are supported with visual aids, structured sentence frames, and vocabulary word walls.

“Visuals, chants, and partner talk — that’s how we build confidence in academic language.”
— Ms. Moreno, 5th Grade Teacher

c. Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Routines

Teachers build classroom community through daily check-ins, emotion vocabulary lessons, and class agreements.

“Some of our kids carry so much. That morning check-in helps them regulate and feel safe.”
— Mr. Nguyen, 4th Grade Teacher

d. Family Engagement

Teachers maintain ongoing communication with families, offering bilingual updates and celebrating student growth.

“We try to keep things consistent. I send home updates in both English and Spanish, especially when it’s about something positive.”
— Mrs. Lopez, 2nd Grade Teacher

4. Collaboration & Community Engagement

Staff meet weekly in grade-level teams to analyze student data, co-plan lessons, and identify students needing extra support. There’s close collaboration between general education and specialists, including ELD and special education staff.

Waggoner also hosts community events and invites families to participate in school life, creating a strong sense of belonging for students and parents.

“Our families trust us because they know we care. They’re part of our team.”
— Principal Valadez

5. Reflection

Visiting Waggoner Elementary School provided insight into how a rural school can deliver highly intentional, equity-focused instruction. The blend of strong classroom routines, inclusive practices, and teacher passion was clear throughout the visit. Hearing from teachers directly emphasized their heart for the work.

“This visit reminded me how powerful instruction can be when relationships and data go hand in hand.”

1. Bilingual Family Communication

• Teachers regularly send updates in both English and Spanish to ensure all families have access to important information.

• Communication methods include:

  • Weekly newsletters

  • Home–school folders

  • Text messages and phone calls

• Quote:

  “I send home updates in both English and Spanish, especially when it’s about something positive.”
  — Mrs. Lopez, 2nd Grade Teacher

2. Visual & Contextual Support for English Learners

• Use of visual aids, real objects (realia), and anchor charts to make abstract concepts more concrete.

• Pairing images with keywords in both English and Spanish when possible.

• Quote:

  “Visuals, chants, and partner talk — that’s how we build confidence in academic language.”
  — Ms. Moreno, 5th Grade Teacher

3. Structured Sentence Frames

• Providing students with sentence starters in English, sometimes alongside Spanish translation for newcomers.

• Frames are tailored to academic tasks, e.g., “I predict that… because…” or “The main idea is…”

• Helps bridge language gaps and build academic vocabulary.

4. Partner & Peer Language Practice

• Implementing Think-Pair-Share where students first think alone, then discuss with a partner, often pairing an English learner with a bilingual peer.

• Encourages both social interaction and oral language development.

5. Bilingual Support in Content Lessons

• In certain cases, teachers or bilingual aides clarify instructions in Spanish to ensure understanding, especially for math problem-solving or science experiments.

• This is done strategically so English learners also engage with the English-language content.

6. Cultural Responsiveness

• Classroom displays include both English and Spanish labels.

• Teachers intentionally incorporate bilingual books and culturally relevant examples into lessons.

Winters Joint Unified School District (WJUSD)

Vision:

Inspiring and Cultivating Pathways to Success

Mission:

To provide a quality education to all students, ensuring that the entire educational community actively participates and are valuable contributors to our changing society.

Board Priorities:

• Ensure high-quality, motivated, and happy staff.

• Utilize best practices and support for all students.

• Support and involve families in students’ education.

• Strengthen community, business, and college relationships.

• Provide accountability and high expectations for success.

Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) Goals:

1. College & Career Readiness – Prepare students to be ready for college and careers.

2. Conditions for Learning – Foster learning environments that promote student success.

3. Safe & Welcoming Environment – Engage all stakeholders in creating a safe and welcoming place for learning.

Winters Elementary School

Vision:

To support all students to be critical thinkers and compassionate citizens.

Mission:

To care about students and support their success — academically, socially, and emotionally.

Motto:

Together, we succeed.

Classroom Observations & Reflections

Classroom 1 – Active Group Learning in Math

In this second-grade classroom, every student was actively engaged in learning. The class was divided into four groups, each working on a different task:

1. Teacher-led Math Group – Six students worked closely with a male teacher using small counting blocks to perform calculations. The teacher patiently guided each child, offering individual attention.

2. Number Writing Group – Five students practiced writing numbers sequentially from 1 to 120 on forms.

3. Math Card Game Group – Students played a game in which they drew number cards and added the values together in random combinations.

4. Independent Reading Group – Students who enjoyed reading quietly read books of their choice, sometimes reading aloud to small animal dolls as if they were pets. This added warmth and playfulness to the reading activity.

Groups rotated after a short period so that every child experienced each activity. Although they were not all working on the same task, no one was idle — everyone was busy.

Reflection:
What touched me most was that no student was kept silent just for discipline’s sake. In Taiwan, students are often expected to remain quiet and listen, but this doesn’t always show whether they are learning or understanding. Here, students had space and time to learn in their own way. Even if they were not performing perfectly, their individuality was respected. The teacher never raised his voice or showed anger, creating a safe, patient, and encouraging environment.

Classroom 2 – Think, Pair, Share with Student Choice

In the next classroom, the teacher paired students with their “elbow buddies” — the classmates sitting next to them — for a Think, Pair, Share activity. Students began with quiet thinking time, reflecting on a question before speaking. They then had one minute to share their ideas with their partner, using a sentence frame such as:

My favorite color is ____ because ____.

Students recorded their answers on a form, practicing both speaking and writing skills. What stood out was the teacher’s respect for student autonomy. If a student didn’t want to participate at that moment, they could simply say, “This time, I’ll pass.” This choice was accepted without pressure, showing that participation was encouraged but never forced.

Classroom 3 – Bilingual Art Activity with Comfort & Connection

In the third classroom, Teacher Natalia worked with second graders in a predominantly Spanish-speaking environment, creating a bilingual atmosphere rooted in Spanish. The activity asked students to draw their families and write their names on jigsaw-shaped pieces of paper, likely to be combined later into a larger collaborative display.

The teacher set a 10-minute timer on the board, giving students a clear timeframe. As they worked, soft music played in the background, creating a warm and comfortable atmosphere. Students chatted and interacted naturally while drawing, and the classroom felt coordinated and productive. Teacher Natalia walked from table to table, helping students and engaging them in friendly conversation. The space felt both creative and connected — a place where students could work together while feeling at ease.

Classroom 4 – Language & Movement Game

In the fourth classroom, students played an interactive game with a rainbow-colored soccer ball. Each panel of the ball had a sentence written in Latin or Spanish. A student would catch the ball, read the sentence aloud, and then perform the action or body movement described. For example, if the sentence read “Do for John Brooks”, all students would do the action together before the ball was passed to the next student.

This activity blended language practice with physical movement, making learning lively and dynamic. Students took turns, stayed active, and reinforced comprehension through coordinated action, fostering both cooperation and enthusiasm.

Overall Reflection

Across these four classrooms, one theme was constant: students were active participants in their own learning. Whether working in groups, pairing with a partner, creating art, or playing an interactive game, students were given space, choice, and respect.

In several classrooms, students could choose between activities — for example, math, drawing, or reading — depending on their interest at that moment. They were also sometimes allowed to “pass” if they preferred not to participate in a particular task. This flexibility empowered them to take ownership of their learning and encouraged them to make decisions that suited their comfort level and learning style.

Compared to Taiwan, where students are often expected to stay quiet even before the teacher enters the classroom — and where even group discussions are conducted in silence — this approach felt remarkably free and natural. In these U.S. classrooms, students talked and interacted while still focusing on their work. I believe this is because they were given real choices, so they engaged in tasks they had selected themselves. No one was pretending to listen; they were genuinely absorbed in what they were doing. In Taiwan, by contrast, students sometimes pretend to pay attention without truly engaging — a reality that I now see as quite sad.

These observations inspire me to make small changes in my own teaching, giving students more space to choose and more freedom to express themselves while working. Ultimately, I want to create classrooms where, like here, curiosity and authentic participation replace quiet compliance.

This week in Davis has been full of wonderful experiences and good memories. One of the best things is getting to know my roommate, Patty. She’s from Taoyuan, and she teaches gifted students—very different from my students in Taitung. But her stories and sharings really inspired me. She made me think in new ways about teaching and how students learn. I also appreciate how she engage CLIL methods and scaffolding in her classroom.

Even though we are different, we get along really well. We always laugh (I’m very glad she gets my points easily), get lost together on campus, explore new places, and enjoy every little moment. I feel lucky to have such a great roommate. She gives me energy and makes this trip feel special.

Every day in Davis, I enjoy the food so much. The meals are big, delicious, and most importantly, it’s free! Eating in the student dining hall is also interesting—I can see how American students eat, talk, and get along with one another. Their students are more independent and more confident, which is something I really admire.

The weather in Davis is sunny and not too hot, but very dry! I had to buy more lotion and lip balm to take care of my skin. Even so, I love walking under the clear blue sky here. After just two weeks, I already feel more open and connected—at least I don’t get lost as much as the first week. I’m excited to see what will happen next.

Yesterday evening, as I began packing (and struggling to zip up my suitcase that’s basically exploding with all the souvenirs I bought ), I realized how important it is to share some of the small but powerful things that made daily life smoother and more comfortable. So, I’ve created this list — both as a personal reminder and as a friendly guide for future teachers who might come to UC Davis next year. I hope it helps you feel a little more prepared and a little more at home.

Top 10 Most Useful Things to Bring from Taiwan to UC Davis

1. Sleeping Bag

Summer nights in Davis can get surprisingly cold for Taiwanese people. You’ll thank yourself for bringing a small sleeping bag to keep warm. I especially recommend my Naturehike L150 ultralight sleeping bag, which cost only NT$600 and saved me from the chill.

2. Sun Protection Tools (Sunscreen, Hat, UV Jacket)

The California sun is shiny, beautiful, but STRONG (and sometimes harmful). A UV-proof hat, light jacket, and sunscreen will help you stay safe and comfortable while walking or biking outside.

3. Herbal Throat Lozenges (甘草喉糖)

The dry climate and cold night air can irritate your throat. I got very allergic and couldn’t stop coughing. Besides drinking warm water, the herbal throat lozenges I brought were very helpful. These traditional lozenges relieve discomfort and are hard to find in the U.S., so bring plenty!

4. Portable Water Heater (Electric Kettle)

Hot water isn’t easily available in the U.S., especially in the evenings. A compact kettle allows you to make hot tea, instant noodles, or simply warm water. I didn’t bring one myself, but luckily, my amazing roommate shared hers — and that made a huge difference.

5. Skincare Set: Lotion, Lip Balm, and Face Masks

Davis is much drier than Taiwan. Your skin may start to feel dry in the first week and later become itchy or cracked. I had to buy extra face cream and essential oils here. If you’re sensitive to brand changes, bring your own favorites, including lotion, facial cream, lip balm, and sheet masks.

6. Allergy Medicine or Cold Medicine

If you have sensitive skin or seasonal allergies, bring trusted medicine or ointments from Taiwan — they can be hard to find and expensive here. I once had to spend $3 for one tiny allergy pill from a vending machine at the ARC building!

7. Hair Dryer

Cold nights + wet hair = nightmare. A small hair dryer is essential. If you know your roommate before arriving, you can plan to share one — that way you don’t both bring bulky dryers in your luggage.

8. Light Down Jacket (like Uniqlo’s)

Even in summer, early mornings and air-conditioned classrooms can feel chilly. The temperature in Davis can shift dramatically — from 13°C to 38°C in a single day. A lightweight, packable down jacket is easy to carry and perfect for layering. If you plan to visit San Francisco, this is a must.

9. Insulated Tumbler / Thermos Cup

You can refill drinks for free at the dining center — hot coffee, tea, or water. I brought two tumblers: one for warm water, one for free coffee. It keeps drinks at the perfect temperature and helps you save money and reduce waste.

10. Portable Charger

Whether you're walking around campus or exploring town, a portable charger keeps your phone alive. We rely on our phones for everything — navigation, translation, Uber, mobile payment — so don’t risk getting stuck in a new place with a 0% battery iPhone(yeah that’s me)!

In addition to the above items, one thing you MUST bring with you whenever and wherever you go, is an OPEN MIND. “Dream big, work hard, and never stop trying!”

Prompt:

1. Black-and-white line drawing.