Differentiate
Little did I know when I chose this graphic, that I would be composing a reflection on differentiation while sitting in the geology classroom. As I ponder over these rocks and their similar and dissimilar characteristics, I realize how appropriate they are to a discussion of differentiation. They are all similar in that they are rocks of a size and seem to all have been shaped or weathered by water. They are dissimilar in their color, which denotes distinct and individual mineral compositions. Students are students, but they are all ultimately shaped by the environment in which they learn. They may appear similar, but the range of their thought processes, personalities, background knowledge and passions are distinct and various.
The English Language Learner students that I teach bring a diversity of life experience, educational background, cultural understanding and personal interests to our classroom. Differentiation is easier in some ways with small classes translating into multiple opportunities for small group, pair or individual learning. Ironically, it is the critical mass of a heated discussion by 8 or more thinkers which is rarely possible.
Instruction is a continual loop of teaching, assessing, re-teaching, assessing. The small size of our classroom allows for immediate checks for understanding, and an immediate response in my delivery. We often revisit vocabulary, rules of grammar, and correct usage. Language learning does not follow a set trajectory. The rate of acquisition varies widely depending on the subject matter, background knowledge, amount of implemented practice, and sustained exposure. As students strive toward expressing themselves in more complex language, the challenges increase. Students who may reach learning targets when discussing and writing an opinion about cell phone privacy, are faced with a very different challenge when tasked with writing an opinion about the Ebola epidemic because of the necessity of a whole new vocabulary set. Last week, as I was handing back my comments on their work, they were discussing my lack of public admonishment as a motivational tool. In their previous classrooms, some of them had experienced public shame as their grades were read aloud by the teacher for all the class to hear. In those schools, poor grades were met with humiliating comments by the entire class.
Areas of interest and levels of readiness are sometimes vast with students from three or four continents in one classroom. A recent poll to determine students' self-selected topics for class journals produced such varied suggestions as orphanages in the Congo, favorite music, animals, political events, sports, family, and Pygmies. Students in my current class are still honing literacy skills, with reading levels spanning early second grade to mid third grade.
To address this, literacy stations have become a regular feature in our classroom with individualized activities and readings based on readiness level and interest. The first station allows students to use an ipad and chose a book to read from a pre-screened assortment of independent reading level appropriate books. Journal writing is another station, based on choice and building writing stamina. Literacy worksheets are a third station that is based on a formative spelling assessment of students' skills using the "Words Their Way" program. Students worksheets differ by the spelling stage that they are focusing on, such as long vowel patterns or digraphs. An additional station incorporates reading one on one with the teacher while answering short comprehension questions and writing a brief summary about the leveled reading. The fifth and final station incorporates web based programs to build vocabulary such as freerice.com.
Although I do create summative assignments, the world of ELL is a little idiosyncratic. ELL students are tested annually on their language proficiency skills across four domains; speaking, reading, writing, and listening. This mandated test is created and scored on a national level. It determines a student's proficiency level and their respective skill levels. This assessment is not scored for the purpose of a grade, but is instead a direct reflection of their meeting targets across those four domains in five language standards; social and instructional, language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.
Little did I know when I chose this graphic, that I would be composing a reflection on differentiation while sitting in the geology classroom. As I ponder over these rocks and their similar and dissimilar characteristics, I realize how appropriate they are to a discussion of differentiation. They are all similar in that they are rocks of a size and seem to all have been shaped or weathered by water. They are dissimilar in their color, which denotes distinct and individual mineral compositions. Students are students, but they are all ultimately shaped by the environment in which they learn. They may appear similar, but the range of their thought processes, personalities, background knowledge and passions are distinct and various.
The English Language Learner students that I teach bring a diversity of life experience, educational background, cultural understanding and personal interests to our classroom. Differentiation is easier in some ways with small classes translating into multiple opportunities for small group, pair or individual learning. Ironically, it is the critical mass of a heated discussion by 8 or more thinkers which is rarely possible.
Instruction is a continual loop of teaching, assessing, re-teaching, assessing. The small size of our classroom allows for immediate checks for understanding, and an immediate response in my delivery. We often revisit vocabulary, rules of grammar, and correct usage. Language learning does not follow a set trajectory. The rate of acquisition varies widely depending on the subject matter, background knowledge, amount of implemented practice, and sustained exposure. As students strive toward expressing themselves in more complex language, the challenges increase. Students who may reach learning targets when discussing and writing an opinion about cell phone privacy, are faced with a very different challenge when tasked with writing an opinion about the Ebola epidemic because of the necessity of a whole new vocabulary set. Last week, as I was handing back my comments on their work, they were discussing my lack of public admonishment as a motivational tool. In their previous classrooms, some of them had experienced public shame as their grades were read aloud by the teacher for all the class to hear. In those schools, poor grades were met with humiliating comments by the entire class.
Areas of interest and levels of readiness are sometimes vast with students from three or four continents in one classroom. A recent poll to determine students' self-selected topics for class journals produced such varied suggestions as orphanages in the Congo, favorite music, animals, political events, sports, family, and Pygmies. Students in my current class are still honing literacy skills, with reading levels spanning early second grade to mid third grade.
To address this, literacy stations have become a regular feature in our classroom with individualized activities and readings based on readiness level and interest. The first station allows students to use an ipad and chose a book to read from a pre-screened assortment of independent reading level appropriate books. Journal writing is another station, based on choice and building writing stamina. Literacy worksheets are a third station that is based on a formative spelling assessment of students' skills using the "Words Their Way" program. Students worksheets differ by the spelling stage that they are focusing on, such as long vowel patterns or digraphs. An additional station incorporates reading one on one with the teacher while answering short comprehension questions and writing a brief summary about the leveled reading. The fifth and final station incorporates web based programs to build vocabulary such as freerice.com.
Although I do create summative assignments, the world of ELL is a little idiosyncratic. ELL students are tested annually on their language proficiency skills across four domains; speaking, reading, writing, and listening. This mandated test is created and scored on a national level. It determines a student's proficiency level and their respective skill levels. This assessment is not scored for the purpose of a grade, but is instead a direct reflection of their meeting targets across those four domains in five language standards; social and instructional, language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.