https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xAaPMBpBaxTsv9Sxi7e41BKlJnQpuIFOO8VIFcENFAw/edit?usp=sharing

 

Oct 5 group 4 Chapter 7
Oct 12 group 5 Chapter 8
Oct 19 group 6 Lorna Chapter 9
Oct 26 group 7 Chapter 10
Nov 2 group 8 Chapter 11

Andrew Leong Chapter 4 Coelho

LLED 360 – Solo Presentation

LLED 360­307 Fall 2017                                                                                              Dr. Lorna Ramsay

Reading Analysis Reflection Template for Presenter

Date: September 28^th 2017

Facilitator name: Jessica Pellegrino

Text Chapters:​ Chapter 4: Differentiated Instruction and Assessment for Newcomers and Language Learners

Name of Outside source:

• Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences
• Reiss – Perspectives for Classroom Practice: Theory and Culture
  • Cummin’s Framework for Evaluating Language Demand in Content, Activates CHART

Main Themes:​

• Progress
• Assessment & Evaluation
• Language Learning
• Reporting
• Language performance

My Critical Argument or Thesis

• Differentiated instruction benefits all learners no matter what level of language they have. Touching on all of Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligences is bound to maximize student learning.

New Vocabulary:​

• Continua/ Continuum
• L1 / l2
• CEFR
• Zone of Proximal Development
• Scaffolding
• Cummin’s Model
• Differentiated Instruction

Educational Implications:

­         Insights and connections to educational themes and theories or more global issues

• “Students who began their schooling in other countries have not had the opportunity to develop the same cultural knowledge on which the curriculum is based”
  • Significant because cultural knowledge is often overlooked when it comes to newcomers
  • Cultural knowledge & language are very interconnected and almost dependent on one another
• New comers need to process new ideas in two languages
• Differentiated instruction should be touched on regardless of the presence of newcomers or not, should be used to touch the learning needs of all students

­         Insights and connections on practical teaching strategies

• Staying consistent will benefit newcomers
• Zone of Proximal Development
  • Make success attainable for all students
  • Providing support
  • Shifting toward independence when appropriate
• Maximum scaffolding ideas
  • Graphic organizers, reading through stages, models of writing, giving students steps, provide alternative source material

­  Questions

• Shouldn’t the CEFR be used globally? Why isn’t it?
  • Its not completely possible
  • But should be used and is ideal
• Article argues that teachers should be encouraged to compare mainstream student’s work to that of the newcomer’s work in order to demonstrate to their parents the level at which his or her child should be at. Is this comparison necessary? Is it ethical?
  • Create anxiety for newcomer’s parents
  • Demotivation is a possibility
• How does a teacher maintain support and provide challenges (simultaneously) for a variety of students and their needs?
  • Requires guidance
  • Direct instruction à transition toward freedom to work independently

LLED 360 – L. Ramsey

Group Reading Facilitation Sept 28, 2017

Facilitator: Bob Beveridge

 

Primary Reading: Coelho, E. (2012). Chapter 4: Differentiated instruction and assessment for newcomers and language learners. ​Language and learning in Multilingual Classrooms: A Practical Approach

 

Second Source: http://vancouversun.com/opinion/columnists/douglas-todd-b-c-college-faculty-feel-pressure-to-pass-foreign-students

 

 

CRITICAL ARGUMENT:  With the rapidly rising enrollment of foreign students in BC institutions, it is increasingly more important to agree upon, adhere to, and abide by an educational model for instruction and assessment of ESL students. Without a provincial model based on proper pedagogy; administrators, parents, teachers and students are all potentially exposed to an increased level of negative outcomes.

 

 

 

 

 

PRIMARY READING (Coelho) 

 

MAIN FOCUS/ THEME: HOW TO ASSESS THE PROGRESS OF L2L’s IN THE LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION     and then use that assessment to:

 

• PLAN LANGUAGE SUPPORT
• ADAPT THE MAINSTREAM PROGRAMME

 

WHY?  Students spend a large portion of the day in classrooms so it is the teachers RESPONSIBILITY to help those students overcome the language barriers, in many instances these students are years behind other students and some are completely mainstreamed before receiving the required support.

 

 

 

 

CONCEPTS & MODELS     

“The Continuum of Language Learning” based on Jim Cummins research explores the concept that a continuum of language development is required to assess starting points/ assess progress/ and select appropriate goals; instruct accordingly and track progress over time.  His model demonstrates a 5-year period in which L2L students’ progress from beginner to highly proficient with continued support.

 

 

 

 

Initially L2L’s have little or no language experience and learn the language of everyday inter-action. (e.g.:  hi, hello, food, washroom, bus, goodbye, thank you etc.)

 

 

 

A continuum of language development is required as often L2L’s are distributed through classrooms at different ages and at differing levels of development. The traditional model of comparing how L2L’s perform vs peers is flawed as it is negatively biased (focuses on what learner cannot do) and does not factor in proficiency in their native language.

 

 

(CEFR) Common European Framework of Reference for languages

 

• Collaborative effort among European language educators and researchers.
• Consists of 6 levels between beginner and completely competent.
• Data bank of detailed descriptors or indicators
• Framework is standardized and has utility across differing countries
• Notable feature: Can be used to evaluate any language, including native one

 

 

CEFR – Global Scale

 

 

A1    BASIC: Familiar expressions, basic phrases, introduce self, can interact in simple way provided other person is helpful

A2     BASIC:  Can communicate in simple and routine tasks, describe in simple terms background, immediate environment and basic needs

B1    INDEPENDENT: Can understand main points of standard input. Can travel without difficulty, can describe experiences, events, dreams etc.

B2   INDEPENDENT:  Can understand main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics. Technical discussion in field of specialization.

C1   PROFICIENT: Can express appropriately without struggle or searching for expressions.

C2   PROFICIENT: Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Summarize information.

 

This scale is age specific as the category descriptors are not suitable for younger people.

 

 

 

This scale is further applied to 3 areas of focus

 

• Understanding Oral and Written Language
• Speaking
• Writing

 

 

The model has many charts and descriptors to help educators get started on developing reference charts and descriptors appropriate for the target language …. very user friendly.   Teachers can use developmental continua and descriptors of language to make an assessment, then adjust curriculum, use varying techniques to move the L2L student across the framework from beginner to proficient tracking the progress along the way.   This information is recordable, (spreadsheets/ data/ computers etc.) and is useful to the teacher, administrator, students, and parents.

 

 

QUESTION

• How could the CEFR model be specifically useful to the teacher, administrator, student and parent.

 

 

 

 

IMPORTANT CONCEPT: SCAFFOLDING

 

Scaffolding is a metaphor for continuing to build the learners intelligence, proficiency, and learning ability in any area one step at a time. Continuously building greater knowledge and understanding and being the guide to oversee the process.

 

Cummins model for second language teaching in based on the concept of scaffolding. The model consists of four quadrants created by the intersection of two continua. The L2L student will begin in the cognitively undemanding and context embedded quadrant and slowly move towards the other end of the model. “Context embedded” means the student is assisted with hand gestures, symbols, body language etc.  whereas context reduced means relying on words and language alone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The CEFR model is incorporated in the Cummins model with the letters and skill level of the L2L learner represented in each quadrant.  The concept of scaffolding is used with appropriate gradual directed steps/activities to build the students skills.

 

 

 

 

ASSESSMENT

 

 

• Assessment should not be based on peer to peer evaluation
• Not equitable to expect who are learning the primary language of instruction to be on the same level as those who have learned for many more years or a lifetime
• Evaluation should be based on the student’s improvement in the scaffolding process
• Typically, progress is made later as opposed to earlier in the process so more weighting should be given to the most recent work.
• L2L learners should be given an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge in alternative ways (music/art/tactile)
• Employ group participation to engage the student and as a different venue to assess
• Compile assessment portfolios (this shows hard evidence of student’s growth and is easy to refer to)
• Make sure students have a clear understanding on how they will be assessed and provide one example they can refer too
• Large scale assessment should not include L2L in the early stages as these students cannot engage in dialogue anyways, the system is designed and biased for native language learners and the purpose of public school is not to enable students to pass a standardized test.

 

 

 

 

QUESTIONS:

 

1)     Are large scale entrance qualifying exams fair?

2)     Should there be an appeals process in place?

3)     Should a secondary curriculum learning objective focus on having success on mass entrance exams to post-secondary institutions?

 

 

 

 

SECOND SOURCE: VANCOUVER SUN

 

• Instructors are increasingly being asked for grading leniency/favors/exceptions on critical English courses that are gateway courses into universities and colleges
• 5x increase in foreign students at Langara College
• Local instructors wrestle with conscience in regard to where to draw the line
• Say that foreign international students is a” booming business “which brings in added revenue, institutions actively recruit these students
• Instructors “agonize” over classroom discussions and worry that high level learners are not getting fair and adequate instruction
• Language difficulties can create high stress in classrooms
• Teachers feel pressure to satisfy administrators, parents, and students
• Teachers feel bad that expectations are skewed based on tuition fees being 5x higher for international students

 

Questions: 

 

• Does this article accurately reflect the current landscape in BC institutions or is this just a few instructors voicing personal displeasure?
• How does an instructor satisfy the needs of both the top end performers and lower end performers in each class?
• Should grades be based on skill level, effort, or development/improvement?

 

REFLECTION:

 

• This is a great activity that I will employ as a teacher as it provides a good base to approach public speaking.  As a student is only presenting to a small group it provides an avenue to practice on a small scale before presenting to classrooms. (Scaffolding oratory/presentation skills)  However a teacher would have to be careful in regards to the ELL student as the group might not be understanding of the ELL students abilities and challenges.)
• Unsurprisingly when reviewing the content of the cummins model and CEFR my group were not engaged as I was doing all of the talking and they already knew the content from the readings. Only when questions were brought up and group activity began did the overall dynamic increase in energy and productivity. Which further supports my views in regards to the concept on holistic and interactive learning.
• Still somewhat unclear on what model of assessment is used in this province. I would guess it is institution specific , but more inquiry is warranted here.

 

 

reading-response-final-2

LLED 360­307 Fall 2017 Dr. Lorna Ramsay
Reading Analysis Reflection
Date: Sept 21, 2017
Facilitator name: Cassie Tagseth

Text Chapters: ​ Coelho, E. (2012). Chapter 3: Linguistic and Academic Support for Newcomers and Language Learners
Name of Outside source:
Gillespie, K. (2017). Spanish-English immersion classes bear rich fruit. Retrieved from http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2017/sep/17/spanish-english-immersion-classes-bear-rich-fruit/
Main Themes: ​
Coelho: ELLs face many challenges to learning the language of instruction in school settings and “catching up” to the level of their peers. Becoming fluent in a new language takes time; often more than 5 years. ELLs need specialized support throughout this time in order to catch up with native English speakers. Some level of integration to mainstream classrooms is beneficial for all ELLs.
Gillespie: A Spanish-English immersion class where half of the students speak Spanish at home and half speak English at home has had much success in Vancouver, Washington. The teacher uses context integrated learning strategies that have been shown to have positive outcomes on both ELLs and native English-speaking students.

My Critical Argument or Thesis: Many, including teachers, parents, and ELLs themselves, assume that ELLs no longer need additional educational support once they have reached conversational fluency. This assumption disregards both the long-term nature of language acquisition and the gap between conversational and academic language, and does a disservice to ELLs who need support for years after they have reached conversational fluency.
New Vocabulary: ​
(Coelho) L2L or second language learner;
Dual language: interchangeable with ‘bilingual’
­ Transitional bilingual education: L1 is gradually phased out as students gain
competency in L2
Late-exit bilingual programs: maintain and develop proficiency in L1 while
students learn L2
Two-way bilingual programs: in areas where two languages are spoken, both languages are used for instruction for speakers of both languages, with the goal of expanding linguistic capabilities in both
CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning): the process of learning a language by talking, reading, and writing about content or subject matter that is important to them

Educational Implications:
­Insights and connections to educational themes and theories or more global issues​ Inclusion: context-integrated learning addresses issues of inclusion because students are exposed to culture and social structures as well as language. See Gillespie article.
ELLs should receive individualized intervention that is developmentally appropriate for their age, prior academic experience, and level of proficiency in both L1 and L2. This relates to themes outlined in BC’s new curriculum, which emphasizes individual needs of all learners.
­ Insights and connections on practical teaching strategies​ Use strategies that support ELLs long after they reach conversational fluency – remember that they still may need time and support to develop their academic language skills (Gunderson, pg. 83)
Infuse context whenever possible – content that holds individual, practical, or cultural meaning to ELLs is most helpful in language acquisition
Critique of Gillespie article:​
Two-way bilingual programs such as the program outlined in the Gillespie article have been proven to be effective and enriching for ELLs and native English speakers who are involved. These environments are only effective in certain environments, however; it must be an area where there is one defined language of instruction and a strong community presence of families who speak the same language such as Spanish. This model is promising, but it would not be useful in many areas of Canada because schools are more likely to have ELLs who speak many different languages at home.
Questions​
­Are the teaching models outlined in Coelho inclusive of students with special needs?
­Are ELLs receiving support and individualized instruction until they are “caught up” with same-age peers with regard to comprehension of academic language?
In your classroom, how would you add context to your content to support language acquisition for ELLs?
Do you think there are benefits (beyond language acquisition) for students in bilingual programs?

Reflection:
Comments on discussion:
­ Did a group member give additional information or critique the facilitator at any point?
Yes – Shane added a reading and contributions from his work as an English language tutor.
Danielle, Matt, Shane, and Poppy all offered strategies on how to infuse context into their subject areas (PE, business, math, social studies)
­ What was my contribution to engagement?
I allowed for time for everyone to make connections between the content and their subject areas. During the wordier parts of my facilitation material (such as the new vocabulary), we shared the role of reading out the new vocab and definitions.
­ Was the group engaged?
Yes, very. I was impressed with the depth of discussion and connection to our individual teaching philosophies and subject areas.
­ Did the facilitator use strategies to include group members?
Yes – as mentioned above, we all contributed suggestions related to our own experiences and teachable subjects. I knew certain group members had experience teaching ELL students, and asked for their input often. Our group is diverse with many different strengths, and I feel like many of them were highlighted throughout this discussion.
­ Is there more research to be done on topics of discussion? If so, specifically state.
In a word, yes. Much more research can be done related to specific best practices of implementing context based language learning and different types of bilingual instruction based on the student population.
Critical considerations of the reading analysis presentation:
­ Were all the objectives met with rigour?
Yes.
­ What suggestions do I have as self-evaluation for growth in presentation content or presentation organization and delivery?
In the future, I would like to rehearse my delivery of discussion questions and examples from personal experience, because I feel like I spoke very informally with my group and wished that I had been more thorough in planning what I wanted to say in order to convey ideas more clearly.

LLED 360­ Fall 2017                        

Dr. Lorna Ramsay  

 

Reading Analysis Reflection

 

Presenter Date: September 21, 2017

Facilitator name: Katie Harries

Discussion members: Jessica Pellegrino, Justine Martins, Rania Ismail, Laura Qin

 

Text Chapters:  

Coelho, E. (2012). Chapter 3: Linguistic and Academic Support for Newcomers and Language Learners. Language and Learning in Multilingual Classrooms: A Practical Approach. Toronto: Multilingual Matters, p. 57-82.

 

Name of Outside source:

Harris, E. A. (2015, October 08). Dual-Language Programs Are on the Rise, Even for Native English Speakers. Retrieved September 19, 2017, from https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/09/nyregion/dual-language-programs-are-on-the-rise-even-for-native-english-speakers.html

 

Main Themes:

• There are many ways to support english language learners in a school environment.
• Student interest and curiosity is a tool that can be used to drive effective teaching.
• All students have different experiences leading up to and during their time in language learning programs.

 

My Critical Argument or Thesis

In order to help ELL students learn, it is important to personalize their experiences within the school to ensure that their education is moving at a reasonable and productive pace in order to maximize their language skills.

 

New Vocabulary:

Academic language – Coelho explains that children develop basic social and survival language, while also developing their abilities to communicate in academic settings. Coelho states that those who have met academic language goals will be capable of understanding complex situations, will be able to analyze and understand new content with ease, will have “knowledge of more sophisticated, low frequency vocabulary,” will have mastery over words that can change meaning, and have the power to utilize complicated language structures. (p. 60)

Dual language education – Coelho defines dual language education as involving “the use of both the students’ first language (L1) and their second language or additional language (L2) as languages of instruction.” (p. 65) Rather than introducing children to a new language, the development of two languages are equally prioritized.

Intensive self-contained language classes – This style of language education is centered around the isolation of language learners in order to provide them with intensive classes that are concerned with encouraging the mastery of a language. Coelho notes a limitation to this style is that students are largely isolated for the rest of the school community. (p. 68)

Part-time language classes – This style of language education allows children to be involved with the mainstream class, but having private sessions with a specialized teacher for portions of the school day. Coelho argues that the best time to have these language classes ins when their “regular class is engaged in lessons that depend heavily on linguistic and cultural knowledge.” (p. 69)

Tutorial support – This method of language instruction is a very limited, in that students would typically have short sessions, usually only a couple of days a week. Coelho notes that this model is often the result of a lack of resources. (p. 69)

Content-based language programme – Coelho explains that “students learn the language by talking, reading, and writing about content on subject matter that is important to them.” (p. 72)

 

Educational Implications:

­         Insights and connections to educational themes and theories or more global issues

• Vygotsky’s theory of proximal development is similar to some of the points made by Coelho – specifically in her suggestions to remove children from social situations for private language lessons only when the material would be very difficult for them to master. By encouraging gradual development, Coelho seems to be echoing many of Vygotsky’s suggestions regarding the ‘scaffolding’ technique of teaching.
• Maintaining one’s ties to their culture is incredibly important, and it may be the responsibility of the educator to ensure that the child’s language skills aren’t deteriorating in their first language while their second language is being developed.

 

­         Insights and connections on practical teaching strategies

• Content-based language programmes may be utilized as very effective tools to spark interest in material while building language skills. By giving children some degree of control over their own education, educators are fostering competencies that will be useful to them throughout their lives.

Questions:  

• How can we as educators provide support for language learners?
• What are some ways in which we can encourage the maintenance of language learner’s first language?
• How can we help foster the development of academic language skills?
• Considering the importance of continuing language education, how can we ensure that a child’s language needs don’t become eclipsed by other academic priorities?

 

Comments on discussion:

Our discussion largely revolved around the need to be willing to adapt lessons to provide students with as much support as they need. It is vital to recognize that each child is approaching the english language from their own unique experiences, and as such, no two students should be treated as the same. This standard applies to siblings as well. Age has a huge impact on how students process and learn language.

Dan H LLED360 – Cohelo Ch3