Structured Learning Groups to Increase LiteracyPresenters:Esther Jang-Tamanaha & Cristina Rojas

Contact Info

Esther Jang-TamanahaEnglish Teacher/ EL Coordinator(626) 934-6700ejang@hlpusd.k12.ca.us

Cristina RojasDistrict Program Specialist/EL Programs(626) 933-4300crojas@hlpusd.k12.ca.us

Objectives

1. Participants will identify the academic needs of English Learners.

2. Participants will deconstruct the Speaking & Listening Standard 1and list the skills to effectively communicate and collaborate.

3. Participants will apply the components of accountable partner task and collaborative groups.

Activating Prior Knowledge

With a neighbor:

Describe how you structure speaking and

listening opportunities in your classroom.

English Learner – State Goals

“2010–11 school year, there were approximately 1.4

million English learners”

Ensure that English learners acquire full proficiency in

English as rapidly and effectively as possible and

attain parity with native speakers of English.

Ensure that English learners, within a reasonable

period of time, achieve the same rigorous grade-level

academic standards that are expected of all students.

California Department of Education (2013)

English Learner Characteristics

The majority (59%) of secondary school English

Learners are “Long Term English Learners”.

L-TELs exhibit oral fluency

L-TELs are yet to fully comprehend academics

L-TELs are mainstreamed without support

L-TELs may struggle in school, be disengaged, exhibit

behavioral problems due to the patterns of

discouragement and failure

Olsen (2010)

What do English Learners need?

“Oral language is the foundation for literacy” (Olsen, p. 16).

Students need:

oral language practice,

instructional conversations,

and multiple opportunities for speaking

Oral language builds writing skills

Olsen (2013).

What do ALL learners need?

Opportunities to build trust and community (Olsen,

2013

Consistent academic routines (Olsen, 2013)

Explicit expectations for engagement,

participation, and academic discourse (Olsen, 2013)

Structured listening and speaking (Kinsella, 2012)

What does the standard say?

Speaking & Listening Standard 1

Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

What does the standard say?

Read your grade level speaking & listening

standard

Then identify the college and/or

career ready skill(s) the Common

Core Standard is asking students to

have.

Accountable Partner Talk

According to the Speaking & Listening Anchor Standard 1, an important skill my students need to have is ___________________________________.

A college / career skill the Common Core State Standard is requiring of students is ________________.

Partner Task

Share your response with your partner

Compare & Contrast each other’s responses

Add your partner’s response to yours

Accountable Partner Talk

1. Look

2. Lean

3. Lower

4. Listen What I heard you say was ______________. An interesting point you brought up was

____________. I agree with your point that ____________.

Speaking &

Listening Standard

1

Skill

Best PracticesStimuli/

Tools

Video

• What do you see?

• What do you hear?

Video

• A college/career skill I saw/heard the class working on was _________.

• A best practice the teacher was practicing was _______.

• The students were using ________ as a stimuli/tool for learning.

What does the research state?

“Collaborative Conversations” Douglas Fisher & Nancy Frey

Collaborative Group Work

Jigsaw Reading

1) Agree on section to read (A, B, C, or D)

2) Read your section once through

3) Re-read and highlight important words/phrases

4) Use highlighted words to summarize

Collaborative Group Work

In your groups, complete the graphic organizer:

1) Jot each other’s summary

2) Synthesize the entire article

Partner summary

Synthesis of everyone’s summary

Collaborative Group Conversations

Summarize: According to X, “ ___________.” Basically, X is

saying ________________. When X states, “ __________,” X are

raising/indicating ____________________.

Synthesize: The overarching idea of this article is

________. The main idea of this text is __________.

How do we create structured learning groups?

Arrange classroom structure & partners

Establish classroom rules

Build various “partner talk” opportunities

Utilize academically rigorous sentence frames

Create “collaborative group work” expectations

Incorporate appropriate structure into lessons

Teach, model, provide practice-time

Facilitate whole-class discussion

Speaking &

Listening Standard

1

Skill

Best PracticesStimuli/

Tools

Debrief

Reflection

1. What are the needs of English Learners, and all academic English learners?

2. What are the implications of the speaking & listening anchor standard 1 on teaching? What skills do students need in order to effectively communicate and collaborate?

3. How can you apply what you learned at your school site? What will that look like? What are your next steps?