TEACHING EAL PORTFOLIO

TINA TONG

LLED 315

DECEMBER 2013

T A B L E O F C ON T EN T S

1. Tips and Techniques for Working with EAL Learnersa. Engaging & Motivating Learnersb. Classroom Managementc. Connecting with Students

2. Understandings about EAL Learnersa. Challengesb. Culturec. L1 Use & Influence

3. Graphic Organizers4. Unit & Lesson Plans5. Teaching and Learning Strategies6. Best EAL Websites7. EAL Resources8. References

T I P S A N D T EC H N I Q UE S F O R W OR K I NG WI T H EA L L E A RN E RS

ENGAGING & MOTIVATING LEARNERS

For any student, it is important to keep them engaged and motivated to learn; but for EAL students, this can be extra difficult because of language difficulties. Students who struggle with understanding what is occurring in the classroom will have much more difficulty staying engaged and motivated. EAL students may not understand complex academic language, but that does not mean they do not understand complex content. Therefore, it is important to keep the content of the classroom challenging, but the language comprehensible. That way, students will be motivated to learn (because the content is not too simple), and engaged with the lesson (because they understand what is being said).

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

Classroom management is very important when it comes to teaching a successful lesson. Without good classroom management, the class can get out of control and not engage with the material. Therefore, teachers must take classroom management into account when approaching their lessons. It is important to know what students will be doing at all times (so that they do not have too much idle time, which can make them bored and unmotivated), and to keep students on task. It is important to be direct when giving instruction, and to use authority as necessary. When dealing with a new class, it is especially important for students to understand that you are “in charge”! However, that does not mean a teacher shouldn’t be friendly and respectful; in fact, a teacher should aim to always be a positive role model in the classroom.

CONNECTING WITH STUDENTS

One of the most important things a teacher can do is to connect with the students. Students who feel like they can connect to their teacher are more engaged and motivated to learn. Therefore, it is important to get to know the students, and allow the students to get to know you. Having a positive classroom atmosphere that is friendly and encourages creativity can inspire students to be exceptional learners. Students who have a strong connection with their teachers are also more likely to seek help when necessary. Teachers who have good relationships with their students have more opportunities to assess their students’ learning progress.

UN D ER S T A ND I N G S A B OU T EA L L EA RN ER S

CHALLENGES

Language involves much more than understanding sentence structure, word order, grammar rules, and vocabulary. Beyond that, there are cultural references (idioms, proverbs, jargon, etc.), inferences and intonations, and much more. To the native speaker, these come naturally, but to an EAL learner, it can be very difficult.

Common difficulties in language learning for specific native languages are called language interference, and there are many resources that can be found around that issue. Other sources like grammar books and dictionaries are also helpful for the EAL learner.

CULTURE

EAL learners, which may include immigrant and International students, often struggle with learning not just another language, but also another culture. Depending on the student’s background, their culture and the target culture may be very different. Teachers must be aware of cultural differences, especially if they can affect the student’s classroom behaviour and learning.

In Canada, we emphasize the importance of using a variety of instructional strategies, including individual, group, and class work formats. Students who come from cultures that value different strategies may struggle with understanding the intent and learning objective of the activity. Therefore, it is important to clarify to all students the learning objectives of each activity.

Other cultural differences in the classroom include: instructional patterns, student questioning patterns, expression of opinions, response time patterns, attention patterns, feedback patterns, and patterns of address. As teachers, it is important for us to recognize that different behaviours may be a result of cultural differences, and to be aware of cultural misunderstandings. Students from other cultural backgrounds may struggle with adopting new cultural behaviours.

In addition to integrating with the target culture, students may struggle with how others perceive their home culture. Stereotypes and misconceptions may lead to prejudice and discrimination of these students, which can further alienate them. In order to minimize these problems, it is important for the teacher to promote cross-cultural understanding. Educating students about the different cultures that are present in the classroom helps students to respect differences between cultures. However, it is also important not to rely on superficial descriptions of cultures, which can promote stereotypes. The concept of culture as fluid, profound, and multi-faceted should be discussed with all students.

L1 USE & INFLUENCE

There has been a lot of debate over the importance of the native language (L1) in the classroom, but there is one general agreement: the learner’s L1 will influence their learning process of English as an additional language. As teachers, we play a significant role in whether the student

feels comfortable about their L1 and native culture. With the emphasis on learning English in school, students may adopt feelings of shame towards their background. On the contrary, we want to promote the opposite: we want students to be comfortable and proud of their identity, and embrace their multilingualism.

In the classroom, it is important to promote cultural diversity, especially since multiculturalism is an important part of Canada. Additionally, students should be encouraged to use their L1 to assist in their understanding of English. A careful balance must be maintained so that students continue to practice their English skills, rather than simply relying on their L1 as a translation tool. Although allowing translation from English to the L1 can help understanding, students need to be motivated to work towards comprehension of English. The teacher’s role is to monitor the use of the L1 in the classroom so that it can enrich the students’ learning, but not cripple it.

G R A P H I C O R G A N I Z ER S

K-W-L-H Chart

Sample topics: Poetic terms and devices, parts of a story

Although I am familiar with the K-W-L Chart, I always found it to be missing something, and that’s when I came across this version. This chart is great for checking understanding (for both teachers and students) as well as guiding student for finding more information.

Tree Diagram

Sample topic: Essay planning for main topic and sub-topics

This is great for helping students organize their thoughts, particularly from one “main” idea to three supporting ideas. I could see this being used for paragraph and essay planning.

Planning Web

Sample topic: essay planning

This is a more detailed graphic organizer for essay planning, which is good for students to figure out all the main paints and supporting points of their essay. For students who enjoy working with web diagrams, this would be ideal.

Main Idea Chart

Sample topics: creative essay planning

This is a good graphic organizer for students who need help with understanding the flow of the main ideas to the supporting details. It allows students to visualize their ideas in a concise flowchart.

Chain-of-Events or Flowchart

Sample topics: short story planning

The flowchart is good for understanding the chronological order of events, such as in a novel or short story. This can be used for writing down main points of a story being studied, or one that the students are planning to write.

Narrowing Pyramid

Sample topic: creating a thesis statement

For students who have trouble with narrowing a broad topic into a focused thesis statement, this is a great graphic organizer to help them with breaking down their ideas.

Venn Diagram

Sample topic: comparing and contrasting characters

The venn diagram is a great graphic organizer that can be used in a wide variety of topics. Students should become familiar with this topic, particularly for planning synthesis essays.

Character Analysis Chart

Sample topic: character analysis essay

This chart is useful for helping students understand the different characteristics of a character and how to describe them. It can be used in the initial stages of a character analysis project or essay.

Responding to Literature

Sample topic: novel study

For EAL students, it can be difficult to think of descriptions of their reaction to reading, so this graphic organizer is a great way to get them started on personal writing.

Hamburger Writing Template

Sample topic: essay planning

I am a huge fan of the hamburger template for paragraph and essay planning, because I believe it is a model that sticks for students. It’s a great analogy and can be used to emphasize the importance of all the ingredients of an essay.

UN I T & L E S S ON P L A N S

Powerpoint: Paragraph Writing Toolkit

Lesson: Romeo and Juliet Review: Jeopardy and Lit Tourney

Date: Class:

PURPOSE:The lesson will focus on reviewing important facts and themes of Romeo and Juliet. Two main activities will be used – Jeopardy and Lit Tourney – to help students recall information and check for understanding. As the Jeopardy activity requires the use of teamwork, students will also practice their oral strategies and group work strategies.OBJECTIVES:BC Ministry English 10 PLOs:A4 select, adapt, and apply a range of strategies to interact and collaborate with others in pairs and groups, including

initiating and sharing responsibilities listening actively contributing ideas and supporting the ideas of others acknowledging and discussing diverse points of view reaching consensus or agreeing to differ

A7 use listening strategies to understand, recall, and analyse a variety of texts, including extending understanding by accessing prior knowledge making plausible predictions summarizing main points generating thoughtful questions clarifying and confirming meaning

B9 interpret, analyse, and evaluate ideas and information from texts, by making and supporting reasoned judgments comparing ideas and elements among texts identifying and describing diverse voices describing bias, contradictions, and non-represented perspectives identifying the importance and impact of historical and cultural contexts

SWBAT: Collaborate with teammates to produce the best answer. Access prior knowledge of the text. Assess their learning based on performance in the activities.

MATERIALS:Resources: Romeo and Juliet Jeopardy Powerpoint, Romeo and Juliet Lit Tourney CardsMaterials needed: overhead projector, computer, board

TIMING

TASK ACTIVE STUDENT PARTICIPATION

CHECKING FOR UNDERSTANDING

10 min. INTRODUCTION/TRANSITION:Housekeeping – Attendance, etc.

“Thank you everyone for doing such a wonderful job of performing your scenes last class. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did!”

“As I mentioned last class, we will be writing an in-class essay on Friday. We will spend today and Wednesday preparing for that.”

“First, who has a question about the essay?” Take questions.Reminder: “I will be marking your essay based on the 6-point writing rubric.”

Transition: “Today, we will be doing two very fun activities. For those of you who love competition, this is something you will certainly enjoy!”

Students (Ss) ask questions.

Ask Ss what they already know about the essay.

30 min. INTRODUCE ACTIVITY: JEOPARDYInstructions: “Who knows how to play Jeopardy? Raise your hands.” Ask one student to explain the instructions. Clarify as needed.

“You will be getting into teams of four or five. I will let you pick your own teams. Teams will take turns answering questions. When it is your team’s turn to answer a question, collaborate to choose a category and points box for your question. You will have 30 seconds to come up with your answer as a team. If you don’t have an answer within that time, you will lose the chance to answer and another team can answer it instead. So make sure you work together!”

“Also, you will not be allowed to use your textbook, phone, or computer!”

“Now, get into your groups and pick a team name. I also encourage you to pick a team leader who will be in charge of speaking for the team.” Give students 2-3 minutes to get into teams. Draw a table on the board for scorekeeping and write down the team names and team leader.

“Before we begin, are there any questions?” After questions, begin the activity.

Ss provide instructions for Jeopardy.

Ss select their teams, names, and leaders.

Show of hands to see if Ss understand.

Ask for questions.

The activity ends when all questions have been answered.

Ss engage in Jeopardy.

30 min. ACTIVITY: LIT TOURNEYInstructions: “I will give you a number, and that will be your team number. In this activity, rather than working with your teammates to come up with an answer, you will be competing with your teammates.”

“Each team will get a set of cards. Each card has a question about the text, with the answer written on the bottom.”

“Each member of the team will take turns answering a question. When it is their turn, the person who went last will pick up a card and read out the question for them to answer. If they get the question right, then they get a point. Before the answer is revealed, however, another member of the team can “challenge” the answer and provide a different one. If the challenger is correct (and the original answer is wrong), then the challenger gets to steal the point. But if they are wrong, they lose a point.”

“Who has a question about the lit tourney?” Clarify instructions as necessary.

“The one with the most points at the end of the tourney (in each team) will get a prize!”

Name off students and have them gather in different areas of the classroom. The students will monitor their own progress.

If disagreements arise, students can consult the teacher for the “ultimate word”.

At the 25-minute mark, warn students and tell them to wrap up soon. Write down “winners” on the board.

Ss engage in the tourney.

Get questions.

Dispel any disagreements and note the topic to be reviewed.

10 min. CLOSUREWinners get prizes – a bonus mark for the unit.

Exit slip (3-2-1): Three things you learned Two things you had difficult with One question you have

Next class: Prepare for In-Class Essay.

ASSESSMENT/EVALUATIONFormative assessment: Check for overall class understanding of the text. Note down any particularly difficult topics to review for next class.

POST-LESSON REFLECTIONSDid I have enough time to complete all the tasks?Did I have enough material to cover the entire class?Were the students able to understand the lesson objectives?Did I account for different language and academic levels in the lesson?Was the lesson at an appropriate level for the students?What can I change to improve this lesson?

Lesson: Superhero Comic Strip

Date: Class:

PURPOSE:The lesson will focus on comics as a literary form. Students will learn that comics are also valid forms of literature. They will practice writing a story using both text and images, and work on being concise in their text.OBJECTIVES:BC Ministry ELL Level 4 Writing Standards:

makes connections between background knowledge, experience, and new information to generate personal and content-area text

produces some personal writing in which writer's voice is evidentSWBAT:

Recognize comics as a literary form. Work creatively to create own comic strips. Use text and images together to tell a story.

TIMING

TASK

5 min. INTRODUCTION/TRANSITION:Hook: Put a comic strip with the dialogue and thought bubbles erased. Ask the students to write down what they think it says. After giving them a minute to do so, ask for volunteers to fill in the bubbles.

Give an example if the students seem confused. Have students share their answers with a partner if they finish quickly. Optional: Show the original comic.

Transition: Ask students what type of literature this is an example of.5 min. ACTIVATION OF PRIOR KNOWLEDGE:

Ask: “Are comics a good form of literature? Like The Catcher in the Rye and Shakespeare?”

Have a few students contribute answers.

Discuss: “What does literature, or stories, need? Think about your short story, what did it need?”

Make sure students identify:Character, setting, plot, conflict

MATERIALS:Resources: comic without dialogue, comic examples, blank comic template, 5 W’s and H worksheetMaterials needed: chalkboard, overhead projector, photocopies, legal size paper (good copy)

TIMING

TASK ACTIVE STUDENT PARTICIPATION

CHECKING FOR UNDERSTANDING

20 min. DIRECT INSTRUCTIONHand out comics to students (one for each pair). Give students a minute or two to look at their comic.

Write on the overhead:CharactersSettingPlotConflict

Ask students to find those story elements in their comic, with their partners.

After about five minutes, ask students if they had any difficulty finding those elements in their comics.

Introduce comic assignment. Topic: superhero Can be about yourself or a friend (but be

nice!) Must include: a protagonist, (optional)

antagonist, setting, conflict, plot, resolution

Steps are: 1) Fill out 5 W’s and H worksheet; 2) Complete a rough draft of comic; 3) Finish good copy on template

Hand out: 5 W’s and H worksheet, comic templates (rough copy)

Students look at their comics and identify story elements in them.

Students discuss their findings.

Walk around to ensure that students are on topic.

20 min. GUIDED PRACTICEShow an example of a completed comic using the template.

On the overhead projector, model how to approach the assignment, with suggestions from students.

Ask for suggestions for a character (Who). What is their superpower? Why do they need the superpower?

Ask students for suggestions.

Give clearer instructions and prompts if students don’t understand the question.

Where are they? Where do they use the superpower?

When do they use the superpower? How did they get their superpower? How

does it work?

Draw a very rough copy of the comic strip on the overhead so students know how it works.

20 min. INDEPENDENT PRACTICEWork on their comic assignments. (Start with 5 W’s and H worksheet before starting with rough copy)

For more challenged students, pair them up and have them discuss their ideas together. Help as necessary.

For more advanced students or early finishers, ask them to design a cover page for their comic. Use comic examples for guideline.

Homework: Complete 5 W’s and H worksheet. (More time to work next class!)

During class time, check that students understand the assignment.

ASSESSMENT/EVALUATIONFormative assessment: During discussions, observe level of participation. Walk around the classroom and observe progress.

5 min. CLOSUREShow a few more comics, and ask if anyone would like to show or talk about their work in progress.

POST-LESSON REFLECTIONSDid I have enough time to complete all the tasks?Did I have enough material to cover the entire class?Were the students able to understand the lesson objectives?Did I account for different language and academic levels in the lesson?Was the lesson at an appropriate level for the students?What can I change to improve this lesson?

Story Planning: 5 W’s and How

Superhero Comic

Write in point form:Who?Who is the protagonist (hero)?Who is the antagonist (villain)?Who is the hero saving?

What?What is the conflict?What is the plot?What is the superpower?

When?When does the hero get his/her superpower?When does the hero use his/her superpower?

Where?Where does this take place?Where does the hero use his/her superpower?

Why?Why does the hero need his/her superpower?Why does he/she use the superpower?

How?How does the hero get his/her superpower?How does the superpower work? How does the hero use it?

Lesson: Introduction to Early Explorers

Date: Class:

PURPOSE:The lesson will continue the introduction of the Early Explorers. Students will practice the skills of recalling and predicting information throughout the lesson. The emphasis of the lesson is on using information that has been learned in order to make inferences about the topic of explorers.OBJECTIVES:BC Ministry of Education – Social Studies 9 PLOs

select and summarize information from primary and secondary print and non-print sources, including electronic sources

analyse the relationship between Aboriginal people and Europeans and explain the role of each in the development of Canada

analyse reasons for the initial exploration and settlement of North AmericaSWBAT:

Read text and record information in point fom. Predict information based on prior knowledge. Take on different points of view.

MATERIALS:Resources:“A Part of History” Youtube video (http://youtu.be/O1jG58nghRo),“Early Canadian Explorer’s Video WebQuest” Youtube video (http://youtu.be/1zT3UbUkpcU), Stan Rogers’ “Northwest Passage” (http://youtu.beTVY8LoM47xI), Lyrics to “Northwest Passage”, Early Explorers Worksheet, slips of paper with names of explorers (John Cabot, Jacques Cartier, Samuel de Champlain)Materials needed: chalkboard, overhead projector, computer

TIMING

TASK ACTIVE STUDENT PARTICIPATION

CHECKING FOR UNDERSTANDING

5 min. INTRODUCTION/TRANSITION:Hook: Show “A Part of Our Heritage – Kanada” video (duration: 1 min)

“Which two groups did you see in the video?”

“What did you notice about the conversation between the two groups?”

Think-Pair-Share: “How do you think the two groups feel about each other? Take a minute to think about the video, then turn to your partner and share your answers.”

Class discussion.

Students (Ss) share answers with partner.

Ask students what they noticed.

Transition: “You have already learned about the Native people of Canada with Ms. Roland. Now, we will learn about the next group of people to step onto the lands of Canada: the early explorers.”

5 min. ACTIVATION OF PRIOR KNOWLEDGE:Think-Write-Pair-Share: “Why did the early explorers come to Canada? What were they looking for? Take a minute to think about your answer; then, write it down on a piece of paper.” Wait until everyone has written their answer down. “Now, with your partner, share your answers. Add to your list anything you missed.”

Each pair shares their answers to the class. Write answers down on the board. “If there is anything missing on your paper, write it down.”

Transition, 3-2-1: “What type of people do you think the early explorers were? Write down three different traits you think they might have had.”

Ss TWPS.

Pairs share their answers to class.

Ss write down three traits.

Ss share their answers to the class.

20 min. DIRECT INSTRUCTIONPlay video: “Early Canadian Explorer’s Video WebQuest”

3-2-1 (Cont’d): “Now, write down two questions you have about the explorers or the exploration to Canada.”

3-2-1 (Cont’d): “Finally, write down one problem you predict the explorers will have on their search for the Northwest Passage.”

Play: Stan Rogers’ “Northwest Passage”Hand out: “Northwest Passage” Lyrics

Before listening: “This song is written by Stan Rogers. It was released in 1981, and is very famous Canadian song. It talks about the early explorers of Canada and the places they went to. The narrator also talks about his feelings about the explorers.”

Ss write down questions.

Ss write down prediction.

Written answer.

Written answer.

“Before you listen, I want you to write down these keywords: speaker, mood, message. While listening to the song, I want you to think about who the speaker (or narrator) of the song is, the mood of the song, and what message the singer is trying to send to us.”

Listen to one minute; then pause.

“Take two minutes to write down (in point form) your thoughts on the speaker, mood, and message of the song.”

“Share with the three people around you your answers.”

Transition: “How were your classmates’ answers different from your own? Think about this while I hand these out.”

Ss write down keywords.

Ss think about keywords while listening.

Ss write down ideas and share with peers.

Ss think about differences.

Written answer.

20 min. GUIDED PRACTICEHand out Early Explorers worksheet.

Introduce assignment: “I will assign one early explorer to each of you. There will be three different explorers we will be learning about: John Cabot, Jacques Cartier, and Samuel de Champlain.”

“For the explorer you are assigned, you will have to read the section about him in the textbook.”

“After you have read your section, you will need to complete the Early Explorer worksheet. As you can see, the first section of the worksheet is just filling in the facts from the textbook. The second section is creative writing. Based on what you have learned, pretend to be the explorer you are assigned, and write a captain’s log about your journey.”

Modeling: “Let’s do one together. Christopher Columbus – on page 58.” Read paragraph out loud, and then complete the worksheet.

Ss suggest answers.

Questions.

“Question time. Who has a question about the assignment?”

Assign explorers by giving out little slips of paper.

20 min. INDEPENDENT PRACTICEStudents work on their assignment.

Play the rest of “Northwest Passage” while they are working for inspiration.

Homework: Complete Early Explorer worksheet if not finished.

Walk around and make sure Ss understand assignment.

5 min. CLOSUREAsk students, “If you could be an explorer to find a whole new country in the present day, would you want to do it? Why or why not?”

Possible follow-up: History of Canada documentaries (Episode 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBHC-IGLgUg)

ASSESSMENT/EVALUATIONFormative assessment: During discussions, observe level of participation. Walk around the classroom and observe progress while students are working.Summative assessment: Early Explorer worksheet should be complete and correct. Creative writing section should be marked based on completion.

POST-LESSON REFLECTIONSDid I have enough time to complete all the tasks?Did I have enough material to cover the entire class?Were the students able to understand the lesson objectives?Did I account for different language and academic levels in the lesson?Was the lesson at an appropriate level for the students?What can I change to improve this lesson?

Early Explorers Worksheet

Section 1: Facts (Read pages: )

Name of Explorer:

Country Represented:

Intended Goal:

Year(s) Travelled:

Steps of Journey: (In point form, list at least five different parts of his journey.)

Place of Landing:

Did he return home? If so, what did he bring with him?

Section 2: Captain’s Log

On a separate piece of paper, pretend that you are the explorer that you have been studying. Write what you think an entry in his captain’s log (a journal about his journey) would look like. You should include: where in the journey (at what step) the entry is written, the thoughts and feelings of the explorer, things that the explorer may have seen, and problems that they might have encountered on their journey. Minimum of two paragraphs.

Example: Excerpts from Christopher Columbus’ Log, 1492 AD

Sunday, 21 October. At 10 o'clock, we arrived at a cape of the island, and anchored, the other vessels in company. After having dispatched a meal, I went ashore, and found no habitation save a single house, and that without an occupant; we had no doubt that the people had fled in terror at our approach, as the house was completely furnished. I suffered nothing to be touched, and went with my captains and some of the crew to view the country. This island even exceeds the others in beauty and fertility. Groves of lofty and flourishing trees are abundant, as also large lakes, surrounded and overhung by the foliage, in a most enchanting manner. Everything looked as green as in April in Andalusia. The melody of the birds was so exquisite that one was never willing to part from the spot, and the flocks of parrots obscured the heavens. The diversity in the appearance of the feathered tribe from those of our country is extremely curious. A thousand different sorts of trees, with their fruit were to be met with, and of a wonderfully delicious odor. It was a great affliction to me to be ignorant of their natures, for I am very certain they are all valuable; specimens of them and of the plants I have preserved…

Lesson: Essay Introductions

Date: Class:

PURPOSE:This lesson will be a continuation of the students’ interview assignment. This lesson focuses on writing the introduction, particularly on the hook and thesis statement.SWBAT:

Define the terms “hook” and “thesis statement”. Identify the purpose of an introduction. Write an introductory paragraph, with a hook and thesis statement.

MATERIALS:Resources:Materials needed: chalkboard, overhead projector

TIMING

TASK

5 min. INTRODUCTION/TRANSITION:Hook: Draw a lake/river with some fish in the water. Then, draw a person sitting by the water. “This is you, and you want to get some fish. Now, how can you get fish? Will the fish just jump onto the land next to you, or do you need to do something for it?”

Ask for volunteers, or pick a person: “Can you come up and draw the best method to catch a fish?” Correct answer: fishing pole, but with a hook and bait.

“To catch the fish, we can’t just wait for it to swim to us; we need to use something to get it interested. In the same way, we need to use something to “hook” our readers into being interested in our writing – particularly our essays. And that is what we will learn today!” While explaining, draw what is necessary to make the analogy comprehensible (for example, labeling the fish as audience/readers).

Transition: “Before we begin, let’s go over what the parts of an essay are.”5 min. ACTIVATION OF PRIOR KNOWLEDGE:

Draw a hamburger outline on the board. “Raise your hands – who can tell me what this is?” and “Who knows what this has to do with essay writing?”

Briefly explain the hamburger-essay model: Top bun – introduction Hamburger patty, lettuce, tomato – body paragraphs Bottom bun – conclusion

“Would a hamburger taste good if it had no buns? How about a hamburger with no

fillings? No, because then it wouldn’t be a hamburger! Just the same, an essay has to have all of its ingredients so that it’s an essay. Now to have a really good essay, you want to make sure that all of your ingredients are good!”

Check for understanding: “What are the three ingredients we need to have a good essay? A good introduction, good body paragraphs, and a good conclusion.” “Can someone remember what we need for someone to be interested in our writing? A hook!”

20 min. DIRECT INSTRUCTIONExplain the importance of introduction:

First thing that is read Introduces the topic – tells the reader what it’s going to be about Very important: it gets their interest! (and that is why we need a hook)

Types of introductions: Interesting fact or statistic, but make sure it is relevant to the topic

Topic: Misunderstandings between culturesFact: The name “Canada” was a big misunderstanding! When the Natives were introducing the explorers to their homes, they referred to them as “Kanata”, and the explorers mistakenly thought that was the name of the country.

Quotation (but avoid overused ones)Topic: Being concise in your writingQuote: As Richard Brinsley Sheridan said, “Never say more than is necessary.”

Anecdote – short, personal story relevant to topicTopic: Having siblings can be tough for childrenAnecdote: I grew up with four siblings. I was the fourth child, which meant that not only was I the middle child, I was the youngest of the middle children. I would get my sister’s hand-me-downs which were handed down from my other sister. I was always too young to do fun things, but also too old to get away with fighting with my younger brother. I was suffocating with all my siblings around me!

Rhetorical question – should be thought-provokingTopic: Docking dog tails should be stoppedQuestion: Would you like it if, when you were an infant, a doctor chopped the ends of your fingers off because they thought it would prettier?

Definition of important or controversial termTopic: Adolescent criminals need to take responsibility for their wrongdoingsDefinition: Oxford dictionary: responsibility - the opportunity or ability to act independently and take decisions without authorization

Funnel – goes from “big picture” to “narrow topic”Topic: Vancouverites should do something about homelessness in Downtown EastsideFunnel: In a society, poverty is not just a personal issue but also a social one. We all recognize this, but we fail to see how this applies to us; instead, we point

the finger at our governments. However, a society is made up of its people, not just its leaders. Therefore, it is up to us to make a difference. Rather than waiting for others to change the way poverty affects our city, we need to stop in and be the change we want to see in Vancouver.

Thesis statement must: State the topic (if it is persuasive, then your argument as well) Describe what your points will be For example: Parents should be restricted to having a maximum of three

children because parents do not have enough time to take care of very many children, which can lead to kids not getting enough parenting time and feeling underappreciated.

20 min. GUIDED PRACTICEModel and scaffold writing thesis statement and introduction.

Topic: My mother is a remarkable woman and my heroSupporting facts: she escaped poverty, she educated herself while working, she raised a family of five childrenThesis statement: I have always admired my mother for being such a remarkable woman, because she managed to escape the clutches of poverty, educate herself while working and raise a loving family of seven.

Hook: AnecdoteMy mother is the oldest of her family, with seven younger siblings. Her family was poor, like everyone was in post-WWII Hong Kong. Although she was a bright student who always scored at the top of her classes, she was forced to leave her schooling behind at the age of 11 to help raise her family. She has never stopped working since then, and continues to be diligent and incredible to this day.

20 min. INDEPENDENT PRACTICEStudents work on their introduction. If they are finished early, they can start working on the body paragraphs.

5 min. CLOSURE

Exit Slip: “Name three things you learned today.”

POST-LESSON REFLECTIONSDid I have enough time to complete all the tasks?Did I have enough material to cover the entire class?Were the students able to understand the lesson objectives?Did I account for different language and academic levels in the lesson?Was the lesson at an appropriate level for the students?What can I change to improve this lesson?

T E A C H I N G A N D L EA R N I N G S T R A T E G I ES

Modeling and Scaffolding

The importance of modeling and scaffolding cannot be overstated; modeling and scaffolding can greatly increase student understanding. Taking the time to model a task or assignment can ensure that students understand the progress and outcome expected of them. Scaffolding is necessary for students to reach their learning goal; if the teacher does not scaffold, then students will have difficulty overcoming the gap of their knowledge and the expected learning outcome.

I find that modeling assignments is very important for EAL students, because the instructions may be confusing or misleading for some language learners. On a related note, scaffolding can really help EAL learners if they are struggling with the academic language rather than the content.

Small Group Activities (from Jeff Zwiers, Building Academic Language, 2008)

Working in small groups is an effective way to encourage student participation, lower student anxiety, and vary classroom activity. For EAL students especially, working in small groups will allow them to interact with the target language more, which is an important aspect of language learning. Anything from pair to small group work can make a difference in encouraging students to practice English more.

My favourite activity to use is Think-Pair-Share. It is a simple concept and quick to set up. Therefore, it can be used anytime to encourage student thinking and participation, as well as to check for understanding. I find it a valuable source of formative assessment in the classroom, such that it can be used at least once a class for a quick break from instruction. The great thing about Think-Pair-Share is that it can be modified to be a more complex activity as necessary.

Summary of small group activities:Conversation Scaffolds

Overview Teacher Students ResourcesMake

Conversations More

Academic

Demonstrate academic language by turning an

informal conversation into a more formal, academic one

Model how to make a

conversation more

academic

Work in pairs to

academicize conversation

Transcripts of conversations

Discussion Cards

Put five or six academic discussion phrases on different cards to generate and facilitate

discussions about a topic

Choose phrases that are used in a

particular topic

Use the phrases to facilitate

discussion

Discussion cards

Brick and Mortar Cards

Put five index cards in an envelope with key content

words (bricks) on them, and have students organize cards however they want (semantic

web, categories, sequence, scene, etc.)

Give one envelope to

each group for a pre-lesson, pre-reading,

or post-reading activity

Work in small groups to

organize cards

Index cards (with content

words), envelopes

Drama-Based Group ActivitiesOverview Teacher Students Resources

Role Plays Students act out scenes, which they can perform to the whole

class or in small groups

Determine purpose of role play

Use the MOPKAL

acronym to plan role play

Expert Panel Students act as real-world experts of a topic; each student in a group becomes an expert

Describe issue or topic;

generate list of possible

experts

Research and pre-write

their role as expert

List of experts, research material

News Program

Students put on news program presentation on a topic

Give topic or issue to student

group; model language

Write interesting summary

using language of news report

News program examples

Jigsaw-esque Group ActivitiesOverview Teacher Students Resources

Jigsaw Labs Half of pairs or groups do one lab and half do the other; students then share their

results

Model scientific language

Work on their assigned lab,

then share results with

other group or class

Science lab

Jigsaw with Teacher

Students become experts by learning with the teacher

Choose one student from each group of

5-6 and facilitate

discussion (5-10 minutes)

Experts teach what they

have learned to other

members of their group

Discussion-Focused Split

Groups

Groups of four prepare visual or product that organizes their learning of a topic; they discuss their topic, then two members rotate to another group; new

members add more ideas

Give students sufficient content

knowledge

Build content knowledge in groups, then rotate into different groups

Content information

Pair ActivitiesOverview Teacher Students Resources

Think-Pair-Share

(also Think-Pair-Write-Share and

Students think in silence, then build a conversation with a

partner, before sharing with the class (or another pair) what

they have discussed

Organize the activity with

time slots

Focus on building on each other’s

ideas

alternatives)Think-Pair-

SquareLike Think-Pair-Share, students

think then discuss with a partner, but then turn to another air to continue

building on the topic

Teach students how to agree and

disagree academically

Focus on building on the ideas of

group

A-B Information Gap Activity

Student A and B have different information that the other

person needs (i.e. diagram to fill), and they help each other

get that information

Provide new information

for Student A and B

Learn or research

information; talk with

partner to get information

Pro-Con One student is the director; director says name of topic,

claps and says “pro” or “con”, which the other student needs

to list; interval between transitions become smaller and

more rapid with each turn

Model academic language

Speaker needs to use

transition words when

switching from “pro” to

“con”

Visuals and Graphics (from 120 Content Strategies)

A great teaching strategy to keep students engaged and to enhance comprehension of the material is to integrate visuals and graphics into the lesson. Rather than simply lecturing to the class, using any visual can improve the lesson significantly. For EAL learners especially, having visuals can help them understand the material when they have trouble understanding what is being said.

Some of my favourite techniques from the book include referring to visuals (pictures, photos, maps, graphs, tables, drawings) while talking, and using media (video clips, slides, film) to enrich the lesson. Although I am not a great artist, I tend to draw pictures on the board when explaining concepts to the students; it does not have to be a great piece of art. Students will have fun giggling with you if your stickman looks a little goofy, which makes the lesson fun.

A few great graphic organizers to use are included in the graphic organizer section. These are great for increasing participation, as well as helping student learning. They can be used to approach new content, or even used as an assignment.

B E S T EA L WE B S I T E S

A Guide to Learning English: http://esl.fis.edu/index.htm

Activities for ESL Students: http://a4esl.org/

Breaking News English: http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/

This site offers free lesson plans on current news articles (published in 7 levels). This is great for students of varying levels, because they can all focus on the same content regardless of their reading level. This is excellent for current and interesting content learning.

CBC: EAL Lessons (Manitoba): http://www.cbc.ca/manitoba/eal/lessons.html

CBC: Learning English With CBC (Edmonton): http://www.cbc.ca/edmonton/learning-english/stories.html

ELL Classroom: http://ellclassroom.com/

Maintained by two ELL teachers, this website provides a plethora of resources, including strategies and methods that have been used by the writers in their own classrooms. With a special focus on ELL students at the elementary level, there are also resources for subjects other than English, which is great for content learning.

English Language Tutoring for the Ottawa Community: http://www.eltoc.ca/

ESL Flow: http://www.eslflow.com/

ESL Junction: http://www.esljunction.com/

Interesting Things for ESL Students: http://www.manythings.org/

Mrs. Unger’s Unbelievable Elementary Experiences: http://mrsungerskinders.blogspot.ca/

Teachers Pay Teachers: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/

This is a great resource for unit and lesson plans, made by teachers all over the world. There are free and paid resources to be found in many subjects and levels. If interested in sharing content, money can also be made here! There is a rating system that allows the reader to see the positives and negatives of a resource before downloading.

TES Connect: http://www.tes.co.uk/home.aspx

This site hosts an extensive database of free teaching resources, separated by subject and level. Although it has a lot of English resources, there are no lessons specializes in ELL, so resources should be adapted as necessary. The website is not the easiest to navigate, and

search functions are limited, but it does have a rating system to preview the pros and cons of each resource.

The 3 AM Teacher: http://the3amteacher.blogspot.ca/

The Internet TESL Journal - EFL/ESL Lessons and Lesson Plans: http://iteslj.org/Lessons/

This is another great place to find free lesson plans. Links go to various online resources, all of them free. The resources are divided into categories, ranging from subject to topic. Although there are limited links for each category, this would be a good starting point for any lesson.

Tutela: http://tutela.ca/

Using English: http://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/

This site has resources for the English teacher, including: lesson plans, handouts, quizzes, articles, and reference materials. Although there are lots of free materials, there is the option of getting a paid membership for more resources. There is also a forum attached to the site, which can be useful for connecting with other teachers.

Vocabulary Games: http://www.vocabulary.co.il/

EA L R ES O UR C ES

PRINT RESOURCES

75 ESL Teaching Ideas Edutainment Games Icebreaker Games TTOC Toolkit

RE F E RE NC E S

Reiss, J. (2012). 120 content strategies for English language learners: Teaching for academic success in secondary school (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Zwiers, J. (2008). Building academic language: Essential practices for content classrooms. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Helmer, S. & Eddy, C. (2012). Look at me when I talk to you: EAL learners in non-EAL classrooms. Ontario: Pippin Publishing Corporation.