Supporting Students with Limited or
Interrupted Formal Education
Thames Valley School District London, Ontario October 23, 2014
Andrea DeCapua, Ed.D.
MALP, LLC
Welcome and Warm-up Activity
• Look at the chart paper around the room • Write your first name and the first initial of
your last name under each sentence that describes you.
Agenda Topics
• Welcome and Warm-up Activity • Background to Understanding SLIFE • Culturally Responsive Model: Mutually Adaptive
Learning Paradigm • Using the MALP Teacher Planning Checklist • MALP and Project-Based Learning • MALP in Action • Designing a MALP Project • Planning for Change and . . .
break, lunch
Introductions
Layers of the Instructional Context
Curriculum, Instruc.on, and Assessment
Culturally Responsive Teaching
Societal Factors
Bedrock Layer
What is This?
2 Dimensional vs. 3 Dimensional
To think about:
Ways of thinking and lear2ing
are shaped by
prior lear2ing ex6eriences
SLIFE
Are unlike other ELs because
• no, interrupted, or limited formal education • new to literacy or have limited literacy skills • lack content-knowledge of their peers • unfamiliar with “doing school”
Teachers and learners assume that
1. the goals of K-12 instruction are to a) produce an independent learner b) prepare that learner for life after schooling
2. the learner is ready to
a) engage in literacy-based, school-related tasks b) participate and demonstrate mastery on an
individual basis
(Adapted from DeCapua & Marshall, 2011)
Three Underlying Differences
• Oral transmission – Written Word
• Collectivism - Individualism • Informal Ways of Learning – Formal
Western-Style Education
© www.globalafricanvillage.org Used by permission
• “We” rather than “I” • People see themselves as
part of an interconnected whole
• “Web” of relationships • Group is more important
than any single individual
Collectivism
• Personal efforts praised, rewarded
• Personal interests,
desires, primary • Personal judgments • Personal responsibility • “Self-actualization”
Individualism
Informal Ways of Learning • Revolves around
immediate needs of family, community
• Grounded in observation, participation in sociocultural practices of family, community
• Has immediate relevance
• Centered on orality
(Gahunga, Gahunga, & Luseno, 2011; Paradise & Rogoff, 2009)
Formal Western-Style Education
• Abstract knowledge
• Scientific reasoning
• Literacy is central
• Formal school settings
• Segmentation of knowledge
• Age cohorts (Anderson-‐LeviK, 2003; Flynn, 2007;
Grigorenko, 2007; Ozmon & Carver, 2008 )
Academic Tasks
• Definitions Ø What is a tree?
• True/False Ø Vancouver is the capital of British Columbia. Ø Toronto is the capital of Ontario.
• Classification
Ø Categorize these objects (see next slide)
(Luria, 1976)
Sample Question
What is the group? Which ITEM does not belong in the group?
SLIFE
• Develop basic literacy skills
• Learn basic and grade-level subject area concepts
• Adapt to cultural differences in learning and teaching
• Develop academic ways of thinking
Teachers and learners assume that
1. the goals of K-12 instruction are to a) produce an independent learner b) prepare that learner for life after schooling
2. the learner is ready to
a) engage in literacy-based, school-related tasks b) participate and demonstrate mastery on an
individual basis
(Adapted from DeCapua & Marshall, 2011)
Activity
Please take one
Break
Schema Theory
Dictionary definition of schema:
An abstract structure representing concepts
stored in memory
Linguistic Schema
(James, 1987)
A B C D E F G H I
F M J E O T P Y X
➨ The batsmen were merciless against the bowlers. The bowlers placed their men in slips and covers. But to no avail. The batsmen hit one four after another with an occasional six. Not once did a ball look like it would hit their stumps or be caught.
Version #1
Content Schema
➨ The men were at bat against the bowlers. They did not show any pity. The bowlers placed their men in slips. They placed their men in covers. They hit some sixes. No ball hit the stumps. No ball was caught.
(Tierney & Pearson, 1985)
Version #2
Formal Schema
Please name the months of the year:
(James,1987)
TYPES of SCHEMATA
• Linguistic Schemata
• Content Schemata
• Formal Schemata
The Power of Prior Knowledge
When information is missing or confusing,
we compensate by accessing our familiar schemata.
Observe the following:
Compensating Strategies Example #1
Ths sntnc s wrttn wth th vwl smbls lft t.
Compensating Strategies Example #2
Our Father makes art in heaven Howdja know my name? Thy kingdom come, Thy Wimbledon, On earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this steak and jelly bread, And forgive us our trash baskets As we forgive those who put trash in our baskets. And lead a snot into Kemp's station, But deliver us from eagles, For mine is the kingdom, the flower, and the jewelry.
Compensating Strategies Example #3
_____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ __________, __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ _________. Ασδφγηκκ
(Adapted from Peregoy & Boyle, 2005)
FAMILIAR SCHEMATA
UNFAMILIAR SCHEMATA
Describing your favorite game in your first language or dialect
Writing a science lab report in academic English
(Ibarra, 2001)
MALP®
Mutually Adaptive
Learning Paradigm
SLIFE North American Classrooms
CONDITIONS
PROCESSES
ACTIVITIES
(Adapted from DeCapua & Marshall, 2009, 2011; Marshall, 1994,1998; Marshall & DeCapua, 2013)
Aspects of Learning
Two Different Learning Paradigms
Shared Responsibility
Individual Accountability
Pragmatic Tasks
Academic Task
Interconnectedness
Oral Transmission
Independence
Written Word
Future Relevance Immediate Relevance
Mutually Adaptive Learning Paradigm® - MALP®
ü Culturally Responsive Instructional Model
ü Elements from students’ learning paradigm
ü Elements from North American learning paradigm
ü Transitional approach to close achievement gap
(DeCapua & Marshall, 2010; 2011 )
Mutually Adap.ve Learning Paradigm® – MALP® Culturally Responsive Teaching Model
SLIFE North American Classrooms
Interconnectedness Independence
Shared Responsibility
Individual Accountability
PragmaWc Tasks
Academic Tasks
ACCEPT CONDITIONS
COMBINE PROCESSES
FOCUS on NEW ACTIVITIES with
familiar language & content
Immediate Relevance
Oral Transmission WriKen Word
with
Future Relevance
(DeCapua & Marshall, 2009, 2011; Marshall, 1994; Marshall & DeCapua, 2013)
A. Accept Conditions for Learning A1. I am making this lesson/project immediately relevant to my students.
A2. I am helping students develop and maintain interconnectedness.
B. Combine Processes for Learning B1. I am incorporating both shared responsibility and individual accountability.
B2. I am scaffolding the written word through oral interaction.
C. Focus on New Activities for Learning C1. I am focusing on tasks requiring academic ways of thinking.
C2. I am making these tasks accessible to my students with familiar language and content.
MALP Teacher Planning Checklist©
© DeCapua, A. & Marshall, H.W. Breaking New Ground: Teaching Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education in Secondary Schools, University of Michigan Press, 2011, p.68.
Lunch!
Scenarios
Directions: Using the MALP Checklist©, analyze your teacher. Refer to p. 78 in Breaking New Ground for specifics. Groups 1 & 5 Scenario A p. 79 Groups 2 & 6 Scenario B p. 80 Group 3 & 7 Scenario C p. 81 Groups 4 & 8 Scenario D p. 82
Project-Based Learning
• Allows for differentiation
• Promotes integration of literacy and content knowledge
• Improves student engagement; learner-centered rather than teacher-centered
and… from a MALP® perspective
• Provides immediate relevance
• Fosters a sense of interconnectedness
• Allows for both shared responsibility and individual accountability
• Incorporates oral transmission with print
• Develops academic ways of thinking
brainstorm
select focus
propose new
project
share
implement
delegate
idenWfy reflect &
evaluate
Project-Based Learning
What is a Project?
Prototypical MALP® Project Class Surveys
Characteristics that foster MALP
• Interpersonal • Relevant topics likely to emerge • Natural movement from oral interaction to written
product
• Provision for both group and individual task delegation • Instruction in academic ways of thinking
Carol’s Class
Survey: Students’ Free Time
Bar Graph
Compare/Contrast: Student Venn Diagram
Oral and Written
Using the Poster Surveys
Looking at the surveys we did
at the beginning of the session, how could you use
information like this to develop projects for your SLIFE?
To Define is to Know
The most common question asked in classrooms in all subjects and at all levels:
WHAT IS ______?
Mystery Bag Activity
Questions to ask about the Mystery Bag
• Do you know what it is? • Do you know what it is called in your
language/another language? • What do you do with it? What is it for? • Do you like it? • Give 4 words to describe it.
Checking Answers
• One by one, check all the answers • All participate in the checking
Ø Give answers - tabulate them Ø Write answers up as others give them Ø Copy down all descriptive words
Apple Collection
Benefits of Collections
• Building definitions
• Learning ways to categorize objects
• Developing vocabulary Ø academic terms
Ø descriptive adjectives
• Collaborating on a class project
Categorization
A/An _______________________
is a/an _______________________
Important: small before big!
Characteristics
• with ___________________
Or
• that has ________________
Specific Descriptions
• red • good • delicious • round • sweet • plastic
• wood • so^ • glass • wax • small • soap
• key chain • potholder • candle • light • magnet • pin
Talking & Writing about Collection
Talk/write about the items in the collections using sentence frames
My apple is a/an ____key chain________. It is ___________, ___________ and ________. It is a/an ________, ________, _________ key chain.
1. Opinion 2. Size 3. Shape 4. Condition 5. Age 6. Color
7. Origin (where from)
8. Material (made of)
9. function (Used for)
small white light pretty cloth potholder
DeCapua, A. 2008. Grammar for Teacher. Boston: Springer
Talking & Writing about Collection
Talk/write about the items in the collections using sentence frames
My apple is a/an ____key chain________. It is ___________, ___________ and ________. It is a/an ________, ________, _________ key chain.
A. Accept Conditions for Learning A1. I am making this lesson/project immediately relevant to my students.
A2. I am helping students develop and maintain interconnectedness.
B. Combine Processes for Learning B1. I am incorporating both shared responsibility and individual accountability.
B2. I am scaffolding the written word through oral interaction.
C. Focus on New Activities for Learning C1. I am focusing on tasks requiring academic ways of thinking.
C2. I am making these tasks accessible to my students with familiar language and content.
MALP Teacher Planning Checklist©
© DeCapua, A. & Marshall, H.W. Breaking New Ground: Teaching Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education in Secondary Schools, University of Michigan Press, 2011. p. 68.
A. Accept Conditions for Learning
• The category each object
represents is something familiar
• The activity makes abstract—classification— concrete, by using real-world objects
• Students and teacher learn more about each others’ interests
• Students create collections together as a class
• Class collectively creates sentences
• Pairs come up with additional sentences
• Each person adds information related to own object
• Students share answers to questions orally as teacher writes on board.
• Students read from board orally and later copy into their notebooks.
• Classifying • Representational vs.
functional identification • Language scaffolded by
use of L1 among students • Content scaffolded by
relevant personal information
• Content scaffolded by sentence frames
• Timelines
• Shared Events
• Concept Posters
• Theme Booklets
More Examples of Projects
DeCapua & Marshall, 2011; DeCapua, Smathers, & Tang, 2009; Marshall & DeCapua, 2013.
Welcome Book
Mrs. J’s Class Newcomer Book
Where is_?
It is Room 234. It is on the second floor.
You return books here.
These are lockers.
They are by Room 110.
This is a lock.
Number Lines
Like and Unlike Terms Posters
Timelines:
My Life
Bar Graph Posters
Timelines
• At your table, take a sheet of construction paper and print in large letters the month and day of your birthday, e.g. September 27th.
• When you finish, stand up, go to a corner
of the room and arrange yourselves physically by birthdays.
Timelines
• Why timelines? • What did this activity demonstrate in terms
of the development of: – Formal schemata – Linguistic – Content
Project Design Activity
MALP® Projects • Class Surveys: Immigration • Collections: Mystery Bag • Mapping Time: Timelines • Autobiographies: Transitions • Bookmarking: delicious.com
Class Surveys: Crossing the Mekong Mapping Time: Calendar Theme Booklets:
Curriculum Fire Prevention Procedures Driver’s License Language Comparison/Contrast
Murals: Our Community
Forward Planning
Next 5 days? Next 5 weeks?
Next 5 months?
Next 5 years?
A Continuum of Ways of Thinking & Learning
Informal Ways of Learning North American Formal Education
SLIFE
Dissonance View Deficit View
Website: http://malpeducation.com Wiki: http://malp.pbworks.com Andrea DeCapua: [email protected] Helaine W. Marshall: [email protected]
MALP® Resources & Contacts