PRTESOLGram - May2015

PRTESOL - TRANSFORMING THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE [1]

PRTESOL - TRANSFORMING THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE

Oh No! Graphic Novels in the Classroom? Oh Yes!Rosemary Morales Urbina, Ed. D. P. 5-13 Call for Proposals for the 42 PRTESOL Conven@on P.14-‐15

Western Region Spelling Bee Winners p.16PRTESOL Summer Ins@tute P.17Differen@a@ng Instruc@on English Language LearnersBy: Carlos Lopez, Ed.D.P.19

Top 5 mistakes Spanish speakers make in English NIKKI p.22

Northern Regional Conference P.23PR

TESL-GRAM

Puerto Rico Delega@on to the Interna@onal TESOL Conven@on

in Toronto, Canada.

V o l . 4 2 M AY 2 0 1 5

V o l . 4 2 M AY 2 0 1 5


Is it just me, or have you also noAced how fast this year is flying by? Summer vacaAons are almost here. Many will be traveling, some will be teaching a

summer session, others will advance their studies towards master’s degrees and doctorates. Then again some will actually take a vaaAon: rest, relax, reading for pleasure, visiAng friends, and, of course, “chinchorreando.” Whatever you’re doing, include the PRTESOL Summer InsAtute -‐-‐ a one day concentrated professional development seminar on Ame to Create: Using Differen@ated Instruc@on in the Classroom on June 6. This will be held at the PonAficial Catholic University in Ponce. This is a free event for PRTESOL members only. The Summer InsAtute will focus on DifferenAated InstrucAon at each level: elementary, high school and higher educaAon.

The arAcle on the five most frequent mistakes Spanish speakers make is a great one. I’m sure examples will come to mind of your students as you read each one. Let me add just one more common mistake I’ve been working with recently: false cognates. These are real words we have in both languages that are very similar in spelling, form, and etymology, but they do not mean the same thing. I had a great example just last month. A student submiYed as part of an assignment a picture of Mickey Mouse riding a skateboard and wrote a descripAon. Among the items described that Mickey was wearing, the student included Mickey’s red “casket.” Can you guess what that was? The student was referring to the helmet, in Spanish casco. There are so many words that Spanish speakers use incorrectly simply because it looks or sounds like the Spanish word. If you have examples of these false cognates, submit them to [email protected].

EDITOR’S

CORNER

2015 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

DIRECTORYExecutive Board

Vivian Rivera MaysonetPresident

Rosa RomanVice President

Edward TorresPast President

Execu&ve Board Appointed

Non-‐Vo&ng Members

Naomi Vega Nieves, Execu&ve Secretary

Janytsie Mora, Membership Secretary

Miriam Deida Treasurer

Regional PresidentsEastern- Ivan MundoNorthern- Daphna DoronSouthern- Jann M. GuzmánWestern- Carol N. Moe

Public School Representatives

Elementary: Héctor Pérez

Public Secondary: Josué AlejandroPublic Higher Education Jennifer AliceaStudent: Annerys De Jesus

Private School Representatives

Elementary: Maureen Orama

Secondary: Vacant

Higher Education: Irma Rodriquez

PRTESOL-‐Gram is a periodical service to English language

educators and administrators published by

Puerto Rico TESOL, P. O. Box 366828

San Juan, PR 00936-‐6828

NewsleOer Staff Editor: Carmelo Arbona

Circula&on: 1,000

Ar&cles on English-‐language teaching, theory, and educa&on are welcomed. Submiss ions must be in MSWord format, double-‐spaced, no longer than five pages, and should follow APA or TESOL Quarterly style. All entries are subject to edi&ng for style, space, and other professional considera&ons.

Copyright No&ce Ar&cles may be reproduced for classroom use. Quota&ons up to twenty-‐five (25) words are permiVed if credit to the author and the TESOLGRAM are included. In other s i tua&ons, wr iVen permission is required.

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twiOer@puertoricotesol

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2015 PRTESOL PRESIDENTVivian Maysonet Rivera

Dear PRTESOL members,

PRTESOL, as well as many non-profit organizations, is struggling to survive economic challenges that we face today. We thank every member, Past P res iden t , and L i fe Time member for being part of the TESOL family and constantly at tending our professional development activit ies and promoting membership among c o l l e a g u e s a n d f r i e n d s . Regardless of difficult times that affect teachers in Puerto Rico and their jobs, PRTESOL will continue working and adjusting to our members’ needs.

This is why our 2015 A n n u a l C o n v e n t i o n , “Transforming the Learning Experience for Life-Long L e a r n e r s t h r o u g h C R E AT I V I T Y, ” w i l l b e a t Universidad Sagrado Corazón in San Juan, November 20-21,

2015. The registration fee is more accessible for members and exhibitors that join us. The 2015 PRTESOL Convention was wel l promoted in Toronto, Canada during the International Convention. I thank Coronel Efrain Soto and Victor Quiñones fo r t he i r he lp du r i ng the promotion. It was fun and the n e t w o r k i n g p r o c e s s w a s impressive!

The TESOL International Convention in Toronto, Canada was wonderful! The workshops were very informative and pertinent to the challenges that we teachers face every day while instructing and educating our students. The Puerto Rican group stood out because of its active participation during the Convention. Many international members expressed great interest in visiting our island November 20 - 21 as presenters for the PRTESOL Annual Event. T h e C a l l f o r P r o p o s a l s , Preregis t ra t ion Form, and Documents for Awards and Scholarships have been sent to the general membership. Feel free to share the information with your colleagues.

The PRTESOL Western and Northern Chapters had their Annual Conferences and members were very pleased with the workshops and plenary speakers present. I invite you to s tay connected wi th your

Chapter. Besides the Chapter Conferences, each Chapter will offer one FREE activity for members only. Do not miss the empowering experiences offered by each Regional Chapter. Contact hours are given after each event.

The Summer Institute, “ T i m e t o C r e a t e ! U s i n g Differentiated Instruction in the English Classroom”, will be June 6, 2015 at Universidad Pontífica in Ponce, for members only. We expect to see you there!

I n o u r p r e v i o u s publication we invited every member to send pictures and a brief description of what is going on in your classroom. Publish your work as a teacher. Share your ideas with the TESOL community! Remember that you must be a member to publish.

Once again, I thank you for the support and ask you to help PRTESOL continue serving you by promoting membership and attending the events.

Sincerely,

Vivian Rivera Maysonet

PRTESOL President

[email protected].




PUERTO RICO TESOL Puerto Rico Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (PRTESOL) is a nonprofit organiza&on founded in 1969 with the purpose of developing and improving the teaching of English in Puerto Rico. PRTESOL was one of the first affiliates of TESOL Interna&onal. Since then, we have organized six chapters that represent the geographical regions of the Island.

Regional chapters organize several conferences and ac&vi&es throughout the year leading up

to our annual conven&on that takes place during November . A l l o f these profess iona l development ac&vi&es allow teachers to be up-‐to-‐date with the current trends in the teaching of English, to share knowledge and experiences, and to network with other professionals in the field.

Our goal is to support English professionals and focus on improving the teaching of English

in Puerto Rico.

PRTESOL Summer InstituteDifferentiated Instruction

Elementary, high school and higher education.

June 6 from 8 to 4. Pontifical Catholic University, Ponce CampusContact credits availablePRTESOL members only. Join today. See membership form in this issue.

PRTESOL REGIONS SOUTHERN NORTHERN WESTERN EASTERN

! !


42nd Annual Conven&onNov. 20-‐21, 2015

San Juan, Puerto Rico at Universidad del Sagrado Corazón

Transforming the Learning Experience for Life-‐Long

Learners through CREATIVITY


Oh No! Graphic Novels in the Classroom? Oh Yes!

Rosemary Morales Urbina, Ed. D.

If you do not know the difference between Maus and Mickey Mouse, you are not the only one. A year ago I was in the same situaAon unAl I was fortunate to be invited by a colleague to the seminar on Graphic Storytelling sponsored by the English Department of the College of HumaniAes of the University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras. Dr. MaYhew Smith, from Case Western University, was the guest speaker. It was at this seminar where I was reminded of the impact comics and graphic novels can have on readers of all ages.

Even though I grew up reading comic books in Junior High School, such as Archie, Jus1ce League of America, Wonder Woman, Teenage Romance, Ac1on Comics, among others, I had forgoYen all about them. Now I remember sibng by the big window on the top floor of my grandmother’s apartment in The Bronx on Sunday acernoons reading a stack of comic books bought at the corner candy store for 10¢ apiece.

However, visual parodies, saAres, poliAcal cartoons, and candid cartoons have been around for centuries. Yet it was the ascent of the newspaper industry in the late 19th century that brought comics into everyday American households. From the funny pages in newspapers emerged magazines devoted singularly to comics and superhero stories unAl the first graphic novel was published (In “History and Basics,” para. 3).

The term “graphic novel” was first coined as a markeAng tacAc by comics’ legend, Will Eisner, who published A Contract with God in 1978, the first modern graphic novel. Actually, prior to this publicaAon, the first “picture novel,” It Rhymes with Lust, by Drake Waller came out in 1950 and Harvey Kurtzman, the creator of Mad Magazine, (Baby boomers, who grew up reading comic books, may remember Mad Magazine in the ‘50s and ‘60s), published his collecAon of four graphic short stories, Atled Jungle Book nine years later in 1959 (Thompson, 2015).

But what is a graphic novel? Simply defined, it is a book-length comic telling a single, continuous narrative from first page to last. It could also be a collection of short stories or individual comic strips with sequential visual art, most of the time with text that are often told in a series of rectangular panels. Nevertheless, the term comics, does not necessarily mean that all comics and graphic novels are funny. They are concerned with drama, adventure, character development, striking visuals, politics, or romance (In “History and Basics,” para. 1).

ScoY McCloud (1993), the American cartoonist and comic theorist, affirms that the definiAon of the graphic novel is “juxtaposed pictorial and other images in deliberate sequence intended to convey informaAon and/or produce an aestheAc response in the reader” (In “Graphic Novels in Middle & High School Classrooms” para. 1). It is also an original book length story, either ficAon or nonficAon in comic book style or a collecAon of stories that have been published previously as individual books, while Colón (2009) states that “…SequenAal Art in the form of comics is a valid means of storytelling” (p. 4).

Baird and Johnson (2007), as cited in Griffith (2014, p. 182), argue that “a successful graphic novel starts with a stellar story told with words and pictures that augment the story, providing insight that text alone cannot do, ” whereas Gallo and Weiner (2004), determine the following in Griffith (2014, p. 182):

A well-‐done graphic novel offers the immediacy of the prose reading experience , with the pictures and the words working simultaneously, making a graphic novel not only something one reads but something


one sees as well, like reading and watching a movie at the same Ame.

Since most of our students are savvier than we are in terms of graphic novels, allow me to brief you about the importance of Japanese comics in their lives. Japan has an extensive and rich history of graphic arts, such as painAng, printmaking, calligraphy, and more recently, serial art, including comic books and animated films. The last two are due to well-‐established comics publishing companies and drawing studios where Japanese readers of all ages can choose from a wide variety of high-‐quality comics, which contribute to the expansive collecAon of readers in Japan (In “Importance of Japanese Comics,” para. 1).

Comics or manga, the Japanese word for comics, have developed in Japan as much as in the United States, just more rapidly. While underground comix found a more extensive audience acer the introducAon of graphic novels in the 1980s, in Japan sophisAcated, mature comics for adult readers have thrived since the 1950s. (By the way, comix is an alternate spelling of comics that deliberately differenAated arAsts from the United States from the prevailing Comics Code –obeying comic books). In the English-‐speaking world, manga can refer to Japanese comics or to any comics that follow the visual standards of Japanese comics, no maYer where they are from. Manga and anime ocen share an impressive style that is almost apparent in the arAsAc handling of the human figure, such as “exaggerated facial expressions and proporAons to convey emoAon, focus on the eyes, and use of ‘speed lines’ to evoke swic movement” as stated by Lyga and Lyga (2004, p. 163). Another disAncAon of Japanese comics is that they read right to lec, ( ) not lec to

right as we do, and start at the back of the book to the front cover just like normal Japanese books (In the “Importance of Japanese Comics, para. 4). As a maYer of fact, if you open the first page on a manga book, a big stop sign reminds you to turn to the last page of the book to begin reading.

We can all agree that reading is unquesAonalbly criAcal to young adult readers’ success in school and life in general, but not all educators, librarians, and school officals are aware that graphic novels offer appealing and engaging visuals that enAce reluctant readers, visual learners, and readers who may back off from tradiAonal, dense, and extensive books. Graphic novel reading can help overcome the staAsAcs that reveal low reading competencies in students (In “Graphic Novel Resources for Educators,” para.3).

• NaAonally, 25% of eigth graders scored below the NaAonal Assessment of EducaAonal Progress standard in reading proficiency.

•Only 52% of high school graduates tested on the 2011 ACT met the reading readiness benchmark. •The average 15-‐24 year old American spends almost 2 hours each day watching TV, but only 7 minutes of their leisure Ame reading. •Country-‐wide, 20% of adults operate at minimal literacy.

Graphic novels have the advantage of teaching young adults the same objecAves as regular books do, i.e., new

vocabulary, “book language,” and stories and informaAon about their world and at the same Ame spark their imaginaAon. According to Weiner (2004), as cited in (In “Schooland Libraries” para. 1), “researchers concluded that the average graphic novel introduced readers to twice as many words as the average children’s book” (p. 61).

One of the Best

Manga of All Time

Great Romance

Manga Read

Best Manga

Anime AuthorFull-‐Metal

Alchemist Vol.1

Maid-‐sama Vol.

01

Black Butler

Vol. 01

(hYp://www.goodreads.com/genres/manga)

http://www.ipl.org/div/graphicnovels/gnsImpJapComs.html


http://www.goodreads.com/genres/manga



The list of advantages of reading graphic novels is lengthy. As it appears in (In “Graphic Novels in Middle and High School Classrooms,” para. 4), graphic novels:

1. Are great for engaging reluctant readers and ESL students

2. Are great for increasing reading comprehension and vocabulary

3. Can serve as a bridge between low and high levels of reading

4. Provide an approach to reading that embraces the mulAmedia nature of today’s culture, as 2/3 of a story is conveyed visually

5. Provide scaffolding for struggling readers6. Can serve as an intermediary step to more

difficult disciplines and concepts7. Present complex material in readable text8. Help students understand global affairs9. Help to develop analyAcal and criAcal

thinking skills10. Offer another avenue through which

students can experience art11. Can be as simple or complex as any other

literature12. Are astoundingly popular with kids and

young adults

In other subjects, graphic novels make it easier for readers to comprehend and become more involved in subject concepts. For example, as found in (In “Graphic Novels in Middle and High School Classrooms,” para. 5) the various subjects that graphic novels are an important part of educaAonal reading are:

• English: Help students idenAfy literary terms and literary techniques, develop dialogue wriAng skills, and serve as a bridge to classic literature.

• History: Help students provide historical events in more accessible format and a visual historic record.

• Global Studies/Current Events: Help students to understand global issues and events easier, and help students idenAfy a face on individuals from other cultures.

Conforming to Alverson (2014), graphic novels are teaching tools that educators should be aware of as research in graphic novels reveal. Not only are they useful to teaching new vocabulary, visual literacy, and reading skills, they also “offer some solid advantages in reading educaAon,” posits Jesse Karp, an early childhood and interdivisional librarian as cited in (Alverson, 2014). Karp also states that they “reinforce lec to right sequence. The images scaffold word/sentence comprehension and a deeper interpretaAon of the story. The relaAve speed and immediate enjoyment build great confidence in new readers” (para. 2).

“For weak language learners and readers, graphic novels’ concise text paired with detailed images helps [them] decode and comprehend the text,” asserts Meryl Jaffe, an instructor at the John Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth, Online Division and the author of several books on using comics in the classroom, as cited in (Alverson, 2014). Jaffe also adds, “Reading is less daunAng, with less text to decode. While vocabulary is ocen advanced, the concise verbiage highlights effecAve language usage. In addiAon she states, “For skilled readers, graphic novels offer a different type of reading experience with modeling concise language usage.” Jaffe conAnues to say that, “Research shows that our brains process and store informaAon faster and more efficiently than verbal informaAon. Pairing [graphic novels] with tradiAonal prose texts is an excellent means of promoAng verbal skills and memory” (para. 5).

Graphic Novel TradiAonal Text

Ronell Whitaker, an English teacher in Dwight D. Eisenhower High School in Illinois, discovered that by teaching with a graphic novel, he was able to teach his students the concept of inference. He asserts that readers infer what

http://www.getgraphic.org/Teachers/EducatorsWhatandWhy.pdf



happens between panels. “I had my kids write out the completed acAon of a page or two using descripAve prose. They demonstrated two things: One, their ideas about what acAons connected the images we can see in each panel. Two, how effecAve comics can be at communicaAng informaAon” as cited in (Alverson, 2014, para. 8).

Conforming to Griffith (2010), graphic novels are also beneficial for book talks and sparking reading, which I feel could moAvate teachers to establish graphic novel books clubs in their schools and have their students produce their own graphic short stories. Teachers could also perhaps design a course on graphic novels alone.

Griffith (2010) also wants educators to note the results of other research conducted with this new graphic format. According to Griffith, the following researchers revealed their findings: Schneider (2005) found that high school special educaAon students “self-‐reported” that graphic novels moAvated them to read and helped them in reading comprehension and MacDonell (2004) established that pleasure reading is criAcal for English Learners and many chose graphic novels for pleasure reading. Poerschke (2005) asserted that students requested more manga comics for their library. Monnin (2008) affirmed that a teacher and a student read the images differently and that graphic novels provided new opportuniAes for developing in-‐school literacies, while Hammond (2009) concluded that high school seniors responded to graphic novels in many of the tradiAonal ways, but adjusted their normal reading process to include image analysis.

With the large number of results from studies with graphic novels, new literacy terms have emerged (Griffith, 2010, p. 185). • Image literacy: a complex understanding of

image within a context (Messaris, 1994; Buckingham, 2003).

• Media literacy: graphic novel reading related to Internet and new technology literacies (Alvermann & Hagood, 2000).

• Semio1c modes: connecAng graphic novels to the study of signs and symbols (Norton, 2003).

• New literacies studies: the opportunity to examine and understand the kinds of literacies created by new technologies and graphics (Schwartz & Rubenstein-‐Avila (2006).

• Mul1ple modali1es: the process of comprehending a fused text/illustraAon format (McPherson, 2006).

• Kress (2008) fused mul1ple modali1es into mul1modality and mul1modal reading: a comprehension process that becomes a type of reading and thinking.

If graphic novels have been around for decades and have so many posiAve features for student learning and developing literary and literacy skills, why haven’t they been vital part of the curriculum in the ESL classroom? There are several factors for this circumstance, according to Jecé Lacourt (2012, p. 19):

1. Insufficient support from educaAon book publishers. Pseudo comics are seen, but not the comics in their full splendor.

2. Personal prejudice from non-‐readers of comics. Parents and teachers may feel that educaAon shouldn’t be enjoyed by students.

3. Difficulty in incorporaAng comics to the main curriculum. Educators may not know the benefits of graphic novels and how to evaluate them.

4. Educators and parents may object to foul language, drug use in characters, graphic details of war and pain, and images of violence (Alverson, 2014.)

HartneY (2014) and Ehrlich (2013) recommend these strategies adopted from expert readers of graphic novels before selecAng one for the classroom to avoid rejecAon from school officials and parents. First, skim the enAre book to absorb the artwork, paying aYenAon to the genre and style. Second, noAce the background, sebng, and Ame period. Then study the characters and determine the mood from the color paleYe, if any. Only then should you seYle in to read it.

Being accustomed to reading tradiAonal books, educators may find graphic novels less substanAal, since they have fewer words and lots


of images (Ehrlich, 2014). It is not surprising that graphic novels are not ocen included in the curriculum. To win the school administraAon and parents over to your side, there are a few steps that should be followed. Esther Keller, librarian at an intermediate school in Brooklyn and a contributor to SLJ’s Good Comics for Kids Blog, as cited by Alverson, 2014, states that the first thing she does to prevent opposiAon is to ensure she orders books that are appropriate for the age range of the students she serves. Another key consideraAon is to communicate openly with the principal, administrators, and parents of the school.

Griffith (2010) recommends consulAng professional review sources, such as the School Library Journal or The Horn Book. Teachers should also review the themes in graphic novels, since young adult readers usually prefer reading about characters two years older than they are (Nilsen & Donelson, 2009), as cited in Griffith (2010). Other educators should review the readability of graphic novels and use tools such as Accelerated Readers ATOS or Lexile measures. Readability methods are based on an analysis of words within sentences or paragraphs. Because the readability level for some students may have hindered understanding of novels in prose, children and adolescents prefer graphic novels that appeal to them in content. The Puffin Graphics from Penguin Group USA recreate classics such as The Wizard of Oz, Macbeth, and Dracula that are loyal to the original works and contain wonderful illustraAons that help reading comprehension.

Other criteria teachers should evaluate in ficAon graphic novels include the following: (Griffith 2010, p. 184):• Does the graphic novel have three-‐dimensional

characters similar to your readers?

• Does the graphic novel have themes relevant and important to your readers?

• Is the conflict relevant and appropriate to your readers?

• Are there age-‐appropriate moral, ethical, poliAcal themes that resonate through the story?

• Does the acAon keep your readers’ interest and moAvate them to conAnue reading?

• Is the climax realisAc and true to the rising acAon?

• Is the denouement saAsfying as a culminaAon of narraAve events?

• Does the resoluAon bring the conflict to a saAsfying end?

EvaluaAon criteria differ for nonficAon graphic novels, some of which are as follows (Griffith, 2010 para. 184):

• Does the content have a clear organizaAon that aids reading comprehension?

• Is the informaAon interesAng enough to keep readers acAvely engaged with the text?

• Are there appealing charts, graphs, and other visual aids to help the reader understand the concepts?

• Are there enough supporAng details to explain or describe each main idea? If the informaAon is sequenAal, such as how-‐to, are there enough steps so that the reader can replicate the process?

• Is the content relevant and age appropriate for the development level of your readers?Acer aYending the seminar on graphic

novels a year ago and going through the evaluaAon processes above, I decided to add Maus by Art Spiegelman to the 10th grade English curriculum. Spiegelman won the presAgious Pulitzer Prize for his work in 1992. By interviewing his father Vladek,


a polish Jew, he brilliantly portrays in this graphic novel through flashbacks and present events Vladek’s horrendous experience in the Holocaust. Spiegelman cleverly represents the Jews as mice and the Nazis as cats. Intertwined is Art’s difficult relaAonship with his dad, which adds to the realism of the novel. Next academic year the professors at my school will add a graphic novel to all grades considering their students’ reading proficiencies and interests.

I trust that I have convinced you to begin to research and select graphic novels for your students and for your own personal reading. However, I cannot end this arAcle without menAoning the impact comics have had on the lives of baby boomers like me and adolescents today. One of the most famous is Mafalda. In September 2014, Joaquin Salvador Lavado, the creator and cartoonist of Mafalda, joined the world to celebrate her 50th anniversary. She is the popular six-‐year old comic strip figure who expresses her concern over ArgenAna’s and the world’s social problems and world piece in an innocent manner (In “Malfalda,” para. 1).

Another one of our preferred comics is Marvel Comics (In “Marvel comics Ameline,” para. 1). MarAn Goodman began his magazine publishing business in 1932, but not unAl 1939 was Marvel Comics #1 published. The outstanding script writer, Stan Lee and arAst, Jack Kirby made their debut with the Fantas1c Four #1, the first with a new wave of superheroes: Spiderman, The Hulk, Iron

Man, The X-‐Men, and The Avengers. The rest is history. Even though Marvel Comics has had its ups and downs, in the film industry, no one can deny the influence it has had on young and old alike. It is celebraAng its 75th anniversary this year.

Last but not least, is our beloved comic strip favorite Peanuts, featuring the characters Snoopy and Charlie Brown. Charles Schultz (1922-‐2000) created Peanuts in 1952. He is highly esteemed as one of the most influenAal cartoonists of all Ame. He received many awards, one of which is the NaAonal Cartoonists Society’s Humor Comic Strip Award in 1962, among others. If you ever fly to California, you can visit the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center in Santa Rosa, which opened in 2002. It is located two blocks from his former studio that celebrates his life’s work and cartoon art (In “Charles M. Schulz,” p. 1, 8).

Mafalda Fantas1c FourMr. Fantas&c,

Invisible Woman, Thing, and the Human

Torch

Peanuts CharactersBack row: Marcie, Peppermint PaVy, Charlie Brown, Lucy, Woodstock, LinusFront row: Franklin, Sally, Schroeder, Snoopy, Pig Pen

Peanuts CharactersBack row: Marcie, Peppermint PaVy, Charlie Brown, Lucy, Woodstock, LinusFront row: Franklin, Sally, Schroeder, Snoopy, Pig Pen

I leave you now with one of thousands of Peanuts comic strips, which preYy much shows Charlie Brown’s character, the lovable loser who never gives up, who is mistreated by his friends, but remains the resolute and sturdy hero of all Ame (In “List of Peanuts characters,” p.1) Appeared on: 12th Feb 2015 -‐This comic's first appearance: 15th Feb 1968

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_M._Schulz



References Alvermann, D. E. & Hagood, M. C. (2000). CriAcal media literacy: Research theory and pracAce in “new Ames.” The Journal of Educa1onal Research, 93(3), 193-‐205.

Alverson, B. (2014, September 8). Teaching with graphic novels. Retrieved from

hYp://www.slj.com/2014/09/books-‐media/graphic-‐novels/the-‐graphic-‐advantage-‐teaching-‐with-‐graphic-‐novels/#_

Buckingham, D. (2003). Media educa1on: Literacy, learning and contemporary culture. Malden, MA: Polity. Charles M. Schultz. Retrieved from hYp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_M._SchulzColón, R. (2009, Summer). Comics in the classroom. PRTESOL-‐GRAM, 36(2), 4-‐5.Ehrlich, L. (2013, Fall/2014, Winter). Graphic novels 101 @SED: Boston University School of EducaAon, 8-‐9. Retrieved from hYp://www.goodreads.com/genres/manga

Goodreads. Retrieved from hYp://www.goodreads.com/genres/mangaGraphic novels in middle and high school classrooms. Retrieved from hYp://www.getgraphic.org/Teachers/EducatorsWhatandWhy.pdf

Graphic novel resources for educators. Get Graphic!: The world in words and pictures. Retrieved from hYp://www.getgraphic.org/teachers.php

Griffith, P. E. (2010, November). Graphic novels in the secondary classroom and school libraries.

Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 54(3), 181-‐189. doi10.1598/JAAL.54.3.3

Hammond, H. K. (2009). Graphic novels and mulAmodal literacies: A reader response study. Disserta1on Abstracts Interna1onal, 70(02). (UMI No.3344678)

HartneY, K. (2014, August 7). How experts read a graphic novel. Retrieved from

hYp://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2014/08/07/graphic-‐novels-‐misundrstood-‐medium/vZXIQGfEWggPJD6fTidJaM/story.html

History and basics. ipl2 For Teens. Retrieved from hYp://www.ipl.org/div/graphicnovels/gnsHistBasics.html

Importance of Japanese comics. ipl2 For Teens. Retrieved from hYp://www.ipl.org/div/graphicnovels/gnsImpJapComs.html

In school and libraries. ipl2 For Teens. Retrieved from hYp://www.ipl.org/div/graphicnovels/gnsSchoolsNLibs.html Jecé Lacourt, L. (2012, August). Using comics and graphic novels in the classroom. PRTESOL-‐ GRAM, 36, 18-‐21.

Kress, G. (2008). ‘Literacy’ in a mulAmodal environment of communicaAon. In J. Flood, S. B.

Heath, and D. Lapp (Eds.), Handbook of research on teaching literacy through the communica1ve and visual arts. (Vol. 2, pp 91-‐100). NY: Erhlbaum.

List of Peanuts characters. Retrieved from hYp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Peanuts_characters Lyga, A. W. and Lyga, B. (2004). Graphic novels in your media center: A definiAve guide. Wesport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, p. 163.

Mafalda. (2015, March 1). Retrieved from hYp://www.themunicheye.com/news/Mafalda,-‐a-‐50-‐years-‐old-‐liYle-‐girl-‐-‐2890.

MacDonell, C. (2004). Making the case for pleasure reading. Teacher Librarian, 31(4), 30-‐32.

Manga. Retrieved from hYp://www.goodreads.com/genres/manga

Marvel comics Ameline. Retrieved from

http://www.slj.com/2014/09/books-media/graphic-novels/the-graphic-advantage-teaching-with-graphic-novels/


















http://www.getgraphic.org/teachers.php




http://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2014/08/07/graphic-novels-misundrstood-medium/vZXIQGfEWggPJD6fTidJaM/story.html








http://www.ipl.org/div/graphicnovels/gnsHistBasics.html








http://www.ipl.org/div/graphicnovels/gnsSchoolsNLibs.html




http://www.themunicheye.com/news/Mafalda,-a-50-years-old-little-girl--2890









hYp://www.comichron.com/comicsAmeline/marvelAmeline.html

McCloud, S. (1993). Understanding comics: The invisible art. NY: Harper Perennial.

McPherson, K. (2006). Graphic literacy. Teacher Librarian, 33(4), 67-‐70.

Messaris, P. (1994). Visual literacy: Image, mind, and reality. Boulder, CO: Westview.

Monnin, K. M. (2008). Percepi1ons of new literacies with the graphic novel Bone. Doctoral DissertaAon, Kent State University, Kent OH. Nilsen , A. P. & Donelson, K. L. (2009). Literature for today’s young adults. (8th ed.). Boston: Pearson.

Norton, B. (2003). The moAvaAng power of comic books: Insights from Archie comic readers. The Reading Teacher, 57(2), 140-‐147.

100 best graphic novels. Retrieved from hYp://www.top100graphicnovels.com/search/label/100-‐91

Poerschke, V. S. (2005). The reading interests of high school students described by their print

and non-‐print reading choices. Disserta1on Abstracts Interna1onal, 66(11). (UMI No.3195962)

Schneider, R. (2005, September 5). Graphic novels boost interest in reading among students

with disabili1es. Retrieved from hYp//www.iupui.edu/news/releases/050906_graphic _novels.htm

Schwartz, A. & Rubenstein-‐Avila, E. (2006). Understanding the manga hype: Uncovering themulAmodality of comic book literacies. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 50(1), 40-‐49.

Thompson, C. (2015, February). 50 essenAal graphic novels. Retrieved from

hYp://www.abebooks.com/books/features/50-‐essenAal-‐graphic-‐novels-‐

b.shtml?cm_mmc=nl-‐_-‐nl-‐_-‐CPrpt10-‐h00-‐comicsAM-‐121214TG-‐_-‐01cta&abersp=1

Weiner, S. (2004). Faster than a speeding bullet: The rise of the graphic novel. NY: NBM Publishing Company, p. 61.

http://www.comichron.com/comicstimeline/marveltimeline.html




http://www.top100graphicnovels.com/search/label/100-91




http://www.abebooks.com/books/features/50-essential-graphic-novels-b.shtml?cm_mmc=nl-_-nl-_-CPrpt10-h00-comicsAM-121214TG-_-01cta&abersp=1









CHAPTERS!

!

Call for Proposals

42nd Annual PRTESOL ConventionTransforming the Learning Experience

for Life-Long Learners through CREATIVITY

University of the Sacred HeartSanturce, Puerto RicoFriday and Saturday,

November 20-21, 2015Due Date: August 1, 2015

OBJECTIVES OF THE CONVENTION• Instill the need to integrate creative and transforming experiences

focused on the labor market.• Inform on techniques and strategies that develop life-long

learners.• Create more awareness of creativity and its components.

What is creativity? Can it be developed?

To submit your proposal, complete the Proposal Form. Submit your proposal to Program Chair: Dr. Rosa I. Román Pérez

at [email protected]: Presenters will receive a discount as follows:

Presenter Conference fees: Both days $60.00 - One day $30.00




2015 CALL FOR PRESENTATION PROPOSAL FORM

42nd ANNUAL PRTESOL CONVENTIONP.O. Box 366828, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936-‐6828

www.puertoricotesol.org Transforming the Learning Experience for Life-‐Long Learners through CREATIVITY

University of the Sacred Heart, Santurce, Puerto RicoFriday and Saturday, November 20-‐21, 2015

Deadline: August 1, 2015

Name of Presenter(s): ____________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Mailing Address of Lead Presenter: __________________________________________________________________

City/ State/ Zip/ Country: __________________________________________________________________________

E-‐mail address: __________________________________________________________________________________

Phone #: Home _______________________________ Cellular ________________________________________

School/OrganizaAon/University:____________________________________________________________________

PosiAon:_______________________________________________________________________________________

Title of Presenta&on: ____________________________________________________________________________

Please Mark with a (√) the spaces that apply.Session Category: Type: Intended Audience:

□Academic □ Paper (60 min. ) □ Elementary □ Secondary□Commercial □ Panel (60 min.) □ Higher Educa&on □ Workshop (60 min.) □ AllPreferred Room Set Up□ Theater □ DemonstraAon (60 min.) □ Others□ Classroom Program Preference: (*) Audience Size #Handouts□ Friday □ 25 □ 100□ Saturday □ 50□ Either Day □ 75

* Every effort will be made to accommodate the scheduling preferences of presenters, but these cannot be guaranteed. Audio-‐Visual equipment will be provided. There will be a screen in every room.Descrip&on of Presenta&on: Please write a descripAon of your presentaAon for the program of 30 words or less. If your descripAon is more than 30 words, it will be edited. Include a brief bio of all the presenters, Place the Atle of your presentaAon at the top of all documents.

Please e-‐mail your proposal by August 1, 2015Dr. Rosa I. Román Pérez

E-‐Mail: [email protected]&fica&on of proposal acceptance will be sent by August 31, 2015

http://www.puertoricotesol.org

http://www.puertoricotesol.org




The PRTESOL Western Region Spelling Bee took place on April 18, 2015 at Carib ChrisAan School in Aguadilla. We had 19 students parAcipaAng

at the secondary level and 7 students in the elementary level. The students were well prepared and it was an exciAng compeAAon!

Winners: Elementary Level 4th - 6th:

3rd place: Marielys Rosario - First Bilingual Preparatory

2nd place: Nathaniel Lopez - Carib Christian School

1st place: Marcela Roman - Carib Christian School

Secondary Level 7th - 12th:

3rd place - Gabriel Girald - First Bilingual Preparatory

2nd place: Pablo Cortes - Carib Christian School

1st place: Anthony W. Magenst - Juan Suarez Peregrina



Start making plans

now to join next

year’s

International

Convention

on April 5-8, 2016

in Baltimore, Md.

INTERNATIONAL TESOL 2015 TORONTO, CANADA

Vivian Maysonet Rivera and P RT E S O L m e m b e r s s h a r e i n f o r m a t i o n w i t h T E S O L delegates from around the workd at the Affilliates Booth.

There they distributed copies of t h e P R T E S O L - G r a m a n d information on our upcoming convention.


Differen&a&ng Instruc&on English Language Learners

By: Carlos Lopez, Ed.D.

One of the biggest challenges that ESL teachers encounter in the English classrooms is the variety of language proficiency levels. Most of the Ames these levels are not idenAfied, so students are subjected to a curriculum that is not responsive to the students’ linguisAc development. Advanced students are not being challenged and beginning learners are giving up even before they experience a certain degree of success.

In order to serve students adequately, teachers need to understand and become proficient in understanding the different language proficiency levels. It is imperaAve to combine every school data available and align the test scores with the language proficiency levels to acquire a beYer linguisAc performance understanding. It is imperaAve that ESL teachers idenAfy the students’ language proficiency levels and use this informaAon to plan and deliver a perAnent and meaningful instrucAonal program.

Students should also understand and be aware of their own linguisAc performance level. This understanding will help them reflect on their learning so they can eventually make learning adjustments. By monitoring their own progress, students will acquire a sense of ownership with their learning. Consequently, learning a second language becomes more meaningful.

Student and teacher conferences sessions can become an important part of daily, weekly, or monthly lessons. A porAon of the instrucAonal Ame can be dedicated to share formaAve and summaAve assessments datum so students can reflect on their learning and keep track of their own progress. I have found it very useful to facilitate peer-‐feedback sessions where students share their wriAng pieces,

projects, or presentaAons, and allow classmates to become reflecAve partners.

If teachers share a number of students, collaboraAve acAviAes such as problem-‐based learning projects, interdisciplinary units, or school-‐wide themes can be developed considering the strengths and weaknesses of all students. If teachers want students to become acAvely involved in their own schooling, lessons need to be differenAated so all students can be challenged regardless of the students’ linguisAc performance level. The amount of teaching collaboraAon Ame proves to be a determining factor when implemenAng school-‐wide intervenAons (Lopez, 2013).

School administrators should also make an effort to provide the necessary resources and planning Ame so teachers can have reacAve planning sessions that answers the following quesAons:

1.What do our students know or do not know? 2.How are teachers going to address these learning differences?3. How are teachers going to monitor and measure progress?4.How will the school share students’ academic gains with all stakeholders?

5. How will the school celebrate success for all?

Staff meeAngs, department meeAngs, and professional learning teams should be used to tackle these quesAons. The key is to make all the stakeholders aware of the students’ linguisAc proficiency levels, and use that informaAon to provide a meaningful curriculum filled with many challenging opportuniAes.

A quick review of the English language proficiency levels will help set the stage to facilitate a differenAaAon environment. The following table outlines specific performance predictors for the different language proficiency levels.

The more teachers know about their students, the beLer they can address their students’ academic

needs.


ESL Performance Levels( Fairbairn, S. & Jones-‐Vo, S., 2010)





ESL 1 ESL 2 ESL 3 ESL 4 ESL 5Little of no EnglishBegins to use words. Phrases, and follow commandsStudents need to develop their functional languageStudents will tend to use their native language to transfer concepts. Written communication is limited. They can use illustrations, drawings, and real-‐life objects to communicate.

Begins to use phrases and short simple sentences. This student will make mistakes that might interfere with comprehension.Begins to use language for speciCic purposes. Students understand the connections between illustrations and graphic organizers.

Understands main ideas, and begins to tackle academic content.Can communicate for social purposes.Students make sense of complex written assignments.Students make sense of abstract and concrete concepts.Students are able to use graphic organizers to communicate in oral and written format.

Process increasingly complex social and academic inputOral language is growing in complexity.Appears to be Cluent in social contexts and approaching Cluency in academic context.Able to comprehend texts that deals with familiar topicsAble to make content connectionsAble to comprehend text and apply concepts.

Understands language that is complexVocabulary is advancedAble to communicate social and academic languageAble read grade level textWriting is similar to the writing of fully proCicient writers at the student’s given grade level.

There is nothing more unequal than the equal treatment of unequal people.(Thomas Jefferson)

CreaAng a class language proficiency distribuAon can help teachers create meaningful lesson plans that address the needs of all students. Teachers can create groups of mulAple language proficiency levels with guided acAviAes that will challenge all students. In some cases, teachers might want to group students according to their levels to read a specific story or to complete a specific project with specific guidelines. Furthermore, the ESL 5 students can work independently of a given assignment that later on can be integrated to the

whole group instrucAon.

ESL 1 ESL 2 ESL 3ESL 4 ESL 5

16%

41%22%

16%

6%

Students’ assignments and grading criteria should also be aligned with the language proficiency levels. Consequently, students will experience success. Students who experience success tend to be more at ease and willing to more risks when using the target language to express themselves. Understanding the different language performing levels will allow teachers to consider the readiness of all students and provide a challenging and meaning learning environment that promotes learning for all.

REFERENCESFairbairn, S. & Jones-‐V0, S. (2010). Differen1a1ng Instruc1on and Assessment for English Language Learners A Guide for K-‐12 Teachers. Philadelphia: Caslon

Publishing.Lopez, C. (2013). An Assessment of the Alignment of the Puerto Rico’s English Curriculum Framework and Classroom Teaching at the High School Level in the Metropolitan Area. (DissertaAon, Universidad del Turabo, Puerto Rico).


Top 5 mistakes Spanish speakers make in English

(reprinted with permission from Verbling.com

When learning a new language, everyone makes the same mistakes. This is the fun part of learning a language! When you make mistakes you can learn from them—taking your language learning to a whole new level.Most arAcles discuss common mistakes made by English learners, but none of them discuss how to actually eliminate those mistakes for good.Here are the top 5 mistakes Spanish-‐speakers make in English,why they happen and how to get rid of them forever!

1. Missing SubjectThis mistake happens because the subject in Spanish isn’t always necessary. In English, however, it most definitely is! “Es importante estudiar todos los días.” is correct in Spanish, but when we go to translate this, many people say, “Is important to study every day.” Can you find the mistake? It should say, “It is important to study every day.” In English, you must specify the subject. ‘it’ may be a small word but it makes a big difference!The fixIn order to always remember to include the subject, you have to train your brain and your mouth to get used to saying ‘it’ or another subject. You can do this by pracAcing the most common phrases in English that require the ‘it’ before the phrase. PracAce saying these out loud, wriAng them down and using them in conversaAon. For this parAcular error, simply understanding why this error happens and being aware of it will help you tremendously. Check out this video to make help you never forget the subject in English. hYps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlhZ3NN8AAc

1. Not using the present perfectThis infamous mistake occurs due to the difference in sentence construcAon used in Spanish. When we’re talking about how long we have been somewhere in English, we say “I have been living in

Ecuador for 3 years.” or “I have lived in Ecuador for 3 years.” However, in Spanish this is not the case! In Spanish we say,” Llevo 3 años en Ecuador.” Completely different! AnyAme you want to talk about how long you have been doing something, make sure to use the present perfect.The fixIt is so easy to make this mistake! How do you get rid of it? Simply pracAce answering and asking quesAons using this format over and over again. You can find a exercises and more informaAon here: (hYp://www.englishexamswithnikki.org/?p=11700.Before you know it you’ll be sounding like a naAve!

1. ‘The’ or no ‘the’?One of the most difficult aspects of learning English is the lack of rules. I know, English would be so much easier if we just stuck to (obeyed) the rules! The confusion with ‘the’ or no ‘the’ is always problemaAc for Spanish speakers because the use of ‘the”’ in Spanish is much more common than in English. Think about it for a moment. If we were to talk about children and adults in general, we would say, “Los niños son más inocentes que los adultos.” This is a perfectly correct sentence in Spanish. However, “The children are more innocent than the adults.” is not correct. Because we are talking about children and adults in general, we must say, “Children are more innocent than adults.” ‘The’ is generally only used for specific things. Learn more here.hYp://www.hablamejoringles.com/arAculo-‐sobre-‐arAculos-‐el-‐uso-‐de-‐the-‐en-‐ingles/The fixThe next Ame you read an arAcle or watch a video, make sure to noAce the use of ‘the’ in context. Underline the use of the and analyze why it is being used. Learning the most common mistakes with ‘the’ such as, the environment, air, the brain etc. will also help you stay out of trouble. (avoid errors). Here is a helpful list of when not to use ‘the’. (hYp://www.englishexamswithnikki.org/the-‐or-‐no-‐the/) 1. Preposi@ons

Oh preposiAons! PreposiAons may be the most disliked part of the English language for many learners. When faced with a difficult challenge such as preposiAons, you have two opAons. OpAon one is to become extremely frustrated and decide that

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlhZ3NN8AAc




http://www.englishexamswithnikki.org/?p=11700




http://www.hablamejoringles.com/articulo-sobre-articulos-el-uso-de-the-en-ingles/




http://www.englishexamswithnikki.org/the-or-no-the/





English is crazy and give up. Or you can accept the fact that learning languages is a process, not a marathon and learn these liYle monsters one relaxed step at a Ame. PreposiAons are simply different in English and Spanish and by learning all the preposiAons by way of a list is the worst thing you can do. Learn a few preposiAons a day in context.The fixDo not print out a giant list of 200 preposiAons and start memorizing them. Your brain cannot handle this amount of rote informaAon, not to menAon that’s super boring! English can be exciAng, I promise. Instead of memorizing a list, start to listen for preposiAons in videos and find them in arAcles you read. Once you find a preposiAonal phrase, then you can look it up and discover different ways to use it. Focus on only a handful (few) preposiAons at a Ame, then move on once you think you’ve figured them out. 5.Subject-‐verb agreementFinally, we have reached our last and most common mistake. An example of this mistake would be, “Everyone love that movie.” The correct sentence is “Everyone loves that movie.” ‘Everyone’ is a singular noun, even though it includes many people. We call these collecAve nouns. A CollecAve noun is a collecAon of things taken as a whole and take the singular form of the verb. Other examples where we use the singular form of the verb in English is with the following collecAve nouns: anybody, somebody, anyone, everybody, someone, anything, everything, something etc.The fixOne way to remember if a verb takes the singular or plural form is the all words that end in -‐one, -‐thing and-‐body are singular. Another way to remember is if the subject is singular, choose the verb ending in ’s’. For example, “everything has to go!” Here, “everything” is singular, so we must choose the verb with the “s”, or in this case “has” not “have”. You can find out more and pracAce with this great PDF.hYp://www.irsc.edu/uploadedfiles/students/academicsupportcenter/wriAnglab/packet6-‐subject-‐verb-‐agreement.pdf Whew! That was intense. I recommend reading through the five mistakes again and see if you can eliminate them from your vocabulary. Remember,

learning a language is a process that takes Ame. Focus on the posiAve and be consistent.

About the Author:

Nikki has a Master’s in EducaAon and is TOEFL cerAfied. She currently lives in Ecuador where she teaches both Spanish and English. Before moving to Ecuador, Nikki taught adult English to immigrants in Phoenix,

Arizona. She has taught over 800 teachers through workshops, tutoring and individual group classes. She considers herself an expert on preparing students for their TOEFL exam, and is very excited about connecAng to English learners from all over the world on the Verbling pla�orm.

Top 5 mistakes Spanish speakers make in English.

(n.d.). Retrieved April 3, 2015, from hYps://

www.verbling.com/arAcles/top-‐5-‐mistakes-‐

spanish-‐speakers-‐make-‐in-‐english/

http://www.irsc.edu/uploadedfiles/students/academicsupportcenter/writinglab/packet6-subject-verb-agreement.pdf






http://www.verbling.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/99346293938263754698_150x150_cropped.png

http://www.verbling.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/99346293938263754698_150x150_cropped.png


NORTHERN REGIONAL CONFERENCEat the Nova Southeastern University in San Juan

The Northern Region conducted a highly successful conference May 16 at Nova Southeastern University. The facili@es there were excellent. The par@cipants enjoyed a professional development ac@vity with top speakers, workshops and resources inclding a table of free books. Par@cipants came from a variety of public and private schools of all levels.

Teachers take advantage of free book table.


Northern Board members and of the Executive Board at the Northern conference.

Former PRTESOL President, Yolanda Pabellón leading her

workshop.

PRTESOL President Vivian Maysonet and Vice-president Rosa Román with the leadership of Nova Southeastern University.



For more information a registration forms for Awards and Scholarships contact: Dr. Jennifer Alicea Castillo <[email protected]>:

