Blog Entry #5

In response to Blog Entry #5, many things have changed in relation to my first blog entry regarding Oral and Written Language for the ELA classroom. When I first came into the program at the start of the semester I did not specifically have a foundation for understanding what ELA was or how to facilitate it in the classroom. Since September as a class we have discussed many ideas and shared thoughts, had presentations and guest speakers and read a lot of important work. Some of the ideas that I have learned the most about since the beginning of the semester are listed bellow in the following subheadings.

What role does Oracy play in the Elementary ELA classroom?  How will you support students with oral-language (speaking/listening) learning/development?

 Children’s oral language development is considered to be a key foundation for successful literacy. Indeed, the evidence is compelling that a foundation in spoken language competence is important for the successful achievement of academic and social competence (Tomblin, 2005). 

—        Students need to be able to use language appropriately for a broad range of functions, and to perceive the functions for which others use language.

—        The oral language students acquire when they are young helps them connect words, sounds, and meaning with print.

—        The oral language acquired later helps students build more sophisticated understandings, explore relationships among ideas, and explore questions in their reading and writing.

—        Throughout the elementary years, students’ oral
language abilities are interwoven with learning to
read and write

—        To maximize oral language development, it is important that teachers:

—        build a personal relationship with each student, create a safe climate of respectful listening

—         provide frequent, sustained opportunities for language development, including structured partner talk and small-group interaction

—         interact regularly on a one-to-one basis with each student

—        challenge students to talk, think, and explore their knowledge of the world

—        ask open-ended questions to help students make meaning

—        support students as they develop language and learning strategies necessary to articulate and extend their interactions with the world

—        give students adequate wait time for thinking to occur

—        encourage students to question and justify

—        Rich and varied play and language experiences including interaction with a wide range of environmental print and texts to integrate and extend students’ uses of language and literacy for a variety of purposes  

—        Examples of literacy experiences:

—        • engaging in informal conversations

—        • playing

—        • responding to photographs, pictures, stories, classroom experiences (e.g., cooking)

—        • dramatic play

—        • making constructions to represent a person or an object in a story, video, song, or play

—        • performing or watching puppet plays

—        • brief discussions/sharing led by the teacher

—        • chanting, choral reading, singing

—        • sharing own work

—        • listening to instructions

—        • listening to stories

—        Encourage the characteristics of a good speaker/listener

A good speaker and listener

—        • speaks and listens for a variety of purposes

—        • maintains concentration during listening and speaking

—        • listens carefully to understand and respond to others’ messages

—        • communicates ideas and information clearly

—        • organizes ideas and information so that the audience can understand 

—        and remember

—        • uses vocabulary and presentation style that are appropriate for the audience

—        • uses tone, pace, and volume that are appropriate for the situation

—        • sustains short conversations by encouraging the speaker and contributing ideas

—        • is attentive and respectful to others in conversation • uses language effectively for a variety of purposes

—        • monitors presentation and is sensitive to audience response

—        uses some strategies to overcome difficulties in communication 

—        (e.g., unfamiliar vocabulary, a noisy environment, distractions) • self-evaluates and sets goals for improvement

Podcasts

•         “Podcasting is basically the creation and distribution of amateur radio, plain and simple” (Richardson, 2009, p. 110)

•         Voice recordings with a purpose. 

•         Multimedia publishing

•         Distribution to a world-wide audience.

•         Listen to podcasts about topics that interest you and your students.  Provide lots of opportunity for this to spark an interest in creating them.

•         Brainstorm topics they could pursue for a class podcast – or for individual podcasts.

Class Podcasting Ideas:

•         Topic you are learning – have an expert & interview style radio show

•         Interview a book character

•         Interview an animal, volcano, the fly on the wall at important events

•         Readers’ theatre – radio plays

•         Commercial/blurb to share with the school

•         Share about friendships and bullying (older students in the school – reminders, slogans)

•         Class reading motto – share

•         Mentorship – older students introduce podcasting to younger students – (i.e. Reading buddies, writing buddies, podcast buddies.)

•         Soundscapes –Students come up with a title – this they share in the recording.  tell stories using sound effects – develop a story using the sound clips

•         Radio Willow Web from Willowdale Elementary School, online radio shows for kids by kids. – includes book talks and interviews with children’s book authors.

Writing process and Writer’s Workshop as presented in Atwell, Calkins, and author visit with Robin Stevenson

The Growth of a Writing Project

(Seeds):  Writer’s Notebook: A place to plant seeds and grow ideas. v     Quick-writes v     Lists v     Topics (Sprouts):  Discovery Draft:  A place to grow stories. v     Get the whole story out. v     Write quickly. (Bud):  Second/final Draft:  A place to feed and nourish stories. Make changes. v     Add details. v     Cross out. v     Edit. v     Very best handwriting/typing. (bloom):  Published Piece:  A place to display developed stories v     Final changes. v     Teacher edit. v     Special paper/format. v     Computer processed, or very best handwriting.

From Fountas & Pinnell, Guiding Readers and Writers Grades 3-6, p.432.

Not everything has to go to the bloom stage.  Some seeds take years to germinate, or are eaten by a rude squirrel.  The idea is that we help students plant many, many, many seeds so that they have a rich stock to choose from.

• Nancy Atwell’s writing workshops where teacher circulates around class room and uses a quiet voice to check in with her/his students. The teacher has a check list to ensure that every student receives one-on-one attention.
• Suggests Conference Guidelines: suggesting to ask questions and avoid general praise, instead praise the students on specifics and continue to encourage and guide them in their writing process.

Use of writing prompts/ Teaching of writing conventions (spelling, grammar, punctuation)

• Rubus Phymes –playing with words, for younger grades

·         Savage: First Steps reading, writing and spelling workshops.

·         Vinyl bags with zippers that I used as their writing folders. Inside each folder, every child was given a name tag, personal dictionary, think pad, journal, and doodle book.

·         The Think Pads are used for jotting down attempts to spell unfamiliar words. I have a tub of scrap paper available to the children for their writing. At the beginning of the year, we talk about the two most important writing tools - dictionary and think pad. Before I help them with any word they must try it on their own and bring me their dictionary and their spelling attempt.

·         Word spacing became: spaceman. Used him during lessons, the children were eager to get out their spaceman when writing. This was a great tool.

·         Using a small picture of each child on a Popsicle stick, the children were able to move themselves to the appropriate step in their writing progress (planning, rough draft, conferencing, editing, final copy).

·         Individual and customized spelling lists and flash cards for spelling

What you learned about on-line writing through your blog this term.  Did comments from classmates affect your writing or thinking?  If you would use on-line journaling in your class, and if so, in what way?

• When we were first introduced to creating blogs on the internet I was very impressed and inspired as I had new really worked with technology before. I think that blogging as a means of communication with parents is an excellent idea and I am excited that we had the opportunity to learn how to do so in ELA.
• The other night when I was researching some work on the internet for drama I opened a Link from my Google search that had everything I was looking for and I was surprised to find that I had connected myself to a classmates blog and used it to access all of the information that I was looking for.
• Posting blogs was an excellent way to search everyone else’s ideas and thoughts. I’m glad that we participated in this use of technology in class.

Strategy Presentations:  which lessons/strategies did you find engaging?  Which are you motivated to try with your future classrooms?

• Andrew Gillott, Siri Hastings, Dawson Parnell: “The Very Last First Time” by Jan Andrews, illustrated by Ian Wallace, ‘rubric cube’, computer with audio recording device.

Steps to a good Lesson Plan:

—        Start with the end in mind:  Identify Prescribed Learning Outcomes.

—        Then consider which activities will help students to achieve the outcomes.

—        Find resources to support the activities.

—        How will you hook your students on the activity?

—        What materials do you need?

—        What is the expected time of the lesson?

—        How will transitions go?

—        What will your students be doing?

—        Will all students be engaged?  If not, what do you need to do to support students so that they become engaged?

—        Use the PLOs from the IRP for ELA

Evaluation/Assessment

—        This should relate straight back to the Prescribed Learning Outcomes.

—        You can use the Achievement Indicators as assessment criteria.

—        We assess our students through observation checklists, anecdotal records, mini-conferences, self-assessment, learning logs, etc. 

—        We also reflect on our teaching practice (often noting what worked well, and what we would do differently next time).

BC Performance Standards/IRP

—        The IRP: integrated use of six language arts (writing, speaking, listening, viewing, representing, and reading

—        The BC performance standards are voluntary, but illustrate professional judgments about standards and expectations for key learning’s.

—        Two types of assessment:  Formative and Summative.

—        Formative:  helps teachers and students make decisions about teaching/learning.  Synonyms:  determining, influential, seminal, decisive, shaping. 

—        Summative:  helps communicate how the student is doing – to the child, parents, principal, future teachers, etc. Synonyms:  collective, total, combined, cumulative, amassed, comprehensive. 

Blog #4

Blog #4 Writing and Representing:  What do you think is important to teach students about writing and representing?

It is important for students to generate an awareness of the major forms of writing in elementary school, including print code (grapho-phonics), grammar (syntax) and meaning making devices (semantics). Through the use of poetic, expressive and transactional writing, students will explore various forms of writing through the creation of short stories, letters, logs, journal entries and poems as outlined by the BC Ministry Education Integrated Resource Package.

I believe that in order to support the Ministry’s PLOs all students should receive their own personalized writing folders and students should be provided with information regarding the writing tools within their folders. As outlined by Savage (2000) and Nahachewsky (2011), the folders will be placed in an easily accessible spot for the students. Within every folder, each student will have their very own name tag, personal dictionary, think pad, journal (with room for illustrations) and a doodle book. By providing the materials and easy access to their own writing folders, along with instruction and role modeling of writing and representing by the teacher, students will be guided through the use of these resources. As Savage mentioned, some tools will be easier for students to work with right away (ex. Journals) while some resources should be introduced slowly at a time when the students are more able to independently engage in the writing process (ex. a classroom post office). Personally, when experimenting the think pad concept in EDCI 302 for the first time ever conceptualizing creating a written work of my own since being an elementary school student, allowed me the opportunity to generate an idea for a children’s book that I am now in the process of creating as a means of sharing my work with students in the future. The story concept that I generated in that class is a very simple idea but it will be a children’s book about my dog Mello who is a Bernese mountain dog and who spends six months of the year cougar and bear patrolling at Camp Thunderbird in Sooke, BC where my husband works as the Summer Camp Director. I am looking to create this work for the five and six year old campers whom have yet to discover Mello’s mischievous ways. The intent is for the book to be a humours with little text and lots of visuals and used as a means to provide information about Mello’s Thunder-lifestyle to the youngest campers on site. The story will be “written” by Mello and have a short authors blurb at the back signed with her paw print.

As part of the composition process and through the implementation of workshops and mini-lessons as described by Graves (1983), Calkins (1986), Atwell (1987), Savage (2000) and Nahachewsky (2011), students will work to compose, draft, revise, edit and make their work public by sharing with others. As suggested, students will receive three part feedback, what was enjoyed, things that there may be questions about and suggestions for the work. This can also be described as “two stars and a wish!” While some students may find it personally challenging to share their work with others, it is recommended that teachers remind their students that writing is an ongoing process and it is advisable that the teacher share their work with the class and bring in a local author guest speaker if possible to engage the students and share the common nature of the composition process. This was demonstrated in our EDCI 302 class when local children’s author Robin Stevenson came and spoke with our class. We also saw this idea represented by the visit of Mr. Walter Dean Myers in “Love that Dog” by Sharon Creech.

            It is important to teach students spelling in the context of writing. Edwards and Malicky (1996) recommend that this process begin from grade two onward. These authors state that while some students may test well on spelling tests, this does not necessarily mean that these words will become part of their stored knowledge and may be spelled incorrectly in their future works. It is recommended that students make attempts to spell words for themselves initially and circle any mistakes within their own work and seek to correct these mistakes independently with the use of a personal dictionary or word wall or with the assistance of their teacher. Ves Thomas (1979) published a book called Teaching Spelling: Canadian Word Lists and Instructional Techniques. Within this book Ves Thomas, has produced lists based on the frequency of the words elementary school students use most often when writing. This book is a valuable resource for teachers in identifying which words may be useful as a being basis for assessing words with the students. Another way of working with students to develop their spelling is to have the students practice the words they have identified to have spelled incorrectly within their own work. Savage, noted that one visual way of practicing these words is for students to work in pairs and develop personalised flash cards. Throughout the year, students may also wish to keep record of the words that they initially struggled with and have successfully mastered as a visual representation of their spelling accomplishments.

            In class we discussed the changing nature of our world in relation to our tech savvy students. As writing involves the command of grapho-phonics (print code), it is important for students to possess an ability to print, cursive write and type their work on the computer. Students are taught handwriting by their teachers so that they are able to produce a legible form of writing with the least amount of effort and concentration as possible. With this in mind, teachers need to pay particularly close attention in ensuring they instruct their students in the dominant cursive writing style within their province or territory (Seminar, 2011).

            Carswell (1988, 301) noted that “studies in the role of language and learning have emphasized the need for learners to find meaning in the world through the use of language as a tool of exploration.” It is important that teachers model the value of reading and writing with their students as there are many different ways for students to represent their writing across the curriculum. Some forms of representation include: dialogue or response journals, charts, graphs, maps, diagrams, graphic organisers or data collection sheets and the design and creation of posters. Another alternative suggested by Edwards and Malicky, is to create a series of books about a local area where students become actively involved in the research and go to the areas and libraries, interview people and search archives and publish the books at their schools local library. For example, the authors suggest that the first step for students to participate in expository writing is to understand that they are writing for an unknown audience and their task is to become experts of local history in their area. In the case of Jessie Hache’s Grade Four class at Petite Rivere Elementary School in Lunenberg County, Nova Scotia, the students worked together to publish a book about the oral history of their community and included stories, drawings, biographies, history, lists, poems, recipes, directions for games and maps. At the completion of the book, the students hosted an evening presentation in the community hall that incorporated readings, drama and song. This community book that the students created together and shared in such a meaningful way is one of my favourite ideas about representing writing in Constructing Meaning: Integrating Elementary Language Arts.

            The BC Ministry of Education states that the aim of English Language Arts is to provide students with opportunities for personal and intellectual growth through writing and representing to make meaning of the world and to prepare them to participate effectively in all aspects of society and as such, students need to be able to communicate their ideas, information, and feelings critically, creatively, and articulately, using various forms of writing and representing. This is why it is so important for educators to instil a passion in their students regarding ELA and provide all members of the classroom community the opportunity to represent and share their written work. There are so many forms of writing and representing that students can engage in such as, journals, short story creation, play writing, logs or poems. The ideas stated in the blog above are only just the tip of the iceberg. As a result of the many forms of writing and representing, if we all continue to share our ideas, English Language Arts has the potential to reach students far beyond the classroom. 

First Voices

Blog Entry #3:

In preparing for this blog entry on oracy and voice recording, I came across what I believe to be a truly innovative idea that began as one teacher’s idea for literacy within the classroom. At the LAU-WELNEW Tribal School in Brentwood Bay, Peter Brand a 55 year-old Australian born teacher and advocate of Aboriginal culture began using computers within the school to explore the use of indigenous language with voice recording software. This simple idea had a great impact within the school and community. With much angst at the prospect of the loss of the Saanich original language, voice recording technology was used as a means to engage the younger, tech savvy, visual learners within the school. The program was so successful that it caught the interest of the wider community and has since 1999, seen significant investment in the development and creation of the website FirstVoices, an online database that uses text, sound and video. This web database is available to any language group to develop its own authentic language reference resource from within its own community as a tool for the development of language resources. Please check it out, it is an amazing resource!

www.firstvoices.com

Blog #2: IRP's & Today's ELA Student

Blog #2

How does the IRP help or hinder you as a beginning teacher?

The Integrated Resource Package provided by the British Columbia Ministry of Education constitutes the provincial curriculum and thus, is a necessity and benefit for myself as a beginning teacher. The Ministry of Education sets educational standards, called the Prescribed Learning Outcomes (PLOs) for students through the provincial curriculum. The PLOs outline the expectations for what students should know and be able to do at each grade within each subject area. Because many research articles, research-based books, educators and experts informed the development of the English Language Arts K to 7, curriculum and for all of the reasons outlined below, the Integrated Resource Package is of immense help to me as a future educator.

            The latest version of the BC English Language Arts K to 7, curriculum was produced in 2006. This document is invaluable as it provides the information that is required in order to implement ELA in the curriculum. Upon investigation, I discovered many beneficial elements of the current English Language Arts IRP including: considerations for program delivery, PLOs, Suggested Achievement Indicators, an overview of the ELA curriculum and suggestions on integrating research into practice. I was surprised by the magnitude of beneficial information available in the IRP, including an emphasis on literacy incorporating electronic and multi-media forms of communication. “When planning for instruction and assessment in English language Arts K to 7, teachers should provide opportunities for students to develop literacy in relation to information and communications technology sources, and to reflect critically on the role of these technologies in society” (Sec2:12).

            I found the Integrated Resource Package to be specific in the PLOs and flexible to the teachers’ discretion in program delivery and instructional time allotments to meet those learning outcomes. The IRP also states that curriculum design is based on the professional judgement and expertise of the teacher. In relation to the legally required content standards as outlined by the PLOs, the IRP indicates that modifications can be made to the PLOs for students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs). The IRP also encouraged attention to both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal authors from Canada and to texts that have a wide cultural perspective from around the world.

            The English Language Arts K to 7, Integrated Resource Package includes strategies for effective literacy instruction for teachers based on Vygotsky’s, “Zone of Proximal Development” incorporated as “The Gradual Release of Responsibility,” whereby students are introduced to strategies that are new and challenging but not so difficult that they become frustrated. This method is a strategy used over time resulting in the student taking responsibility for their own independent learning.

            The IRP includes the Six Essential Elements of Assessment and considerations for program delivery beginning with the end in mind for students. Development in ELA from K to 7, occurs in a relatively orderly sequence throughout the child’s education, building upon skills and abilities already acquired. The IRP also refers to research that suggests the effectiveness of extended and uninterrupted blocks of time for literacy learning, emphasising research which suggests that student interest and engagement is the most important predictor for literacy learning (Allington & Cunningham, 1996). McLaughlin and DeVoogd (2004), suggest that students will be more engaged when provided the time for active, creative responses such as, writing, sketching, dramatizing and singing in the development of more involved means of literacy.

The IRP notes that effective teachers make instructional decisions based on sound research. As a result of the many research articles, research-based books, educators and experts that informed and contributed to the development of the English Language Arts K to 7, curriculum and for all of the reasons outlined above, the Integrated Resource Package is of immense help to me as a future educator in effectively adhering to the Ministry’s educational standards as outlined by the Prescribed Learning Outcomes.

Description of who today’s ELA students are and how they learn.

            Today’s English Language Arts students come from an array of backgrounds, abilities and interests creating a diversified atmosphere to meet each child’s individual needs in the elementary school classroom and as such, it is the responsibility of the educator to promote an emotionally safe environment that is inclusive and promotes the themes of inclusion and respect while fostering a sense of community amongst the students. Heydon and Malicky (2009), note that “Canada’s immigration policy is currently producing a steady flow of non-English-speaking immigrants into the country, increasing the likelihood that at some time most teachers will have children with limited English language proficiency in their classroom” (p.62). These authors suggest the importance of visual aids accompanying verbal instructions and the importance of non-English-speaking children to work in pairs or in small groups with other English-speaking peers on meaningful tasks. It was also suggested that certain learning centres, such as a grocery store, for example, could be set up to promote a fun, meaningful learning environments.

            Today’s ELA students come to the classroom with a foundation for English language arts, supported by their home environments or from past educational experiences. While many students will be at varying stages of literacy and comprehension levels, it is recommended in the BC Integrated Resource Package that teachers have a wide variety of books and magazines available that spark the student’s interests. The IRP suggests that the more reading material that is available to the children, the greater the likelihood of engaging the students. Tom Sawyer, Teaching and Talking, states: “Allowing students some choice in their reading matter has encouraged them to read more widely and carefully” (Adolescent Literacies, p. 45).

            Some of today’s ELA students will have Individual Education Plans (IEPs) as a result of a learning disability. Initially, labelling the complication, such as dyslexia, in difficulty reading or comprehending may be a relief to the child or the family at the time but in the long term the label and accompanying learning difficulty will continually challenge the individual and may prove to be a source of frustration for the child. As noted by Heydon and Malicky (2009), the child’s learning difficulty may be aided by a method of teaching that is meaningful in instruction to the student. “What we need to strive for as teachers is a maximal match between the child’s needs and our teaching” (p.65).

            Lastly, today’s ELA student is growing up in an environment involving the rapid growth and development of technology and various forms of social media. The BC Ministry of Education’s IRP for English Language Arts K to 7 emphasizes the importance for including technology as a means of literacy for students in our classrooms. While it is the role of the teacher to facilitate meaningful discussions about the uses of technology in our current society it is equally as important that all students, regardless of socio-economic class have access to technologies through their schools. “We need to ensure that the use of computers does not widen the disparity [and opportunities] between high-and-low income children” (Heydon & Malicky, p.66).

           

Sources:

Bainbridge, J., Heydon, R., Malicky, G. (2009). Constructing meaning: Balancing elementary language arts, 4th Ed. Nelson: Toronto, ON.

British Columbia Ministry of Education. (2006).  English language arts k to 7: Integrated resource package. Victoria, BC: Author.

URL: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/irp_ela.htm

Tom Sawyer, Teaching and Talking (from Adolescent Literacies)