January 2015

My presentation today is on “K-5: Ensuring English Learners’ Success with the Common Core and California’s New ELD Standards.” This is a topic that is very near and dear to my heart since I am an English language learner. I started kindergarten only speaking in my native language, Spanish, and needed all the support I mentioned today in my presentation to learn a new language. I also teach a population of students that is predominately ELLs. I blogged about this topic a few months ago. Click HERE to take you to my previous post.

To access today’s presentation slides click HERE

The Cog Reading Passage

Steps to Structuring an Academic Class Discussion

The Cog Commercial by Honda

I used this video as part of my strategy to use videos to help students construct meaning.

Resources for Structured Accountable Responses - Language Frames:

Sentence starters general learning.doc

Sentence starters It was.doc

Sentence Frames for Cause and Effect.doc

Sentence Frames for Compare and Contrast.doc

Sentence Frames for Sequencing and Order.doc

Sentence Frames for Persuasive Writing.doc

Sentence Frames for Descriptive Writing.doc

Sentence Frames for Summary.doc

Sample Graphic Organizers to Support ELD Writing Instruction:

Vocabulary on a Familiar Topic: may be used to support teaching of vocabulary on a specific topic, or Describing Function

Sentences with Vocabulary on a Familiar Topic may be helpful in teaching Simple Sentence Structure Form, Capitalization and End Punctuation

Describing a Person: may support teaching Describing People Function and Nouns, Adjectives, Verbs

Describing a Thing

Describing a Place:

Sequencing: (What Happened?) May be implemented when working on Sequencing and Retelling Past Events Functions, and on Sentence Structure, Verb Tense and Conjunctions Forms

Comparing and Contrasting (with Categories): may support teaching of Contrasting Function and Comparative Structures

Picture Cards:

Use picture cards to start discussions or to promote writing activities. Click on the links below to access the picture card files:

Situations to Evoke Emotions

Additional English Language Development Resources:

California Department of Education English Language Development Standards

http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/el/er/eldstandards.asp

Framework for English Language Proficiency and the CCSS

http://www.ccsso.org/Documents/2012/ELPD%20Framework%20Booklet-Final%20for%20web.pdf

Common Core Translation Project

http://commoncore-espanol.com/

The English Language Learner Knowledge Base

This website supports education professionals in the administration of programs for English Language Learners. Resources are provided for administrators, teachers and parent advocates.
Visit Website

Considerations for English Language Learners
This module segment from the IRIS Center at Vanderbilt University discusses instructional considerations for ELL students within each of the five core reading components.
Visit Website

Effective Literacy and English Language Instruction for English Learners in the Elementary Grades
This Practice Guide from the Institute of Education Sciences provides specific evidence-based recommendations addressing effective literacy instruction for English learners. Recommendations for teaching reading to English language learners are included.
Download PDF

English Language Learners: A Policy Research Brief produced by the National Council of Teachers of English
This publication of the James R. Squire Office of Policy Research offers updates on research with implications for teaching and learning.
Download PDF

Challenging Common Myths About Young English Language Learners
This publication by the Foundation for Child Development provides a review of new research regarding English Language Learners. Commonly held beliefs and myths that have influenced the instruction, assessment practices, and organizational structure of educational programs that serve ELL children ages three to eight are included.
Download PDF

Instructional Models and Strategies for Teaching English Language Learners
This guide provides information on instructional models for English Language Learners, research findings, teaching methods and strategies and recommendations for decision makers.
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Language and Reading Interventions for English Language Learners and English Language Learners with Disabilities
This report presents information about assessment, instructional interventions, and professional development with a particular focus on ELL students who have been identified with a language and/or learning disability.
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Language Development for English Language Learners
This professional development module provides information on language development, language assessment of English Language Learners, academic language instruction and vocabulary K-12. Links for PowerPoint and Facilitator's Guide are included.
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WebEx: Promising Research-based Practices in Instruction and Assessment for English Language Learners
This Center on Instruction webinar presents information on promising practices for working with ELLs in both instruction and assessment. Links to the archived webinar and PowerPoint are included.
Visit Website

WebEx: Data-based Instructional Decision Making for ELLs
This Center on Instruction webinar presents information on the key factors to consider when planning data-based and differentiated instruction for English Language Learners. Links to the archived webinar and PowerPoint are included.
Visit Website

Visit my NEA Greater Public Schools (NEA GPS Network) site to join me in a conversation about these resources. By providing me with feedback, it allows me to see what other educators across the nation are doing to meet the needs of our diverse population of students.

This site is free and its the largest professional learning community in the nation. Click on the link HERE to take you there.

I’m beginning the New Year with tales, fables and poems. The students love read alouds, especially ones that are about fantasy or have a villain somewhere in the storyline. I have two little boys of my own, who love hearing stories that have a moral at the end. We love reading stories that have similar themes but are culturally different. We are kicking off our unit of study, by focusing on the Cinderella fairy tale.

My unit will compare and contrast multiple versions of Cinderella by different authors and from different cultures. The students will be asked to identify similarities in and differences between two texts on the same topic. Before reading each version of Cinderella, the students will be shown pictures, drawings, map, of different countries and cultures that correlate with some or all of the Cinderella stories.

Students will read and listen to fables and folktales from diverse cultures to determine the lesson, message, or moral. Students will compare and contrast two or more versions of the same story. In addition, they will describe how words supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem, or song. During the writing process, students will consult reference materials to check and correct spelling. They will develop and write opinions about the books they read and their life experiences and learn to share their viewpoints and clearly develop their arguments to support their opinions. They will learn to distinguish between formal and informal language and when it is appropriate to use each type.

About the Cinderella Fairy Tale

Some 1500 versions of the basic Cinderella story have been recorded so far, and many of them are at least 1000 years old. In each, the cruel and thoughtless get their just rewards, as do those who are good and kind. Cinderella stories have both a rags-to-riches theme, and a good wins out over evil theme. Sibling rivalry is also a part of every story, and the stepmother is cruel and predatory. Cinderella is always the household drudge, and treated badly by her older sisters. Because Cinderella’s mother is dead, a helper character usually appears who can help Cinderella in her despair. Folktales place a premium on beauty, but also on a good and pure heart.

Big Ideas

(What teachers want students to remember long after instruction ends based on the unwrapped standards)

Folktales are stories told by the people. They were told by the oral tradition and written down years later. The primary reasons for sharing these tales was to entertain, to teach, to reinforce cultural and social values.
Readers will gain an understanding of the basic components of a folktale, as well as how the illustrations in a text can contribute to characters, setting, mood, etc.
Develop opinions about their reading, learn to state opinions clearly, retell their stories so that their opinions make sense to readers.

Essential Questions

(Engaging open-ended questions to spark student learning and discover the “Big Ideas”)

How does identifying the author’s central message, lesson, or moral help you better understand  the story?
Why do author’s include a central message, lesson, or moral?
How do words and phrases add rhythm and meaning to a story?
Why do readers compare and contrast stories?
How do writers state and support a personal opinion on a topic or a book in a review?

Websites

Here are a few of the great links for you to use when teaching fables, fairy tales, or folktales!

Websites for Cinderella (Useful for Performance Tasks)

Example of a Performance Task

Performance Task #1: Fairy Tale Elements Map

Building Content Knowledge:
The teacher will create a chart labeled “Fairy Tale Elements Map” (refer to the information below for the elements of fairy tales). As a whole group discuss the elements on the chart. Elaborate on each element by providing examples of fairy tales that may be familiar to them.

Let your students in on the ‘secret’ about fairy tales. There are specific structures and patterns that make fairy tales easy to identify and easy to write. Students love it when you let them in on secrets that adult authors use! Use the FairyTale Elements Map to identify these patterns and structures.

READ AND UNDERSTAND THE TEXT:
First Reading: Read an original version of Cinderella to students. One was provided in PDF form. Give each student with a copy. Only interrupt minimally as needed to quickly define or explain any essential vocabulary or phrases for basic understanding of the text. Allow students the opportunity to appreciate and fully engage with the text.

Second Reading: Reread Cinderella and stop at various points to ask questions for students to demonstrate understanding. Encourage students to ask questions of the text by providing and developing a routine to ensure that all students are participating in the question asking and answering. In addition, stop to highlight the elements in the fairy tale.

Sample questions:

How does the story begin?
How does Cinderella’s fairy godmother view Cinderella differently than the rest of the characters in the story?
How does Cinderella react to seeing her stepsisters at the ball? What does that teach you about Cinderella?

As you read, Students can underline evidence in the story where each element is found and annotate in the margins comments.

Suggested version:
Cinderella – PDF version based on the original version by Charles Perrault

Collaborative Activity: Using the annotated version of the Cinderella story, students are to complete the Fairy Tale Elements Map. They are to write examples using evidence from the story. Students are to be grouped (3-4 students per group) by mixed ability to ensure that the group is balanced.

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Common Core K-5

CTA Issues Conference: K-5: Ensuring English Learners’ Success with the Common Core and California’s New ELD Standards

Folktales, Fables, and Poetry

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