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PACIFIC CENTER NEWS ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
All Students Can Achieve Second Language Acquisition Teachers also need to recognize two types of language proficiencies. Interpersonal language proficiency is the ability to communicate in informal social situations, like on the playground. Most ELLs can acquire "survival" English in a few months to a year. Academic language proficiency includes the ability to gain meaning from and communicate an understanding of a content area textbook. Academic proficiency is cognitively more demanding and typically takes many years to acquire. Standards-Based Education Standards-based education engages teachers in raising the expectations for all students, promotes the use of multiple assessment strategies which allow students to reach proficient levels at different times and in a variety of ways, and requires teachers to differentiate instruction to meet students’ readiness levels, learning profiles, and interests. Clear and high academic standards must be in place to ensure that ELLs are held to the same expectations as mainstream students. ELLs face a difficult challenge in achieving high standards, given their initial temporary limited English proficiency and sometimes limited formal schooling. Teachers need to realize that ELLs may require different instructional pathways to the standards, additional time, and alternative performance assessments. What promise does standards-based education hold for ELLs? It sets high learning expectations, reverses the tendency to assign ELLs unchallenging curricula, and presents an opportunity for schools to engage in meaningful communication about achievement with the parents. Social Factors Effective ELL Instruction Effective instructional accommodations or modifications include (1) providing instruction and materials in the students’ native languages; (2) demonstrating activities and strategies through teacher "think alouds" and modeling; (3) setting language, content, and learning strategy objectives; (4) tapping prior knowledge; (5) using visuals/manipulatives; (6) teaching key vocabulary; (7) adjusting speech; (8) utilizing cooperative learning groupings; and (9) teaching coping strategies. These accommo-dations are more fully explained in a PREL briefing paper, Standards-Based Instruction for English Language Learners, available online at www.prel.org/products/pc_/standards-based.pdf. Diversity among ELLs is great; they differ according to prior educational experiences, exposure to English, length of time in the U.S. and in schools, learning styles, family literacy practices, socio-economic status, sense of self, and other characteristics. All these factors profoundly affect in idiosyncratic ways the learning readiness and rate of English acquisition of ELLs. Undoubtedly, ELLs will continue to struggle in U.S. and Pacific schools. They will fare much better, however, when provided with a system of care that recognizes their group and individual needs, nurtures their strengths, and utilizes a pedagogy that is informed by teaching, learning, language, and culture. A LOOK INSIDE THE READERS'
WORKSHOP
Mini-Lessons, Literature Groups, and Whole Group Reflection Develop Lifelong Readers A group of students reads independently at their desks. Another set of students conducts their own literature discussion group. In the far corner, the classroom teacher works with a third group. All are engaged in some form of reading activity. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all classrooms looked like this? This instructional approach is what many teachers call the Readers’ Workshop. Readers’ Workshop is an uninterrupted block of time (1-11/2 hours) during which students engage in various reading activities simultaneously. One advantage to this approach is that it allows the teacher to vary instruction according to students’ needs. A Solid Foundation Creating an environment that is conducive to group learning is another key strategy. Classroom furniture should be arranged so that group activities and discussions occur easily. The classroom library should include a wide variety of inviting print materials, and bulletin boards and wall displays should serve as independent learning tools. Initially, the teacher introduces a Readers’ Workshop by modeling the components and encouraging students to apply them as a whole group. Demonstrations on how to select an appropriate book, respond to a story, or engage in a literature discussion group are just a few examples. Emphasis on quality during the whole group experience creates a smoother transition for later work in small groups. To begin, the teacher and students should set appropriate expectations for behavior and discuss the importance of living up to them. As students become familiar with the process and understand what is expected, the time set aside for the workshop will gradually increase. Teachers should spend time each day reading aloud to the students. The teacher should be familiar with the books prior to reading them out loud and choose books that will engage the class. While reading aloud, the teacher models fluency, introduces new vocabulary, and promotes love of reading. The read aloud can occur at any point during the day, but beginning with it sets the tone for the entire period. Components of the Readers’ Workshop Mini-Lesson. Workshops begin with mini-lessons. These are short (5-15 minutes) and tailored to students’ needs. They focus on developing strategies and skills that can be transferred to a wide range of texts. If students are having difficulty retelling a story, the teacher can demonstrate how students can use story maps or graphic organizers to help them sort out their thinking. Literature Groups. When the teacher feels confident that the students are progressing in the whole group, small literature groups are formed. Groups can be organized differently for different purposes. With early readers, the teacher often guides the group, focusing on specific strategies as they read. With more experienced readers, students serve as group facilitators and the teacher meets with them regularly. Oral discussions and/or written responses in literature groups further comprehension and create meaningful connections with the text. Students learn to read by reading. During literature groups, independent reading allows students to apply reading strategies in context. Students should be given a choice of books to read. While students are reading independently, the teacher can engage in one-to-one student conferences. Whole Group Reflection. To close the session, students share any learning gained during the mini-lesson or related experiences. This process is critical in helping students internalize connections to the reading. The discussion also provides an informal assessment of student progress. Readers’ Workshop is a wonderful way to promote reading. While new activities will not be performed perfectly at first, modeling, creating a learning environment, and most importantly, being patient during implementation will help build a strong foundation. With experience, the structure and sophistication of the Readers’ Workshop will evolve.
PARENT CORNER VISION PROBLEMS AND SCHOOL
PERFORMANCE
Vision goes beyond eyesight and involves receiving, processing, and understanding visual information. Vision is learned like walking. However, unlike walking, vision development generally proceeds without parent awareness. Because of developmental differences, no two people see exactly alike. Visual skills are important to academic success. Dysfunctions in one or more of these skills can hinder a child’s ability to learn. EYE TEAMING is one of our most important visual skills. Our eyes are designed to work together, but each eye functions and records images independently. Each eye must aim at exactly the same point for the recorded images to be identical, allowing the brain to combine them for clear single vision. When the eyes do not aim together, the recorded images are different and cannot be combined. Reading and comprehension become increasingly difficult for children with eye teaming problems. Their eyes tire, float apart, and end up pointing at different places on the page. The result is blurred, scrambled, or double vision. These children can also be highly distractible, finding it difficult to concentrate because the eyestrain is so great. Other symptoms include losing place as the print "swims," fatigue, headaches, and frustration. EYE TRACKING is required to follow a line of print. When reading, children with tracking problems can experience jerky and inaccurate eye movements resulting in loss of place, skipped or transposed words, and poor copying skills. They have trouble with comprehension because of difficulties in moving their eyes accurately and often use their finger or a marker to help keep their place. FOCUSING is seeing clearly during reading and quickly shifting focus when looking from near to far (desk to board). Print becomes progressively blurry for children with focusing problems the longer they read. They sometimes hold their books close to their faces or lay their heads down. ESOPHORIA, the tendency for the eyes to turn inward, causes children to see things as smaller than they actually are. To see an object properly, children bring it closer; eventually, the head is buried in a book. FORM PERCEPTION is needed to determine similarities and differences among shapes, colors, and sizes. If children cannot perceive and copy simple geometric forms, they will not understand the wiggly lines that make up letters, words, and sentences. VISUAL MEMORY is the ability to immediately recall characteristics of a given object or form. This skill helps children remember what they read and see by processing information through short-term memory. Children with poor visual memory struggle with comprehension, have difficulty remembering what a word looks like, or fail to recognize the same word on another page. VISUAL PERCEPTION is needed to interpret, analyze, and give meaning to what is seen. Children with visual perception problems confuse similar looking words, fail to recognize previously learned words, or demonstrate poor sight recognition. Excessive letter reversals are also a common symptom. According to the American Optometric Association, about 16% of all children suffer from inadequate visual skills. Up to 94% of children with reading problems have reduced visual skills. As children mature, over 80% of what they learn is visually processed. A child’s eyes are used constantly in the class-room and at play, so when vision is not functioning properly, the child may struggle in school, struggle with or avoid reading, require extra time to complete assignments, have difficulty in recreational activities, tire more easily, and develop poor self-esteem. Anything children cannot do well, they would rather not do. They may be accused of having a short attention span or be told they should try harder. They are often mislabeled as dyslexic, brain dysfunctional, learning disabled, or hyperactive. Children with uncorrected vision conditions or eye health problems face many academic and social barriers. As a parent or teacher, be alert. When children complain or display symptoms and are not working to potential in school, a vision problem may exist. Children cannot tell you if something is wrong because they have always seen this way. Their vision is normal to them. If you suspect a problem, schedule a comprehensive examination. Optometrists diagnose and treat vision problems, are schooled in developmental aspects of vision, and often use lenses, prisms, and vision therapy to enhance and improve visual functions. A behavioral optometrist who specializes in children’s vision can run a complete diagnostic work-up to determine whether your child’s visual skills are hindering school performance. Vision is trainable, and children can develop necessary skills through proper therapy. Programs are customized depending on the severity of the condition, the patient’s motivation and readiness, and the frequency of therapy sessions. It is important to understand what to expect of a therapy program and how goals will be achieved. Not all programs are the same. Vision therapy is a series of special eye exercises and treatment procedures to correct problems that glasses alone cannot help. During therapy, children learn to control their eye muscle coordination and build eye teaming skills. Most healthy vision therapy patients enjoy long-term resolution of their visual problems. Early detection greatly increases chances of successful treatment and normal vision development. Effective treatment can occur at any age, although the length of the treatment increases the longer the condition has existed. Children rarely outgrow these problems, and without treatment the problem can become so ingrained that successful vision therapy at a later date is more difficult. When vision disorders are detected and treated, parents report that children complete homework more easily, enjoy reading for the first time, achieve their full potential in school, and become more self-confident. Parents also report fewer family tensions as behavior problems decrease. Remember, good education means good schools, good teachers, and good vision.
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