Structured Learning Groups to Increase Literacy

1. Structured Learning Groups to Increase Literacy Presenters: Esther Jang-Tamanaha & Cristina Rojas

2. Contact Info Esther Jang-Tamanaha English Teacher/ EL Coordinator (626) 934-6700 ejang@hlpusd.k12.ca.us Cristina Rojas District Program Specialist/EL Programs (626) 933-4300 crojas@hlpusd.k12.ca.us

3. Objectives • Participants will identify the academic needs of English Learners. • Participants will deconstruct the Speaking & Listening Standard 1and list the skills to effectively communicate and collaborate. • Participants will apply the components of accountable partner task and collaborative groups.

4. Activating Prior Knowledge With a neighbor: Describe how you structure speaking and listening opportunities in your classroom.

5. English Learner – State Goals “2010–11 school year, there were approximately 1.4 million English learners” • Ensure that English learners acquire full proficiency in English as rapidly and effectively as possible and attain parity with native speakers of English. • Ensure that English learners, within a reasonable period of time, achieve the same rigorous grade-level academic standards that are expected of all students. California Department of Education(2013)

6. English Learner Characteristics The majority (59%) of secondary school English Learners are “Long Term English Learners”. • L-TELs exhibit oral fluency • L-TELs are yet to fully comprehend academics • L-TELs are mainstreamed without support • L-TELs may struggle in school, be disengaged, exhibit behavioral problems due to the patterns of discouragement and failure Olsen(2010)

7. What do English Learners need? • “Oral language is the foundation for literacy” (Olsen, p. 16). • Students need: • oral language practice, • instructional conversations, • and multiple opportunities for speaking • Oral language builds writing skills Olsen(2013).

8. What do ALL learners need? • Opportunities to build trust and community (Olsen, 2013 • Consistent academic routines (Olsen, 2013) • Explicit expectations for engagement, participation, and academic discourse (Olsen, 2013) • Structured listening and speaking (Kinsella, 2012)

9. What does the standard say? Speaking & Listening Standard 1 Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

10. What does the standard say? • Read your grade levelspeaking & listening standard • Then identify the college and/or career ready skill(s) the Common Core Standard is asking students to have.

11. Accountable Partner Talk • According to the Speaking & Listening Anchor Standard 1, an important skill my students need to have is ___________________________________. • A college / career skill the Common Core State Standard is requiring of students is ________________.

12. Partner Task • Share your response with your partner • Compare & Contrast each other’s responses • Add your partner’s response to yours

13. Accountable Partner Talk • Look • Lean • Lower • Listen • What I heard you say was ______________. • An interesting point you brought up was ____________. • I agree with your point that ____________.

15. Video • What do you see? • What do you hear?

16. Video • A college/career skill I saw/heard the class working on was _________. • A best practice the teacher was practicing was _______. • The students were using ________ as a stimuli/tool for learning.

17. What does the research state? “Collaborative Conversations” Douglas Fisher & Nancy Frey

18. Collaborative Group Work Jigsaw Reading • Agree on section to read (A, B, C, or D) • Read your section once through • Re-read and highlight important words/phrases • Use highlighted words to summarize

19. Collaborative Group Work In your groups, complete the graphic organizer: • Jot each other’s summary • Synthesize the entire article

20. Partner summary Synthesis of everyone’s summary

21. Collaborative Group Conversations Summarize: • According to X, “ ___________.” Basically, X is saying ________________. • When X states, “ __________,” X are raising/indicating ____________________. Synthesize: • The overarching idea of this article is ________. • The main idea of this text is __________.

22. How do we create structured learning groups? • Arrange classroom structure & partners • Establish classroom rules • Build various “partner talk” opportunities • Utilize academically rigorous sentence frames • Create “collaborative group work” expectations • Incorporate appropriate structure into lessons • Teach, model, provide practice-time • Facilitate whole-class discussion

23. Debrief

24. Reflection • What are the needs of English Learners, and all academic English learners? • What are the implications of the speaking & listening anchor standard 1 on teaching? What skills do students need in order to effectively communicate and collaborate? • How can you apply what you learned at your school site? What will that look like? What are your next steps?