Preview-View-Review (PVR) for ELLs

 Using Students’ Native Language in Content Area Classes

I was recently asked  about how to support ELLs by using a native-language speaking aid.  There seems to be a trend to use these invaluable people —what would we do without them? — as translators.

There is absolutely nothing wrong in using their expertise to translate. However, there are two powerful reasons why pedagogically speaking, we shouldn't:

1. Students lose focus on the teacher and get used to waiting for the translation.
2. ELLs tune out the English version of the class and/or develop the acquisition of their second language (English, L2) much more slower than by language immersion.

 

The Basics

  This technique has three primary purposes:

1. Activate prior knowledge students may have.
2. Introduce concepts in the students’ native language—to facilitate their learning.
3. Review the lesson and clarify new concepts

 

Suggested Planning & Delivery

*   Planning — approximate time: 15 min Pick the most difficult vocabulary or concepts to preview in the students’ first language (L1, Spanish)—but don’t make this a vocabulary lesson.  Translate the concepts  (or have your aid translate them for you). Incorporate other ELL techniques to enhance understanding (pictures, gestures, etc.)

I. Introduction (Preview) – approximate time: 10 min Present —or have your language aid present— the L1 introductory mini lesson at the beginning of the class, while the rest of the class works on a do now or activates prior knowledge in other ways (review of last lesson, KWL chart, materials preparation, etc.). Make sure to introduce materials you can refer to throughout your lesson. Visual aids can make a difference for a child with no English production to make connections and understand concepts. You may use: words w/ pictures, pictures w/ labels, sentence strips, or other appropriate materials.

II. Lesson (View) — approximate time: 40 min Give your lesson as you usually do (mini lesson, shared work, independent work). Make an effort to refer to the visual aids: cards, words, or other materials introduced earlier in the students’ native language (L1); see above.

III. Closing (Review) —approximate time: 5 min Allow your regular students to process their learning & evaluate them as you usually do (exit slip, reflection, etc.) while you or your language aid give a brief summary of the lesson’s main concepts in the students’ native language (L1, Spanish or other). Check for understanding in English (students’ L2).

Here is a really cool website that has some more info about preview-view-review (they call it preview/review). Check it out!    

Differentiating Instruction for ELLs (part I)

 

Differentiation is a very trendy word these days due to the increased accountability to meet every student’s learning needs in our high stakes testing educational environment.  In this post, I will highlight the basics of differentiation, as this topic is critical for learners of English at all levels.

What Is Differentiated Instruction?

According to Carol Ann Tomlinson, a 20-year + veteran author and educator, differentiation means tailoring instruction to meet individual needs.  Teachers differentiate: 1) content, 2) process, 3) products, or 3) the learning environment.  Monitoring, ongoing assessment, and flexible grouping makes differentiation a successful approach to instruction.

Teachers can differentiate at least four classroom elements based on student readiness, interest, or learning profile:

Content – what the student needs to learn or how the student will get access to the information;
Process – activities in which the student engages in order to make sense of or master the content;
Products – culminating projects that ask the student to rehearse, apply, and extend what he or she has learned in a unit; and
Learning environment – the way the classroom works and feels.

Content (materials)

Examples of differentiating content at the elementary level include the following:

1. Using reading materials at varying reading levels (same content different level);
2. Putting text materials on audio/webcast/podcast;
3. Using spelling or vocabulary lists at readiness levels of students;
4. Presenting ideas through both auditory and visual means;
5. Using reading buddies; and
6. Meeting with small groups to re-teach an idea or skill for struggling learners, or to extend the thinking or skills of advanced learners.

Process

Examples of differentiating process or activities at the elementary level include the following:

1. Using tiered activities through which all learners work with the same important understandings and skills, but proceed with different levels of support, challenge, or complexity;
2. Providing interest centers that encourage students to explore subsets of the class topic of particular interest to them;
3. Developing personal agendas (task lists written by the teacher and containing both in-common work for the whole class and work that addresses individual needs of learners) to be completed either during specified agenda time or as students complete other work early;
4. Offering manipulatives or other hands-on supports for students who need them; and
5. Varying the length of time a student may take to complete a task in order to provide additional support for a struggling learner or to encourage an advanced learner to pursue a topic in greater depth.

Products

Examples of differentiating products at the elementary level include the following:

1. Giving students options of how to express required learning (e.g., create a puppet show, write a letter, or develop a mural with labels);
2. Using rubrics that match and extend students' varied skills levels;
3. Allowing students to work alone or in small groups on their products; and
4. Encouraging students to create their own product assignments as long as the assignments contain required elements.

Learning environment

Examples of differentiating learning environment at the elementary level include:

1. Making sure there are places in the room to work quietly and without distraction, as well as places that invite student collaboration;
2. Providing materials that reflect a variety of cultures and home settings;
3. Setting out clear guidelines for independent work that matches individual needs;
4. Developing routines that allow students to get help when teachers are busy with other students and cannot help them immediately; and
5. Helping students understand that some learners need to move around to learn, while others do better sitting quietly (Tomlinson, 1995, 1999; Winebrenner, 1992, 1996).

The content of this entry was adapted from: Tomlinson, C. A. (August, 2000). Differentiation of Instruction in the Elementary Grades. ERIC Digest. ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education. It can also be found on: www.readingrockets.org. For the full article click here:

http://ecap.crc.illinois.edu/eecearchive/digests/2000/tomlin00.pdf

or here:

http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED443572

Here is a video from Carlon Tomlinson about how to start differentiating instruction. Enjoy!

How Children Learn Language

Professor Steven Pinker deduces the nature of language acquisition by examining the generative use of grammar in children. Please, don't judge the book by its cover. This is actually a really good video (Youtube decided to pick the silliest thumbnail picture). 

Second Language Acquisition & Research

I wanted to share some of the most up-to-date findings that appeared in the article "Teaching English Language Learners: What the Research Does—and Does Not—Say" in the summer of 08' edition of American Educator. Whenever we talk to the administration or parents, we should definitely bring up this research, which is one of the most comprehensive and conclusive in recent years.

There are definitive research-proven practices that promote English Language development. Here are the three major points highlighted in the article:


I. Teaching students to read in their first language (L1) promotes higher levels of reading achievement in English (L2)

• Common sense doesn’t always turn to be the truth. ("If we only relied on common sense, we would still think the sun revolves around a flat earth")
• National research (2008) suggests that literacy and other skills and knowledge transfer across languages.
• Implementing a bilingual or dual language program supports ELLs’ English language acquisition.

II. What we know about good instruction and curriculum in general holds true for ELLs

• Good instruction for students in general tends to be good instruction for ELLs in particular.
• Best practices include: clear goals and learning objectives; meaningful, challenging and motivating contexts; curriculum rich with content; well-designed, structured and paced instruction; active engagement and participation; opportunities to practice, apply, and transfer new learning; feedback; periodic review and practice; frequent assessments to gauge progress; opportunities to interact with other students in motivating and appropriately structured contexts.

III. When instructing English language learners in English, teachers must modify instruction to take into account students’ language limitations.

• Good differentiation is essential in teaching ELLs
• Improving oral English proficiency is essential.
• Some essential modifications include:

o Making text in English more comprehensible by using texts with content familiar to students

o Building vocabulary in English

o Using primary language for support

o Assessing Knowledge and Language Separately

o Promote productive Interaction among ELLs and English Speakers

o Adding Time (after school, extended year, summer school, etc.)

The above is a very brief summary of the article; I suggest you check it out in its entirety. You can download for free by clicking this link (if it doesn't work, just copy and paste in your browser):


http://www.aft.org/pubs-reports/american_educator/issues/summer08/goldenberg.pdf


Also, Kenji Hakuta, an education professor at Standford has a quick introduction video about the article, its sources and why is relevant. You may watch it here:



Reference:
Goldenberg, C. (2008). Teaching English language learners: What the research does and does not say. American Educator. 32(2), 8.