I wrote the following reflection while completing the Learning to Talk by Talking : A Developmental Approach to maximizing Language and Literacy Skills course.
How can we use discussion and debate to better support English language learners and children with reading issues?
How can we help align teaching staff beliefs about the importance of oral language?
Why isn’t this happening in schools more often?
What are some practical tips to support English language learners and children with reading issues?
- Provide opportunities/for ELLs to have small group discussions with an intentional mix of students w/ native target language speakers, speakers who can bridge communication (in homeroom groups, mini catch lessons after class instruction and in small group meetings.
How can we help align teaching staff beliefs about the importance of oral language?
- Advocating and celebrating teachers’ use of speaking and listening strategies/routines/actions
- Providing “sound-bites” of information about the research associated with oral language value in deep reading comprehension
- Sharing ideas at staff meetings, teachers planning meetings, blog postings
Why isn’t this happening in schools more often?
- I speculate that curriculum overfilled with content may be a challenge if a school’s curriculum is not concept based content is best determined by theme of conceptual thinking which follow students’ interests.
What are some practical tips to support English language learners and children with reading issues?
- Listen and share inner dialogue when reading to students
- Encourage students to listen to their inner thoughts while reading and record thinking in a variety of ways
- Provide students opportunities to talk about what they’re choice reading
- Read students things your interested in and wonder together —> follow up on your wondering at a later time
- Show students that reading is a tool which grows your brain for thinking —> show the science
