Post of Nikki Pavone

I practiced the strategy of having the students read the objective aloud.
8th grade language arts
I thought it was really effective. In the past, I had always read the objective and maybe one or two students. I think having the whole class read it aloud really set a purpose for learning.
The only challenge with this strategy is the size of font for my objective. Some of the students had to move up so that they could see it.

Post of Katie O'Neill

Which strategy did you use?

1) Language Warm-Up: During my afterschool homework group I created my own variation of a language warm-up. We were working on counting and manipulating money (mostly change). Prior to beginning the lesson I charted all the names of coins on the board. I said the name once and had the students repeat after me, careful to annunciate each sound and syllable correctly. Next I wrote the value of each coin next to the name of the coin. I then had each student repeat after me, the name then the value (i.e. 1 quarter = $0.25)



Which subject area/grade level? Third grade (mathematics & reading)

How effective was it? After the language warm-up I felt as though all students had a good handle on pronouncing money vocabulary correctly. Now as we progress with our usual math lessons it is exciting to hear my students say the words correctly and use them accurately in a complete sentence!

Any challenges? Not yet. However, I will need to remain aware of the level engagement (are all students interactive and participating in the lesson) and selecting vocabulary that is relevant to the current curriculum and relevant to my students learning. Are the vocabulary words going to contribute to a student’s academic success?

Any suggestions to make it a better learning experience for your students? My goal is to incorporate this learning strategy more often and into more of my lessons. I like that the language warm-up does not have to be limited to a specific subject. I feel as though you could incorporate a language warm-up regardless of the subject you teach.

Post for Michelle Plesinger

Which strategy did you use?

I used the Choral Repetition with Egyptian vocabulary and definitions.

· Which subject area/grade level?

Sixth Grade social studies

· How effective was it?

I have done this before with classes but just the words and call it "You say, I say".

· Any challenges?

My students are use to seeing the words we are using and were thrown a little off. The definitions were the hardest part for each of my classes.

· Any suggestions to make it a better learning experience for your students?

I think having them practice without seeing the words again will improve the lesson.

Post of Jocelyn Espinosa

I used choral reading with two of my language groups (4th and 6th grades) during our vocabulary sessions. I modeled for them how to break down the word. I read it slowly (to accentuate the syllables). I read it at a normal rate. Then I had them repeat the word aloud, once slowly, and one at a normal rate. It definitely helped my one articulation student in one of the groups because he was able to really hear all the sounds and practiced through the repetition and was more accurate. The challenge will likely be that as I fine tune how I modify the choral reading, that I don’t confuse the students. So far so good. No specific suggestions at the moment.

Post of Cheryl Hallman

Which strategy did you use? Choral repetition of big ideas/outcomes in science having to do with landforms, erosion and slope.





· Which subject area/grade level? Fourth grade, science





· How effective was it? I thought it was very effective because it helps to keep all the students engaged and learn the important ideas from the experiment.





· Any challenges? Some students need to hear it a few times before they can repeat it back.





· Any suggestions to make it a better learning
experience for your students? I just need to focus on making sure all of the students participate.

Post of Nora Johnston

Which strategy?

Choral Repetition - I had students repeat geographic terms and definitions back to me until they had them by memory. These vocab words mostly involved landforms (such as isthmus and peninsula).



Which subject area?

6th Grade Social Studies (World History and Geography)



How effective?

This technique proved to be successful…for most. There were a few “spectators” who didn’t/wouldn’t participate. Perhaps they thought it was too ‘childish’ for them, and they just wanted to observe for the time being (hopefully, they will get on board with it). Generally speaking, though, I was pleased the next day when several could hardly wait to show me that they could still recite the definitions from memory.



Challenges?

Again, the ones who don’t want to engage – no matter how “fun” and enthusiastic you try to be. How do you reach and light a fire under these select few?



Suggestions for better learning experience?

Next time, which will likely be tomorrow, I plan on repeating the same procedure, and hope for ALL students to participate. I could also speak the definition clearly, ask them to write the vocabulary term on a big piece of paper, then (on the count of three) have them ALL hold it up where I can see everybody’s word at once, written dark, big, and spelled correctly. This would be a quick assessment, to check for understanding and engagement. Since they need the practice speaking the words/terms clearly, I will have them all say the term as they hold the written word up. Does this seem too elementary?

From Rae Dewberry Language Arts 8th Grade

Which strategy?  I used choral repetition with my AEP group.

Before a major test (which is mostly essay), I give the students the essay questions ahead of time.  I expect complete, thoughtful answers supported with explicit examples from the text.  This time, after they wrote down the questions, I had them do a choral read. My purpose was to imbed the questions in their brains!

Challenges?   At first, the response was dismal.  The students whined, complained, and were most uncooperative.  Then I explained that we all learn differently and I wanted to be sure to “hit” their learning style.  Pretty soon it was a contest over which group could recite the loudest!

Suggestions?   I need to remember the “why” when I ask something new of this group.

How Effective?  The essay responses I received were some of the best I have ever had.  Was it the result of the strategy used or is this group of students exceptionally bright or is it because I’ve had this group for two years now and they understand my expectations?

Too may variables at this point

Post of Mary Beth Bloom

Which strategy did you use? Language Warm-up-Repeat after me

·          Which subject area/grade level? 7^th Science

·          How effective was it? Very

·          Any challenges? On some words it is difficult to move the mouth from one sound to another. So, I over-exaggerate the movements with the kids watching. They think it is silly fun!

·          Any suggestions to make it a better learning experience for your students? We played a little bit with finding rhyming words to further practice the new sounds.

Post of Jamie Jay

Which strategy did you use?
I used Syntax Surgery.

Which subject area/grade level?
I used this strategy with 4th grade in Language Arts.

How effective was it?
I am going to have to be honest- I don't think it was effective at all. After teaching it I feel that I am unsure as to what the objective was- am I teaching them the structure of the English Language, because they don't need that. Or, am I teaching them parts of speech, which they do need. My high learners did just fine, but my low learners tended to just... sit.

Any challenges?
They really had no interest in the coral reading aspect. I'm trying to get them to read fluently, and the more I try it, the more I'm convinced that coral reading does not promote fluent reading.
Another challenge was the amount of time it took to create the small reading strips for the students as well as the teacher cards. Almost 45 minutes. If I had a room mother who could come in consistently I might be able to do this more often, but the time is seriously prohibitive. Maybe as a small group activity it would be better?

Any suggestions to make it a better learning experience for your students?
I'm going to try this again tomorrow with a science concept (the big idea from our science lesson today.) Hopefully they'll be more engaged if they realizing we're doing two things at once.
I'm going to keep the speed up even faster. Pulling sticks will also come into play. My lower learners need to at least take a stab at it.

Addendum:

I did this again another day using a science concept.  The students struggled with putting the sentence together, even though it was one of our content sentences from our science experiment from two days before.  There were many unusual conjunctions (the word ‘like’) which threw them off.  I found that my students were reading the sentence, but only to themselves so in their head they forced the words to make sense.  When I read it back to them I often got, “well, it sounded right…” or “that’s not what… oh….” As they realized that the words they’d sorted are not the words they’d actually read.  I’m curious to see if this type of activity will help them to realize they need to slow down.

From Jill Mettler

Which strategy did you use?  Language Warm-UP

·         

   Which subject area/grade level? Lang. Arts/ Social Studies 4^th grade

How effective was it? Medium to high effectiveness

·         

   Any challenges?  I think I took the kids by surprise when I just jumped in to this. It was not at all the established routine in our classroom.  Some seemed shy to respond in the “cheerleader fashion” I modeled and expected from them. As we continued with the warm-up, they really got into it and were having fun with it. I did a quickie review as I dismissed each of the 6 tables one at a time.  With more practice I think this will be a great way to introduce, teach, and review lessons; overall a productive learning tool and experience.

·         

  Any suggestions to make it a better learning experience for your students?

  I foresee this becoming a better learning experience for my students with more use of this strategy; embedding it into our daily routine. Switching it up will keep it effective and fun! I might even let a student be the leader!

Welcome to Class

Thank you for signing up for Ten High Powered Strategies.  These strategies can be used in any grade level and in any subject area to increase English language skills.

The classes will be in two hour sessions, from 4:30 to 6:30 at Meadows Middle School, room C24.

We also have a blog that we are asking  each of you to participate in, so that it will increase our own learning.

We look forward to seeing you on November 4, 2010.

Sincerely,

Rob Lazarus

Lee Meyer














 

Thank you for your participation in our first class.  Prior to Tuesday, November, 9, 2010,please respond in paragraph form regarding the following questions.  Please also respond back to two posts that others have written.  Thank you.

           Which strategy did you use?

·          Which subject area/grade level?

·          How effective was it?

·          Any challenges?

·          Any suggestions to make it a better learning 
           experience for your students?