Almost ACCESS Time!

Let your ELLs shine and show what they CAN DO!

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Give your ELLs the growth mindset needed to feel confident in showing what they CAN DO on the ACCESS test!  Go over strategies if they get stuck on a word or how to think about what they want to say before recording their speaking answers.  

FYI: ACCESS 2017 UPDATE

~Michelle K. & Christine P. 

Thankful Tuesday!

In the spirit of Thanksgiving....  let's take a moment to thank someone or show gratitude!  Be the reason someone smiles today! 




                             

Don't forget to share what you are thankful for with your class and ask them to think and share as well.  Below is a quick passage great for ELLs to discuss Thanksgiving if you need something. 

Happy Thanksgiving!  

~ Michelle K. & Christine P.

WIDA's Key Uses and Academic Language

Once you have gotten familiar with the Can Do descriptors, you can start looking into the NEW WIDA Key Uses to help with academic language use.

What should we know about LANGUAGE?






General Key uses Info-   
The purpose of this addition to the Descriptors is to provide examples of academic language use for 4 specific communicative purposes taught in school:

1-Recount          2- Explain              3- Argue              4- Discuss





Read on for more info on each Key Use-

NEW Key Use Descriptors available through WIDA 

1- Argue:


Example gr 1 descriptors:






2-Explain:




Example gr 2-3 descriptors:





3- Recount:


Examples Kindergarten:






4- Discuss:



Example gr 4-5:

Start off with simple Accountable Talk sentence stems and then into upper grades, work your way into specific learner roles to keep all students accountable. 

**k-2 or any beginner class with accountable talk.




**3-5 once accountable talk is modeled and ready to take it to the next step.






*What to expect from your students at various language levels...

WIDA resource-





~Michelle K & Christine P

Using WIDA Can Do Descriptors To Help Guide Instruction

Getting to know your students is the first step in helping them become successful.  Here is a way to get to know your students as language learners! 

By using the WIDA Can Do Descriptors, you can see where your students currently are within the Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing domains.  You can then look ahead to see what is in the next level to start bridging and modeling those skills within instruction so they eventually CAN DO them independently. 













*Sneak Peek Next Week- extending the descriptors to the NEW Key Uses 


~Michelle K & Christine P

Accountable Talk & Discourse

To continue from last week's oracy post, start small and be explicit.  Accountable talk does not happen overnight.  It takes weeks/months of introducing, modeling, and practicing to get students up and running more independently.

3 Direction Conversation

(WIDA 3 Key Uses...stay tuned for more in depth key uses info here in the future)

Some extra Resource Videos to check out to see Accountable Talk in Action!

~Michelle K & Christine P

Oracy In The Classroom

A quiet classroom is a suspicious classroom....

Here are some ideas and samples of sentence stems that can be used in various areas within your teaching.

This does not happen overnight!  Students need time, exposure, and practice.  Make it manageable for you.... Start small with stems in one area and work your way into others.

~Michelle K & Christine P

For more information.... check out the following links:

http://www.esc20.net/users/0048/docs/Sentence%20Stems%20for%2021st%20Century%20Learning.pdf

http://www2.eit.ac.nz/library/ls_guides_sentencestarters.html

http://learning.gov.wales/resources/learningpacks/mep/literacy/reading-early/oracy-and-early-reading/?lang=en

https://classteaching.wordpress.com/2013/05/09/developing-oracy-skills/

http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/108035/chapters/Why-Talk-Is-Important-in-Classrooms.aspx

Pinterest links