Student discourse is imperative to students developing their academic language and supporting their comprehension. During virtual or concurrent hybrid instruction, it has become more important than ever to find ways for students to take part in discourse. Participating in discourse helps students feel a sense of belonging and keeps them engaged in the lesson and it also serves as a formative assessment opportunity for teachers to check for understanding. Below are four strategies that provide opportunities for student discourse in all content areas. Talk Moves are five types of prompts and response starters that encourage students to think about their response, share their thinking, and listen to the reasoning of others. Talk Moves are meant to be used teacher with students, students with teacher, and students with students. Talk Moves provide equity of voice because the question, the answer, the justification, and additional thoughts are equally valued.
Think-Pair-Share is a an effective way for each student to think, practice, rehearse, and share their responses in a safe environment because they are working with a partner. During face to face instruction there is probably not enough time for each student or pair to share out with the whole group or there is only sufficient time for each pair to take part in one conversation. Using edtech tools such as Padlet and Flipgrid. With both tools teachers can pose a prompt to students. Students can respond by recording audio or video. Then, their partners can respond to their post. SWiRL is an acronym that stands for speaking, writing, interacting, reading, and listening. When planning for instruction it's important to remember to plan for consistent SWiRL opportunities. Jamboard is a white board allows for SWiRLing to take place because students can draw, record, or write their response. Both the teacher and students are able to see all of the jams (student) pages. After students create the jam, they can use them as a reference and discussion point with their partner or group during academic conversations. Whiteboard.chat is an interactive whiteboard that has multiple writing, audio, video, and multiple other tools. The teacher is able to see student work in real time. This interactive whiteboard allows students work collaborative and dig into the content they are learning. QSSSA is a structured conversation strategy shared by Seidlitz Education. This strategy provides the needed scaffolds and supports that will guide students participate in discourse. QSSSA cam be implemented with students face to face, using break out rooms, or Flipgrid. Below is a mathematics example of QSSSA.
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A student's first (L1) or native language is one of the best tools they have readily available that can help them support their own learning. If a student's L1 is Spanish, then they will already have a large bank of Tier 2 vocabulary (cross curricular) that they already know. Tier 2 vocabulary is important because these are the words that tend to lead to breakdown in understanding because they are not the the common (Tier 1) vocabulary they used to using with their classmates or the math vocabulary (Tier 3) that is being emphasized during instruction. Furthermore, Tier 2 vocabulary is the "testing vocabulary" that students will encounter on standardized assessments. Sometimes in an effort to increase a student's English language acquisition & development, students are encourage to use English and discouraged from using their L1. However, students can benefit greatly from using their L1 during "self-talk" & thinking time because they are able to focus on content rather than the English language & vocabulary that they should use. I find that when I am tired, I start thinking in my L1 (Spanish) and that is OKAY! I also find that when I am doing computations it is easier to do so in Spanish and that is OKAY! I know two languages and I am going to use switch when needed or use both to support my work & thinking. Our emerging bilingual students need the support & encouragement to know that it is OKAY to use all of their languages.
A,ll students are academic language learners! All teachers are academic language teachers! It is necessary for students to have a solid grasp on the language of math to ensure that students have a deep understanding of the mathematics. Mathematics is not a universal language and in order to make mathematics accessible for ALL students educators need to spend time helping students develop their academic language. Explicit vocabulary needs to take place before, during, or after each math lesson.
Scaffolds are temporary supports that students practice using to support their learning & understanding. Scaffolds are meant to be temporary and students should internalize the strategy they have practiced to such a degree it becomes a permanent fixture of their toolkit.
It is essential for students to have a solid academic language in order to fully understand mathematics concepts. We have to keep in mind that all of our students are math language learners! One of components of academic language is Tier 3 vocabulary. It is necessary for our math language learners that teachers provide explicit vocabulary instruction. There are 9 steps that I have found that successful in mathematics vocabulary instruction. 1. There is a lot of Tier 3 vocabulary that is aligned to each mathematical concept. Teachers need to determine which concept specific vocabulary is the most important to focus on with students.
2. Our students come into our classrooms with previous learning & we should not assume that they come "as a blank slate". We need to know which concepts or standards are aligned with our upcoming instruction and then investigate what is the vocabulary they are already familiar with or already know. This vocabulary might be from a previously concept unit or previous grade level. There are three tiers of vocabulary. Tier 1 is “every day” words. Tier 2 is cross curricular vocabulary. Tier 3 is content specific vocabulary. Tier 2 vocabulary is sometimes seen as some of the most difficult vocabulary for students to understand and used. Tier 2 vocabulary can also be considered the “testing” vocabulary such as represent, demonstrate, describe, compare, and explain. Yet, for many English Learners these words are cognates and commonly used vocabulary in their L1. If there L1 is Spanish, these same words are representar, demostrar, describir, comparar, and explicar. Something that can be helpful to our students is to pair up Tier 2 vocabulary with its cognates and let guide them to see the connection. That way they will see that L1 can be a asset & tool that they can use to help them comrephend text they are reading in their L2. Furthermore, teachers can help them reach the conclusion that there are already words that they know, but just need a tweak in pronounciation.
There are three tiers of vocabulary. Tier 1 is "every day'' words. Tier 2 is cross curricular vocabulary. Tier 3 is content specific vocabulary. Tier 1 vocabulary is the least specialized type of vocabulary & therefore it is the one that gets the least attention. Most of the vocabulary that our students will encounter and use during their lifetime, yet they will receive limited or no Tier 1 vocabulary instruction. I think back to my own experience, and it was Tier 1 vocabulary that always made me feel the most self-conscious about speaking because I was not sure what those "easy" words were in English. For me, home was in Spanish and school was in English. That means in my mind anything that had to do with household chores, family, and church was in Spanish. There was a time that I had to stop mid sentence because I did not know how to say sarten (a pan). I am a biliterate educator, but my Tier 1 vocabulary in both English & Spanish has a few gaps because I still tend to use one language more than another when I am at home and when I am at work. How much have students developed their Tier 1 vocabulary in both English & Spanish? What are we doing at our campuses to teach our students the multiple ways to describe "every day" objects & events? Having a strong Tier 1 vocabulary can help our students understand idioms, sayings, colloquialisms, and implied meanings during all conversations.
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