So far I have read and skimmed several articles on the role of culture in English language learning and the importance of content-based instruction.  This will help me design my unit and teach it to ENL students and native-speakers alike.

The TESOL Journal has coined a new acronym: SCLT: Sustained-Content Language Teaching.  It's important to distinguish this from CBI or content-based instruction.  Basically, it takes CBI further and also scaffolds academic language as well as the key content vocabulary.  This is good because it teaches academic skills and metacognitive critical thinking skills necessary to be successful learning English in content-area classes.

Also, I have been looking at several articles on the role of culture as I know culture can be difficult to teach authentically; moreover, it is wrapped up in identity and language so when it is properly addressed in an educational setting there is a lot to be unraveled during the learning experience.

So far, based on my readings, students need to engage with authentic content in meaningful interactions.  A grammar-based or speech based curriculum, which often makes up much learning for English language learners, ignores research that contextualized content-based instruction is where language is truly learned.

If you think about it, it all makes sense.

From the first utterances of language, humans were trying to communicate to each other in meaningful contexts.  I heard the Germans have a lot of "--tch" and "-schitz" like sounds because they would make these awful thrusts of language to keep back invaders and wandering nomads in their land.  I suppose it worked for them as they were never conquered by Rome and now stand out linguistically against the Romantic languages.  English of course made the ultimate rebellion from its German grandfather by playing around with fanciful syntax and a more lightsome opportunity for rhyme and various informal vernaculars.


I look forward to continue my exploration into the roles of culture and teaching language through content via the SCLT model.  My own experience lends me multiple cultural perspectives on learning.  Basically, the ELL students are usually much more traditional than us Americans, but they receive little to no help at home of course, so it is important to teach them American culture and how to use language in various cultural contexts appropriately, while valuing and drawing from theirs, in order to truly engage the learner and get them to really own their language learning.

2015 Summer Institute underway

Today we began our 2015 summer institute and, of course, took a selfie! Here we are:

GVWP 2014 SummerWrites

Top 10 Things We Learned from Morning Reflection

by a Curmudgeon, an Optimist, and the Realist

11          Turf Fienz: Hoodies don’t make a hood.

10          Everything sounds cooler when it rhymes; ask Bill Shakespeare.

9            Be thou not afraid of improvisational language.

8            Exceptional people are exceptional; the rest of us will need to go to college.

7            If you can’t say something nice, you’re not trying hard enough.

6            Teaching is not a solo performance.

5            Best learning comes in groups; schools call this cheating; time for a change.

4            Language should not be used as a sword or a fence.

3            Praise must be authentic; kids’ BS monitors are finely-tuned

2            If I treated you all the same, I would be denying your individuality.

1            BRING AN UMBRELLA EVERY DAY

Getting to Know You...



“But that was last summer. Every summer we try again… with hope of renewed relationships.”

-Marissa Nicholson, from “The Old Battle Axe”



Through Marissa’s raw and humorous tale of her grandmother, her love of family becomes clear- food, vacations, and even shared turmoil links her with siblings, parents, (and for better or worse) her grandma. As a special education teacher, Marissa faces daily challenges of understanding students who (like family members) communicate differently. Just like her reoccurring vacation effort shows her commitment to family, it demonstrates a dedicated personality. Each school year she tries again, renewed with hope to connect/understand/influence those around her, be it in the classroom (or a cabin in the woods).

-Molly Hickey



“As the day continued, the hikers began to spread out as some stopped to look at wildlife while others plowed ahead at a quick pace.”

- Jennifer Phillips, from “Camp”



I have learned that Jennifer is a very thoughtful person. She likes to take all the information from the writing project and think about, then present her ideas. There is a sense of caring and doing what’s best for her students. - Kathy McCarthy



“My eyes aren’t open yet, but I know the events that are taking place.”

- Kathy McCarthy, from “Small Moments”



By reading Kathy’s work, I learned that she values family and relationships. She is motivated to understand how connections to people, things, and feelings influence how people act and see the world. It made me think how every person, group, family has a story that can be read through the eyes of each other and the surroundings that are reflected in their eyes.


Her story highlighted the power of the past. Everyone takes all that they have known, learned and felt to inform their decisions. Her eyes are not open (in the quote). This is like not having learned but having a sense of knowing, intuition, and the want for answers and education.


I see this reflected in the classroom. It is our mission to open the eyes of others through education, to challenge and broaden while understanding the benefit of predictability and the comfort in routine. Predictability and routine take the load off of processing and allow for the focus to be on new learning.
 - Marissa Nicholson


“Looking at the flame colored hues of the rising sun, Clemmy remembered. She hustled to the garden digging with her hands, scraping along the dirt and revealing a large bundle. Unsure of what was happening, James and Virginia held their distance.”

from “A Story of Civil War Courage” by Molly Hickey


Molly’s children’s book revealed to me many of her qualities and talents. This rich family story, accentuated by a family heirloom passed down through the generations, illuminates Molly’s connection to and passion for history as well as her ability to bring it to life for her students.
 -Jennifer Phillips




By sharing our stories, we have had the pleasure of being able to glimpse into each other’s lives, which has opened up dimensions of personality and values of our group mates that would not have been exposed through discussion alone. It also showed us the strength and inspiration gained during the writing process from having collaborative feedback and an authentic audience. It reminds us of how much we can learn about our students by reading their writing and how much they gain from sharing their writing with an audience.


Written by: Marissa Nicholson, Molly Hickey, Kathy McCarthy, and Jennifer Phillips

Remarkable

I knew of course that we'd be writing, but the amount of key clicking and pen scratching in the first half of SI is remarkable.

Grateful

Today's feedback from colleagues as I described my module planning makes me recall my friend Brian's comment that NWP TC's are the faculty he's always wanted to work with. I'm grateful.

Scared, and Grateful

Today Kathy's reflection object encouraged us to do something scary every day. Well, just listening to the news this morning was scary, what with Gaza violence --- a "crescendo of vituperation," I think ---, and the assault, assault, assault on the recently-divorced mother of 3 boys...makes me grateful for not being scared, like the Israelis, Palestinians, and all those under assault whose stories, but for NPR, would remain secret.