The Brown-Bag Teacher: Daily 5 Book Study: Chapter 1

The Brown-Bag Teacher: Daily 5 Book Study: Chapter 1: Hello friends! Today I

Inciting Change in Secondary English Language Programs: The Case of Cherry High School by Marilee Coles-Ritchie

 

This book gives a glimpse into the complex task of trying to create change within a system that is structured from the top down. Education is many things--a career, a passion, something one is forced to do from Kindergarten on, something to reform or conserve, political, and dynamic. These strands and more are all captured within the description of a short study in a demographically evolving high school. The way teachers are empowered through endorsement, and able to work together to make change is as inspiring as the way the district imposing policies through a closed off principal is deflating. As a teacher, the lesson I take from the book is to know and be specific about what changes need to be made, and then wait for an opportunity when those changes can benefit those at the top. This is the chance to insert one's own discourse, to borrow from the book.  

English Learners in Special Education

My Final Research Paper

This paper is the beginning of understanding of the complexities that are inherent in determining where to place ELs to maximize their learning experience. From here, I would love to go on to study more about appropriate assessment in such situations, and why alternative programs such as dual immersion and sheltered English have better outcomes in terms of SPED placement.

 

ReadWriteThink's article on teaching with multiple modalities

Reminder to self: revisit Heidi's class materials for ideas on art integration



 

Don't forget the lesson on different ways to be smart:

 

 

 



Culture in Educating Children

Created in Omnisketch by Brittinie Gleave

 



Remember Agatha from the Yupik dual language school: "it is our cultural responsibility to teach the language". Look up her story in Culturally Responsive Teaching
Loss of Family Language link in previous post
There is a very relevant quote that I CAN'T FIND! I think it was Lisa Delpit, and something about being surprised at a question about separating language and culture. She goes on to describe language as what a mother sings to her infant, etc. It was a beautiful quote, and I remember highlighting it, but alas, it seems to have disappeared...

The Roles and Responsibilities of Teachers of English Learners

 

     The roles and responsibilities of teachers depend on the goals teachers have for their students. If the goal is to have students assimilate into the school culture and perform well on English language measures, then this teacher may see it as her/his role to help the student learn English as quickly as possible, even at the expense of the home language. If the goal is to help the student become academically successful, and be college-bound, then the teacher’s role may be to use the students’ language to develop academic language until the student is proficient enough in English to function well in an academic setting. Finally, if it is the teacher’s goal to help the student develop self-efficacy and become operating members of a democratic society, then it is the teacher’s responsibility to help the student learn how to negotiate situations and develop all areas of potential. All students’ potential is enhanced by learning languages. Therefore, teachers with this goal will consider all languages as valuable resources that s/he has a responsibility to preserve while also teaching English (see Delpit’s article for arguments on why English should be taught in conjunction with first language)*

 

            *In pursuit of this goal, teachers also have a responsibility to learn about language development and the acquisition of a second language (see Wong’s article on what teachers should know about language).

Wong-Fillmore and Snow article: What Teachers Need to Know About Language

Wong-Fillmore article: Loss of Family Languages: Should Educators be Concerned

Delpit's article: Acquisition of Literate Discourse: Bowing Before the Master?

 

 

 

 

Big “D” discourse and how it might impact schooling for ELs

James Paul Gee
Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Discourse is the language that shapes one’s social identity. In fulfilling the primary need to belong, people from a young age, and often without conscious awareness align themselves with the discourses of their surroundings. For some, these discourses mesh with the dominant Discourse—that of the dominant culture. For others, the discourses are a mismatch to the dominant culture, which keeps them at odds (oppressed) throughout their lifetimes. There are theorists who argue that the discourse of upbringing cannot be transcended (Gee),

 

while others believe that operating within the dominant discourse can be a learned practice (Delpit).

Lisa Delpit
Photo Credit: New Learning online

This is where critical language pedagogy comes in. In teaching students that there is power in certain language and giving them access to that language (through explicit lessons on effective language use, relating language to content or classroom practices), teachers can apprentice students into the dominant discourse. Once they are part of the discourse, as Delpit claims, they can change it, as Discourse is dynamic and malleable (though it is also stubborn and persistent).

I remember learning that English was the third language of author Joseph Conrad just after reading Heart of Darkness. This new information allowed me to put my finger on why the language of the book is so powerful. Conrad was able to pick and choose words with an outsider’s perspective, objectively. Critically taught students have the same potential, though some objectivity may be lost. Students taught in this way can be selective with language, manipulating it depending on the situation. Students without such education—even those who are part of the Discourse—are at a disadvantage, because they have available only that one perspective and the language within it.

Picture from Amazon.com

Other resources that helped formulate these opinions are:

Photo from Amazon.com