Group items tagged

(week 9: Jason Caputo and Ericka Posey) This article is accessible via jstor from the link above and can also be searched from the title via UMUC library. This article discusses research on online communities and the interaction between L2 (language learners) with L1 (native) speakers. It examines the benefits of participation in these communities as part of the learning experience. The research in the article supports the use of authentic experiences, even online, as a driver of language acquisition and student motivation to improve. Authentic experiences like those found online fill a gap in typical learning environments by giving cultural and linguistic context to communication. Though you may not teach a language or be able to include online communities directly into your course material, this article highlights the need to expand your instruction outside the four walls of your classroom. Provide opportunities for learning and assessment that reflect student interests and real world situations. The more student interests are taken into account, the greater their passion for learning. The more reflective of real world experiences, the deeper the learning experience. Thorne, S. L., Black, R. W., & Sykes, J. M. (2009). Second Language Use, Socialization, and Learning in Internet Interest Communities and Online Gaming. The Modern Language Journal, 93, 802-821. doi:10.1111/j.1540-4781.2009.00974.x

The first source I found appears to be useful for educators who may not be certified in ESOL, but have ELL students. It breaks down the different types of ELL learners and this could be important when planning and implementing activities. It also helps the teacher get to know the student better and show empathy and compassion. This article is related to "older" ELL students and our data is from a high school class, so therefore some of the solutions for success offered could help these students if implemented. I also like that it emphasizes teaching language through content. This is important because students might understand the general idea, but cannot make certain connections due to language barriers. Therefore, breaking through those barriers might be all the student need to make the connection desired. I also like that it provides questions with answers! This could be very helpful for our group!

This 90-page publication offers research-based findings on learning and teaching music, including teacher strategies and discussion on essential learner outcomes from the Maryland state music curriculum.

My Data Learning Team is looking at an area in which a class struggles. While the students are older than in this study, it's sometimes good to go back and look at other possible stresses on the student.

In looking at student's achievement, I always like to ask myself whether I'm unconsciously contributing to their difficulties. Reading like these help me reflect.

A study in using technology (among other things) to improve middle school math performance.

This is a great article that delivers insight about how incorporating children's literature in middle school math can improve literacy amongst students and overall improve mathematical comprehension. These literatures if used appropriately can reduce math testing anxiety and increase confidence amongst students in math.

(Week 7: Benjamin, Cheney, and Gretchen) The journal article is accessible by the link above through the UMUC library services. The journal article discusses the ways that a classroom teacher can use Reading Recovery strategies within the guided reading small group instruction. Reading Recovery is an one on one intervention that is short term. The intervention provides one on one tutoring for first grade students. The article explains the effective strategies that Reading Recovery teachers use that can be implemented in small group instruction. The strategies that the article focuses on are fluency through rereading familiar texts, modeling fluent expectations, providing a strong book introduction, knowing when to prompt the students, and observing and analyzing. Teachers can use this article to understand different strategies in order to improve guided reading instruction such as using running records to help guide instruction. "Likewise, careful analysis of running records (formal or informal) helps teachers to further understand how students respond to difficult text."(Lipp & Helfrich, 2016) Teachers need to use running records as a way to locate the deficits in a students reading and plan lessons that will bridge that gap. Lipp and Helfrich(2016) also states that "interrupting a student who is reading must not be a lengthy process that breaks the flow of the story." It is important to explicitly and intentionally interrupt a student while reading with quick prompts that will help the student guide themselves to self corrections. References: Lipp, J. R., & Helfrich, S. R. (2016). Key Reading Recovery Strategies to Support Classroom Guided Reading Instruction. Reading Teacher, 69(6), 639-646. doi:10.1002/trtr.1442

(Week 7: Cathy, Sheila and Suzanne) This journal article is accessible though the link given above by accessing the UMUC library. This journal article discussed the connection between metacognition and cognitive retention dependent on particular Biology teaching strategies. The article focused on four strategies, Problem-based learning (PBL), Jigsaw, PBL integrated with Jigsaw and direct teaching. The article explained how PBL/Jigsaw leads to greater metacognition skills and therefore the students will be more successful learners. This article can help teachers identify student learning gaps and incorporate learning strategies that aid in metacognitive skills and also increase cognitive retention. It also examines how student motivation and leaning styles and cooperative learning strategies can help self-esteem and student achievement. Palennari wrote that metacognition makes students become independent learners that can manage and plan their learning process. "Self-regulated learners are responsible for their own learning progress and adapt their learning strategies reaching demands completely." (Palennari, 2016) Reference: Palennari, M. (2016). Exploring the correlation between metacognition and cognitive retention of students using some biology teaching strategies. Journal of Baltic Science Education. 15(5). Pp 617-629.

One of the instructional gaps I noticed during data analysis, Is a limited amount of re-teaching opportunities that are available to students after a concept is initially taught. When I was a classroom teacher, one of the strategies I used to re-teach was to assign video-based homework assignments that would "walk" students through the concepts that I taught on a given day. I would often attach the video to a Google Form and ask a few multiple-choice or open-ended questions that would allow me to gauge the students' understanding while allowing me collect data.

Without comprehension, reading is a frustrating, pointless exercise in word calling. It is no exaggeration to say that how well students develop the ability to comprehend what they read has a profound effect on their entire lives.1 A major goal of reading comprehension instruction, therefore, is to help students develop the knowledge, skills, and experiences they must have if they are to become competent and enthusiastic readers.

(Week 8: Adiatu, Julie, and Heather) This journal article was found on Diigo by Heather, and is accessible through the link given above. The article was written by the Texas Education Agency, and explored a 1970 classroom study on a reading comprehension strategy taught by teachers where students had to complete an assignment by applying a specific skill mentioned by their teacher. Assessments showed the strategy did not enable comprehension. Following the 1970 study, cognitive scientists found that comprehension is not a skill application. Rather, comprehension is about constructing meaning, which involves interaction, strategy, and adaption. The article is useful to teachers because it suggests activities that teachers can use in the classroom to improve how students construct meaning. For example, having students think aloud as they read. This journal article is useful to our group because the teachers' artifacts are based on the reading comprehension and vocabulary gaps of their students, and the authors stress that teachers should strictly monitor the oral reading skills of students that are having reading comprehension difficulties. Reference What research tells us about reading, comprehension, and comprehension instruction. (2009, January 2). Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/what-research-tells-us-about-reading-comprehension-and-comprehension-instruction

This page from EL Education offers a list of student-centered protocols and strategies, including detailed guides for each on how to use them with students.

My SMART Goal: By the end of the quarter, 80% of students will obtain a 60% or higher in Algebra 1. The dimension I choose to evaluate this resource with is Student Engagement. I believe that many students get distracted during lecture and worksheet practice because they are not fully engaged, therefore they do not receive adequate time to practice their skills. This resource provided me with many different activities that I could implement in my classroom to mix up note taking and worksheet practice. Also, many of the artifacts on my connecting gaps sheet referred to students lack of understanding of the word problem. I believe that an activity like the Tea Party could be used in my classroom for students to practice understanding what specific phrases mean to help them be more successful when solving and in turn improve their assessment performance. I also think that the Dance card protocol could be easily used to partner students together randomly and allow them to work on problems together. Many of the resources linked here however, have a direct English and Social Studies connection, therefore one of my group members who teaches Government could use many of these resources to have students work together to review their own independent work. Thanks for sharing this resource! Noelle :)

"The Think-Pair-Share protocol is a simple way for all students to get a chance to think, talk, and learn from others. "

Think-pair-share is a great way to get students talking about information that is being taught. This is a great way to help students think about the topic that is being taught from a peer's point of view. Dimension: Student learning Rating: 2 This would work towards my fellow teammate's SMART goal,"By the end of quarter 1, 60% of students will score a 70% or higher on the Quarter 1 Literacy Assessment. This allows students to talk about what they are understanding about theme and gain new understandings.

SMART GOAL: Given 1 month of guided reading instruction, students in below grade-level reading groups will increase their reading level by at least one level. (Heather's goal) Dimension: Impact on Learning Impact: 4 Reason: Think-Pair-Share is a strategy where students have a discussion with a partner to solve a problem or answer a question posed by their teacher. After which, the students individually share their ideas/solutions with the entire class. I believe that this strategy will be useful in Heather's attempt in eliminating the reading comprehension gap in her class because asking varying levels of question encourages students to discuss new ideas that deepen their understanding. This strategy will also give Heather the opportunity to assess student understanding by monitoring their discussions. It also has the bonus factor of stimulating student engagement

This article gives a brief overview of vocabulary development and then offers many different instructional strategies to teach vocabulary in the classroom. Strategies include interactive word walls, word mapping, and self-selected vocabulary among many others.

This article strongly correlates with my instructional focuses. After viewing the article, I was able to see the different levels of vocabulary comprehension as well as the interventions that can be used to assist and assess the student's levels of comprehension. This article is a great source for any reading/language arts educator.

Vocabulary plays a vital role in my class with ELL students. This resource contains criteria that will help monitor students vocabulary progress as well as give different strategies such as Self correction, Mapping, Graphic Morphemic Analysis, Interactive word Walls and more for ELL students and students with special needs. This resource aids my groups' SMART Target learning goals by providing strategies for comprehending academic vocabulary.

Study involved head start programs and state funded public preschools from both California and New York. The study consist of a pre and post-test. A curriculum was given to the teachers to assist with planning for group activities in school and a manuel with activities that can be done at home. The curriculum includes counting and numbers, arithmetic operations, geometry, patterns, and reasoning. Data was collected twice during the year, once in the fall then again in the spring. The study found significant differences between the control and the intervention group.

A doctoral dissertation about enhancing writing at the elementary level. Teachers used an intensive 9 week writing program and observed the effects on the students' writing performance. Learning gaps with writing is very wide and instructional changes are made in order to help students write better. Cross-curricular instruction with writing is also emphasized in this study.

This is a collection of instructional strategies that can be used to improve student writing and cooperation and encourage critical thinking. Links to strategies are sorted by teachers' needs: Monitor Progress, Compare and Contrast Ideas, Form Groups, Get Moving!, Work Together, Adapt Content, Share Ideas & Opinions, and Take Notes. Within these categories are several links to various strategies to meet these needs. Each of the links leads to a clear description of how the strategy can be used and multiple examples and clickable resources that can be utilized by teachers immediately. This site has a plethora of interesting activities and tasks for students to encourage better collaboration and thinking. An instructional gap our team recognized that is quite prolific among middle school-aged students is the lack of elaboration or explanation of details in their expository writing pieces. Students can organized paragraphs and essays write clear topic sentences and conclusions, but they struggle supporting their claims with specific details and then explaining how their details relate to the topic.

This article provides detailed background information regarding explicit writing instruction, especially regarding students with special needs such as ADHD, but the strategies discussed can be adapted and used with all learners regardless of ability or grade level. The article begins with a focus on strategies for providing students with motivational contexts for their writing as well as making writing a routine that they enjoy. The rest of the article is divided into sections based on students' ability/age level (basic skills, revising and editing, and motivation). This article discusses strategies that can help address teachers address students' learning gaps in elaboration and explaining their ideas fully in expository writing tasks. Be sure to click "Single Page" at the bottom right of the article so you can see the entire article on one screen, and explore the links to the left of the article for more information about writing instruction for different populations!