CSE 624 Week 8 Increasing Confidence
Overview
This is a collection of Strategies to help "Increase Confidence in ESL Students."
Increasing Confidence in Emergent Bilingual Learners
The following link that are attached will be very helpful in selecting beneficial "Instructional Strategies."
Final Project - OER
Increasing Confidence
in ESL Learners
Kay Nabis Smith
Western Oregon University
CSE 624
Spring 2021
Table of Contents
Introduction………………………...…………………………………………………….………3
SELECTING INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES….…………...…………………….……....4
Figure 1…………...…………………………………………………………........................……4
WINDOW PANE GRID………………………………………………………………………....7
Figure 2…………………………………………………………………………………………...7
ENDURING REMOTE PRACTICES…………...……………..………………………….…...8
Figure 2…………………………………………………………………………………………...8
CREATING A CULTURE OF KINDNESS…………...…………………………...………....11
Figure 3…………...………………………………………………………………………......…11
INTEGRATION OF NEWCOMERS…………...…………………………………....12
Figure 4…………...…………………………………………………..……………12
HOW TO LEARN VIDEOS…………...…………………………………………….14
Figure 5…………...………………………………………………………..………14
HOPE IS A SKILL…………...…………………………………….……………….16
Figure 6…………...…………………………………………………………..……16
IMPROVING GRAMMAR…………...……………………………………………..19
Figure 7…………...……………………………………………………..………....19
INCREASING PARENT/VOLUNTEER INVOLVEMENT…………...………………20
EMPATHY MAP - VISUALS…………...…………………………………………...22
Figure 8…………...………………………………………………………………..22
USING ONLINE TOOLS - WHITEBOARDS…………...………………………...…23
Figure 9…………...……………………………………………………………..…23
Figure 10 INTERACTIVE, INDEPENDENT LEARNING………………………………...25
USING FUN GAMES IN LANGUAGE CLASSES…………...……………………….26
Figure 11…………...………………………………………………………………26
INCREASING PARENT AND TUTOR INVOLVEMENT TO IMPROVE READING…..27
Figure 12…………...…………………………………………………………….…27
WORKING SMARTER NOT HARDER - USING LANGUAGE TOOLS/STRATEGIES.29
Figure 13…………...…………………………………………………………...….29
WRITING WITH CONFIDENCE…………...………………………………………30
Figure 14………………………………………………………………………………………...30
DOCUMENT DESIGN & CONCLUSION…………………………………………………...31
Figure 15………………………………………………………………………………………...31
References……………………………………………………………………………………….32
Increasing Confidence
in ESL Learners
In today’s world, students who are technology natives and not technology immigrants like myself may know more about the opportunities that this information world offers. There are new “influencers” who can use technology to become entrepreneurs. These young people may be fluent in making “cat videos” and designing YouTube channels that “pay you if you have at least 1,000 viewers, as long as some of them click the ads and sometimes buy the product.” They may realize that if they can earn $3-$5 per thousand viewers which might calculate to $5,000 for a million viewers monthly. The popular “cat video” might earn as much as $60,000 per year. If these popular kids are technologically savvy/natives, own a printer, new phone and some lights, they may be able to do/create things that will lead to their success.
However, what if the reverse is true. The challenges to becoming tech savvy or even succeeding in school may be overwhelming for students who are not only technology immigrants but are also Emergent Bilingual learners, who are not yet able to fluently function in their new world known as public education. Without a printer, internet, computer, paper, translator, phone, or access to tv or a YouTube channel they may be dog paddling in the deep end of the pool trying to just stay a float. This is why I am passionate about implementing OERs into after school programs or at least getting them into the hands of as many educators, mentors and tutors as possible. How can we best help them to become vocational influencers as well? They need not go the route of becoming an internet “personality” to become successful. However, my hope is that as they become both more fluent in languages and technology, they will have a fighting chance to become all that they were created to be. As an adult, I hope these children will grow up to someday say, “I love what I do” whatever that may be.
SELECTING INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
Figure 1
There are many strategies that can be used in the classroom to boost students' confidence, however some of the most successful are: anchor charts, word walls, games, outlines, poetic art, graphic organizers, videos, mnemonic devices, word banks, and journals. It is important to raise the joy level while keeping things simple. Wisdom, discernment, grace and fun can help the students to fly through the doors into new levels of proficiency. With continued practice they will become accustomed to success and will fall into a groove or routine that works best for them, and eventually they will be able to function fluently without the teacher prompting them. It takes time and creative effort, but the fruit is well worth the effort.
To help select which strategies to use as the mainstays of instruction, teachers should consider the following questions:
How can students use the strategy across disciplines?
How does the strategy engage students as active participants in their learning?
How can students use the strategy independently of the teacher?
Is the strategy flexible enough to be used in all learning environments? (Di Michele Lalor, 2021, para. 2)
It is also important to think about how these strategies and students will function outside of the four walls of the classroom. Modeling and practicing how to order at a restaurant can be an entertaining task, then perhaps the class would be able to go see a show/play about Don Quijote de la Mancha followed by ordering an authentic meal at a traditional Mexican restaurant if the students were learning Spanish. However, if their focus is English, then use strategies that would set them up for success by taking them to an English Speaking Movie (with subtitles if possible) and then out for a meal at an authentic American Style Restaurant like Applebee’s for example. When the learning becomes alive and practical to them it will sink in, this is why incorporating videos with authentic speakers in the target language works well also.
1. COGNITIVE ROUTINES
According to Di Michele Lalor (2021), there are simple criteria or questions that students use repeatedly when approaching tasks with similar thinking demand. Students can employ learning targets and success criteria as a cognitive routine as shown by the following example:
“I can summarize information by doing the following:
Determining what is most important,
Being specific and to the point, and
Saying it in my own words.” (Di Michele Lalor, 2021, para. 3)
This would be a wonderful journal exercise. When it is repeated it will become a habit or routine for them. In small groups they can summarize and synthesize what they have learned. Think-pair-share would also work if you wanted the students to have more practice speaking while working in pairs. “With carefully selected instructional strategies, students will spend less time figuring out how to accomplish a task and more time focusing on the learning” (Di Michele Lalor, 2021, para. 10). Determining what is important is the key to success, then feel free to practice, repeat and enjoy the journey to fluency.
Games and Window Panes are my favorite strategies to use in the classroom. They make things clear, concise, and directional while taking off the stress or high expectations of performance. Almost any game can be adapted to use in learning languages. Giving a small group assignment for students to create their own game or version of a traditional one can be very effective. There may be six class periods with eight small groups of four or less students. If the instructor first models using a game paired with a visual aid to play with a class on Friday afternoons to review the new vocabulary from the week, the students will know what to expect and follow suit. The amazing thing is their creativity levels will skyrocket, and because they are learning to “play” with the new words, their confidence will soar, while their apprehensiveness plummets. It is a win-win situation. If 9 different topics are covered during a 10 week term, each group will have a chance to present or model their selections or creations. Then the best visual aid can be left to decorate the room and create a visual word map or wall which will make reviewing for the final test or project a breeze as well. It is important to work smarter and not harder; no one instructor would have the time to create such wonderful visuals/posters and games (better known as learning strategies). However together the class will succeed in developing a system or routine that works best for that group of students. During the 10th week the instructor will be able to glean the very best projects or posters/games to use in all six class periods. With online learning tools and grammar games included, the sky's the limit.
The only thing that may be a draw back or limit their learning is the bell schedule. I have found that students don't want to leave a safe, fun, enjoyable atmosphere where they are truly engaged and learning. When creativity and activity are highlighted, many fun new designs will inevitably surface. This keeps the students intrigued and interested.
It is also important to not overwhelm the students with too much information or too many new words each week. Nine has seemed to be a good number to focus on. More than that can be too challenging or defeating. It is better to start small and build, instead of overloading them. When too many pages of reading are assigned or too many new whimsical strategies are used, the students may lose both focus and interest. This is especially true when using powerpoint slides. Fewer slides with fewer/larger words works the best. Otherwise confusion and frustration may set in. This defeats the goal of making learning a joy and keeping strategies simple. Using one word or sentence per box works best. Assigning just the right amount leads to success. One of the most effective writing strategies is the window pane, which is illustrated here:
Window Pane Grid
Figure 2
ENDURING REMOTE PRACTICES
Figure 3
A classroom lecture
Note. This is a classroom prior to online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, most students have had to endure the practices from remote teaching. There have actually been many noted benefits from this new process of educating that students noted:
A decrease in feeling anxious
An abundance of quiet time to reflect, work and feel empowered
The ability to design their schedules
An online learning environment that allowed students to contribute their voices
“...improved teachers’ efficiency by transforming previously dead time - when students are waiting for the teacher to introduce the next learning task - into time in which students can exercise increased freedom and choice” (Pack, 2021, para. 1)
The ability to harness virtual observations to maximize or multiply learning
The enjoyment of differentiated venues of instruction/learning opportunities
A fun digital agenda - new and fresh.
Hopefully, teachers will be able to keep some of these benefits when or if they return to in-person classroom instruction. Self-paced learning has been encouraged by the digital/living agendas. Especially on sites like Canvas, learning has become more streamlined, and unit materials are easily accessed. This shows students how to build on their learning, and supporting conferencing also allows “teachers to refer students to previous materials to help them fill gaps or to offer a refresher of a lesson from weeks earlier” (Pack, 2021, para. 5). As a teacher, this is a game changer.
Zoom Chat has thankfully allowed the quieter students to be heard and also provides quick feedback. Other modes that allow students to engage are tools like Mentimeter and Google Docs. The chat space feature allows teachers not to be overwhelmed, and it can be used as “a parking lot to capture ideas you’ll return to later” (Pack, 2021, para. 8). The bonus features of using Zoom Chat are as follows:
During or after the discussion, students will be able to see each other's ideas,
After direct instruction, lessons can be easily synthesized,
It allows students to connect by echoing important moments/beautiful language,
It creates routine for back-channel engagement,
It keeps things simple and makes it easy for students to break everything down,
It is transforming and provides perspective shifts,
It allows both students and teachers to give feedback,
It allows students to ask questions in the chat,
It makes transitioning into the next activity easier, and
Surveys are easy to administer.
“Whether you are virtual or in person, these surveys underscore that you and students are partners in this invigorating but unpredictable journey that we call learning” (Pack, 2021, para. 16). Perhaps we should try to teach students the language of tech before teaching them English. Whether virtual or in person, we know that “all things work together for good” (New American Standard Version Bible, 1971/1995, Romans 8:28). Technology allows us to open the miraculous box of meaningful information in all subject areas.
CREATING A CULTURE OF KINDNESS
Figure 4
An image of two students happily playing together
It is important to send a message to the classroom that you value kindness, focus on modeling kind behavior, and promote a presence/environment that is caring. This will hopefully generate an atmosphere of respect that causes a ripple effect, “kindness is contagious” (Columbe et al., 2012, para. 2). The following are ways to spread kindness:
Build on children’s knowledge
Make it known, show & model
Let children practice
Implementing children’s literature is key
Be mindful of kindness and act on it
INTEGRATION OF NEWCOMERS
Figure 5
A photo of students in a hallway
It is important for schools to find a balance between implementing curriculum and lessons, and teaching newcomers the English language. Positive efforts to make them feel welcome must come first, perhaps putting up posters or welcome signs in the halls or commons would help. However, the best choice may be to pair them with a student or other volunteer who can act as a mentor and guide to help them become familiar with their new surroundings. These volunteer/welcomers can reach out and make the task of communicating their needs more feasible. It is both important for them to learn to become a part of the school community, while also not making them feel like they must lose their own culture, uniqueness or language to do so.
Integration has to do with bringing different people together. The aim is not uniformity, but rather a sense of unity made stronger by many complementary parts. Integration has been described as “a dynamic, two-way process in which newcomers and the receiving society work together to build secure, vibrant, and cohesive communities.” Integrated recent arrivals are able to recognize positive attributes of both their heritage and their new culture and can navigate both with relative ease. They experience mobility and belonging within the new community, without having to compromise their cultural and linguistic identity. (Yaafouri, 2021, para. 5)
Wendy Beck, who is a guidance counselor in rural Iowa has a Wade Davis quote hanging on her door to remind the students that integration, and not assimilation, is the best option for newcomers. It states: “Other cultures are not a failed attempt at being you” (Yaafouri, 2021, para. 1). She wants the immigrant and refugee families to feel that she desires to help them with their integration goals. Assimilation and integration are very different. Comic Hari Kondabolu, who was a former human rights organizer, puts it this way, “I believe in integration, not assimilation. I don’t want to work to become you. I want to work together to create a new whole” (Yaafouri, 2021, para. 3).
HOW TO LEARN VIDEOS
Figure 6
A student learning online
When students know how to use video resources, it can help them to learn at their own pace. Having a visual to go along with the words that they are learning can make all the difference. It is also very important to show them how to use the Closed Caption (CC) feature that is available in most instances. This CC option is mainly used for helping students with hearing impairments, but it can also be used to boost the confidence levels of ESL learners. When they can see an image, hear a word and see the word spelled out with CC in front of them, it will help them to better understand and comprehend what they are learning on a deeper level.
The following is an example of how videos need to be broken down to enhance learning for students:
Whether online or in person classes, videos are a teaching tool that can enable students to learn new concepts and skills and engage in practice activities, all at their own pace. What actually happens when students watch instructional videos in class, however, doesn’t always lead to the expected outcome. Before the pandemic, when I used videos in a classroom setting, students would hit play, sit back, and watch. When it came time to complete the subsequent activities, however, [they] immediately required assistance, despite my having explained and demonstrated what to do. (Robinson, 2021, para. 1)
In this example, it is evident that videos are only useful if properly scaffolded. It is also important to encourage student reflection as well. When they can learn to focus on the material they are learning, they will be able to not only understand why and how they are learning, but they will actually be able to digest the information and know what they are learning too.
The following gives hope:
Asking students to mind-map new ideas or having them complete graphic organizers are strategies to direct their attention to the new information. Additionally, implementing a Project Zero Visible Thinking Routine such as “See, Think, Wonder” is another way to encourage students to reflect on the learning experience. (Robinson, 2021, para. 12)
These mind maps or journal entries can not only help students in the learning process, they may also be a successful tool in reducing their stress and anxiety levels. When they are checked weekly for completion and not errors, progress will happen. It is important to see the finished work at the end of the year as a journey of hope. Progress and not perfection is more important.
HOPE IS A SKILL
Figure 7
An image representing hopefulness in learning
Hope has been shown in studies to be a learnable and measurable skill (Fleming, 2021). In Boyd County, Kentucky, this February three snowstorms left many snowbound for up to two weeks without light in freezing temperatures in their homes. These storms affected thousands of residents, however two people died of hypothermia during this time. Following is an account of how one resourceful teacher reached out and tried to keep her students’ hopes up, she tried to keep them looking forward:
The outages added insult to injury for a rural community struggling to keep students connected and engaged in remote learning for the past year, shared Christy Ford, a high school English teacher. With a limited cell phone battery, Ford texted her students during the “dark days” to let them know she was thinking about them — and ask them what they’d do first when the power came on. (Fleming, 2021, para. 2)
Research has shown that hopeful people share some of these qualities:
Thinking proactively
Planning ahead
Persistently focusing on the future
Setting and achieving goals
Bouncing back from adversity more easily
Carrying high self-esteem
Choosing tasks, curriculum and expectations wisely can positively benefit students' view of themselves and of the world around them. Expecting too much, too soon can be a downfall and shut students down unnecessarily. We need to shift our plans to meet their needs, not push them to meet our expectations. One creative effort that was noted was having students make time capsules. They can also write letters to themselves that they will receive after the pandemic is over. It is also important to share stories of overcoming. Many people have overcome hardships and teachers need to use these heroes to interject hope into their students' lives. When a perspective shift takes place they will all become more hopeful.
Other creative strategies that have helped during this pandemic are making stuffed worry monsters for younger children to interact with, and designing worry boxes for older students to put their written down concerns in. Holding morning meetings and using exit tickets was shown to work well too. The most effective however may have been to have students journal daily answering the question, “Today, I hope…” (Fleming, 20201, para. 18). Allison Berryhill, a High school English teacher, also conducted a “Dream It, Do It” activity where her students brainstormed 12 future hopes after watching a TED Talk by Tim Urban called “Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator.” Then she had them each focus on only one of their hopes. She said, “It’s possible to fail at a goal, but you can’t fail at a hope. Start with hope first.”(Fleming, 2021, para. 21)
We all may struggle and we all may procrastinate a bit about some areas of our lives, however as Cristy Ford said, “...I need to model strong and consistent behaviors for my students --- even if I’m struggling with the same frustrations and sense of hopelessness myself” (Fleming, 2021, para. 27). It is so important that we build relationships with our students and give them support, encouragement and hope. The long term impact will be priceless, the ripple effect will show them how they can then instil hope in others.
IMPROVING GRAMMAR
Figure 8
An image representing the information students are viewing, like the “The Renegade” dance.
Social media can be a weapon or a tool. One source that students often talk about is TikTok.
#1: BITE-SIZED LESSONS
The best length for these mini lessons is between 30 - 60 seconds. Students enjoy them because they can play them over and over until they understand. This works well for chapter review materials. Meeting them where they are at yields positive results.
#2: INCREASING PARTICIPATION
By keeping lessons short and fresh students are engaging more. This has also helped to eliminate stress and make learning more enjoyable. The platform does have restrictions or guides for 13-15 year olds, this helps to eliminate inappropriate comments and encourage parent control of their children’s sites.
#3: CONNECTING WITH STUDENTS
Claudie James, an English teacher was persuaded by a student to develop her own site/account called: @iamthatenglishteacher. In six weeks she had 100,000 hits, now she has 900,000 followers throughout the globe. This format has allowed students/teachers to instruct each other.
INCREASING PARENT/VOLUNTEER INVOLVEMENT
In this section instead of including a figure to illustrate the content, I wanted to focus on the white space or what it would look like for students who have no parent, role model, or volunteer who positively speaks into their lives. What would you think, feel, or care about concerning this neglect of involvement. How can you make a difference or get involved in the life of at least one young ESL learner? How can you help to recruit or multiply your time by encouraging more parents or volunteers to step up and help also?
In the following paragraphs from (Project Zero, n.d.) is an example of an exercise that might help to select volunteers:
Step inside a system:
Choose a variety of people within a system and then step inside each person’s point of view. As you think about what you know about the system, consider what each person might think, feel, and care about:
Think: How does this person understand this system and their role within it?
Feel: What is this person’s emotional response to the system and to their position within it?
Care: What are this person’s values, priorities, or motivations with regard to the system? What is important to this person? (p. 1)
In one school that I know of, a single volunteer went to visit an elementary school to speak with the Principal about how they might best be able to make a difference in the lives of the students who were attending there. When they arrived they found the Principal sitting there with his head hanging in his hands, he looked distressed but was more than willing to take time out of his day to speak with the caring volunteer. He explained that he had just received news about the test scores for his students, many of the students were ESL learners and most of the children were on the Title 1 free lunch program. He didn’t know what he might be able to do to improve the lives and scores of so many children. He admitted that the task seemed overwhelming and daunting. The volunteer shared that she had some friends that would be more than willing to help and that she had actually been praying that morning and felt led to come to the school and volunteer their services. All of them, about 80 in total, had one thing in common, they all attended a small church that was just down the street from the elementary school. Many of them were retired educators or stay at home parents who had flexible schedules and the commodity of time to offer. Many of them had already passed background checks already because they volunteered at the church as well, so they were ready to start immediately. The Principal thought that was a great idea. The team completely transformed the atmosphere of hopelessness and just by taking time to sit side by side and read with struggling students from all backgrounds, they were also able to positively affect the next year's test score results one child at a time. That next year the Principal received several awards and honors, however he gave all the credit to the volunteer army of tutors. So I will leave you with this one last thought or question, how can you or those you know personally make a positive impact on those in your surroundings? How can each of us help to make a positive change in our neighborhoods and families one child at a time? Lastly, when will you start? Carpe diem.
EMPATHY MAP - VISUALS
Figure 9
Two girls studying at a table, a template of an empathy map is also available (Valenzuela, 2021)
It is very pertinent that educators learn to study their students. When instructors can understand their student’s feelings, needs, and hopeful perspectives, they will be in a better position to instruct them well.
Empathy maps can be a scaffold that individual teachers or grade-level teams use to begin empathizing with students while simultaneously increasing their knowledge of them—which is critical for raising equity in schools. The empathy-mapping process had its beginnings in product development and was initially created to help companies understand their customers’ needs. (Valenzuela, 2021, para. 2)
With ESL learners the goal is to create more personalized, equitable lessons that are scaffolded and tailored to their struggles, strengths, needs, behaviors, emotional states, and attitudes.
USING ONLINE TOOLS - WHITEBOARDS
Figure 10
A student engaged in online learning
This article shares about how a positive change has impacted two instructors to continue to use online whiteboards instead of individual dry-erase boards in their classrooms. The reason that the individual dry-erase boards were not working well was because the students had to erase their work after every question and when learning moved online the instructors could only see the students' faces and not their work.
To view and manage student content, teachers log on to a whiteboard website such as Google Jamboard, Whiteboard.fi, Whiteboard.chat, GeoGebra, or Desmos, which are all free, although some have paid features, and create a session or activity. (Many sites also have pre-made templates that teachers can modify.) Students then access content by going to the whiteboard site and typing a code or clicking a unique link. Many sites allow teachers to assign content directly to their classes via a learning management system like Canvas or Google Classroom. (Wong & Bukalovet, 2021, para. 6)
When online whiteboards are used it allows the teacher to see the students' work simultaneously and all students' voices were able to be heard equitably. Using these whiteboards increases the students confidence and multiplies the teachers time. They do not have to ask each student questions individually, because they can see everyone’s work at the same time.
The simplest way we use online whiteboards is to give students blank whiteboards on which they can write content. This strategy works best for situations where we survey students with quick questions like “Which answer choice is correct?” or “What is a ratio?”
A more sophisticated technique is to give students static content that we prepare beforehand. Pushing text and diagrams directly to their whiteboards works well for practice since they can mark up diagrams and underline text, as shown below. (Wong & Bukalov, 2021, para. 8 & 9)
There have been some drawbacks due to students not knowing how to type mathematical content, or the device they are using or internet connections are not strong enough. However, overall using the whiteboards has increased the engagement and effectiveness of the lessons so much that when in person teaching resumes many teachers will continue to use them. The benefits of being able to reduce the need for cut out cards, copying handouts, providing quick feedback and giving students practice through hands-on individual discovery have made these whiteboards an invaluable tool that will continue to be used in the future.
Figure 11
INTERACTIVE, INDEPENDENT LEARNING
Courtesy of Bobson Wong and Larisa Bukalov
USING FUN GAMES IN LANGUAGE CLASSES
Figure 12
Two students participating in a classroom activity
The Top 9 Games to Play: Use a different game each week to keep things interesting.
Pictionary
Bingo
Swing your Partner
Hangman
Baseball
Flyswatter
Whisper
Eye Spy
Spinner
INCREASING PARENT AND TUTOR INVOLVEMENT TO IMPROVE READING
Figure 13
An image of students engaged in reading (Asset-Based Approach to Supporting English Learners’ Reading Skills)
Diversity is beautiful and English learners (ELs) represent over 400 languages.
ELs may not have had the same opportunities with English as native English speakers, but they have other experiences with language, including speaking and hearing another language since birth. And in addition to language, students enter classrooms with backgrounds and experiences that influence their ability to read. (Gonzalez, 2021, para. 3)
When a student has learned how to crack the code, so to speak, in their first language (L1), it will be a positive experience and will be of great benefit when they are learning to read and write. When they can associate sounds and symbols, making connections will help them understand and comprehend what they are seeing on the written page. Students who have not yet learned how to crack the code in their L1 may struggle for a learning season.
Some factors to consider include:
the student’s first language proficiency (listening, speaking, reading, and writing),
the student’s current English language proficiency,
the student’s background knowledge and opportunities,
the student’s access to language at home, and
similarities and differences between the student’s first language and English (cognates and written features). (Gonzalez, 2021, para. 3)
All of these factors may come into play when teaching reading, however, again it is important to remember the side by side or screen by screen factor as well. Parents and tutors who spend one-on-one time with these children will be able to tip the scales in their favor regardless of where a student starts on their reading journey. It is important to focus on the end goal and get them connected with a caring adult who will take them by the hand and show them the way to success.
WORKING SMARTER NOT HARDER - USING LANGUAGE TOOLS/STRATEGIES
Figure 14
An image of a student working online from home
5 Effective Models
Completing the first one in a set as an example
Providing explicit guidance on the expectations of the assignment through visual models
Using language frames as models for conversational moves
Demonstrating how to complete the steps of the task through video
Chunking the steps of a complex process and using a corresponding template for students to complete (Witt & Soet, 2020, para. 3)
WRITING WITH CONFIDENCE
Figure 15
Learning how to write well requires time, effort, and feedback. The instructors/volunteers need to receive professional development opportunities first, then they can successfully lead the students into the world of writing. Writing is what transforms a student from being bilingual to becoming biliterate. Without this skill many students are stuck at a level of competency that will not allow them to reach their full potential or individual dreams.
There is a true joy that can be experienced by those who take the journey. When they are provided with the opportunity, time, tools, proper mentors, instructors, and volunteers they will be able to tap into a side of themselves that they have not known before. When they can become published authors, like those students at 826 Valencia, who knows where their talents will lead them? Writing also gives students a better understanding and helps them implement what they have learned. This synthesized information can give instructors a better view/assessment.
DOCUMENT DESIGN - Figure 16
An excellent OER in helping EB learners to improve their writing skills is called Document Design, Productivity Applications (2021). No one enjoys looking at photos that are blurry or out of focus, so it is important that students learn how to frame their writing with pleasant figures, photos, and designs. When their paragraphs look neat, concise, and in order, their readers benefit. It is important that students learn to wrap their text around some of their visuals or figures to make the overall body of their work look more appealing. They must realize that it is never ok to leave orphans or widows (dangling text or sentences) standing alone. Leaving every page polished and well thought out is important. Employers do not want to read resumes full of errors, that look sloppy, or just thrown together. If a picture can paint a thousand words, it is important to frame that picture with the words that matter most.
In conclusion, the most important factor in building an EB learners confidence is you. As a caring adult and instructor we must find the time to invest positive strategies and interject kind words into our children’s learning experiences. The best way to multiply these efforts is to recruit like minded tutors, volunteers, and parents who are willing to go the extra mile as well. Acts of loving kindness can go a long way. The person who says with their words that they will help is completely different from the one who actually takes the time out of their busy schedule to do so.
References
Borovoy, A. E. (2015, December 2). 5-Minute film festival: Copyright and fair use for educators. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/film-festival-copyright-fair-use
Coulombe, M., & Zuccaro, E. (2021, March 16). A culture of kindness in early childhood classrooms. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/culture-kindness-early-childhood-classrooms
Di Michele Lalor, A. (2021, April 14). Selecting instructional strategies that students can master. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/selecting-instructional-strategies-students-can-master
Document Design: Productivity Applications. (2021). CSE 624 - OER 2021 [PowerPoint Slides].
Fleming, N. (2021, March 26). In schools, finding hope at a hopeless time. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/schools-finding-hope-hopeless-time
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