Transcript Writing for ELLs

Teaching Writing to ELLs
•Group of 3
•One paper, one pencil
•Write one statement you know about the topic and
pass the paper to the person on the right
•Keep adding statements until time is up
Writing in a subject area
Text structure
Writing strategy
Signal words
ProblemSolution
•Problems are identified
and solutions are provided
•Supporting details
describe the problem and
solution
Accordingly, answer, as a
result, because, challenge,
decide, fortunately, issue,
if____then, one reason is,
outcome is, problem, so,
solution, the problem is
solved by, therefore, thus,
unfortunately, trouble
The 7 steps of writing process for ELLs
1. Pre-teach key vocabulary. Select key words that students
will need to understand and use for writing assignment.
2. Develop background knowledge. Students from different
cultures approach writing differently and they also have
different schooling experiences. Develop background
knowledge or explanation of unfamiliar concepts and
mechanics for writing.
3. Describe it. Discuss and present the strategy, its purpose,
benefits, and goals, and the grading rules of finished
products. Consider differentiated grading scales for ELLs,
depending on their level of English proficiency.
4. Model it. Show the writing you want your students to
emulate. Model each phase of the strategy.
The 7 steps of writing process for ELLs
5. Memorize it. Ensure that students memorize the
language and steps of the strategy.
6. Support it. Support or scaffold the student’s use
of the strategy until she/he can apply it with few
or no supports. Model self-regulated learning.
7. Ample use of student interaction. Model and
implement collaborative/cooperative writing
strategies to plan, draft, revise, and edit
composition.
Round table-1: What are the 7 steps?
• Group of 3
• One paper, one pencil
• Each group member writes one short statement
about the topic and passes the paper to the
person on the right
• Everyone must write a statement
• Keep adding statements until time is up
• Count the number of correct responses by your
team. Delete repeated words/statements and
report your number
Round-2: What are the 7 steps?
• Group of 3
• One paper, one pencil
• Each group member writes one expanded
statement about the topic and passes the paper
to the person on the right
• Everyone must write a statement
• Keep adding statements until time is up
• Count the number of correct responses by your
team. Delete repeated words/statements and
report your number
Round-3: What are the 7steps?
• Put your heads together and come up with a
strategy to improve your team total
• Apply your strategy in Round-2
Round table: Variations
• Write a key word from the text and pass the
paper
• Keep writing one word at a time until time is
up
• The words must be Tier 2 or 3
Why tier classification?
Tier 1
Simple words for English speaker, but might create difficulty for
ELLs due to:
•Spelling
•Pronunciation
•Background knowledge
•Unfamiliar word
•False cognate
Why tier classification?
Tier 2 words and clusters
Phrasal clusters:
Skim through, over the course of, stimulus package
Idioms, social function words/clusters:
break a leg, I’m just looking, I’m good
Polysemous words:
Trunk, right, cell, left, table
Information-processing words: apparent, assumption, basis, crucial, display
Connectors: however, as well as, although, for instance, in contrast
Sophisticated /specific words: scrutiny, celestial, wholesome
Why tier classification?
Tier 3 academic content specific
Math: square root, rectangle, radical numbers, circumference, Pi square
Science: photosynthesis, germ, atom, matter, osmosis
Social Studies: government, bylaws, bailout, congressional, capital
Making connections: academic
language
Select 6 words to pre-teach in this order:
1. Which words are going to be most important for
learning this content?
2. Start with tier 3-words that are content specific
3. Next, find tier 2-words that nest those concepts
4. Finally, select tier 1 words that students do not
know yet and you need to teach those in order
to better comprehend the tier 2 and 3 words.
Assessment & Writing
At the end of each week:
Write one or two paragraphs summarizing what
you learned about _________ using as many
tier 2 and tier 3 words as you have learned.
Use appropriate connectors, transition or signal
words.
Revising
Find a simple declarative sentence in your
composition, one that lacks specificity and details
(do not choose the first or last sentences in a
paragraph)
Have students elaborate or extend the sentence by
adding adjectives, adverbs, specificity,
polysemous words, sophisticated words,
compound sentences, etc. use post-it note and
affix to the composition- “cut and grow” strategy
Getting off to a good start
• Focus on ideas the student has, rather than
the ones he/she lacks
• Contextualize grammar for students to play
with and then use in their writing
• Teach about how different choices of modal
verbs in argument can position the writer
• Teach about how expanded noun phrases can
create great mind-movies
Getting off to a good start
• Allow ELLs to work on one or two skills per
week, focusing on proofreading and editing
• A rule of thumb might be to let the student
write only one paragraph and use three or
four new vocabulary words
• The student and teacher will increasingly
target other skills to assess. Samples of work
can be included in personal portfolios to track
growth.
Write-Around strategy
• Group of 3
• three sheets of paper, three pencils
• Write one statement you know about the
topic and pass the paper to the person on the
right
• Read what others added to your statement
and continue with your writing
• Keep adding sentences until time is up