Angelito T. PeraVisual scaffolding is an approach in which the language used in instruction is

made more understandable by the display of drawings or photographs that allow

students to hear English words and connect them to the visual images being

displayed. To use this strategy, the teacher builds a file of visuals, such as

photographs or drawings, that can be easily accessed for teaching. (See Figure 3.1 for

suggestions of resources for visuals.)

Step-by-StepThe steps in planning and implementing visual scaffolding are the following:

Identify the vocabulary—Identify the vocabulary in the lesson to be taught that

can be scaffolded with visual images, such as drawings or photographs.

Collect visuals—Find (or make) photos or line drawings that can be used to

visually support the vocabulary needed for the students to understand the

lesson. Use the Internet to search for images that can be collected in a “visuals

file” on the computer for future use.

Reproduce and organize visuals—Reproduce the visuals on transparency

film and organize them so that they can be easily used during teaching.

Sequential order works well for a specific lesson, but you may want to organize

your growing picture file alphabetically so that you can easily access the

pictures for future lessons. Since pictures to be projected on an overhead

projector need not be large, they can be stored in a shoe box on the overhead

projector cart. Internet images can be stored on the computer and later

projected for classroom use.

Engage the students—Encourage students to use the transparency picture file

in their presentations or as a way of asking and answering questions.

Build the file—Continue to build your file on an ongoing basis.

Visual Scaffolding ResourcesInternet image resources—for example, www.google.com (select images) or

www.Altavista.com (select image)

Teacher-, student-, parent-taken photos

Illustrations in old textbooks

Line drawings from old black-line masters or workbooks

Line drawings from children’s coloring books

Illustrations from big books

Children’s artwork (all of the above can be converted to color transparencies)

Vacation videos

Commercial videos

Class-made videos To make color transparencies from photos or illustrations:

Scan the picture into your computer using an inexpensive flatbed scanner and

print it out. Most printers require special transparency film.

Take photos using a digital camera, download them to your computer and print

them out as hard copy or transparencies.The use of photo-quality printing paper

will greatly enhance the quality of the hard copy.

Download illustrations and photos from the Internet and print out as needed.

Take standard photos and have them converted to picture CDs at your local

photo shop or take them to a local copy and print center to have them

converted to color transparencies, posters, calendars, and so on. Storing

transparencies

A three-ring notebook with clear plastic sleeves can be used to store and

organize transparencies. They can be projected without removing them from

the sleeve.

Small transparencies of individual pictures can be stored alphabetically in a

shoe box (plastic or otherwise) and be kept near the overhead projector for

quick access.

Digital material may be stored on the hard drive of your classroom computer, on

flash drives, or on picture CDs for quick, organized access.

Julie Ann R. Galela

Predictable routines and signals in the classroom are among the easiest

strategies to implement and yet are extremely important in reducing the anxiety of

English language learners (Krashen, 1982). Because English language learners do not

always understand everything that is said in the classroom, having set patterns,

routines, and signals helps them relax and not worry as much about being able to

follow the sequence of events and activities during the school day. If they know what

to expect, they can focus more of their energy on the instruction and less on what they

will be expected to do next. Routines that can be set and are predictable include the

sequence of the subjects to be taught, places within the classroom where certain

things are stored and accessible to students, a certain spot on the chalkboard or

bulletin board where reading or homework assignments are posted, a posted daily list

that gives the routine in sequence, and hand or flashing light signals that indicate the

close of one activity and the beginning of another. See Figure 1.1 for a list of

predictable routines and signals that support English language learners in the

classroom.

Step-by-StepThe steps in implementing predictable routines and signals are the following:

Set up your room—Set up your room with certain areas designated for group

activities, free reading, and partner work. Establish these areas with the

students by modeling their use and asking questions like, “Will you work with

other people in this area?” or “Where will you sit if you want to read a book by

yourself?” Use your computer to create clear, legible, large-print signs and

graphics to help guide students.

Establish routines—Establish set places for students to turn in assignments;

pick up needed materials; and keep their book bags, lunch boxes, and other

personal belongings. Model putting these things in the established places.

Model routines—Model each new routine as it is established and be careful to

maintain the routines once they’ve been established. Anytime a student shows

confusion about a classroom routine or expectation, determine if a set routine

would lessen the student’s confusion.

Josie R. AlngogMultiple intelligences (Gardner, 1993) are the ways people are smart—the

modes in which they process information effectively. Though traditionally teachers

have taught only two intelligences in the school setting (linguistic and

logical/mathematical), at least six additional intelligences are well researched and

documented, and others are currently being documented (Gardner 2006). Although

all people possess all intelligences at varying levels, it is helpful for teachers to present

content material through a variety of intelligences to make the information

comprehensible to all learners. It is equally important to encourage students to

demonstrate their understanding of content in a format consistent with their strong

intelligences. Using knowledge of multiple intelligences and being flexible in planning

instruction and assessment is one way of supporting students to be more successful

in the classroom. Using knowledge of multiple intelligences strategies is especially

beneficial to English language learners since allowing them to learn and demonstrate

their understanding in the mode in which they are most confident serves to lower the

affective filter and boost their self-esteem and motivation. See Figure 8.1 for an

explanation of the eight intelligences currently documented.

Step-by-StepThe steps to implement the use of multiple intelligence approaches for teaching

and assessing are the

following:

Explain multiple intelligences—Introduce the concept of multiple intelligences

to your students. Depending on their ages you might use the actual labels for

the intelligences, the definitions and examples, or simply talk about people

being smart in different ways, while using the “bodysmart,” “people-smart,” and

“self-smart” labels to help them understand the concept. Explain that knowing

more about the way you learn is one way to help yourself to do better in school.

Tell the class that you will be giving them some choices in the way they study

and the way they show you that they are learning.

Adjust lessons and assessments to student intelligences—Assume that

the students in your classroom have a variety of intelligences and plan your

lessons and assessments to allow students a choice in the way they study and

the way they document their understandings.

Observe and document student choices—Observe your students during the

first few times that you allow them choices in their mode of studying and/or

documenting their learning. Keep track of the choices they make and talk to

them about their preferences and the ways they would choose to spend their

time. You may also want to have them take the informal Multiple Intelligences

Assessment Survey found in Appendix A. Build a system for your classroom in

which the students have regular choices.

Provide self-evaluation opportunities—Provide some ways for the students

to evaluate their own work and the choices they make about the ways in which

they do the work. A self evaluation rubric is helpful in teaching students to self-

monitor and evaluate their own comprehension and production in different

learning and assessment modes.

Constantino R. Crabajales, Jr.Scripting (Lozanov, 1982) is a strategy that prepares English language

learners with sample language interactions or situational dialogues appropriate for

upcoming events. These sample language interactions, called scripts, are presented

and practiced prior to the students encountering the situation in which the scripts will

be needed. Preparing and practicing scripts in advance of events is supportive of the

learner because it lowers anxiety and builds confidence in the ability to communicate

in English. To use scripting, the teacher must be able to identify or create opportunities

for verbal interaction and engage the students in verbal play and role-play so that the

students understand the situation in which the script is appropriate and practice

delivery of the basic script as well as several possible alternate responses to ensure

communication. Preparing the students for alternate responses sometimes involves

the preparation of a ready-made template, which students can use in their own

particular situation. The students do this by filling in the slots in the template with

specific information to communicate. Suggestions for possible scenarios for scripting

experiences. are

Step-by-StepThe steps in using scripting with students are the following:

Identify an opportunity for verbal interaction—Identify a situation for which a

script will be helpful to English language learners or other students. Carefully

consider the normal verbal interactions that would occur in the situation and

write the words in the form of a short dialogue. Duplicate the script for the

students.

Explain and model the script—Explain the situation to the students and enlist

one student to walk through the script with you. Read the script with the

student, acting out the physical action that will normally be a part of the

situation, such as opening the door, pulling out a chair, or motioning for the

other person to walk ahead of you. Be sure to emphasize that people’s

responses may not be exactly the same as the words in the script and the

importance of listening to their responses. Provide some practice in listening to

people’s responses and choosing alternative words as appropriate. This step

involves the analysis of possible responses by the teacher and providing

practice for the students in which the teacher emphasizes the importance of

listening to the speakers’ respons

Teoly Gay CaspeManipulatives are concrete devices that students can move and handle to support

their thinking and learning. Although they are most often used in math and science,

they can be very helpful in supporting language understanding in other subject areas.

For manipulatives to be used effectively the teacher must demonstrate their use, while

simultaneously modeling the connection to academic language. Manipulatives can be

concrete representations of the concepts being taught as in models of the human

body, which can be disassembled for study, or nonrepresentative manipulatives such

as small wooden cubes used for counting and math calculations. Concrete

representation manipulatives are often used to support the development of academic

vocabulary, while nonrepresentative manipulatives are used to explain and illustrate

an abstract concept such as number. (See Figure 10.1 for suggestions for using

manipulatives.)

Step-by-StepThe steps in the use of manipulatives are the following:

Identify concepts to be taught and ways to represent them—Identify the

concept to be taught and the parts of the concept that could be represented by

some kind of concrete object. Design a teaching plan that employs a

demonstration of the concept using the manipulatives as examples.

Demonstrate and explain—Demonstrate the use of the manipulatives as you

explain the concept to the students. Use the demonstration to connect the

manipulative, the concept, and any new vocabulary. Model the way you expect

the students to use the manipulatives.

Provide guided practice—Provide guided practice in the use of the

manipulatives. Walk the students through the procedure to be used,

demonstrating how to use the manipulatives and connecting the manipulatives

to the vocabulary to be learned.

Give students time for additional practice—Give the students time to use the

manipulatives independently while you circulate around the classroom

observing, giving feedback, and scaffolding language usage.

Celebrate and review—Celebrate the students’ demonstration of learning,

again taking the opportunity to connect the manipulatives to the vocabulary and

concepts