collaborative learning for ells: active engagement from pre-k-5

Collaborative Learning for ELLs: Active Engagement from Prek - 5th Grade

Judie Haynesjudieh@optonline.net

www.everythingESL.net

Karen NemethKaren@languagecastle.comwww.languagecastle.com

Types of Collaboration for ELLs

• Cooperative learning• Project-Based Learning • Maker education and makerspaces

Protocols for Collaboration

Collaborative models can:–increase social interaction –build oral language skills–develop academic language–increase students’ self-confidence–involve active, hands-on learning

Protocols for Collaboration

Teachers should:–model the language of social

interaction–pre-teach academic language–Design activities with each

student’s needs/abilities in mind

Cooperative Learning

What’s important to know…

• Lecture-led teaching is least effective for young children.

• Native speakers of English understand only 14% of a lecture.• ELLs will understand even less.• Small group learning is beneficial to ELLs.

Andrews, J. D.(2003) Teaching format and student style: Their interactive effects on learning. Research in Higher Education, Volume 14, Number 2

How ELLs Benefit from Cooperative Learning

• CL supports use of each student’s learning style.

• Helps each student capitalize on her own prior knowledge

• Many ELLs come from cultures in which collaboration is the norm.

• Young learners of English are usually visual/kinesthetic learners – need hands-on.

How ELLs Benefit from Cooperative Learning

• Young ELLs do best when cooperative groups have structured jobs such as illustrator, time keeper.

• ELLs benefit from comprehensible input and output.

• Peers can navigate meaning for ELLs• ELLs will produce comprehensible output

with peers

What is Project-Based Learning?

What is Project-Based Learning?

Project Based Learning is an inquiry-based teaching method in which students• gain knowledge and skills by working on a

project for an extended period of time • investigate and respond to a complex

question, problem, or challenge.• work toward an assigned goal.

Components of PBL

• Driving Question• Significant Content • 21st century competencies • In-Depth Inquiry  • Choice of project • Public Audience  

Introduce PBL

• Students know that collaboration is expected in the classroom.

• Teachers may do team-building activities at the beginning of the year and gradually add authentic collaboration on challenges and problems.

• Activities might be around one content area or across content areas.

• ELLs develop speaking and listening skills with guidance and support.

Project-Based Learning Resources

• Collaboration Rubric - - http://bie.org/object/document/6_12_collaboration_rubric_non_ccss

• Resources for PBL from Edutopia - http://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning

Maker Education

What is Maker Education?

• MAKER Education’s mission is to create more opportunities for young people to develop confidence, creativity, interest in science, technology, engineering, math and the arts through Making

• The process is more important than the product

Maker Education

Maker Education is a form of design and innovation in education that uses technology as a tool to empower students to get their ideas from thought to product.

Involving ELLs in Projects

• "To ensure the dual language learners were comfortable and engaged with the project as it unfolded, I implemented role-playing scenarios and continued to model the language by repeating project words and phrases. This type of role-playing and use of props  is a valuable  technique to use with young children.” (Jones & Shue, Young Children 2013)

Preschool Maker Project

Maker Education

• Advocates of Maker Education feel that the “spirit of play and discovery of knowledge is missing from much of formal education.” The Maker Education Initiative is working to make sure kids get more of this informal tinkering and tactile exploration experiences in school as they grow.

Choosing a Maker Topic

• Projects for young children are either teacher or student-initiated, but…

• topic must be relevant to all learners & help them make connections between prior knowledge and new concepts.

• Plan ahead to scaffold ELLs to make sure they are able to talk about their project.

Choosing a Maker Topic

Choose projects that provide: • hands-on learning activities • opportunities to work in groups or with a

partner• activities that enhance vocabulary, oral

language acquisition, and social skills. • Focuses on creating, building, making,

trying, exploring, designing

What are Makerspaces?

• Makerspaces provide students with the space and materials they need to explore and extend their problem-solving skills through a tactile environment

• A Makerspace provides physical outlets for messy and creative thinking, innovating, and creating.

Building a Maker Space

Examples of Maker projects that encourage oral language

• Video production• Making puppets for puppet show• Projects where students take things apart• 3-D printing projects• Art, painting, sculpture• Sewing projects• Projects from scrap materials

Preschool Makers

Quotes

“When teachers guide DLLs through scripted dramatic play—meaning they introduce the roles and props needed for the dramatic play—they are creating a rich language environment (Jones & Shue, 2013).”

Maker Ed for ELLs

• We need to think of ways that Maker Ed can be applied to ELLs.

• Teachers need to preteach the language needed to talk about a project

• Students need to work in teams with native speakers, if possible.

• Projects should be presented to an audience, either in person or online

Tie Language to Maker Project

• “A child can learn a lot about something by making it, but if they can’t EXPRESS what they learned and share their project with others, the value of the project is lessened. ”

(Judie Haynes, 2014)

Books by Judie Haynes

• The Essential Guide for Educating Beginning ELswww.corwin.com/books/Book237736?siteId=corwin-press&subject=C00&qsupld=false&q=Judie+Haynes&surfUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.corwin.com&pageTitle=productsSearch

• Teaching English Language Learners Across the Content Areas • Teaching English Language Learners Across the Content Areas

http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/109032.aspx• Getting Started with English Language Learnershttp://www.ascd.org/publications/books/106048.aspx

Books by Karen Nemeth

• From www.gryphonhouse.com

http://bit.ly/1jtbasy45 ExpertsCaslon Publishing – April 2014