Tag Archives: bilingualism

A Message to ESL Teachers.


Learning in a second language can be challenging, but you as a language-aware teacher can make a big difference. Here’s a summary of the main ideas:

  • Language is more than vocabulary, grammar and spelling. It is shaped by discourses, genre conventions and context.
  • Students need control of both the everyday interpersonal register and the more formal academic register to succeed in school.
  • Language learners will come from a variety of circumstances with a variety of resources, so don’t make assumptions about their needs.
  • Don’t leave it to osmosis – plan for language learning as well as curriculum learning.
  • Keep the focus on making meaning, not on correctness.
  • Encourage repetition, recycling and redundancy.
  • Use visuals and gestures to support language learners.
  • In your talk and classroom resources, aim for ‘comprehensibility plus’.
  • Welcome your students’ first languages into the classroom.
  • Plan different spaces and activities for different types of talk.
  • Give language learners a bit more wait time.
  • Understand the particular language demands of your curriculum area.
  • Build the genre cycle into your lesson planning.
  • Let students into the secrets of genre conventions.
  • Use feedback on students’ work as an opportunity for language learning.
  • Observe how your language learners are progressing, and plan for the next stage.

© University of Glasgow

Devemos traduzir para o aluno?

Estudos comprovam que o uso na 1ª língua ajuda aos alunos a compreender melhor o significado das palavras na 2ª língua. Esse processo chama-se Translinguagem!

In English

Recently, there has been a growing recognition that our language learners’ educational outcome may in fact be improved if they are given support in their own first language alongside their English language development. Despite this, some teachers and parents still fear that by supporting bilingual pupils’ first language their development of English will suffer. Evidence suggests that this is not the case. Rather, acknowledging and incorporating the use of our language learners’ first language in the classroom as a learning resource offers a positive move towards building a more supportive learning environment. This is called translanguaging.

Source: https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/tesol-strategies/4/steps/600471

Como se motivar para estudar Inglês

Four primary ways to nurture this kind of intrinsic motivation:

  1. Supporting students to feel a greater sense of autonomy.  In other words, where they have a degree of control over what needs to happen and how it can be done.
  2. Competence – students are more likely to do something if they feel like they have the ability to be successful doing it!
  3. Relevance, which is when students feel that what they are learning relates to their present lives or future hopes.
  4. Relatedness – doing an activity that helps students feel more connected to others, and helps them feel cared about by people whom they respect

So, what can these elements look like in literacy instruction?

AUTONOMY

Autonomy can be promoted by:

  • Providing students choice in independent reading.  In the past, it was not unusual for even older English Language Learners (ELLs) to only be able to read English books written for toddlers.  However, now, a variety of books are available that are designed for – and accessible to – teenagers, especially graphic novels and nonfiction. In addition, there is no shortage of online reading sites that including audio support, animations and videos that make more complex text accessible.
  • Choice does not have to be limited to reading!  It’s not difficult to provide students with two different writing prompts that teach the same desired learning outcome.  For example, one day students were learning how to write an “argument” (also known as a persuasive essay).  After having learned about different natural disasters, they were supposed to write about which one they felt was the worst to experience.  One student had his head on the desk and didn’t want to do it.  I knew he was a football fan, and asked him if he could use the same structure to write about why his favorite football team was the best one.  He leaped at the chance,  got right to work, and delivered an essay that demonstrated he understood the key components of writing an argument.  That was the learning goal, not writing about disasters.

COMPETENCE

Some ways to help students feel like they developing more skills include:

  • Regularly giving “Low-stakes” formative fluency assessments (where students read a short passage to a teacher for a minute, who then tracks the number of words read and their level of “prosody”) can be done regularly and then students can see their own progress.  Even better, students can record these assessments and hear their progress for themselves!
  • Providing students with graphic organizers called “writing frames” and more advanced “writing structures” can assist them be more successful in their writing.  This kind of scaffolding can provide the support students need until they become more  proficient. 

RELEVANCE

Students can see that reading and writing can be connected to their lives in many ways, including:

  • When it comes to helping students feel like reading and writing (and speaking and listening!) in English is relevant to their lives, I find that regularly highlighting the social and economic advances of being able to read and write (as well as speak and understand spoken) English, in addition to their home languages, is a winning strategy.  I often pair a related funny video with research and articles in a mini-lesson to remind students of its value, in addition to inviting students to share how they think learning English can benefit them.
  • Nothing beats enhancing student motivation for writing than having them do it for an authentic audience (someone other than their teacher).  Whether it’s writing a recipe to be posted on a cooking site, a political opinion for a newspaper “letter to the editor,” an Amazon book review, or for countless other outlets, we all tend to feel more focused when others are going to read our work.  Many students are very focused on their online lives, and showing that what they write will be available for all the world to see can not only generate motivation, but perhaps more recognition that they want to carefully review everything they put on the Internet.

RELATEDNESS

There are several ways to help students connect to each other while reading and writing.  A few are:

  • An easy way to help students feel more motivated to read is to have them read a text in pairs – taking turns orally reading paragraphs to each other.  Jigsaws take this step even further by having small groups read sections of a text together and then challenging them to teach what they read to others.
  • Having students write together – either in class or online – can be an effective to help develop writing skills, and to solidify relationships.  You can find a list of related sites and lesson ideas here.

None of these strategies are guaranteed ways to help every student in your class feel motivated to read and write in English, but they are certainly unlikely to make them feel less energized to do so!

Em português

Os pesquisadores identificaram quatro maneiras principais de alimentar esse tipo de motivação intrínseca: Apoiar os alunos a sentir um maior senso de autonomia. Em outras palavras, onde eles têm um certo controle sobre o que precisa acontecer e como isso pode ser feito.

Competência – é mais provável que os alunos façam alguma coisa se sentirem que têm a capacidade de obter sucesso ao fazer isso!

Relevância – é quando os alunos sentem que o que estão aprendendo se relaciona com suas vidas presentes ou esperanças futuras.

Relação – fazer uma atividade que ajude os alunos a se sentirem mais conectados com os outros e a se preocuparem com as pessoas a quem respeitam. Então, como esses elementos podem ser na instrução de alfabetização?

AUTONOMIA

autonomia pode ser promovida da seguinte forma: Oferecendo aos alunos a opção de leitura independente. No passado, não era incomum que os alunos de inglês (ELLs) ainda mais antigos fossem capazes de ler apenas livros em inglês escritos para crianças pequenas. No entanto, agora, há uma variedade de livros projetados para – e acessíveis a – adolescentes, especialmente novelas gráficas e não-ficção. Além disso, não faltam sites de leitura on-line que incluem suporte de áudio, animações e vídeos que tornam o texto mais complexo acessível. A escolha não precisa se limitar à leitura! Não é difícil fornecer aos alunos dois avisos de escrita diferentes que ensinam o mesmo resultado de aprendizado desejado. Por exemplo, um dia os alunos estavam aprendendo a escrever um “argumento” (também conhecido como ensaio persuasivo). Depois de aprenderem sobre diferentes desastres naturais, eles deveriam escrever sobre qual deles consideravam o pior a sofrer. Um aluno estava com a cabeça na mesa e não queria fazer isso. Eu sabia que ele era um fã de futebol e perguntei se ele poderia usar a mesma estrutura para escrever sobre por que seu time de futebol favorito era o melhor. Ele aproveitou a chance, foi direto ao trabalho e entregou um ensaio que demonstrava entender os principais componentes da redação de um argumento. Esse era o objetivo do aprendizado, não escrever sobre desastres.

COMPETÊNCIAS

Algumas maneiras de ajudar os alunos a sentirem que desenvolvem mais habilidades incluem: Realizar regularmente avaliações formativas de fluência “de baixo risco” (onde os alunos leem uma breve passagem para um professor por um minuto, que depois rastreia o número de palavras lidas e seu nível de “Prosódia”) pode ser feita regularmente e os alunos podem ver seu próprio progresso. Melhor ainda, os alunos podem registrar essas avaliações e ouvir seu progresso por si mesmos! Fornecer aos alunos organizadores gráficos chamados de “quadros de escrita” e “estruturas de escrita” mais avançadas pode ajudá-los a ter mais sucesso na escrita. Esse tipo de andaime pode fornecer o apoio que os alunos precisam até que se tornem mais proficientes. Os alunos podem ver que a leitura e a escrita podem estar conectadas às suas vidas de várias maneiras, incluindo: Quando se trata de ajudar os alunos a sentir que ler e escrever (e falar e ouvir!) Em inglês é relevante para suas vidas, acho que regularmente destacar os avanços sociais e econômicos de ser capaz de ler e escrever (além de falar e entender) o inglês, além de seus idiomas de origem, é uma estratégia vencedora. Costumo associar um vídeo engraçado relacionado a pesquisas e artigos em uma mini lição para lembrar os alunos de seu valor, além de convidar os alunos a compartilhar como eles acham que aprender inglês pode beneficiá-los. Nada supera o aumento da motivação do aluno para escrever do que fazê-lo para um público autêntico (alguém que não seja seu professor). Seja escrevendo uma receita para ser publicada em um site de culinária, uma opinião política para uma “carta ao editor” de jornal, uma resenha de livro da Amazon ou para inúmeras outras publicações, todos tendemos a nos sentir mais concentrados quando os outros leem nosso trabalho. Muitos estudantes estão muito focados em suas vidas on-line e mostram que o que eles escrevem estará disponível para todo o mundo ver não apenas pode gerar motivação, mas talvez mais reconhecimento de que eles desejam revisar cuidadosamente tudo o que colocam na Internet.

RELACIONADOS

Existem várias maneiras de ajudar os alunos a se conectarem enquanto lêem e escrevem. Algumas são: Uma maneira fácil de ajudar os alunos a se sentirem mais motivados a ler é fazê-los ler um texto em pares – revezando-se na leitura oral dos parágrafos. Os quebra-cabeças dão esse passo ainda mais, fazendo com que pequenos grupos leiam seções de um texto juntos e depois os desafiem a ensinar o que lêem para outras pessoas. Fazer os alunos escreverem juntos – em sala de aula ou on-line – pode ser eficaz para ajudar a desenvolver habilidades de escrita e solidificar relacionamentos. Você pode encontrar uma lista de sites relacionados e ideias de lições aqui. Nenhuma dessas estratégias tem formas garantidas de ajudar todos os alunos de sua turma a se sentirem motivados a ler e escrever em inglês, mas certamente não é provável que os façam sentir menos energia para isso!

https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/blogs/larry-ferlazzo/eight-ways-help-english-language-learners-feel-motivated-read-write

Researchers have identified 

https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/blogs/larry-ferlazzo/eight-ways-help-english-language-learners-feel-motivated-read-write

Como ajudar um aluno de 2ª Língua em sala de aula.

Aprender em um segundo idioma pode ser desafiador, mas como o professor pode fazer uma grande diferença. Veja um resumo das principais ideias.

1- A linguagem é mais do que vocabulário, gramática e ortografia. É moldado por discursos, convenções de gênero e contexto.

2- Os estudantes precisam controlar tanto o registro interpessoal cotidiano quanto o registro acadêmico mais formal para obter sucesso na escola.

3- Os alunos de idiomas virão de várias circunstâncias com uma variedade de recursos, por isso, não faça suposições sobre suas necessidades.

4- Não o deixe em osmose – planeje o aprendizado de idiomas, bem como o aprendizado do currículo.

5- Mantenha o foco em fazer sentido, não em correção.

Incentivar a repetição, reciclagem e redundância.

Use recursos visuais e gestos para apoiar os alunos de idiomas.

6- Em seus recursos de conversação e sala de aula, busque “mais compreensibilidatde”.

7- Receba as primeiras línguas dos seus alunos na sala de aula.

8- Planeje diferentes espaços e atividades para diferentes tipos de conversa.

9- Dê aos alunos de idiomas um pouco mais de tempo de espera.

10- Entenda as demandas específicas de idioma da sua área de currículo.

11- Construa o ciclo de gênero em seu planejamento de aula.

12- Deixe os alunos entrarem no mundo das convenções de gênero.

13- Use o feedback sobre o trabalho dos alunos como uma oportunidade para o aprendizado de idiomas.

15- Observe como os alunos de sua língua estão progredindo e planeje o próximo estágio.

© Universidade de Glasgow

Learning in a second language can be challenging, but a language-aware teacher can make a big difference. Here’s a summary of the main ideas.

  • Language is more than vocabulary, grammar and spelling. It is shaped by discourses, genre conventions and context.
  • Students need control of both the everyday interpersonal register and the more formal academic register to succeed in school.
  • Language learners will come from a variety of circumstances with a variety of resources, so don’t make assumptions about their needs.
  • Don’t leave it to osmosis – plan for language learning as well as curriculum learning.
  • Keep the focus on making meaning, not on correctness.
  • Encourage repetition, recycling and redundancy.
  • Use visuals and gestures to support language learners.
  • In your talk and classroom resources, aim for ‘comprehensibility plus’.
  • Welcome your students’ first languages into the classroom.
  • Plan different spaces and activities for different types of talk.
  • Give language learners a bit more wait time.
  • Understand the particular language demands of your curriculum area.
  • Build the genre cycle into your lesson planning.
  • Let students into the secrets of genre conventions.
  • Use feedback on students’ work as an opportunity for language learning.
  • Observe how your language learners are progressing, and plan for the next stage.

© University of Glasgow

Food for Thought

Frases ou dizeres para nos levar a pensar.

“A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.” 

John A. Shedd

 

“Courage is found in unlikely places.” 

J.R.R. Tolkien

 

“You may not always have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all of the world’s problems at once but don’t ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own.”

Michelle Obama

 

“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.”

Winston Churchill

 

“Since it is so likely that children will meet cruel enemies let them at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage.” 

CS Lewis

 

“Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye.”

Helen Keller

 

“Courage does not always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.”

Mary Anne Radmacher

http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/

How can we provide challenge for a child who is learning English

  • Children can really learn a language if they are playing.
  • Never force a child to speak, they will when they are ready.
  • Children learn best when they are interested in something.
  • Children pick up languages best if there is a context and reason to use it.

Young children learn through their senses with a trial and error approach. While gradually learning boundaries and expectations is important, it is totally normal for very young children not to behave in the way that an adult expects. By observing children and really tuning into their interests, we can plan activities and experiences that are age-appropriate and engaging. When children are engaged in motivating and meaningful activities, their ‘behaviour’ is less of an issue.

When we assess a young child, we are asking ourselves “What do my observations tell me about this child?”Assessment is about analysing our observations and understanding the potential of each child.

When a child learns something new or develops a new skill, we often call this a ‘magic’ or a ‘wow’ moment. Observation and really knowing the child are key to recognising these developmental milestones. We can plan the next steps for a child’s learning after we have observed a developmental milestone.

All young children are learning something, and assessment in early childhood means analysing what a child can do. Comparing a child to his or her classmates is not useful, as it doesn’t tell us anything about what individual progress a child has made (what they knew or could do before, what they know and can do now). Assessment in early childhood is about helping children move forward in their learning and development, and labelling a child ‘intelligent’ doesn’t help them make progress in any way. To give a child confidence, it is more useful to comment on a specific thing they have done well, rather than give them a generic label.

Children should be assessed in a genuine situation rather than through a contrived, adult-led test. Asking a child to count is not a reliable way of gathering information, as the child may become anxious when asked to ‘perform’, may not understand why they are being asked to count, or may not feel confident enough to share what they can do, even though they actually do know how to count. By observing the children while they are playing, the teacher sees that, as well as being able to count to five, the child also knows the colours blue and pink. Had the focus of the assessment just been on counting, the teacher might have missed this.

Spending time with children, and observing what they know and can do, will help you provide the right amount of challenge and support. For a child who is learning English, this could be knowing their favourite story or song and encouraging them to join in with key refrains, observing that they understand the words for different toys in English and encouraging them to say some of these words, or modelling key language associated with a particular activity.

© British Council

Supporting and extending language development

Through interactions we can support and extend a child’s learning and development, particularly in the area of communication and language.

Apart from building an emotional connection with the child through interactions, children benefit from hearing lots of talk, conversations and words. In 2012, Associate Professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Meredith Rowe, carried out a study which looked at what contributes most to a child’s later vocabulary development. She found that:

  • children’s vocabulary at 30 months was influenced by the quantity of words parents used one year earlier,
  • their vocabulary at 42 months was influenced by parents’ use of a variety of sophisticated words one year earlier,
  • their vocabulary at 54 months was influenced by parents’ use of narratives and explanations one year earlier.

Adults can interact by talking, listening and responding to the child.

Even if a child is not yet able to communicate verbally, the adult can contribute to the exchange using language. For example:

The child grizzles because he is feeling hungry.
Adult: I can see you’re upset. Would you like some milk?
Child nods.

The child rubs her eyes.
Adult: You look sleepy. I think it’s time for a nap.

The child flaps her arms excitedly.
Adult: I know you like that song! It goes la, la, la, la!
Child squeals in delight.

By showing genuine interest in the child and adding interest to what the child has offered, we are building trust, communication, and developing the child’s language skills all at the same time.

We can support and extend a child’s language development, just by being with them and interacting in a natural way.

© British Council