October: Comprehensible Input
Intro to Comprehensible Input
Krashen video link (lesson in German)
Making the message understandable for students is referred to as comprehensible input (Krashen, 1985)
Krashen video link (lesson in German)
Making the message understandable for students is referred to as comprehensible input (Krashen, 1985)
Appropriate Speech for ELLs
Rate and enunciation:
Video: What English sounds like to non-English speakers
Complexity of Speeh Activity: Seven Sentences that Sound Crazy but Are Still Grammatical Explanation of Buffalo sentence: Mental Floss Wikipedia
Common Greek and Latin roots (cognates)
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Clear Explanation of Academic Tasks
- Show a finished product (or even better, have a finished product/ sample next to each level of the rubric)
- Written directions should accompany verbal ones
Variety of Techniques to Make Learning Comprehensible
- Use gestures, body language, pictures and objects to accompany speech
- Sentence strip for sequencing, retelling, steps for problem-solving, etc.
Anchor charts!
A few tips for making Anchor Charts
Two types of Anchor Charts:
Want to see examples? Check out Jamie's Anchor Chart Pinterest Page
- Make them together.
- Include key vocabulary
- Refer back to them
- Collaborative, handmade, linked to an important concept, relevant
- Develop the “bones” (outline) of your anchor chart with your lesson plan. Sketch this out ahead of time.
- During the lesson, ask students to contribute to the anchor chart.
- Post the anchor chart in your room as a reminder of past learning.
- Use scaffolding over time. As students become more independent they may not need reminders and you will eventually be able to shrink the poster to a smaller size and post it in a different location or put it in a binder for reference
A few tips for making Anchor Charts
- Use anchor charts for big, overarching concepts. Identify standards and vocab that you know students may struggle with, ideas that will be building blocks for future learning, or standards that carry a lot of weight and importance for future success.
- These are not decoration. Utilize your anchor charts; teach from them, refer back to them, connect new concepts to past learning, etc.
- Use lots of color to distinguish ideas
- Memory tools work best when you embed the answer in the question. Use lots of pictures or graphics to make things memorable.
- Teach/ encourage students to refer back to charts on their own (without a reminder).
- Writing is hard to remember, but pictures are not. If you incorporate a little writing and a lot of visuals, it will be more memorable. If you aren’t sure, try the blur test.
Two types of Anchor Charts:
- Content: anchoring concepts
- Process: steps
Want to see examples? Check out Jamie's Anchor Chart Pinterest Page