Session 3: Improving writing across the curriculum : differentiation TO SUPPORT esol learners

1. Session 3:Improving writing across the curriculum: differentiation TO SUPPORT esol learners Alana Madgwick alanamadgwick@gmail.com alanamadgwick@wikispaces.com twitter @alanamadgwick1 (Join the secondary literacy mailing list)

2. recap from FIRT session

3. Principle • To activate your prior knowledge • To develop your vocabulary and vocabulary solving skills Strategy: Vocabulary jumble Purpose: • To check that you know the sound, spelling and meaning of some key words for this topic • Use the key word list to predict/remember what the text or topic will be/ was about.

4. Vocabulary jumble instructions 1. (While the Vocab Jumble slide is on) • Fold your arms and study the words on the slide for TWO minutes. Try to remember all the words in box 1 so that you will be able to write them down later with correct spelling. Do the same for the box 2 words if you have time. 2. (After 2 minutes the Vocab Jumble slide will be turned off) • Now write down as many words as you can, trying hard to spell • them all correctly. Put a tick next to each of the words you are confident that you know the meaning and spelling of. 3. (With Vocab Jumble slide back on) • Check all your words. Add any words that you missed and correct any spelling errors

5. teaching inquiry effective strategies principles rules laws independence scaffolding writing frames strategies principles data methods improvement Art dictagloss jigsaw expert reflect ESOL padlet writing frames academic verbs peer mentors reflecting evidence ICT

6. Prediction 4. With the words from box 1 – write a sentence that states what session 2 was about. Use at least 3 words from the box. What do you think is the difference between the words in box 1 and box 2?

7. recap from last session Principle vs Strategy

8. Purpose of today Morning session • Recap of learning • Focus on the learning needs of ESOL students (trial padlet!) • Review the use of writing frames Afternoon session • Have some fun with academic verbs • Set up peer mentors and teaching as inquiry

9. Focus on esol students We are going to use padlet to do a collaborative brainstorm session on ESOL students: http://padlet.com/wall/tqifsmflsl

10. How much English language does a new learner need to succeed at school? Native speakers • Age 5 1,200 – 1,500 words • Year 11 12,000 words But • 87 % or words in texts books are in the first 2000 words (seven words a day in a year) However there is also - subject vocabulary (3% of words in texts books) - academic vocabulary (800 words) and - low frequency vocabulary (123,000 words)

12. tHE IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHING - We need to identify vocabulary and explicitly plan for it. (There is well researched link between vocabulary knowledge and academic performance) Key messages: • Knowing a word involves many facets • Vocabulary needs to be explicitly taught • Multiple opportunities to use target vocabulary • Vocabulary generally needs to be taught in context

13. Writing frames • What are they? Can you give an example? • Why do you use them? • Who benefits from them? • What are the pitfalls of using them? • What is an approach that you use to stop students becoming dependent on them?

14. in GROUPS • Ensure there is one person that can answer 4 or 5 of the questions. That person is the leader. • The leader has to teach her/his group about writing frames so that all members can answer all the questions with examples. (Come get some paper and pens) • Everyone must be prepared to share their learning.

15. Writing frames 1. What are they? A skeleton or outline of a text that structures prompts for learner writers. 2. Can you give an example? 3. Why do you use them? They provide structures for extended writing at the draft stage. 4. Who benefits from them? They can be used for differentiation eg. for learner writers who can not write paragraphs to students who are writing extended texts and need fewer prompts and harder vocabulary (banks). 5. What are the pitfalls of using them? Students can become reliant on them. 6. What is an approach that you use to stop students becoming dependent on them? Start by deconstructing an exemplar first and then co-construct the writing frame with them.

17. Useful connectives (words and phrases to link information and signal words)

18. Authentic writing task: • Set a purpose for writing with a specific audience • Watch a u-tube clip • In groups of three /four you will be given a writing task • You need to present back to the whole group your written response • After listening to everyone, you will go back to your groups and co-construct some success criteria for your writing. Thanks to Cindy Wynn, Team Solutions for this idea

19. What does success look like? • What are success criteria? • What would we use them for? • When would we use them? • What about co-construction?

20. SUCCESS CRITERIA FOR WRITING AN “EXPLAIN” PARAGRAPH: EXAMPLE Co-construct with your students

21. TEACHING AS INQUIRY

22. tEACHING AS INQUIRY • What are the learning needs of your students? • What strategy did you trial? • What was the purpose of the strategy? • What did you notice? • What would you change? • From the data / evidence I noticed that some students needed support in............ • Because of this learning need I trialled this.....

23. pEER MENTORS FOR LEARNING: To support each other to trial approaches / strategies that will improve the writing and achievement outcomes for 2 / 3 focus students. • You will be paired together preferably with someone who teaches the same class. • You will meet together to discuss who your 2 / 3 focus students might be. (By week 2) • You will do an informal classroom observation of each other teaching the focus class.(by week 5) • In March you will have a meeting with Alana and one other pair. You will bring an agreed authentic writing sample from your focus students to the meeting and other data you feel relevant to decide on the students’ writing needs. Eg. survey, diagnostic data, assessment results etc.

24. Think like a writer How can I make my writing better? Structure/Organisation Vocabulary/Language features Audience/Purpose Content / Ideas

25. Principles of Effective Writing Practice 1. Make literacy learning explicit for every writing task 2. Activate students’ prior knowledge 3. Make deliberate links between reading and writing 4. Make deliberate links between speaking and writing 5.Develop vocabulary and vocabulary solving skills 6. Support students to generate ideas for writing 7. Support students to structure their writing 8. Give feedback/forward that is specific and manageable