HILT for SIFE “ High Intensity Literacy Training for Students with Interrupted Education ”

1. HILT for SIFE“High Intensity Literacy Training for Students with Interrupted Education” Shaina Gilbert (sgilbert@techboston.org) Native Language (Haitian-Creole) Literacy Teacher 6-8th SIFE-SEI at TechBoston Academy in Dorchester

2. AgendaSharing Our Unique SIFE Experiences and Perfecting Our Practice Lecture (I Do) 15mins • SIFE Teacher • SIFE Students • SIFE Program • Best Practices Discussion (We Do) 10mins • Teaching Content v. Literacy • Teaching Content v. ESL • Use of L1 v. L2 Activity (You Do) 5mins • Case-Study: A SIFE Lesson Learned • Considering Student Needs, Best Practices, and Our Discussions, How would you approach…

3. The SIFE Teacher “The HILT teacher, in collaboration with other members of the HILT for SIFE team plans, designs and implements creative and innovative units of study that are not only aligned with the curriculum, but are also clustered around concepts critical to the literacy and academic development of SIFE.” -Boston Public Schools HILT for SIFE Teacher Position Description (http://www.schoolspring.com/job.cfm?jid=43093&print=) Challenges • Must develop your own SIFE curriculum • Only SIFE teacher at the school • Lack of resources in native language • Students enter SIFE class at any point in the academic year • Responsible for filling K-7th Grade Literacy and Content gap

4. The SIFE Students • English Language Development Level: Beginners, 6-8th grade • Range of levels overall literacy skills (low to moderate) • Irregular school attendance while in native country • Rich with diverse life experiences and perspectives • Parental support is usually provided whenever needed • Lived in both rural and urban areas in Haiti • Most have their immediate families still living in Haiti Challenges • Unidentified learning disabilities • Lack study skills: organization, handwriting, note-taking, test taking, etc. • First-time exposure to science and history (outside of the context of Haiti) • Coping with loss, trauma, and stress • Trouble adapting to new culture and home • Difficulty with transferring knowledge and skills from L1 to L2

5. The SIFE Program SIFE Placement • Newcomers assesses them as SIFE via Newcomers assessment • Moved to SIFE from SEI if a student’s SEI teachers, parents, and/or educational background strongly suggest that they need SIFE supports • Evidence:interview students and parents about student’s schooling in Haiti (particularly which schools the student attended) & assess student’s academic progress in SEI classes compared to students who enrolled into SEI at a similar point SIFE at TechBoston • 15 students max. • Math (1hr.), science (1hr.), history (1hr.), ESL (2hrs) • 6-8th grade; teaching towards the 7th grade benchmarks and standards • SIFE  SEI  Mainstream • Their content-area grades (progress by term) determine whether or not student moves from SIFE to SEI. Work samples are reviewed and assessed by SEI teachers. • Note: SEI is 6-10th grade cluster with Haitian students; TechBoston is 6-12th grade Challenges • Students enroll at any point in the year • Difficult transitions from SIFE  SEI • There is no SIFE 9-12th • Number of ESL Beginners are climbing

6. Disclaimer • I use Native Language to teach my SIFE students • Haitian Creole-English Cognates • Temporarily co-teach ESL - Focus on History, Science, Math • Some of my students looped • Communicative SEI staff (including 2 TFA); Haitian Guidance Counselor – all Haitian cluster • Not all students have extremely low literacy skill – different educational backgrounds • During the summer, I work in Haiti with SIFE students who live in extreme situations whish manifest their educational gaps

7. Overall: SIFE Needs Consistency and Supports Consistency: Daily Lesson Structure • Do Now (Yesterday’s Material) • Review HW (Yesterday’s Material) • New Vocabulary • New Material (I Do) • Practice/Discussion (We Do) • Group/Partner Work (We/You Do) • Independent Practice (You Do) • Sum-up/Review Lesson • Exit Ticket (Yesterday/Today’s Material) • Pre-View HW • Notes are dated and Written in Notebook/ Homework in HW Folder/Worksheets in Binder Supports: Resources and Techniques • After-school office hours (M, T, and Th) • Access to laptops, use of projectors, science kits • Use of H. Creole  Eng. dictionaries, graphic organizers, teacher models • Visit SEI classes in preparation of SIFE exit

8. MathBest Practices Create Intentional Curriculums/Lesson Plans (Consistency) • Math Literacy • Actively teach how to understand & use math terms –must teach ½ class in English • Backwards planning • Assess & teach foundational skills needed per lesson (ex: adding decimals, re-grouping, etc.); once mastered, teach actual lesson • Fill-in gaps along the way • Layering Effect Based on Central Ideas • Ex: (1) Teach student about angles, the properties of a right angle, (2) then introduce triangles, right triangle, (3)next introduce quadrilaterals, know that squares have right angles and rhombuses do not • MINIMUM: Within the unit, must master central idea (ex: right angle) Engage Students in Learning (Supports) • Foldables for vocabulary terms • Weekly Vocabulary and Math Content quizzes • Student teaches class a math problem in English (Teacher Model) • Practice worksheets – Assessments based on worksheets • Math Competitions • Pairing Matters • heterogeneous when reviewing material • homogenous pairing when learning new material

11. Study Skills: Note-Taking • Notes are ALWAYS dated • Promote Layering Effect • Key vocabulary words are ALWAYS underlined • Promote Math Literacy • Heading Options: Objective, Do Now, Vocabulary • Understanding the different parts of their notes • Learning how to write, read, and use their notes

13. How Rigorous Can Make We SIFE? STANDARDS SAY (8.P.2 )Evaluate simple algebraic expressions for given variable values e.g., 3a –2b for a=3 & b=7. WHAT I DO… 3 – a a=3 …UNTIL (within reasonable time) THIS IS POSSIBLE… If not then… • We move on to the next lesson and when SIFE students are in Math SEI the following year, they will master it at the appropriate level of rigor

14. ScienceBest Practices Create Accurate Assessments w/ Focal Points (Consistency) • Presentations- Assess use of vocabulary, clarity, volume, eye contact • Projects- Use of vocabulary, related images, short answers/writing prompt • Notebooks- Date, headlines, underline key terms, space between topics • Labs- Title/Picture, Introduction, Question, Hypothesis, Material, Method, Results, Data, Conclusion • Homework- Try your best • Tests/Quizzes- 3 sections: vocabulary, content, skill (ex: inferring, comparing) Engage Students in Learning (Supports) • Foldables for vocabulary terms • Weekly Vocabulary and Science Content quizzes • Teacher Model • Hands-on Activities • Science Jeopardy, Projects, and Presentations • Pairing Matters • heterogeneous when reviewing material • homogenous pairing when learning new material

18. HistoryBest Practices Promoting Critical Thinking and Study Skills (Consistency) • Presentations- Assess use of vocabulary, clarity, volume, eye contact • Writing Prompts- Topic Sentence (1 Opinion), Supporting Details (3 Pieces of Evidence) • Graphic Organizers- T-Charts, Problem-Solutions, Step-by-Step • Discussions- Critical Thinking Questions (may answer in L1) • Debate Teams-Oral Writing Prompts; Topic/Idea  Evidence Engage Students in Learning (Supports) • Foldables for vocabulary terms • Weekly Vocabulary and History Content Quizzes • Read textbook aloud like it’s a narrative • Word Search Puzzles for Vocabulary Practice

22. DiscussionTeaching Content v. Literacy How do you teach the content and literacy skills in unison? • I teach grade level content with a focus on promoting(1) literacy skills • Students are constantly dissecting their textbooks • Taking notes on the main ideas • Writing Prompts, Oral Presentations, and Projects related to the Lesson

23. DiscussionTeaching Content v. ESL How do you teach the content & language development in unison? • I teach grade level content with a focus on promoting (2) language development • Students use English to explain their reasoning • Respond to answers in class in English • Submits written work in English

24. DiscussionUsing L1 v. L2 When do you choose to use L1 v. L2? • Teach conceptual materials in Haitian Creole • Teach standard material in both languages • Teach ESL Class in strictly in English • Teach key vocabulary and terms in English • Step by Step directions in both languages

25. Case-StudyA SIFE Lesson Learned “Sabrina” -15 years old - 8th Grade • SIFE since entry in April 2011 • Trouble advancing grades while in Haiti • Adopted in Boston, guardians anxious about lack of academic progress  Their theory is that she is too distracted; send back to Haiti • Difficulty with fluency; Mastering sight words • Reading Comprehension skills limited to identify setting, characters, and plot • Underdeveloped writing; uses the same vocabulary and simple sentence structures Overall:Skills are developing; Comfortable with the basics of ESL but her progress is slow Task and Question “Sabrina” must learn how to write a proper lab report by the time she enters 9th Grade SEI Science. Considering her profile, what instructional techniques would you use to promote literacy and language development while teaching this grade level content?

26. Ou gen kesyon? Poze yo! Shaina Gilbert (sgilbert@techboston.org) Native Language (Haitian-Creole) Literacy Teacher 6-8th SIFE-SEI at TechBoston Academy in Dorchester