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Interviewer: As an ELA teacher, what strategies do you use to help your struggling or apprehensive readers feel confident answering questions in your class?
Kimberly: With particularly apprehensive readers and speakers, I may call on a student who has already correctly answered and elaborated on a small group question that had not been posed to the whole group. Interviewer: In what ways do you scaffold writing for your English Language Learners (ELL's) and struggling writers? From where did you draw these techniques? Kimberly: I approach writing from a growth standpoint. After establishing a baseline, students are expected to improve, but not necessarily achieve proficiency in, two skills per writing assignment. E.g. Main idea sentences and transitions. This is a basic chunking strategy. Otherwise, how could you encourage students who struggle in many aspects? No one wants to correct or see corrections for every error on a level 1 paper. It isn't helpful. Interviewer:Many teachers struggle to integrate technology in their classes. How do you use technology to help meet the needs of your struggling readers/writers? Kimberly: Students can enjoy educational games that remediate skills they should already possess. A seemingly silly online game designed for 3rd or 4th grade is more fun and less insulting than many workbooks available. I also love recorded read-alongs for students who struggle with prosody. The BBC and other websites have great recordings and printable texts. Interviewer: What are some comprehension strategies you teach struggling/ELL students to use across content areas? Do these non-ELA teachers reinforce those strategies? Kimberly: One of the most useful strategy I reinforce for use in content areas is previewing a text. Proficient readers take for granted how important that unconscious and quick scan we complete really is. Not everyone glances at a page and instantly determines the genre and organizational structure of a text. Yes, the science teachers in particular teach this strategy. Interviewer: Many readers struggle with self-monitoring their comprehension as they read. What strategies do you teach your students to help them keep their thoughts organized? Kimberly: At the end of each paragraph, complete the MVP. Check that you know the main idea, any vocabulary that is essential, and predict what information will follow. MVP can be marked in the margins or notebook paper. The prediction helps them keep noticing text features and structure. |
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