by Elaine Gallagher    

Think, Pair, Share

Description

Think, pair, share is a simple technique with great benefits. (For an interesting variation on the use of the strategy, have a look at a website for «Discussion Webs» in Vaca & Vaca, pages 243-247.)

TPS results in increased student participation and improved retention of information. Using the procedure, students learn from one another and get to try out their ideas in a non-threatening context before venturing to make their ideas more public. Learner confidence improves and all students are given a way to participate in class, rather than the few who usually volunteer. The benefits for the teacher include increased time on task in the classroom and greater quality of students’ contributions to class discussions. Students and teachers alike gain much clearer understandings of the expectation for attention and participation in classroom discussions. The model was first proposed by Frank Lyman of the University of Maryland. There are four steps to think, pair, share, with a time limit on each step signaled by the teacher. (An electronic kitchen timer works well for this.)

Procedure

Step One – Teacher poses a question

The process of think, pair, share begins when the teacher poses a thought-provoking question for the entire class. This may be a straightforward question or a problem the teacher wants to pose to the class for solution. For example, «What would have been the likely outcome if the United States had maintained its isolationist position and not entered the European theater of World War II?» or «What is symbolized by the rose in the story of Snow White?» Low level, single right answer questions are to be avoided in this model. Questions must pose problems or dilemmas that students will be willing and able to think about.

Step Two – Students think individually

At a signal from the teacher, students are given a limited amount of time to think of their own answer to the problematic question. The time should be decided by the teacher on the basis of knowledge of the students, the nature of the question, and the demands of the schedule. It may be helpful, though it is not required, to have students write out their individual responses and solutions. Students should understand that while there may be no one right answer, it is important that everyone come up with some reasonable answer to the question. This step of the procedure automatically builds «wait time» into the classroom conversation.

Step Three – Each student discusses his or her answer with a fellow student

The end of the think step signals to the students the time to begin working with one other student to reach consensus on an answer to the question. Each student now has a chance to try out possibilities. Together, each pair of students can reformulate a common answer based on their collective insights to possible solutions to the problem. At times, the process can go one step farther by asking pairs of students to regroup into foursomes to further refine their thoughts before sharing with the group at large. These small group settings are less threatening to individual students than venturing forward before the whole group with an untried answer. The pair step in the model also promotes much more conversation among students about the issues entailed by the question.

Step Four – Students share their answers with the whole class

In this final step, individuals can present solutions individually or cooperatively to the class as a whole group. Where pairs of students have constructed displays of their answers, as in a chart or diagram, each member of the pair can take credit for the product of their thinking.

The final step of think, pair, share has several benefits to all students. They see the same concepts expressed in several different ways as different individuals find unique expressions for answers to the question. Moreover, the concepts embedded in the answers are in the language of the learners rather than the language of textbook or teacher. And where students can draw or otherwise picture their thoughts, different learning modalities and preferences can come into play in the attempt to understand the ideas behind the answers.

It may be worth repeating one caveat in closing: The success and quality of the think, pair, share activity will depend on the quality of the question posed in step one. If the question promotes genuine thought for students, genuine insights are sure to emerge in successive steps.

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Reference:

The above description was adapted from the description in:

Gunter, M. A., Estes, T. H., & Schwab, J. H. (1999). Instruction: A models approach, 3rd edition. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, pp. 279-280.

 

by Elaine Gallagher

Have you ever heard of «Language showers»? If your pre-school or primary English program doesn’t have a lot of time scheduled, Language Showers may be a technique you can use. Even schools with 1/2 day of English can use these techniques too take advantage of every minute the children are in school.

They are mentioned in books, such as Ofelia Garcia’s «Bilingual Education in the 21st Century (2009), so I had to find out what they were because I hadn’t heard of them before.

Description

Language showers are primarily intended for students aged between six and ten years old, who receive between 30 minutes and one hour of exposure per day. This includes the use of games, songs, many visuals, regalia, handling of objects and movement. Teachers usually speak almost entirely in the CLIL language. Routines are developed and considerable repetition is used so students know what to expect. This creates a sense of security, lowers anxiety and boosts learning.

Goals

Language showers aim to help students to:

• be aware of the existence of different languages;
• develop a positive attitude towards language learning;
• be prepared for language learning.

Suggested activities

Teachers focus on routine activities with which the students become comfortable. They set the stage by telling students what to expect and then switch to the CLIL language, for example:

• To manage snack-time or lunchtime. Instructions are given in the CLIL language, vocabulary for foods is learned and students answer questions about what they are eating. The teacher says: ‘Mmm, apples. Shelly has an apple. Who else has an apple? What is that Paul? Yes, very good. That’s right, it’s an apple. What colour is the apple, red or green? Is it red like Igor’s shirt or green like Chantal’s skirt?’ Simultaneously pointing to Igor’s red shirt and Chantal’s green skirt will facilitate comprehension.

• To help students get dressed for breaks or for going home. Articles of clothing can be put on in various sequences while the students repeat the new words. Considerable gesturing/pointing is used to help students associate the object with its name in the CLIL language. The teacher may say: ‘What shall we put on first? Our gloves? Our hats? Our coats? Our boots? What color is Vadim’s hat? What colour is Penny’s scarf? Today, let’s put on our gloves first. Now let’s put on our coats and try to button them. Is that difficult?’ (Said with a grimacing face.) ‘Is that easy?’ (Said with a smiling face.) Students answer with one word or in short phrases using the CLIL language.

• Singing songs that include considerable movement and that help teach vocabulary (eg the Shimmy Shimmy Shake, also known as the Hokey Pokey: I put my left hand in, my left hand out, my left hand in and I shake it all about …). Using actions together with new vocabulary helps students to learn and more easily recall vocabulary. Also, words in songs are more easily retained than lists of words.

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by Elaine Gallagher

Have you ever wished your students actually LIKED to write? Most kids don’t, not even in their native language. But a haiku is different. A student follows a simple formula, and voíla….they become a poet! Haikus help students to like to write, to be creative, to think artistically, to paint pictures with words, to develop vocabulary, to integrate with nature, and to feel good about themselves when they complete a haiku. . Various multiple and emotional intelligences wrapped in one package: a haiku.

Originally from Japan, Haikus have a simple format.

• Three lines
• Usually about nature
• No rhyme
• A syllable order: 5-7-5
• Five syllables in the first line
• Seven syllables in the second line
• Five syllables in the 3rd line

That’s it….a haiku. Sometimes I have students locate nature pictures on-line or in a magazine, get a copy, and write a haiku about the picture. Other times, I have students compose a haiku, then draw/paint a picture to accompany it.

I recently gave a writing course for teachers in Spain. Haikus were their favorite type of writing. Here are some haikus done by teachers at a conference in  Segovia.

Morning sky clear blue

A small white cloud passing by

High mountains, the sun

Hear children’s laughter

Clear water from melted snow

Rainbows, water drops

Silver green olives

Summer, late afternoon light

Colours, long shadows

 

Sunset autumn sky

Orange, turquoise blue, purple

Paint the cotton clouds

 

Snow white, mountain tops

Under moonlight brightly shine

The owl cries, it’s cold

 

About 10 years ago, in Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico, I taught a writing course for teachers, to enhance their own writing. Some of those haikus are still in my computer. As a final example, a person who is now a Coordinator of UNO Coaches in the Veracruz area, Silvia Rodriguez, wrote her haiku for our class, accompanied by a picture she had selected.

Enjoy……and get your students involved! They will be successful and pleased with their own products!

Blue, deep, full of life

A dangerous encounter

Life and death, a fact

 

 

 

 

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by Elaine Gallagher

Kindergarten: Identification of letters; saying the alphabet; writing their names; listening to stories and giving an oral summary or a drawing about the story; developing vocabulary.

1^st and 2^nd:   The sentence: begin with capital letter; end with correct punctuation:   . ? !

3^rd and 4^th:    The paragraph: main idea; indent for  each new paragraph; supporting details; adjectives, adverbs as descriptors.

5^th and 6^th:     3 – 5 paragraphs in a composition; using an outline.

7^th, 8^th, 9^th:     5 paragraph essay/composition; An outline prepared with:

• an introduction
• the information
• a conclusion
• using references & a bibliography

 

There are 3 basic types of writing:

1. Narrative
2. Persuasive
3. Explanatory

 

The Writing Process

1. Brainstorm

2. First draft

3. Revising and editing

4. Second draft / final draft

5. Publishing/sharing

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by Elaine Gallagher

CLIL – CONTENT and LANGUAGE INTEGRATED LEARNING    

    1.  Teachers facilitate learning rather than only transmit knowledge.

2. Learners collaborate.

3. Language is taught to create meaning, not as a set of individual skills.

4. Authentic materials, texts, and situations provide a base to create meaning, taking into account students’ prior knowledge, background experience, and language needs.

5.  Integration of oral, spoken, and written language results from meaningful social interaction and collaboration.

6. Problem-solving promotes language learning.

7. Learners talk, think, and cooperate with each other to arrive at solutions.

8. In an interactive environment, learners acquire language through “hands-on” activities.

9. Learners share language through the beauty and fun of music, dance, games, and drama.

10. Learners create their own literature.

11. Native and target languages co-produce, learning in a rich environment of language and culture. (Dr. Ofelia garcia)

12. Faith in the learner is crucial.

13. “Comprehensible Input” means that the student must have a reason to use the language being learned. (Dr. Stephen Krashen)

14. Recognition precedes production.

15. Research shows that eleven exposures, as an average, are necessary for new material to move from short term to long-term memory.

16. Learning a language is a conscious effort to study and learn, using authentic subject materials. (Dr. David Marsh)

17. Acquisition of a language occurs through exposure to input that is slightly above the learner’s current level of competence. (Dr. Lev Vygotsky)

18. The affective filter MUST be down so that the “input” can enter. Student must be relaxed and unthreatened.

19. Use lots of visual and digital aids, and opportunities to speak, listen, and use the language.  Learners need active tasks and opportunities to “pick up” the language.

20. Language should be natural, not artificial, fake, or rote.

Remember: RECOGNITION PRECEDES PRODUCTION.

If you speak to a student in the target language (i.e, English), the student will be able to recognize, understand, and respond to what you say before he/she can actually produce (speak, write) the language.

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by Elaine Gallagher

TEACHERS of ENGLISH: There is much talk about “competencies”, but, often, teachers are puzzled.  What do they include?

Here is a brief guide of the general competencies that apply to primary students, and the areas that you can concentrate on to assure that your students are having lessons based on basic competencies.

 

COMPETENCIES FOR PRIMARY STUDENTS

Most educators world-wide are in agreement that children need to acquire certain competencies in order to be successful as students and competent as human beings. In place of specific, rigid terminal objectives that must be mastered for academic “success”, educators now recognize that more general, gradually-developed abilities and interests will result instudents who know more, enjoy learning, and who have self-confidence.

 

Each country has its own version of which competencies need to be developed.  In essence, most countries have similar competencies. Educators in Spain, for example,  have recognized eight basic competencies that need to be developed in our students for life-long success that begins in childhood.  Many countries have adapted these same ideas of competencies, perhaps with different names, but, basically, educators world-wide are on the same road towards generalized competencies instead of specific objectives.

 

BASIC COMPETENCIES

1. Linguistic

Students listen, speak, read, and write appropriately for their developmental stage. Receptive skills (listening and reading) and productive skills (speaking and writing) are developed, emphasizing fluency of ideas instead of memorized grammar rules.

2. Mathematical

Students develop a number sense, relationship between objects and numbers, having fun with  numbers, concepts, design, shapes, mental math, and recognize the abstract and concrete.

3. Knowledge of the natural world

Students learn to appreciate and understand biology, physical sciences, nature, animals, plants, astronomy, the world around them.

Geography, history, the interaction between the two are gradually introduced to students over time, so they can see the world as a united whole.

4. Managing information

Students learn how to utilize various information sources: computers, Internet, encyclopedias, libraries, media centers, electronics, computer-generated presentations, so they are comfortable and competent in their use.

5. Social responsibility

Students are guided to self-respect, respect of others, and to recognize their important role in the preservation of the environment and helping  others less fortunate, leading to interpersonal tranquility and recognizing their contribution to world peace.

6. Art and culture

Students are introduced to various artistic forms (art, music, dance), both as a participant and as one who can appreciate the arts.  They also learn to appreciate and respect the various cultures, races, and  religions of the world, by readings, discussions, and varied experiences.

7. Learning how to learn

Students are shown metacognitive techniques so they can become more responsible for their own learning and achievements.  Learning styles, self-corrections, team work, knowledge of cognitive levels (Bloom) and multiple intelligences  (Gardner) are shared with students gradually, so they can be aware of their own important role in their success.

8. Personal initiative

Time on-task, motivation techniques, and personal commitment to do one personal best are emphasized. Praise, encouragement, planning and scheduling skills are emphasized. Students are taught to ask themselves: “Is this an example of  my personal best?”

     By supporting these competencies among our students, we hope to develop life-long learners, who not only achieve academically, but who enjoy learning, thinking, and doing.

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by Elaine Gallagher

Hello,  teachers:

Many times you may ask, “What vocabulary should I be supporting in every-day classroom activities to expand the children’s listening vocabulary, beyond the book?” «What words or phrases, or grammar practices do my students need to know so they can build oral fluency….beyond the book?»

These are great questions, proving that you are a real professional who wants what’s best for your students.

Here is a mini-guide for you to use.  Maybe you will want to make flashcards, or a poster, or choose words you know the students need. We hope the list will be a helpful guide for you!

 

GENERAL VOCABULARY AND TOPICS

Grade 1

Students should be able to discuss and answer questions such as:

• What’s your name?
• How many children are there? (1-20)
• this is / these are
• What’s this?  It’s ……..
• The body
• Faces
• What color is it?
• My clothes

• WORDS TO KNOW: bicycles, birds, boys, cats, children, dogs, flags, girls, trees, basketball, football, rugby, volleyball, team

• MORE: bedroom, bathroom, dining room, kitchen, living room, bed, books, cards, computer, cupboard, rabbit, shelf, table

• MORE: arms, feet, fingers, hands, head, legs, tall, short, fat, thin, big, small, long. ears, eyes, hair, mouth, nose, dark, fair

• MORE: blue, brown, green, orange, pink, purple, red, yellow, black, white, box, crayons, paper, pen, ruler, scissors

• MORE: belt, blouse, dress, hat, jacket, shirt, skirt, socks, suit, tie, trousers, T-shirt

• What do you see in this picture?  Student should be able to describe the picture, using some of the above-listed words.

  

VOCABULARY AND TOPICS

Grade 2 

•  crocodile, baby, doing, playing the piano, bus, monster, cake, horse, floor, jumping, under, on, between, lemon, lime, now, clock, ice-cream, radio, drinking, guitar, wearing, elephant, spider

•  all colors covered in first grade, plus: grey; pets, bird, cage, rabbit, fish, beak, behind, in, on, under, tank, wall, flowers

• Pets

• Do you have a computer?

• WORDS: camera, comics, computer, pictures, rings, toys, video game, violin, behind, between, in, on , next to, in front of, under
• Days of the week

• WORDS / PHRASES: in the morning / afternoon, the weekend, go swimming, play tennis, visit grandparents, have a music lesson, paints, cleans, watches, does, goes, visits, plays, cooks

• Where do you live?
• WORDS: a flat, cottage, house, city, town, village, garden, upstairs, downstairs, on the ground floor

• FAMILY: pretty, sister, brother, mother, father, twin sister / brother, grandmother, grandfather

• What time do you get up? WORDS / PHRASES: get up, go to bed, have lunch, do homework, watch TV, go to school, have breakfast, o’clock, half past, quarter past / to, in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening

• FRIENDS:  bike,  film, pizza, cinema, restaurant, swimming pool, tennis club, She plays hockey.

• MONTHS OF THE YEAR: all 12 months, Christmas, birthday, Easter, Mother’s Day, Ordinal numbers for dates: 1^st – 31^st

 

 SELECTED VOCABULARY AND TOPICS

Grade 3

 (all of the previous words, plus:)

many animals, such as animal, lizard, sheep, words dealing with the body and the face , clothes and accessories such as handbag, glasses, trousers; family, friends, and ourselves: dad/daddy, family, me, I, my, their, them, they, woman, women, man, men; food and drink: ice-   cream, juice, coconut, onion, sausage, supper, breakfast, burger; the home: armchair, bathroom, bookcase, camera, mirror, phone, street, television, TV, watch, window; school, such as: alphabet, board, colour (color), correct, English, eraser, know, don’t know, letter, listen, question, sentence, teacher, test, understand, write, yes

What’s the weather like?:  warm, sunny, cloudy, absolutely, rainy

What do you study?: art, biology, chemistry, multiplication

Free time: music, homework, go out, play video games

Tell me about your town: I live in……    historic city, crowded, quie

What are they doing?: He’s brushing his teeth. shopping, working,  watching TV. washing up, reading, eating

Best friends: short, blonde, friendly, straight, wear, strong

Work: What does your father do?: He’s a lawyer.

Where’s your classroom?: It’s down the hall. go along, turn left / right

 

Grade 4

be, catch, draw, drink, eat, find, fly, have, hit, know, learn, put, read, ride, see, sing, sit, sleep, spell, swim, stand, throw, understand, wear, write; add, answer, ask, bounce, look, paint, pick up, play, point, talk, walk, want, watch 

Family matters: using the future, describing people, possessives

Play time: frequency, time expressions, every day, six o’clock

School’s out: holidays, present / future, when, where, why, who

Good sports: likes and dislikes, present continuous, questions

Memorable meals: food, cooking, talking about a meal, future with going to

Nice work: work, jobs, quickly, well, occupations

Shop around: describing ways of shopping, sequencing: first, next, after, finally

In class: talking about the past, comparison / superlative, the best, the most difficult, easiest  

 

Grade 5

(all of the previous words, plus:)

towns, zoos, snakes, monkeys, playground, wrong, afraid, grandma,     village, swimming pool, horse, river, carried, wet, robot, holidays

Friends: frequency, giving reasons, recently, a few days ago

Dream machines: probability, could, cheaper, faster, more popular

Cover to cover: books and films, narrating an event, describing a character, the funniest, the most enjoyable

A big bang: festivals & special occasions, during, dates: 4^th of July, 31^st of December, 19^th of March, ordinal numbers, fourth, twenty-first

Watch it: expressing opinions, I prefer

Going for gold: recent and indefinite past, for, since, ever, never

The world tomorrow: possibly, probably, is certain to, certainly, definitely not

Present time: describing events, sequencing, for my birthday, in December, on the 3^rd, for Christmas

 

Grade 6

(all of the previous words, plus:)

badminton, baseball, basketball, bounce, camera, fishing, football, kick, kite, soccer, table tennis, toy, helicopter, lorry (truck), motorbike,  at, behind, in front of, next to, afternoon, computer, ordinal numbers 1^st to 100^th, example.

On the ball: badly, fast, hard, regularly, have to, must, need

Season tickets: in the winter, colder, the wettest, sunbathing, swimming, because, giving reasons, frequency

It’s history: describing past events, how much? how many?

That’s rich: money, ability, skills; If I’m successful, I’ll be rich. Gerunds: good at + —ing: He is good at swimming.

What on Earth….? opinions, describing, have to, must, need; If we ban cars, the air would be cleaner.

In great shape: health, have to, don’t have to, need, don’t need

Wild dreams: describing animals, asking open-ended questions, much, many, more, less, few, little, less

Followers of fashion:  describing what people wear, shopping,

expressing frequency: never, occasionally, often, unusually, always, conditionals (first)

ENJOY!

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by Elaine Gallagher

As mentioned in our last issue of UNONEWS, here are some items to help support you in teaching writing skills to your students.

1. The study guide-sheet to self-check for errors in writing
2. How to organize a notebook (Suggestions)
3. Writing across content areas
4. Ideas for narrative writing assignments
5. Sample rubrics for writing.

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1. The study guide-sheet, so students will know what they need to check in order to present an essay to the best of their abilities. You will need to review this    chart with the students the first time you give it to them.  Also, if you have special instructions, be very clear abut your expectations.

EXAMPLE: the guide-sheet asks students to check for «complete sentences».

If, however, you’ve been showing them how to write using quotations, writing what people say, you need to explain that we don’t always speak in complete sentences. Therefore, if a student writes:

John asked me if I was going to the party.

«No.»

«Why not?»

«Because I hate large groups of people.»

We have to explain that this is correct.

Checklist for students to self-correct work before submitting it                          PROOF-READING CHECKLIST FOR STUDENTS      Your name: ____________________________  Date ______       Assignment Title: __________________________________   ___ Did I check to see that I spelled all the words correctly? ___ Did I indent each paragraph? ___ Did I write each sentence as a complete thought? ___ Do I have any run-on sentences? If so, fix them. ___ Did I begin each sentence with a capital letter? ___ Did I use capital letters correctly in other places? ___ Did I end each sentence with the correct punctuation mark? ___ Did I use commas, apostrophes, and other punctuation marks correctly? ___ Did I read my paper aloud to myself or to a friend?

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2. Notebook, loose-leaf style, will need 8 dividers.

ORGANIZATION OF THE NOTEBOOK  (8 sections)

1. The date and the day’s work          (Copied from the board.)
2. Trivia: Fact of the week                   (Copy; later the answer)
3. Vocabulary                                         (Words and simple definitions (not dictionary)
4. Class notes                                         (Organized by dates)
5. Maps, graphs, and tables                 (Organized by dates)
6. Quizzes and tests                              (Organized by dates)
7. Research (by topic, A-Z)                 (Print-outs from Internet)
8. Miscellaneous                                  (Additional material)

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3. Writing across content areas

Dedications (to Dad, Love, Mary) Brochures Newsletters Anthologies (list of books) Yearbooks Book blurbs (short description) Thank you notes Greeting cards Summaries Recipes Lists (for shopping, gifts, parties, trips, things to do) Calendars Messages Bulletins Posters Signs Charts Letters Postcards Conversations Want ads Announcements Song lyrics Magazine articles Guides Assignments Commercials

Books Stories Reviews (of books, movies, restaurants, products) Author page (for books) Directions Notices Newspaper articles Reports Interviews «How to» manuals Advice columns Surveys Questionnaires / Surveys Evaluations Instructions Essays Advertisements Memos Poems Diaries Scripts Comic strips Rules Proposals (what you want to do) Invitations Journals Crossword puzzles

 

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4. Ideas for narrative writing assignments 

An expressive narrative…writing «a story»

The writer will sequence events into a story on a specified topic:

PRODUCT:                          Story

ORGANIZATION:            Chronological (progression through time)

STORY ELEMENTS:       Use the basic elements of a short story with a fully-developed beginning, middle (the body), and end.  This must be more than a sequence of events.  Writer must establish some sort of problem which is solved during the events of the story.

TRANSITIONAL WORDS and PHRASES: then, after, after that, soon, while, later, before, during, next, when, meanwhile, as soon as, finally, at last

NARRATIVE WRITING

1. INTRODUCTION
2. FIRST: Setting, location, characters, time of day (once upon a time, far away, in old times when wishes came true, on a space station in the year 2,134)
3. THEN: Present the problem
4. LAST: A solution
5. CONCLUSION: happy ending (They lived happily ever after.  They woke up from a dream. They arrived home safely. Etc.)

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     A TYPICAL STORY FORMULA

     SOMEBODY    –    WANTED   –    BUT    –    SO    –   THEN

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    ELABORATION STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE WRITING

     1.      USE similies or metaphors…..color, shape, size, texture

(The clouds looked like cotton balls. The lion was like a huge version of my pet cat.)

2. USE conversation…..two complete exchanges

3. USE adjectives or adverbs….1 or 2 with nouns or verbs

(The tall, handsome prince silently glimpsed the princess in the ugly, dark tower.)

 

TO SUPPORT WRITING:

• USE GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS TO ORGANIZE YOUR THOUGHTS.
• KEEP A VOCABULARY NOTEBOOK.
• KEEP A LIST OF IDEAS FOR WRITING TOPICS YOU LIKE.
• WRITE SOMETHING EVERY DAY!!! (even if it’s only a sentence or two, or a journal quick-write.

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5. Rubrics for guiding and scoring writing

RUBRIC #1

             SAMPLE RUBRIC SCORING FOR WRITING    

            Use grade equivalents, such as:

            4 = Excellent, well-above expectations:    95+………………  9 – 10

            3 = Very good, above expectations:           85 – 94 ………….  8  – 9

            2 = Good, meeting expectations:                75 – 84 ………….  7 –  8

            1 = Below expectations:                                65 – 74 ………….  6  – 7

            0 = Do it again:  no score    (Seek help.)  Failure is NOT an option.

 

            SCORING EXPECTATIONS

SCORE 4

• Correct purpose and audience
• Effective elaboration
• Consistent organization
• Clear sense of order and completeness
• Fluent, good vocabulary choices

SCORE 3

• Correct purpose and audience
• Moderately well elaborated
• Organized, but possible digressions
• Clear, effective language

 SCORE 2

• Correct purpose and audience
• Some elaboration
• Some graphic details
• Gaps in organization
• Limited language control

SCORE 1

• Attempts to address audience
• Wrong purpose
• Brief / vague
• Unelaborated
• Wanders off / on topic
• Lack of language control
• Poor or no organization

SCORE 0

• Off topic, or copied the writing assignment
• Blank paper, or did not write enough to score
• Language other than English
• Illegible or incoherent

Students can work together in pairs to help each other…NOT to correct or grade each other’s papers, but to read each other’s papers and make comments, suggestions, and advise about necessary corrections.

USE THE STUDY GUIDE-SHEET SHOWN  EARLIER IN THIS ARTICLE.

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RUBRIC #2

RUBRIC SCORING EXPLANATION FOR WRITING

1          Many errors

            Lack of sophisticated vocabulary

            Verb tenses incorrect

            Spelling errors

            Grammar errors

            Unclear, incomplete

 

2          Errors in 2 or 3 of the items above

           

3          Very few errors, but not perfect

            Unclear

 

4          Clear to understand

             No obvious errors

 

There are many rubrics on Internet if you want more from which to select.

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by Elaine Gallagher  

Sometimes, as teachers, we run out of ideas of things for students to write about. We complain that our students «can’t write». We say that they don’t have «creative» ideas.

I ask you: Do you assign a writing topic… or do you TEACH them HOW to write?

Sometimes, we assign students simple, predictable, low-level thinking, easy topics, such as: «What did you do last summer?» «What is your favorite pet / sport / book / movie / hobby / food, etc?»

We concentrate on the mechanics of writing, such as punctuation, capital letters, spelling….all of which, yes, are important, but when do we emphasize the theme? Elaboration of vocabulary? Passion for the idea?

No wonder our students don’t like to write, and consequently, they don’t write well.  This is true in English, Spanish, Portuguese….in any language: first, second, or third languages… if oral fluency, reading, writing, vocabulary development, and critical thinking are not emphasized.

You can guide your students to high quality, creative writing, from 3rd grade of primary through high school in five, easy steps. Within just a few months, your students will be writing better, and more importantly, they’ll actually look forward to writing. The key is YOU.

You need to guide them to write, teach them HOW to write, and how to organize their ideas. You need to look at the content of what they write as being equally important to the mechanics of their writing.  In fact, when I taught kids, I gave them TWO grades on writing assignments, shown as a fraction: mechanics on top, and the concept/theme as the denominator, the core of the writing. EXAMPLE: 80/90 = 80 on the mechanics, and 90 on the theme/topic.

Another important factor in teaching writing is that «slow and steady wins the race.» For every writing assignment, I recommend you spread it out over two weeks: two themes a month. Don’t worry about what any books say. The book is just your guide. YOU are the master of the classroom, not the book!

Another factor: Do NOT give writing for homework! The students can THINK at home, develop ideas at home, or look into internet to expand their knowledge of a topic at home. Those examples are what I choose to call «legitimate» homework.  They are things that mom cannot do for her child. If I don’t see something completed in my classroom, I ethically cannot give it a grade. Why? You all know why. We have no proof of who actually did the work.

For the first few months of school, the teacher needs to provide topic ideas. Gradually, students will be able to offer suggestions for the bi-monthly topic. The five steps (shown below) are used all year.

We are building writing habits, brain patterns and connections. If all the teachers in the school use the same format for writing, the students, by secondary level, will have transformed into apt and creative writers.

One source for topics, teachers, are famous quotations. I am NOT very creative. I find it difficult to invent a completely new topic, but by looking quotations in Internet, I get an idea and expand on it. The expansion part is creativity.

For this article, I have chosen a quotation I saw on Internet:

«It is not true that people stop pursuing dreams because they grow old, they grow old because they stop pursuing dreams.”  ? Gabriel Garcia Marquez

I show the quotation to the students. They copy it in their notebook or writing journal. I explain the word (verb) pursuing as «looking for something; chasing after something; searching.»

On the board, I write (inside a circle) «PURSUNG DREAMS».

THEN WHAT?

So what are the five steps to good, effective writing….steps that I, myself, even as an adult, use whenever I write a book?

NOTE:

Days 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, listed below, are not Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc.

They refer to 5 days of guided writing instruction, spread out over 10 days of school, 2 weeks.

 

DAY 1:  (about 15 – 20 minutes)

Teacher guides the students to brainstorm. Teacher writes a topic on the board, circles it, and as the students give words, ideas, or themes connected to the topic, the teacher draws lines from the circle (like spokes on a wheel), writing what students suggest.

REMEMBER: with brainstorming, ALL ideas are valid. None are rejected.

Students copy the diagram in their notebooks or writing journals.

 

EXAMPLE: «PURSUNG DREAMS».

Students have developed a group graphic (from DAY 1) with such words /phrases as:

be rich, famous, go to Hawaii, be President, buy my mother a house, go hunting with my father, get good grades, I’m a millionaire in dollars, cure cancer, build robots, control the world, I’m a genius, I’m director of this school, don’t give up, try hard, study in university, be the next Steve Jobs, etc.

 

DAY 2: (15 -20 minutes)

We look at the graphic we had worked on in the previous lesson. Teacher reviews it, and advises students to begin thinking about one of the words/phrases from the chart that interests them the most.

Students work in pairs to select one of the words, but each one writes his/her own graphic. They begin their own mind map, based on the word or phrase they chose, and elaborate on it, talking with each other, expanding ideas, writing additional vocabulary words (guided by teacher) , and write thoughts, as a skeleton to develop their own writing.

 

EXAMPLE: «PURSUNG DREAMS».

Students already have developed the group graphic (from DAY 1) and now, in pairs, they choose one of the phrases or words to expand. If a pair chooses:

cure cancer, they have to draw a circle around it, and place words that could help them write on the topic, keeping in mind the main topic of PURSUING DREAMS….such as:

study hard, visit hospitals, go to clinics to see what’s happening, research on internet, study biology, volunteer at a hospital for old, sick people, study medicine in university, avoid smoking, etc.

 

DAY 3: (25-35 minutes)

Each student writes on his/her own, individually, guided by the words, phrases, and ideas developed in their graphic organizer/mind map from the previous lesson.  (This is a first draft version. The teacher does not correct or grade it.)

Based on the ideas from DAY 1 and 2, students now can begin to write something.

FIRST: teacher guides them to see that they have 3 sections in their writing:

(a) AN INTRODUCTION: telling what the main idea of the writing is, or asking  a question of the reader; ,

(b) The BODY (ideas they want to express), and

(c) A CONCLUSION, a summary and/or a smooth ending to the ideas presented in the essay .

 

DAY 4: (20-25 minutes)

Holistic review and editing… in pairs. The first time in the school year that this is done, the teacher distributes a guide-sheet, so students will know what to check for improving their papers. The students save this guide-sheet in their notebooks for use every time they write. .

Students also are guided by the teacher, who’s circulating around the room to help students, perhaps giving an English word they ask for, helping with spelling, or answering a question about content.

Each student helps the other to read the essay aloud (quietly), noting errors, and sharing ideas for corrections, helped by the guide-sheet and/or the teacher. The long-term goal is to have independent writers. Scaffolding pays a large part in student success.

 

DAY 5:  (30-35 minutes)

Individually, students now write on a clean sheet of paper, or their i-pad (in technologically advanced schools), preparing to submit a final version of what they had worked on in DAYS 3 and 4.

This final draft is submitted to the teacher, who will give a holistic grade, based on content and mechanics. No one fails, unless he/she refuses to work. Neatness is important, but handwriting is not to be graded since in this century more and more written work is being completed digitally. Much more important than the handwriting is the quality of the content presented by the students.

The time limit (35 minutes) must be respected. If some students finish earlier, they need to check their work with the guide-sheet, to make sure they have followed all the guidelines for good writing. If, however, students do not finish in 35 minutes, the teacher needs to collect the paper. No sanctions should be given if a child does not finish. He/she will, however, will need to  show the teacher the notes from DAYS 1-4, to ascertain that the student actually completed the preparation to the DAY 5 work. The expectation is that the next writing assignment, the student will have learned to complete the work faster, to be within the time frame.

 

(WATCH FOR THE NEXT ISSUE OF UNO NEWS.

1. We’ll provide you with a copy of a writing guide, so students can check their own work. (DAY 4 work) This guideline list is useful from 3rd grade through high school.

 

2. Also, we’ll give you suggestions on organizing students’ notebooks.

HINT: They will need 8 dividers in a loose-leaf notebook, the kind with rings, to enter sheets of paper, not a spiral-bound notebook where things need to be glued to the page….19th century style.)

 

3. We’ll show you sample rubrics for guiding and grading students’ writing.

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By Elaine Gallagher

As I wrote in the last issue of UNONEWS, UNO speaks of «critical thinking»,  «cooperative learning», «confident students», and «oral fluency in two languages».  UNO provides staff development, on-line support, and model classes. Now, into our fourth year of implementation, am I seeing transformation? What’s REALLY happening out there that is good and positive?

First, readers should know that my job with UNO/Santillana/ Sistemas de Enseñanza is as an outside consultant, a «provider of services».  I’m not on regular payroll, (nómina). So what I say, what I do, and what I write are my ideas, based on observations, research, and 50 years of experience. No one monitors me. I have no boss, and no one tells me what to do, what to say, or what to write. This forum in UNONEWS is to provide reading material, teaching ideas, and subjects to contemplate…in English.

I work wherever UNO is, mainly in Mexico, the entire country, but also in Ecuador, Guatemala, Colombia, etc. My observations are based on more than 500 schools that I’ve visited.  In the past month, I’ve been in Mexico, throughout Sonora and Sinaloa, visiting about 50 schools. Tomorrow, I fly home to Saltillo for 3 days for my husband’s birthday, then I’m off again to Chihuahua, Veracruz, and Querétaro……and so on, during the entire school year, visiting every state of Mexico.

The positive changes are becoming evident. The pockets of transformation are obvious in many places.  We are not talking only about HOW teachers are reaching students’ minds, or how students are responding in the classroom. Equally important is the atmosphere, the ambiente, of the entire school.

Schools that used to have small, individual student desks in rows, with the teacher in front, blah, blah, blah, students writing copious notes, like a scene from a 19th century movie, are beginning to become extinct, like the dinosaur or the dodo bird. Tables are replacing individual desks, facilitating students working cooperatively. The teacher is circulating among the students, maintaining a sense of purpose. Even in schools that can’t afford to replace individual desks with tables, 21st century-style now finds the desks placed in a large U, or a semicircle, or two U’s, or two semi-circles in classes with many students. Teachers are able to walk around, maintaining the important power of eye-contact with the students, promoting positive self-discipline and student involvement in the class.

In case you haven’t sat in one for 20 years, those individual desks are uncomfortably-difficult to enter, especially for large students. I’ve seen 5th graders who are much taller and heavier than I. Entering one of those one-piece desks takes some maneuvering, and is embarrassing for our larger students.

As mundane and perhaps as silly as it sounds, the bathrooms give a clue to the regard and respect schools have for their students. How many times have YOU, the reader, gone to visit friends, and when you need to use the bathroom, you have to go to the kitchen to obtain an allotment of toilet paper?  In transformed schools, the toilet paper is inside the stall where each toilet is located. Students have learned not to waste it, not to stuff toilets with it, or not throw a ball of wet paper to the ceiling, where it sticks. Students’ dignity is intact, as is their respect for their school. This is the real teaching of «values».

Change means that teachers are challenging students with critical thinking questions that go BEYOND the book. Transformed teachers recognize that the book is simply a tool, a support, a guide. They know that looking for topics in Internet, to obtain fresh, interesting, supplemental data for their class, keeps their classes interesting and challenging.

I see teachers showing photos of Greece to support a Greek mythology story in a 6th grade UNO classroom. The teacher asks, «Why do you think the houses on this island are all painted white?»  Many students don’t know…..It’s not in the book.

But, invariably, there’s a student who answers: «They’re white because white reflects the sun’s rays, keeping the homes cooler in a warm climate. If they were black, the houses would absorb heat».

WOW! The teacher gets excited, congratulates the student «for using your brain»….and asks, «Where did you learn that?» Student replies, «I saw it on TV, on National Geographic».  The teacher tells the class, «Great! TV and Internet have many ways to learn new things.  Keep your brain alive with brain food! Your brain doesn’t eat tacos. Your brain needs to be fed with new information and ideas so you won’t be bored.»

Students in transformed schools are full of questions! They participate orally. When a teacher was discussing a 9th grade, English, UNO novel, Parvana’s  Journey, fictionabout a 13 year-old girl in Afghanistan, a student asked:

» You said, teacher, that the United Nations is helping Afghanistan. How? With food? with soldiers? with weapons?»

The teacher told the girl, «That’s a good question! It shows you’re thinking. The UN helps in all three ways……» and went on to elaborate.

In a Spanish class last week, I saw 5 girls, working as a team, give an oral presentation for about 30 minutes in front of their Mexican history class, regarding holidays, and events. They spoke without notes, from their research, and knowledge in their brains, not in a «memorized» fashion. Conversationally, each girl explained her part of the total report. It was well-done, clear, fluent, each girl speaking with confidence, exhibiting the obvious: this was not a «show» because I was in the classroom. It was clear they had had previous experiences in giving oral presentations. The teacher did her job well!

Equally impressive were the other students in the class, paying attention, taking notes, and when the talk was completed, they questioned the speakers about details, such as, «How did that custom begin?» (referring to Day of the Dead). The speakers were able to answer the questions fielded to them after their presentation, exhibiting confidence, knowledge, and adequate preparation of their material. These are the kinds of things we want to see in an UNO-transformed school.

School coordinators and administrators also play a strong, positive role when I see transformed classrooms. They support, encourage, and listen to their staff. They are not checking teachers’ plans with a lupa (magnifying glass). Instead, they enter the classrooms for 10-15 minutes, every 10-15 days, to observe, not to evaluate. They share with the teacher what they saw.

What are they looking for? What should they be looking for?

The seating arrangement….the use of technology….the day’s date on the board, with a brief outline of the day’s topics, a trivia question on the board,  the teachers’ questioning techniques, the students’ responses…students’ interactions with each other and with the teacher, active, positive participation……

I’m seeing these changes in our schools with positive transformation.  Invariably, sustained change occurs only in schools with a positive atmosphere, and high respect for students and for teachers by the administration. Parents’ roles are to support the school, not to criticize it. When there are positive, supportive, communicative administrators, the teachers, the students, and the parents are all part of the positive change.

What do parents really want?  They want to see their children arrive home from school, willing to answer then inevitable question: «What did you do in school today?»  Parents don’t want to hear, «Nothing».

They want to hear things like, «We used the i-pads…..We did an experiment…We learned about Galileo…..We did a hard math problem, and I was able to solve it……We organized teams for this month, and I’ll be the SPEAKER on my team»…..etc etc etc. .

Students are wonderful (most of the time) in transformed schools! How can we think that teenagers hate school, or are problems? Just in this past month I have seen so many heart-warming things Permit me to share some.

• I was invited by one school to meet with some student representatives of primary grades. I had been at that school on various previous occasions, as it’s an UNO Founder school. Many teachers and students already knew me. As I walk into a large room, surprise!!!! 50 students stand up applauding me, waving colorful paper flags, as if I’m a visiting dignitary from a foreign country. I’m amazed, and walk around the large group, shaking hands and thanking every student. They, then, in excellent, smooth, fluent English, one-by-one, share in the giving of a Power Point presentation about the history of their school, and its growth over many years. It was excellent!

• In this same school, spontaneously, one boy handed me a piece of paper and asked it I could autograph it, which I did, personalizing it with his name. In 10 seconds, there were 50 kids in line with the flags they had waved upon my arrival, asking for autographs!  I wrote each child’s name and signed mine, with a heart, and the child’s initial inside the heart. I felt like a rock-star on tour! But more importantly, I ask you readers, how often is it that kids want an autograph of an old teacher? It shows me that they value what we are doing. It shows they are happy in their school.

• I’ve been giving many model classes to real kids in their classrooms using UNO material, appropriate for their grade level. When I finished an 8th grade class in one school, having taught it in Spanish (Historia Universal, primer bimestre), the students applauded, and insisted on taking pictures with me. So the teacher and the school director (who had been observing) guided the 37 students outside. We stood in front of a large tree and took a group photo. Then the kids with their i-phones, wanted individual photos with me.
• Again, I ask you…..what teenager wants a picture with an old history teacher?  The answer is: kids who are transforming. Kids who are valuing good teaching.

•  In a primary class, in another state, I completed a 6th grade Greek mythology class in English…. great kids, who responded well to my critical -thinking questions, showing me that the teacher had been using high level thinking with her students. As the Coach and I walked towards her car, to drive to the next school, a small group of 6th grade girls ran up to us (It was recess time.). One girl, in great English, excitedly said, «Oh..teacher, I’m so full of energy! My brain is exploding with ideas!  I can’t stop thinking about all I need to read and learn about.  My brain is waking up!» The Coach and I were pleased, but a bit surprised, because in my model class, this particular girl was quiet, barely responding. Yet, now we had evidence that she was responding in her way.

• Another class I had taught in Spanish……middle school….one girl said, «This class was AWESOME…..Really, really awesome…I learned so much…stuff I never paid attention to before…» Here we have another student on the verge of transforming.

• My classes are nothing special. I have no secret formula. ANY teacher can teach in a way to inspire students. I didn’t even study to be a teacher. I took a teaching job right after college in 1964 to save some money for law school…but remained in teaching. I learned the techniques I use from copying other teachers who were older, and smarter than I. The books I use supply me with the tools to transmit knowledge and life’s zest to my students. UNO provides me with the «meat», the base of what students need to know, the content. Anyone with such good tools as UNO provides can become a «transformed» teacher.
• You just need to have one ingredient: passion for what you do!

• One more heart-warming example from 3 weeks ago:                                                                          In a small city, practically in the middle of nowhere……a founder UNO school has transformed.
• I did two model classes with middle school  students. Why middle school? Because i want to see the evidence of students who have been using UNO during grades 4, 5, and 6.  The classes went excellently, in both languages, critical thinking exhibited, confident, fluent students. The English level of the students at this particular school was so close to native speakers that I had to ask the teacher if there were kids from the USA in the class. She said «No».
• Why such great English? The teacher of the class I had taught, who is also the school’s Academic Coordinator, is supporting UNO’s CLIL philosophy 100%.

• Our UNO English books say «CLIL» on the cover or on the front page. It was the reason Pablo Doberti hired me in 2010, because I knew about CLIL, a philosophy Pablo wanted to promote with UNO.  CLIL stands for «Content and Language Integrated Learning». It’s not a method or a program. It’s a philosophy of how we learn a language.

•  CLIL philosophy = Not one word of Spanish in the English classes. No one fails. Learning a language is a skill that comes to EVERYONE, given time and consistency.  The teaching of English is focused on topics, NOT grammar-based. Grammar is taught in context, not as a separate subject. No tedious, time-wasting homework. The only homework given are things that enter the students’ brains, such as reading, studying, researching, nothing mom can do for her child.

• This UNO school I’m referring to, in the middle of nowhere, scores very high in standardized exams because the students have oral, written, and mental fluency. They do not tediously «practice» for exams.. The teachers prepare students for English exams by excellent, CLIL-based teaching, and for Spanish exams, by the use of critical thinking, strong vocabulary development, and oral fluency.

• In this school, when my class was done, a 9th grade English class, where we previewed a novel they’ll be reading later this year, one girl sitting in the front semi-circle of desks (it was a large class about 42 students, in 2 semi-circles) asked me, «Teacher, can I hug you?» I said, «Of course», and I bent down to hug her.

• Before i knew it, all the kids, forty-two 14 -15 years olds, were asking for hugs. I looked at the teacher……She smiled, and told all the kids to line up if they wanted a hug. I then proceeded to hug 42 teen-agers, most were taller than I. Every student wanted a hug, the big, strong, foot-ball players and the short, timid ones. I almost wanted to cry.

•  How can we say that kids hate school? How can we say that teenagers are a huge problem? How can we say that kids don’t care about school or adults or learning?  In this small town, there’s a transformed school, where teenagers want to hug a teacher, a plain, ordinary teacher, simply because the students appreciate good teaching. They love their regular English teacher,  and told her, too!

• This one of the many schools where the hard-working Coaches of UNO are guiding, and leading administrators, teachers, students, and parents, to the transformation we dream about.

• Is your school on the road to transformation? Or are you still resisting the inevitable change, the evolution, in education?

• When was the last time in your school or on  «you-tube»  you saw 42 teenagers wanting to stand in line to hug a teacher?
• When was the last time in your school that kids told you the history class was «awesome».

We in UNO are change-agents. Congratulations to the many schools who are embracing the challenge. As Pablo Doberti, the International Director of UNO, said 4 years ago when we began with UNO: «We cannot talk about reforms in education if there are no changes in the classroom.»

Congratulations to all of you on the road to world-class excellence with UNO. Transformation is beginning to be seen and felt!

CONTINUE BEING AN AGENT OF CHANGE!

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