Key Ideas

Previewing Text
How important is it?
Well, accordlng Lo 8esL racuces ln LlLeracy lnsLrucuon (2007
Cambrell, Morrow & ressley), lL was one of Lhe mosL successful
comprehenslon Lool sLudenLs used durlng several years of
research. 1hey sald LhaL successful readers wlll slze up Lhe LexL
ln advance by looklng aL uLles, LexL feaLures, secuons, plcLures,
and capuons...".
Ck, ok l hear you all Laklng a huge slgh and Lhlnklng, does she
Lhlnk we are sLupld? lL's noL llke prevlewlng LexL ls someLhlng
new or someLhlng we never Leach. uuh, Mrs. 1ubbs." 8efore you
Lune me ouL compleLely, hear me ouL. We all know LhaL
prevlewlng LexL ls lmporLanL, buL ls lL lmperauve? ls lL one of
your non-negouables ln Lhe readlng process? uo you have
sLudenLs expllclLly do Lhls before every plece of LexL you puL
before Lhem? All good quesuons l Lhlnk. l would llke Lo challenge
you Lo Lhlnk abouL whaL prevlewlng ls Lo you. WhaL does lL look
llke and sound llke ln your classroom? WhaL ls Lhe language you
use for prevlewlng... snapshoL, mlnd plcLure, warm-up, eLc.? l
would love Lo hear your LhoughLs on whaL you ask of your
sLudenLs when Leachlng Lhem Lo prevlew LexL.
Lx18A lnSlCP1... lf you read Lhls far l wlll go ahead and leL you
ln on a llule plannlng LhaL Lhe leadershlp Leam ls dolng! We are
Lrylng Lo geL LogeLher a half-day of plannlng for all of us Lo do
some verucal allgnmenL ln readlng. We would love Lo share and
hear ldeas and LLA8 language" across grade levels. We have
seen and heard some greaL Lhlngs as we walk Lhrough Lhe hall
and vlslL classrooms. More lnformauon comlng soon!
A Word about VOCABULARY...
Academic language!
This is one of the most difcult parts of learning for ELLs! It can
also be tough for our students from low income homes. Each
content area comes with its own unique language. This week for my
3rd -6th graders, the word Literary has really tripped them up! Its
difcult for them to say the word much less grasp the meaning.
When you look it up in the dictionary, you have to understand the
word literature ! (LOVE IT WHEN THAT HAPPENS! I have to
explain and dene words in a denition just to nd the word we were
looking for! Yay for the ENGLISH language!) I ended up explaining
that Literary means story/sequence form. Now it would be easy
to explain it and move on, but I bet at some point they will see this
word again. So, we use it as much as possible. Any way.... my point
is, Dont forget to explain and dene (in someway!) content specic
words, and then use them often! They are not once and done kind
of words! Break it down, draw it out, and use them every day!
FOCUS For the week of Sept 29th to Oct. 3rd
The Language & Learning Post
Weekly News, Tips and information for the classroom teacher of English Language Learners!
Idiom/Figurative Language of the week:
Stop that tapping on the the tabel!, yelled mom. You are
driving me up the wall!
by, Alissa Tubbs
ESL Teacher at Lawrence
EVERY CHILD, EVERY DAY!
kinder First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth
We will model good
listening by retelling
words spoken or
ask questions when
we do not
understand.
We will use the
illustrations and
new words we
learned before
reading to help us
understand the text.
We will
demonstrate
understanding of
English by retelling
key points in text.
We will
demonstrate
expanded
understanding of
English by making
inferences that are
supported by the
text.
We will
demonstrate
understanding of
English by
summarizing key
events in the text.
We will
demonstrate
expanded
understanding of
English by making
inferences that are
supported by the
text.
We will
demonstrate
expanded
understanding of
English by making
inferences that are
supported by the
text.
I will ask a question
and make a request
of the teacher or a
friend.
I will explain what
we do before
reading.
I will retell the
important details
about the topic of
our text.
l wlll explaln one
lnference l made
whlle readlng and
provlde LexL evldence
Lo supporL my
concluslon.
I will retell/
summarize events
in the text.
l wlll explaln one
lnference l made
whlle readlng and
provlde LexL evldence
Lo supporL my
concluslon.
l wlll explaln one
lnference l made
whlle readlng and
provlde LexL evldence
Lo supporL my
concluslon.
ELPS 2I ELPS 4D ELPS 4I ELPS 4j ELPS 4I ELPS 4j ELPS 4j
web sites & tools
http://donnayoung.org/penmanship/handwriting-paper.htm
This is great for our younger grade teachers! (but they have a ton of stuff to use
for older students as well) Its a site with many different printable lined papers
for handwriting, story writing etc.