Describe observations from the below passage that are relevant to classroom management and student engagement by including elements of the learning environment (e.g., classroom layout, learning materials). I teach in a 2nd grade "sheltered" English classroom where all my students are English Language Learners (ELLs). All my students come from Hispanic backgrounds and speak Spanish as their 1st language. This lesson on facilitating small group interactions is a math review on solving extended response word problems. I have been modeling how to solve one math word problem daily and explaining the process and strategy used in a "T" chart. I am releasing this responsibility onto my students to solve these problems in small groups. Each word problem reviews a concept we have already learned this year, including patterns and skip counting, addition and subtraction with regrouping, and an organized list for multiplication patterns. My content objective is for my students to use one of the strategies we have learned to solve a word problem correctly. My language objectives are that my students can read and comprehend the academic language and meaning of their word problem and explain the steps and strategy used to solve their problem while incorporating math academic vocabulary orally and in writing. At the end, they will present their "T" chart to teach the rest of the class how to solve their problem. The instructional purpose of having my students solve and explain these problems in a "T" chart format is to evoke higher-level thinking and language skills. I chose to have my students work in small groups as a gradual release of responsibility stated above and because language acquisition is an interactive process. I want my students to support each other and use the math academic language we have been learning meaningfully to solve these problems together. Since my students vary in English language proficiency and mathematical abilities, I placed them in these mixed-ability groups. I ensured that each group had a student who was more proficient in writing and a stronger math student. As language learners, students develop social language before they develop academic language. My students don't naturally use math academic vocabulary when speaking and writing to solve problems. I wanted my students to work together and focus on sequentially explaining how to solve the problem and using the appropriate math vocabulary that goes with their problem in their discussion and written explanation. I included little visuals to support my students with the non-academic language in each problem. I anticipated that the group that had to solve the problem about the different types of sandwiches might not be familiar with them because these are not traditional meats and cheeses from their Hispanic cultural background. I provided visual examples of American cheese, Swiss cheese, turkey, ham, and salami on their problem. This fits into my long-term language development goals because we have been focusing on using specific math academic vocabulary when sequentially solving and explaining word problems in a whole group. I expect my students to be able to apply this language and sequential knowledge in small groups with less teacher support. I used several strategies to enhance my students' language development. First, I begin by accessing my students' prior knowledge of the various strategies we have learned to solve word problems. Each strategy has a hand gesture to go with it to form another neural connection so that even my students who are not as proficient in English can remember the strategy with the motion. I reminded my students they could refer to our math word wall if they get stuck with the math academic language. This word wall is filled with the math vocabulary we have been learning with visual representations to remind all students what those words mean so they are constantly seeing and using them. I want my students to have the tools to take responsibility for their learning and know how to work through a problem if they get stuck without immediately turning to me. I reviewed with them the process we have been using to solve these problems. This process has hand gestures and a poster on the math word wall to help my students better retain how to use them. Since my students vary in their English language proficiency and mathematical abilities, I placed them in mixed mathematical and language ability groups to help support each other with the content. Once the students began working in these small groups, the main strategy I used was my questioning technique. I asked them higher-level thinking questions where they had to explain how they solved their problem and justify why they solved it that way. These questions helped me pull out the academic language I expected them to use while facilitating my students through the sequential explanation of their steps to help them transfer their ideas into comprehensible writing.
Describe observations from the below passage that are relevant to classroom management and student engagement by including elements of the learning environment (e.g., classroom layout, learning materials).
I teach in a 2nd grade "sheltered" English classroom where all my students are English Language Learners (ELLs). All my students come from Hispanic backgrounds and speak Spanish as their 1st language. This lesson on facilitating small group interactions is a math review on solving extended response word problems. I have been modeling how to solve one math word problem daily and explaining the process and strategy used in a "T" chart. I am releasing this responsibility onto my students to solve these problems in small groups. Each word problem reviews a concept we have already learned this year, including patterns and skip counting, addition and subtraction with regrouping, and an organized list for multiplication patterns. My content objective is for my students to use one of the strategies we have learned to solve a word problem correctly. My language objectives are that my students can read and comprehend the academic language and meaning of their word problem and explain the steps and strategy used to solve their problem while incorporating math academic vocabulary orally and in writing. At the end, they will present their "T" chart to teach the rest of the class how to solve their problem. The instructional purpose of having my students solve and explain these problems in a "T" chart format is to evoke higher-level thinking and language skills. I chose to have my students work in small groups as a gradual release of responsibility stated above and because language acquisition is an interactive process. I want my students to support each other and use the math academic language we have been learning meaningfully to solve these problems together. Since my students vary in English language proficiency and mathematical abilities, I placed them in these mixed-ability groups. I ensured that each group had a student who was more proficient in writing and a stronger math student. As language learners, students develop social language before they develop academic language. My students don't naturally use math academic vocabulary when speaking and writing to solve problems. I wanted my students to work together and focus on sequentially explaining how to solve the problem and using the appropriate math vocabulary that goes with their problem in their discussion and written explanation. I included little visuals to support my students with the non-academic language in each problem. I anticipated that the group that had to solve the problem about the different types of sandwiches might not be familiar with them because these are not traditional meats and cheeses from their Hispanic cultural background. I provided visual examples of American cheese, Swiss cheese, turkey, ham, and salami on their problem. This fits into my long-term language development goals because we have been focusing on using specific math academic vocabulary when sequentially solving and explaining word problems in a whole group. I expect my students to be able to apply this language and sequential knowledge in small groups with less teacher support. I used several strategies to enhance my students' language development. First, I begin by accessing my students' prior knowledge of the various strategies we have learned to solve word problems. Each strategy has a hand gesture to go with it to form another neural connection so that even my students who are not as proficient in English can remember the strategy with the motion. I reminded my students they could refer to our math word wall if they get stuck with the math academic language. This word wall is filled with the math vocabulary we have been learning with visual representations to remind all students what those words mean so they are constantly seeing and using them. I want my students to have the tools to take responsibility for their learning and know how to work through a problem if they get stuck without immediately turning to me. I reviewed with them the process we have been using to solve these problems. This process has hand gestures and a poster on the math word wall to help my students better retain how to use them. Since my students vary in their English language proficiency and mathematical abilities, I placed them in mixed mathematical and language ability groups to help support each other with the content. Once the students began working in these small groups, the main strategy I used was my questioning technique. I asked them higher-level thinking questions where they had to explain how they solved their problem and justify why they solved it that way. These questions helped me pull out the academic language I expected them to use while facilitating my students through the sequential explanation of their steps to help them transfer their ideas into comprehensible writing.
In this 2nd grade English classroom, the teacher works with ELL students from Hispanic backgrounds who primarily speak Spanish as their first language. The focus of the lesson is on facilitating small group interactions during a math review of solving extended response word problems. The teacher's content and language objectives are to help students grasp math concepts and develop academic language skills. To achieve this, students are placed in mixed-ability groups, and a gradual release of responsibility is employed.
Step by step
Solved in 3 steps
