engaging els ccss16

Engaging English Learners & Reluctant Writers California Council for the Social Studies 55th Annual ConferenceRuth Luevanos March 4, 2016

Scott M. Petri

1. Twitter2. Questioning3. Timeline

Transitions4. MEAL5. RAFT6. 1st Person

Research Papers7. SRSD

Using Social Media as a Prewriting StrategyThe Twittercide of Socrates

Primary Source Reading

6 Word Stories/Definitions• Two definitions from the book and the following student

simplifications illustrate the idea of 6 word definitions. Containment: The U.S. strategy of keeping communism within its existing boundaries and preventing its further expansion (p. 509). Truman Doctrine: United States policy, established in 1947, of trying to contain the spread of communism (p. 491).

6 Word Stories/Definitions

6 Word Stories/Definitions

Great Terror Tweetathon• As a Soviet leader, Joseph Stalin made

his enemies payHis secret police would kill 1,000 people every day

• The Russians launched mass arrests and forced laborAt times it seemed by killing you, Stalin was doing you a favor

• Between 1937 and 1938, the Great Terror only lasted for two yearsDuring this time, the Soviet people lived with many fears

• The Great Terror eliminated people considered an enemy of the stateA history book would conclude that this time period was not great.

Zaption

Zaption

• 40 Tours given to students this year.• Approx. 15 min ea. w/5-6 questions in ea.

Zaption

Getting Students to Write Questions

Student Questions• I would like to know why Jews didn’t fight back or resist because it seem

as if the Germans just killed the Jews with ease.• What I want to know is who put a stop to all Hitler’s terror and how did

people just let him do that?• What I would like to know is where did Hitler get all his ideas about a

master race?• I would like to know how Hitler convinced Germans to let this happen

and why the US didn’t intervene earlier?• I would like to know more in depth stories of some of the Jews who

survived the Holocaust.• I would like to learn about conspiracy theories and the psychology of

why Hitler wanted to kill these people. Was it a mental illness, or was he simply racist?

Timeline Transitions

• while• immediately• after• later • always• when• soon

• whenever• meanwhile• sometimes• in the

meantime• during• afterwards• next

• following• once• then• at length• so far• this time

Use Timelines

To Teach Students Transitions

MEAL Paragraphs

• M – Main Idea: Thesis/Topic Sentence• E – Evidence: Proof found in primary

source/book/research• A – Analysis: How the evidence proves

the main idea (explanation/rationale)• L – Link: How a paragraph fits in to what

the paper is trying to prove.

MEAL PROMPT:Was Operation Overlord a triumph of planning or a lucky break?

MEAL or No MEAL?

Main Idea Evidence

MEAL PROMPT:Should WWII island hopping be considered a success or failure?

MEAL Argument Paragraphs

Main Idea Evidence Analysis Link

RAFT Paragraphs• Role of the writer – helps the writer decide on point of

view and voice.• Audience for the piece of writing – reminds the writer

that he must communicate ideas to someone else and helps the writer determine content and style.

• Format of the material – helps the writer organize ideas and employ the conventions of format, such as letters, interviews, and story problems.

• Topic or subject of the piece of writing – helps the writer focus on main ideas.

Sample RAFT Prompts1. You are a 1950’s Police Officer warning a

white church group about the dangers of Juvenile Delinquency.

2. You are a Native American WWII veteran testifying before Congress. Describe how and why the US Gov. should make life better for Native Americans.

During my serving years as a police officer there was a 45 percent rise in crime rates. Why is that? It is due to the juvenile delinquency. (Random white lady) That is insane! Yes Ma’am, about 1 million young people would get into some kind of criminal trouble. You people should keep an eye out for the young ones! Also watch out for your cars! Car thefts have topped the list of juvenile crimes. Also all you people should be alarmed due to the behavior of these young-uns who belonged to gangs and committed muggings, rape, and who knows even murder. (All gasp). Parents listen up to this. Some cultural critics have claimed that young people were rebelling against the hypocrisy and conformity of their parents. Others blame it on the lack of discipline. If you have young ones make sure to keep control of them.

The war is over. I have fulfilled my duty. The government says they want to launch us into mainstream society. I believe the plan is called the termination policy. The word termination means an ending or final point of something. Our population is not going to end. We will not be terminated. Shipping us to Minneapolis, Minnesota will not make life any better for us. The living conditions are miserable. You know that when we come from reservations we go to stay with family that lives in just a two bedroom house with five or six people living in it already, but where else do we have to go. It has also been said that we only have been know to live for 37 years in Minneapolis.

First Person Research Papers

• Paper is written in the first person.

• Uses the perspective of a real or imagined character recalling the event in the past tense. The character cannot be a major player in the event.

Choosing a Narrator• D-Day– an American soldier– a commander– a soldier on a U-boat– a German soldier defending the position

• Hiroshima– a Japanese citizen of Hiroshima– a Japanese child– a Japanese resident of a nearby community– a crew member prepping the plane– A crew member loading the bomb

German POV of Invasion of Normandy

• We made our way into the bomb shelter on level ground. My entire battalion was down there. We were trapped. We waited for hours while the bombs continued dropping. Akaim managed to get a radio working; we received reports that this was happening all along the Wall.

• It had to be about five in the morning before we noticed the barrage had stopped. We were so relieved. About a half an hour after we had resurfaced Rudolf gave a sudden intake of breath. He handed me the binoculars and directed me towards the horizon. I dropped the specs over the side of the bunker out of shock.

• There were ships.

Self Regulated Strategy Development

• SRSD is used with English Language Learners (ELLs) and in teaching students with writing deficits.

Dr. Steve Graham,Arizona State U

Dr. Karen R. Harris,Arizona State U

Steps in SRSD1. Develop background knowledge2. Discuss it3. Model it 4. Memorize it 5. Support it 6. Independent Performance

Self-Regulation Methods• Self-regulating writers

develop goal-setting strategies, task-analyzing objectives, and self-reinforcement.

Creating Positive Attitudes Toward Writing

1. establishing an exciting mood

2. encouraging students to take risks

3. Using high interest assignments

4. allowing students to select topics

5. having students arrange their own writing space

6. encouraging peer assistance

Use Writing to Improve Reading Comp(Graham & Hebert, 2010)

Social Science researchers generally interpret effect sizes as: (small = .20; medium = .50; and large = .80)

Contact: scottmpetri@gmail.comTwitter @scottmpetriwww.HistoryRewriter.com

Thank You

Inspiring Reluctant Writers

Presented By:Ruth Luevanos

• Participants will learn ways to scaffold instruction to improve historical writing for reluctant writers including English Language Learners, Special Needs students and Gifted students.

• Participants will learn ways to address needs of reluctant writers with various modalities of learning.

Objectives

• Word Banks• Sentence Frames-Formulaic Writing• Chunking Assignments• Tableaus for kinesthetic learners• Modeling• Anchor Papers• Graphic Organizers

Strategies

• Lack of access to vocabulary (ELL’s, Special Needs)• Fear of spelling, grammar and punctuation• Previous negative experiences with writing

(“bloody” corrections)• Multiple step process of writing (Researching,

planning, drafting)• No real relationship to writing• Not related to testing

Why are students reluctant to write?

• Teacher created word bank• Collaborative word bank (with

students)• Create Wordle or Word Cloud• USC-CALIS Four Worlds as

Word Bank• https://dornsife.usc.edu/calis/four-worlds-of-his

tory

/

Word Banks=Ingredients

• Noun+ Subject = sentence• Ability to differentiate and scaffold instruction

for ELL’s, Special Needs and GATE

Sentence Frames=Recipe

• Make sure to model use of graphic organizers

• Help transition students from graphic organizers to actual writing (Especially ELL and Special Needs)

Graphic Organizers

Chunking Assignments•ELL , Special Needs and GATE student who are reluctant writers often feel overwhelmed by writing “an entire essay.”•Chunking the assignment into smaller portions helps scaffold and support instruction for these students. •Students may require more time for written assignments (IEP and resource support).•Checklist grading instead of rubric.

• Effective for kinesthetic/visual learners

• Makes real connections to writing

• Inspires more attention to details

• Multiple perspectives• Use students’ reflections

for Word Cloud as springboard

Tableau’s to Increase Writing

• Ruth Luevanos• Pacoima Middle School• raluevanos@sbcglobal.net

Contact Information