Books/Book studies

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Permalink Reply by Greta Lundgaard on March 23, 2010 at 3:13pm

We keep coming back to Chapter 7: Using a Story-Based Approach to Teach Grammar, from Shrum & Glisan's Teacher's Handbook. The PACE Method in conjunction w/ Structured Input make up the foundation of our preferred practice for grammar acquisition. I do a mini-book study using Chapter 7 w/ new teachers as part of our Back to School PD program.

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Permalink Reply by Greta Lundgaard on April 6, 2010 at 10:02am

If you have Chinese teachers: The text Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language edited by Michael E. Everson & Yun Xiao, is very helpful. Each chapter is contributed by different author and has a stand alone focus. I am using Chapter 3 (developing a learner-centered classroom) and Chapter11 (understanding the culture of american schools) in a short workshop with prospective STARTALK chinese program teachers. Recommended to me by Greg Duncan.

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Permalink Reply by Tracy Knick on April 12, 2010 at 9:02am

I am hosting a book study using Blackboard on Deboarh Blaz's book "Bringing the Standards for Foreign Language Learning to Life." The DoDDS philosophy promotes standards-based instruction but I wasn't seeing this in practice as I visited classrooms. This book has inspired a deep examination of standards and a rich exploration of practice for the participants.

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Permalink Reply by Greta Lundgaard on December 31, 2010 at 9:58am

Our district curriculum is really making a push for discovery learning as the initial learning experience for vocabulary and grammar.  We have re-named it Vocabulary Acquisition/Grammar Acquisition--and see this phase as the important first step prior to learners processing the new concepts, pieces, skills in ways meaningful to them and then putting the learners in situations which require them to produce language using what they acquired in ways meaningful to them:  Acquire, Process (whole group, small group, partners, individually), Produce (small group, partners, individually).  After one semester of emphasis on this schema, the feedback I am getting is that they are insecure about Acquisition Phase--in particular Vocabulary Acquisition.  Generally speaking, they don't know how to do it in ways other than teaching a vocabulary set that devolves into a vocabulary list.  SO--my work this semester with my folks will be to provide information and scaffolded practice with vocabulary acquisition strategies.  As a first step, I'm reading Words, Words, Words:  Teaching Vocabulary in Grades 4-12 by Janet Allen.  This text is written from an ELA perspective, but there is much that we can pull out and apply to SLA and WL teaching strategies.  My plan right now (as planned out with a graphic organizer :-) ) is to pull out parts of the text, annotate, and distribute to the teachers via department chairs at our January meeting.  Then in Feb/March, I want to pull my MS, Level 1, Level 2, and the dept chairs/team leaders in mixed language mixed level groups (probably 2 days worth).  In these sessions we'll do some background knowledge building based on the Words reading and other text (probably taken from Teacher's Handbook by Shrum & Glisan) and do a whole group brainstorm to come up with 3-4 categories of strategies for guided vocabulary acquistion.  Then, each group will pick (or be assigned) one of these strats and prepare a model 5-10 minuite mini-lesson using an upcoming thematic unit and demo to the entire group (small group functioning as support & coach for teacher doing mini-lesson).  This will provide peer developed models in a variety of teaching styles (always a hang up for teachers!) over a variety of relevant lessons/topics for all the participants to view.  The drip method of encouraging change.  Slow, but does yield results.  Probably will end up with adjustments, but that's the rough sketch out right now.  Will let you know!! Will post materials on the updated NADSFL wiki coming soon!

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Permalink Reply by David Jahner on January 4, 2011 at 2:47pm

I am doing some things with How the Brain Learns by David Sousa - the 3rd edition isn't all that different from the 1st or 2nd editions, but the "Practitioner's Corner" gives some good starting points for working with this text. We're taking apart lessons and trying to determine where a lesson might break down or why a lesson went particularly well. Interestingly enough, usually it turns out that teachers are giving students too much content at once and as a result students "shut down".

Also, the new edition of Languages and Children: Making the Match  by Helena Curtain and Carol Ann Dahlberg is providing lots of great discussion with the K-8 teachers in the district. I've used the chapter on Interpersonal Communication to talk with several principals about what person to person communication should look like in the K-8 language classroom, which has also been well received.

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Rita A. Oleksak on January 5, 2011 at 9:43am

Hi

We are conducting a book study this year with Curriculum 21, Heidi Hayes Jacobs.(ASCD) We are also working with the AP Vertical Teams Guide for World Languages and Cultures. This spring we will begin to work with the new ACTFL Assessment Book byt Paul Sandrock.

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Permalink Reply by adina alexandru on January 13, 2011 at 6:15am

Did you buy the books for the entire department?

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Permalink Reply by adina alexandru on January 13, 2011 at 8:08am

We are starting to look at the new "Superbook for web tools" http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2010/12/super-book-of-web-tools-fo.... Teachers will take turns and try new applications and then report back to the department on how specific new technology is applicable to the development of reading, writing, speaking and listening in L2. 

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