Lesson Plan

SIOP LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

Unit/Theme Title: Landforms
Description: This Unit Plan is based on teaching vocabulary with ESL students. Vocabulary is one of the contextual factors garnered from chapter 1 in our textbook Curriculum Development in Language Teaching. Vocabulary is one of the most obvious components of language and one of the first thing applied linguists turned their attention to.
Goals and Objectives: Content Objectives Students will be able to: -              Identify high land and low land by classify them into groups -              Know the names of the different kinds of landforms by saying their names -             Categorizing landforms according to their features Language Objectives Students will be able to: -              Discuss the differences between high land and low land -              Write sentences using each of the vocabulary words. -              Invite volunteers to read aloud their sentences -              Share with the class their understanding of the vocabulary words using the four corner chart (show the class their chart) -             Search the net to look for important information for specific topics given using computers
Grade Level: 2nd Grade
Common Core State Standards: Vocabulary Acquisition and Use: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.2.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrase based on grade 2 reading and content, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies. -        CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.2.4.A Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase GDOE Content Standards: Educational Technology: Standard 3: Research for Problem Solving and Decision Making -        Students plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources.          - 2.3.3 Select relevant bookmarked websites from a teacher collection of online resources           to support a decision, solve a problem, or answer a research question.          - 3.3.3 Locate information using teacher-selected digital media (e.g., search engines, bookmarks, website links).          - 3.3.4 Input and organize information and images into an appropriate application (e.g., table, text document, database form template).
Duration: 30 – 45 minutes for 1 week
Skills Addressed: Be able to characterize landforms and bodies of water according to similar features. Be able to understand vocabulary words using Representational Imagery (Mental Image) learning strategy Be able to use adjectives to describe certain objects or things Be able to use the computer to search and do the activities on the recommended sites from teacher
Key Vocabulary:  landforms, desert, forest, hill, island, mountain, peninsula, plain, valley
Materials: -        Books(Harcourt), Photographs and pictures of landforms and bodies of water, graphic organizers (T-Chart), Markers, Crayons, Glue, Scissors, pencils, papers, Drawing papers, Index cards, smart board, laptop, speaker, and computers.
Resources: 2nd Grade Harcourt Textbook, Internet resources: http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/L/2/ https://sites.google.com/a/gdoe.net/curriculum-and-instruction/ http://www.lincoln.dubuque.k12.ia.us/School-Wide/internet_resources/expeditions/3rdgrade/landforms.htm http://www.quia.com/mc/109706.html
SIOP Features* (See 6 components below and checkmark boxes that apply.)
1. Preparation xoAdaptation of content xoLinks to background xoLinks to past learning xoStrategies incorporated 2. Integration of Processes xoReading xoWriting xoSpeaking xoListening	3. Scaffolding xoModeling xoGuided practice xoIndependent practice xoComprehensible Input 4. Application xoHands-on xoMeaningful xoLinked to objectives xoPromotes engagement	5. Group Options xoWhole class xoSmall groups xoPartners xoIndependent 6. Assessment xoIndividual xoGroup xoWritten xoOral
Lesson Sequence: Start the lesson by playing some youtube videos from the net so that students can have some ideas on landforms before you start the lesson. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwNfvyCXh1k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWTDmg8OI_Y Define landforms. What is a landform? A landform is a natural formation or area of land, such as a continent. In this movie, you'll explore flat areas of land, such as plains and prairies. You’ll   learn about raised areas of land, such as hills, mountains, and plateaus, and lower areas of land, such as canyons and valleys. You’ll also explore landforms near water, such as bays, coasts, islands, and peninsulas. What landforms can you find in your community?   Today we are going to learn about different kinds of landforms. Write the word Landforms on the board. Use web diagram to explain it. Write the word landform in the circle positioned in the middle. •             Distribute index card to students to write the vocabulary words at the back of the card •             Ask students to open their social studies book to page 112 and write the vocabulary words at the back of each index cards (one card for each vocabulary word) •             After they’re done copying the vocabulary words, open up the link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landform#External_links to show them pictures of the different kinds of landforms. While showing them the pictures, ask the ESL students to write down the name of each landform shows in the picture next to the vocabulary word at the back of their index cards in their own language (if they have any). While your showing and say the name of the landforms in the picture, continue to form the web diagram on the board by write down the words in the other circles attached to the circle positioned in the middle.  •             On the front of the card, ask them to draw a picture of the landform they see or something that can help them understand the vocabulary words •             Read the story out loud “ Tulip Sees America “ •             Provides the following sentences after reading the story 1.            I know it is a ___________ because there is no place to hide and I see cactus. 2.            Piles of rocks as high as the sky and a river running under them, so I know it is a __________. 3.            I reach the top of the ________ and when I look down things look smaller. •             Read pages 112 – 115 together with students. After reading and showing pictures of the landforms, introduce the T-Chart to the students and the purpose of using it. •             Put up the T-Chart on the wall and label one side low land and the other side high land. Distribute pictures to students and ask them to post it on the chart under each category •             Ask students to pick a picture of a landform and writes one or two sentences using adjective word(s) to describe the landform they pick (adjectives in size, shape, colors, quantity and how it feels : e. g, big, flat, brown, dry) •             Volunteers share/read  to the class their sentences Group Project: Divide the class into small groups (4 groups of 3) Library Visit: The class will visits the library to search the net to continue their learning on landforms. They will work individually on the computers in the library and work in group when they get back to class.  Each group will come up with a diagram to use to categorize different kinds of landforms after their library visit. (make sure they have knowledge about the different kinds of graphic organizers). Class will be heading to the library after the groups decide which diagram to use. Give each student the site http://www.lincoln.dubuque.k12.ia.us/School-Wide/internet_resources/expeditions/3rdgrade/landforms.htm to explore during their library visit. They may log down important findings and even print out pictures according to their group assignment. The group project will present to the class on a presentation board. Each group will present their project to the class and post up their project on the wall in the classroom or outside their class. Extension Activities Two choices: Four Corner Chart or Create Riddles Students will show their understanding of the vocabulary words by using the four corner chart. In the four corner chart, each student will write the word in the first corner, draw a picture of the vocabulary word in the next box across the first corner, write the opposite of the word in the third corner on the bottom of the first corner, and use the word in the a sentence in the last corner.  This is how the chart looks like.                   Sample of four corner chart Sample of Riddles: (Teacher does some with students before students come up with their own) When you look at surface of Earth you'll agree that landforms are interesting features to see almost all involve water to some degree or from geological activity. See if you can figure out these landform riddles: What kind of landform has a vent at the top, spews lava and steam and pieces of rocks? VOLCANO What kind of landform has very steep sides that were cut by a river's erosion and time? CANYON Going over this landform will make you shiver. It occurs when there's a sharp drop off in a river. WATERFALL You get to this landform when oceans run dry. They're broad, flat spaces under the sky. PLAINS What kind of landform is tallest of all with a spiky top where snow may fall? MOUNTAINS What kind of landform always runs downhill and can be used to turn turbines that power a mill? RIVER Landforms like this are often times found in the side of a mountain or as a hole in the ground. CAVE What kind of landform is a huge chunk of water that takes up three-fourths of the Earth, and is salty? OCEAN This landform is found at the bottom of mountains and very tall hills; it's the low land between them. VALLEY To get to this landform, a boat you may ride since water surrounds it on every side. ISLAND Triangle-shaped landforms like this often sit near the ocean where a river finally runs into it. DELTA Which type of landform stretches into the tides; surrounded by water on three of its sides? PENINSULA This large body of water is surrounded by land. It's a great place to fish and swim, if you can. LAKE When the wind and the rain wear a mountain away, the mound that is left is this landform, they say. HILL Which type of landform is just one of seven? It's a really big place split up into nations. CONTINENTS When you look at surface of Earth you'll agree that landforms are interesting features to see there are many more out there that you'll want to know like mesa and harbor, gulf and plateau, fault, ford and an archipelago. Extra practice for students on their own free time: http://www.quia.com/mc/109706.html
Reflections:

References :

*Adapted from the SIOP Model for English Language Learners

SIOP Lesson Plan sample:  http://www.lcps.org/cms/lib4/VA01000195/Centricity/Domain/9178/SIOP_Plants_lesson_plan.pdf

Quia Web Subscriber. Java Games: Flashcards, matching, concentration, and word search: Retrieved from http://www.quia.com/mc/109706.html

Dostal, J. (2013, January 25). Internet Resources. Retrieved from http://www.lincoln.dubuque.k12.ia.us/School-Wide/internet_resources/expeditions/3rdgrade/landforms.htm

Wikipidia (2015, May 20). Earth’s Landforms: The Free Encyclopedia Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landform#External_links

makemegenius. ( 2013, September 23). Types of Landforms for kids –a Video Lesson: Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwNfvyCXh1k

DeMaio, M. (2013, November 25). Learning About Landforms: Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWTDmg8OI_Y

Summary & Reflection : Enabling Dreams

Technology comes in many different shapes and have played many fascinating roles in life. It could be as simple as a cell phone that made communication easily accessible from remote distances, or an electric chair that had helped disabled people move from one location to another. It could be a simple portable laptop or a computer in the classroom that serves many purposes. The video, “Enabling Dreams” provides both positively and negatively advantages to students especially those with physical impairments with learning which is the essence of this reflection that I would want the parents, administrators, or all the educators, like myself, to be aware of.

According to the video, assistive technology helps students to do their homework and it saves them time. It enables students to do researching and exploring the net quickly. Furthermore, it has been proven productively, and a major foundation of life. Dell, Newton& Petroff (2012) refers to assistive technology as a device to use to increase, maintain, and improve students’ capabilities for the disabled.

Other devices have important results which include laptops and other tablet devices. They are appropriate apparatus and are portable and can be used both in and outside of classes. It is a good way to those whose handwriting are poor and sluggish and the quality of their note-taking improved as well (Vaughn & Bos, 2009). It improved spelling, and expressive writings and reduce distraction. It improves student’s ability to read and academic outputs. Furthermore, it is an amazing tool to improve math skills instead of memorizing facts. Lastly, it provides immediate feedback.

Assistive technology can provide enough time for students focusing on communication bypassing the aspect of writing by using spell check and grammar features. The output of the paper is more in a neat condition than in a handwritten style or output. In the classroom, when students are writing their journals or classwork with sloppy handwriting, teachers often missed the essence of the writing or spent a lot of time trying to figure out what is the intended point.

Some of the technologies include text-to- speech software that can read out digital or printed text. This is important because it gives students more time to pick up the correct pronunciation of each word as they are read to them. It also gives positive effect of decoding and word recognition (Rasskind & Higgins, 1999). Text to speech helps to retain skills in listening, catching their mistakes as it reads to them, and helps them to revise their work quickly and easily. Still many types of assistive technology / instruction include: speech to text, word production, mid tech devices, graphic organizer, calculators, and etc. These advantages of assistive technology if used properly during instruction may bring accelerating results with my students, which I had missed in teaching.

For the pass years, the department of education in Guam continued to perform poorly. What had happened to students’ learning when we are learning that technology had helped in improving learning?

According to the video, students will continue performing lower because the implementation of technology was not implement properly or not included in the planning process. This process as well as practice is not consistent either.

Another prominent obstructions is that its a hard learning process and takes time for the processing process to actually works. All personnel must be trained with learners to be equipped with the proper documents that parents might have difficulties funding.

It is my recommendation that all stakeholders work diligently to find possible means to equipped children not only those with physical impairment but all learners so that all this dream cannot just be a dream but a reality to all learners, that is, improved learning result.

References:

Edutopia. (2010). Assistive Technology: Enabling Dreams. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXxdxck8Gic

Morrin, A. (2014-2015). Text-to-Speech Software: What It Is and How It Works. Retrieved from: https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/assistive-technology/assistive-technologies-basics

Raskind & Higgins (1999). Assistive Technologies: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications. Retrieved from: http://booksgoogle.com/books?isbn=146645032

Copyright Issues

When accessing a test or test elements from the internet to be used in school, English language learners (ELL) teachers must consider several issues. One of them is copyright of the material or by the owner. Copyright is that protection given to the author or the owner so that his original work might not just be used without permission. This permission required specific protection not to be distributed, reproduce, or to use publicly without owner’s discretion, or not to be sold. Further, it gives the author the right to display, reproduce, or exhibit work publicly, Blas, C., Felician,, R., Gumataotao, M. & Meeks, L.M (n,d). Teachers and administrators when using printed text especially tests taken from online, must be aware or careful when using copyright material. To reproduce or makes copies, selling the material or parts, require permission from the owner otherwise, it is an infringement. Everyone not only ELL teachers must be aware.

I am learning a lot especially on the consequences when copyright is not followed. I also learn what or who are allowed to copy part of a copyright, type of institutions that are able to provide or access to copyright, and students’ right to copyright. Lastly, as long as teachers use is considered fair and reasonable for teaching purposes, for teachers, seeking additional permission would not be needed.

Fair use practices have helped me to understand whether a use of copyright material is lawful or it infringes copyright. It also helps me to be responsible and judgmental in the amount of work taken reasonable or appropriate. Or is it necessary to extract such amount of work when only partial is needed?

This new information provides the guidance in helping me to acquire the proper ways to use tests or materials not just from online but also from copyright materials. Some people using a part of someone’s materials, maybe a test, as theirs, happened or existed. Borrowing or using partial materials that is not ours without recognizing or the copyright author is in fact a crime. This is a lesson helps or aids me when I am creating a test.  In evaluation, it helps by providing the essentials areas on what I needed to focus on and whether the materials are appropriated to be copied or downloaded. When materials are used for evaluation purposes it might also be essential to see if there is a pre and a post- test to compare their results.

Test 2

Test
Reflection

Annotated Articles

1. Wheeler,R. , Cartwright, & K. B., Swords, R. (2010). Factoring African American Vernacular English (AAVE) into Reading Assessment and Instruction. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=14&sid=61488b29-ab89-45c5-9155-a9353afd4fdd%40sessionmgr115&hid=106

The authors make a point that reading assessments clearly intended that dialect influence not count as reading error. Reading assessments are designed to assure that students can decode and comprehend Standard English texts, even though many students’ home varieties are not Standard English. However, recognizing that dialect may influence oral reading, designers of reading instruments caution that dialect substitutions are distinct from reading errors.

Therefore, I found this article useful for the purpose of teaching here in Guam because of the multicultural and ethnicity diversity in Guam Public School System. Teachers need to consider and keep in mind that accurate assessment requires that we separate dialect influence from decoding error in Standard English.

2. August, Gayle. (2011). Spelling Facilitates Good ESL Reading Comprehension. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=61488b29-ab89-45c5-9155-a9353afd4fdd%40sessionmgr115&vid=31&hid=106

In this article, August examines the important of spelling toward reading comprehension for ESL students. The responsibility of ESL students is to learn spelling words to help them comprehend the reading text. In fact, beginning readers may concentrate so intently on individual words that they lose the meaning of the beginning of a sentence by the time they have struggled to the end.  In addition, many will not retain important concepts of an introductory statement while reading through the other ideas presented in longer texts. Finally, the article concludes that the addition of spelling instruction to vocabulary acquisition would be an important step in making vocabulary knowledge more effective and more relevant to ESL and all developing or struggling readers as well to support reading comprehension. For children, good spelling is evidence that the mental representation of the word is stable and accurate.  

In particular, this article is useful for my study as a TESOL major. Because this study done on multicultural students from diverse language backgrounds, I think it best fits to apply here on Guam Public School system because it has the same background as this study. 

3. Qahtani, Mona F. (Sept. 2013). Relationship between English Language, Learning Strategies, Attitudes, Motivation, and Students’ Academic Achievement. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=27&sid=61488b29-ab89-45c5-9155-a9353afd4fdd%40sessionmgr115&hid=106

The article presents a study that has been done to explore the key factors that affect learning a second language in a medical college in Saudi Arabia. The study showed that students utilize all types of language learning strategies. However, cognitive strategies were the most frequently utilized. Students considered their learning environment as more positive than negative. Achievement in English was associated positively with performance in the general medical courses, motivation, and social learning strategies. In the context of medical education, the literature claims that mastering the complex professional and technical language of medical education is the biggest challenge for medical students. This challenge becomes even bigger if medical students come from a country that has little contact with the English language.

In particular, this article indicated that students utilized cognitive strategies more widely than the other types such as, metacognitive, and social language learning.  It also suggests that students use both 'integrative' and 'instrumental' motivation. In addition, students perceived their learning environment as more positive than negative. Students were pleased with their teacher and with their English courses. They also had a positive attitude toward English speaking people. Therefore, I found this article useful for teachers who teach ESL kids to consider these strategies in their yearlong teaching. I notice this same situation mentioned in this article happened within the Micronesian realm. In Chuuk, students have positive attitude toward the English teacher and people who speak the English language. ESL students in public school system in Guam with no English or limited English were pleased with their teacher and had a positive attitude toward their teacher too.

4. Ghamrawi, N., (2014). Multiple Intelligences and ESL Teaching and Learning: An Investigation in KG II in One Private School Beirut, Lebanon  

This article examined teachers’ use of the Multiple Intelligences Theory on vocabulary acquisition by preschoolers during English as a second language (ESL) classes in a K-12 school in Lebanon. Results indicated three important things to consider such as,

1.            students acquired new vocabulary faster using traditional methods of teaching; however, their retention of such vocabulary was significantly weaker when compared with the vocabulary acquired in Multiple Intelligence (MI) classes;

2.            the MI profile of teachers was correlated with their teaching styles and lesson delivery; and

3.            teachers who used MI in their teaching also had lower usage of higher order thinking skills.

Ghamrawi emphasizes the importance of using MI in ESL classrooms, particularly in the teaching and learning of vocabulary. He suggests that through MI instruction, the retention of acquired vocabulary is higher. This is parallel to Schumann’s (1997) finding that learning is better maintained with the use of MI theory in classrooms. However, the study also suggests two aspects that need to be taken into consideration by teachers who wish to use MI in their classrooms. Teachers should address not only their intelligences but all the intelligences so that all students will learn. The study recommends the utilization of MI in ESL teaching and learning, yet also stipulates some aspects to be taken into consideration.

5. Kafadar, T. & Tay, B., (March 02, 2014). Learning Strategies and Learning Styles Used by Students in Social Studies. Retrieved from

In this article, Kafadar & Tay review research studies done on learning strategies and learning styles. According to Keefe (1979) learning style is cognitive, sentimental and physiologic educations of the individual that have relatively consistent indicators of how person perceive learning environment, how they interact with another and show reaction. According to Riding & Rayner (1998) learning styles based on learning tradition explain personal differences on learning of model process and for this reason learning styles are closely related with learning strategies. While strategies can be learned and changed, learning styles remain stable and unchanged characteristics of person. In social studies it was recognized that learning strategies of 5th, 6th and 7th classes became significantly different according to learning styles they have. Students who have converge learning strategies from all learning strategies use strategy on significant level than students who have assimilation learning styles.

These theories are supported by well-known researchers in this field, such as Jean Piaget, John Dewey, and the others. There are different kinds of learning strategies and styles mentioned in this article; however, reasons of using or not using of these strategies, status of students can be searched qualitatively. In addition, Tay determined in his research conducted with students of 4th, 5th and 5th classes that students always used their affective strategies on every time level in social studies. It is seen that students of 5th, 6th and 7th classes use affective strategies at most while they use coding and monitoring strategies at the very least level.

6. Afflerbach, P., (December 2014). Self-Assessment and Reading Success. Retrieved from

In this article, Afflerbach discuss the value of students assessing their own thinking and reading. Self-assessment involves strategies that put students in a good position to control and succeed at reading. They plan their reading, set goals, measure their ongoing progress at constructing meaning, keep an eye out for difficulty and blockages, determine the nature of difficulties when encountered, address and fi x them, and get back on track. They continually assess their work in relation to their goals, which includes comprehension and the use of the knowledge they gain from reading. In addition, self-assessment influences student affect. Accurate self-assessment gives readers a sense of control and contributes to reading achievement. Students’ awareness of past performances and the challenges they overcome leads them to approach reading with a “can-do” attitude.

In contrast, students who lack self-assessment mindsets may turn away from reading, in and out of school, because they associate reading with failure and lack of control. Self-assessment is a   major contributor to reading development, and doing well at self-assessment has significant cognitive and affective benefits. It helps students appreciate their efforts and accomplishments. 

7. Hart, E. J., (2009). Strategies for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students with Special Needs

In this article, Hart provides an overview of the prevailing assessment and instructional issues related to culturally and linguistically diverse students with special education needs. The author also presents current trends and prevalence rates of students with disabilities who are also English language learners, in addition to general guidelines for the appropriate assessment of such students for special education services. Lastly, the author describes research based academic and behavioral strategies for these students, along with web-based resources geared to assist general and special educators working with diverse students with special needs.

The author provides some relevant issues related that related to our public school system here in Guam about culturally and linguistically diverse students. I found this article very useful and hope for teachers to consider it.

8. Stull,C. J., Varnum, J. S., Ducette, J., Schiller, S.,& Bernacki, M. (2011). The many faces of formative assessment. Retrieved: 4/6/15, from: http://www.isetl.org.

This article the authors had discussed ways in which it had been implemented in four different universities. Accordingly different aspects of formative assessment were illustrated by deconstructing and then demonstrative its efficacy both in teaching and students’ achievement. It appears specifically that what was done shows achievement gains. Furthermore, whether or not technology is used, the efficacy of using formative assessment indicate still a gain. This article is not just important because it shows us that it helps in student’s achievement, but also an informants to both instructors, teachers and their students as to the degree to which the students have mastered the material. It provides immediate feedback to students and reinforcement to successful leaning outcome. It also provide feedback to the instructors to at what degree their instruction is success and where it needs modification, solution, or remediation. These in particular, would be essentials for as well as the ESL teachers and students.

  

9. Pophan,W. J (2013). Waving the flag for formative assessment. Retrieved 4/6/15; from: http://www.isetl.org.    

 In this article the author emphasizes the importance of assessment in children’ learning outcome. The author testify that first of all formative assessment works in building children’ skills. Furthermore, ample research evidence indicates emphatically that when formative assessment process is used, students learn better-lots better, and the essence is surely commonsensical. This articles has given educators some importance features why assessment should be in use. First it helps teachers to find out if they need to adjust their ongoing instruction. For the students it is a way to find out if they need to alter the ways in which they are trying to learn. In other words, formative assessment at the bottom ends, is a process in which teachers and or students rely on assessment consequences to decide whether any adjustments are warranted in what they are doing. Two experimental research studies conducted by Fontana & Fernandes (1994) revealed greater improvement than those who do not for those who understand the learning objective and assessment criteria. It is important that all teachers, including the ESL teachers, should be all informed on what assessment can do to them and their students.

10. Boston, Carol (2002). The concept of formative assessment. Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, 8(9). Retrieved April 13, 2015 from: http://www.PAREonline.net.  

                       This article addresses the benefits of formative assessment and provides examples and resources to support its implementation. Teachers can build in many opportunities to assess how their students are learning and then use information to make beneficial changes in instruction. This diagnostic use of assessment to provide feedback to teachers and students over the course of instruction is called formative assessment. An extensive research review conducted by Black and William in 1998, of 250 journal articles and book chapters winnowed from a much larger pool to determine whether formative assessment raises academic standards in the classroom, produce significant learning gains as measured by comparing the average improvements in the test score of the student involved in the innovation with the range of scores found for typical groups of student on the same test. The effect of score’s ranged from a .4 to .7. This article, in particular is important because it teaches us that keeping track of students performances and take immediate action to remedy the problem is one important solution for success. Moreover, it teaches us that continuous assessment help us to assist students to learn the proper skills that students need to perform. In all, Carol (2002) stated that feedback given as part of an assessment helps learner become aware of any gaps that exist between their desire goal and their current knowledge, understanding, and skills.

11. Brookhart, S., Moss, C., & Long, B. (2008). Formative assessment that empowers. Educational Leadership. 66(3). Retrieved 4/6/15, from: http://www.ascd.org.

 This article discusses what teachers in Armstrong School District in western Pennsylvania had discovered on how formative assessment can transform students' sense of control over their learning—as well as fuel teacher learning. Armstrong is a rural district serving 6,308 students. More than 50 percent of Armstrong's students are economically disadvantaged, and 12 percent receive special education services. The district participated in a three-year initiative with the Center for Advancing the Study of Teaching and Learning in Pittsburgh. Approximately 85  teachers came together to learn about implementing formative assessment practices with the ultimate vision of increasing student-teacher communication and students' sense of ownership over learning. As a result, teachers were talking about the connection between this assessment and how students’ motivation toward learning has improved. Furthermore, teachers have seen excitement as they become more aware of what they have learned and take control of their won learning. Further, they watched self-efficacy and self-regulation skills kick in for formerly unmotivated students. These collaboration of effort to find means to students’ motivation and escalation in learning, is what I think the essential gist of this article. I would like to do this as part of my personal development.

12. Santi, L.S., York, B., Forman, R.B. & Francis, J.D. (2009). The timing of early reading             assessment in kindergarten.

The Texas Primary Reading Inventory (TPRI) was used to examine the effects of the timing of kindergarten assessment and the type of support provided to teachers to translate assessment results to instruction. Sixty-two schools with 201 kindergarten classrooms with 3,635 students in a southwestern state were randomly assigned to administer kindergarten assessment in the fall or in the winter, were participated in the yearlong study. The schools were from both the rural and urban southern states areas with a population of 735,000. Schools were randomly assigned to one of two times for screening; at the beginning and middle of the year. At the start of the study, school data were analyzed to determine if school status would interfere with the outcomes. Schools were comparable based on state assessment outcomes, teacher experience, and school socioeconomic (SES) levels. However, the statistical analyses included students’ results on both the TPRI and the Diagnostic Assessment. It is important to keep abreast with these instrument and be able to use them to see how well our kindergarten may score. As I teacher I would like to use this tool to see if there is a difference in learning with the kindergarteners locally or a comparison of results.

Test # 1

Analogy

Reflection

Assistive Technology

        What is Assistive Technology? Assistive technology (often abbreviated as AT) is any item, piece of equipment, software or product system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities, (ATiA). Enabling Dreams from edutopia enables students with disabilities using assistive devices to assist them in the classroom to meet their needs.

                                         
                                                       Enabling Dreams (edutopia, 2010)

What Assistive Technology Can Do?  It’s important for teachers and parents to keep in mind that AT’s role is to assist child’s learning. It doesn't replace good teaching, but it can be used in addition to well-designed instruction. It can help the child be more self-confident and work more independently, (J. Millstone, 2014). The right AT tools let kids use their abilities to work on areas of weakness. For example, if your child has reading issues but has good listening skills, audiobooks might be useful. Finding the right match between AT tools and your child’s needs may take some work. But the appropriate AT tools can be instrumental in helping your child become a more successful and independent learner.

Text-to-speech (TTS) software is an assistive technology tool that can be used to help kids who have trouble reading. Text-to-speech can help kids with reading issues learn more effectively. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) says that eligible kids with learning and attention issues should be able to access the same learning materials as other students. Using software that turns written material into audio is a way to make that happen for kids with reading issues like dyslexia. It allows kids to see text and hear it read out loud at the same time as the text appears on the screen. Assistive technology in Learning can be defined as any technology that improve instruction and promote students’ learning, such as Reading pens, Screen readers, Text readers, and many more.
                                         

               This is an example of a Second Languege Learner learns

English Words using the Reading Pen

                                             
                                   Magical ePen, reading pen, talking pen  (Shah, M. 2011)


 Assistive technology can empower ESL students in some areas. Assistive Technology devices can decrease students’ isolation and allow them to become part of regular subject area in the classrooms. It then becomes a tool that provides a method for an individual who is experiencing language difficulty to still participate in a classroom. This enhanced instruction for all students including ESL students. The important thing is to match particular assistive technologies to specific needs so that students can function more independently.
As the inclusive education of all students occurs within the standard classroom, then it becomes important that the knowledge and or experience base for all teachers needs to be expanded to incorporate assistive technology approaches and accommodations. Teachers need to become familiar with assistive technology in order to embrace and use it so that they can instruct and support ESL students in an exclusionary setting.





References:

Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA). Retrieved from: http://www.atia.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3859#What_is_AT_

Edutopia. (2010). Assistive Technology: Enabling Dreams. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXxdxck8Gic

 Milestone, J. (2014). Assistive Technology: Tools That Help With Learning. Retrieved from: https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/assistive-technology/assistive-technologies-basics

Morrin, A. ( 2014). Assistive Technology That’s Built Into Mobil Devices. Retrieved from: https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/assistive-technology/assistive-technologies-basics

Morrin, A. (2014-2015). Text-to-Speech Software: What It Is and How It Works. Retrieved from: https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/assistive-technology/assistive-technologies-basics

Shah, M. (2011, Sept. 20). Magical ePen, reading pen, talking pen. Retrieved from Montessori: https://youtu.be/pEd9BPgmgeo

Practice how to link

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