Assignment 2:
Understanding Common Core for ELA & Literacy Instruction
For years, the academic progress of students have been stagnant, and we have lost ground in comparison to our international peers. Designed through collaboration among teachers, administrators, and experts, the Common Core State Standards were created to provide a clear and consistent framework for educators. It's a set of high quality academic standards in Mathematics and English language arts & literacy. These learning goals outline what a student should know and be able to do at the end of each grade. The standards are there to ensure all students graduate from high school with the necessary skills to succeed in life.
Assignment 3:
Understanding ELA Instruction
Literacy is the ability of someone to read and write. It is one of the most crucial components of learning, since it's practically impossible to function without being literate. Hence, literacy and numeracy are the first goals of education. It's the responsibility of teachers to ensure proficiency of these abilities by each student.
The five essential components of literacy instruction are reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language.
The ultimate goal of reading is comprehension. Students must develop their reading skills from beginners level to complexity. Teachers must guide their students to make connections between texts and to ensure comprehension of whichever text it is that they're reading.
Next comes Writing. Forming words is an essential part of the reading and writing processes. The standards stress the importance of the reading-writing connection. Students must know how to write in different categories, such as arguments, informative text and narratives. They must also have the ability to plan, revise, edit, and publish writing pieces.
Speaking & Listening comes next. The skills included in this category include giving over formal presentations, and developing useful oral communication and interpersonal skills. Students have to work together and listen to each other and learn to evaluate what others say.
Lastly is the important skills of Language. There are many ways for enhancing student's vocabulary. Students must learn how to understand commonly used words and phrases, thereby increasing their vocabulary and language skills.
Assignment 4:
Understanding how technology is used to support ELA instruction
I interviewed Mrs. Goldy Green, 2nd grade English teacher in Lakewood, New Jersey. She leads a classroom of 23 Jewish girls, and has a fantastic name as a great teacher, who’s very attuned to her students’ needs. She focuses on each student as an individual and ensures learning and comprehension by each girl.
Mrs. Green does not integrate too much technology into her actual lesson. “Many technology related activities are above my student’s age,” she says. “Also, my school is a fantastic school that helps each individual student reach her full potential. However, when it comes to technology, they’re a bit behind with integrating the latest trends into the classrooms. It’s up to each specific teacher to do how she pleases in this aspect.” However at times, Mrs. Green uses internet resources to help her plan lesson plans and classroom activities. She also often uses an electrical CD player in the classroom to make things exciting, or to demonstrate different concepts. For example, while teaching the concept of vibration, Mrs. Green placed rice on top of a CD player and showed the students how the rice went bumping all around when the music was turned on. Additionally, she has exciting songs for transitions in the class and she plays them while the girls are transitioning from one learning center to the next. This keeps them on schedule with a routine. Furthermore, Mrs. Green records exciting songs related to the lessons and plays them at the beginning of the related lesson. A projector can also be found in her classroom. She uses it to show the class interesting things they're learning, or to teach a lesson via a projector rather than the typical whiteboard. These additions greatly enhance the classroom atmosphere and causes the learning process to be engaging and exciting, rather than boring and uninteresting.
Understanding Common Core for ELA & Literacy Instruction
For years, the academic progress of students have been stagnant, and we have lost ground in comparison to our international peers. Designed through collaboration among teachers, administrators, and experts, the Common Core State Standards were created to provide a clear and consistent framework for educators. It's a set of high quality academic standards in Mathematics and English language arts & literacy. These learning goals outline what a student should know and be able to do at the end of each grade. The standards are there to ensure all students graduate from high school with the necessary skills to succeed in life.
Assignment 3:
Understanding ELA Instruction
Literacy is the ability of someone to read and write. It is one of the most crucial components of learning, since it's practically impossible to function without being literate. Hence, literacy and numeracy are the first goals of education. It's the responsibility of teachers to ensure proficiency of these abilities by each student.
The five essential components of literacy instruction are reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language.
The ultimate goal of reading is comprehension. Students must develop their reading skills from beginners level to complexity. Teachers must guide their students to make connections between texts and to ensure comprehension of whichever text it is that they're reading.
Next comes Writing. Forming words is an essential part of the reading and writing processes. The standards stress the importance of the reading-writing connection. Students must know how to write in different categories, such as arguments, informative text and narratives. They must also have the ability to plan, revise, edit, and publish writing pieces.
Speaking & Listening comes next. The skills included in this category include giving over formal presentations, and developing useful oral communication and interpersonal skills. Students have to work together and listen to each other and learn to evaluate what others say.
Lastly is the important skills of Language. There are many ways for enhancing student's vocabulary. Students must learn how to understand commonly used words and phrases, thereby increasing their vocabulary and language skills.
Assignment 4:
Understanding how technology is used to support ELA instruction
I interviewed Mrs. Goldy Green, 2nd grade English teacher in Lakewood, New Jersey. She leads a classroom of 23 Jewish girls, and has a fantastic name as a great teacher, who’s very attuned to her students’ needs. She focuses on each student as an individual and ensures learning and comprehension by each girl.
Mrs. Green does not integrate too much technology into her actual lesson. “Many technology related activities are above my student’s age,” she says. “Also, my school is a fantastic school that helps each individual student reach her full potential. However, when it comes to technology, they’re a bit behind with integrating the latest trends into the classrooms. It’s up to each specific teacher to do how she pleases in this aspect.” However at times, Mrs. Green uses internet resources to help her plan lesson plans and classroom activities. She also often uses an electrical CD player in the classroom to make things exciting, or to demonstrate different concepts. For example, while teaching the concept of vibration, Mrs. Green placed rice on top of a CD player and showed the students how the rice went bumping all around when the music was turned on. Additionally, she has exciting songs for transitions in the class and she plays them while the girls are transitioning from one learning center to the next. This keeps them on schedule with a routine. Furthermore, Mrs. Green records exciting songs related to the lessons and plays them at the beginning of the related lesson. A projector can also be found in her classroom. She uses it to show the class interesting things they're learning, or to teach a lesson via a projector rather than the typical whiteboard. These additions greatly enhance the classroom atmosphere and causes the learning process to be engaging and exciting, rather than boring and uninteresting.
Wow, sounds like the teacher you interviewed really tries to use technology in her daily lessons. A projector is a great way to make lessons exciting and engaging for students! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteGreat summary of the five components of literacy Faigy!! Also, in some schools the technology is limited, however the teacher can use her skills and imagination to make the lessons engaging for all!
ReplyDeleteSounds like she is a very creative teacher! She finds great ways to incorporate technology. Also great summaries Faigy:)
ReplyDelete