Using Stories in the ESL Class MELS Working Document 2007

Agenda Word of Welcome Ice Breaker The Importance of Listening to Authentic Songs, Rhymes and Stories Tips on Selecting the Best Stories Steps for Reading Aloud Retelling Stories Creating Personalized Versions of Texts Monitor Own Learning

Ice breaker Outside work, I’m good at… The best part of my job is… Think of these questions on your own and share the answers with your group. Outside work, I’m good at… The best part of my job is… The worst part of my job is… One of my favorite books is… One of my favorite children’s books is…

Some Figures… When speaking, most people use 5 000 common words. There are another 5 000 words used by some people when speaking. There are 450 000 words listed in the Merriam-Webster 3rd International Dictionary

Total Words (in millions) Heard by a Child by Age 4 Source: Read Aloud Handbook. P. 15 Meaningful Differences in the Everyday Experience of Young American Children, 1996

Number of Rare Words Met per Thousand Source: Read Aloud Handbook. P. 16 Hayes and Ahrens, Journal of Child Language, 1988

Number of Rare Words Met per Thousand Source: Read Aloud Handbook. P.16 Hayes and Ahrens, Journal of Child Language, 1988 Source: Read Aloud Handbook. P.15

To Act on Understanding of Texts The development of the competency To act on understanding of texts is about students exploring songs, rhymes and stories; learning to use their knowledge from texts; and monitoring their own learning. It is a golden opportunity to become immersed in the English language and culture.

Doing it all according to the Elementary Cycle One ESL Program Goals of the Session Help teachers understand the benefits of exploring authentic texts orally Help students create personalized versions of texts Provide teachers and students with appropriate monitoring tools for the second year of the cycle Doing it all according to the Elementary Cycle One ESL Program

The Importance of Listening to Authentic Songs, Rhymes, and Stories How do we give our ESL students access to these words?

Advantages of Reading Aloud What do you think they are ?

Advantages of Reading Aloud To Act on Understanding of Texts The How-To Handbook p. 6

Advantages of Reading Aloud Read through the story books Look for rare words Share with your team Write your answers on chart paper You have 10 minutes for this task Post your chart on the wall

Tips on Selecting the Best Stories Predominance is given to texts featuring highly predictable sequences of events and lively, recurrent passages that reappear at regular intervals throughout a story, as these encourage the students’ spontaneous participation. Québec Education Program: Preschool Education and Elementary Education, English as a Second Language, Cycle One p. 6

Tips on Selecting the Best Stories What would you say?

Tips on Selecting the Best Stories To Act on Understanding of Texts The How-To Handbook p. 8

Steps of Reading Aloud Teacher’s preparation Preparing the Read-Aloud Reading The Story After Reading

Steps for Reading Aloud As child-centered educators and motivators, teachers create a pleasant environment where students feel secure and accepted… As linguistic models, teachers…help understanding by being creative and very expressive: using facial expressions and gestures; varying intonation, volume, stress and pace; using cognates; reformulating; animating objects; etc. Québec Education Program: Preschool Education and Elementary Education, English as a Second Language, Cycle One p. 8

Steps for Reading Aloud Being able to rely on the group is very beneficial to Cycle One students, since language acquisition is emotionally embedded and requires psychological safety. It has the great advantage of masking individual errors, thereby adding to self confidence and motivation, as well as contributing to lowering the affective filter. Québec Education Program: Preschool Education and Elementary Education, English as a Second Language, Cycle One p. 6

Retelling Stories Guided by the teacher Use key elements Sequence the events Practice several times

Creating personalized versions of texts Develop and demonstrate understanding of original text Example: A Wacky Body Experience Activity 5: sequencing activity Activity 8: identifying key elements Activity 12: questions on key elements Activity 16 labelling activity Clip 1-GettingReady

Creating personalized versions of texts 2. Participate in the preparation of the resources Clip 2-DonnaRejaneModelStory Clip3-BuildingResources

Creating personalized versions of texts 3. Participate in the creation of group version of the text The program says: Explicit modeling Templates

Clip 4- StoryOrganizerRejaneDonna

Creating personalized versions of texts explicit modeling Assisted modeling: Scaffolding Thinking aloud Encouraging students to participate Active participants

Creating personalized versions of texts A Wacky Body Experience: Activity 21 What Would You Bring to a Picnic? Activity 7 Clip 5- BuildingClassStoryOrganizer

Creating personalized versions of texts using a template The program says: Essence of the original text Facilitate replacement of language elements by students Clip 6- ModelingClassStory

Creating personalized versions of texts Teacher Tools for modeling

Creating personalized versions of texts Student Handouts for personalizing the text

Self-Monitoring CONCENTRATION DEMONSTRATION OF UNDERSTANDING USE OF ENGLISH USE OF RESOURCES

Self-Monitoring concentration Teacher Tools

Self-Monitoring demonstrating understanding

Self-Monitoring Use of English

Self-Monitoring Use of resources

Self-Monitoring and Self-Evaluation Student Handout

Lunch Be back at 1:30