Entry #10

Homework should be used for students to "practice or elaborate on what they have learned and to prepare for new information" (Hill and Flynn, 2006, p. 79).  When a student has homework, the amount of parent intervention should be minimal.  If students require extensive parental support, the teacher needs to be aware of this so additional support can be provided in class to help fill in learning gaps.

Meaningful homework requires teachers to create assignments that will work for different learning styles.  If possible, student ownership of homework can be helpful to increase the meaning.  Students could choose which way they would like to practice the content or show what they are learning.  Teacher could also assign homework after the lesson has taken place so students can build upon newly created schema, and can create connections to the day's experiences. Homework should provide multiple practices with the content, ensuring that students learn the steps involved.   Learning can then become part of the long-term memory set. Homework needs to be academic based, with efficient assignments requiring evidence of thinking and ones that do not take too long to complete.

Homework objectives should provide students the opportunity to "deepen their understanding of content and become proficient at skills" (Hill and Flynn, 2006, p. 83).  Specific objectives for ELL students could include a speed and accuracy component to focus on students gaining automaticity/fluency with certain curriculum objectives.  ELL objectives could also be to repeat information already learned such as vocabulary or written language activities.  Giving clear expectations for the assignments is also important.  Foe example, providing requirements on the amount of sentences required to write or the amount of time to be spent on each assignment.

Providing timely and specific feedback on homework is vital to help students.  Feedback can come from the teacher or other students.  Often, peer feedback can provide additional modeling to strengthen students' understanding as they listen to explanations of how others approached the homework.

Technology could be very helpful for homework. Some examples especially beneficial for ELL students would be to record their fluency and chart improvements in accuracy and rate.  Other web sites can help students with vocabulary practice by providing a visual with the focus words or sites that include the text being read aloud.  Interactive sites could help with phonic instruction and virtual flashcards, which can be created for a variety of content areas.  Students could also use blogs and email to communicate with others to gain a deeper understanding of the content and receive quick feedback to their posts.