Entry # 8

After watching the video "Finding their Voice in a Multi-Language Classroom", I noticed many ways the teacher promoted comprehension and motivated her students.  She specifically stated that she expects her students to perform well and does not lower her expectations due to students learning a second language. 

She emphasizes that it is vital for students to make connections between the class work and something they already know.  This will help students to become more involved with the reading or lesson.  For example, the Russian boy knew about the aloe plant and shared his personal story, which then opened the door for other students to share their connections of how their family used the plant.  

Students also had many opportunities to take ownership of their lessons.  For example, student generated work was on the walls, a student led his classmates in a brain break, the teacher referred to class-created rules, and student's desire to make origami spinners was incorporated into a class vocabulary lesson. The students also had opportunities to pair kinesthetic action with learning (the teacher rocked her body when talking about rocking and hand movements were said along with the class rules).  Students also used chants to review previous lessons. 

Students worked cooperatively with their peers by sitting in groups of four to support language and curricular learning.  They also worked together to learn how to and then played a variety of games.  The whole group also often answered the teacher's questions. 

There were a couple of areas that I thought were not beneficial to the class.  So many questions were answered orally, as a whole group.  This didn't allow much time for those who were slower processors of  the concept or language.  She would quickly ask a question and without any wait time, ask the class to answer.  I also thought she used too many oral directions and could have helped her students by writing the directions on the board so they could refer back to the steps necessary to complete the activity.  

The children in this class seemed very motivated to learn and were comfortable sharing their thinking.  This teacher has obviously helped make her classroom a safe and caring environment where students engage in their lessons, feel accepted, and are free to express themselves.