Nick Renfrew

@ELchatFCPS The similarity is that they are both an expression of thought. The skill is how to move students along the continuum from writing down spoken language to writing acadmic abstract language. #ELchatFCPS

#ELchatFCPS #scaffoldinglanguage

@ELchatFCPS I had a lesson on how to infer and draw conclusions. I used a variety of simple vocabulary to get accross the basic ideas before upping it to more difficult terms. The students grasped the concepts on different levels according to their own abilities. #ELchatFCPS

#ELchatFCPS #scaffoldinglanguage

@ESOLeducator @ELchatFCPS #ELchatFCPS I tried donut circles with my level 1s for the first time. There was at first some confusion of how to stand and how to move. Then they got into it.

@ELchatFCPS I used "talking points" using science content. The students were paired up, given a statement and one had to tell their partner if it was accurate or not. The partner then had to agree or disagree and tell why. I definitely would like to continue to use this strategy! #ELchatFCPS

#ELchatFCPS #scaffoldinglanguage

@AniaMikelinich @ELchatFCPS #ELchatFCPS I too like sequencing in that it works well for students at all WIDA levels.

@ELchatFCPS I love picture sequencing. It's great for group work, students communicate among themselves and they describe the pictures. After that the group decides the sequence. I like seeing students being involved in decision making.

@ELchatFCPS #ELchatFCPS One activity I used was a variation of “I’m thinking of”. I translated is from a Spanish , “veo, veo”. In English it’s, “I see, I see”. The reply is “What do you see?” That is followed by “I see something that starts with the letter__ and ends with the letter __.” Ec

@JuliePa87442802 #ELchatFCPS I agree that think alouds are a very powerful tool in teaching reading skills. It is also good for students to try it to monitor their thinking process.

@fseltzer4 #ELchatFCPS I too enjoy using Flip Grid. I have even shared an account with the pyramid high school to help 8th graders transition to high school.

#ELchatFCPS Ch2.2 A key feature for student comprehension is message abundancy. Materials can be presented in ways that cover different learning styles. A FAST Math concept can be taught through the use of visual aids, songs,use of manipulatives, and explanations.

@RobertMcClay12 @ELchatFCPS #ELchatFCPS Adding the instruction of executive functioning skills such as organization, goal setting and planning can then give students the tools to carry out their learning objectives.

@ELchatFCPS Treating students as worthy conversation partners demonstrates that you value their input. This is a huge motivator and goes a long way toward building student confidence and ownership in the learning process. #ELchatFCPS

#ELchatFCPS #scaffoldinglanauge

@HelloItsMsO @ELchatFCPS #ELchatFCPS A great exercise in allowing kids to figure things out in the use of inductive reasoning. An example is paragraph structure. Students could be given a list of supporting details and then be asked to write topic sentences.

@ELchatFCPS I make my students try things before I give them the answers - and now I have a term for it: "stretched learning." Often I see teachers trying to give all the answers to students, but by letting them figure it out, students can learn more meaningfully. #ELChatFCPS

#ElchatFCPS An important point made in chapter 2 is that we teach students how to think. I do this while doing think alouds as I teach active reading stategies.

@HelloItsMsO @ELchatFCPS #ELchatFCPS I would agree that establishing strong positive relationships helps a great deal in providing instruction. I also like to find expertise of each student and call upon it in front of the whole class.

@ELchatFCPS A2. “What and how we learn depends ... on the company we keep.” (p. 13) Understanding and respecting where each of our Ss comes from (EL or not) is a foundation of strong teaching. #ELChatFCPS #weseeyou

@DJNolasco1 @ELchatFCPS #ELchatFCPS Your point also brings to to my attention how mainstream teachers can hear how a student can be conversant yet not understand how the academic language takes longer. It’s the BICS vs. the CALPS.

#ELchatFCPS It was refreshing that Vygotsky was brought back into the picture. I studied him a great deal in my education classes in the 1990s. The chart on page 17 is a good illustration for the Zone of Proximal Development

@NimaMoser @ELchatFCPS I too enjoy working with level 1s. The come to this country with a sense of awe, gratitude, and enthusiasm for learning. #ELchatFCPS

Welcome to #ELchatFCPS #scaffoldinglanguage

@DSTeducator2 @ELchatFCPS One advantage you have is being able to follow through and watch kids mature and learn over several years. I used to experience that when I worked at a K-12 school. In middle school, it’s a much shorter segment in their lives. #ElchatFCPS

@ELchatFCPS Hey! My name is Michele and what I like most about working with ELs is how they soak up new learning. This year I supporting a group of "hungry" third graders and they have really come out of their shells and it's exciting to see the excitement in their eyes. #ELchatFCPS

@ELchatFCPS Hello, I’m Nick Renfrew. I work at Thoreau MS. This is my very first tweet. I love the cross cultural expertise that ELs are able to share.#ELchatFCPS