#ELLCHAT This is Kate O'Meara, tweeting for @PSCCESOL in Knoxville, TN. I teach adult #ELLs. Hope that everyone who had spring break last week enjoyed it. A1
Greetings, #ELLCHAT A1) I am Karen Nemeth, co-host of this chat and an author/consultant supporting early education for children who are ELLs/ELLs - waiting for two more snowstorms this week in eastern PA!
Hi everyone! I’m LeighAnn. I teach PreK-2nd grade ESL in NJ. Like @KarenNemethEdM, I’m also bracing myself for some more significant snowfall this week! #ellchat
A1. Hi everyone! I’m LeighAnn. I teach PreK-2nd grade ESL in NJ. Like @KarenNemethEdM, I’m also bracing myself for some more significant snowfall this week! #ellchat
Q2) Many educators claim that their curriculum is “a mile side and an inch deep." In general do you agree that ESL curriculum generally focuses on teaching in breadth? Do you agree this is the best approach for ELLs? Why or why not? #ELLCHAT
#ELLCHAT A2 I really believe that breadth is useful because we have to cover so much territory with our Ss. But knowledge without connections or understanding is useless and lost quickly. So it's always my goal to build connections to prior knowledge and link all learning...
Q2) When we teach to a standardized test we are teaching in breadth in order to cover topics on the test. I think a combo of breadth & depth is best for ELLs. #ELLCHAT
Q2) When we teach to a standardized test we are teaching in breadth in order to cover topics on the test. I think a combo of breadth & depth is best for ELLs. #ELLCHAT
I work with a school affiliated with the Internationals Network for Public Schools (for ELLs). We aim for depth more than breadth on content, such as history. But for English skills, there's breadth. #ELLCHAT
#ELLCHAT A2 I really believe that breadth is useful because we have to cover so much territory with our Ss. But knowledge without connections or understanding is useless and lost quickly. So it's always my goal to build connections to prior knowledge and link all learning...
A2: I think focus on essential standards has begun to shift emphasis away from breadth & more toward depth. Both have a place in ELLs education. #ELLChat
A2) I don't actually have a curriculum so I get to make my own decisions about what and how I teach my ELs... I think depth is so important. ELs are capable of thinking at high levels and need to be challenged. #ellchat
I work with a school affiliated with the Internationals Network for Public Schools (for ELLs). We aim for depth more than breadth on content, such as history. But for English skills, there's breadth. #ELLCHAT
A2 cont: ELLs different background experiences may cause Ts to feel they need exposure to wide range of info to "catch up" with peers. Could be an argument for breadth #ELLChat
A2. I think there’s a place for both breadth and depth. Personally I decide which way to go depending on the student’s ELP level and the content in mind. #ELLCHAT
A2) For SIFE students, breadth can be more beneficial as there are many "holes" to fill. But I still feel we can include critical thinking in every lesson. #ellchat
A2. I think there’s a place for both breadth and depth. Personally I decide which way to go depending on the student’s ELP level and the content in mind. #ELLCHAT
#ELLCHAT a2 I completely agree. Knowledge is like velcro. It latches on to more knowledge. If there is nothing for it to latch onto, retention is much less likely and much more effortful.
A2 The topic determines whether depth or breadth is necessary. There isn’t a one size fits all solution. Some Ss need more than others so within the same lesson you can have both. #ellchat
I had students go in-depth in history by having students write a mini-research paper on the impact of colonization on a country in Southeast Asia or Africa. It took forever, but it was worth it. #ELLCHAT
I work with a school affiliated with the Internationals Network for Public Schools (for ELLs). We aim for depth more than breadth on content, such as history. But for English skills, there's breadth. #ELLCHAT
I think depth is particularly important for ELLs because retaining information is particularly challenging when it's not in one's first language. #ELLCHAT
#ELLCHAT A3 I am lucky that, while we have overall goals, how I help my Ss reach them is up to me. Therefore, we have the luxury of delving deeper into certain topics, connecting them with S interests and prior knowledge, and letting Ss share expertise...
A3) I love to use @RonRitchhart 's visible thinking routines to help my students make connections to and go deeper with content. They are great for oral language development, too! https://t.co/rLgEdPm7fi#ellchat
The book recommendations from the education community on twitter (& ability to communicate w/ the authors) is helping me get to the “next level”. TY for all you are doing!
#education#edchat#nyedchat#ellchat#celebratemonday
Q3). Depth requires careful planning that shouldn’t rely on pre packaged curriculum instead it should be planned with students in mind as to what skills they need to be successful across all content areas. #ELLCHAT
Q2) Another science resource related to inquiry as a way of getting depth - Opportunities and Challenges for #ELL Ss in the Science Inquiry Classroom (Part 1) https://t.co/JMeXDCiAlh#ellchat
A3) I think most of the ESL curriculum that I've seen is very broad. I liked to teach a lot of science & social studies in depth because I felt the classroom teacher wouldn't do a lot of scaffolding. #ELLCHAT
A3) I’ve used different curricula and almost always end up supplementing bc it lacks depth. We need to differentiate not only for language level, but also for skill/schema level! #ellchat
A3 for #earlyed there is generally no “ESL curriculum” - gen ed teachers are expected to make adaptations. in vast majority of cases, that ends up looking like a few shallow attempts like random song or story in home language - not tied to deeper curriculum #ELLCHAT
I teach breadth in English by exposing students to different genres--poetry, short story, excerpts of nonfiction books, news articles. But we spend a lot of time on each text or read just a small chunk. #ELLCHAT
A3 But, young children who are DLLs/ELLs actually benefit most from learning a few topics in depth and really getting to explore and build on their own prior knowledge - takes a well-prepared teacher! #ELLCHAT
I use text sets of historical fiction and nonfiction so students can both read about the “real thing” and then see how it could have affected a person of the time. This gives them connection. I usually connect with writing pieces as well. #ELLChat
A3) I think background info connects more to teaching in depth. But if your introducing a new topic for any lesson, background knowledge needs to be build. #ELLCHAT
A3 For young children, I agree that a pre-purchased curriculum is more likely to send random materials that do not respond in the moment to children’s interests and abilities. We need those teachable moments! #ELLCHAT
Breadth and depth are both necessary for all students to participate and be successful in school. Check out genre theory research for information about exposing students to a variety of texts and providing scaffolds for understanding from whole text to word level #ellchat
A3) Yes and a pre-purchased curriculum at any age has the goal of teaching to a test. It's breadth, not depth. It's the teacher who adds other resources & gives the lesson depth. #ELLCHAT
A3 For young children, I agree that a pre-purchased curriculum is more likely to send random materials that do not respond in the moment to children’s interests and abilities. We need those teachable moments! #ELLCHAT
I'm smiling because I'm remembering a unit I taught on Appalachian literature. The students knew nothing about Appalachia but yet they had background knowledge of rural communities in the mountains. The ideas in the unit stuck. They talk about the unit a year later. #ELLCHAT
A3) I worked in a small district and I wrote new ESL curriculum every 4 or 5 years. I think all the schools around me had a curriculum. They were very broad. #ELLCHAT
A3 We have trouble with the word “themes” in #earlyed because this often looks like broad, vague themes that offer little in the way of true depth or connections to important concepts. “Spring” and “Transportation” are examples of less effective “themes” #ELLCHAT
#ELLCHAT a4 There is so much to cover, and there is the pressure to teach grammar and vocabulary and spelling and reading comprehension -- sometimes depth feels like too much to pile on, but it's often the way forward. If everything connects, it's easier to learn.
A3) I use themes each month with my middle school ELs. I can cover breadth with a variety of texts, concepts and grammar while working towards depth in answering essential questions. This helps Ss connect their learning and stay engaged. #ellchat
The topic may not capture the interest of a student, and he or she may feel "bored" for the duration of the unit. Breadth allows a teacher to touch on more topics and thus connect with interests of more students. But then again, depth can be more compelling. #ELLCHAT
Q4. In my experience it’s been Time to plan for scaffolding in many language proficiency levels. For this reason planning collaboratively has been so valuable for me in the past. #ELLCHAT
A4) Resources that inform at grade level but are seeming out of reach of Ss ELP. Using text sets which begin at a lower level and build can help with this. #ellchat
A4 Daily schedule can also get in the way of depth. Many #preK programs force transitions from one area to another at timed intervals, regardless of whether children have gotten involved in valuable, deep explorations #ELLCHAT
A4) No one has mentioned using essential questions. They are key to teaching in depth if the questions are relevant to ELLs. One year the essential question for the high school was "What does it mean to be an American?" That wasn't relevant to the ELLs. #ELLCHAT
A3) I use themes each month with my middle school ELs. I can cover breadth with a variety of texts, concepts and grammar while working towards depth in answering essential questions. This helps Ss connect their learning and stay engaged. #ellchat
A4. This year I teach #ELLs with proficiency level of 3+ I would say that the I have to be mindful of prior knowledge that Ss do/don’t bring to class when I making my lessons so I can help them fill the gaps. #ELLchat
#ellchat Sometimes they have ways to access their own background to understand the new content. We have to know our Ss and help them make those connections.
A4. I think it can be difficult to teach in depth content when ELLs & DLLs cannot make a connection to the material being taught or lack the background knowledge necessary to access the content. #ellchat
A4 I think the role of “essential questions” is great for older students, but I’m not sure it is really the right term for the kinds of practical, hands-on explorations that PreK or K students need #ELLCHAT. Not sure about that.
A4 Yes, but, ideally you would pick an area of depth that STARTS from something that the student knows and build out from there. The topic should be chosen with the student’s existing background in mind to get them started. #ELLCHAT
A4. I think it can be difficult to teach in depth content when ELLs & DLLs cannot make a connection to the material being taught or lack the background knowledge necessary to access the content. #ellchat
I think PBL would be a terrific approach for depth. Looking into building more of this into my classroom after attending great workshop with @Matt_Halpern#ellchat
Presentations help students to process and remember what they've learned. And the listeners record their ideas on a listening graphic organizer. #ELLCHAT
A4 Oh yes! @judiehaynes and I have done several conference presentations on specific PBL as well as less projects in general to support ELLs of all ages. We believe! #ELLCHAT
I think PBL would be a terrific approach for depth. Looking into building more of this into my classroom after attending great workshop with @Matt_Halpern#ellchat
I think PBL would be a terrific approach for depth. Looking into building more of this into my classroom after attending great workshop with @Matt_Halpern#ellchat
A5) I use @CommonLit (completely free with test prep quest too) which offers text sets with media and pair with a novel or book at EPL so students can go in-depth about a science or history concept. #ELLChat
I think PBL would be a terrific approach for depth. Looking into building more of this into my classroom after attending great workshop with @Matt_Halpern#ellchat
Definitely agree! I think sometimes this is more of a challenge in grade level classrooms because not all content teachers are willing to take the time to get to know their students or they’re not comfortable letting things be more student driven. #ellchat
