ESL Students and Literacy
Published on Nov 30, 2015
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ESL Students and Literacy
Using www.sparklebox.co.uk to building reading skills, fluency and vocabulary
Sparklebox Resources Include
- Stories and nursery rhymes
- Phonics, spelling, writing and grammar activities
- Resources for ESL students and those with special needs.
- Scaffolded math and social study activities
- Classroom signs and labels
www.sparklebox.co.uk is a free, UK based website that offers a variety of resources for early elementary teaching. Some of the literacy activities can be used on line, book reading for example, as others can be printed off.
In this presentation, I will focus on using the story feature and activities to improve student's reading, fluency and vocabulary.
In this presentation, I will focus on using the story feature and activities to improve student's reading, fluency and vocabulary.
The story that I have chosen to use is "Goldi Locks and the Three Bears"
There are a variety of popular fairy tales available on the website. I chose this one because some of the children will already be familiar with it and I can overlap the theme with a study of bears
To begin the lesson, the children and I analyze the cover of the book to look for clues as to what will happen in the story.
I then read the story out loud, discussing the text and pictures with the students as we go along.
To begin the lesson, the children and I analyze the cover of the book to look for clues as to what will happen in the story.
I then read the story out loud, discussing the text and pictures with the students as we go along.
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After we have read the story together, I put the students into pairs to reread the story together. To assist the students with any challenging vocabulary, I provide each pair with a laminated mat from Sparklebox illustrating the more challenging words.
Having read the story together, the children now have a context in which to understand the new words. "Ells learn more vocabulary when words are embedded in meaningful contexts and when students are provided with frequent opportunities for their repetition and use" (Sousa, 2011, p. 60). It is important that the students understand and activate the new language, as they will be using it in their reanactment.
Having read the story together, the children now have a context in which to understand the new words. "Ells learn more vocabulary when words are embedded in meaningful contexts and when students are provided with frequent opportunities for their repetition and use" (Sousa, 2011, p. 60). It is important that the students understand and activate the new language, as they will be using it in their reanactment.
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In order for me to assess the student's understanding of the story, I provide them with pictures to put in sequence with the story. Sparklebox provides these printable sequence cards (like the one shown).
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The children and I then discuss the props that we will need to find or make in order to perform the reenactment. Sparkebox does provide templates for masks which can be coloured and cut out by the children.
The children are then assigned roles and time to practice. "story reenactment provides opportunities for multiple rereadings, discussion, clarification and recreating stories both orally and physically" (Herrell, Jordan, 2002, p. 173).
Th children then perform the reenactment and I "take particular note when they begin to use more and more of the vocabulary as a result of the multiple retellings (Herell, Jordan, 2002, p. 174)
I then ask each student to retell the story to me (orally or with props) and assess the accuracy of sequencing, vocabulary use, and the level of detail.
formultiple
mumutiple readings
The children are then assigned roles and time to practice. "story reenactment provides opportunities for multiple rereadings, discussion, clarification and recreating stories both orally and physically" (Herrell, Jordan, 2002, p. 173).
Th children then perform the reenactment and I "take particular note when they begin to use more and more of the vocabulary as a result of the multiple retellings (Herell, Jordan, 2002, p. 174)
I then ask each student to retell the story to me (orally or with props) and assess the accuracy of sequencing, vocabulary use, and the level of detail.
formultiple
mumutiple readings
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Students may use this play dough mat from Sparklebox and their own play dough figures to retell the story.
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As a related math activity, Sparkelbox provides a recipe for porridge. The step by step instructions list the tools and measurements required.
Photo by tastesasgoodasitlooks
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Sparklebox also provides bear paw prints for counting. This editable resource is a fun way to link math with the story.
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As a final follow up activity, Sparkebox provides resources to plan a unit on bears. This social studies activity provides a nice link between real bears and those in a fairy tale.
Value of story reanactment
- Builds confidence
- Allows for low stress student interaction
- Contexualizes new vocabulary
- Improves fluency and pronunciation through oral communication and listening
- Encourages all to participate
References
- Herell, A., Jordan, M. (2016). 50 strategies for teaching English language learners (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.
- Sousa, D.A. (2011). How the ELL brain learns. Thousand Oaks: Corwin.
- www.sparklebox.co.uk
