ELL and SDAIE

http://www.examiner.com/article/comparing-eld-and-sdaie

Even experienced teachers get confused about the differences between ELD (English Language Development) and SDAIE (Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English).  This confusion comes, at least in part, because both focus on providing comprehensible education for ELLs.

In addition, most mainstream teachers are not accustomed to dealing with language, other than content specific vocabulary.. ELD is the teaching of English to speakers of another language(s) and SDAIE is the teaching of content knowledge, skills and language in a way that ELLs can understand and work with the content.

SDAIE is the primary methodology used by mainstream teachers.  Their expertise and knowledge in  a specific field of study allows them to have the flexibility to develop ways to concretize their lessons in ways which makes them comprehensible to ELLs.  The grade-level content standards and curriculum is the focus of the classes.  

Good teachers use SDAIE strategies consistently in their teaching.  SDAIE for ELLs differs from "good teaching" because it requires knowledge of how language develops so accommodation of lessons and assessments is made for the different ELD levels - beginner, early intermediate, intermediate, early advanced and advanced.

ELD works on developing language ability and knowledge.  For example the consistent and correct use of:  past tense,  the difference between present tense and present progressive (eat vs. is eating), simple past from past perfect (slept vs has slept), etc.  Making complex and compound sentences ("He slept soundly and frequently." vs "While he was sleeping he had a dream."); the ability to write a paragraph, appropriately,  punctuating writing correctly, understanding the writing style used in English (linear); being able to read and understand textbooks, etc. for knowledge and learning; being able to understand and use vocabulary that is used across the curriculum such as "investigate," "summarize," "analyze," etc. These skills are not content specific and are necessary to succeed in school and life.   

The overlap between the two methodologies contributes to the confusion.  Both work on the development of academic language - content specific and cross curricular vocabulary and language and accommodating lessons and assessments. They use the same strategies.  ELD focuses on language development usually using content areas for language development.

Moreover the content is not at grade level and the language is more important.  SDAIE teaches grade-level content and is aware of language development, teaching content vocabulary and language as well as reading and writing in mini-lessons or scaffolding.  Grade-level curriculum and standards are the focus.

Instructional Strategies

From:
http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/DE/PD/instr/categ.html

A Listing of Instructional Strategies and Methods

Direct Instruction

• Possibilities include
  • Structured Overview
  • Lecture
  • Explicit Teaching
  • Drill & Practice
  • Compare & Contrast
  • Didactic Questions
  • Demonstrations
  • Guided & Shared - reading, listening, viewing, thinking

  ---

Interactive Instruction

• Possibilities include
  • Debates
  • Role Playing
  • Panels
  • Brainstorming
  • Peer Partner Learning
  • Discussion
  • Laboratory Groups
  • Think, Pair, Share
  • Cooperative Learning Groups
  • Jigsaw
  • Problem Solving
  • Structured Controversy
  • Tutorial Groups
  • Interviewing
  • Conferencing

  ---

Indirect Instruction

• Possibilities include
  • Problem Solving
  • Case Studies
  • Reading for Meaning
  • Inquiry
  • Reflective Discussion
  • Writing to Inform
  • Concept Formation
  • Concept Mapping
  • Concept Attainment
  • Cloze Procedure

  ---

Independent Study

• Possibilities include
  • Essays
  • Computer Assisted Instruction
  • Journals
  • Learning Logs
  • Reports
  • Learning Activity Packages
  • Correspondence Lessons
  • Learning Contracts
  • Homework
  • Research Projects
  • Assigned Questions
  • Learning Centers

  ---

Experiential Learning

• Possibilities include
  • Field Trips
  • Narratives
  • Conducting Experiments
  • Simulations
  • Games
  • Storytelling
  • Focused Imaging
  • Field Observations
  • Role-playing
  • Model Building
  • Surveys

  ---

Instructional Skills

• Possibilities include
  • Explaining
  • Demonstrating
  • Questioning
  • Questioning Technique
  • Wait Time
  • Levels of Questions

Bloom's Taxonomy

Bloom's Taxonomy

Knowledge: Remember previously learned information.
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• Arrange
• Define
• Describe
• Duplicate
• Identify
• Label
• List
• Match
• Memorize
• Name
• Order
• Outline
• Recognize
• Relate
• Recall
• Repeat
• Reproduce
• Select
• State

Comprehension: Demonstrate an understanding of the facts.
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 • Classify
• Convert
• Defend
• Describe
• Discuss
• Distinguish
• Estimate
• Explain
• Express
• Extend
• Generalized
• Give example(s)
• Identify
• Indicate
• Infer
• Locate
• Paraphrase
• Predict
• Recognize
• Rewrite
• Review
• Select
• Summarize
• Translate

Application - Apply knowledge to actual situations.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
• Apply
• Change
• Choose
• Compute
• Demonstrate
• Discover
• Dramatize
• Employ
• Illustrate
• Interpret
• Manipulate
• Modify
• Operate
• Practice
• Predict
• Prepare
• Produce
• Relate
• Schedule
• Show
• Sketch
• Solve
• Use
• Write

Analysis - Break down objects or ideas into simpler parts and find evidence to support generalizations.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
• Analyze
• Appraise
• Breakdown
• Calculate
• Categorize
• Compare
• Contrast
• Criticize
• Diagram
• Differentiate
• Discriminate
• Distinguish
• Examine
• Experiment
• Identify
• Illustrate
• Infer
• Model
• Outline
• Point out
• Question
• Relate
• Select
• Separate
• Subdivide
• Test

Synthesis - Compile component ideas into a new whole or propose alternative solutions.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
• Arrange
• Assemble
• Categorize
• Collect
• Combine
• Comply
• Compose
• Construct
• Create
• Design
• Develop
• Devise
• Explain
• Formulate
• Generate
• Plan
• Prepare
• Rearrange
• Reconstruct
• Relate
• Reorganize
• Revise
• Rewrite
• Set up
• Summarize
• Synthesize
• Tell
• Write

Evaluation - Make and defend judgments based on internal evidence or external criteria.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
• Appraise
• Argue
• Assess
• Attach
• Choose
• Compare
• Conclude
• Contrast
• Defend
• Describe
• Discriminate
• Estimate
• Evaluate
• Explain
• Judge
• Justify
• Interpret
• Relate
• Predict
• Rate
• Select
• Summarize
• Support
• Value

Learning Theories

Reigeluth's Elaboration Theory

It provides a macro prescriptive framework for selecting, sequencing, synthesizing, and summarizing the content.

Principles:
1) Instruction should be organized in increasing order of complexity for optimal learning
2) The learner needs to develop a meaningful context into which subsequent ideas and skills can be assimilated
3) Sequencing strategies may be topical or spiral

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Algo-Hueristic Theory

The theory suggests that all cognitive activities can be analyzed into operations of an algorithm, semi-algorithm, heuristic, and semi-heuristic nature. Once discovered, these operations and their systems can serve as the basis for instructional strategies and methods. The theory specifies that students ought to be taught not only knowledge but the algorithms and heuristics of experts as well. They also have to be taught how to discover algorithms and heuristics on their own.

Principles
3. Teaching students how to discover processes is more valuable than providing them already formulated
4. Break processes down to elementary operations of size and length suitable for each student

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David Ausubel: Meaningful Verbal Learning & Subsumption Theory

Meaning is created through some form of representation equivalence between language (symbols) and mental  context. Two processes are involved:
1) Reception, which is employed in meaningful verbal learning
2) Discovery, which is involved in concept formation and problem solving

His theory emphasis on the learning methods of speech, writing, and writing.

To subsume is to incorporate new material into one's cognitive structures. This existing structure provides a framework into which the new learning is related, hierarchically, to previous information or concepts

When one encounters completely new unfamiliar material, then rote learning, as opposed to meaning leaning takes place. Rote learning can be used to construct meaning learning later. Think of religious rituals. As a child, you do them but do not understand them. As you get older, you start to understand the meaning, purpose and symbolism of such rituals.

Two types of subsumption:
1) Correlative subsumpation - new material is an extension or elaboration of what is already known
2) Derivative subsumpation - new material or relationships can be derived from the existing structure

Ausubel is a proponent of didactic, expository learning methods. From this perspective, expository (verbal) learning approaches encourage rapid learning and retention, whereas discovery learning (Bruner) facilitates transfer to other contexts.

Ausubel believed that it was important for teachers to provide a preview of information to be learned (advanced organizer). This would enable students to start with a "Big Picture" of the upcoming content, and link new ideas, concepts, vocabulary to existing mental maps of the content area.

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Jerome Bruner - Spiral Curriculum

 Bruner believed that the curriculum should continually revisit basic ideas, building upon them incrementally and making links and connections between them until the pupil has grasped full understanding.

He proposed that the starting point of learning should be what learners already know, believe, and can do already.

The importance of "play" - which is leaning by doing

With a spiral approach, connections between the things encountered earlier and later are made clear. More important for pupils to have an intuitive grasp of the subject rather than knowing the proper terms or formulas.

Teachers should help student learn to think intuitively by guessing. Teachers need to build pupil's self-confidence because such thinking requires a willingness to make mistakes.

The importance of presenting children with ideas and challenges that are not too far from their natural way of thinking.

Children may forget facts but making connections will help them to work things out for themselves.

Making connections enables the transfer to take place. There are two kinds of transfer:
1) Learning a skill
2) Learning a general idea that can be used as a basis for recognizing subsequent problems as variations of the original idea

Bruner advocated children learning through personal discovery rather than passive receivers of information.

Teaching History - Lessons, Units, Activities, Books, and Web Links

http://www.thecaveonline.com/APEH/dbqhowto.html

A GUIDE TO WRITING A DBQ

The purpose of the DBQ (Document Based Question) is not to test your knowledge of the subject, but rather to evaluate your ability to practice the historian's craft. You will be required to work with the documents and use them to answer a question.
Writing the DBQ is an acquired skill, one that takes practice. You should not get discouraged if you do not "get it" right away. The goal is to acquire the skill by May.
Remember that there is actually no right or wrong answer. Your answer is YOUR interpretation of the content of the documents. As long as your answer is logical and your interpretation is supported by the content of the document you are correct.
The following is your guide to writing a successful DBQ.

HISTORICAL CONCERNS

1. Read carefully the question prompt and the historical background. Underline the tasks demanded and the terms which are unique to the question.
2. Read the documents carefully.

a. Make sure that you understand the content of the document.
b. What is the author's Point of View (POV).
c. Where is the tension?

1. Are there people from the same place with differing POV?
2. Is a Frenchman critiquing the French or is it an Englishman? Which is biased, which has great knowledge?

d. What is the origin of the document?
e. Is the document valid or is it hearsay?
f. If time, gender or age were changed would the person be saying the same thing?

3. You should strive to use most of the document (omitting no more than 1 or two).
4. Do not simply site the documents in "laundry list" fashion. You should strive to IMPOSE order on the documents. Find groupings for the documents. Can they be organized into a format? What is the OVERALL picture presented by the documents. Can you use the documents implicitly?
5. Your essay should be an ANALYSIS of the documents and their content.You are demonstrating analysis if you are doing the following:

a. The essay contains a thesis which divides your answer into categories.
b. The documents are used as evidence to support your thesis.
c. Frequent reference is made to the terms of the question. Be certain that your answer is always focused directly on the question. Do not drift afield.

6. Be certain that, if the question allows, you exploit all of the following in writing your answer.

a. Point of View (POV) is both indicated and discussed from several angles.
b. The Validity (VAL) of documents is noted.
c. Change Over Time (COT) is recognized and discussed (if this occurs in the documents)
d. Did the pendulum of history swing in the chronological course of the documents? Did it swing back again?

LITERARY CONCERNS
1. The essay has an adequate introduction in which the time frame is noted.
2. The thesis provides an answer to the question and divides the answer into categories.
3. Proper essay style is used (think 5 paragraph format where applicable).
4. Grammar and spelling are adequate (do not misspell words that are supplied in the documents).
5. You have not referred to yourself in the essay and you have not told the readers what they are "going to learn".
6. A great majority of the documents have been used in a manner which makes their use readily apparent to the reader.
7. Quotations are limited to a phrase which is placed within the context of your answer.
8. ALL PARTS OF THE QUESTION have been answered.
9. A conclusion exists which summarizes the evidence, restates the thesis and indicates a direction for further study or occurrences.
10. Base all of your comments on the documents, NOT on outside information. Outside information may be used to enhance understanding but it must not be the basis of your argument.

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http://www.flowofhistory.com/units/etc/20/FC135

The Flow of History method 

Excellent graphs!

Differentiated Instruction

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVRYSC8YyYA

Three ways

-- Presentation (How it is taught)

    -- whole class or student centered

         -- whole class instruction

         -- small group instruction

         -- stations

         -- cooperative groups

-- Process (How it is done)

-- Product (How to demonstrate knowledge)

Direct Instruction (some visual, some auditory, some kinthestic) 

-- traditional lecture

-- alternative note-taking

-- manipulatives

-- small groups

Process

-- traditional pencil/paper

-- cooperative groups (different ability groups, help each other)

-- stations

-- compacting (for advanced students to move on to other topics)

-- independent contracts (ELL, special education, IEP, gate enrichment activity)

-- choice opportunities (listening station, work with a partner, work silently)

Product

-- traditional assessments (some do 5 problems, some do 10 problems)

-- written reports/papers

-- art/video projects

-- oral reports/presentations

-- PowerPoint presentations

-- Skits/Songs/Dances

Managing 

-- Decide what to teach

     -- content, standards, outcomes

-- Pre-assess to determine existing knowledge/needs

-- Create groupings

    -- ability groupings (remediation, enrichment)

    -- cooperative groups (project-based, problem-based)

Preparation

-- Materials

-- Directions

-- Noise levels

-- Student Movement

-- Room Arrangement

-- Teacher Assistance

-- Monitoring of Students

Expectations

-- establish behavior norms

-- train the students

-- build in accountability for both groups and individual students

-- assess and reflect

Start small and do it really well

English Language Learners - Stephen Cary

The following is from a good book by Stephen Cary called "English Language Learners, Answers to Teachers' Top Ten Questions, 2nd Edition"

Find useful information on a student's cultural background

• primary language and dialects
• home countries
• city vs rural background
• L1 and L2 oral proficiency levels
• L1 and L2 literacy levels
• partial verses proficient (balanced) bilinguals
• multilingual students
• language spoken at home (or per family history)

How can I make my spoken language more understandable

• enhanced read-loud
• video preview
• story action walk-through
• objects
• power words
• page/paragraph summarizing
• paraphrases
• picture-based book response
• primary language support material
• student spin-off stories

How do I get my reluctant speakers to speak English

• incorporate student interests
• making content engaging
• favoring authentic talk over compliance talk
• emphasize fluency over accuracy
• help students know when and when not to listen to "editing crow"
• students share orally with a pair buddy or small group instead of the whole class
• students talk through a puppet or role-play character
• configuring furniture for student-to-student talk
• paying attention to students' affective needs
• never forcing L2 production
• encourage use of second and first languages
• doing more collaborative activities
• reducing teacher talk

How do I make a difficult textbook more readable

• think-out-loud modeling
• highlighted text
• context clues
• objects, pantomime, movement
• tapping students' prior knowledge
• encourage spin-off stories
• personal teacher stories
• signposts to the main ideas
• pair reading
• L1 summaries
• note-taking via graphic organizers and drawings