(General recognition that the questions did not fit ESOL very well...)
1. What are the two or three most important things that students need to know or be able to do as a result of this class this year? - Know how and when to ask for clarification and assistance when they need it - Advocate for themselves as learners - be able to solve their own problems when it comes to their school life- know who to ask - Increase reading and writing skills - demonstrate independent learning skills
2. What overarching, thought-provoking questions can our department iteratively ask of students to inspire them to uncover the riches of our content area? Across content areas? - As a student, how can you participate in your own learning? - Who are you as a language learner? - What skills do you need to be successful at SAS? - How can you bridge the gap between yourself and native-speaking peers? - How can you "get out" of ESOL? - What do you already know about critical thinking and independent learning? - How are you different/special as a bilingual learner? - How does what you are learning relate to your background knowledge? - Why do you want to learn English & how do you see yourself using English?
3. How do we best measure that students have attained grade-level mastery/understanding, irrespective of instructor or varied instructional approaches? - WIDA standards - Conference with teachers & students - Support students in taking grade-level assessments same as the rest of the class but results assessed using WIDA - Review grade level standardized assessments - Universal screening (STAR reading assessment, writing prompts) - Anecdotal information on how they work independently/in group work - grades/feedback from mainstream teachers
1. What are the two or three most important things that students need to know or be able to do as a result of this class this year?
- Know how and when to ask for clarification and assistance when they need it
- Advocate for themselves as learners - be able to solve their own problems when it comes to their school life- know who to ask
- Increase reading and writing skills
- demonstrate independent learning skills
2. What overarching, thought-provoking questions can our department iteratively ask of students to inspire them to uncover the riches of our content area? Across content areas?
- As a student, how can you participate in your own learning?
- Who are you as a language learner?
- What skills do you need to be successful at SAS?
- How can you bridge the gap between yourself and native-speaking peers?
- How can you "get out" of ESOL?
- What do you already know about critical thinking and independent learning?
- How are you different/special as a bilingual learner?
- How does what you are learning relate to your background knowledge?
- Why do you want to learn English & how do you see yourself using English?
3. How do we best measure that students have attained grade-level mastery/understanding, irrespective of instructor or varied instructional approaches?
- WIDA standards
- Conference with teachers & students
- Support students in taking grade-level assessments same as the rest of the class but results assessed using WIDA
- Review grade level standardized assessments
- Universal screening (STAR reading assessment, writing prompts)
- Anecdotal information on how they work independently/in group work
- grades/feedback from mainstream teachers