Creating Language Goals

When designing a unit, do you consider what type of language students need to use to comprehend and compose texts? This video gives an overview on what Language Goals are, why they are important, and how to start using them in the unit. In the documents are the slides, the overview of MYP Command Terms to Language Goals, and the template for creating them.

Teacher Talk Tips

A quick overview of how to talk to langauge learners in the classroom.

Using Google Sheets for Translations

One way we can support multi-lingual students is by ensuring they have translations for subject specific terminology. Here is a quick video on how to use Google Sheets to do this.

Link to document-> Google Sheets for Translations 

Noun Groups

When students are presented with more complex texts, they can get lost in larger groups of words that serve the purpose of a noun. Noun Groups are groups of words that while together function as a noun, individually have different meanings. One way of looking at it is by considering a pointer (points to the noun), counter (how many), describer (what is it like), classifier (what type), thing (the main noun), and the qualifer (any extra information). When having students doing a longer reading, this could be used to have them break down particularly difficult sentences. As well, it could be used to help students expand their writing by giving more insight into how they can be more descriptive. 

Word Chains

When students are asked to read a text, there is a strong chance they are also being asked to track meaning in a text. Often, one idea could be referred to in multiple ways and if students are unable to follow how an idea is referred to, they can struggle to understand the text. By explicitly outlining how this is done and using a graphic organizer to practise this, students can build their reading comprehension skills.

Magic School AI

Magic School AI is a tool with built in prompts that teachers can use to differentiate for students. The best way to learn about it is to play around and see how it fits your subject.

For EAL students, you can adjust the reading level of texts, provide vocabulary lists, create MQ questions, and create texts based on key vocabulary for them to pracitce. 

Dictogloss

When there is a specific register or way students are expected to write, this activity can help them think about the form of the writing and what needs to be included. 

First, choose/create a short text on a familiar topic that can be used as a mentor text for future writing and then read it off to the students, who just listen and take notes. Then, repeat the reading again where students can take additional notes. Students pair up and share notes and what they heard. The text is read a third and final time and then the pairs form groups of four and try to produce a final written version of the text with the goal of getting it as close to the original as possible.

The students produced text is then compared against the original. The differences can then be used as a discussion point on the type of writing that needs to be used in class.

Annotating a Model text

A strong way to help students break down a model text is to annotate it for the key language features used to help communicate ideas in and across a text. This can be a challenge for everyone but can help reveal the implicit knowledge that expert writers use to communicate. Each subject has different ways of writing that students need to adapt to. Providing annotated model texts can help bring to light these differences for students.

The document on the right, taken from WIDA, gives an overview of what this could look like.