Component 5: Interactions

Feature 16: Opportunities for Interactions

Include an activity where your EL has the opportunity to interact with (an)other student(s).

Explain how the activity helps your EL's language development based on your EL's English proficiency level.

Provide relevant supplementary materials that support this activity. 

Note: Your ELs must produce language. Identify carefully the aspect of the activity where your EL will have the opportunity to use English. Explain what vocabulary, utterances, etc. you anticipate them to use. Show what scaffolding you must provide for your EL so that she can participate in the interaction.; starting sentences, etc.

Students will be expected to work with their stations in determining the meaning and context of the political cartoons I give them in the era, and will be required to communicate with each other a shared meaning which they can present to the class. Sergei will be in one of these groups, where they will practice their BICS with their peers as they engage in general conversation, as well as a minor amount of CALPS as they navigate slight academic vocabulary. This is good for Sergei because they get practice and familiarity with general conversation as well as a conveyance of academic content through someone other than the instructor. Students will then present their findings to the class in a brief presentation, then will be required to defend their argument if challenged by groups in another station. Every student must talk during their presentation and argument section. Sergei will be seated by his friend and helper, Neera, who will help Sergei if he stumbles on his words or needs some oral support while speaking.*

*See figure 1

Feature 17: Group Work

Explain what group work configuration would best fit in your lesson; how would you choose group members thinking about your EL's needs so that she can also participate.

Provide relevant supplementary materials.

I would place Sergei next to his friend Neera because I know Neera will help Sergei when he needs it without falling behind in the lesson. I would put them together because they are both students not born in the U.S., but Neera will likely get Sergei off topic, unlike his friend Calvin.** I want to increase familiarity and ease to learn academic material, but I want the groups to also stay focused. Thus, I will strategically place groups in order to maximize output as well as comfortability and psychological safety. Dustin, a boy known for picking on Sergei at times, will be moved away from him so that Sergei can focus on his learning. During the last unit, Sergei sat next to Calvin because we did a lot of hands-on activities. Echevarría notes that varying group configurations provides students the opportunity to learn new information in order to discuss it and process it (Echevarría 163). This strategy would be employed in my classroom in order to increase learning from different sources.

**See figure 1

Feature 18: Wait Time

I would guarentee that Sergei would have plenty of time to speak during moments where he wanted to. Unlike other students, who may be speaking slowly in order to stall time, I will always be more patient with Sergei, as he may be struggling to let out some more academic vocabulary. 

Feature 19: Concept Clarification

Can you identify difficult parts of your lesson, where you probably will have to provide an alternative explanation?

Instead of asking your EL, "Is everything clear?" or  "Does anyone have a question ?", can you think of a better way to offer students the opportunity to clarify concepts?

Provide relevant supplementary materials.

I will use the anonymous question asking app, Slido, to entice students to ask questions that they do not want to openly ask in front of the class. I will have a written itinerary on the board to eliminate some of the questions.*** Students will have the option, at any point during class, to ask questions anonymously for me to answer. I will give students material and instructions, and then ask them to tell me what they think my expectation is. If it's correct, I’ll let them go by themselves. If not, I will continue to clarify what I mean. 

Echevarría notes that the 50-50 rule is a good rule of thumb in order to clarify concepts for students. If Sergei cannot answer a question, or is struggling with saying a word, he can ‘phone a friend’ that can help him out to get an answer. However, this only works if Sergei gives me the final answer that his peer helped him with (Echevarría 169).

**See image 3

References

Echevarría, J., Vogt., M., & Short, D. J. (2017). Making content comprehensible for English learners: The SIOP model. Pearson. 

Honigsfeld, A. (2019). Growing language & literacy: Strategies for English learners. Heinemann.