English Language Development
March 2016
Welcome Back!!
Welcome to the latest editions of the Timber Trail's English Language Development (ELD) newsletter! With all the English testing and conferences spread throughout January and February, there was a brief hiatus between editions, but we are back in full swing for 2016!
In this edition of Timber Trail ELD news, I'll give you a quick update about the English testing and when the results will arrive. And as always, I will keep you up-to-date with what your students are working on, as well as ways you can support your child at home.
Take care,
x Rachel Gerfen
WIDA ACCESS 2.0 English Proficiency Assessment Update
As you know, all of the English Language Learners just took their annual English proficiency exam. The assessment had a new format, so it was a bit of a learning curve for both the children and myself in terms of actually using the testing software. But we made it through! The children worked so hard, and I am incredibly proud of them! Results from the exam should sent to the schools late April/early May. Once they arrive, I will contact each family to arrange a meeting so we can discuss what the results mean and how they impact your children's services.
I do want to give a quick disclaimer about the results. In previous years, I typically looked closely at the WIDA ACCESS results to gauge each student's growth and achievement. However, given the new online format, I realize some students may not have performed their absolute best because they weren't as familiar with the software and technology. Therefore, this year's results will not be the primary determining factor in whether or not ESL services are increased or decreased. Nor will they impact a student's eligibility for exiting the program. The student's body of evidence, which includes classroom samples and observations, as well as their ACCESS scores from the previous year, will be taken into account.
Language Focus for March
Language Focus:
Cause and Effect
Descriptive Language
Persuasive Language
Topics (Related to grade-level PBL/Student-Chosen topics):
Kindergarten--Animals
The Kindergartners are working in pairs to create a book about different animals. They will be working on collaboration and communication skills as they share ideas and resources. They will also be working on using precise language to describe the animals and what their behavior.
1st Grade--Creating a Virtual Tour
Each first grader chose a particular place they either have been to or would like to visit. They will be creating a virtual tour using an app of their choosing (i.e. iMovie trailers, Explain Everything, Google presentations, etc.). These projects will need to include visuals, descriptions, maps, and other features. They will need to use persuasive language to entice people to travel to their chosen location.
2nd Grade--Habitats
The second graders are describing cause and effect relationships within different habitats. They are analyzing how climates and weather impact the animals and plant life in a particular habitat.
3rd Grade--Extinct Animals
In order to work on cause and effect language, the third graders chose to study extinct animals. They will be researching an animal of their choice, and will use their research to create a museum exhibit that not only describes the animal but also examines how those animals became extinct.
4th Grade--Explorers
The fourth graders wanted to learn more about early European explorers. They are currently learning more about the adventures of early explorers, such as Marco Polo and Ferdinand Magellan. They will be analyzing numerous cause and effect relationships, such as what prompted the age of exploration between the 1400s and 1600s, as well as how European exploration impacted the world.
5th Grade--Revolutionary War
In preparation for their American history unit after spring break, the fifth graders are learning about the Revolutionary War. They will explore how the American colonies were formed and what events eventually lead to war with England. They will choose an important historical figure from this time period and create a short presentation that describes their impact on American history.
How can I help my child at home?
Developing Research and Information Based Literacy by Colorin' Colorado
Research and information literacy is something students work on throughout their school career. It's a collection of skills that, when combined, means that a learner is able to find, understand, evaluate and use information. Interest in information literacy grew out of a need to create learners for the 21st century. Here you'll find information about two ways to begin to develop information literacy in your child.
Evaluating Information: Fact vs. Opinion
One of the first skills in developing information literacy is being able to tell the difference between fact and opinion. A fact is a statement that can be proven true or false. An opinion is an expression of a person's feelings that cannot be proven. An awareness of the difference can be developed through questions and conversations. Engage your child in conversation using the words "fact" and "opinion" and have him identify statements of both types. For example, "Chocolate chip cookies are the best kind of cookie." "Mommy has dark brown eyes." "School should be cancelled on sunny days." "There are 12 months in a year."
Evaluating Information Sources
These days, there are many, many sources of information. Children are bombarded by messages from several media and online sources, books, friends, and people at school. An important step in developing information literacy is learning to evaluate the source of information, especially for online information. It's helpful to help your child consider some of the following:
Who is the author of the information?
What do we know about the author or organization?Is that person an expert?
Is that organization respected by others?
Why was this information written?
Is the author trying to persuade you to buy something?
Does the information present fact or opinion?
Is the information recent? When was it published?
Parents and teachers can help children develop research and information literacy by sharing their love of learning. Encourage their curiosity about the world and desire to find out more. At the same time, help them become wise consumers of the information they find. These are skills that will last a lifetime.
http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/developing-research-and-information-literacy
Upcoming Dates!
February 29th-March 4th
March 7th-11th
Parent/Teacher Conferences throughout the week
March 9th--District ELD Meeting 11:00-3:00 No Afternoon Services
March 14th-18th
Parent/Teacher Conferences throughout the week
March 16th--PARCC Training for Specialists 8:45-9:30
March 21st-25th
Spring Break--No School! Have a wonderful break!!
March 28th-April 1st
Contact Information
Email: rachel.gerfen@dcsdk12.org
Website: https://sites.google.com/a/dcsdk12.org/english-language-development/
Phone: (303) 387-5700