Mike Bowden ESL Notes
Weeks of November 30th to December 18th
ELL Ideas for You!
Writing and Your English Language Learner
His workshops are fast-paced and lively. You will leave with tools and techniques you can use right away.
The Speaking & Writing Connection
There are two things you can do to ensure your ELL student is making progress. Provide speaking opportunities for your English Language Learner in every content area, every day and establish speaking in complete sentences as a classroom norm.
Beginning and intermediate level ELLs will sometimes use the safety of the group to refrain from contributing to conversation. Every missed opportunity to practice a word, a phrase, or a sentence delays their language development and fluency.
It is completely acceptable to provide a sentence starter. For the beginning and very shy intermediate student, it is acceptable to have them repeat something another student has said.
Establishing a classroom norm of speaking in complete sentences will benefit all your students. When we allow students to respond in fragments, usually with the subject of the sentence omitted, we are reinforcing telegraphic speech.
Student writing reflects the sophistication of their oral language. Students who do not elaborate when they speak will probably not elaborate in written work. Anchor charts and word walls aside, the habit of minimal dialogue results in minimal writing.
I am happy to work with small groups of students in writing during the next three weeks and also happy to help model establishing a complete sentence classroom.
Let's get started!
Schedule & Availability
Tuesday Dec 1 - Coaching Day 2 at the Bolin Center, not on campus
Wednesday Dec 2 - Forest Vista
Thursday Dec 3 - Flower Mound
Friday Dec 4 - Forest Vista
Monday Dec 7 - Flower Mound
Tuesday Dec 8 - Forest Vista
Wednesday Dec 9 - Forest Vista
Thursday Dec 10 - Coaching Day 3 at the Bolin Center, not on campus
Friday Dec 11- Coaching Day 4 at the Bolin Center, not on campus
Monday Dec 14 - Flower Mound morning only
Language Acquisition Department meeting at CCE afternoon
Tuesday Dec 15 - Forest Vista
Wednesday Dec 16 - Forest Vista
Thursday Dec 17 - Flower Mound
Friday Dec 18 - Forest Vista
Contact Mike
Let's set up a time to meet!
Email: bowdenm@lisd.net
Twitter: @BowdenLAS