Wilson Ranger Post
November 17th 2014
Postcards from the Edge
In continuation of my previous theme..."if everything is a priority, nothing is a priority"...I have a mental challenge for you. What are your priorities? You do this on a daily basis. You make choices and determine what to cut when necessary. Special programs, special teachers, etc. interrupt you daily routine and shave precious minutes from your schedule. You don't have time to spare, so what gets cut? What are the top 3, most important things that an educator should do on a daily basis? I have posed this question to a few educators already. The identification of these behaviors may seem elusive, however, just like a vision or a guiding purpose, knowing these and using them as a barometer by which to guage and determine what gets cut can be quite effective.
Please post at the bottom of this page what your top 3 behaviors are that ensure occur daily.
To do list...
Top 8 Things an Educator can do to help ELLs:
1. Enunciate clearly, but do not raise your voice. Avoid idioms, slang words, and colloquial expressions that English Language Learners would not understand when giving directions.
2. Whenever possible, support your words with visuals and gestures. Point directly to objects, dramatize concepts, and display pictures when appropriate. Visuals, gestures, and smiles help ELLs create meaning from a new environment.
3. Write clearly.
4. Develop and maintain regular routines. Use clear and consistent signals for classroom instructions.
5. Repeat information and review frequently. If a learner does not understand, a teacher should try rephrasing or paraphrasing in shorter sentences and simpler syntax. Check often for understanding, but do not ask, “Do you understand?” Instead, have students demonstrate their learning in order to show comprehension.
6. Present new information in the context of known information.
7. Announce the lesson’s objectives and activities, and list instructions step-by-step in small “chunks.”
8. Present information using a variety of methods and model, model, model.
In contrast, check out the attached link that describes Ten Ways to Annoy a Gifted Child.
It’s got a tongue and cheek tone, but clearly addresses common misconceptions about GT learners. It might even be an interesting jumping off point for a discussion with your GT learners that will help you better understand the unique needs of each one.
http://www.giftedguru.com/top-ten-ways-to-annoy-a-gifted-child/