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Tiering and Scaffolding

3. Integrating Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing

The ability to speak English fluently is critical to our ELLs’ success both inside and outside the classroom. They must pass a speaking portion of a language proficiency assessment to score out of ESOL services and be fully immersed in mainstream classes without support. Integrating every day reading, writing, listening, and speaking is a natural experience in both oral and written forms. They shouldn't be taught in isolation, because they do not occur in isolation. When reading the Sunday newspaper for example, we stop to comment on something, share new information, or share outrage with a friend, a sibling, spouse, or another in the room. We often stop to reread, both fiction and non-fiction, when we need to clarify information. Children and adults learning a new language are always in need translation in many on-the-spot circumstances - at the doctor's corner store, library, school, store. Listening, speaking, reading and writing occur naturally at school in all grade levels. 

In primary grades fore example, the teacher would read a picture book aloud, point to the pictures, show the pictures, take time to let students orally predict what might happen next or discuss the pictures, characters, or plot. Older students might perform a play, write a script to a play, have long discussions about literature interpretation, or talk about results and outcomes. When students write anything, they typically like to read what they wrote, get feedback from peers, and comment on their writing and the writing of others. this is a listening, reading, writing, speaking process that occurs in any order, on any given day, in or outside of school.

When we plan instruction, we need to plan reading, writing, listening and speaking intentionally throughout all subject areas with opportunities to discuss, interpret, demonstrate, write, and listen to others.

Speakers of Other Languages

The four language processes of listening, speaking, reading, and writing come together quite nicely, and in a similar interactive way, for ELLs. By about the age of five, children typically become grammatically competent in their mother tongue, or the language spoken at home. The rest of it happens through expanded vocabularies, and exposure within context for which language is used daily both in school and out of school.  Reading and writing competencies on the other hand, develop much later, and aren't achieved as much by similar immersion. Thus, oral language development occurs earlier and more fully than written in first language acquisition.

For young ELLs with little literacy in the home, basic oral language competence will emerge earlier than reading and writing competencies (Fradd & McGee, 1994). For older students who can read proficiently in their first language, the pattern differs. These students may develop competence in writing earlier than oral. In either case, lots of time must be spent developing the oral and written language.

ELLs do not need to be fully proficient in oral English before they begin to read and write (Hudelson, 1984). Second language knowledge can develop from writing and speaking practice, provided that the text is understandable, or written at a level in which they can read (Elly & Mangubhai, 1983). The key relationships among listening, speaking, reading, and writing during development are complex relationships of mutual support.

Integration of Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking in the Classroom

We always see a number of students, from every cultural background, who are too shy to speak up in the classroom or to answer a question, even when they have the answer. These strategies help all students improve their language development in a supportive, encouraging way. At the end of the list are some strategies specific to helping ELLs acquire and use oral language.

  • Model language by saying aloud and writing the ideas and concepts you’re teaching.
  • Model what a fluent reader sounds like through focused read-alouds.
  • Be explicit. Give each activity you do a name, the simplest and most accurate name that you can, and then repeat the activity, so students can learn the verbal and written cues and procedures.
  • Tell students what they are learning about each day and whether they will be reading, writing, listening, or speaking.
  • Make expectations clear for behavior, written assignments, independent practice, and group work. Write key expectations on a chart and keep the chart posted for reference.Use a rubric whenever possible to help students evaluate their behavior and work.
  • Have students retell stories aloud. Record their retellings in their own words to create a language experience chart that can be used for future reading and writing lessons with this group.
  • Teach choral speaking and reading (poetry may be the most accessible format with which to begin).
  • Sing or read songs. Children can bring in a favorite song to perform alone or as a group, but make sure you have heard the song first and can approve it.
  • Have students read and perform Readers Theater scripts.
  • Practice dictation, especially for learning spelling. Allow students to take turns dictating, too. Use full sentences for contextualizing the spelling words.
  • Experiment with speaking and writing in different tenses and using different types of expressive language. For example, say the same word or phrase using a tone that is happy, sad, angry, and so forth. Use facial expressions—a smile, frown, or quizzical look—to embed more meaning in your speech. For beginners, hold up picture cards showing expressive faces and have them act out these expressions.
  • Explain by showing, not just telling. Act it out if you have to or use visual tools such as sketches and diagrams or actual objects.
  • Correct content, not grammar. To model proper grammar and syntax, restate or rephrase students’ questions or statements. You can do this in writing too.

Student: I put mines pencil on that desk.
Teacher: I put my pencil on that desk, too.
OR
Student: Who go to bring lunch count today?
Teacher: Hmmm, let’s see . . . Who is going to bring the lunch count to the office today?

  • To express proper intonation and pitch, be aware that you modulate your voice, make adjustments in tone, and use a range of pitch with everything you say to your students. We do this naturally anyway; for example, our voices rise at the end of a question.
  • When asking questions, give choices for the answer. This will also help you check for understanding especially in the earlier stages of language acquisition. For example, ask, “Would you like pizza or a bagel for lunch?” Or, after reading a story, ask, “Did the first pig build his house of bricks or straw?”
  • Respond to the interests of the children. Provide reading, speaking, listening, and writing
    activities and opportunities in which students can share their hobbies and interests.
  • Encourage students to describe, summarize, define, contrast, and compare by modeling. Be sure to show and not just tell when teaching a new concept, idea, or vocabulary.
  • Be your own glossary. If you use an unfamiliar word, define it for the class as part of your lesson.
  • Don’t assume that students truly understand the subject being discussed just because they are nodding and even answering your questions. Monitor what you say to make sure that they understand. When in doubt, ask the class to restate the directions you’ve given or the ideas you’ve presented.
  • Ask students to give multiple meanings of a particular word or tell whether it can be labeled a verb or a noun. This will help students sharpen their grammar skills and place ideas in the context of your discussion.
  • Develop vocabulary over time, in different learning contexts—use the target words in large and small groups and one-on-one formats. Post vocabulary words in the room on chart paper.

References:

Abedi, J. (Ed.). (2007). English language proficiency assessment in the nation: Current status and future practice (Report). Davis, CA: University of California. Retrieved May 7, 2010, from http://education.ucdavis.edu/research/elp_report.pdf

Ariza, E. N. (2010). Not for ESOL Teachers: What Every Classroom Teacher Should Know About Linguistically, Culturally, and Ethnically Diverse Students. New York, NY: Allyn & Bacon/Pearson Education.

Moran, P. P., & Greenberg, B. (2008).  Peer Revision: Helping Students to Develop a Meta Editor, Ohio Journal of English Language Arts.  Vol. 48, pp. 33-39.

Ganske, Kathy; Monroe, Joanne K.; Strickland, Dorothy S.     Questions teachers ask about struggling readers and writers.  Reading Teacher, Oct. 2003, Vol. 57 Issue 2

Yang, M., Badger, R., & Yu, Z. (2006). A comparative study of peer and teacher feedback in a

Chinese EFL writing class. Journal of Second Language Writing, 15(3), 179-200.