teaching esl in today’s demanding climate — being prepared for professional challenges
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Teaching ESL in today’s demanding climate — being prepared for professional challenges. By Winnifred Tang, Ph.D. Dr. Winnifred Tang & Associates Learning Management Inc. Learn2ManageLD.com http://pro-ddayconferenceblog.blogspot.com/ Winter 2008. Agenda. Introduction Objectives - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Tang-2008 VSB/Professional Development Day Conference ESL Section
Teaching ESL in today’s demanding climate —being prepared for professional challenges
By Winnifred Tang, Ph.D.Dr. Winnifred Tang & Associates Learning Management Inc.Learn2ManageLD.comhttp://pro-ddayconferenceblog.blogspot.com/Winter 2008
Tang-2008 VSB/Professional Development Day Conference ESL Section
Agenda
Introduction
Objectives
Resources: simple to high-tech
Questions & Discussion
Tang-2008 VSB/Professional Development Day Conference ESL Section
Meeting Challenges
Gain perspective on current challenges
Identify needs
Adopt strategic teaching
Encourage a spirit of collaboration
Tang-2008 VSB/Professional Development Day Conference ESL Section
Diversity — challenges and implications
Linguistic diversity http://www.nvtc.gov/lotw/languageList.html
Cultural diversity
Socio-economic diversity
Cognitive diversity
Tang-2008 VSB/Professional Development Day Conference ESL Section
Getting a perspective: Information is everything!
Do your research meet the diversity challenge by arming yourselves with lots of information. Relevant information gives you power!
Work through human networks…connect with colleagues.
Share resources…find a way to distribute teaching resources and information.
Tang-2008 VSB/Professional Development Day Conference ESL Section
Setting Goals for success
Effective diagnostics
Effective matching of content to students
Effective grouping of students to maximize learning
Effective use of classroom resources
Tang-2008 VSB/Professional Development Day Conference ESL Section
Matters of diagnostics…
What are we diagnosing?
What does it take to learn English as a second language?
• Phonology (sound system)• Semantics (system of meanings)• Morphology (rules of word formation)• Syntax (rules of sentence formation)• Lexicon (vocabulary)
Tang-2008 VSB/Professional Development Day Conference ESL Section
Phonology
Learning the sound system of a language
sound-symbol correspondence
Building block for reading
McCandliss, B. D., & Posner, M. I. (2003). Fostering Literacy through Understanding Brain Mechanisms. Education Canada, 43(2), 4-7.
Tang-2008 VSB/Professional Development Day Conference ESL Section
Language areas
Tang-2008 VSB/Professional Development Day Conference ESL Section
Language-based Learning Disability: Dyslexia
Phonological processing deficit
Working memory deficit
Syntactic processing deficit
Gathercole, S., & Baddeley, A. D. (1993). Phonological processing and reading development. In Working memory and language. Hove, UK: Erlbaum Associates.
Stanovich, K. E. (2000). Progress in understanding reading: Scientific foundations and new frontiers. New York: Guilford Press.
Tang-2008 VSB/Professional Development Day Conference ESL Section
What are the traits to look for?
Poor spellingPoor decodingPoor reading comprehensionWord retrieval problemsPoor organizationLack of self-confidence, low self-esteem
Tang-2008 VSB/Professional Development Day Conference ESL Section
Intervention Strategies
Phonological awareness training
Structured instruction in grammar
Modeling effective reading strategies
Cultivate intellectual curiosity, engage in wide reading & frequent reading
Encourage language activities
Tang-2008 VSB/Professional Development Day Conference ESL Section
Elaborating on intervention strategies
Meaningful activities
Sensitive to student characteristics
Social engagement
Dr. Deborah Butlerhttp://www.ecps.educ.ubc.ca/faculty/Butler/ReserchProj.htm
Tang-2008 VSB/Professional Development Day Conference ESL Section
The T-word: Technology
The technology we love and hate!
Tang-2008 VSB/Professional Development Day Conference ESL Section
Conference Blog
Tang-2008 VSB/Professional Development Day Conference ESL Section
Hyperlinks
Tang-2008 VSB/Professional Development Day Conference ESL Section
See how easy it is to share information!
Tang-2008 VSB/Professional Development Day Conference ESL Section
Social Software at its best
Tang-2008 VSB/Professional Development Day Conference ESL Section
No substitute for a good teacher!
We will always need good teachers!
Tang-2008 VSB/Professional Development Day Conference ESL Section
Throwing $ at a problem won’t solve it!
Tang-2008 VSB/Professional Development Day Conference ESL Section
Teaching ESL in today’s demanding climate —being prepared for professional challenges
Dr. Winnifred Tang Email: [email protected]
Cecil ChauEmail: [email protected]