Effective Instructional Strategies Explained... These are the Good Ones!

It's been a couple of weeks since I posted the more ineffective strategies... NOW! For the good ones! Again, as I said in my first post, a BALANCE of the different approaches is needed! Here's the link to the strategies to limit (more Ineffective Strategies)

Whole Language approach: Also called, the “Top to bottom approach,” and is contrasted to a phonics or skills based approach to decoding and spelling. The philosophy here is to focus on meaning and strategy instruction, literature-based or integrated instruction. Many of the next strategies are a part of a whole language philosophy. When looking at second language learners, including Deaf children, this philosophy and approach to language is critical! This one will get its own post…for now this link shows a very basic overview.

A Writing Activity

Readers and Writer’s workshop: Writers engage in reading and writing for their own purposes. Led by the teacher through ‘mini lessons’ the students learning reading and writing strategies while choosing their own reading and writing topics. This is a great explanation! 

 You can also see how I did a mini writer's workshop lesson with my son during the writing of our recent vacation blog. In it I note how I picked two grammar principles to teach during that writing session. After we had done the writing together, he felt confident to write on his own.

Cooperative learning: More than just working in groups, cooperative learning gives each student a chance to fulfill a different role in a group: a leader, a secretary, a moderator, etc. while completing the assigned task. More here

Visuals (SMART boards, pictures, tables, graphs): Visuals are so important for deaf children, it is their primary learning style (even if they are using Auditory Listening Devices (ALDs)). Teachers who use visuals will have an easier time of keeping students’ attention while increasing performance.

Bi-lingual/Tri- modal instruction (English/ASL/speech and listening as needed): Using American Sign Language (ASL) to teach English. More than just using sign language as the ‘mode of communication’ in the classroom, these strategies connect and bridge ASL and English while developing both. The goal is for your child to truly become bilingual in ASL and English. This one needs its own post… and you can find basic explanation here for now. This is one article of how a preschool approach might look.

This is our Sensory table - with spelling words!

Balanced Literacy Approach – Children need read in different ways every day. The teacher should be reading aloud to the class daily in ASL following the 15 principles of Read Alouds . Shared reading happens as the same book, or book type, is read repeatedly and the reading shared between student and teacher, with the teacher modeling and supporting the students as they read. Finally, the students read the SAME book on their own, with confidence.

Hands on Activities: Math manipulatives, science projects, field trips, art, constructing reports on research, creating artifacts. As part of integrated units, hands on activities give the students a way to discover new knowledge or to put their learning into action. Our LegoFraction lesson is one example.

Painting a house as part of our Fire unit.

Integrated Thematic Units: Teachers select a theme around which to base all subjects around. In the Fall math, science and language arts can all relate to the Autumn Season. Basic skills instruction is still built into the daily routine, but the main teaching revolves around the theme. Focus is on depth and world knowledge through whole language learning. Check it out more here.

Development of child’s Native Language (ASL): ASL should be focused on and developed. When bilinguals strengthen their native language, the second language is also strengthened (reference here). Easily added to thematic units, ASL can enrich the learning of any subject. We’ll have some fun examples of this!

Always Reading!

Differentiated Assessments: Rubrics, portfolios, testing on content only (using ASL and oral exams), presentations, projects, writing samples, etc. While standard testing is still required, grades can be determined based on a variety of assessments that not only allow the students to shine in different ways, but also develop a variety of different skills. Find a great explanation here.

Structured routines with strong classroom management: All students thrive off of structured routines and strong classroom management. Class meetings and rules can engage the students in the governing of their own class, encouraging more cooperation. Positive reinforcement for following routines and being engaged in learning is a must.

While this list is extensive and feels overwhelming, as you learn more about a Whole Language approach, you will see how so many of these strategies fall into place. It is my goal to provide you with examples of these strategies and how they might look both in the classroom, and at  home.I'll update this post with links to those examples as they come!

Language Experience Books... or Blog!

This is an example of a Language Experience Book. This beginning is more complicated as my son who is 8 was doing the 'writing.' Language Experience books can be just pictures, pictures with one or two words or one sentence for the little ones. You will see this later on in our post. The point is to DO an activity that engages your child, Take pictures, and then write about those pictures. The finished product should be something that your child can look at over and over and 'read.' Even if he or she isn't reading the actual words, it is the act of reading that creates confidence, builds print recognition and expressive language. In the beginning, I am translating what my son tells me in ASL into written English, modeling for him what his ASL looks like in English.

Our Trip!

We went to Portland, Oregon. There's my sisters, and my brother. Mom took this picture of us. Dad was making silly faces behind Mom's back. That's why my baby has a puzzled look on her face, and how I remembered Dad making a silly face.

Do you know why 1/6 of the bridge is raised?

If the bridge didn't raise up, a big tall boat would crash into the bridge and could sink! And it could destroy the bridge too. This means if people were trying to get home and had to cross the bridge, they couldn't go and they might get lost going another way.

Mom took a picture of us for our blog.
We didn't know we would make a blog post until later.

The geese are standing on the grass above the dock. That is why there is a brown pole behind them. My sister wanted to pet the geese, but Mom said, "No! They are wild geese!"

*You'll notice in this next passage, the writing changes. This is my 8 year old writing now. When I correct written English of Deaf children, I do so carefully; a little at a time. I pick one or two concepts to focus on and that's what we correct. Today we focused on some conventions: quotations (that we learned a week ago and that he wanted to attempt in written English on his own), and making sentences out of a really long run on. This helps to build confidence while teaching the grammar.

                                                                 NEXT DAY,
                                                             MORNING

At Multnomah Falls, we walk to bridge. We are decide who go high or down. My two sister are want to down because my Baby are cold and my other sister cold too. So my dad are said, "your two sister come down with me you and your brother go with your mom go to the top."

Later I are scare to go high, on the 6 of 11switch backs. Mom said,"Wait to 7 of 11 then will stop." When we arrived at the 7th, Mom ask me, "Do you want more?"

I said ,"yes i want more until end."

Mom said," Let's go!"

There was a small cave in the side of the mountain!

It was 1/4 mile from the bottom to the bridge. We hiked 1 mile up to the top of the mountain and then 1/4 mile more down hill to the top of the waterfall. Then we came back down, fast. Mom said, "Don't run!"  I asked, "Why?"
Mom said, "There's no railing, if you fall, you could fall all the way down the mountain."

I said, "It's ok. We can run and see what happens."


And I jogged with control, but Mom think I really ran, but I didn't.

Here we are at the top of the fall! 

This is the view looking down!

How many miles did we hike altogether?

on the way up 1 2/4 and 1 2/4 on the way back down...

The answer is...3 miles!                                                       

                                                                                                        

I made it!

This is a view of the falls from the Bridge.

                          

  This is the view from the top. 

                                                          AFTERNOON
                          
                                                               FISH EGG GORGE 

At this point, it was my daughter's turn (she's 4). She wanted to do the typing, so we kept things brief. She is learning a lot about names right now and I made that a focus of her writing. The hope is that as the child re-reads the experience book, words are learned, experiences re-told and world knowledge is reinforced and expounded upon. We are working on expressive language, telling stories and practicing reading!             

 A plant in the pond.                                

big Sturgeon fish

baby Trout fish

Mallard ducks

baby Salmon fish

                                                   

                                                         AFTERNOON       

 BONNEVILLE Lock AND DAM

          We also went to the ocean (2 weeks ago) to see what wild life and plants were there too! 

Here is the diorama I made!

                      

           

We compared the Ocean and Lake Environments using a Venn Diagram and prepared a presentation.

Thanks for reading about our trip! For more information and ideas about Experience Books, click here!

I'll try to do another example soon! 

I Didn't Know I was Sick

Last week, I was tested for Celiac's Disease.

It was negative, the Dr. Said it's very hard to diagnose. 

After reading all the information and symptoms and really thinking about my body and my life, I think I may still have Celiac's... if not, I'm pretty sure I'm Gluten Intolerant. 

Here's the thing... I didn't realize I was sick!

14 years ago I was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel syndrome. I was told to avoid dairy and sent on my way. The next Dr. I saw said, "There's really no such thing as IBS, it's just our diet: eat a balance diet of fiber, whole grains, etc. You'll be fine." 

That is the advice I have followed. I have been mostly dairy free ( I cheat once in a while) ever since, focused on whole grains, including whole wheat, vegetables, and reducing processed foods. As kids came and I was working full time, this habits started to wane. I have been working hard to get back into them the last two years, but have not eaten as well as I should. 

I have found great help in managing my symptoms with essential oils and natural supplements. My headaches went away, but then they came back. I never made a connection between all of my symptoms. 

Here is the list.. and my comments:

Constipation (and other digestive disorders)
Brain fog  (I've had a lot of this lately - again, I thought it was just not enough sleep)
Numbness in the limbs (mine is always after sleep... Thought I'd slept wrong and that was normal)
Anxiety and depression (I manage mine with the oils and supplements... Not so bad...)
Acne and skin issues (yup.. got that - again, thanks for the help from oils!)
Fatigue....(I'm a Mom that never gets enough sleep)

Joint and muscle pain (Doesn't everyone have that? Again, I didn't realize I may have more than the norm, or that I shouldn't have it at all... And this has gotten worse lately.)
Headaches:  (this is a big one for me. I thought it was just my hormones, maybe my IUD, but I have fought headaches all my life.)
Weight loss and other signs of malnutrition:  (yup, I've lost weight, I'm just under normal. I've been losing my hair more than normal, and wondering why.)

So... I've realized, my symptoms have gotten progressively worse over the last few months. I had just kept on going, not realizing what was happening.

Gluten Intolerance is becoming more prevalent.

Celiac disease is hereditary. Only 3% of those with Celiac disease are actually diagnosed.  

Hmmm... I started my Gluten Free journey last Saturday. After only 6 days, I am feeling some improvements. I also started a nutritional cleanse at the same time. I have had less tummy issues, less muscle and joint pain, and my  headaches have been mostly manageable with only essential oils. It's supposed to take 6-8 weeks to really see a difference in the headaches. With how much better my tummy feels, though, I'm curious to see the real results in a few weeks! Besides, this is forcing me to make the changes I have wanted to make for a long time: less processed food, less sugar and JUNK, and more whole foods, veggies and fruits! 

While this isn't a Health and Wellness Blog necessarily, I will have a post now and again about my health and that of my family. Health and Education go hand in hand - we need them both! And... they coincide so much! See our Health and Wellness page for more info and I hope you will follow us and come back often for updates!

Will a Cut Worm Live?

An impromptu Worm experiment. See what happens when you cut a worm in two!

On our investigation trip to the river, we found a worm!

Instructional Strategies Summarized!

Well, the last week has set my world in a bit of a whirlwind. Getting used to doing home-school with my 8 year old and then finding out I may be gluten intolerant and need to completely change my diet. Health and Wellness is a big part of my life, and I try to eat whole grains and make a lot of food from scratch, but going Gluten Free hasn’t necessarily been a goal.

Needless to say, blogging hasn’t been my highest priority. Slowly, things are coming into place. Monday starts my Gluten Free diet and I’ll be updating my Health and Wellness page on details there.

We did some fun projects this week, including a comparison of an Ocean and River environments. More to come on that soon! 

And now… back to our strategy descriptions. I feel it’s very important for parents to know what sound strategies are and what strategies are being used in their child’s classroom. When you able to converse with the teacher on what strategies are being used and have a general knowledge, you will gain the respect of the professionals and they might be more willing to listen and implement new strategies that you bring to them.

We’ll start with the less effective strategies.

Skills based approach: this is skill and drill. Isolated facts and vocabulary with worksheets to practice
Individual work: With individual work, sometimes the material is taught first, and sometimes it is assumed the child already knows how to do the work. Most often this takes the form of worksheets, but can include journal writing, writing and reading, etc. I don't think individual work is all bad. It's needed, in limited quantities and for mostly practice rather than figuring out new work.

Worksheets: self explanatory

Direct Instruction: Explicit, systematic instruction based on scripted lesson plans. This is a complete model of instruction and more completely explained here. This approach can be good for re-teaching basic concepts or vocabulary that has already been taught in the strategies on the right, but should not be used as the daily approach to teaching.

Isolated spelling and vocabulary words: It's very easy to follow a curriculum based spelling list and pass it out to the kids without teaching each word. However, this is so ineffective, especially for deaf children. Spelling and vocabulary is best taught in context, from text that is being read in class.

Leveled readers and Basal readers: These are the thin books sent home to read or used in class daily. Many schools use Basal readers, or reading text books, to teach reading. These resources are ok to be used in a limited manner, or for independent reading and assessments. For more information go here. Some of the reasons I don’t like them:

•  they’re boring. Often the stories are developed to fit a set reading level, have pictures that aren’t very appealing, and don’t FEEL like a real book.
•  The students can tell who is reading what level and know if they are behind.
•  When the curriculum is tied to ONLY Basal readers, the kids miss out on learning from Trade Books (regular books you get at the library, can hold in your hands and relax while reading.)

Total Communication (Signing & Talking together): This topic will get its own post! In a nutshell, Total Communication (TC) attempts to put a sign to each word in the English language. When put into practice, it’s trying to speak two languages at the same time. It’s impossible. Yet, it’s still happening! I attempt to use this method of communication when in a mixed company of deaf and hearing people. I almost ALWAYS goof up… on my signing, losing clarity in my communication with the Deaf. Not a very effective way to educate. More on this one later! For now… check out this website: 

The Good ones.... coming next week!