Saturday, September 22, 2012

SDAIE Strategy


What is a SDAIE Strategy?
SDAIE (Specifically Designed Academic Instruction in English) emphasize the concept of ‘comprehensible input’. They can be used throughout the curriculum. 



Here is an example of a manipulative created by students at Orange Glen High School in their English class. Most students heritage language is Spanish, so the teachers admits that is constantly using SDAIE strategies and scaffolding material. The picture uses 4 different colored papers, folded and stapled which creates scaffolded pages where students can write vocabulary words or important concepts on the lower portion which can always be seen, and their definitions or explanations are hidden inside the folds. Students are creating this for their literary terms on the unit they are studying which happens to be Slave narratives.  




Why are Manipulative's so important for SDAIE?
Manipulatives-Hands on Experiences-ELL students need the tactile-kinesthetic experiences with physical objects, experiences that are fundamental in linking words with the objects/pictures. Students can visually and physically manipulate objects that are directly linked with the concepts being taught. This allows them to understand the concept in a way that is more accessible and understandable than with words

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Intelligence and Personality Quizzes


My results to the Color Lingo Personality Test




Color Lingo Communication Quiz
BLUE
The BLUE Approach –
PERSONAL & INTERACTIVE

When communicating, Blues like to take time to relate. Often thought of as “good listeners” Blues will try to establish good eye contact, and “be there” for others as a confidant, friend and supporter. Blues feel most comfortable in conversation if they feel they have made a personal connection so they may share personal aspects of their life. They feel extra special or connected if the other person in turn shares something of a similar nature with them.

To learn more about the BLUE communication style go to:

http://www.tinyurl.com/BlueStyle

Have fun!
Facebook quizzes & Blog quizzes by Quibblo



My results to the Multiple Intelligence Quiz


Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Literacy Survey



Students in Spanish II create a "Yo soy" poem
Spanish I students cut out their name and add 10 adjectives to describe themselves
Here is the Survey I created to give to students in my Spanish I classes at LCC. The students range from freshmen to juniors. I checked with my CT to be sure I didn't leave anything out. Although this is an assignment for class, I told her this is a great time to get to know students by asking them about their interests, strengths and weaknesses. Also I wanted to show you some of the artwork she has been having her students in Spanish I and Spanish II create to display during Back to School night and for the rest of the year! Even though the survey was not conducted digitally, I wanted to show you guys that it could be embedded in a classroom blog and students can easily fill it out from home.

In hindsight it would have been much easier to have had the students fill them out on a computer, but I feel like I would have had much less participation. The results were fairly consistent between the two periods. I kept them separate because I was thinking it would be cool if we really did revolve a unit around the topic that the class majority selected on their surveys. Period 1 has an even amount of sophomores and freshman. Whereas period 2 has almost all freshmen. Also period 1 had half of the students wanting a unit revolving around Dia de Los Muertos, and the other half about music or poetry. Period 2 had almost all students choose Dia de Los Muertos. Because of this, I feel like it would be really fun to revolve a unit around Dia de Los Muertos. We could have students make an altar for a famous person in the Spanish culture. In addition, for both classes the students evenly marked that they felt like they would need the most help with Speaking/Pronunciation and Grammar/Spelling. I was surprised that the majority did not select that they needed help with performing skits. The skits were my biggest fear in high school! My favorite question asked was about the reason why they chose to take Spanish. At La Costa, the students can choose from Art, Photo, Drama, Technology, and Languages to fulfill their elective requirement. Because of this, the students taking Spanish must really have the desire to be there. Almost all students marked that they took Spanish because they would be able to use it in the real world. Marvilloso! When I was in high school, I chose it because it seemed like the easier out of French and German. I feel like this shift is great because the younger generation is starting to understand that knowing more than one language is very beneficial and Spanish especially in Southern California. I was really grateful to have performed this survey with my classes. I feel like it told me a great deal about my students and I hope to be able to actually use the information I found out by conducting it. Many of the students marked music as an interest for them, so I would love to try to play Spanish music quietly while they are working independently. The students work hard and sit in silence for nearly two hours, a bit of music would be nice.










Monday, September 3, 2012

Injustice at LCC





This is a picture of something I consider to be an injustice on campus at La Costa Canyon High School. It was a hot topic at the Staff meeting before the school year even began. Seniors are allowed to go off campus for the only 30 minute lunch break. To encourage students to stay on campus, they shut down the campus to only one lane, in this picture you can see the huge line of cars waiting to be let out. The administration checks the i.d's of students to be sure they are seniors. As a teacher, I have been told that students hide in the trunks of the seniors, and that there has already been four accidents in the first week of school. One of the biology teachers said at the Staff meeting "Is it going to take a fatality of a student for us to close the campus for lunch?". I think that the issue is more serious than people think. When I was in high school, the school was locked and we could not leave until 5th period at the very earliest. Allowing students to leave causes more absences in later periods. The food on campus has good variety and healthy options. One of my students in my academic success class goes to McDonalds every day and says that he drives more than 30 miles per hour faster than the speed limit to make it back to his classes on time.