National Center for Family Literacy April , 2010

Heide Spruck WrigleyLiteracywork International

What Works for Family Literacy?

Perspective

Environmental Print –

Have students identify and copy signs they find interesting

3 Americans sit on a bench

Bilingual and trilingual students

Three Americans sit on a bench in Bern, Switzerland. Along comes a Swiss and asks Entschuldigung, sprechen Sie Deutsch? One American answers, Dutch, sorry, we don’t speak Dutch. So the Swiss gentleman asks, Parlez-vous français, alors? Naw, says the other, American it’s a sissy language, we don’t speak French.

The Swiss tries again, Parlate italiano? Well, we can say pizza and pinot greegeeo if that helps. The Swiss gives it one more try, knowing how close to Mexico the US is, ʖPero – ustedes hablan espanol, no? Nada, nix, zilch comes the answer. The Swiss shakes his head in wonderment and gets back on his bicycle.

Mhmm, says the first American to the second, maybe we should consider learning another language? To which the second replies, Why? This guys spoke 4 languages – didn’t do him any good.

My Goal

To help each of you to find your cape and fly as high as possible

Session Flow

• Community Building and Persistence – Angelina Mango

• What Works in Student-Centered Instruction, • Connecting Language, Literacy and Culture

– Love Potion # 9 –

• Video-based scenario: “Welcome Parents” • Student-generated projects : Science, Art, Food

Your Expectations?

The Dilemma

Community building

Lego Representation of M.C. Escher’s Relativity

Persistence through Community Building

• Use pair and small group activities • Create a buddy system and “welcome team” • Emphasize a motto : “All for One and One for All” • Do Collaborative projects • Introduce Class Rules

– Some set by program – Others generated by students

• Set daily routines and have students give 1-3 minute presentations: What’s New? • In your life – the community – at work

High Expectations and High Support

Community Building Through interactive role play

My Name is Angelina Mango Favorite Actor Opposite SexFavorite Fruit Favorite number (1-20)Place been wanting to visitDream job to have one day

From Classroom to Community Structured assignments Achievement charts Program as language labHow did you get your job?Students as ethnographersVirtual visits on the web

Community Mapping

A Better Community• In our community I think should have

cleaner streets. People should know it’s important for our health.

• In our community we should have more swimming pools so our children are not in the streets.

• In our community we should have good friendly neighbors because we have to be united.

• In our community we should have natural gas because is cheaper than butane gas.

• The community needs more jobs because a lot people don’t have work and a lot factories are closed.

• In our community we need transportation because a lot people don’t have cars and some don’t drive. If drivers speak Spanish and English, it would be better.

The Lovely Family Home

We called it the lovely family home because we always love, try to give help, support, and have fun with each other.

Maria I. Mendoza

My Wonderful Home

My home is made of love, tears, and sacrifice. That is why we love it and take care of it. Each corner has something special. For example, the flower pot means happiness. My happiness is there because my husband and children are there.

Martina Vazquez

What Works in Adult ESL 4 year national study 40 programs500 students20 languagesPre-and post Classroom observations Extensive coding

Major Findings

• Strategic and judicious use of the native language– Preview/review

• Varied practice and interaction – Non-structured communication AND how English works

• Bringing the outside in

Other Studies: • Peer to peer interactions (reciprocal teaching)• Explicit teaching of learning strategies

Preview-Review in L1

Heide geht nach Amerika

Comprehension Check Thumbs upThumbs down

How Language Works Varied Practice and InteractionDiscovery Grammar

Varied Interaction and Practice

• Heide lebt in Deutschland• Heide heiratet einen Amerikaner• Heide hat ein Kind - Sylvia• Heide fliegt nach Amerika

• %%%%%%%%

• Heide und der Amerikaner (Norman) heiraten • Heide und Norman fliegen nach Amerika • Heide und Sylvia leben jetzt in Kalifornien

In the bilingual brain both language systems are activated

Connecting the Pieces

ESL by Design

Activate Background Knowledge

Present Information (Listening – Speaking)

Present Information (Reading –

Writing)

Discussion Comprehension

Check

Highlight Lesson Focus and Model the

Task

Small Group Work

Highlight How English Works

Quick Check and Review

Break

Guided Practice

What Do You See? working with compelling visuals

What’s the story?

A picture is also a text

A Focus on Cultural Practices

Communication Skills through Songs

I took my troubles down to Madame RueYou know that gypsy with the gold-capped toothShe's got a pad down on Thirty-Fourth and VineSellin' little bottles of Love Potion Number Nine

I told her that I was a flop with chicksI've been this way since 1956She looked at my palm and she made a magic signShe said "What you need is Love Potion Number Nine“

She bent down and turned around and gave me a winkShe said "I'm gonna make it up right here in the sink"It smelled like turpentine, it looked like Indian inkI held my nose, I closed my eyes, I took a drink

… but when I kissed the cop at 34 th and VineHe broke my little bottle of …

Love Potion Number Nine

Original Lyrics by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.It was initially recorded by The Clovers, and later

by the Searchers

Connecting Language and CultureWe Are New YorkVideos are available on YouTube

Welcome Parents

We Are New York ESL Learning Series – Discuss!

Learner-generated projects

• Students work in teams to create a science project

• They present their team project to their classmates

• They set up the projects in a common area

• Other classes and staff walk by, hear the presentation, and ask questions

Science Project

Successful family literacy projects

Art Gallery Project Teacher introduces art Students select their favoriteStudents research artist Class created a Gallery Walk Students explain their picture to audience as they walk by

Frida Kahlo

Leonardo Da Vinci

Not everyone embraces technology

Drama in the Nursery

Dear Peter, I hope you are happy with your game boy - Teddy

Tales of Mere Existence: Saturday

By Lev Yilmaz http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdYEkZL9KPM

A love affair with knowledge will never end in heartbreak

Remember