SCAFFOLD 4 SUCCESS – STRATEGIES 4 SUCCESS

STRATEGY: COMPREHENSIBLE INPUT CHART (representational/graphic organizer/abstract)

Junípero Serra input – initial presentation Astronaut input – initial presentation

RESEARCH/SOURCE:• Marcia Brechtel and Linnea Haley (Project GLAD®)• California Science Implementation Network (CSIN2), storyline with diagrams.

RATIONALE:• It’s a representational diagram of one of the key elements of the big idea (enduring

understanding from the standards) of the unit; it is essentially a picture, not an abstraction, so it builds schema visually along with through academic language

• To introduce content information and vocabulary about the unit in a visual way that maximizes brain imprinting. Subsequent re-visiting of the chart with tasks to perform contributes to memory, retention, comprehension, transfer, and language development.

• To give ALL students access to the core curriculum in a pictorial manner. According to brain research, this is neurologically effective and emotionally interesting.

• To have students see the picture appear as the teacher is telling its story from the unit• Processing new academic language and concepts for higher cognition and retention• Students “own” information after processing / can access information later.

KEY POINTS:• This is teacher-direct instructional input, to deliver a highly visual, contextualized “lecture.”• Teacher writes/draws out the pictorial or graphic organizer lightly IN PENCIL in advance

to be able to quickly trace with thick, dark colored markers as the information is being shared and explained. This allows the students to see teacher build the chart before their eyes, for brain imprinting and engagement. This is also “lecture notes” of the important facts organized for clarity and comprehension.

• First time through: Teacher brings students up close on the rug (using scouts for behavior management), then stands to the side as he/she traces the outline of the picture or graphic

Information compiled by Sally Fox, SDCOE, 2016

SCAFFOLD 4 SUCCESS – STRATEGIES 4 SUCCESS

organizer, writing words and phrases. The words are grouped in categories, color coded to match the headers of the compare-contrast matrix (see whole class extensions). Teacher clarifies abstract concepts with sketches or visuals in real time. However, add relatively few visuals if the drawing is representational, and several in a graphic organizer or abstract chart (such as a world map, timeline, taxonomy of organisms, periodic table of elements, etc.)

o Teacher uses hand motions, repetitions of key vocabulary (“say it with me”), and scaffolds such as realia and visual aids during the input, in addition to having students gesture and make connections as they listen.

o Teacher uses think-pair-share strategy for negotiating meanding and for synthesis of new information every 5-10 minutes. Students may process in their primary language.

• Second time through – whole class review: o 10-15 review cards and 10-15 visuals/picture file cards are handed out to students as

they come to sit on the rug. They are told to read their words to their nearby classmates and discuss the visuals/picture file cards. They are told to look at the chart to predict where their words fit or match, or predict where on the chart their picture file card would be added, and WHY. (If there are emergent readers or language learners in the group, their word card should be scaffolded with matching color coding and sketches as clues.)

o Teacher reviews the chart orally (re-telling the original presentation) while students listen for their word, a clue related to their word, or a question answered by their word (teacher differentiates according to student proficiency/needs). Then they stand up and tape their word onto the chart (using tape circles of painter’s tape so they come off easily), over the original word or near the representation of the idea.

o Teacher may also differentiate for more proficient learners during the first whole class review by giving them the toughest words, or by defining, circumlocution, or giving a synonym so students have to make inferences and figure it out.

o For EL and emergent readers this is a listen and match exercise and the teacher may need to point to the place to put the word card.

Information compiled by Sally Fox, SDCOE, 2016

SCAFFOLD 4 SUCCESS – STRATEGIES 4 SUCCESS

Junípero Serra comprehensible input chart after the first review process.SUBSEQUENT RE-VISITING OF CHART WITH TASKS TO PERFORM:• Small group review – teacher brings up a small, targeted group to check and extend their

understanding (struggling learners, emergent readers, language learners by proficiency level). Examples include the teacher…

o Using previously planned questions according to proficiency level AND Bloom’s taxonomy in order to maximize students’ high-level thinking.

o Having students act out various portions of the learning.o Having students read aloud portions of the chart as echo reading, choral reading,

and popcorn reading, gradually releasing them to read individually without support.o Guiding students to ask and answer questions related to the chart with a partner,

using question and answer stems/frames for oral language development.o Guiding students to take notes from the chart to complete a graphic organizer to be

used as a pre-write for informational text.o Guiding students to write facts, opinions, predictions, and observations in their

learning log or dialectical journal from the chart, perhaps touching portions of the chart as they go, helping each other construct sentences with sketches “for the brain.”

• Whole group and collaborative team extensions – teacher plans opportunities for students to interact with the text on the chart in novel formats and use the charts as springboards and resources for additional research and learning.

o Expert groups and compare-contrast matrix – teacher writes texts on similar topics following the same template/categories so each member of the team becomes an expert in a different organism, for example. Then the experts teach the team and complete the empty cells of the compare-contrast matrix, which is then an idea/fact bank for writing informational text.

o Rhythm-and-Rhyme learning paradigm – teacher models simple poetry or chant frame with the same topic and challenges teams to write their own on the same topic.

o Collaborative poster – teacher challenges teams of students to duplicate and improve upon the comprehensible input chart. Teams present their finished work. Best with a performance rubric as a guide and for assessment.

o Collaborative research project – teacher challenges teams of students to research the topic and find information (citing sources) that may be added to the teacher’s chart. Teams present their findings orally and earn team points for cooperation (“Did you all contribute ideas?” “Did you all agree?” “Did you help each other learn?”)

o Writing Process – depending on the topic, write to a prompt or follow a specific genre, from pre-writing/drafting to “author’s chair” to peer conferencing/revising/editing to publishing/presenting and celebrating (“author’s tea”).

Information compiled by Sally Fox, SDCOE, 2016

SCAFFOLD 4 SUCCESS – STRATEGIES 4 SUCCESS

Information compiled by Sally Fox, SDCOE, 2016