Consider this quote… “the person doing the most talking is doing the most learning in a classroom.” What does your classroom sound like? Are all students participating in academic conversations?
THINK TIME
Consider your answer, are you doing most of the talking? When planning your lessons are you thinking about what your students are doing while you are talking? Are they thinking about the lesson or the newest video game to be played later in the day, Fortnight?
Do you have students who do not speak in your classroom? Do you need ways to check for understanding?
Consider using academic conversations with your students to check for understanding of specific parts of your lesson. This includes partners or groups discussing a scenario or question posed. If you wish to see this happening on our campus check with Nancy Housley. She will tell you it is a work in progress, but was successfully used in her recent lesson.
Do you remember about having your students use complete sentences when answering questions? Seidlitz, Step 2.
Both of these suggestions will help you support your EL students and students who struggle academically to show their learning success.
Between now and our holiday break walk-throughs will focus on the following:
- Use of the Sage
- Use of the Seidlitz-7 Steps
- Objectives and activity alignment
- Look who’s talking
