ADULTS! Why Not Just READ?

Recently at a group of English, Language Arts teachers had lunch together. I asked the question, so what are you reading. There was silence and some mumbles about not having time from our busy jobs to read. I was surprised! the ELA community? Not even reading for pleasure?

Now, I'm pleading with the adults in my life, at work and at home: just connect with a good book. Reading offers so many benefits for us.

1. Take a Mental Time Out - stop and read or listen to a story. Get away from the endless lists and the demands of the phone, the email and the computer. 
2. Be Transported - to another time, another place and maybe another century! 
3. Be Amazed or Alarmed - how can a novel be so similar to my life, or how can this story be so mystical and intriguing, or how can this have happened?
4. Be Recreated - by the narrative, the characters and/or the message.
5. Get Addicted Again - open to ideas, worlds and messages that were hidden or misunderstood. Open up and devour a good book! 

Kickstart Listening

Deeper Level Listening Strategies

·       Say It Once or Not At All – if T repeat instructions, students don’t bother to listen the first time. Train the class to listen the first time then wait for them to demonstrate their understanding.  Also use silent signal to get class attention.

·       Turn and Talk – Prepare them to listen then turn to their shoulder partner and explain what you just said. This allows you to know what they have grasped. Useful for ELL classes and special needs students but boosts learning overall.

·       Student Hand Signals – non-verbal signals succeed in higher student engagement.  “hold up one finger if you strongly agree, two if you agree, three if you’re unsure, four if you disagree and five if you strongly disagree.” Also, raise two fingers if you have something to add, three if you have something new to say.

·       Pay Attention, Pause, Paraphrase – when students talk in small groups, give them roles: speaker and listeners. Listeners are to JUST listen and try not to form a response. When the speaker finishes, the listener paraphrases what was said and then asks a follow up question. Video uses Science current events and key ideas.

·       Whole Body Listening – awareness of hearing, ways to focus on what is being said. “Where are your eyes, hands, mind, heart?”

Training the Brain to Listen HEAR Strategy

·      Halt: Stop whatever else you are doing, end your other thoughts, and free your mind to pay attention to the person speaking.

·      Engage: Focus on the speaker. Turn your head so that your ear is toward the speaker

·      Anticipate: Look forward to what the speaker has to say, “You may learn something new and interesting.”

·      Replay: Think about what the speaker is saying. Analyze it in your mind or discuss with a partner.

Wilson, Donna, PhD. "Training the Brain to Listen." Edutopia. George Lucas Foundation, 22 Jan. 2014. Web. 24 July 2017.

“Most of the successful people I've known are the ones who do more listening than talking.”
-Bernard Baruch

Speaking Kickstart Suggestions for Classrooms

Speaking: Discussion Strategies

·       Stations - set up the classroom to have stations with items to stimulate discussion around a prompt or a task for small groups

·       Gallery Walks – students create an informative poster then talk about it to others who circulate around the room or a team of students create materials that are posted and then viewed in a walk

·        Physical Barometer – a statement is read and students move to one corner of the room or the other to indicate their choice. Can add “strongly” to agree or disagree and have four corners. Students discuss their ideas.

·       Pinwheel Discussions – four students discuss an issue or text, with provocateur’s  challenging them to go farther, think deeply

·       Socratic Seminar – students sit in a circle as the leader asks an open ended questions to prompt answering with evidence from a source

·       Concentric Circles – Student form two circles (outside and inside) They pair with the person they face then rotate to face another. Useful for discuss content or give opinions on topics

·       Fish Bowl – two students sit face to face in the middle of the room with others circled around them. They can create a conversation around a topic or skill and the others observe, take notes and follow up.

Encourage them to speak by asking them to  

• Restate what their partner said

• Paraphrase what others have said

• Give evidence to back up ideas or arguments

• Listen intently then solve a mystery or problem 

• Think aloud to answer questions

• Choral read a passage

Oracy

“Elevate speaking to the same level as reading and writing.”    Peter Hyman, 

School 21, London, UK

Oracy – the ability to speak well

The Goal: every student speaks in every class, every day.

Discussion guidelines are taught and practiced. 

Common Core State Standards for Speaking

Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade level topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.