Lien Content Based Instruction

Building Communication Skills Through Content-Based Instruction By Dr. Luyi Lien Academy Director Yinghua Academy May 1, 2009 National Chinese Conference, Chicago, IL

Yinghua Academy The first Chinese school in the Midwest as well as the first Chinese immersion public charter school in the United States.

Short history of Yinghua Academy
School opened in September 2006 with 76 students
In school year of 2007-2008, we doubled our numbers
In school year of 2008-2009, we have 239 students
In school year of 2009-2010, we are expecting 314 students with a long waiting list for kindergarten and most of the grades

Yinghua Academy: Early Total Immersion Program - 100% of Chinese instructional time in K & Grade 1 - 90% of Chinese instructional time in Grade 2 - 80% of Chinese instructional time in Grade 3 - 70 % of Chinese instructional time in Grade 4 - 60% of Chinese instructional time in Grade 5 - Provide special classes (PE class, art class, and music class) also in Chinese

Main Goals for Our Students:
Provide academic rigor
Reach high levels of oral proficiency
Become truly bi-literate and bi-cultural

Building communication skills through content-based instruction What skills do students need to be able to communicate with others?

Building communication skills through content-based instruction Academic Language vs. Social Language

Building communication skills through content-based instruction Why do we need to emphasize social language?

How to build students’ social language and get students to use this language skill?
Who– teachers and students, and native language speakers
When— anytime during the day
What– target functional language
Where- anywhere:
classroom/play ground/library/ field trip
How— intentional teaching and informal talking

We want students to be able to function, to feel successful and feel as if they are capable of communication in a real life situation.
As a teacher and administrator, we can do:

(1) provide the language
(2) provide the environment
(3) provide the opportunity to practice and to be corrected

Provide language --give students tools
Use more pragmatic social language in your classroom
“ Survival Language”
--May I go to _____?
--May I have _____?
--Would you please repeat_____?
--How does one do______?
“ Manners”—Please, thanks, excuse me
“ Request”—Would you please turn on the lights?
“ Direction”—Please wash your hands, drink some water, then go to the lunch room .

Example video:s

Provide language --give students tools
Some ideas for social language use:
*lunch hour-
*story time-
*show and tell-
*work time-
*play time-
*recess time-
*dismissal time-

Example videos:

Provide the environment: Create a place where students feel comfortable to speak Chinese without feeling embarrassed

Full Chinese Only Classroom: Encourage the Social Language Rules Teachers : speak Chinese only when students are present Students: are encouraged to speak Chinese only in the classroom English is discouraged in classroom conversation English may be used only as a whisper for clarification

Exercise:
(1)Please review the following video
(2)Guess and think-- what subject is this class?
-- what content area is it?
-- what do students learn?
--what communication skills were students using in this class?
--What strategies does the teacher use?
--What will you do differently to make students “talk” more during the class?
(3) Write it down, discuss with your neighbor

Example videos:

Exercise:
(1)Please review the following video
(2)Guess and think-- what subject is this class?
-- what content area is it?
-- what do students learn?
--what communication skills were students using in this class?
--What strategies do the teacher use?
--What will you do differently to make students “talk” more during the class?
(3) Write it down, discuss with your neighbor

Full Chinese Only Classroom: Encourage the Social Language
Tips for teachers:
Plan ahead—
Keep these questions in mind:
What is the content objectives?
What is the language/linguistic objectives?
Consider defining vocabulary for each lesson which considers social and academic language.

Building communication skills through content-based instruction
Tips for teachers:
Plan ahead—
Keep these questions in mind:
What questions/ answers/ conversations will the students need when they are in a real life situation?

Building communication skills through content-based instruction (example 2:)
*Reading
*Games
*Pair activities
*Whole class choral reading
*Group reading
*Independent reading

Example videos:

Examples (3):
A Lesson in 2 nd grade:
Theme: Celebrate the differences and similarities (Tolerance and Acceptance Month)
Chinese language arts lessons: My best friend
Lesson and language integrate with social studies, character education, math lesson, PE class, and art classes:

Building Communication Skills through Content-based Instruction Tip for teachers: Simple lesson plan form: Grade: Teacher: Topic: Content Objective(s): Linguistic Objective(s): Vocabulary: Materials: Produce: Differentiation Assessment:

Provide the opportunity to practice and to be corrected
Keep in mind:
What is the purpose of communication?
-What needs to be corrected?
--How to correct?
--Allow mistakes and imperfections—
Even the native speakers make mistakes

Teaching is an art,
Teachers are imaginative people who create many amazing moments for students to learn and to discover—
More ideas to share?

Thank you very much! 謝謝 ! 谢谢！

Building Communication Skills Through Content-Based Instruction Dr. Luyi Lien, Academic Director Yinghua Academy [email_address] Phone: 651-379-4112

Lien Content Based Instruction

by Asia Society Education Programs on May 06, 2009

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