Gestures, Meanings, and Culture

Gestures often cause miscommunication due to cultural differences among countries. This short video provides some insight into how these gestures that we are accustomed to can be taken the wrong way.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRQSRed58XM

Cultural Misunderstandings

Here is a video that Dr. B shared with us this week. It shows some wonderful examples of cultural misunderstandings that occurred during a business meeting.

Benefits of Bilingualism

I recently came across an article on BroadyESL on the benefits of bilingualism. I often wondered this before, however when I came across this it seemed to answer all of my questions. Some benefits include linguistic, cognitive, and linguistic benefits, individual benefits, as well as social benefits.

http://www.sc-languages-plus.info/2013/language-learning/the-benefits-of-bilingualism-06041163

School Policies and Practices

Below are school policies and practices that support high quality learning.

• Schoolwide vision of high expectations for all students
• Curriculum offered to all students is based on the same standards
• All students are provided with equal opportunities to achieve at high levels
• All studwents are provided with equitable learning resources and high quality instruction
• Instructional time is organizer to enhance learning for all students
• There is ongoing professional development for teachers to support high quality learning for ELL students
• Schools support appropriate use of accomodations
• Schoolwide understanding of purpose and use of a variety of assessments
• Assessments are fair for all students. Guidelines are in place to avoid cultural bais
• Ass assessments are used to improve student learning

Lachat, Mary Ann (2004). Standards-Based Instruction and Assessment for English Language Learners. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press

Effective Learning Environments

Effective learning environments for ELLs have several important practices:

- A comprehensive, school wide vision for developing a high quality education for ELLs

- A school wide approach used to restructure learning environments

- Effective language development strategies implemented

- High quality learning environments involve curricular strategies that engage students in meaningful, in-depth learning

- Innovative instructional strategies are implemented

Lachat, Mary Ann (2004). Standards-Based Instruction and Assessment for English  Language Learners. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press

Assessment of English Language Learners

Colrin Colorado put together a video on assessing English Language Learners. The three top challenges for teaching and assessing ELLs include language, culture and prior academic experiences. In this video, Dr. Lorraine Valdez Pierce discusses the importance of classroom strategies for assessment.

http://www.colorincolorado.org/webcasts/assessment/

Effective Assessment

I recently came across the link below that discusses the importance of effectively assessing ELL students. This link shows wonderful examples that allow for ELLs to show what they are capable of doing. 
http://www.cal.org/resources/digest/tannen01.html