Reflective Fieldnote Blog / Entry #3

Section #1 / Thoughts about action research:
I think that action research is a wonderful way to stretch and grow as a professional. Too many times teachers get stuck in the same old rut. Well at least I do. I rely on what I've always done or what others tell me to do. Sometimes it works, but other times its just not right for a certain group of children. It is so beneficial to step outside one's comfort zone and try new strategies and methods. Staying current with the ever changing classroom is so vital to reaching children and making learning the most efficient and beneficial for them

Section #2 / Ideas generated:
For my research action project I chose to investigate a different writing strategy which offered a bit more structure than the one used in the general education classrooms. As a result of my research project, I have developed different ways for students to be successful writers. I have also developed a method for differentiating the way we use a graphic organizer in order to challenge the different academic and language acquisition levels of my students. I plan to use this method in many ways, such as in reading group, science and social studies, and as a center.

Section #3 / Suggestions to other ESL professionals:
If other ESL teachers are looking for ideas or methods for teaching beginning writing to their students, I would stongly reccomend the method that I used. While it is highly structured, it teaches beginning writers or speakers the scaffolding that they need in order to master the techniques of grammar. I offer it as a beginning stepping stone, which hopefully will progress to less structure as they become familiar with the strategy. Using this structured "tree map" offers students wording options within an almost full-proof method. The students are involved in brainstorming a topic, then helping to complete the tree map. Next they begin their rough drafts. After we edit these drafts the students are ready for the final draft. The feel such a sense of pride and accomplishment once they have produced a wonderful writing piece.
 
MTSU Honor Statement:
This assignment/assessment was solely written by me. In no way have I plagiarized (represented the work of another as my own) or otherwise violated the copyright laws and academic conventions of fair use. I know that violations of this policy may result in my being dismissed from Middle Tennessee State University and/or appropriate legal action being taken against me.
Signed (submitting this statement to Teaching Faculty with student's name typed
below constitutes signing):
Celia Denney
Date: Feb. 17, 2010

Assign. #2, Fieldwork Observation

Today the students began a new strategy for writing. We are trying a program called "Write Reflections". We tried it once right before the Christmas break, but many of the students were having trouble with it. However, I decided to try it again today. The students were asked to share what they liked about snow. I got the predictable answers, which I wrote on a transparancy that was the same as the handout that they received. However, I wrote all the appropriate responses, but they were asked to write only 3 on their paper. In the next section the students were to copy the introductory sentence as it was written on their paper. Then they were to take the 3 things that they liked about snow and make them into supporting sentences for the topic sentence. I was able to go around to a few of the students who were really struggling and help them with their sentences. Tomorrow we will begin working on editing our rough drafts.

• Teaching issues:
• One student gave an inappropriate response unrelated to the topic. This is a common attention-getting technique for him. Another student was having difficulty in knowing how to compose a sentence even with my prompting. A couple of the students simply rewrote the list of fun things to do, without making them into sentences. I think the biggest challenge for a few of my ELL students will be in correctly forming subjects and predicates. A few of the others will need to work on using sentences to complete one thought instead of making one long run-on sentence. I'm still not convenced that this is the most efficient method of writing for my ELL students.
• Second Language Acquistion 
• Brainstorming for ideas is a great ELL strategy. I also allowed students adequate time in order to think about what they were going to say. One student who is "early production" was given an option about two possible answers in order to help her with vocabulary. Also the use of the overhead projector with a copy of their matching worksheet helped the students to follow along. Instead of telling them where I was on their worksheet, they could just see where I was on the overhead.
• Ethnographic Perspective
• It is important as an ELL teacher that I know the student's level of language acquisition, reading and writing levels. I should also know the wait time for students when they are trying to compose what to say. Playing in the snow is a new activity for a few of my hispanic students and my Kurdish student. However, we have been reading books in class about the snow, both fiction and non-fiction in order to build background for all my students.

MTSU Honor Statement:

This assignment/assessment was solely written by me. In no way have I
plagiarized (represented the work of another as my own) or otherwise violated
the copyright laws and academic conventions of fair use. I know that violations
of this policy may result in my being dismissed from Middle Tennessee State
University and/or appropriate legal action being taken against me.
Signed (submitting this statement to Teaching Faculty with student's name typed
below constitutes signing):
Celia Denney
Date: Feb. 3, 2010