Colorado Quality Standard 1: Reading Aloud
Every week my beginning English Learners practice reading a picture book out loud. Students choose their own book and then study the new vocabulary, work on pronunciation of words, and practice reading fluency. Students rehearse reading the book out loud to a partner and to myself several times. Every Wednesday the high school students visit the elementary school and read their chosen book to the first graders. Each student will read their picture book at least four times to a variety of groups and to individual students. The younger students also read to the high school students, exposing them to new themes and vocabulary.
The practice of older students reading to younger students demonstrates Quality Standard 1 in many ways. First, students are able to choose their own picture book with my guidance, ensuring that the book will fit the individual needs of each student (Element A). The practice also simultaneously enables the students to develop skills in the areas of reading, speaking, and listening (Element B). Finally, the practice of reading to younger students helps these adolescent students make connections and take meaningful and relevant action to display learning (Element F). Reading to younger students helps students see the application of his or her learning English as valuable, as many students are able to “get by” all day speaking Spanish.
This practice has helped me envision English Learning more as a process to be practiced throughout the community than a subject taught in the classroom. Watching adolescent students blossom when given the opportunity to read to younger students has been eye opening. This experience has helped me understand how important the application of English in the real world is to my students. Though they need academic and content vocabulary to help understanding in content classes, learning English is also about the ability to communicate with those around you. Many of my students speak their home language with their friends, at home, and often times to me. Putting students in that uncomfortable position of speaking the new language is a necessary exercise that must be daily element of my classroom culture.
The practice of older students reading to younger students demonstrates Quality Standard 1 in many ways. First, students are able to choose their own picture book with my guidance, ensuring that the book will fit the individual needs of each student (Element A). The practice also simultaneously enables the students to develop skills in the areas of reading, speaking, and listening (Element B). Finally, the practice of reading to younger students helps these adolescent students make connections and take meaningful and relevant action to display learning (Element F). Reading to younger students helps students see the application of his or her learning English as valuable, as many students are able to “get by” all day speaking Spanish.
This practice has helped me envision English Learning more as a process to be practiced throughout the community than a subject taught in the classroom. Watching adolescent students blossom when given the opportunity to read to younger students has been eye opening. This experience has helped me understand how important the application of English in the real world is to my students. Though they need academic and content vocabulary to help understanding in content classes, learning English is also about the ability to communicate with those around you. Many of my students speak their home language with their friends, at home, and often times to me. Putting students in that uncomfortable position of speaking the new language is a necessary exercise that must be daily element of my classroom culture.