Receptive and Expressive: Scaffolding Language Development ...

Receptive and Expressive: Scaffolding Language Development Activities for Dual Language Learners Presenter: Cynthia Wasko

Objectives At the end of this session, participants will: • understand the difference between receptive and expressive language development activities. • define scaffolding and understand how to use it to extend children’s cognitive function. • practice and increase use of scaffolding in language development activities for young children.

What We Know…. • More than 30% of all Head Start children are DLL • DLL lower academic achievement • Importance of L1 yet limited support for L1 in classrooms • Head Start provides guidance

What We Know About… • Use of L1 • Classroom Environment • Direct Instruction

• Teacher Talk • Read Alouds

Dual Language Learners Simultaneous • Children who begin to learn one or more languages from birth or during the first 2 years of life.

Sequential • Children who begin to learn a language after about 2 or 3 years of age, after the first language is established

Language Development Sequence • Use of L1 in L2 setting • Observation and listening

Receptive

• Telegraphic and formulaic communication • Productive use of language

Expressive

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The conclusions of multiple research syntheses is that young DLLs need a combination of interactive and direct instruction direct instruction on word-level and text decoding skills approaches with embedded within interactive learning environments that are meaningful and contextualized to the students backgrounds. Linda Espinosa, 2011

Children learn language as they interact with responsible adults and peers and experience language use in meaningful contexts.

Vygotsky: Learning is a social affair!

Vygotsky’s Idea of Development • Interaction between partners who jointly solve problems

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Zone of Proximal Development The distance between the actual development level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development through problem solving under adult guidance. Vygotsky 1978

Zone of Proximal Development Anxiety Level of Challenge

Boredom

Level of Competence

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Learning …. “… will require 20 or 25 trials and the assistance of someone who can help…. to stick with the process until we have executive control over our new skill.” Joyce & Showers

Gradual Release Model

(Pearson and Gallagher)

Scaffolding • High level of engagement • Reduces learner frustration • Guides and supports the child’s language learning by building on what the child is already able to do (prior knowledge) • Moves child from a lower to a higher level of language use.

Strategies •Motivate interest •Model/demonstrate •Clarify •Simplify •Elaborate •Problem Solve

•Plan together •Redirect/focus •Gesture •Comment •Question •Respond

Scaffolding

(Tina Sharpe, 2001)

• Designed in Scaffolding ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫

Planned outcomes Sequence of learning Prior knowledge connection Introduction of new knowledge

• Point of Need ▫ Repetition ▫ Elaboration ▫ Reframe

Role of Teacher • Mediator of learning and development  Sets goals

• Creates the conditions for development  Materials  Directions

• Bring culture, cognition and emotion together  Knows child

Challenges for Teacher • Lack of information about child • Misjudging ZPD • Lack of specific and compete directions

• Incomplete modeling • Random or “one shot”

Guided Participation • Select activity • Determine goals • Create bridge between what child knows and what adults wants to “induct” into child • Continue until child works independently Barbara Rogoff, 1990

How can you help our children develop a rich vocabulary?

language pictures TV, recordings field trips, exhibits

drama, demonstration direct, first hand

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A teacher is one who makes herself progressively unnecessary. Thomas Carruthers