Teaching Strategies
ELA Strategies:
The strategies used for teaching various subjects and projects under the ELA umbrella almost always includes versions of the Readers’ and Writers’ workshops. Included are individual and partner work, questioning, discussing, brainstorming, drafting, revising and editing, etc. In addition to those common strategies, I will include a focus on listing, and freewriting, mixed with marathon writing.
Marathon Writing
In marathon writing on the third-grade level, the students will learn to build stamina, physically and mentally, as they set out to produce their science fiction (SF) works. They will begin at simply a few minutes on a prompt and expand upon their time to then work on focus and volume. The goal is to provide a “training-like” experience for the children that will prepare them for their SF piece.
Listing/Clustering
When listing, the children will hone their ideas crafted from brainstorming activities. It can be easy to lose sight of solid ideas and organization, leading to chaotic storylines that can be confusing to readers trying to make sense of an already harried genre and topic. By making use of the “listing” technique, students can keep their ideas categorized (sometimes using bullets) and then clustering ideas and categories using graphic organizers, which will aid when drafting their work. Listing/clustering is a great way to keep the children’s enthusiasm intact as well as remaining on track with solid ideas and themes.
Vocabulary Development:
DEA Vocabulary (Define-Example-Ask)
This is a fantastic vocabulary routine to use with intermediate elementary students. The concept is quite simple. When addressing a new term, first define the word. Don’t be afraid to add to the definition by discussing the context in which it is used. Next, provide an example of the term being used properly in a sentence and again, in context. Finally, ask a question around the word so that the children are able to really think about the term as it has been defined, as it is used in the story and as it should be used in discussion. This routine allows a natural absorption of new and unfamiliar words.
Clarifying Routine: Elaborating Vocabulary Instruction
KWL
A classic strategy in any subject area, I am using the KWL charting strategy to draw a true designation of what the students desire to learn since it is embedded among such a large amount of non-fiction information. The KWL chart uses the acronym to touch on important components of reading. The children become the learning leaders in that they address what background information they already “know,” while turning to discussion on what they would like to, or “want” to know, followed by a well-rounded conclusion with what they “learned.” The KWL strategy is a reading strategy that uses questioning to activate prior knowledge, to understand metacognition, and to write to learn. These charts can set a purpose for what will take place in the unit. Moreover, by being aware of some of the students' interests, instructors find that they have a better opportunity to create projects and assignments that the students will enjoy. KWL chart are tools that can be used to drive instruction as well as promote student-led learning1
Think Pair Share
Using a Think Pair Share strategy as the students work within an integrated subject setting will draw information learned from the Science lessons and help children work through any questions or uncertainties they might have regarding the topics provided. It is equally useful in the Science field as it is in ELA in that they can revisit notes and think about them individually and then together before sharing out to their classmates.
Note Taking
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