University of New Mexico

College of Education

LLSS 315* Educating Linguistically Diverse Students

Spring 2008 | Section 450 | 3cr. hrs. | Rm#: UC-221

Thursdays 1-4pm | Burlington Annex on 30th Street

Instructor, Dr. Frances Vitali

505.566.3480 (unm)

505.324.0894 (home)

505.330.1536 (cell)

Office: #233 Burlington Annex

Office Hours: One hour before and after class or by appointment

Email: fvitali@unm.edu

Course Blog at https://unm-farmington.tripod.com/315

 

 

                Mission Statement:  College of Education

                The vision of the college of Education:  Excellence and diversity through people, ideas, and       innovation.

 

                Our mission is the study & practice of education through teaching, research, & service. We

                *              address critical education issues;

                *              test new ideas and approaches to teaching and learning; and

                *              educate professionals who can

                *              facilitate human growth and development in schools, homes, communities and workplaces;

                *              prepare students for participation in a complex and challenging society.

 

                In carrying out our mission, we value

                *              excellence in all that we do;

                *              diversity of people and perspective;

                *              relationships of service, accountability, collaboration, and advocacy;

                *              the discovery, discussion, and dissemination of ideas; and

                *              innovation in teaching, technology, and leadership.

 

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“The stories we tell not only explain things to others, they explain them to ourselves.”

(Donald Norman)

“A man’s reach must exceed his grasp or what’s a metaphor?” (Robert Browning in McLuhan, M. Understanding Media: the extensions of man, 1994, p. 85)

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Course Description

This course familiarizes students with history, theory, practice, culture, politics of second language pedagogy and orality and literacy.  Students will gain an understanding of effective teaching methods and cultural sensitivity for working with linguistically diverse students.

                Rationale: Most classrooms are comprised of uniquely diverse learners on all levels, including linguistically and culturally. As educators, we must learn to be flexible in our thinking, teaching and learning to address, respect, celebrate, and support the richness and complexity of the children we teach.

                Instructional Strategies: Students and instructor will engage in the following ongoing collegial learning interactions: reflective writing; guided reading, reciprocal learning, reflection/communication blog, authentic learning, individual conferences, and cooperative and collaborative activities/projects, Literature Circles, Chautauqua.

 

Responsibilities (see Language Arts competencies expanded below)

  • Integrate the New Mexico State Competencies for Entry-Level Language Arts Teachers into course content.
  • Be professional at all times – in class and in the field. A. 1(a), 3; B. 2,4; C. 2(c), 3(g)
  • Be receptive to feedback, being reflective while participating in an academic learning community. E. 1(a)(c), 2(b)
  • Engage in collaborating and entering into professional learning opportunities with educators, students, parents, administrators, support staff working with linguistically diverse children. D. 3; F. 2(c)(iv)
  • Conduct and present assignments and projects with professional dispositions and ethical manner sufficiently prepared. G. 1(a), 2(b)(c), 3(a)
  • Take ownership of learning, remembering that learning is fun. If you approach your own learning motivated intrinsically by your natural curiosity and enthusiasm, your own students will reflect this quality of learning experience also.

 

Textbook–Available at SJC Bookstore

                Zainuddin, et.al. (2002). Fundamentals of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages in K-12 Mainstream Classrooms. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt  (ISBN: 0-7872-9664-3)

               

Other Materials:

            Online COURSE BLOG at https://unm-farmington.tripod.com/315

 

Select and secure (via online or bookstore) one of the following books for Literature Circle Dialogue:

  • Mazer, Anne (ed.). Multicultural Streets by
  • Carlson, Lori Marie (ed.). Moccasin Thunder: American Indian Stories for Today, edited by (HarperCollins, 2005). An anthology collection of short stories about contemporary Native American teenagers.
  • Gallo, Donald (ed). Join In: Multiethnic Stories,

 

Additional Materials/Resources

·          Additional Articles may be provided by instructor and students.

                Supplemental Sources:

·          NCREL Educating Teachers for Diversity (http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/educatrs/presrvce/pe300.htm)

·          PRIME TIME (http://www.infoway.org/kids/primeTime/primeTime.asp)

·          River of Words Poetry Contest (http://www.riverofwords.org/contest/)

·          Office of English Language Acquisition (http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/)

·          Storytelling Festival (http://www.storytellingfoundation.net/festival/about-fest.htm) (Fall)

·          IRA NCTE Read/Write/Think/Lessons (http://www.readwritethink.org/)

·          FREE San Juan College Calendar of Events | Jan. 26-Chautauqua Me & Billy-7pm SJC Little Theater |

March 15-Storytelling Theater-7pm SJC Little Theater | April 26-African Instruments-7pm SJC Little Theater

·          NM Endowment for the Humanities (NMEH) (http://www.nmhum.org/)

·          NMEH Chautauqua Characters http://nmhum.org/home/

·          Veteran History Project: The War by Ken Burns  (http://loc.gov/vets/vets-home.html)

·          Veteran History Project Interview Kit (http://www.loc.gov/vets/kit.html)

·          Prospective Guests: Laura McClenny, Vicki Bruno, Kristine Ashworrth, Margaret Montoya, New Mexico Endowment for the Humanities (NMEH), FMS Bilingual Education Department   

 

Course Learning Invitations and Expectations (Assignments, projects, activities)

Course Requirements:

àRead course blog regularly as a communication tool and post reflections when assigned at

                https://unm-farmington.tripod.com/315

àRead your email regularly for course updates, reminders and communication in between sessions.

àPost reflections on our class blog page athttps://unm-farmington.tripod.com/315 as needed.

àEach session, we will take turns highlighting the events of the session and posting them to the course blog page under    

      WEEKLY SESSION HIGHLIGHTS.

àCreate your own webpage including philosophy of education and diversity on www.tripod.com free webhosting. Your webpage

     will house most of your assignments and reflections.

àWork with Apache School students on family history project on specified Thursdays during course sessions and outside of  

     class. Participate in a Family Oral History Collaboration Project with students sharing along side them in writing conferences

     - writing, editing, reading, and storytelling culminating in a Chautauqua presentation for family members, including videotaped

     and audiotaped Chautauqua Collection.

àRead, reflect and discuss course text chapter content and issues with peers and guest visitors.

àParticipate in whole, group and individual classroom activities/projects:

                àà FACILITATE Literature Circles in discussing issues and text chapter content.

àWriting Group conferences will be regularly held to share, edit, revise and refine Chautauqua family stories and writing pieces.

àParticipate in Midterm & Final conferences. Midterm and Final Assessments will be posted on your webpage

àMaintain Weekly Student Observations of work with Apache School students-lesson planning, progress, differentiating instruction, process writing, writing conferences, documenting and evaluating progress.

 

Evaluation

                    Midterm and final individual conferences will be held.

                    (INCOMPLETE GRADES WILL BE CONSIDERED ONLY IN EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES.)

A

Exemplary completion of all Learning Invitations with adherence to all timelines. Evidence of significant development across the five dimensions of learning and course strands.

B

Satisfactory completion of all Learning Invitations. Evidence of acceptable development across the five dimensions of learning and course strands.

 

Attendance Policy; Silence cell phones out of respect for all learners.

Attendance is required for each class session. Arrive on time to allow classes to begin (and end) at their scheduled times.  Attendance is a crucial and considered your professional responsibility.  Communication with instructor via email, phone or in person is considered proper professional and respectful etiquette. Lateness and leaving early are considered serious interferences with your progress in this class. Thus, you should come to all classes well prepared to assume an active and thoughtful role in the scheduled activities by having read all required readings and completed all class assignments. Attending all classes is for your benefit to fully experience and appreciate the world of children's literature. And further more, we will miss you and your contributions during our time together.

 

Please rearrange work and appointment schedules so that you can attend each session.

If you are absent more than two times this semester, you can be dropped from the course.

“The reporting of absences does not relieve the student of responsibility for missed assignment, exams, etc.  The student is required to take the initiative in arranging to make up missed work, and it is expected that faculty will cooperate with the student in reasonable arrangements in this regard” (UNM Pathfinder).

It is responsible and respectful to contact instructor or leave message with Dawn in the UNM office if you are going to be late or absent from class. It is also your responsibility to check in with the instructor and consult with a class peer after the missed class for all makes up work.

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Accommodation Statement

                The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for a reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you have a disability requiring accommodation, please contact the instructor as soon as possible to make arrangements.

 

Plagiarism Statement

                Plagiarism is the presentation as original work by a writer of ideas, words, or thoughts belonging to someone else. You must provide a reference not indicating the source of any specific words borrowed from another source. Any project containing incidents of plagiarism will receive no credit or grade. Plagiarism is a serious offense in any college course and can lead to failure in that course or expulsion from UNM.

 

Accreditation Information

                The College of Education is an NCATE accredited institution.  NCATE stands for “National Counsel for Accreditation of Teacher Education” (http://www.ncate.org).  All COE courses address specific NCATE and professional society guidelines and support the College of Education’s Vision, Mission and Conceptual Framework.  I encourage you to learn about and spend some time thinking about the College of Education’s Vision and Mission Statements. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LLSS 315        Spring 2008

Tentative Course Schedule

 

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 

Introduction: Culture (Customs, Beliefs, Language), I Am From Poem & Nacirema

Trip on Red Apple Transit-Observations & Reflections post to blog at https://unm-farmington.tripod.com/315

under RED APPLE Ride

 

Course TEXT: PART I Multicultural Issues (chapters 1-8)

Vocabulary: negative cultural diversity, stereotype,sociotyping, assimilation, acculturation, deep & surface culture, ethnocentrism, high-involvement, high-considerateness, low-context, high-context cultures, field-dependent, field-independent learners

DOWNLOAD Course Syllabus from https://unm-farmington.tripod.com/315

 

(Jan. 31) SJC SMART LAB Computer Lab-Set up webpage sections & Email your tripod webpage URL to me at fvitali@unm.edu

Chautauqua Family Oral History Collaboration Project Overview

See Resource: Creating Family Timelines (http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=870)

& NMEH Chautauqua Characters http://nmhum.org/home/

Webpage entries: I AM FROM poem

(Feb. 7) HOUDINI Chautauqua- at Apache Elementary School       

 

FEBRUARY/MARCH

Literature Circle Readings:

1. Moccasin Thunder by Carlson

2. Join In by Gallo

3. Multicultural Streets by Mazer

Course TEXT: PART IV Instruction of ESL Learners (chapters 14-18) - Literature Circle group dialogue

Vocabulary: Process Writing, Observations, Language Functions, Anecdotal Observations, SOLOM, Strategies & Skills, Six Traits

Literature Circles-Harvey Daniels (Sarah & Cassady)

Webpage entries: Weekly observations, family character draft

Chautauqua: Drafts writing group & writing Conferences       

 

MARCH/APRIL

Literature Circle Readings:

1. Moccasin Thunder by Carlson

2. Join In by Gallo

3. Multicultural Streets by Mazer

March 13 Midterm Conferences (complete your written five dimensions and four strands midterm summary and evaluation and post to your webpage)

TEXT: PART III: Principles & Practices (chapters 12-13) - Literature Circle group dialogue

Vocabulary: Integrated Language Approaches: Experiential, Content-Based, Sheltered English, LEA, MI, Five Generic Principles             

Chautauqua Writing Group Conferences & Six Traits Evaluations

 

 

 

APRIL/MAY

Literature Circle Readings:

1. Moccasin Thunder by Carlson

2. Join In by Gallo

3. Multicultural Streets by Mazer

TEXT: PART II: Teaching for Communication (chapters 9-11) - Literature Circle group dialogue

Vocabulary: Acquisition theories-Behaviorist, Innatist, Interactionist; second language acquisition; Krashen model; ESOL methods; communicative language teaching principles

Chautauqua Family Oral History Collaboration Project:

April 24 Dress Rehearsal

May 1 Video & Audiotaping

May 8 Performance (parents & family invited)

Web Page Presentations (May 1 & 8)

Final Conferences (May 1 & 8)

Final Exam, optional, as needed (May 8)

Webpage entries: Weekly observations, family character draft & final draft

Chautauqua: writing group conferences & Six Traits Evaluations

 

 

A.       LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

(1)Teachers of English language arts shall: demonstrate knowledge that growth in language maturity is a developmental process.

(3) will demonstrate knowledge that speaking, reading, writing, listening and thinking are interrelated.

Understandings

B.       COMPOSING & ANALYZING LANGUAGE

(2) Teachers of English language arts shall: understand the importance of rich oral language experiences in early grades and how those experiences can lead to writing skills.

(4) All language arts teachers shall understand the importance of learning about practicing various aspects of composing processes. (prewriting,writing,revising,editing,evaluating) in order to achieve the knowledge rewuired to teach those processes well.

Understandings & Practices

C.       READING & LITERATURE

2(c) All language arts teachers shall be able to teach students to ask questions that elicit both oral and written responses at a variety of levels.

3(g) All language arts teachers shall draw upon literature in many genres from many historical periods, and of varying degrees of complexity in order to develop and elicit critical insights from their students.

Understandings & Practices

D.       NONPRINT MEDIA

(3) All language arts teachers shall be familiar with aspects of electronic media-internet, word processing, CD-RPM and other relevant media to be able to effectively teach through the use of both verbal and visual media.

Understandings & Practices

E.        EVALUATION

(1)Teachers of English language arts shall demonstrate knowledge of evaluative techniques to be used to describe a student’s progress in English.

(a) All language arts teachers shall demonstrate competence in applying a number of evaluative techniques, including individual conferences, for determining and reporting student progress.

(c) All language arts teachers shall be proficient at ”student watching” and other informal ways of describing student progress in all language processes.

2(b) All language arts teachers shall be able to select the most appropriate formal and informal ways to assess or evaluate growth in oral and written language and reading skills.

Understandings & Practices

F.        RESEARCH

(2)(iv) All language arts teachers shall that students of diverse cultures interpret written and oral language in different ways.

Understandings & Practices

G.       PEDAGOGY

(1) Teachers of English language arts are able to effectively deliver instruction using a variety of approaches.

(2) Teachers of English language arts shall understand that the classroom is composed of students with varied needs such as physical disabilities, learning disabilities, limited English proficiency, and cultural diversity.

(b) All language arts teachers need to be aware of varied students needs and how to modify and implement instruction for diverse learners.

(c) All language arts teachers need to be aware of strategies for helping students be sensitive to and understanding of each other’s learning and social needs.

(3) Teachers of English language arts shall understand that the educational process includes families, and the social and economic communities.

Understandings, Practices & Professional Identity

 

Course Strands and Dimensions of Learning

as correlated with UNM Conceptual Framework (Understanding, Practice, Professional Identity)

 

Means of interpreting and assessing student achievement will involve Course Strands and Dimensions of Learning.

 

Course Strands

1. communication   2. research/content  3.  technology, and  4. collaboration

components describing your development as readers, writers, storytellers and users of technology.

 

Five Dimensions of Learning

 

1. Confidence and Independence (Understanding)
Confidence and independence in your own reading, writing, and thinking abilities. We see growth and development when learners' confidence and independence become coordinated with their actual abilities and skills, content knowledge, use of experience, and reflectiveness about their own learning. The overconfident student learns to ask for help when facing an obstacle; the shy student begins to trust her own abilities and begins to work alone at times, or to insist on presenting her own point of view in discussion. In both cases, students develop along the dimension of confidence and independence.

2. Skills and Strategies (Practice)
Specific skills and strategies involved in composing and communicating effectively, from concept to organization to polishing grammar and correctness, and including technological skills for computer communication and adherence to APA style. Skills and strategies represent the "know-how" aspect of learning. When we speak of "performance" or "mastery," we generally mean that learners have developed skills and strategies to function successfully in certain situations. In this course, it will be communicating as practicum educators in wrapping your own ideas and questions around what educating linguistically diverse children means and how as professionals we can meet their diverse needs of the students with whom you are working.

3. Knowledge Content (Understanding)
Knowledge content refer to the "content" knowledge you gained about this course, your experiences, and communication technologies for expression. Knowledge and understanding is the most familiar dimension, focusing on the "know-what" aspect of learning. What do I know about this content and how can I extend my learning on different levels? What have I learned about nurturing diverse learners?

4. Use of Prior and Emerging Experience (Understanding)
The use of prior and emerging experience involves the ability to draw on your own experience and connect it to your work. A crucial but often unrecognized dimension of learning is the ability to make use of prior experience as well as emerging experience in new situations. It is necessary to observe learners over a period of time while they engage in a variety of activities in order to account for the development of this important capability, which is at the heart of creative thinking and its application. In focusing, reflecting and designing our own research proposal and agenda, our prior experience might be tapped to help scaffold new understandings, or consider how ongoing experience shapes the content knowledge or skills and strategies we are developing.

5. Critical Reflection (Understanding, Practice, Professional Identity)
Reflection refers to your developing awareness of our own learning process, as well as more analytical approaches to reading, writing, and communication. When we speak of reflection as a crucial component of learning, we are not using the term in its commonsense meaning of reverie or abstract introspection. We are referring to the development of your ability to step back and consider a situation critically and analytically, with growing insight into your own learning processes as a kind of metacognition. Have I explored my own personal biases and prejudices, aware of cultural stereotypes and cultural and linguistic sensitivities?

It is important that you are made aware of the course strands and the five dimensions of learning because the ownership of your learning in relation to this course content is a focus of your assessment and evaluation. This evaluative process provides a framework with which you can evaluate your own growth. As learners, you are measuring your own learning given the strands and dimensions, considering them in relation to your prior learning. In assessing your progress, you will provide a midterm and final reflection which will be posted on your webpage. See Guideline below:

LLSS 315/593    EVALUATION & ASSESSMENT GUIDELINE

 

 

PROVIDE WRITTEN MIDTERM & FINAL SUMMARIES AND EVALUATIONS at Individual CONFERENCES as well as downloading to your webpage.

______________________________________________________________

 

Due March 13 – post to your webpage

Midterm Summary

Summary interpretation of observations and evidence in terms of the four major strands of work and the five dimensions of learning.

1.      Four major strands of work: communication, research, technology, and collaboration

2.      Five dimensions of learning:

  • confidence and independence
  • knowledge content
  • skills and strategies
  • use of prior and emerging experience
  • reflectiveness (critical awareness)

 

Midterm evaluation

  • Estimated evaluation in terms of grade
  • Suggestions for your own further development during remainder of semester
  • Suggestions for class activities or for the professor to better support learning

________________________________________________

 

 

Due May 1 – post to your webpage

Final Summary

Summary interpretation of observations and evidence covering the whole semester in terms of the four major strands of work and the five dimensions of learning. Be sure to connect your interpretations with specific examples included in the observations and samples of work.

 

1.      Four major strands of work: communication, research, technology, and collaboration

2.      Five dimensions of learning:

  • confidence and independence
  • knowledge content
  • skills and strategies
  • use of prior and emerging experience
  • reflectiveness (critical awareness)

 

Final evaluation

  • Reflections on semester's learning experience
  • Any suggestions for the professor for future classes
  • Estimated evaluation in terms of grade

 

 

 


CHECKLIST OF LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

LLSS 315 EDUCATING LINGUISTICALLY DIVERSE STUDENTS  Spring 2008

Activities/Topics

Format

Due

Completed a 

Download Syllabus at Course Blog

https://unm-farmington.tripod.com/315

Print your own hard copy

January 31

 

RED APPLE TRANSIT  Blog Reflections

 

COURSE BLOG

https://unm-farmington.tripod.com/315

January 31

 

Session Scribe

COURSE BLOG

https://unm-farmington.tripod.com/315

As scheduled throughout semester

 

Family Chautauqua Project

1. writing, editing, refining, storytelling, final copies

2. collaborating w/ students

3. Videotaping & audiotaping

4. Chautauqua Presentation for family & friends

Ongoing sessions throughout semester with peers and with elementary school children

 

 

Feb. 7-May 8 Chautauqua storytelling and writing process

April 24 Dress Rehearsal

May 1 Video & Audiotaping

May 8 Performance (parents & family invited)

 

Text Chapter: Part I

 

Culture, Custom, Language & I am From

Red Apple Transit to FPL – Nacirema article

January 24

 

Text Chapter: Part  IV

 

Literature Circle Dialogue

Thursdays in February

 

Text Chapter: Part III

 

Literature Circle Dialogue

Thursdays in  March

 

Text Chapter: Part II

Literature Circle Dialogue

Thursdays in April

 

OPTIONAL: Extra Events

 

Reflection on Your webpage

Week of Scheduled Event  session

 

Weekly Observations

Reflection on Your webpage

Weekly throughout semester

 

Webpage sections: IAM From Poem | Weekly Observations | Chautauqua Drafts | Guests | Vocabulary | Weekly Scribe | Midterm Reflection | Final Reflection | Course Reflection

Your Webpage (free webhost on Tripod.com)

 

Email your webpage address to fvitali@unm.edu

Create Jan. 31 & maintain throughout semester.

 

Email webpage address to

fvitali@unm.edu

 

Guest Speaker Reflections

Reflection on Your webpage

Due week following each presentation

 

Reading Books-Carlson, Gallo, Mazer

Literature Circles & Video

Order books online-amazon.com

Feb. 14 & 21

 

CHAUTAUQUA Family Character

 

Process Writing-drafts/writing/performance

April 24, May 1, 8

 

Midterm semester Course reflections

Your Webpage

March 13

 

Final  semester Course reflections

(add to your CD-ROM professional portfolio)

Your webpage

May 1 & 8