English-Language Learners’ and standardized testing

The Cultural Divide of Discourse: Understanding How English-Language Learners’ Primary Discourse Influences Acquisition of Literacy

Definition of discourse- generally refers to "written or spoken communication"

In the humanities and sometimes the social sciences, 'discourse' refers to a formalized way of thinking that can be manifested through language, a social boundary defining what can be said about a specific topic

     While I was reading the article The Cultural Divide of Discourse: Understanding How English-Language Learners’ Primary Discourse Influences Acquisition of Literacy I thought of Juan from the article as one of my ELL students. I have seen how their shyness can sometimes be interpreted as functioning on a lower level. This book and this lesson format help them to develop the language skills necessary to communicate mathematical ideas. I know the standardized tests do not truly measure these children’s capabilities because their lives are lived in the context of a different culture. The more we can assist our ELL students to build confidence, as well as language, the more apt they are to succeed in the standardized testing in American schools.

     I bought this unbelievable book May 2010 at the International Reading Association convention in Chicago. The book is a wonderful guide for beginning math skills, communicating mathematically and differentiation. It helps all kids developing the vocabulary needed for mathematical problem solving. One of the things I like about it the most is my little learners are all able to get turns going up to the board and count using one to one correspondence. There are the simplest tasks for your lower kids so they can feel successful and build confidence, then you can easily move your higher ones along to  doing addition or multiplication, thinking and talking themselves through it. THEY DO that’s the main thing. They’re engaged by the brightly colored graphics and we just think and talk, no one distracted by their inability to hold a pencil or hindered by newly acquired writing skills.

Kindergarten Math Lesson

Objective: In this lesson we will use the illustration/ transparency from the book Math Talk to develop mathematical language development and foundational skills such as number sense.

Materials:

Math Talk –Teaching Concepts and Building Skills Through Illustrations and Stories written by Char Forsten & Torri Richards

Overhead projector

GPS

MKP3. Students will communicate mathematically.

a. Organize and consolidate their mathematical thinking through communication.

b. Communicate their mathematical thinking coherently and clearly to peers, teachers, and others.

c. Analyze and evaluate the mathematical thinking and strategies of others.

d. Use the language of mathematics to express mathematical ideas precisely.

 MKN1. Students will connect numerals to the quantities they represent.

a. Count a number of objects up to 30.

e. Compare two or more sets of objects (1-10) and identify which set is equal to, more than, or less than the other.

MKN2. Students will use representations to model addition and subtraction.

a. Use counting strategies to find out how many items are in two sets when they are combined, separated, or compared.

c. Use objects, pictures, numbers, or words to create, solve and explain story problems (combining, separating, or comparing) for two numbers that are each less than 10.

MKP1. Students will solve problems (using appropriate technology).

a. Build new mathematical knowledge through problem solving.

b. Solve problems that arise in mathematics and in other contexts.

c. Apply and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies to solve problems.

d. Monitor and reflect on the process of mathematical problem solving.

MKP2. Students will reason and evaluate mathematical arguments.

a.   Recognize reasoning and proof as fundamental aspects of mathematics.

Lesson:

1)           Prior to this lesson the children were learning the color word blue and had been reciting the nursery rhyme Little Boy Blue.

2)          Set up the projector and start asking students questions. Give them several minutes to think about the answer pick one child to go to the board and point and count for the solution. If they miss something get a little help from a friend.

3)          Beginning Questions:

·        What do you see in this illustration? ( they speak you point)

·        Can you point to little boy blue?

·        Can you point to his horn?

·        How many legs does the cow have?

·        How many legs does the sheep have?

·        What other things do you see that we could count?(mice, cats, butterflies, birds, ears of corn , corn stalks, clouds)

Intermediate Questions:

·        How many corn stalks have mice climbing on them?

·        How many butterflies have landed on flowers?

·        How many butterflies are flying in the air?

Advanced Questions:

·        How many legs does a bird have?

·        How many legs do 3 birds have?

·        How many mice are to the left of the cow? The right?

·        If 4 sheep wonder back to little boy blue how many sheep will there be altogether?

·        If the cat chases one mouse away how many mice will be left?

·        Can you think of your own math story?