Reflective Statement
Artifact: ESL Lesson Plan
STANDARD 3 - Diversity
The competent teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners.
I selected to use the SIOP Lesson Plan from my English as a Second Language Methods and Materials class as an artifact for Profession Teaching Standard 3 because it demonstrates my knowledge on how to differentiate instruction for diverse learners. In the case of this lesson plan, the diverse learners are students that are learning English as their second language. For this assignment, I was instructed to put together a lesson for a class of students that was made up of both native English speakers, and speakers of a home language other than English. I created a lesson as a three day culminating lesson at the end of a unit on insects. The students get to make their own insect in a group, present it to the class, and compare and contrast their insect with other insects made by their classmates. The goal was to create a lesson plan in which all students were given an equal opportunity to learn, which means modifying and differentiating instruction to create instructional opportunities that are comprehensible to all of the students.
This artifact is an appropriate representation of the standard because it shows how a lesson can be scaffolded and sheltered in order to be comprehensible to linguistically diverse students, without compromising any important content that needs to be learned. Knowledge indicator 3B states that the competent teacher “understands the process of second language acquisition and strategies to support the learning of students whose first language is not English.” Throughout the lesson, this knowledge is demonstrated through the use of a variety of visuals and real life examples, by basing the instruction off of student’s prior knowledge, by allowing students opportunities to use their first language, and by providing students with scaffolded worksheets to guide their learning and thoughts. During the lesson, students listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills will all be used and strengthened.
Creating this lesson plan aided in the development of my skills to shelter instruction for young English language learners. I discovered a multitude of ways to make the content relevant, comprehensible, and interesting to the students. All of the methods used for sheltering the instruction are methods that are beneficial for all learners, not just the linguistically diverse. It was difficult, however, to understand the difference between sheltering instruction and compromising instruction. Linguistically diverse students, however, do not need the content of the lesson compromised, but rather need the information presented in a way that will facilitate learning and building connections to their home language and culture. Overall, the creation of this artifact has developed my knowledge and abilities in differentiating instruction for diverse learners.
Artifact: ESL Lesson Plan
STANDARD 3 - Diversity
The competent teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners.
I selected to use the SIOP Lesson Plan from my English as a Second Language Methods and Materials class as an artifact for Profession Teaching Standard 3 because it demonstrates my knowledge on how to differentiate instruction for diverse learners. In the case of this lesson plan, the diverse learners are students that are learning English as their second language. For this assignment, I was instructed to put together a lesson for a class of students that was made up of both native English speakers, and speakers of a home language other than English. I created a lesson as a three day culminating lesson at the end of a unit on insects. The students get to make their own insect in a group, present it to the class, and compare and contrast their insect with other insects made by their classmates. The goal was to create a lesson plan in which all students were given an equal opportunity to learn, which means modifying and differentiating instruction to create instructional opportunities that are comprehensible to all of the students.
This artifact is an appropriate representation of the standard because it shows how a lesson can be scaffolded and sheltered in order to be comprehensible to linguistically diverse students, without compromising any important content that needs to be learned. Knowledge indicator 3B states that the competent teacher “understands the process of second language acquisition and strategies to support the learning of students whose first language is not English.” Throughout the lesson, this knowledge is demonstrated through the use of a variety of visuals and real life examples, by basing the instruction off of student’s prior knowledge, by allowing students opportunities to use their first language, and by providing students with scaffolded worksheets to guide their learning and thoughts. During the lesson, students listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills will all be used and strengthened.
Creating this lesson plan aided in the development of my skills to shelter instruction for young English language learners. I discovered a multitude of ways to make the content relevant, comprehensible, and interesting to the students. All of the methods used for sheltering the instruction are methods that are beneficial for all learners, not just the linguistically diverse. It was difficult, however, to understand the difference between sheltering instruction and compromising instruction. Linguistically diverse students, however, do not need the content of the lesson compromised, but rather need the information presented in a way that will facilitate learning and building connections to their home language and culture. Overall, the creation of this artifact has developed my knowledge and abilities in differentiating instruction for diverse learners.