In our March Monthly Tips we talked about using the Interactive Journal as a way to connect with students and build relationships even when we’re apart. This month we’re focusing on connecting remotely with our ELs to integrate SEL into our language development lessons. 

 During the past several months, social emotional learning (SEL) has taken on greater importance. For some, interacting with our students and creating a feeling of safety and security has been the primary focus of our online interactions, before we can dive back into academic content.  

 Use this as an opportunity to put aside your regular curriculum and find out what your students are interested in knowing more about. Are they interested in sports, music, current events, fashion, or animals? This connection of relevance is a great launching pad for language lessons.  

The Project GLAD® model advocates for a focus on strong oral language development to build...

 April 2020

During trainings when teachers ask about our stance on using GLAD® strategies electronically, we always reply that the sky is the limit.  Use your imagination, current apps and available hardware when transitioning to electronic use of the strategies.  

The caveat would be to make sure a language functional environment is intact. When the computer is turned off, where is the content and language scaffolding coming from if not on the walls? 

In today’s world of virtual classrooms, we advocate for the use of recorded input charts for direct instruction of content and language.  

Consider recording yourself doing a pictorial on an 81/2 x 11 paper. Include all the key steps in delivery that you would normally do in person: 

• Say it with me 
• Gestures 
• Paraphrase and define vocabulary 
• Color coding 
• Say what you are writing and drawing, and  
• Add in 10/2s - direct students to turn to...

We're thinking of you and want to support you any way we can as you support your students! 

We're all under a tremendous amount of stress right now as we navigate this pandemic, professionally and personally. The families and students we serve are feeling the stress, too. Those of us entrusted with community leadership positions: first responders, health care professionals, religious leaders, and teachers share the responsibility of caring for others at the same time caring for our families and ourselves.  

 Interactive Journals can be a way to stay connected with your students and provide an outlet for them to share what's on their mind, even remotely.  

 Image by Jody Bader www.nextstepsprojectglad.com 

“While we minimize our physical connections, it is essential that we maximize our emotional connections. We can all help our loved ones every day, electronically.” Gov. Jay Inslee 

Consider setting up...

We love collaborating with language specialists during GLAD® trainings!

At the beginning of the week they consult with us on how to focus their energy and where to start.

By the end of the week they teach us new answers to the age old question:

"How do I manage the prep for GLAD® when I have several different classes/groups?!"

The following are ideas we have gleaned from professionals in the field, like you.

1. Start by partnering with a like-minded GLAD® trained teacher. 

Push-in to their classroom, or better yet, embark on co-teaching during your times with their students. Find ways to share the load and try new things.

For example, the classroom teacher does an Input chart and the language specialist leads the ELD review with a small group or a word card review with the whole class. Collaborate to find other ways to focus on the language demands of what is going on in the regular classroom through GLAD® strategies. 

2. Select only 1 or 2...

Blurting here, blurting there, blurting, blurting everywhere!

You are not alone. Every classroom is filled with internal and EXTERNAL processors.

How do we meet the needs of both?

How do we encourage a language rich environment where students are talking but not blurting?

First, resign yourself to the fact that a GLAD classroom is a noisy classroom. Scary sentence, we know. But it's language with purpose: guided, rich, surrounded with support and focused on the topic at hand.

GLAD classrooms have parameters in place to structure language and provide the internal processing and wait time other students need.

Ready to tame the blurting beast?!

Consider these 4 TIPS to promote language acquisition while taming the blurting beast:

1. TALK IT OUT

Language acquisition requires talking - LOTS of talking!

Either we provide structured time to talk or our external processors will incorporate it themselves. Consider going through your lesson plans for the...

Laminate item that will be stored and used again so you only have to create them once:

Mumble, grumble. Grumble, mumble... Tired of teams complaining about each other? November is a perfect time to kick complaining to the curb with an attitude of gratitude and appreciation among your teams.

Move Over Grumbling - Gratitude Coming Through

Showing appreciation through what we do and say to our teammates is learned skill that can be explicitly taught through the TGraph for Social Skills.

What might an appreciation TGraph look like? We're so glad you asked!

Here's a example to get you started…

Quick Reminder:

In order for students to earn team points, what they say or do needs to be on the TGraph for Social Skills first. So if you see, or want to see, the specific skills underlying appreciation -- add it to the chart so students can start earning points for applying that skills within their teams.

Got Questions?

What are the top Project GLAD® questions you'd like to see highlighted in your Next Steps Implementation Blog? Click here to vote on...