Taming the blurting beast
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...
Everything is good in moderation...even lamination
The scent of hot laminate wafting through the workroom is a smell all educators are familiar with! The pile of items to be laminated at the beginning of the school year or when creating a GLAD® unit could rival the Eiffel tower and is somehow synonymous with productivity.
Laminate item that will be stored and used again so you only have to create them once:
- Observation Charts
- Big Books
- Narrative Input Chart
- Picture File cards
That's pretty much it!
In order to take full advantage of the language functional environment you have created leave everything else as paper charts. This gives you and the students the freedom to interact with the charts on a daily basis. Add information, revise, sketch, highlight, post pictures.
Laminating black line charts, inputs, or chants and then using vis-a-vis or dry erase markers to process is an idea that many...
Move over grumbling - gratitude coming through
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...
THESE TIPS ARE GREAT!
I want to receive them once a month!
Author
Jody Bader
Jody Bader is an educator with two decades of experience as a classroom teacher, ELD specialist, instructional coach, education researcher, and one of the Northwest’s leading OCDE Project GLAD® Consultants. She has worked with teachers in the US and internationally who are committed to improving their practice and the culture of their classrooms for all students through the OCDE Project GLAD® model. She has trained and coached thousands of teachers and has a passion for mentoring new trainers in training.
Author
Dr. Sara Martinez
An educator for nearly 20 years, Dr. Sara Martinez has worked with individuals from preschool through adulthood. She has extensive experience and background in education among English language learners and individuals in low socioeconomic status environments, combined with her doctoral work and experience in leadership development and change dynamics. Having trained and consulted with thousands of K-12 teachers and administrators, she has a wide base of knowledge and educational experience.
