IEPIS Newsletter - December 2011 (Plain Text Version)

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In this issue:
LEADERSHIP UPDATES
•  LETTER FROM THE IEPIS CHAIR
Articles
•  PROJECT-BASED LEARNING: A STUDENT-RUN CONFERENCE TO BUILD AUTHENTIC LANGUAGE SKILLS
•  NPR'S STORYCORPS: MORE THAN LISTENING COMPREHENSION
•  BENEFITS OF DOMESTIC STUDENT ASSISTANT SUPPORT IN BEGINNING IEP CLASSES
About this community
•  ABOUT THIS MEMBER COMMUNITY
•  IEPIS STEERING COMMITTEE 2010-2011

 

BENEFITS OF DOMESTIC STUDENT ASSISTANT SUPPORT IN BEGINNING IEP CLASSES

Judy Bonifield, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA

Providing useful classroom instruction for beginning students in a university IEP program is challenging. Offering adequate and motivating instruction, practice, and group work can be very difficult in a beginning class. At the Applied English Center at the University of Kansas, we have met these challenges in part through the support of student assistants, domestic University of Kansas students. Domestic student assistants in beginning IEP classes gain valuable experience while bringing a wealth of opportunities to ESL students and their instructors. Beginning-level IEP instructors have found that having these student assistants in their classes motivates English learners and gives them more practice, hands-on opportunities, and cultural and campus information while providing the assistants with international awareness and instructional experience.

The endeavor to involve domestic student assistant support originated in a belief that in order to become fluent in English and successful in the university experience, international students needed to jump in, meet other students fluent in English and comfortable with campus life, and involve themselves in many aspects of the university and city. Because of limited language abilities in English, beginning students can access this experience much more easily when they are offered an environment in which it is natural to become acquainted with domestic university students and engaged in the university culture. This involvement builds self-esteem, which, in turn, provides beginning students with a context for success in a new culture with a different language.

RATIONALE FOR USING STUDENT ASSISTANTS IN BEGINNING CLASSES

Integrated Level 1 is a set of courses developed for low-beginning to high-beginning students whose total scores on our in-house proficiency exam range from 0 to nearly 3/8 of the total possible score; therefore, even within this beginning level, there is a very wide range of proficiency.

Beginning in the spring semester of 2006, the Applied English Center (AEC) experienced an influx of Level 1 (Beginning) students. This, along with the fact that we had not had a significant number of students testing into level 1 in recent semesters, proved challenging to instructors. Many students were not progressing adequately and were not prepared for the academic challenges of higher-level AEC classes, let alone university coursework. A committee focusing on the progress of Level 1 students determined that the Level 1 curriculum should be examined and possibilities of a new approach and new course design explored. Committee members researched alternative curricula and recommended certain broad changes. These concerns led us to re-examine our approach to level 1. Our revisions included more contact hours for the students, more in-class work and less homework, more integration among the courses, and study support.

Since that time, Level 1 instructors and coordinators have tried several strategies and methods and we now believe that we have implemented a system that is providing more opportunities for success for these students. This system quickly evolved to include student assistants for extra support. The program continues to evolve and by necessity is flexible to the contingencies of each semester including numbers of students and instructor staffing.

DESCRIPTION OF INTEGRATED LEVEL 1

This is a skill-based approach with fewer homework assignments and more in-class work than at other levels. This allows for a hands-on approach to learning with more classroom, computer lab, and tutorial support. Student assistant support makes these classes more productive and interesting. In fact, student assistants make this methodology possible.

Courses and Skills

014 Reading/Writing

General Reading/Writing Class

  • Sentence writing and integrated grammar and vocabulary
  • Paragraph writing
  • Reading for information
  • Handwriting
  • Recycled vocabulary: recognition, spelling, and use
  • Computer skills lab: typing and word processing skills
  • PowerPoint presentations

Reading Fundamentals

  • Reading aloud
  • Silent, sustained reading
  • Read aloud/think aloud
  • Eye movement training
  • Phrasing and word grouping training

012 Speaking /Listening

General Speaking/Listening Class

  • Basic speaking/listening skills
  • Recycled vocabulary
  • PowerPoint presentation in conjunction with Reading/Writing

Labs and Tutorials

  • Computer lab: Oxford Picture Dictionary Interactive
  • Conversation class
  • Individual reinforcement tutorials with student assistants

016 Grammar For Communication

  • Basic grammar
  • Recycled vocabulary
  • Control of grammar in speaking and writing

General Methods

Instructor Coordination

There are weekly meetings to provide an ongoing approach for appropriate coursework and individualized instructional support in speaking/listening, reading/writing, and grammar. This organization also allows for planning of special activities such as orientation seminars, on-campus visits, and field trips.

Labs and Classes Supported by Student Assistants

  • Required performance: 80 percent scores on work. Students repeat work and are given more instruction until reaching this performance level for the first 5 to 7 weeks with a gradual release of instructor control.
  • Recycled vocabulary and integrated grammar focus across classes
  • Individual tutorials: weekly with student assistants
  • Classes staffed with student assistants to assist instructors in order to provide more practice opportunities, a variety of English and university student models, and generally more hands-on activities.
  • Strategies for student success: academic and organizational skills:

Time management

  • Punctuality: on time for class; assignments submitted on time
  • Management of homework assignments

Organization of materials

  • Well-organized binders to keep all L1 course materials
  • Ongoing awareness of grades and completed assignments
  • Management of assignments and materials in binders
  • Management of electronic files
  • Note-taking skills

Appropriate academic communication and behavior

  • New Student Orientation materials written with Level 1 students in mind
  • Classroom management procedures and individual conferences

THE STUDENT ASSISTANT PROGRAM

Benefits of the Program

The Student Assistant program is beneficial to our students, instructors, and to the student assistants themselves.

Usefulness to students

Student assistants

  • Provide true examples of English proficiency.
  • Provide the students with more exposure to the English language and to American peers who model what it is to be a successful student in the United States.
  • Are the students’ peers and therefore the students more interested in them and the language they bring to the experience than they are with instructors?
  • Naturally build relationships with the students as they work with them every day. The students naturally develop friendships with American students. Students are more comfortable asking student assistants about university or cultural matters than they are with instructors, and since the students are not proficient in English, this resulting comfort zone is very useful to students. They are able to gain access to the university community more quickly.
  • Allow the students more opportunities to perform, ask questions, receive more immediate feedback on accuracy, and, all in all, be more engaged in small group work.

Usefulness to instructors

Student assistants are able to

  • Assist in small-group work.
  • Model targets being taught in the class.
  • Perform skits to demonstrate targets.
  • Grade simple assignments and prepare materials for classes.
  • Perform tutorial tasks to help with individualized practice.
  • Perform classroom tasks while the instructor is engaged in other tasks, such as monitoring student work, small-group work, or short conferences. In other words, instructors have more flexibility in what they can accomplish in a class.
  • Allow more control over having students complete particular steps in an assignment while student assistants observe the students’ work.

Usefulness to the student assistants themselves

  • Many are education majors and have had or are planning to pursue international experience.
  • Several have decided to pursue TESOL degrees or international careers after working with our students.
  • All gain a larger degree of poise and comfort working in leadership positions.
  • All develop their understanding of other cultures.
  • All enjoy working with students from other cultures.

STUDENT ASSISTANT PROFILE

The student assistant position is a student hourly position at the University of Kansas.

  • The job search begins with a job announcement for a student hourly worker within the AEC. Recruitment in the TESOL department and in the area studies departments (East Asia, Eastern Europe, African, Latin American, etc.) is helpful to locate qualified and interested applicants.
  • Required experience: Some combination of international and/or education interest in future academic goals, international experience, leadership experience, and acquisition of another language.
  • Qualities: Although the student assistants enjoy this job a great deal, it is not easy. During the interview process, we hope to see the potential for leadership and the social skills to be comfortable conversationalists as well as the willingness to follow the lead of instructors.

USING STUDENT ASSISTANTS IN THE CLASSROOM

There is a variety of ways in which individual instructors implement the support of student assistants in a class. Because the coursework in speaking/listening, reading/writing, and grammar varies, the instruction and practice also vary. In addition, instructors have different teaching and management styles. Decisions about using student assistants in Level 1 classes are left to the instructors.

Each instructor makes decisions about student assistants in his or her class:

  • Number of student assistants
  • Days per week they are required
  • Types of activities within a given class

Example: The Level 1 Grammar Class

To organize my Level 1 Grammar for Communication Class, I begin by providing lesson plans that student assistants in my class follow so that they are prepared for the tasks I ask them to perform. (See the sample lesson plan below; the instructions for the student assistants to follow are in boldface.) A ratio of one student assistant to four students works well for the instruction and practice I plan for my classes. Student assistants are present on all of the days of my class.

Student assistants set up the classroom in the way I’ve asked for on a particular day.

Each class starts with informal communication during which the student assistants and I encourage students to talk, building on the grammar we’ve studied in class.

Since Level 1 classes are hands-on classes, my goal in planning a class is to provide instruction for grammar targets that can be quickly reinforced through various activities. In order to ascertain whether students comprehend the instruction and can use the targeted items accurately, I plan a variety of activities that can be checked in class. Homework is additional practice of the in-class work rather than investigative activities for students. In this way, these beginning language learners can progress in a controlled, safe, comfortable environment.

Review activities

  • Error correction from previous work
  • Worksheet to review previous work
  • Review of a homework exercise
  • Oral practice using grammar targets from previous work

Introducing new grammar topics

  • Formal instruction of grammar topic: Student assistants listen so that they learn about the target and understand how to reinforce correct usage
  • Student assistant model of grammar target: This can be at the sentence level or in a skit or conversation
  • Exploration of what students know about the grammar target

Practice for grammar targets

  • Mechanical exercises for practice: Student assistants work in groups or roam the room to check individual work for accuracy. At this stage, because the students know from previous experience that their work will be checked, they are motivated to try the exercise and ask questions to understand.
  • Oral practice: Student assistants run small groups in activities to promote practice of grammar targets. This can be at the sentence level. Students can also write and perform skits for the class.
  • Writing practice: sentence and paragraph writing to practice use of grammar targets. Student assistants write the assigned sentences and paragraphs and share their work with the students in small groups. They also check students’ work for accuracy and help them make corrections.
  • Follow-up practice in individual tutorials: Each student has an individual tutorial with a student assistant weekly. My plans for individual tutorials are usually more practice on the grammar topics we study in class. This practice can include mechanical practices or opportunities to use the grammar targets in communicative activities. Sometimes I include individualized plans for special practice to address weaknesses in English grammar.

CONCLUSION

Student assistants do more than enhance Level 1 classes at the Applied English Center. They make our hands-on approach possible. Not only are they useful in managing the classroom and maximizing student linguistic production, but they are also approachable American peers whom these students can turn to for information and advice on language, university life, and American culture. For beginning-level students, the instructors, and the student assistants themselves, this is an extremely valuable and effective approach.


SAMPLE LESSON PLAN FOR A GRAMMAR FOR COMMUNICATION CLASS

Materials

  • Copies of error correction activity.
  • Transparencies p. 134, 146, 149, 150, 152
  • Copies of Chapter 9 workbook pages

SAs

  • Place the desks in a semi-circle.
  • Engage students in conversation about their daily activities. (5 minutes)
  • Hand out the error correction activity after students are seated.
  • Binder Check (Student Assistants [SAs] check individual binders for completeness while other students are working on the error correction activity.)

Instructor

  • Walk around to check students’ work on the error correction sheet and answers questions.
  • Go over the error correction activity on the overhead projector (OHP).

In Groups: warm-up: Sentence Chains

The purpose of the following activity is to have students practice the differences between the 3rd-person singular and the other simple present forms.

SAs

  • Model the activity. Start by choosing a category that you like, such as sports, and saying a sentence about something you like, e.g., I like tennis.
  • Then, ask a student sitting next to you to say what you said and add something that s/he likes: e.g., Judy likes tennis and I like basketball.
  • Continue this until all of the students and you have had 2 opportunities.

Instructor

  • Tell students to turn to page 140. Students complete Examining form individually.
  • Write questions a-c on the board. Ask a student to come to the board to circle the subject of each question.
  • Direct students’ attention to question b. Elicit that it begins with does; the other questions start with do. Elicit that 3rd-person singular forms are different in the simple present.
  • Ask another student to come to the board and underline the main verb in each sentence.
  • Elicit or point out that the main verb is in the base form, which is the same in all 3 persons.
  • Tell students to look back at p. 134 and find the yes/no questions. SAs circulate and help as necessary.
  • Place transparency on the OHP; ask students to point out the questions.

In Groups

SAs

  • P. 140: Ask pairs of students to read (aloud) the Yes/No questions and corresponding short answers in the charts.
  • To check students’ understanding, ask questions like:
  • How are Yes/No questions like negative statements? (We form them with do or does and the base form of the verb.)
  • How are Yes/No questions different from negative statements? (Do and Does come before the subject.)
  • Ask students to read the bulleted notes at the bottom of p. 140. Discuss and answer questions as necessary.
  • Ask students to get out some paper. Ask them to writeYes/No questions with the following subjects: you, your best friend, your teachers, your city.
  • Ask each student to write a question and an answer for it on the board.
  • Have students complete C2A, p. 141 individually; then check as a group.
  • C2B: generally follow the directions, but do this in pairs.
  • C3, p. 142: have students complete part A; then check as a group. Then have students complete part B; then check.

Instructor

  • Form 3: D, p. 143: Information Questions: ask students to individually complete “Examining Form.”
  • While students work on this, write the questions on the board.
  • Ask a student to identify the Yes/No questions.
  • Elicit that 1b and 2b are information questions. Ask how they know.
  • Ask students to look back at p. 134 and find the information questions. SAs circulate and help as necessary.
  • Place transparency on the OHP; ask students to point out the questions.

In Groups

SAs

  • Ask pairs of students to read the information questions and answers in the chart, p. 143.
  • Ask students to get out some paper. Write on your own piece of paper: When do you exercise?
  • Show this to the students in your group. Ask the students to write the sentence with different subjects (e.g., he, I, she, they, Niina and Chu). Please make sure that all students are writing their own questions.
  • Check as a group.
  • Ask the students to change the question with different wh- words (Where, Why, When). Please make sure that all students are writing their own questions.
  • Check as a group.
  • Ask students to write 2 original information questions: one with a subject pronoun (e.g., Why do you exercise?) and one with a wh-word subject (e.g., Who lives in Texas? or “What smells good?). Please make sure that all students are writing their own questions.
  • Ask 1-2 students in your group with interesting questions to write their questions on the board.
  • D1: Listening for form, p. 144: Ask students to write in the words for the exercise as you read them. Read this through once; then read the questions again so that students can check. See answers below.

2. Who

3. How do

4. Where do

5. What do

6. Who does

7. When does

8. What

  • Check as a group.
  • D2A, p. 144: First look at #1 together. Point out that the underlined word is the answer to the question.
  • Have students individually complete #2. Then check for answers. Check each student’s written answer.
  • Then ask students to complete #3-6; check as a group. See answers below.

2. What does Lee’s brother study?

3. When/What time do Lynn and Paulo begin work?

4. How does Harry drive?

5. Who drives his car to work?

6. Why does Koji take a bus?

  • D2B, p. 144: Follow the directions.
  • D3, p. 145, A-C: Follow the directions.

Judy Bonifield is a lecturer at the University of Kansas' Applied English Center. She has been involved in the ESL field for over 20 years including experience in public schools and higher education in the United States and the United Arab Emirates. Her experience in higher education includes teaching beginning, intermediate, and advanced skills in grammar and reading/writing, and development and teaching of courses in short-term programs. More recently, she has developed an instructional system for beginning students, which includes English instruction and academic skills. She received her MA in TESL at the University of Kansas.