This is a presentation that I gave at the MaFLA Conference in 2009. I gave a shorter version of it at the NECTFL Conference in 2009.

1. Centers and Small Group Instruction for Foreign Language Classrooms Jessica Haxhi Maloney Interdistrict Magnet School Waterbury, CT jhaxhi@waterbury.k12.ct.us

2. Jessica Haxhi Maloney Interdistrict Magnet School Waterbury, CT jhaxhi@waterbury.k12.ct.us Japanese Language and Culture Program http://teacherweb.com/CT/ maloneymagnetschool/japanese/ Wiki for Resources and Handouts http://maloneyjapanese.wikispaces.com/ (“World Language Teachers” Section)

3. Web Viewers Please note that some videos were shown during this presentation that will not be shown in the online version.

4. Maloney Interdistrict Magnet SchoolJapanese Language and Culture Program Prekindergarten – 5th Grade Program Most classes meet 3 times per week for 25 minutes each 2nd and 5th grade classes meet 2 times per week, one 25 minute, one 50 minute class Alumni students in grades 6-12 come once per week after school

5. Maloney Interdistrict Magnet School Japanese Language & Culture Curriculum The 5 C’s! A typical unit will combine elements from each goal area: Communication, Culture, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities. COMMUNICATION Interacting with others - through conversations and some written text Comprehending- the spoken word and some written text Presenting - orally and with some written text Four Task Areas These help teachers to focus planning, instruction and assessment. Socializing COMPARISONS Of Japanese Language and Culture to Our Native Languages and Cultures products, practices and perspectives of Japan CULTURE Experiencing Japan Getting Things Done Talking about Myself & Others COMMUNITIES Using Japanese with native speakers, outside of class, in the community, and just for fun! 4 Social Studies & Multicultural Curriculum Talking about ourselves, our families, our homes, and communities in Japanese and comparing them to those in Japan. Talking about countries and languages of our heritage and the world; finding them on a map and globe. Language Arts Using and reinforcing language arts skills while talking about stories, listening for a purpose, comparing languages, finding meaning in context, and reading in Japanese and English. CONNECTIONSto other subject areas Technology Using iPods, voice recorders Powerpoint, digital storytelling and other technology to learn and demonstrate Japanese Skills. Physical Education Using dance, movement, games, and rules to access language and culture. Math Using math facts, measuring, and conversions to get things done in Japanese. Music Using music, rhythm, and patterns to access Japanese language and culture. Science Using predicting, experimenting and charting to discuss concepts in Japanese. Art Using drawing, color, impact and creativity as an aide to expression in Japanese.

6. Who are you? What do you want to learn today?

7. Agenda Defining “small group instruction” Planning for Centers Ideas for each of the 5 C’s Setting up the classroom Tracking student progress

8. What is “small group instruction?” The teaching of small groups of students while others work at learning “centers.”

9. Why use Small Group Instruction?Lessons from the Homeroom opportunity for “guided reading” teachers can engage the learner teachers can use “strategic coaching” teachers can “scaffold” the learning students develop as independent learners Taken from Ford, M.P. & Opitz, M.F. (2002) “Using centers to engage children during guided reading time: Intensifying learning experiences away from the teacher.” The Reading Teacher

11. develop group work skills

12. get one-on-one time with teachers

16. PlanningHow much time for each center? A whole class period Half a period One-third One-fourth One-fifth

17. PlanningBrainstorming Activities Teacher Table Four to five student centers

18. The Teacher Table What could you do... if you had 20 minutes with 5 of your students around a table?

19. Student Centers What types of things can your students do on their own? 3-4 7-8 5-6 K-2

20. PlanningThe Best Centers can be used independently can be used by all have accountability are not too hard to make or change build around class routines Taken from Ford, M.P. & Opitz, M.F. (2002) “Using centers to engage children during guided reading time: Intensifying learning experiences away from the teacher.” The Reading Teacher

22. What learning and practice would best be done at the teacher table?

23. What experiences are best done in small groups or individually?

24. What skills really need extra practice or support?

25. What are engaging realia, videos, etc. for this unit?

26. What materials and technology do I have access to?

28. PlanningKeeping Students in the Target Language Very tricky! Keep them busy. Maybe use a reward system. Maybe use a penalty system. Buy iPods! Build in accountability...

29. PlanningAccountability for Students Teacher Collect papers each time and check Ask homeroom teacher to circulate Group (with lead student) Group checklist Lead student collects finished papers Group behavior system – gain/lose points, money, etc. Group test at end Individual student Checklist for each student as they go through centers (objectives or activities) Completing a packet as they go Correcting papers as they go, inserting in folder Test on content at end Behavior system for good work/problems Accountability Can be Fun! (when students record themselves)

30. Accountability can be Fun!(Students record themselves) From Low Tech to High Tech

32. very easy to use

33. almost retro cool!

34. Best for one-time use for your scoring purposesSONY TCM-150

36. Easy for kids to use

37. Uploads to computer so you can save for the future

38. Must make them say their names each timeSony ICD BX700

39. Computer Sound Recorder Already on any PC in Accessories>Entertainment Students can delete and re-record until it is perfect Saves easily to computer Kids can name files with their own names May need a microphone

40. Photostory 3 for Windows

41. Photostory 3 for Windows Students can record something specific to a photo that you or they have put in. Students can delete and fix it until it is perfect. Requires whole-class training, using some English. Requires plan for saving to disk or computers.

42. Flip Camera About $150 each Very easy to use Doesn’t require tapes Students can instantly view Uploads to computer for saving for later www.theflip.com

43. Other Options Regular video camera Camera already installed on computer For voice – www.audacity.com For creativity – www.voki.com

44. http://www.techiequest.com/pic/voki01.jpg

45. Quick Excitement Break What has already gotten you thinking?

46. Activity Ideas The 5 C’s Interpersonal (two-way conversations) Interpretive (listening/reading/watching) Presentational (creating a final product) Culture Connections Comparisons Communities

47. Interpersonal Skills person-to-person speaking

48. Interpersonal SkillsTeacher Table Having simple conversations about personal information Talking about likes, dislikes, or opinions Playing “Go Fish” or a variation Describing pictures Talking about a holiday, folktale or books read in class Role-playing with puppets or animals Introducing or using situation cards Hints: Always ask “push” questions Have a class list, rubric copy, or laptop for recording scores and making notes

49. Interpersonal SkillsStudent Centers Practicing a situation card or known dialogue Learning new content with vocabulary, hint sheets, dictionaries or computer kiosks Using puppets, cell-phones, or walkie talkies to make it fun Recording with laptops, digital recorder, iPods, flip camera, or cassette player

50. Interpersonal SkillsStudent Center Games Hangman “Guess who?” or Eggspert games with a designated leader Teacher-created games with dice Candyland or Chutes and Ladders (no English!) Go Fish Culturally authentic games Online games with one student as “Vanna White” one student as “leader”

51. Interpretive Skills listening and reading for a purpose

53. Songs

54. Conversations

55. Poetry

56. Speeches

57. Tapes

58. iPods

59. Laptops

60. Listen for a certain word and count instances

61. Teacher-created simple listening test

62. Listening comprehension test

63. Fill in the missing words (with or without word bank)

64. Match what you hear to a picture

65. Listen and put book pictures in order

66. Put words in order (on sentence strips or copies)

68. Song video

69. Conversation video

70. Drama

71. Other YouTube find!

72. VCR

73. Laptop

74. Put scenes in order by pictures

75. Put written sentences describing scenes in order

76. Match pictures from story to written sentences

77. Answer main idea questions

78. Answer comprehension questions

80. Poetry

81. Articles

82. Advertisements

84. Find words that begin with “_” and list

85. Put summary sentences in order

86. Choose best sentence to describe character, main idea, problem, solution.

87. Answer comprehension questions.

89. Matching words to stamps

90. Stamping words under pictures with letter stamps

91. Matching words to definitions

92. Draw illustrations for words or paragraphs

93. Word fill-in with sentences

94. Character fill-in (Japanese/Chinese)

97. Record practice OR final product with digital recorder, laptop, iPod, flip camera, or cassette.

98. Presentational Writing Centers Options: dictionaries or not word lists or not Write word for each letter of your name, animal you love, etc. Label a picture or pictures Draw a picture with a word repeated Write a word, phrase or sentence for each picture Write poetry, stories, etc. Create a Construction paper organizer Write into a Photostory picture on computer

99. Let’s see it in action! Fifth Grade Getting Around Unit Buildings-Directions- Health Needs

100. Culture Skills exploring the relationship between the products, practices, and perspectives of the target culture

101. Culture-Based Centers money rubbings learning about and practicing specific customs playing culturally authentic games accessing websites in the target language viewing cultural topic videos eating, drinking something from culture creating models of food or art from clay or other medium

102. Art-Based Culture Centers match art piece to sentence that describes it brainstorm words or phrases about each art piece one partner describes, other points to the art piece do “color-by-number” of art piece, 1 = rojo 2 = verde

105. Connections: Science Centers What in the room is magnetic? (room is labeled - list up in target language) What in the room is metal, wood, etc.? Classifying animals by various characteristics and creating chart Putting together life-cycle pictures for plants, animals, etc. Listening to a YouTube video explaining simple science concept in target language

106. Connections: Art, Music and PE Make a target culture craft Draw a scene to be labeled later Compare 2 target culture songs for various characteristics Write a few sentences about why one song is better. Learn a dance step or dance from written directions, video, etc.

107. Comparisons of languages and cultures

108. Comparisons-based Centers Creating Venn diagrams (written or pictures) or other graphic organizers. Writing about own family, home, etc. versus target culture family, home, studied (perhaps English) Investigating written work in both languages (ex. same picture book in two languages) and answering questions about similarities/differences Looking at maps from different countries and answering comparison questions or highlighting countries.

109. Communities The Ultimate Center!

110. Communities-based Centers Native-speaker visitor(s) as the center (be sure to give task or games!) Reading, listening to or writing pen pal letters Looking at video from pen pals Looking at YouTube video of peers Constructing an email, letter, picture, etc. to share with native speakers Creating something in target language to be shared with the school or home for the purpose of language sharing/teaching

111. Assessment How does assessment fit into Small Group Instruction and Centers?

112. Setting upthe Classroom

113. Priorities Easy to change quickly Match activity to setting Provide logical circular flow Have a way to signal centers change

114. On a Cart “Center in a Box” CD/DVD to put in classroom computer Talk with teacher about using his/her reading table Start with less centers (or even 1 group at your table) Learning Stations Concept

115. Giving Directions for Centers Written sheets on table Instructions on slides of Powerpoint Go over on first day of centers and/or previous class Walk them through transitions

116. For Early finishers... Word searches Crossword puzzles Color-by-directions Continue drawings Help others

117. TrackingStudentProgress

118. StudentSelf-Assessment “Can Do” Checklist for students as they go through centers “Can Do” Checklist for after centers are complete

119. Work that Students Correct Keep answer papers in a separate area, near you, or on a later slide of Powerpoint OR, correct as a class after last center

120. Work you need to score Collect in “Finished Work” folder for later grading Put folder on desktop of computer with class name for students to save recordings into Consider recording/videotaping assessments at your table for later scoring Consider having your computer in front of you to enter scores Consider having rubric in front of you to score as they speak

121. Let’s Brainstorm Some Centers!

122. Brainstorming Centers Create grade-level and language groups Discuss a topic area that you find challenging to teach Use the questions on the next slide to guide your discussion Brainstorm what you could do at four centers, plus a teacher table using the “Small Group Instruction and Centers” Planning Sheet

123. Interpretive Communication Presentational Communication Cultures Connections Communication 2 Culture Interpersonal Communication Communication Communication 1 Other “C” Other “C” Comparisons Communities Math Art Unit ___________________________________ Grade_______________________ Centers Objectives:________________________________________________________________ Teacher Table

124. Unit __My Family and Your Family________ Grade______4th/5th _________________ Centers Objectives: Practice family and hobby vocabulary (speaking/reading/writing), understand longer conversations, practice for later assessment describing your own family picture Create Family Construction Paper Fold-Up Book Draw family member face or write name on front flap On inside: Write (mother, father, etc). Write birth month Write one hobby they like Write one food they like using dictionaries Teacher Table: Identify family clip art pics, Identify sports/hobbies pics; Answer questions about how many people in their family; Teacher shares a photo or drawing of her (or a famous person’s) real or imaginary family and talks about names, ages, birth months, and likes/dislikes of members – asks students for input One Laptop Reading words – Slap the Word Game Family member words Sports/Hobbies words Find the Word in Context Look at pages from websites or an article printed and highlight family member OR sports words. Give students tally of how many of each they should find. Challege – ask a few comprehension questions about readings iPods Watch Shingomama video and put words of song in order. Watch conversation between teachers and answer comprehension questions.

126. What learning and practice would best be done at the teacher table?

127. What experiences are best done in small groups or individually?

128. What skills really need extra practice or support?

129. What are engaging realia, videos, etc. for this unit?

130. What materials and technology do I have access to?