Overview – 8 Principles:

​

Lesson Preparation

​

• Identify language and content goals for each lesson. What are students learning and what language do they need to achieve this?

 

• Consider backwards design when planning your unit. What do you want students to know and be able to do by the end of the unit? What steps are needed to scaffold student knowledge and skills to that point?

​

Building Background

​

• Use L1. Encourage students to brainstorm about a topic in their L1 to activate their background knowledge. Wherever possible, encourage students to work with same language buddies for this process. Encourage a class discussion with students sharing key words from their L1’s to explain a concept.

​

• Use visuals and/or realia to spark dialogue on a particular topic related to the topic of study.

​

Comprehensible Input

​

• Frontload vocabulary before reading a text. Encourage the use of personal dictionaries for students to keep track of new words.

​

• Ensure that directions for tasks and assignments are delivered clearly. This includes repetition, using written and oral forms and visuals wherever possible.

 

Strategies

 

• Use a directed reading approach where students read short passages of text while answering direct questions such as:

       What is happening here?

       What will happen next?

       Why do you think this?

​

• Introduce the process of annotation to encourage students to annotate text before, during and after reading.

​

Interaction

​

• Thoughtfully group students for specific tasks varying groups by proficiency levels and shared L1 as appropriate.

​

• Use inside and outside circles for students to share their thoughts. Rotate multiple times for students to gain fluency and confidence.

​

Practice/Application

​

• Use a joint construction of text model to have students practice writing in a new genre with a partner to build familiarity before having students write independently.

​

• Provide continuous and prompt formative feedback for students. Encourage many draft copies before final copies of writing are handed in.

​

Lesson Delivery

​

• Use red and green cards to check for understanding during a lesson. Students each have a red and green card and place the appropriate side up to indicate understanding or express if they need further explanation.

​

• Use chunk and chew formatting for lessons. Chunk lessons and build in brain breaks for students to chew on and process information.

​

Review & Assessment

​

• Play review games such as flyswatter or find someone who to review key concepts and/or vocabulary words

​

• Provide choice in assessment – give options for students to express themselves in a format that suits their learning needs and is appropriate to the learning outcomes of the task.