FROM CURRICULUM TEMPLATE TO THE CLASSROOM: TOOLS AND STRATEGIES TO A DESIGN A LEARNER CENTERED ENVIRONMENT VHPA Balvihar Hindi School, Atlanta, GA Smita Daftardar, Preeti Gupta, Brijrani Verma Camp Director: Manju Tiwari
SESSION OUTCOMES I can : List points to consider when choosing an age-appropriate & engaging theme according to Startalk Endorsed Principles I can : Identify how to align Theme Program Can-Dos Performance Assessment Tasks I can : Breakdown Performance Assessment Tasks into Lesson Can-Dos I can: Identify instructional strategies & activities that achieve Lesson Can-Dos and promote learner centered classrooms in all 3 modes of communications
WHY THIS SESSION? Focus Strand: Accepting the Challenge Topics Incorporating Startalk Endorsed Principles in Curriculum The Curriculum Template: Program Can-Dos, Performance Assessment Tasks and Beyond Effective Strategies and Activities for Student Centered Classroom Reflections: What worked well and what could be changed/improved
What are Startalk Endorsed Principles? 1)Implementing a Standards-Based and Thematically Organized Curriculum 2) Facilitating a Learner-Centered Classroom 3) Using the Target Language and Providing Comprehensible Input for Instruction 4) Integrating Culture, Content, and Language in a World Language Classroom 5) Adapting and Using Age-Appropriate Authentic Materials 6) Conducting Performance-Based Assessment
Can-Do#1: Incorporating Startalk Endorsed Principles in Curriculum Principle#1: Implementing a Standards-Based and Thematically Organized Curriculum Some key words that we focused on: Content is cognitively engaging and relevant to the learner Clearly stated learning targets Learning experiences are sequenced in ways that allow for maximum student learning
Principle #1: Implementing a Standards-Based and Thematically Organized Curriculum Content is cognitively engaging and relevant to the learner Our Theme: Incredible India through its Incredible Stories Novice : Panchtantra Stories related to friendship, loyalty, personality and physical traits, incorporating elements of environment/landscapes Intermediate: Ancient Indian Parable The Elephant and the Six Blind Men related to team work, cooperation and appreciating other people s point of view. Advance: Historic Stories of Tenali Raman, the witty minister of Raja Krishna Dev Rai of Vijayanagar Empire, connected with diversity, special needs, tolerance, bullying etc. Our Considerations: Age appropriate theme Topics that students can identify with/discuss/expand Pleasant and Positive ( Consider role play, what kinds of roles would your students be interested in playing?)
Principle #1: Implementing a Standards-Based and Thematically Organized Curriculum Clearly stated learning targets Learning experiences are sequenced in ways that allow for maximum student learning What we implemented: Define Overall Target - Students will create a story book and present their story using a traditional or modern Indian story telling style Divide the camp curriculum & duration in logical units (topics and days) with well-defined objectives. The sequence of units will provide scaffolding.
Principle #1: Implementing a Standards-Based and Thematically Organized Curriculum Clearly stated learning targets Learning experiences are sequenced in ways that allow for maximum student learning Online Segment: ( 6-10 hours, over a period of 6 days) Face to Face: (12 days: Day 1-Introduction, Day 6- field trip, Day 12 Conclusion) Online Segment: Foundational and relevant literacy skills, vocab, sentence structure and some content as per students proficiency level. Face to face: Unit 1(2 days): Students read/watch/ listen to a story. They do a variety of activities: fill a story map, compare with a similar story, connect with their own life, suggest a different outcome etc. Face to face: Unit 2 (3 days): Students learn about different traditional and modern styles of story telling in India. They re-tell the story they have learned about/read/viewe d/modified/extend ed in Unit 1 using any one or two styles. Face to face: Unit 3 (4 days): Students make their own story, create a story book, and present their story using any one style. They use the content from Unit 1 and 2, with no new content in unit 3.
Can-Do#1: Incorporating Startalk Endorsed Principles in Curriculum (contd.) Principle#4: Integrating Culture, Content, and Language in a World Language Classroom Stories and styles of story telling such as Puppetry, (content) showcase the culture of India, the activities encourage students to use/produce target language. Principle# 5: Adapting and Using Age-Appropriate Authentic Materials Use of video clips, popular and latest TV shows, colorful books, articles and realia Principles #2, 3 & 6 will be discussed with examples of Instructional strategies & activities
Principle#4: Integrating Culture, Content, and Language in a World Language Classroom क वड र जस थ न क श ल ह कत थक उत तर प रद श र ज य क श ल ह आल ह र जस थ न क श ल ह कठप तल र जस थ न क श ल ह कथकल क रल क श ल ह प डव न छत त सगढ़ क श ल ह Example: Novice
Principle#4: Integrating Culture, Content, and Language in a World Language Classroom अत ल य भ रत और उसक अत ल य कह न य!
Principle# 5: Adapting and Using Age- Appropriate Authentic Materials - Video clips Popular and latest TV shows Colorful story books Realia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80yzhyxsg3y&t=226s
The Curriculum Template: Program Can-Dos, Performance Assessment Tasks and Beyond Can-Do#2: I can identify how to align Theme Program Can-Dos Performance Assessment Tasks Theme: Incredible India through its Incredible Stories PROGRAM CAN-DO STATEMENTS: Interpersonal Communication 1. How can learners exchange information and ideas in conversations? [NM] I can request and provide information by asking and answering a few simple questions on very familiar and everyday topics, using a mixture of practiced or memorized words, phrases, and simple sentences. NM: 1) I can request and provide information about family members, friends, classmates, teachers etc., using a mixture of practiced or memorized words, phrases, and simple sentences. (2) I can ask & answer few simple questions about a story I learned about, different types of stories and styles of story-telling in India, using a mixture of practiced or memorized words, phrases, and simple sentences Example: Novice Curriculum Template
Can-Do#2: I can identify how to align Theme Program Can-Dos Performance Assessment Tasks Program Can-Do has 2 parts ---- Action Words & Content Performance Assessment Task should address both. Program Can-Do Performance Assessment Task I can ask & answer few simple questions about a story I learned about, different types of stories and styles of storytelling in India, using a mixture of practiced or memorized words, phrases, and simple sentences Toss the Ball: Students will stand in a circle. The teacher will say a fact about the story read/viewed in class and ask a question and toss the ball to any one student. The student who gets the ball must answer that question and ask another question and toss the ball to another student, who must answer and ask a new question, and so on. Depending upon the topic of the day, the questions can be about the story that they have read/viewed, types of stories /styles of story-telling etc. The questions may not be repeated, and the game goes on till everyone has had at least one chance to ask/answer
Can-Do # 3: Breaking Performance Assessment Task into Lesson Can-Do Statements Content covered in Performance Assessment Task will align with Interpretive Can-Dos Performance Assessment Task Toss the Ball: Students will stand in a circle. The teacher will say a fact about the story read/viewed in class and ask a question and toss the ball to any one student. The student who gets the ball must answer that question and ask another question and toss the ball to another student, who must answer and ask a new question, and so on. Depending upon the topic of the day, the questions can be about the story that they have read/viewed, types of stories /styles of story-telling etc. The questions may not be repeated, and the game goes on till everyone has had at least one chance to ask/answer Lesson Can-Do Statements: 1. Interpretive: I can identify/recognize the meaning of some words, short phrases that are used to describe a person ( personal traits such as brave, loyal and physical traits such as small, big) 2. Interpretive: I can identify/recognize the meaning of some words, short phrases that are used to describe a place( features such as trees, animals, rivers etc.) 3. Interpretive: I can recognize/identify words/phrases that name and describe a specific element of a story such as the main characters (who) and their personal and physical traits. 4.. Interpretive: I can recognize/identify words/phrases that name and describe a specific element of a story such as the location/setting of the story (where) The interpretive activities/assessments should teach/assess the content highlighted in Yellow. The Interpersonal and Presentational activities/assessments should make students do the actions highlighted in Blue.
Can-Do# 3: Breaking Performance Assessment Task into Lesson Can-Do Statements Actions outlined in Performance Assessment Task will align with Interpersonal & Presentational Can-Dos. Performance Assessment Task Toss the Ball: Students will stand in a circle. The teacher will say a fact about the story read/viewed in class and ask a question and toss the ball to any one student. The student who gets the ball must answer that question and ask another question and toss the ball to another student, who must answer and ask a new question, and so on. Depending upon the topic of the day, the questions can be about the story that they have read/viewed, types of stories /styles of story-telling etc. The questions may not be repeated, and the game goes on till everyone has had at least one chance to ask/answer Lesson Can-Do Statements: 10.Interpersonal: I can ask and answer questions about the elements of a story I know about, such as "who are the main characters of the story", " what did X do", "what is the message of this story", " Where did the story take place", etc. 11.Interpersonal: I can ask and answer questions about different types of stories and styles of story-telling in India 12.Presentational: I can list a few facts about a story I know about, and a few facts about the types of stories and styles of story telling in India. The interpersonal and Presentational activities/assessments should make students do the actions highlighted in Blue.
Can-Do#4: I can identify instructional strategies & activities that achieve Lesson Can-Dos and promote learner centered classrooms in all 3 modes of communications Theme for Novice- Panchtantra stories Why we chose this theme: Panchtantra stories are age appropriate, interesting There are so many stories in Panchtantra that give a very good moral lesson/ life lesson. Characters and morals of the Panchtantra story are things that learner can easily relate to in day to day life. Can dos: I can identify and list different elements of story. I can identify different Indian traditional styles of storytelling. I can create a story in the form of a story book, using short memorized phrases and sentences and pictures. I can present a story I know of/i have created, using one of the storytelling styles - story reading, a play, a puppet show or an audio/video recording
Tools and strategies that we used to create a learner centered learning plan: Novice Three basic modes of communication were met in our program: Interpretive: I can identify and list different elements of story. A. Through Realia Story books 3 categories (Panchtantra, Pauranik and Aitihasik) of stories were introduced by showing the different types of books. We had a bunch of story books in each novice class. Learners had opportunity to explore these books. Individual help was provided by teacher and TA. Learners also had some aid to help them read and understand the story such as alphabet and matra chart, vocabulary etc. Learners learned a lot of new words through these pictorial books such as names of the animal, places and things it worked well) B. Watching video and listing/circling words First the learner were introduced with character & settings of the story in target language through a familiar story Lion king then the video of Panchtatra story Sher aur Chuha was shown in the target language and students were asked to list the character, settings & moral of the story then another video of story Cheentie aur Kabootar with similar moral and setting was shown. Learners compared the characters, settings, and moral of the story. It was a good revision it worked well) C. Fly swatter game- Activity will be between 2 kids. Teacher will prompt a world and learner have to point it quickly. Whoever does it first is the winner.
Tools and strategies that we used to create a learner centered learning plan - Novice Interpretive: I can identify and list different elements of story. D. Board games Verb or Adjective game. 2 to 4 players, dice and counters for each player. Rules: Each player gets a turn to roll the dice. Where ever the player lands, the player will read the word, tell its meaning and say if it s a verb or adjective. If a player is unable to say it then they miss a turn. The first to reach the end is the winner. Note: It worked very well for differentiated learning. Novice learners read the word; Novice Mid learners read the word & explained its meaning; Novice High used the word in a sentence.
Tools and strategies that we used to create a learner centered learning plan -Novice Can do addressed - I can identify and list different elements of story. Interpretive Activity:
Tools and strategies that we used to create a learner centered learning plan - Novice Can do addressed: I can identify different Indian traditional styles of storytelling. Can be used as Interpretive or Interpersonal Information gap Activity
Tools and strategies that we used to create a learner centered learning plan - Novice Interpersonal communication: A. Find your Identity Card: Ask the students to put their ID cards in a bin. Mix all the cards well. Students will randomly pick 1 ID card without looking at it. Students have to find their own card by giving their info or introducing themselves to the other person B. Bicycle Chain: Learners stand in 2 rows facing each other and say their name and ask another person s name and move forward to the next person. (very good activity for introduction) C. Toss the Ball: In a circle one learner asks a question and throws the ball towards another student, the student who gets the ball has to answer the question and then he/she asks another question before throwing it to the other person. The teacher should make sure that the ball rotates quickly among the students without anyone holding on to it too long, as it is a quick recap game.
Tools and strategies that we used to create a learner centered learning plan - Novice Interpersonal communication contd. D. Dumb Charade with Action Verbs E. Information Gap Activity: 1)Students will match a type of story or style of story-telling with its description, (such as puppets---dancing dolls, Panchtantra----animal stories). 2)Teacher will divide class into 2 groups and display a set of pictures related to 2 tasks( a set of tools needed for an art project, a set of food items to make a complete meal). Each group of students will get the set of words that match the other group's task. Each group will take turns to request for the items they need to complete the task assigned to them.
Tools and strategies that we used to create a learner centered learning plan - Novice Making Sher aur Chuha story: Interpersonal + Presentational Can do addressed: I can create a story in the form of a story book, using short memorized phrases and sentences and pictures. Three students can work in a group. Using the characters, setting, adjective and verb sheet, fill in the empty speech bubble and make a Sher aur Chuha story.
Tools and strategies that we used to create a learner centered learning plan- Novice Students worked in groups to create and present their own story with the help of following tools ( Interpersonal + Presentational)
Tools and strategies that we used to create a learner centered learning plan- Advance Activities for all three modes of learning: Interpretive: Through realia, Kahani ka Pitaara, Authentic advertisement with cultural connections, video clips with targeted instruction, authentic articles. Think, pair, Share: InterpersonalThe students will then Think Pair Share with their shoulder buddies to add any extra features they missed to write in the flap card. The teacher will then divide the class in three groups of 3-4 students and they will pick books and ask each other- In your opinion this book will fall in which category and why? The students will reply this is a historical book because -xxx----, this is a PuaraniK story because xxx etc. I can identify, categorize and describe the main features of different types of stories from Indian cultures. Recap Activities for quick assessment: 1.Throw the ball activity: Student asks a question from the previous lesson and throws the ball towards another student, the student who gets the ball has to quickly answer the question before throwing it to the other classmates. The teacher should make sure that the ball rotates quickly among the students without anyone holding on to it for thinking the answer as it is a quick recap game.
Tools and strategies that we used to create a learner centered learning plan- Advance 2.Jeopardy game: Divide the class in two teams and the TA puts the timer. The teams can choose questions from categories. Question- the story telling style from ChattisgarH which narrates life of Pavdavas. Answer-What is Pandvani? TA keeps the tally of the teams and declares the winner team.
Tools and strategies that we used to create a learner centered learning plan- Advance 3. Language game: Instruction: Read and understand the question in 20 seconds and answer it in Hindi in 60 seconds. 1.Describe the external surrounding of the puppetry museum? Activity: Identification and categorization game: पहच न कह न Teacher will divide the class in two teams and in two story hats, make similar set of 8-10 note-strips with starting, endings and definitions of all three categories. She will divide the board in two halves. Each team will first make three columns in their halves and write the names of 3 story categories at the top. TA will set the timer for 60 seconds and the team will take out the strips from their hats read it, quickly decide among each other and run to put under the category with a magnet. The team which categorizes the maximum within 60 seconds, will be the winner.
Tools and strategies that we used to create a learner centered learning plan- Advance Think, Pair, share about the story elements through analogy with creating a dish as a chef and creating a story as an author. Formative assessment: Students will play the game, Sort out the story elements with cards. Interpersonal and presentational activities: Debates and panel discussion: Before the debate or Panel discussion the teacher provides a lot of scaffolding through interpretive and interpersonal modes of learning. Reading a part of an authentic article in groups, then brainstorming and completing the Jigsaw to understand the whole as a class. Doing quick Survey: Convincing and making groups in support or against the statement.
Tools and strategies that we used to create a learner centered learning plan- Advance घ मक कड़ कथ -व चक : The wanderer story teller Once the students are ready with their story in the group, the Teacher will ask them to Think, Pair and Share to select a style of storytelling. They will then practice among themselves to narrate their story. Each group will go to the younger classes as घ मक कड़ कथ -व चक, the traditional Indian story tellers in villages who go from place to place narrating stories and narrate the story in their chosen method of storytelling. The teacher and TA will observe and this will act as a summative assessment for the whole unit. The students will make sure that the younger students can tell the gist of the story either by writing few lines, or drawing as an assessment of their understanding.
Tools and strategies that we used to create a learner centered learning plan- Advance Teacher will divide the class into two teams and show this picture: Each team has to brain storm and write all the story elements (apt title, vivid characters, character traits, descriptive setting, plot, conflict, resolution) in bullet points as their first draft. Check for conflict (suddenly a giant brown bear appeared----) Provide a solution, and then what did they do? TA will put the timer for 8 minutes. The teams will brainstorm and quickly write it. Both the teams will present their drafts and the teacher will decide the winner team based on the elements covered and the usage of the descriptive words. This will give them a practice for making the first draft for their story.
Tools and strategies that we used to create a learner centered learning plan- Advance Brainstorming together as a group, come to a consensus about the genre, main topic and all the elements to create your own uniquely wonderful story. Teacher will show the video on how to write an effective story. Students will turn and talk and put the main points in their notebook for reference. Teacher will divide the class in a group of 3-4 students. She will provide them a detailed story map for making the framework of the story. Interpersonal: For every story element the students will convince their team, why that particular choice of setting, character, plot, end etc. They will vote with in their group for the best choice; once the group comes to a consensus, they will make a final Story Map with all the details. Each group will then present their Map in front of the class.
Tools and strategies that we used to create a learner centered learning plan- Advance Teacher will then ask the groups to take out their story maps and brainstorm and then start writing the first drafts of their own story in bullet points. This will act as a skeleton for writing the final story. Teacher and TA will rotate around the groups to facilitate them in their process to make the draft cover all the points. Teacher will provide a rubric for writing their final story. Assessment of the final story: Activity: Provide a detailed RUBRIC which should include all the elements of the story learned throughout the camp. The students keep checking the rubric and strive to achieve the excellent ratings. It is then peer reviewed and check marked for accountability. It is a constant reminder for the students to incorporate maximum criteria for evaluation. This acts as a strong reference point for the students and helps the teacher in getting the targeted product and enabling an overall judgment about the quality of the work.
Reflections What worked well: Clubs- Food, Science and Arts & Craft Having free time to chat with other learners on any subject but in target language. Taking a tour of the hallway and reading posters and signs in target language. Going to other classes and presenting their story through one of the styles like- puppet show, role play etc. Theme and overall objective gave students ample opportunity to speak and write the target language. Students at all proficiency levels wrote their stories and presented them in front of the entire camp, parents and community members. Students worked in groups and were very creative.
Challenges and how they were addressed: Novice: There was a huge difference in the age group of learners in one of the Novice classes, so some activities were childish for older learners. So, if I noticed that they are getting bored, I always assigned them some interesting activity. For example I paired them with the same age group and asked them to share some facts about their favorite recent trip with each other in Hindi and then they had to repeat what the other persons said. Intermediate & Advance: Classes are generally mixed level, so differentiated learning is essential. Activities had to be designed accordingly. Classes had large variations in literacy skills, even with comparable oral proficiency, making some reading/writing activities a challenge. This was addressed by pairing students with different skills ( high oral proficiency, low literacy paired with high literacy, low oral proficiency) so that they could learn from each other.
Contact Info: VHPA Balvihar Hindi School, Atlanta Balvihar.org Program Director Manju Tiwari msrtiwari@gmail.com