Task 1
Task 1 – The Book: Basic Facts
|Title |The Giver |
|Author |Lois Lowry |
|Number of pages |179 |
|Publication House |Dell Laurel-Leaf |
|ISBN number |0-440-23768-8 |
|Grade level |Secondary 4 |
|Type of program |Enriched |
|Genre |Novel |
|Categorization |American Literature for children |
Task 2 – Getting the Students into the Novel
1. Pre-activities
Making Predictions - Introducing “The Giver”
|Steps – Teacher |Steps – Students |
|Ask students to take out their copy of The Giver by Lois Lowry. |Students take out their copy of The Giver by Lois Lowry. |
|Ask students to look at the title and the images on the front cover. Students then|2. Students write down what they think the book will be about based on their |
|record their observations in the first part of the chart: Compare and Contrast. In|observations of the front cover of The Giver. They write whatever comes to mind on |
|the second section, in the My Ideas column, students write down their predictions |the chart: Compare and Contrast, in the My Ideas column. There are no right or wrong |
|on the book. Make sure to tell them that there are no right or wrong answers. |answers. |
| | |
|After 5 minutes, pair the students up (groups should be no more than 2 people, |3. After 5 minutes, the students pair up in groups of 2 or 3 (if odd numbers). |
|maximum 3 if there is an odd number of students). Tell them that they will discuss|Students listen to their partner’s predictions and share their own on the book and |
|their predictions with their partner using the chart: Compare and Contrast. They |write them down in the Compare and Contrast chart, in the My Partner’s Ideas column. |
|must complete the chart by taking note of what their partner predicted in the My | |
|Partner’s Ideas column. | |
| | |
|After 5 minutes, stop the activity and have one person from each pair or group |4. After 5 minutes, students stop discussing, designate a reporter who will go to |
|come up to the board for a blackboard share. The students chosen by their group to|the board to write down the predictions. |
|be the reporter write their group’s predictions on the board. | |
|Have a whole group discussion. What predictions came out the most often? Which |5. Whole-group discussion. Which predictions are the most common to all groups? |
|ones didn’t? |Which ones aren’t? |
Name: Group:
Title of the novel:
Author:
Describe the front cover of the novel: (images, words, colours…). Use point form to take notes.
Compare and Contrast
|My Ideas |My Partner’s Ideas |
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Tellbacks - Introducing “The Giver”
|Steps – Teacher |Steps – Students |
|Pair the students with a partner or, in case of odd numbers, in a triad. |Students get into pairs or into a triad. |
|Have students take out their copy of Lois Lowry’s The Giver. |They take out their copy of The Giver by Lois Lowry. |
|Tell them that they will read the first page of Chapter 1 for 2 minutes. Tell |Students will read the first page of Chapter 1 for 2 minutes and then they tell their|
|students that they will tell their partner/triad about the main character afterwards.|partner/triad what they learned about the main character. |
|After 2 minutes, stop the reading. Students begin to tell their partner / triad what |Students stop reading and tell their partner/triad what they learned about the main |
|they learned about the main character. Walk around the classroom, reminding students |character. This must be done in English. |
|to speak in English when necessary, and to answer questions. | |
|Stop the first tellback. Tell students that they will read for another 2 minutes, but|Students end the first tellback. Students read for another 2 minutes, but they will |
|that this time they will tell their partner/triad about the setting (the place where |tell their partner/triad about the setting (the place where the story takes place). |
|the story takes place). | |
|Stop the second reading. Begin the second tellback. Make sure students are using |Students stop reading after 2 minutes and begin the second tellback. This must be |
|English. |done in English. |
|Stop the second tellback. Have students refer to their Compare and Contrast chart. |Students end the second tellback. They refer to their completed Compare and Contrast |
|Have a whole-class discussion. Do some of the predictions made earlier seem to be |chart for a whole-class discussion. Which predictions seem to be coming true? Which |
|coming true? Which ones aren’t? |ones aren’t? |
Surveying activity - Introducing “The Giver”
|Steps - Teacher |Steps - Students |
|1. Place the students in teams of two (if odd numbers, in triads). | |
|→ One student is team member 1 and the other is team member 2. | |
|→ Give a number for each team. |Make sure they answer the following questions. |
|→ Mention that any team number can be called on to give the answer. | |
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|2. Give the book to the students. | |
|→ Ask them to look at the title and the image and reflect individually first. |→ Why is the title “The Giver”? |
|→ Have them exchange their answers within the teams (Think Pair Share) and then to |→ Why do you think there is an old man on the cover? |
|the class. | |
|→ Team member 1 will tell the class what they found out. | |
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|* Write their answers on the board for every step. | |
|** Make sure to give the students enough time to find information, but not too much | |
|so they have the time to read. | |
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|3. Explain what surveying is and how to do it. | |
|Give an example. | |
|4. Have the students survey the back cover, individually. |→ What have they learned? |
|→ Think Pair Share and then share with the whole class. |(Name of main character, role of the main character…) |
|→ Team member 2 will tell the class what they found out. |→ Did they confirm any of their previous hypothesis? |
|5. Have the students survey the abstract, individually. | |
|→ Have them underline new information. |→ Is there anything else that is learned about the main character, the setting, the |
|→ Think Pair Share and then share what they found out with the whole class. |community? |
|→ Team member 1 will tell the class what they found out. | |
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|6. Have them survey the first chapter, individually. | |
|→ Allow them to underline some information, new or confirmation of their |→ Underline some information, new or |
|previous hypothesis. |confirmation of previous hypothesis. |
|→ Make sure they do not have the time to read the whole chapter, every 15 seconds | |
|tell them to move on to the next page. |→ What is the name of the main character, where does he live, how old is he and so |
|→ Think Pair Share and then share what they found out with the whole class. |forth… |
|→ Team member 2 will tell the class what they found out. | |
| | |
|7. Allow them to use the rest of the class to start reading the first and second | |
|chapter. If not finished by the end of the class or if not enough time to start | |
|reading, give what is left as homework for next class. | |
Reflecting on Utopia - Introducing “The Giver”
|Steps - Teacher |Steps - Students |
| | |
|1. Explain the social context of the novel. | |
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|2. Place the students in teams of two. | |
|3. Distribute the activity sheet. | |
|4. Have them think about 5 items that would be part of their utopian world. | |
| | |
| |→ Activity sheet , #1 |
|5. Think Pair Share | |
|→ Have them fill the venn diagram. | |
| |→ Activity sheet, #2 |
| | |
|→Write down a list of items that are part of the utopian world of the novel. |→ Then, in teams the students discuss where to put the new items in their diagram. |
|C(Colorless, everyone has a job, quiet, everyone is equal, no bad memories, lots of | |
|rules, no fighting, no good memories, emotionless, everyone has enough food, no war) | |
|→ Ask the students to include those items in the venn diagram. | |
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|6. Have the students write one item that they have in common within their team on the| |
|board. | |
| |→ They have to agree on the item they will write on the board. |
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|7. Have the students write a paragraph about the class’ utopian world and how they | |
|would feel if those would all be taken away from them. | |
|→ Have them use the conditional |→ Activity sheet, # 3 |
| | |
| | |
|8. Have them reflect as a group when they are done writing their paragraph. | |
| |→ They have to share their reflection with the classroom. |
| | |
Name: ______________________________ Group:________Date: ______________
Utopia
“An imaginary perfect world where everyone is happy”
1. Write down five (5) items that would represent your utopian world.
a) _______________________________________
b) _______________________________________
c) _______________________________________
d) _______________________________________
e) _______________________________________
2. Think Pair Share- Use the venn diagram to compare your utopia with your partner’s.
Place the ideas you share in the middle and those you don’t share on the sides.
[pic]
3. Write a short paragraph about your utopia and how you would feel if these items would be taken away from you.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Reflection
A) The purpose of pre-activities
The purpose of doing pre-activities is to prepare the students for the central activity. Pre-activities are used to activate the students’ prior knowledge about the topic discussed in the main activity. Also, Underwood (1989) mentioned that pre-activities are beneficial for students to acquire a sufficient knowledge on a topic in order for them to be successful in later activities. Moreover, success in the pre-activities leads the students to be more confident for the main activities (Underwood, 1989). In other words, the pre-activity stage prepares the students to make them aware of what will come up next.
The pre-activity stage plays a role in the schema theory, which stands for “the role of background knowledge in language comprehension” (Carell & Eisterhold, p.220, 1987). The schema theory says that the comprehension of a text lies between the reader’s background knowledge and the text, and that the information in the text guides the students to what they already know about the subject (Carell & Eisterhold, 1987). In other words, the schema theory refers to the ability to interpret the information from the text according to the knowledge one possesses. The schema theory is relevant to the pre-activity because they are closely related to one another; one is involved in the other. The pre-activity helps the students activate their prior knowledge, which will lead to the comprehension of the topic (schema theory).
The pre-activities created for this project are valid because they allow the students to make predictions about the book and the story of the book. Plus, they allow the students to open their minds to the other students’ ideas. The ideas that come out from the pre-activities would be the starting point for the activation of background knowledge and would lead to an awareness of what the book would possibly be about, then, leading to more confident readers.
B) The use of tellbacks
Tellbacks is an opportunity to acquire and exchange information. It forces the mind to organize and manage output. It gives importance to significant data and does away with less important material. It is a type of preparation for writing using speaking abilities. Student tellbacks allow collaborative input from a variety of sources. Multiple sources help develop different points of view. This allows for rapid discovery and attentive incorporation of information into the student's memory depositories. Tellbacks help students learn how to read effectively, understand, and remember given material.
For example, if a student is able to read a text, the next step is to read the material for details. For instance, answering the questions who, what, where, when? Using a variety of materials, from a children’s encyclopaedia to a novel, the student reads one paragraph and then, mentally outlines what they will tell their partners during their "tellbacks" without looking back to their notes. That is, he or she reads a paragraph and tells their partners what he or she read, without looking back at the book. The goal here is for students to recall 75% to 100% of what they read.
Most students are capable of reading a paragraph and of telling what they have read after a few attempts. Guidelines and information from the teacher on how to recall are useful. These include forming visual images, stopping often to re-evaluate mentally, calculating details on fingers, and saying unfamiliar words, like nouns out loud. Students may like to keep a record of the facts they were able to recall.
Task 3 – Getting the Facts: Basic Comprehension Questions
1. Comprehension Questions
Chapter 1
Instructions
1. Read chapter one carefully.
2. Answer the following questions with the help of your book.
1. What is the name of Jonas’ sister?_____________________________________________
2. Who is Asher? ____________________________________________________________
3. What period of the year is the story situated in chapter one? ________________________
4. *At the beginning of chapter one, why is Jonas scared? Explain. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. *What does the family do at suppertime?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. *Why is Lily feeling angry? p.5
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. *Who is a nurturer in Jonas relatives? What do nurturers do? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. **What do you think the title of the book means?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
9. **What do you think ‘HE WILL BE RELEASED’ means?” (p.2)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
10. **What do you think happens at ‘The Ceremony of Twelve’ for Jonas to be apprehensive?” (p.10)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
11. ** Why are newborns referred to as ‘it’? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapter 2
Instructions
1. Read chapter two carefully.
2. Answer the following questions with the help of your book.
1. How many newborns are there in each year? ______________________________________
2. In what age group is Jonas? ____________________________________________________
3. When do the children receive their bicycles? ______________________________________
4. *How did Father find out about Gabriel’s name? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. *Describe life after the Ceremony of Twelve for Mother.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. *What are the Committee of Elders’ responsibilities? Explain the tasks they do.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. ** Why did they have to bring the change of a rule to a committee?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. **If you were Jonas, how would you feel about the Ceremony of Twelve ?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
9. **Why is Jonas worried about the Assignment that the Elders will select for him?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Correction – Coop Learning
A) Coop Leaning Choice
The cooperative learning strategy that we chose to correct and come to a concensus on the answer of the questions in teams is RoundRobin. As it is the oral version of the RoundTable, we feel it is the best way to bring them to discuss about their answers as to defend their answers within their own teams. Moreover, as the goal of the communicative approach is to have the students communicate in English through meaningful material, it would be well suited to share answers to questions about a book that they are reading.
B) Correction through RoundRobin
|Steps -Teacher |Steps - Students |
|1. Place the students in teams of 4. |Students’ roles |
|→ Explain to them that they will share their answers in RoundRobin. |The Gatekeeper(makes sure everyone takes their turn to speak) The |
|Each student tell their answers to question 1 and then they see if they agree or |Taskmaster(makes sure the group stays on task) The Secretary(writes down group |
|not. |answers) The Checker(makes sure everyone has the right answer). |
|→ Give the following roles to the students: Gatekeeper, Taskmaster, Secretary and | |
|Checker. | |
|2. Have the students share their answers to the regular questions (without * or **)|When it is their turn, they say their answer to the question, if the all agree, |
|→ Give them 5 minutes to share and come to a consensus. |they can move on, if they don’t they have to find the answer in the text and |
| |agree so they can move on. |
|3. Have the students share their answers to the second type of questions (*). |Same as above. However, as it is more probable that they do not agree they have |
|→ Give them 10 minutes to share and come to a consensus. |to tell each other why they wrote the answer they wrote (evidence from the text, |
| |etc). |
|4. Have the students share their answers to the third type of questions (**). |Same as above. Plus, more argumentation as it goes more with interpretation from |
|→ Give them 15 minutes to share and come to a consensus. |each student. |
|5. Collect the work sheet from the secretary in each group. | |
| |Secretary hand in the sheet to the teacher. |
3. Review – Heads Together
|Steps - Teacher |Steps - Students |
|1. Ask students to form teams of four to participate in small group interviews, |Students form a group of four. |
|collaboration, and writing. | |
|2. Assign a role to each team member: team member 1 will be the recorder, team |Each team member is assigned a number and a role. |
|member2 will be the reporter, the team number3 will be the time manager, and the | |
|team member 4 will be the synergy and subjective manager. | |
|3. Give students handouts with some questions to evaluate what kind of community is|Handouts are given to students. |
|Jonas’s community and why the community valued sameness and had eliminated color | |
|from individuals. | |
|4. Ask students to fill out an evaluation form of each group in order to evaluate |At the end of the activity, students fill out an evaluation form. |
|how well they worked collectively in their teams | |
|5. Tell students that each one of them will have to talk, discuss, and agree upon |Students take into considerations these instructions. |
|the answers. | |
|6. Give students 15minutes to work on this activity. |Students start working. |
|7. After 15 minutes, stop the activity. Name a team number to answer. |The student designated answers. |
|8. Give participation points for doing the activity, for the effectiveness of their|Students fill out an evaluation form. They must evaluate how well they think they|
|responses and how well they answered the questions as a group. |themselves worked in their groups as well as the how well the whole group worked |
| |together. |
| |
|Questions |
| |
|What type of individual is Jonas? |
|What are some of the rules in Jonas' community? What are the consequences for breaking them? |
|Depict the House of the Old and what life is like there. How are the rules altered? |
|Why was Jonas' dream important? How did his parents handle it? |
|What happens each year at the Ceremonies? How are assignments selected? |
|A number of rituals, such as using a standard apology phrase and the nightly sharing of feelings are described. Say why these rituals are |
|utilized in the community. |
4. Reflection – Chart
|CL Principles |Heads Together |
|1. Positive interdependence | |
|Goal |“Students perceive that they can achieve their learning goals if and only if all the members of their group also |
| |attain their goal” (Johnson & Johnson, An Overview of Cooperative Learning, p.33). In our Heads Together activity,|
| |students work together to accomplish a goal: finding the answers to the six review questions. Moreover, this goal |
| |is part of the teacher’s plan to see how well they remember the book after having read and completed activities on|
| |half of it. |
|Reward |“Each group member receives the same reward when the group achieves its goals” (Johnson & Johnson, An Overview of |
| |Cooperative Learning, p.33). Each group is awarded participation points. The number of points awarded depends on |
| |how well each group completed the missing information. |
|Resource |“Each group member has only a portion of the resources, information, or materials necessary for the task to be |
| |completed; the members’ resources have to be combined for the group to achieve its goals”(Johnson & Johnson, An |
| |Overview of Cooperative Learning, p.33-34). Each group member relies on his or her group mates’ knowledge and |
| |memory of the events of the first half of the book. Students must work together, referring to each other’s |
| |knowledge, to complete the questions accurately. They need to discuss the answers and choose the best one. |
|Role |“Each member is assigned complementary and interconnected roles that specify responsibilities that the group needs|
| |in order to complete the joint task” (Johnson & Johnson, An Overview of Cooperative Learning, p.34). In our Heads|
| |Together activity, students were numbered 1 to 4. Team Member 1 was the recorder, Team Member 2 was the reporter, |
| |Team Member 3 – the time manager and Team Member 4 was the synergy and subjectivity manager responsible for |
| |ensuring that all team members spoke English, contributed to answering the questions and that no one was judged |
| |harshly for their answers or contributions. Assigning roles to each team member helped to ensure that everyone |
| |stayed on task. Moreover, these roles ensure that every team member feels they are important and necessary to the |
| |functioning of the team. |
|Other |N/A |
|2. Face-to-face Promotive Interaction |“Promotive interaction may be defined as individuals encouraging and facilitating each other’s efforts to achieve,|
| |complete tasks, and produce in order to reach the group’s goals” (Johnson & Johnson, An Overview of Cooperative |
| |Learning, p.34). In our activity, students depend on one another to complete the task in order to achieve their |
| |goals. Moreover, their assigned roles: recorder, reporter, time manager and synergy and subjectivity manager, |
| |ensured that each person had a hand in making the team work run smoothly. |
|3. Individual Accountability / Personal |“Individual accountability is the key to ensuring that all group members are, in fact, strengthened by learning |
|Responsibility |cooperatively” (Johnson & Johnson, An Overview of Cooperative Learning, p.35). Since all members in the group are |
| |responsible for knowing the information found in the book, all members are accountable for the group’s success or |
| |failure. Moreover, members are also assigned a role in the team and the team cannot achieve its goals without the |
| |team members taking responsibility of not only themselves but of their role within the team. |
|4. Interpersonal & small group skills |“In order to coordinate efforts to achieve mutual goals, students must: 1) get to know and trust each other, 2) |
| |communicate accurately and unambiguously, 3) accept and support each other, 4) resolve conflict constructively” |
| |(Johnson & Johnson, An Overview of Cooperative Learning, p.36). Within their groups, students must decide which |
| |answers are correct. This requires them to communicate well and effectively in order to make their point. They |
| |also must be respectful and consider their team member’s answers in their group in order to complete the activity.|
| |Indeed, having a synergy and subjectivity manager helps to ensure that everyone’s contributions to the work is |
| |respected and that every team member communicates appropriately and effectively. |
|5. Group Processing |“Effective group work is influenced by whether or not groups reflect on (i.e., process) how well they are |
| |functioning” (Johnson & Johnson, An Overview of Cooperative Learning, p.36-37). At the end of each class, students|
| |are asked to fill out an evaluation form. If they worked in groups, they must also evaluate how well they think |
| |they themselves worked in their groups as well as the how well the whole group worked together. |
5. Reflection – Type of Literacy
According to Ada there are four different types of literacy and, consequently, four phases of literacy. These four phases are as follows: the descriptive phase, the personal interpretative phase, the critical analysis phase and, finally, the creative action phase (Cummins p. 52). Indeed Ada’s four phases of literacy “outlines how zones of proximal development can be created that encourage students to share and amplify their experience within a collaborative process of critical inquiry” (Cummins p. 52). We have attempted to encompass all four of these phases of literacy in our comprehension questions as outlined in Task 1.1.
During the descriptive phase, students focus “on the information contained in the text. Typical questions at this level might be: Where/when/how did it happen? Who did it? Why? These are the type of questions for which answers can be found in the text itself” (Cummins, p. 52). The comprehension questions for chapter 1 in Task 3.1: What is Jonas’ sister’s name?, Who is Asher?, What does the family do at suppertime?, Who among Jonas’ relative is a nurturer? What does a nurturer do?, are the type of questions illustrated in the descriptive phase. These questions ask students to find information that is explicit within the text.
In the personal interpretative phase, students are asked to relate the basic information in the text “to their own experiences and feelings. Questions that might be asked by the teacher at this phase are: Have you ever seen/felt/experienced something like this? Have you ever wanted something similar? How did what you read make you feel? Did you like it? Did it make you happy? Frighten you? What about your family?” (Cummins, p. 52). In Task 3.1, one comprehension question for chapter 2 illustrates well the personal interpretative phase: If you were Jonas, how would you feel about the Ceremony of Twelve? This question draws on students’ personal feelings about the fictional situation in the text and has them relate those feelings to a similar situation they’ve experienced.
The critical analysis phase “involves relating what has been presented in the text to broader social issues as well as drawing inferences and exploring what generalizations can be made. Appropriate questions might be: Is it valid? Always? When? Does it benefit everyone alike? Are there any alternatives to this situation? Would people of different cultures/classes/genders have acted differently? How? Why?” (Cummins, p. 52). In Task 3.1 we did not include any questions that fall into the category of the critical analysis phase. However, students could have been asked (pertaining to later chapters in the book): Do you believe that the elimination of the capacity for seeing colours by the genetic scientists in Jonas’ world was necessary? What would be the benefits of this in our world today? Would there be any drawbacks? Do you think that the idea of sameness in Jonas’ world is a good thing? Why or why not?
Moreover, because Lowry’s The Giver paints the portrait of a totalitarian state where the leaders, in this case, the Elders, are in complete control of the population and the goings-on of the society, we could ask students to research other historical totalitarian regimes (Hitler’s Nazi Germany, Lenin’s Socialist/Communist Russia, the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, Kim Jong-il’s North Korea today, etc.) and compare some of the rules or aspects of Jonas’ community to those regimes.
Task 4 – Literature Circles
1. Setting Up Teams Part A & B
For this literature circle activity, the best way to set up the groups would be to group the students in teams of four. The students are working on one book only, “The Giver.” Because of that, grouping students by book choice is not an issue. Thus, what we want is small, heterogeneous and functional groups. There is no need to put more than four students in groups together because we are working in this literature circle with secondary IV, enriched English as a second language students. The students are at ease and should be quite proficient in English, so there is no need for larger groups. In a context where the students were less proficient, we would perhaps tend to make teams of five instead of four, to allow for more interactions between group members during the discussions, since less proficient students tend to be more hesitant to use the language. Furthermore, depending on how much time one has to devote to literature circles, teams of four is a good choice because complicity can be developed. In other words, with short time periods, teams of two would most likely be needed. With longer time periods, larger teams are not a problem.
As mentioned by Harvey Daniels in “Literature Circles; Voices and Choices in Book Clubs & Reading Groups,” it seems that the favourite group size for the intermediate groups and higher is groups of four or five students (2002, p.76). “This allows a good variety of voices and perspectives without the group’s getting so big that distractions and inefficiencies take over” (Harvey, 76). Moreover, teams of four are usually the best way to go with advanced students in cooperative learning interaction. The bigger the teams get, the more interactions are possible. Therefore, the experienced and proficient students can handle being placed in larger groups, as they usually are more responsible and autonomous. In our case, setting up quite small teams will help you with your classroom management. As mentioned by Johnson, Johnson & Holubec, larger groups need to have skilful group members (1994, 3:2). Also, the less time the teams have to get organized, the smaller the teams should be (Johnson, Johnson & Holubec, 3:2). In this case, because more time is allotted to literature circles, the number of members in each team can be four.
Moreover, for this literature circle activity, we would set up the teams randomly in order to have heterogeneous teams. We would simply divide the total number of students by the number of students we want in each team (ex: 30 divided by 3 is 10). Then, students can be assigned with a number up to the one obtained once the class has been divided into the number of teams desired. The students with the same number get together (Johnson, Johnson & Holubec, 1994, 3:5). As the teacher, one can always change some students to different groups if any difficulties are observed and that cannot be resolved with the original teams. This way of assigning students to groups is not time consuming and very useful. It will also be useful with classroom management.
2. Assessment
As a team, we decided that the most effective assessment strategies to use with a Secondary IV, enriched English class would be observation and book projects.
Using observation as an assessment strategy provides an “opportunity to assess the progress of both individuals and the group, as thinkers and as a team” (Harvey Daniels, Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in Book Clubs and Reading Groups, p.190). Teachers can observe first-hand the progress that their students are making as well as observe what difficulties, if any, some or most of the groups and individual students are encountering. These observations can set the stage for mini-lessons in social skills or preparation strategies at the beginning of every class devoted to literature circles. Moreover, this kind of assessment strategy provides teachers with “great formative input” and also with a tool that “can help generate a long string of grades” since many schools, school boards and especially parents still place a great deal of stock in formal, summative assessment (Harvey Daniels, Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in Book Clubs and Reading Groups, p.192).
Using book projects as an assessment strategy can also be fairly effective but only if it is done in a meaningful way for the students. We must keep in mind that through literature circles we hope to foster the love of reading in our students and to do that we must also foster authentic lifetime reader habits. For instance, real readers, once they’ve finished a book, “find someone to talk with about the book, to share their enthusiasm and to walk that delicious tightrope between getting someone interested in a book and not ruining the story by telling too much” (Harvey Daniels, Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in Book Clubs and Reading Groups, p.194). This idea is crucial to developing successful and meaningful book projects. Book projects should help students enjoy the sharing of books and stories and if they meet this requirement then we can be sure that they are going to be authentic and have positive results for fostering autonomous reading on the part of the students.
3. Use of English vs French
A) Functional Language – Role Sheets
See our project binder
B) MELS Curriculum
Literature circles role sheets are a strong classroom strategy because of the way that they combine collaborative learning with student-centered surveying. The MELS Curriculum explains the ways that this strategy helps students become effective readers. Students learn to take responsibility for their own learning, and this is reflected in how effectively they make choices and take control of literature circle groups. Moreover by assigning a role to each student, they take charge of their own discussions; hold each other accountable for how much or how little reading to do, as well as for the training for each session.
The use of functional language, the choice of vocabulary, and the choice of strategy or strategies help them to carry out these roles. Indeed, the positive peer pressure that the members of each group place on each other contributes to each student’s accountability to the rest of the group. When students engage with texts and one another in these ways, they take control of their literacy in constructive and satisfying ways.
4. Planning
A) Realistic Schedule - ** See project binder for the calendar
The literature circle activity using Lois Lowry’s The Giver will last ten weeks. The students will really start working on the novel during the third week of September. The classes on the first and second week of September will be used to introduce the concept of literature circles to the students. Then, on the third week, one period will be devoted to pre-activities concerning the novel. The first homework activity is set by the teacher and as the students group in their teams; they decide how many chapters they will have to read every week in order to be finished at the end of the tenth week. As for how students will respond to the readings, for the first three weeks students will have to try three different ways to respond to their readings: role sheets, response logs and post-it notes. Then, as a team, they will be allowed to choose which way they will respond to the readings for the following weeks.
The teams will meet every English class day during the first two weeks and then they will meet once a week until the end of the ten weeks. In order for them to be able to plan their literature circle, they will be provided with a schedule of the periods where there will be a literature circle (see literature circle calendar).
The structure of the literature circle
We decided to structure our literature circle with The Giver by using a mix of two structures detailed in the book Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in Book Clubs & Reading Groups in Chapter 5. Hypothetically, this would be the students’ first try with a literature circle; therefore, the first three classes of September would be to learn about literature circles using short stories.
Training
The training will take place during the first and second class (Sept. 3rd & 4th). On the first day, students will read the fun short story Louis by Saki (). During the second phase, in small groups of four, the students discuss the short story. Then, one person in each group will tell the class what they talked about in their groups. In the third phase of the period, the first mini-lesson is introduced to the students, which is about ways to respond to readings. Although the teacher talks about all of them, they will be practicing only one: the role sheets. Every team of four will be assigned one role sheet (e.g. The connector) to fill in as homework. Hw: With the explanation provided by the teacher, they will re-read the short story, filling in the role sheet that their team has been assigned as they read.
On the second day, during the first phase of the period, students will discuss in teams only the topic that their work sheet represents. The second and last phase concerning role sheets will be to share the teams’ individual role sheets with the class. That way, everyone will see at once what each role sheet is used for.
** This will be done using role sheets from the project binder
On third class (Sep. 9th), the first phase of this period consists of a mini-lesson on reading response logs. The teacher will show students a detailed model and go through the process of reading response logs. In the second phase, the students read the short story The Cellmate by Crystal Arbogast (). Once they are done reading, they complete the response log model provided. Then they discuss it within their teams and, finally, in a whole-class discussion. In the third phase of the class, the teacher can ask if anyone responded to the readings differently and if so, how, etc.
** This will be done using the model found on
/2007/09/09/reading-response-logs/response-log-sheet-2/.
**
For the fourth class (Sep. 12th), the first phase of this period will consist of a mini-lesson on post-it notes. The teacher shows students how they can use post-it notes while they are reading to point things that strike them as important, words, concepts, etc. The teacher also points out that they can mark anything that they want with the Post-its; it is what they will use to feed their discussions. In the second phase of the period, the students will read Return to Paradise by Eliza Riley (). As they read, they have to mark elements with the Post-its and then they share within their teams using them as discussion elements. After sharing within teams, students then share with the whole class. In the third phase of the period, the teacher will have the students share how they used the Post-its, what they wrote on them, etc.
** What is written on the Post-its can be shorter versions of role sheets, or elements they would also put in their reading response logs.
By the end of the four classes, the students will be familiar with the literature circle process and will be ready to be introduced to their novel. The teacher should make posters of everything that was discussed so that students can use these posters as way to remind themselves of each way to respond to their readings. Moreover, students should copy these guidelines somewhere handy, so they can access it when reading, adding along the way as needed, so the students can always refer to the list when they need ideas.
We decided to show students three ways to respond to their readings so they can choose the ones they feel most comfortable with, after they tried each one with the novel. The goal is to make them as independent as possible from the directives of the teacher. However, keeping in mind that the teacher chose a single novel for the whole class, the literature circle idea is already harmed a little. It is also important that, since the teacher is supposed to be a facilitator, the students are as free as possible, but with a time limit, which is suitable and expected for secondary IV students.
Introducing the novel and planning
On the fifth class of September, the students will be introduced to the book using the tellbacks pre-activity and the Reflecting on Utopia pre-activity (see task 2.1). After they are done with the pre-activities, have them start to read the novel for the rest of the class. As homework, students have to finish the reading of the first and second chapters and they will have to answer the comprehension questions on those chapters (see task 3.1).
On the sixth class, the students meet with their teams, and do the correction cooperative learning RoundRobin (see task 3.2) to check their answers to the comprehension questions. After the activity is finished, let the students plan their readings using the calendar for their ten-week reading circle on The Giver.
B) The Routine
Homework
As stated earlier, the students will be deciding within their groups how many chapters they will have to read every week in order to be finished with their reading by November 21st. Students will be the ones to choose which way they want to respond to the readings for the fourth literature circle as well, after they have tried each one of the possible ways of responding with the novel. The number of weeks was chosen so that students have to read approximately two chapters per week, in order to be done reading the novel and the activities related to it by the Christmas break. They will also have to answer to the comprehension questions for every chapter (see task 3.1).
Class routine
As for the class routine, there would be procedural and literacy mini-lessons according to what is needed by the group (see list of suggestions on p. 87 of Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in Book Clubs & Reading Groups) at the beginning of every class. These mini-lessons would be related to something important for the phase at which the students are and possibly a return at the end to point out more information about the topic. At the beginning of class, the mini-lesson would take 5-10 minutes.
The second part of the class routine would consist of the literature circle itself (the group meeting) and would possibly last 30 minutes. If some groups are finished discussing before the end, they can start reading for the following week’s meeting.
The third part of the class routine would involve a sharing of the reading impressions, what the teams have discussed during the meeting, what they found of interest, etc. This part would last 10-15 minutes.
Finally, if a return on the mini-lesson is needed, the teacher should allow 5-10 minutes for it.
The reading and responses would be mainly done at home as homework, unless, as stated, students have time to start it in class.
Task 5 – Vocabulary
1. Resources - Internet
Strategy 1
1. Vocabulary Word Strategies - Decoding and Listening to Vocabulary Words:
Provide the student with a list of new vocabulary words that will appear in a passage. Have the student sound the word out loud. Read it aloud to her if she does not read phonetically. Ask the student if the word sounds like other words she knows. Do parts of the word suggest what it means?
2. Vocabulary Word Strategies - Gleaning for Clues to Understanding:
Have the student read the sentences surrounding the new word. Do the sentences give the student an idea of the meaning of the word? Ask her to make suggestions about the meaning. For younger students, provide visual depictions of the words whenever possible though illustrated books.
3. Vocabulary Word Strategies - Create a Personal Dictionary:
Provide students a list of new vocabulary words from the passage. Older students can scan the passage and make their own lists of unfamiliar vocabulary. Have students create their own personal dictionary by looking up words and writing the definitions in a notebook. For younger students, consider having them also draw an illustration of the words as appropriate. Have students occasionally review their personal word lists to reinforce their learning.
4. Vocabulary Word Strategies - Skip It:
Sometimes it is best to allow students to read passages and simply skip words they cannot decode or read. Consider having students make a slight mark by words they do not know and continue reading. This allows them to finish the passage without disrupting the flow of text. Have them address the words they missed after they are finished reading the passages. They can address them using the strategies above at that time.
Resource:
Stategy 2:
Word knowledge is an essential component of communicative competence (Seal, 1991), and it is important for both production and comprehension in a foreign language. Knowing a word involves knowing:
- a great deal about its general frequency of use, syntactic and situational limitations on its use,
- its underlying form and the forms that can be derived from it,
- the network of its semantic features and,
- The various meanings associated with the item.
Gu and Johnson (1996) list second language (L2) vocabulary learning strategies as metacognitive, cognitive, memory and activation strategies. Met cognitive strategies consist of selective attention and self-initiation strategies. F&SLLs who employ selective attention strategies know which words are important for them to learn and are essential for adequate comprehension of a passage. Learners employing self-initiation strategies use a variety of means to make the meaning of vocabulary items clear. Cognitive strategies in Gu and Johnson’s taxonomy entail guessing strategies, skillful use of dictionaries and note-taking strategies. Learners using guessing strategies draw upon their background knowledge and use linguistic clues like grammatical structures of a sentence to guess the meaning of a word. Memory strategies are classified into rehearsal and encoding categories. Word lists and repetition are instances of rehearsal strategies. Encoding strategies encompass such strategies as association, imagery, visual, auditory, semantic, and contextual encoding as well as word-structure (i.e., analyzing a word in terms of prefixes, stems, and suffixes). Activation strategies include those strategies through which the learners actually use new words in different contexts. For instance, learners may set sentences using the words they have just learned. All these suggested strategies can be summarized in a table as follows:
|Strategies |
|Metacognative |Cognative |Memory |Activation |
|* Selective Attention: |* Guessing: Activating |* Rehearsal: Word lists, |* Using new words in different |
|Identifying essential words for |background knowledge, using |repetition, etc. |contexts |
|comprehension |linguistic items | | |
| |* Use of dictionaries | | |
|* Self-initiation: Using a |* Note-taking |* Encoding: Association | |
|variety of means to make the | |(imagery, visual, auditory, | |
|meaning of words clear | |etc.) | |
Resource:
2. Learning Strategies
Successful language learners use language-learning strategies to facilitate their acquisition of language. However, unsuccessful or less skilled language learners also use learning strategies, “such as translation, rote memorization, and repetition” (Oxford, p.19). If language learners, successful and unsuccessful alike, both use language-learning strategies, how do we explain that some are less skilled than others?
According to Oxford, “less effective learners apply these strategies in a random, even desperate manner, without careful orchestration and with targeting the strategies to the task” (p.19). It is our duty then, as language teachers, to make our students aware of the link between the different strategies and the tasks to be completed in the L2. In this section, we will outline five effective language-learning strategies that we believe would be useful to our targeted students (secondary IV, enriched English) when dealing with new vocabulary in their readings. Moreover, these strategies will also help students remember new vocabulary later on. The strategies outlined are as follows: personalized vocabulary lists, placing new words into a context, associating/elaborating, semantic mapping and grouping.
There are two classes of language-learning strategies: the direct and indirect strategies. Direct language-learning strategies encompass memory, cognitive and compensation strategies. Indirect language-learning strategies, on the other hand, encompass metacognitive, affective and social strategies. The five strategies that we will be exploring are part of the direct strategies, more specifically, the memory strategies.
Personalized vocabulary lists
Personalized vocabulary lists are lists of new words that the students encounter during their reading. Students make a note of the word and then look up its meaning in a dictionary. They then write down a short definition of the new vocabulary word.
Because we are dealing with Secondary IV, enriched English-level students, we can safely assume that they have a relatively high vocabulary for second language learners. Therefore, it stands to reason that not every student in the classroom will encounter exactly the same unknown vocabulary words. Having students create personalized vocabulary lists has the advantage that students, first of all, take their learning into their own hands as well as personalizing and adapting what they learn to their own needs. Moreover, having students look up these new words in the dictionary and writing down their definitions will help them commit them to memory for future use.
Placing new words into a context
Once students have made note of new vocabulary words and looked up their meaning in a dictionary, students can now put the word into context. Student can do this by using the new vocabulary word in a sentence of their own which illustrates the meaning as well as the function (noun, verb, adjective, etc.) of the word.
This is an effective language-learning strategy because it helps second language learners internalize new linguistic information. Using these new vocabulary items in a sentence helps to illustrate their meaning as well as solidify these words in the students’ memory.
Association/elaborating
Another effective language-learning strategy is association/elaborating. To use this strategy, students must associate new vocabulary words to something else. This can be a synonym or another word related in meaning or a key word from the definition. Moreover, students could also link a new vocabulary word in the L2 to the equivalent in their L1.
The fact that making links between words helps to not only illustrate its meaning, but also to make new vocabulary items easier to remember, makes the association/elaborating strategy a truly effective one for second-language learners.
Semantic mapping
Semantic mapping, according to Thomas H. Estes “is a strategy for graphically representing concepts. Semantic maps portray the schematic relations that compose a concept. It assumes that there are multiple relations between a concept and the knowledge that is associated with the concept” (Estes, ).
Second-language learners can use this strategy by associating in writing concepts or other vocabulary words associated with the new, unknown one. For instance, if the unknown word were lucrative, then some words and concepts associated with it would be money, banking, work, investments, etc. Not only does this strategy serve to further illustrate the meaning of new vocabulary words but they also serve to create links with already known words and concepts that, in turn, help students remember and understand new vocabulary items.
Grouping
Grouping involves the grouping of similar words. Words can be grouped according to their functions (verbs, nouns, adjectives, adverbs, etc.). Moreover, new vocabulary words could also be grouped according to their related meanings. For instance, if a new vocabulary word were environment than it could easily be grouped with pollution and ecosystem under the heading ecology.
Grouping could be useful to second-language learners as a language-learning strategy because it allows students to associate words according to their functions in the language as well as their link to other words or concepts. This helps students learn how to use the various new vocabulary words they will encounter in their readings as well as help them to remember them by associating them to other, already known words or concepts.
3. Metacognition
A) The Article on Metacognition
See project binder
B) What is Metacognition?
Put simply, metacognition refers to “thinking about thinking” (p.1). This concept is linked closely with learning strategies as it represents the process learners go through when verifying that learning has occurred. It is of a higher order thinking as it has “active control over the cognitive process” (p.1). In other words, metacognition involves planning how to perform a certain task, verifying comprehension and evaluate one’s progress. It can happen after or before cognition, but both are interlinked together. According to John Flavell (p.1) metacognition is both metacognitive knowledge and metacognitive experiences. Moreover, he divides metacognitive knowledge into three categories which are: knowledge of person variables, task variables and strategy variables. Metacognition is also an important variable in the successful outcome of learning as it serves to validate that learning has occurred or how to get there.
Especially for our choice of learning strategies to new vocabulary, metacognition becomes important as teachers want their students to learn and remember new vocabulary. To provide students with templates of how to deal with the encounter of new vocabulary and to learn them is of great importance in the task of reading a novel. It is important that no matter which strategy they choose, that they transfer and learn how to use the new vocabulary. In using those strategies, students will be able to deal with new vocabulary more easily and without interfering too much with the actual task, which is reading. Moreover, most of the strategies chosen as learning strategies to new vocabulary involve looking for the significance of the word after the students are done reading. That way, the flow of reading will not be touched and they will have more chances of guessing the meaning of the word in context than if they would stop every 3 lines to look up a word in the dictionary.
4. Reflection – Reading and Vocabulary Development
As teachers, we should promote the development of students’ vocabulary knowledge through reading because “it is an important source of input for second language acquisition” (Gee, 1999,3). The role of teachers in reading is to foster the love of reading in children, so that they start to read on their own (Gee, 4). The more the students enjoy reading, the more they feel confidant, and the more they read. Usually, these students have a larger vocabulary (Gee, 3) because reading is a free access to a bank of vocabulary and various lexical aspects. Furthermore, learning vocabulary is considered incidental when done during reading and easier than regular vocabulary teaching (Schmitt&Carter, 2000, 4). Incidental learning is said to be more efficient when occurring frequently through reading. That is why it is important for the students to read as much as possible to get more out of reading. Another benefit of learning vocabulary through reading is that, you not only learn the meaning of a word, but you gain access to a greater exposure to the language, and you learn many lexical aspects such as grammar, and synonyms and antonyms (Schmitt&Carter, 2000, 4). Moreover, reading facilitates the integration of language skills (Ghosn, 2002, 172). Literature helps the readers to “internalize the new language by providing access to a rich variety of linguistics items” ( Ghosn, 2002, 174). Therefore, reading provides huge advantages to learning a second language, especially learning new vocabulary.
Task 6 – WEB QUEST
1. WebQuest
See webct posting containing it.
2. Presentation
Gallery Tour ‘Exploring The Giver’
The cooperative learning strategy that we would suggest to present the WebQuest project students would do is a Gallery Tour ‘Exploring The Giver’. This structure was chosen because we believe it puts less stress on the students to present in a more natural context. Plus, their speech becomes more natural as they present their project to more than one team.
The idea behind it is that it is an interactive way to present a project without it being in front of the whole class and only one time. Students interact together and evaluate one another. This way of presenting the projects will have the touring teams answer some questions prepared by the presenting team in order to make sure that they have understood the presentation. Moreover, the touring teams also have to ask questions about the projects.
This is also a way to have students give each other feedback following the evaluation grid that they would have to complete after the presentations. (The presenting and the touring teams)
Visual aid and scaffolding
As for the way to present their project, we thought it could either be on a poster, a model (maquette) or a PowerPoint presentation, but given that there probably would not be more than one projector per classroom, if one at all, we thought that it would be better to go with the poster or a model.
We believe that using these visuals will help the teams to present and structure their presentation. As it would be the only help that they would be allowed to use as a memory aid, they would have to minimize the text and make the information clear and obvious. Fist of all, they research the subject of the WebQuest in its many areas and choose one aspect of it which they wish to discuss for the Gallery Tour. Then, they choose relevant ideas that they think are worth portraying on the poster or the model.
For the scaffolding part, every day teaching can inspire them as how to be able to present something without reading a text. Moreover, there are many ways that a teacher can have his/her students model what is needed for the project visuals. For example, give the how-to list, or an example of visuals that they could rely on. The important aspect of scaffolding is that they learn how to use the visuals as their memory aid for the presentation.
3. Presentation Strategies
As second language teachers, one of our main concerns is getting our students to speak in the L2. This may take the form of oral presentations. However, many students are so unsure of their abilities that, when they prepare an oral presentation, they memorize it and spout it out by heart when it comes to the actual presentation. Moreover, they may simply copy and paste information off the Internet. This information is often at an inappropriate level for their actual language abilities. Students may use words that are too complicated, which would make their presentation hard to understand for their peers.
Our goal as language teachers is to have students use language as spontaneously as possible. However, for many students, presenting something orally, even in their first language, in front of a group of people is quite nerve-wracking, let alone in their second language. Many students feel a lot of pressure to memorize their presentation so as to avoid making any potentially embarrassing mistakes. In order to diminish this pressure; we must equip our students with strategies that will make them feel more comfortable presenting something orally in the L2. In this section, we will be discussing a few of these strategies.
First of all, it is important to stress the importance of proper preparation to students. To give a good presentation, students need to be organized. Being organized will also help students to remember what they will talk about during their presentation. Indeed, according to Yin Ling Cheung, in the article Teaching Effective Presentation Skills to ESL/EFL Students, organization can be divided into two subdivisions: macro and micro organization.
Cheung defines macro organization as the outlining of the “purpose, objectives, outline, introduction, and conclusion” of a presentation (Cheung, Teaching Effective Presentation Skills to ESL/EFL Students, The Internet TESL Journal Vol. XIV, No. 6, June 2008 ). After choosing their topic, students can use graphic organizers or charts to outline what they want to talk about in each of the sections: the purpose, objectives, outline, introduction and the conclusion of the presentation. This will help students get their ideas out on paper and help them research their ideas effectively.
Micro organization, on the other hand, “refers to textual coherence, transitions, and connections from one part to another” (Cheung). Here, teachers could provide students with a word bank of transitional phrases or connectors that they could use in their presentation. By teaching students appropriate vocabulary to use for presentations, they are less tempted to copy-paste whole texts from the Internet. They already have some of the vocabulary that they require to write their notes for presentations.
Another good strategy to use with L2 students is to tell them that they will need to engage their peers during their presentations. For instance, “practical strategies to involve the audience are questions, comprehension checks, and tasks” (Cheung). Moreover, because students are asked to make sure their peers/audience understand, forces students to use more natural and level-appropriate language. Furthermore, because the audience will be encouraged and urged to ask the presenting student questions, this forces the presenter to not only understand his/her material, but also be prepared to answer their peers’ questions.
Finally, it is important to give students ample time to practice their oral presentations. For example, students could give their presentation to a small group of their peers before presenting to the whole class. Students would listen to their teammates’ presentations and fill out an evaluation form. The evaluation form would include questions such as: Did you understand the presentation? Was there vocabulary used that you didn’t understand and that the presenter didn’t clarify? Did the presenter engage you while presenting? Did he/she ask questions? Check for understanding? Give you tasks to do? Could the presenter answer your questions during/after the presentation? What advice would you give to the presenter to make his/her presentation better?
All in all, the strategies of preparation, presenting necessary vocabulary, engaging the audience and ample practice are quite effective in diminishing how much students memorize and copy off the Internet or other sources when preparing and giving oral presentations.
4. Criterion-based Evaluation - Presentation
| | | | | |
|Team Members: ________________________________________________ | |
| | | | | |
|CATEGORY |Excellent |Very Good |Good |Poor |
|Time-Limit |Presentation is 10 minutes |Presentation is 7 minutes |Presentation is 5 minutes |Presentation is less than 4 |
| |long. |long. |long. |minutes. |
|Preparedness |Student is completely |Student seems fairly prepared.|The student is somewhat |Student does not seem at all|
| |prepared. | |prepared. |prepared to present. |
|Collaboration with |All team members share |Some team members speak a |One or two team members seem |Some team members barely |
|Peers |equally the task of |little bit more than the |to speak more than the others.|speak. No team work is |
| |presenting. They work |others. They seem to work |Little or no team work is |shown. |
| |together as a team. |together as a team. |shown through the | |
| | | |presentation. | |
|Attire |Attire is linked to the |Attire seems to be related to |Attire is not really linked to|Attire is not appropriate |
| |subject. A lot of effort |the presentation. There seem |the presentation. There seems |nor related to the |
| |has been put into the |to be some effort put into the|to be little effort put into |presentation and not liked |
| |concept. |concept. |the concept. |to a concept. |
|Content |Shows a full understanding |Shows a good understanding of |Shows a good understanding of |Does not seem to understand |
| |of the topic. |the topic. |parts of the topic. |the topic very well. |
|Comprehension |Student is able to |Student is able to accurately |Student is able to accurately |Student is unable to |
| |accurately answer almost |answer most questions asked by|answer a few questions asked |accurately answer questions |
| |all questions asked by |classmates about the topic. |by classmates about the topic.|asked by classmates about |
| |classmates about the topic.| | |the topic. |
|Speaks Clearly |Speaks clearly and |Speaks clearly and distinctly |Speaks clearly and distinctly |Often mumbles or can not be |
| |distinctly all (100-95%) |all (100-95%) the time. |most ( 94-85%) of the time, |understood. |
| |the time and makes effort | |little attention is given to | |
| |to pronounce English sounds| |pronounciation. | |
| |correctly. | | | |
|Uses Complete |Always (99-100% of time) |Mostly (80-98%) speaks in |Sometimes (70-80%) speaks in |Rarely speaks in complete |
|Sentences |speaks in complete |complete sentences. |complete sentences. |sentences. |
| |sentences. | | | |
| | | | | |
|Vocabulary |Uses vocabulary appropriate|Uses vocabulary appropriate |Uses vocabulary appropriate |Uses several (5 or more) |
| |for the audience. Extends |for the audience. Includes 1-2|for the audience. Does not |words or phrases that are |
| |audience vocabulary by |new content words, but they |include any vocabulary that |not understood by the |
| |defining content words. |are not defined. |might be new to the audience. |audience. |
|Stays on Topic |Stays on topic all (100%) |Stays on topic most (99-90%) |Stays on topic some (89%-75%) |It was hard to tell what the|
| |of the time. |of the time. |of the time. |topic was. |
|Volume |Speaks loud enough to be |Speaks loud enough to be heard|Speaks loud enough to be heard|Volume of voice is often too|
| |heard by all audience |by all audience members at |by all audience members at |soft to be heard by all |
| |members throughout the |least 90% of the time. |least 80% of the time. |audience members. |
| |presentation. | | | |
5. MELS Program
ESL Competencies
Interacts orally in English
The presentation based on a Web Quest aims to have students interact orally in English (Gallery Tour ‘Exploring The Giver’). They have to convey ideas and communicate naturally and confidently when presenting their work. They are expected to give each other feedback.
Reinvests understanding of texts.
In the Web Quest project, students are given texts and information about `capitalism and socialism`, Once students have understood and interpreted the texts, they can perform tasks where they reinvest what they have learned. Students learn how to find meaning from written texts and they show their understanding through writing.
Cross-Curricular Competencies
Uses information and communications technologies.
The Web Quest is presented in Web page format and intends to get students to use information resources from the World Wide Web. Indeed, The Community Web Quest provides the context of two different economic systems based on socialism. Students are assigned to one of three projects in the web quest and are asked to read short texts and answer questions according to their project.
Exercises critical judgement.
By the end of the Web Quest presentation, students give each other feedback following the evaluation grid that they would have to complete after the presentations; so that, they develop an understanding of the topic, critical awareness and become familiar with concepts and methods of analysis. In addition, the Web Quest presentation allows students to convey their points of view and justify their positions. It helps students to communicate their judgements and qualify them by comparing and reconsidering their position.
Cooperate with others
The presentation of the Web Quest project is a collaborative activity where the teams in the classroom are divided in 2 sections and each team has to prepare a set of questions that the other teams have to answer.
Communicate in an appropriate manner.
Clear communication is essential to negotiating points of view, discussing ideas, and justifying choices or opinions. During presentations, students will share their information in small groups; they will be evaluated on their clarity of speech and use of sentences, choice of vocabulary, and organization of thought.
Uses information.
The Web Quest project aims at getting students ready for interaction using information from the Internet in order to learn about two notions of economic systems. Indeed, it is perceived as a strategy for learning with Internet resources.
Adopts effective work methods.
To start an activity or project or embark on any task, learners must adopt effective work methods. Such methods involve selecting appropriate procedures according to the nature of the task and the available resources. For instance, in the Web Quest presentation, students have to prepare themselves for the presentation. One section has to be ready to present and have their questions ready. They have to make sure that their presentations fit within the criteria. The presenting teams present and the touring teams answer questions.
Broad Areas of Learning
Media
Students use the Internet as a means to search for information; they completed their projects through the use of computers, Internet, websites...Through media, students develop an understanding of media representations of reality (message, images, movement).
Adoption of strategies related to a plan or project
In the Web Quest project and presentation, students develop an aptitude for making decisions, to search for information, express their opinions and planning - they become more confident and better performers.
Task 7 – Deconstruction/Text Analysis: Stylistic Features
1. Internet Search
Site 1:
Site 2:
2. Lesson Plans
|Steps - Teacher |Steps - Students |
|Ask students to take out their copy of Lois Lowry’s The Giver and turn to |Students take out their copy of Lois Lowry’s The Giver. Students should be|
|Chapter 3, p.25. Prior to this class, students should have finished reading the|finished reading the novel completely before coming to class. |
|novel in its entirety. | |
|Tell students that they will have 10 minutes to read the page individually. |Students have 10 minutes to read p. 25 in Chapter 3 individually. |
|As students read quietly, write the following question on the board: “Based on |Students continue reading quietly. |
|what you now know about the novel, what things do you notice about this passage| |
|that relate to the ending of the book?” | |
|Stop the reading. Draw students’ attention to the question on the board. Tell |Students stop reading. They read the question that has been written on the|
|students that they will get into groups of 4 to discuss and answer this |board, asking questions or for clarification if they are not quite clear |
|question. Make sure everyone understands the question then separate students |on its meaning. The teacher numbers them 1 to 4 and they get into their |
|into their teams. Number them 1 to 4. |teams. In their teams, they must discuss and answer the question. |
| | |
|Before they begin, tell students that team member #1 will be the secretary and |Before beginning, students are told that team member #1 is the secretary |
|that you will call on any random team and team member to answer the question. |for the group and that any random team and team member may be called on to|
|Tell students they will have 20-25 minutes to discuss and formulate their |answer the question. Students have 20-25 minutes to discuss and formulate |
|answer. |their answer. |
|Stop the activity after 20-25 minutes. Call on 3 or 4 groups randomly to share |Students stop discussing after 20-25 minutes. They are prepared to answer |
|their answers with the whole class. Write them in point form on the board. |if the teacher calls on them. |
|Ask questions based on students’ answers: Why do you think the author included |Students answer questions asked by the teacher based on their previous |
|this part so early in the story? What was the author’s goal in including this |answers. |
|particular part? Students may answer freely or you may call on them at random. | |
|Present the stylistic feature of foreshadowing. Explain that sections of a |Students listen to the explanation given by the teacher. |
|novel or story that, once reread after finishing it, reflect important elements| |
|or events of the outcome of the whole novel, are foreshadowing. Explain that | |
|foreshadowing “is the use of hints or clues to suggest what will happen later | |
|in literature” (). | |
|Hand out the worksheet Foreshadowing Chart. Tell students that in their same |9. Students receive the worksheet Foreshadowing Chart. They get back in |
|teams of 4, they will work together to find passages of the book that could be |their teams of 4 and work together to find passages in the book that could|
|considered as foreshadowing. They must paraphrase the event, (i.e., Jonas would|be considered as foreshadowing. They must paraphrase the event, (i.e., |
|become someone special), and provide the clues from the text given by the |Jonas would become someone special), and provide the clues from the text |
|author that this event would happen. They must also write the page numbers in |given by the author that this event would happen. They must also write the|
|which they found their clues. Students will have 25-30 minutes to find 2 or 3 |page numbers in which they found their clues. Students have 25-30 minutes |
|foreshadowings from the novel. |to find 2 or 3 foreshadowings from the novel. |
| | |
|Stop the activity. Call on one student from each team to write one clue, its |10. Students stop their discussion. One student from each team goes and |
|related event and the page number on the board. Discuss these answers. If there|writes one of their clues, its related event along with the page number on|
|are any doubts about any one answer, have students discuss whether or not the |the board. Students discuss these answers in a whole-class discussion. If |
|clue can be counted as a foreshadowing. |there are doubts as to whether or not some clues are actually |
| |foreshadowing, students give reasons for why it could or couldn’t be |
| |counted as a foreshadowing. |
TITLE: ____________________________ AUTHOR: __________________________
|EVENT |CLUE IT WOULD HAPPEN |PAGE NUMBER |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
Source:
3. Metacognition
Metacognition is necessary and is present in task 7.2. The previous activity requires the students to reflect on the way they understood the story. They have to make relationships between what they are reading and what they understood from the ending of the book. In other words, they have to use what they know to “make inferences about how to apply one’s strategic knowledge to a particular situation” ( metacognition.htm#I).
Moreover, metacognition is introduced in the activity, as the students must reflect on the answer that they came up with. In other words, they have to accomplish the task and then think about why they wrote what they wrote (see task 7.2).
Furthermore, the activity requires the students to control many elements at the same time such as concentrating on the reading and on the comprehension of the book, understanding the concept of foreshadowing from the teaching, and linking all this together (see task 9). In order to accomplish this, the students have to be aware of useful learning strategies, and focus their attention on the goal of the activity while using these strategies.
Therefore, students need to be thinking about and aware of what they are thinking in order to be successful at metacognition (). The more consistently and effectively students become at reflecting on their learning, the more effective learners they will become.
Task 8 – Character Analysis: Strategy – Body Biography
1. Body Biography
|[pic] |
2. MELS Program
The Body Biography is not only a fun and stimulating activity for students; it also touches on the three cross-curricular competencies as outlined in the MELS enriched ESL program. In this section, we will discuss how exactly the three cross-curricular competencies are involved in the Body Biography.
Competency 1: Interacts Orally in English
In the MELS program, Competency 1 is outlined as “students and the teacher use English as the language of communication in the classroom for all personal, social and task-related purposes” (MELS program, English as a Second Language, Core Program, Enriched Program, p. 14).
Since students are asked to present their Body Biography to their peers, there is a great deal of oral interaction being done in English. The presenting students would have to explain their choice of images, colours, symbolism, words, etc to their audience and the audience could be encouraged to ask the presenting students questions about their creation. Moreover, while designing and creating their Body Biography, students would be expected to interact with one another and the teacher in English only.
Competency 2: Reinvests understanding of texts
Reinvesting the understanding of texts is defined as “students construct the meaning of texts through the response process. They make use of their understanding of these texts in meaningful reinvestment tasks” (MELS program, English as a Second Language, Core Program, Enriched Program, p. 22). Indeed, because the Body Biography is a form of character analysis, students must reinvest what they learned about the character in their readings and apply it to the Body Biography. Students must associate character traits with either images, symbols, poetry, lyrics or descriptive words. Moreover, associating this acquired information with the students’ own choice of symbols, wording, drawings or poetry makes it a meaningful task. This could also help students to broaden their understanding of a particular character as well as the text itself.
Competency 3: Writes and produces texts
The MELS program defines Competency 3 as “gives students an additional means to communicate in English and provides them with an authentic purpose for writing and producing texts, as well as a real audience to address” (MELS program, English as a Second Language, Core Program, Enriched Program, p. 30). Indeed, in the Body Biography, students may be asked to write a poem about their chosen character, associate song lyrics with that character as well as write descriptive phrases or paragraphs for that character. This gives students another occasion to communicate in English. Moreover, because they will be presenting their Body Biography to their peers, this also gives students a real audience for their written as well as graphic work. Students put in more effort into making a project interesting and captivating if they are told that they will be presenting to their peers.
Task 9 – Character Analysis: Strategy (Graphic Organizer) – Venn Diagram
1. Venn Diagram
** See printed version in our project binder
2. Presentation
The ‘Inside-Outside Circle’ would work perfectly to share this activity with many other classmates in pairs. The students would form two circles facing each other. The students share their Venn diagram with the partner. Then, the inside circle moves to the left and the outside circle moves to the right. With a new partner, they discuss their diagram again.
Task 10 – Character Analysis: Strategy – Chart
1. Chart
|Chapter, Page and |Quote |Trait |Interpretation |
|Paragraph number | | | |
|Chapter 1, p. 1, |“No. Wrong word, Jonas thought. Frightened|Pensive |Jonas is pensive because he takes the time |
|paragraph 1 |meant that deep…” | |to think out his feelings and problems. |
|Chapter 1, p.2, |“Instantly, obediently, Jonas had dropped |Obedient |Jonas is obedient. He always listens to his |
|paragraph 2 |his bike on its side…” | |parents and the Elders. He doesn’t want to |
| | | |cause trouble. |
|Chapter 2, p.17, |“I worry a little about Asher’s |Concerned |Jonas feels concerned about his friends. |
|paragraph 1 |Assignment…” | | |
|Chapter 3, p.20, |“Jonas glared at her. He didn’t like it |Self-conscious |Jonas’ light coloured eyes make him |
|paragraph 1 |that she had mentioned his eyes.” | |different from most of the community and |
| | | |that makes him self-conscious. |
|Chapter 3, p.25, |“He had held a magnifying glass to it. He |Curious |When Jonas sees the apple as red for the |
|paragraph 2 |had tossed it several times across the | |first time, he is curious about the change |
| |room, watching…” | |and takes it home to study it. |
|Chapter 4, p.26, |“He didn’t often do his volunteer hours |Serious |Jonas is very serious about his volunteer |
|paragraph 1 |with his friend because Asher frequently | |hours and anything else he undertakes. |
| |fooled around and made serious work a | | |
| |little difficult.” | | |
2. Poster
Jonas is a very mature boy. The twelve-year-old boy works hard at school and is never disobedient because he always listens to the Elders and his parents. Jonas is obedient and he is very serious compared to his other friends. He is a good friend; he listens to others and tries to understand the world. He likes to be helpful towards the smaller children and the elderly. He cares about his parents, sister and friends. He thinks of others a lot; he is not self-centered. He doesn’t judge others when they don’t have the same opinions. He is not a troublemaker but rather a problem solver. He has a very structured mind and likes to reflect and find answers to his problems, which makes him a very curious person. He likes to give to the community by helping and volunteering at different places and he is very serious about that. Compared to other children, he can predict the consequences of his actions. Jonas is different form the other children of his community and he knows that, which makes him self-conscious. He can feel and see things that his community cannot. Jonas had to go through a lot when he was assigned to Receiver. Being the Receiver, he is officially different from everyone. He has a very different way of seeing life than other people of the community and he feels odd about things he knows and cannot say to his family and friends.
[pic]
3. Multintelligencies
In the poster project, two of Howard Gardner’s eight multiple intelligences types are most relevant. These are the linguistic intelligence type and the visual spatial intelligence type.
According to Gardner, the linguistic intelligence type “involves the ability to read, write, and communicate with words. A student may be expected to use their linguistic skills to communicate what they already know or what new information they have learned” (Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences, multiintel/start.htm). Indeed, in the poster project students are asked to use the information they have gathered from the character analysis chart in Sub-task 10.1 as well as their knowledge of the entire novel and transfer that knowledge to create an analysis of the main character on paper. What they include in their poster must reflect the character’s personality, tastes, experiences, etc. All this implies that students should be skilled not only in communicating with words in a written form, but also in reading. Students must be able to read passages and pick out certain personality traits that might not be made explicit by the author.
As for the visual spatial intelligence type, Gardner describes this type as “the ability to think in pictured and visualize outcomes” (Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences). In the poster project, students are asked to decorate and design their poster in a way that best illustrates the main character. Students must be able to use appropriate imagery in such a way that it will effectively bring out the character’s personality traits, tastes or experiences.
4. Multiliteracies
A) Website
The Multiliteracy Project
B) Define Multiliteracy
According to the website The Multiliteracy Project, the term multi-literacies can be defined as “…two related aspects of the increasing complexity of texts: (a) the proliferation of multimodal ways of making meaning where the written word is increasingly part and parcel of visual, audio, and spatial patterns; (b) the increasing salience of cultural and linguistic diversity characterized by local diversity and global connectedness” (The Multiliteracy Project).
In other words, the term multiliteracies refers to the variety of texts available to us through a panoply of mediums. Indeed, we are no longer limited to oral and written means for communication. Especially with the advent of the Internet, today’s society is expected to be more and more computer literate; that is, people rely on computer skills to function in many areas of life. Moreover, because our society is becoming more and more diverse culturally and linguistically, all of us must adapt to these new “multimodal ways of making meaning” (The Multiliteracy Project) ways that might not have been familiar to us before.
C) Poster
|[pic] [pic] |
| |
|[pic] |
|. gmu.edu/departments/economics/bcaplan/museum/musframe.htm |
|Same for everyone |
|[pic] |
|Everything is Grey…. |
5. Differentiated Instruction
A) Web Search
According to Priscilla Theroux, differentiated instruction can be defined as the act of “creating multiple paths so that students of different abilities, interest or learning needs experience equally appropriate ways to absorb, use, develop and present concepts as a part of the daily learning process. It allows students to take greater responsibility and ownership for their own learning, and provides opportunities for peer teaching and cooperative learning” (Priscilla Theroux, Enhanced Learning With Technology).
B) Explain Poster Project
A poster project could be set up in such a way as to take the concept of differentiated instruction into account quite easily in the classroom. For instance, the teacher could vary the medium with which students could be allowed to work. Students who have less developed artistic skills could have the option of creating a computer or digital version of the poster, using graphics and wording appropriate to the project. Also, students with particular learning difficulties could do a modified version of the poster project, one that does not make the same demands on performance as students who perform more strongly. Moreover, because the poster project requires a certain amount of planning before producing the final product, students could be introduced to a variety of planning strategies, such as graphic organizers. Students would choose the strategy or strategies that best suit their own, personal needs in preparation for the poster project.
All in all, as long as the main goals of the poster project (using the information from the character traits chart and knowledge from the novel to produce a character analysis) are met, it does not matter in what way students accomplish this and, indeed, adapting to their various needs may help them meet these goals.
6. MELS Program
ESL Competencies
Competency 2: Reinvests Understanding of Texts
Students in the Enriched English program are expected to “construct meaning of texts through the response process. They make use of their understanding of these texts in meaningful reinvestment tasks” (MELS, English as a Second Language, Enriched Program, p.22). In the poster project, students are expected to transfer their knowledge of the novel that they have read into an analysis of the main character. Completing this task effectively implies that students should have thoroughly understood the novel.
Competency 3: Writes and Produces Texts
In Competency 3: Writes and Produces Texts, writing in English should “give students an additional means to communicate in English, and provides them with an authentic purpose to write and produce, as well as a real audience to address” (MELS, English as a Second Language, Enriched Program, p.30). In the poster project, students must write-up an analysis of the main character, making use of their writing abilities in English. Moreover, because of the form that the project takes on (i.e., a poster), students get the chance to experiment with a different text type.
ESL Cross-Curricular Competencies
Communication related competency:
Communicates appropriately
Students must be able to communicate their ideas appropriately in order for their poster to be effective in its interpretation of the main character’s personality.
Methodological Competencies:
Adopts effective work methods
Since the poster project requires a certain amount of planning and preparing, students need to be able to organize their work effectively. They need to work consistently and in an organized way to achieve good results and to finish the work required on time.
Uses information and communications technologies
Enriched ESL students must use the information found in the novel to create their character analysis for the poster project. Moreover, when applying the differentiated instruction concept, they may use computer technology to either do research or to actually create their poster project.
Intellectual Competencies:
Solves problems
If any problems arise during the process of creating their poster project, students must be able to solve these problems quickly and effectively in order to get the required work done.
Exercises critical judgement
In the poster project, students must use their critical judgement in choosing appropriate or poignant character traits as well as ways in which to express these traits.
Uses creativity
Students must illustrate their character analysis in the poster project. For these illustrations to best exemplify the main character’s personality traits, they must be especially well thought-out and this implies that students use their creativity.
Uses information
Students in the ESL Enriched program doing the poster project do not only have access to the information on the main character provided by the author in the novel. Students may do some research online or question their peers and use this information in their character analysis.
Task 11 – Strategy: Plot Diagram
1. Individual work
See project binder2. m workdual workagram
ction project bindern sion questions for every chapter.
2. Team work
See project binder
3. Other Graphic Organizer
[pic]
Task 12 – Setting: Strategy- Artwork
1. Artwork
See project binder
2. Reflection
According to Howard Gardner, visual and special intelligence. “…allows students to think in pictures and to create an artistic object” (Howard, G.1983). The desire to create, to carry out form and order is common and unending. Every work of art or literature has dual aspects: it is a present experience, and a record of the past. As such it is cherished, saved, and studied. Writing creates a lasting record of knowledge, so that information can expand from one generation to the next. Together, Arts and Literature have helped the individual to define his humanity. In schools, for instance, responding to literature through artwork helps children develop their visual intelligence and learn new vocabulary; they use art to remember important learning experiences. Using artwork in literature helps some children who have strong visual/special intelligence receive reinforcement and develop their skills and talents in school. For example drawing on the theory of multi-intelligences allows students to use specific intelligences to create a representation of a main character in a novel, a concept, an event, etc through different mediums.
Task 13 – Book Report
1. A) Resources
Site 1: ABCTeach
Site 2: Homeschool Teacher’s Lounge
B) Blog
Teen Ink: Book Reviews
C) Usage of those sites
Sites such as ABCTeach and Homeschool Teacher’s Lounge could be used in a differentiated instruction classroom. Such sites offer different formats for writing book reports, which students would choose to suit their learning needs.
Sites such as Teen Ink: Book Reviews could be used as an alternative form of a book report or as a complementary activity for a traditional book report. The teacher could set up a blog and then ask the students to write a review of the book that they’ve read. Students would then post their review on the blog and their peers could give them feedback on their review. The aim of this activity would be to have students write book reviews that would make their peers want to read the book as well.
2. Book Report
Book Report Model
Book Report (more detailed) taken from course notes (p. 8.38)
Characters: Who are the main characters? How did one character change in the course of the book? What is the most important relationship in the book, and why?
Setting: What time and place did the author choose for the setting of the book? How and why is the author’s choice of setting appropriate?
Exposition: Early in the book, the exposition introduces the setting, important background information, and the main characters. How does the author suggest and reveal this information in the early chapters?
Foreshadowing: Sometimes the author leaves hints early in the story of what will happen later. Can you find examples of foreshadowing in your book?
Conflict: Most books are based around one central conflict or problem. What is the conflict in your book?
Climax and resolution: At what point in the book did the action reach a peak? How did the problem get resolved during and after the climax?
Style: Did the author use a particular style that captured the essence of the book, for example, humour or unusual expressions?
And finally: Did you like the book? Would you recommend it to a friend? Why, or why not? How was the book good? Were parts of the book disappointing, if so, why? Some books can really get to you and be almost disturbing. Can a disturbing book that doesn’t leave the reader feeling good still be a good book?
Team members: Carole Morin, Joanie Goulet, Stéphanie Fraser, Nawal Hachana
Our team’s Book’s Report
Characters: The main character’s name is Jonas. He is 12 years old. At the beginning of the novel, he is a responsible little boy who listens to his parents and rules of the community. In the course of the story, he becomes Receiver-In-Training and his view of the world he lives in changes a lot. He starts to plan a return to freedom from his community. He finally escapes his house and attempts to find another community, which the Giver gave him memories of.
Setting: We cannot locate the time frame of the story to a certain period in history, however, we do know that it is sometime in the future. The community is based on a communist society. Everything is similar and standard for everyone.
Exposition: The author gives a few clues to the reader at the very beginning of the book as to what the community looks like. We know that all the homes are exactly the same and that outside the community, there is only fields and forests.
Foreshadowing: The author uses foreshadowing through Jonas’ recalling of the incident with the apple. Something happened to the apple to make it different than how apples usually are for Jonas. This gives us a clue as to Jonas’ being different from the other members of his community. Moreover, Jonas being different also tells the reader that something important and life-changing will happen to Jonas in the end.
Conflict: Jonas becomes the Receiver in training and receives the Giver’s memories. Being aware of all the memories make him wish that the community would change and give back the freedom and the happy memories to his community.
Climax and Resolution: The actions reached a peak when Jonas sees the video that shows what releasing a person from the community really is. He then plans to escape the community with Gabriel, his younger brother, because Gabriel is supposed to be released. The Giver helps him to plan his escape. He leaves his house in the middle of the night with Gabriel on his bicycle. He succeeds in leaving the town without getting caught. He finds the hill of his memories and dies of hypothermia.
Style: The author’s writing style could be described as very minimalist. This is interesting because it seems to fit with the whole atmosphere of simplicity and sameness in Jonas’ community. Perhaps the author used a minimalist style of writing to convey her idea of Jonas’ world. However, whenever Lowry describes the images and memories transferred from the Giver to Jonas, she uses a very descriptive style of writing. Again, this could be to put the bareness and colourlessness of Jonas’ world in sharp contrast with the new world of feeling and memory that Jonas is being introduced to by the Giver.
Our impression of the book: We enjoyed the book a great deal. We would recommend it to any teacher who wants his or her students to be aware of different communities. This book is an opening to different societies and it is a great way to introduce them. We found the end a little bit confusing, because it is an open-ended ending and it leaves the reader wondering what really happens to Jonas. What is really disturbing about the book is the colourless, freedomless world in which Jonas lives. However, this raises the readers’ consciousness as to how lucky we are to be free, in a certain way, to buy what we want, to feel love and passion, see colours and so forth. 9/10!!!
3. 3-D Book Report
See project binder
Task 14 – Team Project: Collaborative Writing of a Story
1. Student Booklet/ Task Sheet
See project binder
2. Peer and Teacher Review/ Response/ Feedback
|Story Writing : Peer | | | | |
|Feedback | | | | |
| | | | | |
| |
|CATEGORY |4 |3 |2 |1 |
|Requirements |All of the written |Almost all (about 90%) the |Most (about 75%) of the|Many requirements were not |
| |requirements were met. |written requirements were met.|written requirements |met. |
| | | |were met, but several | |
| | | |were not. | |
|Dialogue |There is an appropriate |There is an appropriate amount|There is not quite |It is not clear which |
| |amount of dialogue to bring |of dialogue in this story and |enough dialogue in this|character is speaking. |
| |the characters to life and |it is always clear which |story, but it is always| |
| |it is always clear which |character is speaking. |clear which character | |
| |character is speaking. | |is speaking. | |
|Characters |The main characters are |The main characters are named |The main characters are|It is hard to tell who the |
| |named and clearly described |and described. Most readers |named. The reader knows|main characters are. |
| |in text. Most readers could |would have some idea of what |very little about the | |
| |describe the characters |the characters looked like. |characters. | |
| |accurately. | | | |
|Setting |Many vivid, descriptive |Some vivid, descriptive words |The reader can figure |The reader has trouble |
| |words are used to tell when |are used to tell the audience |out when and where the |figuring out when and where |
| |and where the story took |when and where the story took |story took place, but |the story took place. |
| |place. |place. |the author didn't | |
| | | |supply much detail. | |
|Action |Several action verbs (active|Several action verbs are used |A variety of verbs |Little variety seen in the |
| |voice) are used to describe |to describe what is happening |(passive voice) are |verbs that are used. The story|
| |what is happening in the |in the story, but the word |used and describe the |seems a little boring. |
| |story. The story seems |choice doesn't make the story |action accurately but | |
| |exciting! |as exciting as it could be. |not in a very exciting | |
| | | |way. | |
|Writing Process |A lot of time and effort was|Sufficient time and effort was|Some time and effort |Little time and effort was |
| |devoted to the writing |devoted to the writing process|was devoted to the |devoted to the writing |
| |process (prewriting, |(prewriting, drafting, |writing process but was|process. Doesn't seem to care.|
| |drafting, reviewing, and |reviewing, and editing). Works|not very thorough. Does| |
| |editing). Works hard to make|and gets the job done. |enough to get by. | |
| |the story wonderful. | | | |
|Creativity |The final chapter contains |The final chapter contains a |The final chapter |There is little evidence of |
| |many creative details and/or|few creative details and/or |contains a few creative|creativity in the final |
| |descriptions that contribute|descriptions that contribute |details and/or |chapter. The authors do not |
| |to the reader's enjoyment. |to the reader's enjoyment. The|descriptions, but they |seem to have used much |
| |The authors have really used|authors have used their |distract from the |imagination. |
| |their imagination. |imagination. |story. The authors have| |
| | | |tried to use their | |
| | | |imagination. | |
3. Teacher Feedback Whole Class
A) Specific Context of the Collaborative Writing
After the first draft, the best thing to do is not to look at the grammatical mistakes. The goal of giving feedback at this point is to give ideas about content in a general way and sometimes specifically depending on the context. The feedback at this point should include elements to help students indentify what is missing from and what could be improved in their stories. The reason for not focusing on grammar at this stage is very simple: the ideas are not yet completely well written and they need to be worked on. In other words, the content of the stories needs to be appropriately written and finished before starting to work on correcting mistakes. Correcting errors and grammar would be the last thing to do before writing the final draft.
B) Two Strategies to Give Feedback Using ITC
One possible thing to do would be to show to the whole class, using a projector, an outline or a list of elements that could be included in the stories (See index). By showing this index to the whole class with the projector, the teacher and students alike would be able to refer to general ideas and include elements that could be improved in every story. In other words, this time should be used to make a general revision of things that can be included in the stories with the whole class. The teacher should give at least one example for each point on the list to generate ideas for students. Allow students to share anything they would like to add to the list and encourage them to do so. They should actively work with the teacher to improve the list of things to revise on the first draft.
Another possible thing to do would be to use a Word document to model for the students how to provide feedback. In order to do so, the teacher should use the editing tools found in Tools: Track changes, Highlight changes and Track changes when editing. This allows one to make corrections on a draft and see them (See Index I). That way, the students can follow and actually see how to give feedback. By modelling the feedback, students will know what kind of feedback to give and how to give it. Consequently, students will probably perform better. Better feedback will be given to peers, which indirectly leads to better stories. To do so, the teacher could use a story either from a student or from any other source. The goal here is to demonstrate how to give feedback to the group. The teacher should ask the students to tell him/her what could be improved in the sample used. They should be the ones saying what to change or correct from the story.
For teachers, doing this type of group work instead of individually will save time and energy because the same explanations for corrections will not have to be repeated the to every student.
4. Criterion-Based Evaluation
1. Check List
|CheckList |
|Did we post: |Yes |No |Comments |
|The final polished version | | | |
|The final plot diagram | | | |
|Did we do: |Yes |No | |
|Include proof in your binder | | | |
|All the steps in the booklet | | | |
|(Put whole booklet in the binder) | | | |
|Email first draft to peer-reviewing team | | | |
|Email first peer-review to partner team | | | |
|Email second draft to peer-reviewing team | | | |
|Email second peer-review to partner team | | | |
|Everything done on time? | | | |
2. Quality of Written Work
|CATEGORY |4 |3 |2 |1 |
|Title |Title of the chapter is |Title of the chapter is |The chapter has a title, but|No title. |
| |creative, sparks interest |related to the story and |does not appear to be | |
| |and is related to the story|topic. |related to the story and | |
| |and topic. | |topic. | |
|Introduction |First paragraph has a |First paragraph has a weak |A catchy beginning was |No attempt was made to catch|
| |"grabber" or catchy |"grabber",but provides a |attempted but was confusing |the reader's attention in |
| |beginning and provides a |continuity of the previous |rather than catchy and it |the first paragraph and |
| |continuity of the previous |chapter. |does not really provide a |seems separate from the |
| |chapter. | |continuity to the previous |previous chapters. |
| | | |chapter. | |
|Setting |Many vivid, descriptive |Some vivid, descriptive |The reader can figure out |The reader has trouble |
| |words are used to tell how |words are used to tell the |how and where the end story |figuring out how and where |
| |and where the end of the |audience how and where the |took place, but the authors |the end of the story took |
| |story took place. |end of the story took place.|didn't supply much detail. |place. |
|Creativity |The chapter contains many |The chapter contains a few |The chapter contains a few |There is little evidence of |
| |creative details and/or |creative details and/or |creative details and/or |creativity in the chapter. |
| |descriptions that |descriptions that contribute|descriptions, but they |The authors does not seem to|
| |contribute to the reader's |to the reader's enjoyment. |distract from the story. The|have connected the last |
| |enjoyment. The authors have|The authors have connected |authors have tried to |chapter to the rest of the |
| |really connected the |the invented chapter to the |connect the last chapter to |story. |
| |invented chapter to the |rest of the story. |the rest of the story. | |
| |rest of the story. | | | |
|Focus on Assigned |The entire chapter is |Most of the schapter is |Some of the chapter is |No attempt has been made to |
|Topic |related to the assigned |related to the assigned |related to the assigned |relate the chapter to the |
| |topic and allows the reader|topic. The chapter wanders |topic, but a reader does not|assigned topic. |
| |to understand much more |off at one point, but the |learn much about the topic. | |
| |about the topic. |reader can still learn | | |
| | |something about the topic. | | |
|Characters |The essence of the main |The essence of the main |The essence of the main |It is hard to tell that it |
| |character is kept and |character is kept and |character seems kept. The |is the same main character. |
| |clearly represented in the |represented in the chapter. |reader knows that the | |
| |chapter. Most readers could|Most readers would have some|chapter is added to the | |
| |not know that the chapter |idea that the chapter was |novel. | |
| |was written by someone |written by someone else. | | |
| |else. | | | |
|Spelling and |There are no spelling or |There are one or two |There are 3 to 5 spelling |The final draft has more |
|Punctuation |punctuation errors in the |spelling or punctuation |and punctuation errors in |than 5 spelling and |
| |final draft. |errors in the final draft. |the final draft. |punctuation errors. |
|Neatness |The final draft of the |The final draft of the |The final draft of the |The final draft is not neat |
| |chapter is readable, clean,|chapter is readable, neat |chapter is readable and some|or attractive. It looks like|
| |neat and attractive. It |and attractive. It looks |of the pages are attractive.|the students just wanted to |
| |looks like the authors took|like the author took some |It looks like parts of it |get it done and didn't care |
| |great pride in it. |pride in it. |might have been done in a |what it looked like. |
| | | |hurry. | |
|Organization |The chapter is very well |The chapter is pretty well |The chapter is a little hard|Ideas and scenes seem to be |
| |organized. One idea or |organized. One idea or scene|to follow. The transitions |randomly arranged. |
| |scene follows another in a |may seem out of place. Clear|are sometimes not clear. | |
| |logical sequence with clear|transitions are used. | | |
| |transitions. | | | |
|Action |Several action verbs |Several action verbs are |A variety of verbs (passive |Little variety seen in the |
| |(active voice) are used to |used to describe what is |voice) are used and describe|verbs that are used. The |
| |describe what is happening |happening in the chapter, |the action accurately but |chapter seems a little |
| |in the chapter. The chapter|but the word choice doesn't |not in a very exciting way. |boring. |
| |seems exciting! |make the chapter as exciting| | |
| | |as it could be. | | |
|Solution Resolution |The solution to the |The solution to the |The solution to the |No solution is attempted or |
| |character's problem is easy|character's problem is easy |character's problem is a |it is impossible to |
| |to understand, and is |to understand, and is |little hard to understand. |understand. |
| |logical. There are no loose|somewhat logical. | | |
| |ends. | | | |
|Requirements |All of the written |Almost all (about 90%) the |Most (about 75%) of the |Many requirements were not |
| |requirements (of 3 pages, |written requirements were |written requirements were |met. |
| |images, font style, space, |met. |met, but several were not. | |
| |etc.) were met. | | | |
|Illustrations |Original illustrations are |Original illustrations are |Original illustrations |Illustrations are not |
| |detailed, attractive, |somewhat detailed, |relate to the text on the |present OR they are not |
| |creative and relate to the |attractive, and relate to |page. |original. |
| |text on the page. |the text on the page. | | |
| |Student devotes a lot of |Student devotes sufficient |Student devotes some time |Student devotes little time |
|Writing Process |time and effort to the |time and effort to the |and effort to the writing |and effort to the writing |
| |writing process |writing process (prewriting,|process but was not very |process. Doesn't seem to |
| |(prewriting, drafting, |drafting, reviewing, and |thorough. Does enough to get|care. |
| |reviewing, and editing). |editing). Works and gets the|by. | |
| |Works hard to make the |job done. | | |
| |chapter wonderful. | | | |
5. Publishing/ Sharing
In order to publish the students’ stories, one of the websites that could be used wes the school website. The school’s website would be appropriate because all of the students, the parents, and the school staff would have access to the stories and could read them. That way, the parents have an easy access the their children’s work and are glad to see what they do at school. Of course it is a lot of work for the teacher to post the stories online onto the website, but the students would be proud to see their work on the Internet. For example, if you were a teacher from “La Camaradière” you could use the website to publish your students stories under your name.
Another site that could be used is the class’s blog. That way, other teachers around the world could read the work your students are doing in class and could publish their stories as well. Plus, on a blog, the visitors are allow to leave comments, so it would be great for the students to get feedback from people who liked their stories. As future ESL teachers, we would use because it is easy to create and everyone in the class can easily have access to the blog and read the stories online.
One way that could be used to share the students’ stories in the classroom between the groups would be to have them act out their stories in front of the group as a little play. This could get very interactive and funny as well. The presenters would dress-up and act out their stories or part of their stories in front of the class.
Another way to share their stories in the classroom would be in an arts and crafts activity where the students would create a book with their stories. They could create big books with pop-ups or simply the text with illustrations in the form of a book. That way, the books would be available for everyone to read them in a fun and attractive way. The stories would be presented to the other teams in a creative way.
6. Reflections
A) Mutiliteracy
The term multiliteracy refers to the major changes in our communication environment and the growing diversity of culture and language. As English becomes an international language in world commerce, media, and politics, an alteration in our communication is unavoidable. The influences of new communication technologies have influenced the concept of multiliteracy. To grasp meaning within these changes a new multi-modal literacy is necessary, especially in education. It is not enough to focus on rules of standard forms of a language. Learners are asked to figure out the meaning of words in different contexts and to do so they need to be multi-skilled, more flexible, more able to undertake a range of tasks, capable to move from one task to another as needed and put theory into practice. In the case of our project, we are asked to put into practice certain theories that we have been exposed to, including the concept of multiliteracies, using the story The Giver. We incorporated this theory by creating some activities that can be useful to students not only to understand the novel, but to make use of the multiple literacy skills such as finding and creating meaning from images, using ICTs to create meaningful activities as well as reading in the second language.
B) Scaffolding
The way teachers interact with students before and while they complete a task is important to fostering students' ability to complete the activity. Scaffolding may include any of the following: giving students hints, providing information to guide them, such as prompts written on index cards, demonstrating the task at hand and exemplifying the type of thinking required for mastery by talking aloud during reading, and beginning practice with easier material. Once the student has learned the material and skills, she/he has reached independent mastery, and it is appropriate to move on to higher levels. If the student is still having difficulties, an error analysis to determine the cause is appropriate. In the case of our collaborative project, we use scaffolding to demonstrate the type of writing or discussion that we want from students. Moreover, in many activities guiding information is provided to students before they begin an activity.
C) Zone of proximal development (ZPD)
ZPD is a crucial component of the development process because it prepares children for what they can achieve later on their own. What a child can do today by collaborating with others, he can do it alone tomorrow. Teachers can foster students’ acquisition by adjusting the content and conditions of instructions not to the student’s capacities, but to his/her potential for progress. ZPD is the stage where students are at a point where they are ready to learn and acquire new knowledge.
In addition to suggesting intellectual functioning, effective instruction occurs within the learner's ZPD. Instruction directed at the level of completed development can increase the knowledge base, but will have minimal effect upon the student's cognitive ability. Instruction directed beyond the proximal level will tend to be incomprehensible to the student and thus will affect neither knowledge nor cognitive ability. Such instruction necessitates the student working with more competent others (teachers or parents) on challenging tasks he/she could not solve by him/herself. As students develop the abilities required, they should receive less support and work out further problems independently. At the same time, they will encounter yet more challenging tasks on which they will continue to receive help. Useful teaching and learning thus establishes successive ZPDs. In our collaborative project, in many activities, the teacher often asks questions to lead the students to learn and find out the answer using their deductive thinking abilities. Moreover, many activities require students to analyse what they have read. The analysis process is one that we internalize, allowing students to become more and more independent in learning as he or she applies the same method when working alone or with peers on assignments
D) Metacognition
Metacognition is a competency that enables students to plan, to self-evaluate before, during, and after a task, and adjust as needed. It is an effective strategy to promote learning. Metacognition determines the difference between effective students and those who are experiencing difficulties. It is a useful skill and necessary in every task. It allows everyone to continue to learn and it provides the means for learning. For example, in our project we corrected our answers when we found errors in the documents we produced, we discussed a solution to the problem with our teammates and we reviewed approaches through questions given by the teacher.
Task 15 – Reflection: Team Processing
One of our strong points is that we all participated in the tutorials. We respected the assignments’ due dates that we assigned to each other each week. We believe we helped each other complete our tasks as well. Moreover, we learned that Nawal is an amazing artist, Carole is a great organizer and a surprisingly good leader, Joanie is great at keeping everyone and everything on track and has a flair for ICTs, as for Stéphanie, we discovered that she is a very hard and conscientious worker.
Indeed, in our teamwork we emphasized each member’s strong points. For example, Nawal did most of the artwork, Stéphanie corrected the tasks, Carole put the work together in a final document and Joanie put the PowerPoint presentation together. Indeed, these talents that we discovered in one another will make us want to work together once again if ever the occasion arises. As for our weak points, we found it quite difficult to find some time to meet outside of class due to our different school and work schedules. However, we feel that we worked extremely effectively together as a team despite our weak points.
Task 16 – Reference List: APA Style
Cheung, Y. L. (2008). Teaching Effective Presentation Skills to ESL/EFL Students. The
Internet TESL Journal, 14 (6). Retrieved November 9, 2008 from
Cummins, J. (1994). Knowledge, Power, and Identity in Teaching English as a Second
Language. In Genesee, F. (Ed.), Educating Second Language Children: The Whole Child, The Whole Curriculum, The Whole Community (pp. 35-58). New York: Cambridge University Press.
Early, M. The Multiliteracy Project: A Research Collaboration of Students, Educators
& Researchers. Retrieved November 17, 2008 from
Estes, T. H. (1999). Strategies for Reading to Learn: Semantic Maps. Retrieved October
28, 2008 from
Fabio, D. (2006). Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences. Retrieved November 15,
2008 from
Harvard Educational Review. A Pedagogy of Multiliteracies: Designing Social Futures. Volume 66 Number 1.Spring 1996 from 44ManilaWebsite/paul/articles/A_Pedagogy_of_Multiliteracies_Designing_Social_Futures.htm
Howard, G.(1983).Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences
Johnson, R.T., Johnson, D.W. (1994). An Overview of Cooperative Learning. In
Theresand, J., Villa, R. & Nevin, A. (Eds.), Creativity and Collaborative Learning: A Practical Guide to Empowering Students & Teachers (pp. 31-44). Baltimore: Paul H. Burkes Publishing Co.
MELS program, English as a Second Language, Core Program, Enriched Program, (p. 14-22)
Oxford, R.L. (1992/1993). Language Learning Strategies in a Nutshell: Update and ESL
Suggestions. TESOL Journal, 2 (2), 18-22.
Stone, J. Cooperative Learning and Language Arts: A multi-Structural approach (pp.55-57). Kagan cooperative learning 1(800) WEE CO-OP.
Theroux, P. (2004). Enhance Learning with Technology: Differentiating Instruction.
Retrieved November 17, 2008 from /priscillatheroux/differentiating.html
Task 17 – Progress Report
See project binder
Task 18 – Copy of the Book
See project binder
Task 19 – Project Evaluation Form
CRITERION-BASED EVALUATION: PROJECT 2 (Fall 2008)
Team (names): Carole Morin, Joanie Goulet, Stéphanie Fraser, Nawal Hachana
Tutorial leader: Diethild Starkmeth
PART A
Self-evaluation: Check whether or not the following tasks were completed and are included in the assignment you hand in.
|Task checklist |yes |no |Comments (including deductions) |
| | | |Primary responsibility – give names |Comments – Date that we gave each other the|
| | | | |homework |
|1. The book - basic facts |X | | | |
|8 items |X | |Joanie Goulet |Oct 17th |
|2. Getting students into novel |X | | | |
|4 pre-activities |X | |Carole Morin and Stephanie Fraser |Oct 17th |
|Reflection |X | | | |
| - min 200 words |X | | | |
| - A. purpose pre-act |X | |Joanie Goulet |Oct 17th |
| - B. purpose tellbacks |X | |Nawal Hachana |Oct 17th |
|3. Getting the facts |X | | | |
|Comp. questions |X | |Joanie Goulet |Oct 17th |
|Correction – CL |X | |Carole Morin |Oct 24th |
|Review – Heads Tog. |X | |Nawal Hachana |Oct 17th |
|Reflection - chart |X | |Stéphanie Fraser |Oct 17th |
|Reflection - literacy |X | |Stéphanie Fraser |Oct 17th |
|4. Literature Circles |X | | | |
|Setting up teams |X | |Joanie Goulet |Nov 21st |
|Assessment |X | |Stephanie Fraser |Dec 11th |
|English vs French |X | |Nawal Hachana |Nov 21st |
|Planning |X | |Carole Morin |Nov 21st |
| - A. time table |X | | |Nov 21st |
| - B. routine |X | | |Nov 21st |
|5. Vocabulary |X | | | |
|Resources - Internet |X | |Nawal Hachana |Oct 24th |
|Learning strategies |X | |Stephanie Fraser |Oct 24th |
|Metacognition |X | |Carole Morin |Oct 24th |
|Reading & voc devel. |X | |Joanie Goulet |Oct 24th |
|6. WEB QUEST |X | | | |
|WebQuest |X | |Joanie Goulet |Nov 7th |
|presentation |X | |Carole Morin |Nov 7th |
|Pres. strategies |X | |Stephanie Fraser |Nov 7th |
|Criterion-based eval. |X | |Carole Morin |Nov 7th |
|MELS program |X | |Nawal Hachana |Nov 7th |
|7. Deconstruction: Stylistic |X | | |Assign to 2 team members |
|Interrnet search |X | |Carole Morin and Stephanie Fraser |Nov 21st |
|Lesson plans |X | |Stephanie Fraser |Nov 21st |
|Metacognition |X | |Joanie Goulet |Nov 7th |
| | | | | |
|8. Character anal- Body biog. |X | | | |
|Body biography |X | |All together |Dec 1st |
|MELS program |X | |Stephanie Fraser |Nov 14th |
|9. Character analysis – Strategy: |X | | |Assign to one team member only. |
|Venn diagram | | | | |
|Venn diagram |X | |Joanie Goulet |Nov 7th |
|Presentations |X | |Joanie Goulet |Nov 7th |
|10. Character analysis – Strategy: |X | | | |
|Chart | | | | |
|Chart |X | |Stephanie Fraser |Nov 14th |
|poster |X | |Joanie Goulet |Nov 14th |
|Multiintelligences |X | |Stephanie Fraser |Nov 14th |
|Multiliteracies |X | |Carole Morin and Stephanie Fraser |Nov 14th |
|Differentiation |X | |Stephanie Fraser |Nov 14th |
|MELS program |X | |Stephanie Fraser |Nov 14th |
| |X | | | |
|11. Plot – Strategy - Plot diagram |X | | | |
|individual work |X | |All of us |Nov 14th |
|team work |X | |All of us |Dec 1st |
|other graphic |X | |Nawal Hachana |Nov 14th |
|organizer | | | | |
|12. Setting - Artwork |X | | |Assign to one team member only. |
|artwork |X | |Nawal Hachana |Nov 7th |
|reflection |X | |Nawal Hachana |Nov 7th |
|13. Book report |X | | |Assign to 2 team members. |
|resources |X | |Stephanie Fraser |Nov 14th |
|book report |X | |Carole Morin |Nov 21st |
|graphic organizers |X | |Carole Morin |Nov 21st |
|14. Team Project – Collaborative |X | | | |
|writing of story | | | | |
|student booklet |X | |Carole Morin |Nov 14th |
|peer/teacher review |X | |Stephanie Fraser |Nov 14th |
|teacher feedback – whole class |X | |Joanie Goulet |Nov 14th |
|criterion-based eval |X | |Carole Morin |Nov 14th |
|publishing/ sharing |X | |Joanie Goulet |Nov 14th |
|Reflection (min. 300 words) |X | |Nawal Hachana |Nov 14th |
|15. Reflection – Team processing |X | | | |
|reflection |X | |All of us |Dec 11th |
|min. 150 words |X | | | |
|16. Reference list |X | | | |
|APA style |X | |All of us | |
|Minimum 15 references, including web|X | | | |
|site addresses | | | | |
|17. Progress report (folder) |X | |Carole Morin (I was in charge) | |
|18. Copy of book (in folder) |X | | | |
|19. Project criterion-based |X | | | |
|evaluation form | | | | |
|20. Electronic copy of project |X | | | |
|posted on WebCT | | | | |
|21. Folder – items not posted on |X | | | |
|WebCT | | | | |
Part B. QUALITY – Written documents
Self-evaluation: For each item listed below circle the description that best applies to your work.
| |Excellent |Good |Fair |Poor |
|A. CONTENT & ORGANIZATION | | | | |
|Type of document | | | | |
|Student materials (e.g. worksheets/ | | | | |
|booklets) | | | | |
|Content/ organization |All information required |Most information | Some gaps; parts |tasks either not |
| |included |required included. |incomplete or not |done or done |
| | | |done. |superficially. |
|Lesson plans | | | | |
|Content/ organization | | | | |
|Steps |- logical, clear sequencing; |-generally logical, |quality varies; at |little attention to |
| |easy to follow |clear sequencing; |times difficult to |sequencing of steps;|
| | |occasional gaps |follow. |difficult to follow.|
|tasks for grade level |appropriate |generally appropriate|some aspects may be |Tasks generally not |
| | | |too easy or too |appropriate - too |
| | | |difficult. |easy or too |
| | | | |difficult |
|teaching strategies | appropriate |generally appropriate|at times |generally not |
| | | |appropriate, other |appropriate; not |
| | | |times not. |sufficiently |
| | | | |explained, or not |
| | | | |indicated. |
|Reflections/ explanations (theoretical | | | | |
|links) | | | | |
|content |knowledge and understanding of |knowledge and |quality varies; for |information not |
| |topic very much in evidence. |understanding of |some items knowledge|provided or tasks |
| | |topic generally in |and understanding of|done superficially. |
| | |evidence; occasional |topic in evidence, | |
| | |weaknesses |at other times not. | |
|In-text references APA style (if requested)|All provided |1 – 2 missing. |3-4 missing or APA |5 or more missing or|
| | | |style not used |APA style not used |
| | | |consistently | |
|Coherence/ cohesion |Logical sequencing of ideas; |Generally logical |Quality varies; |Frequent problems |
| |appropriate use of cohesive |sequencing of ideas |occasional problems |with logical |
| |devices |and appropriate use |with sequencing of |sequencing of ideas |
| | |of cohesive devices |ideas and/or |and appropriate use |
| | | |cohesive devices |of cohesive devices |
|B. Language* | | | | |
|vocabulary/ word choice/ |appropriate |generally appropriate|occasional errors |frequent errors |
|terminology | | | | |
|sentence structure/ grammar |appropriate |generally appropriate|occasional errors |frequent errors |
|lesson plans: use of imperative |appropriate |generally appropriate|occasional errors |frequent errors |
|mechanics – spelling, |appropriate |generally appropriate|occasional errors |frequent errors |
|capitalization, punctuation, | | | | |
|indenting of paragraphs | | | | |
|C. Reference list | | | | |
|APA style |appropriate |generally appropriate|several errors/gaps |frequent errors/ |
| | | | |gaps. |
|Number of references + web sites |15 or more |12-14 |9-11 |8 or fewer |
* Team deductions – language: a half point will be deducted for errors of language (vocabulary, grammar, mechanics) up to a maximum of 20% of the team’s mark.
Self-evaluation: Based on how you completed parts A and B above, circle the grade you propose for your team.
| |Self-evaluation by team |Course instructor’s evaluation |
|A+ |94 95 96 97 98 99 100 | |
|A |90 91 92 93 | |
|A- |87 88 89 |Team Deductions: |
|B+ |84 85 86 |Items 1-19: |
|B |80 81 82 83 |Grammar: .5 x = |
|B- |77 78 79 |Lateness: |
|C+ |74 75 76 |Names for primary responsibility not |
| | |indicated/incomplete: |
|C |70 71 72 73 | |
|C- |67 68 69 | |
|D+ |64 65 66 | |
|D |60 61 62 63 | |
|E |Less than 60 (failing grade) | |
| |Final grade = 95/100 |Final grade = /100/ |
| | |= /50 |
| | |Individual deductions |
| | |Name: |
| | |Presentation: |
| | |Absences – tutorial: |
| | | |
| | |Final mark: |
-----------------------
• Young
• Wise
• Creative
• Open minded
• Unique
• Caring
• Adult
• Student
• Teacher
• Music
• Different
• Like children
• Think of others
• Ask questions
• Courageous
THE RECEIVER
BOTH OF US
ME
................
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