Interaction and Scaffolding

I teach English Language Development with some "pull-out" groups every day. With these small groups, our specific activities vary over the course of the year. The themes that we read, talk, or write about vary as well.

A constant is that students communicate in three modalities: receptive, productive, and interactive. Listening and reading are receptive modalities. Speaking and writing are productive modalities.

Interactive skills are developed during collaborative, interactive activities. Students engage in two-way communication. They negotiate meaning. I appreciate the opportunity and the challenge of creating opportunities for interaction that will help students develop their English language proficiency.

I also support some students in their classrooms (for example, during their writing workshop time), instead of pulling them out. A constant in this setting is scaffolding. I focus on scaffolding the work that the student is doing. Scaffolding is providing guidance or assistance that enables the students to perform tasks at a higher level than they would do on their own.

Feel free to stop by 206 to learn more about ELD at Grout.

We are approaching winter break-- enjoy your holidays!

~Kristin