Before making my way through the TESOL program, I had minimal teaching experience and knowledge regarding teaching language. The TESOL courses and professors have guided me to become an effective teacher of ELL students. After all the fieldwork hours and practicum hours of observing and working with ESL colleagues, I have learned a tremendous amount of skills and strategies from them as well.
When the term SIOP method was introduced, I wasn’t familiar with the method and how the method was any different from lesson plans I have created in the past. Over the courses at TOURO University, I learned that SIOP encourages teachers to design lesson plans that maximize student opportunities to interact with the language, the content, and their peers in meaningful ways. I understood why the model is broken down into 8 categories. It is for teachers to consider all those categories when planning and teaching a lesson that captures a critical component of teaching. The SIOP model challenges teachers or engages their students 90%- 100% of the time in a variety of ways.
The anchor charts and student tools I have seen were students. It is student friendly and not overwhelming. I have even implemented it into my own classroom with some of the resources shared. One thing I have also kept in my mind, is the pace of the lesson and time given to students to be able to share and respond. I have learned to pace myself better during instruction. Teachers have shown me how to modify and supplement lessons that still align to the curriculum.
I really understood what it means to know your student individually, not just based on their test scores and what they are capable of, but how they are as a student. It sounds so simple and yet it is a necessary step that is often overlooked by teachers and schools. I understood that the ELL student’s background and culture is important to understanding how they learn. Teachers should not assume that a student knows something. It’s our goal to build that background knowledge and scaffold more to support learners. Teachers shared how home surveys really give insights to teachers on how to tackle obstacles they might encounter before it begins.
During these courses, I came to a strong agreement that students can succeed through Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development. This idea states that a student will eventually complete a task on their own that once originally required assistance. Scaffolding increases a student to retain information. So, when students work together, it is important to group students that will specifically help with their development.
I have learned to take time to reflect on my own practice of teaching. I reflect on what I could have done better for individual students and plan better targeted whole and small group instruction. I reflect on the type of feedback I give to students and the level of effectiveness of the feedback given and how students respond to the feedback. With completing TESOL courses and fieldwork hours, it has given me many things to consider before teaching ELL students. I have also reconsidered prior thoughts and assumptions and continue to learn to build on my teaching strategies.
When the term SIOP method was introduced, I wasn’t familiar with the method and how the method was any different from lesson plans I have created in the past. Over the courses at TOURO University, I learned that SIOP encourages teachers to design lesson plans that maximize student opportunities to interact with the language, the content, and their peers in meaningful ways. I understood why the model is broken down into 8 categories. It is for teachers to consider all those categories when planning and teaching a lesson that captures a critical component of teaching. The SIOP model challenges teachers or engages their students 90%- 100% of the time in a variety of ways.
The anchor charts and student tools I have seen were students. It is student friendly and not overwhelming. I have even implemented it into my own classroom with some of the resources shared. One thing I have also kept in my mind, is the pace of the lesson and time given to students to be able to share and respond. I have learned to pace myself better during instruction. Teachers have shown me how to modify and supplement lessons that still align to the curriculum.
I really understood what it means to know your student individually, not just based on their test scores and what they are capable of, but how they are as a student. It sounds so simple and yet it is a necessary step that is often overlooked by teachers and schools. I understood that the ELL student’s background and culture is important to understanding how they learn. Teachers should not assume that a student knows something. It’s our goal to build that background knowledge and scaffold more to support learners. Teachers shared how home surveys really give insights to teachers on how to tackle obstacles they might encounter before it begins.
During these courses, I came to a strong agreement that students can succeed through Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development. This idea states that a student will eventually complete a task on their own that once originally required assistance. Scaffolding increases a student to retain information. So, when students work together, it is important to group students that will specifically help with their development.
I have learned to take time to reflect on my own practice of teaching. I reflect on what I could have done better for individual students and plan better targeted whole and small group instruction. I reflect on the type of feedback I give to students and the level of effectiveness of the feedback given and how students respond to the feedback. With completing TESOL courses and fieldwork hours, it has given me many things to consider before teaching ELL students. I have also reconsidered prior thoughts and assumptions and continue to learn to build on my teaching strategies.