Post Written by: Michael Ray, Bilingual and English Learner Specialist at Leadership, Curriculum and Instruction in Oakland Unified School District
Source: Emily Rinaker, 4/30/13, Chuck Erdmann 9/26/13, coinage by Mike Ray, 4/30/13
Problem of Practice: There is sometimes a lack of evidence that ELLs are learning and using the many skills taught in Reading Workshop mini-lessons and conferences.
Essential Question: How can we provide instruction that allows ELLs to learn and fluently utilize the reading strategies taught in mini-lessons?
Instructional Strategy: After the mini-lesson, ALL students practice the skill from the mini-lesson for five to ten minutes and later use it in paired talk. This approach is analogous to the Six Traits "guided writing" in which a mini-lesson on a author tool such as dialogue is followed by kids going to their writing folder, pulling out an existing piece of writing, and applying the mini-lesson skill to that piece of writing. In this way, all the teacher conferencing during the independent portion of the Reading Workshop focuses on the teaching point from the mini-lesson.
Rationale: Though the Teacher’s College mini-lesson format includes time for practice, it does not usually hold students accountable for practicing the skill during their independent reading time, instead inviting students to use the new strategy if they want to or if they find it useful in their reading. This approach mirrors what good readers do, and ultimately it is what we want our students in Reading Workshop to do. However, given the many challenges ELLs are facing as they build their independent reading life, largely related to grappling with vocabulary, background knowledge and language structure, they may be too overwhelmed to apply a new strategy unless we give them sufficient practice and feedback. With this instructional strategy, students know that they will be held accountable for practicing and using the skill from the mini-lesson that day.
Tensions and Areas for Further Inquiry: Not every “independent” encounter with text should be “guided,” since that might undercut the independent reading life and make independent reading less authentic. Perhaps alternating between the guided approach and the “use it if you want” approach would be helpful. Also, not all mini-lessons will translate very well to classwide independent practice immediately following a mini-lesson.
Tensions and Areas for Further Inquiry: Not every “independent” encounter with text should be “guided,” since that might undercut the independent reading life and make independent reading less authentic. Perhaps alternating between the guided approach and the “use it if you want” approach would be helpful. Also, not all mini-lessons will translate very well to classwide independent practice immediately following a mini-lesson.
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