Non-Linguistic Representations
Highlighting
Time Needed:
5 minutes
Room Arrangement: Elbow buddy arrangement, desks forward
Materials: 1-2 differently colored highlighter markers for each student, pen, text or story problem to be read, document camera
Process Directions:
When:
In math highlighting can be used when solving a complex problem or a word problem, or solving a problem with multiple steps or variables. Underlining can be used to clearly identify what number is being substituted in for another, to point out important information, and to make important information easy to locate again.
Source:
Leutner, D., Leopold, C., Elzen-Rump, V. (2007). Self-regulated learning with a text-highlighting strategy [Abstract]. Zeitschrift für psychologie: Journal of psychology 215(3), 174-182.
Time Needed:
5 minutes
Room Arrangement: Elbow buddy arrangement, desks forward
Materials: 1-2 differently colored highlighter markers for each student, pen, text or story problem to be read, document camera
Process Directions:
- Have the student read the problem or section of text aloud.
- Underline pertinent numbers.
- Circle words that indicate which operations to use (example: “more than” might indicate addition).
- Create an equation to model the situation and write it in equation form.
- Highlight the underlined numbers that correspond to the variables.
- Substitute numbers for variables.
- Solve the final equation.
When:
In math highlighting can be used when solving a complex problem or a word problem, or solving a problem with multiple steps or variables. Underlining can be used to clearly identify what number is being substituted in for another, to point out important information, and to make important information easy to locate again.
Source:
Leutner, D., Leopold, C., Elzen-Rump, V. (2007). Self-regulated learning with a text-highlighting strategy [Abstract]. Zeitschrift für psychologie: Journal of psychology 215(3), 174-182.
Manipulatives
Time Needed:
20-30 min.
Room Arrangement:
Table groups or elbow buddy arrangement
Materials:
Manipulatives appropriate for lesson and topic, notebook for notes
Process Directions:
When:
Manipulatives are any object that students can hold and manipulate in order to represent a mathematical concept. They are especially valuable in mathematics because they can make abstract concepts more concrete and therefore easier to understand and remember. Manipulatives can be used in the math classroom before students are presented with a formula for solving a problem, from which they can derive their own formula. They could also be used as a proof for a formula.
Source:
Sowell, E. J.(1989). Effectives of manipulative materials in mathematics instruction. Journal for research in mathematics education. 20(5). Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/749423? uid=18400&uid=3739728&uid=2&uid=3&uid=67&uid=18394&uid=62&uid=3739256&sid=21103768298161
Time Needed:
20-30 min.
Room Arrangement:
Table groups or elbow buddy arrangement
Materials:
Manipulatives appropriate for lesson and topic, notebook for notes
Process Directions:
- Hand out manipulatives to each student.
- Give student 2-3 minutes to familiarize themselves with the manipulative, get the “playing” out of their system, and learn how to use them.
- Present the information to be learned
- Model the mathematical relationship using the manipulatives, instructing students to do the same with their own set of manipulatives.
- Have student solve several problems using the manipulatives, explaining to their elbow buddy what they are doing as they go, and checking each solution (with reasoning) as a class.
- Derive a formula as a class, discussing the reasoning behind the formula with reference to the exploration done with the manipulatives.
- As a class, cement the information by summarizing it in note form.
- Solve more problems without the physical use of manipulatives, but still referencing the manipulatives as explanation of the process.
When:
Manipulatives are any object that students can hold and manipulate in order to represent a mathematical concept. They are especially valuable in mathematics because they can make abstract concepts more concrete and therefore easier to understand and remember. Manipulatives can be used in the math classroom before students are presented with a formula for solving a problem, from which they can derive their own formula. They could also be used as a proof for a formula.
Source:
Sowell, E. J.(1989). Effectives of manipulative materials in mathematics instruction. Journal for research in mathematics education. 20(5). Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/749423? uid=18400&uid=3739728&uid=2&uid=3&uid=67&uid=18394&uid=62&uid=3739256&sid=21103768298161
(Ramone, 2014)
Total Physical Response and Story Telling (TPRS)
Time Needed:
20-30 min.
Room Arrangement:
Elbow buddies or one, all class, center facing circle of desks
Materials:
Chair, appropriate props for TPR, comic strips for stories
Process Directions:
When:
This method of language learning is especially valuable in vocabulary and grammar learning situations. TPRS allows for students to gain much needed comprehensible input in the target language as well as practice speaking skills in a meaningful context.
Source:
Asher, J.J. (1969). The total physical response technique of learning. Journal of Special Education, 3(3), 253-262.
Time Needed:
20-30 min.
Room Arrangement:
Elbow buddies or one, all class, center facing circle of desks
Materials:
Chair, appropriate props for TPR, comic strips for stories
Process Directions:
- The teacher will begin by giving commands to herself in the target language, which she will then also model following. Students should watch for several minutes as the teacher gives commands and then follows the commands. For example “stand, run, walk, touch the table, touch the nose, etc.).
- Next the teacher will direct the students to follow the same commands that they have just watched her follow. At first the teacher should do the actions with them, slowly giving less and less support as they go.
- After students are able to respond to the commands given completely in the target language, the teacher will display a list of the vocabulary words on the screen, and read through each as the students repeat so that they can connect what they have heard with a written description. As each word is read, the class will be asked to indicate nonverbally the meaning of the word by using the TPR motions they learned.
- Next, the teacher will display a comic strip without words and tell a story using the targeted vocabulary, referencing the pictures from the comic as she goes. The teacher will tell the story once while the students listen, and a second time while they jot down notes about the story.
- Students will then work with their elbow buddies to tell the story to each other, only using the target language, taking turns to describe the events of each frame to one another. Meanwhile the teacher will circulate to ensure accuracy and help students.
- Students will then work in partners or as a class to write the story.
- To extend this activity, the story can be retold from different characters’ perspectives, opening up the opportunity for practicing different tenses and conjugations.
When:
This method of language learning is especially valuable in vocabulary and grammar learning situations. TPRS allows for students to gain much needed comprehensible input in the target language as well as practice speaking skills in a meaningful context.
Source:
Asher, J.J. (1969). The total physical response technique of learning. Journal of Special Education, 3(3), 253-262.
Kinesthetic activity
Time Needed:
20-30 min.
Room Arrangement:
Table groups or elbow buddy arrangement
Materials:
Music (optional), experiment materials, or script for role play.
Process Directions:
a. Pass out scripts to all students
b. Assign each student a character/role. If there are more students than there are roles, consider breaking the class into smaller groups and each group will conduct their own role play. Roles should correspond to the concept to be demonstrated.
c. Have students act out their roles, moving as they go, while the teacher explains what is happening both metaphorically as well as how it relates to the principle being taught.
d. Repeat the metaphor several times until all have had an opportunity to be involved.
e. During subsequent run-throughs of the role play, allow students to explain what is happening and direct the student volunteers to where they should go in the role play.
f. End with having students write down the process in their own words, in a group or individually.
For lab experiments:
a. Design experiments with step by step instructions.
b. Break students into groups of equal size.
c. Assign roles to each group member. (Ex: recorder, time keeper, materials manager, etc.)
d. Pass out experiment instructions to each group.
e. Give a brief overview of purpose and instruction for the experiment.
f. Allow students to begin gathering materials and working through the experimental set up, making observations as specified by the instructions.
For tying studying to motions:
a. Create motions for each word or concept ahead of time.
b. Present each motion to the students as they follow.
c. Repeat motions to music or in the form of a game like “Simon Says.”
When:
Can include roleplaying, lab experiments, field trips and tying studying to motions. Kinesthetic activity can be valuable when students or teacher need to be reengaged, for memorizing vocabulary, discovering new ideas, or connecting with new concepts in a physical way. See Lessons Section.
Source:
Silver, H. F.,& Hanson, J. R. (1995). Learning styles and strategies. Woodbridge, NJ: The Thoughtful Education Press.
Time Needed:
20-30 min.
Room Arrangement:
Table groups or elbow buddy arrangement
Materials:
Music (optional), experiment materials, or script for role play.
Process Directions:
- Identify the information to be learned and the best type of kinesthetic activity to teach it.
a. Pass out scripts to all students
b. Assign each student a character/role. If there are more students than there are roles, consider breaking the class into smaller groups and each group will conduct their own role play. Roles should correspond to the concept to be demonstrated.
c. Have students act out their roles, moving as they go, while the teacher explains what is happening both metaphorically as well as how it relates to the principle being taught.
d. Repeat the metaphor several times until all have had an opportunity to be involved.
e. During subsequent run-throughs of the role play, allow students to explain what is happening and direct the student volunteers to where they should go in the role play.
f. End with having students write down the process in their own words, in a group or individually.
For lab experiments:
a. Design experiments with step by step instructions.
b. Break students into groups of equal size.
c. Assign roles to each group member. (Ex: recorder, time keeper, materials manager, etc.)
d. Pass out experiment instructions to each group.
e. Give a brief overview of purpose and instruction for the experiment.
f. Allow students to begin gathering materials and working through the experimental set up, making observations as specified by the instructions.
For tying studying to motions:
a. Create motions for each word or concept ahead of time.
b. Present each motion to the students as they follow.
c. Repeat motions to music or in the form of a game like “Simon Says.”
When:
Can include roleplaying, lab experiments, field trips and tying studying to motions. Kinesthetic activity can be valuable when students or teacher need to be reengaged, for memorizing vocabulary, discovering new ideas, or connecting with new concepts in a physical way. See Lessons Section.
Source:
Silver, H. F.,& Hanson, J. R. (1995). Learning styles and strategies. Woodbridge, NJ: The Thoughtful Education Press.
Realia
Time Needed:
10-15 minutes
Room Arrangement:
Elbow buddies or table circles
Materials:
Text, Various Realia
Process Directions:
When:
When learning about another culture, learning new vocabulary, or learning about something that is still abstract or completely unknown to the learner.
Source:
Genessee, F. (Ed.). (1999). Program alternatives for linguistically diverse students. (Educational Practice Report 1) Santa Cruz, CA & Washington, DC: Center for Research on Education, Diversity, & Excellence.
Time Needed:
10-15 minutes
Room Arrangement:
Elbow buddies or table circles
Materials:
Text, Various Realia
Process Directions:
- Identify a text to be read or material to be learned.
- Look for opportunities to use realia in lessons. This involves doing things like pre-reading stories to look for vocabulary that might be made real through the addition of realia.
- Collect realia from various locations and build a library of realia available for use in the classroom. Select the realia pertinent to your needs.
- Before reading the selected text, pull out realia and introduce new words and ideas visually to the students, passing objects around until all have had an opportunity to handle the objects.
- Read the story, referencing the realia as the class comes to the places where the targeted vocabulary is mentioned.
When:
When learning about another culture, learning new vocabulary, or learning about something that is still abstract or completely unknown to the learner.
Source:
Genessee, F. (Ed.). (1999). Program alternatives for linguistically diverse students. (Educational Practice Report 1) Santa Cruz, CA & Washington, DC: Center for Research on Education, Diversity, & Excellence.