What We Will Be Working On 11/30-12/4

Out of the Longman Keystone Building Bridges textbook we will continue to wrap up unit 5. 

We just finished reading "The Great Minu" which is a folktale from Ghana, where a young man named Akwasi travels to a city where no people speak his language. Akwasi visits many wonderful places. Each time he asks who the owner may be the town's people response is "Minu" which means "I don't understand.". Not knowing what "Minu" means, Akwasi thinks Minu is the name of a very important person.

Next week we will be taking a quiz on "The Great Minu" about what happened in the story as well as vocabulary words. Students can study with the class quizlet link.

We will also be focusing on grammar pronouns, writing skills for writing a report, and prewriting, using a graphic organizer.

By Friday we should be starting Unit 6 EXPLORING THE SENSES. Where students will be reading two selections: the first is fiction "The Blind Man and the Elephant" and the second is nonfiction "Animal Senses".

Objectives for this unit include:
Reading

• vocabulary building: visual cues
• making inferences
• finding the main idea
• text types: fable, science, drama

Writing

• sensory details
• descriptive paragraph

Listening/Speaking

• retelling fables
• dramatize
• discuss

Grammar

• adjectives

ACADEMIC CONTENT

• Science vocabulary
• animal senses

Textbook Used in Entering ENL Stand Alone

For our Entering ENL stand alone we will be working in the Longman Keystone Building Bridges Textbook. 

Longman Keystone is a multi-level program designed for English learners and struggling readers whose academic achievement is two or more years below grade level. Through explicit, intensive, and focused instruction that accelerates students' language acquisition, reading comprehension, vocabulary, and oral and written communication skills, students will quickly begin achieving academic success and be better prepared to transition to mainstream coursework across the curriculum. Longman Keystone blends rigorous, research-based reading and language skills instruction together with a balance of content-area readings and age-appropriate, high-interest literature. In addition, this series incorporates the focused and purposeful instructional principles of Understanding by Design, which allow students to demonstrate their understanding and mastery of skills through multiple formal and informal assessment opportunities. Through this process, students will be equipped with the key transferable academic skills necessary for lifelong success. For more information about Longman Keystone, including sample units and correlations, please visit http://www.longmanschool.com.

How to Use Quizlet

Entering ENL Quizlet Link to use in a web browser on a laptop or desktop computer

You can search my username msbrittanywylie to find my classes on quizlet. 

Download the Quizlet App for Apple and/or Android Link APP you can download and use on phones or tablets

Join both the ELA and Entering ENL classes to stay up to date on vocabulary!

Quizlet is a GREAT website that can help your child study vocabulary for quizzes and tests. 

How to Sign Up for Remind

Introduction

Hello!

I am pleased to introduce myself as the 9th grade ESL teacher. I Co-teach ELA with Mrs. Tallman 1st period and I teach a stand alone ESL 6th period on days 2 and 4. During the 73 minutes students read silently and complete a summary of what they read daily which will be collected and graded weekly. Then in class we are reading a novel everyday called Swallowing Stones. Students learn key vocabulary words and write them down so they remember them. These words help with fluency and help students become Regents ready. After every 11 words students will have a quiz on the vocabulary. After reading we hold a class discussion with key discussion questions that help with comprehension. In class we also talk about the characters, plot, and setting. Students have at least one homework assignment a week which requires them to read for 30 minutes 4 nights a week and then write a 5 sentence summary of what they read. The homework will also be graded at the end of each week.

For the ENL stand alone we are working out of a language supported textbook called Building Bridges. This book has readings about Science, Math, Social Studies, and ELA topics. In this book we review and learn new vocabulary, practice reading strategies, discuss comprehension questions, and complete a writing activity. Each piece of classwork is grade for completion but as the year goes on it will be graded for content more and more. I encourage all students to try to write or discuss an answer this is the best way to practice the language.

With the way our program is set up the students stay with the same group of students all day long. Because the students are not exposed to native English speakers they must speak English in class as much as possible. I also strongly encourage students to practice the language they learn at school, at home with you.

I look forward to watching all of my students grow and learn. You can watch their progress online at https://esphac.scsd.us/HomeAccess/ (eschool) where all of their grades will be posted in a timely manner. If you have any questions you may call the school at (315) 435-4343 and leave me a message.

Thank you!

Ms. Brittany Wylie

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