Entry #8 - Sheltered Literacy Lesson

     During this lesson the teacher began explicit explaining the lesson, reviewing the vocabulary, and reviewing the objectives so students were focused and well aware of the expectations.  She had the students make background connections.  As she asked questions about a time when they where left waiting, she allowed the students to discuss their experiences among each other and had a few students share.  These were all the scaffold strategies that were discussed on pg 85 section tittled Before- Reading Activities in Scaffolding Language, Scaffolding Learning (Gibbons, 2002)
     During the reading activity she had the students read out loud while she instructed strategies and continuously repeated vocabulary when ever they came across the word,  Having them make connections to the meaning of the word in direct relationship with clarification and comprehension of what was happening in the story. The request of the students to share their knowledge of the birthday song was a little awkward but effective in pulling the students into what was happening in the story.  Students were allowed to make clarifications in the students first language prior to explaining the song in English. Their was wait time extended to allow for students input.  ELL learners need the extra time to translate what their are hearing in English to their native language in their brains and then to process the answer in English in order to verbalize it.
    During Post Reading she left time to review vocabulary, text and objectives.  I don't recall noticing hand on activities as recommended on page 91 of our reading in Scaffolding Language, Scaffolding Learning (Gibbons, 2002),
    I felt that with this particular class the selection of the book  was very effective in providing the students numerous opportunities to use their background knowledge in every step of the reading process.   It provided the students with plenty of  times to practice their oral language skills in a safe envirorment where they were the subject matter experts. It was also effective in providing motivation in reading which is always the number one strategy a teacher wants to help students develop.  All of these strategies of using and allowing the students to express themselves orally provides time for their brains to envelop the details in the story and providing retention of what is read.