Chapter 6 - Reading in a Second Language and Culture

1. What strategies did you use to understand the three paragraphs with unorthodox orthography? Would such and activity be helpful in explaining to teachers how difficult making meaning can be for ELs? (p. 136)

2. Describe the three kinds of knowledge on which readers draw to gain meaning from text. (p. 137) Goodman (1967)

3.  Please define SCHEMA Theory as it applies to reading. (p.139)

4. Why is what a teacher does before a book is read extremely important scaffolding for reading and comprehension? (p. 144)

5. How does the author define the difference between skimming and scanning the text? How does

making predictions about the text encourage students to read the text more interactively? (p. 154)

6.  What did you think about the suggested strategies students can use to work out meaning of

unknown words? How can we support teachers in reminding students of these strategies during

reading? (p.155)

Scaffolding Language:Scaffolding Learning Chapter 5

Scaffolding Language: Scaffolding Learning – Chapter 5

1.     Describe some challenges that ELs may encounter when attempting to write in English.

2.     How are genres cultural and shared by members of that culture?

3.     Please read genres of school writing (narrative and argument) p. 102 -108.  Is there anything from this section that resonated with you so that you may further support teachers working with ELs in writing?

4.     The Teaching and Learning Cycle has four stages.  These are: Stage 1-Building knowledge of the field; Stage 2- Modeling and deconstructing the genre; Stage 3- Joint construction; Stage 4 – Independent writing. How could this cycle provide an organizing framework for an entire unit?

Scaffolding language: Scaffolding learning - Chapter 3 and 4

Chapter 3

1.     Why do children tend to work at higher cognitive and language levels when working collaboratively?  Please review example on page 51.

2.     List several numbers of principles for effective group work.  

3.     How do well-designed and well-run groups of ELs working together provide opportunities for language development?

4.     How can the ideas provided for beginning ELs be integrated in subject topics?  Consider ways in which you may be of support to content area teachers in planning to integrate subject specific topics into lessons and activities.

Chapter 4

1.     How does Pauline Gibbons explain the connection between speaking and writing for ELs?

2.     On page 86, the author presents introduction of key vocabulary.  Let’s discuss ways in which you have had success in introducing new vocabulary to ELs.

3.     How does teacher-guided reporting encourage ELs to “stretch” language use and production?

4.     What does the author mean by literate talk?

Chapter 2-

1. What do you think Pauline Gibbons means when she says to, “scaffold up rather than scale down”?

2. How can we create opportunities for all teachers in the school to become familiar with second language development principles?

3. Please describe the key features in “dialogic talk”.

4.  On p. 43, Pauline explains that a teacher’s speed of talking is different from the speed at which new ideas are being presented. How is “processing” delayed for ELs when teachers move through content very quickly?

Scaffolding Language Scaffolding Learning: Teaching English Language Learners in the Mainstream Classroom

Collaboration and Co-Teaching - Chapter 8

1.  How do we know how we are doing in the day-to-day business of collaboration?


2.  How do we connect our collaborative practices with student progress?


3.   Why is reflection a worthwhile process to gather valuable data?


4.    Please review Table 8.1 - Key Reflective Questions.  Feel free to share questions that have been
       helpful in getting you started as you seek answers.

Collaboration and Co-Teaching- Chapter 7

Chapter 7

1.     Resources should be readily available for you as you step into the co-teaching classroom. Think about discussions you should have with collaborating teachers so that your materials are organized and ready.  Explain how you envision resources being organized in some of the classrooms you support?

2.   What discussions should you have with your collaborating teachers to explain that carefully preparing a teaching-learning environment helps develop collaborative practices?

2.     Please review Table 7.3 (p. 144) and consider suggestions presented that you found informative and valuable.  Share several suggestions you found that will assist you in creating a classroom that is more effective for co-teaching?

3.     Honigsfeld and Dove explain the role of the building administrators in school organization and logistics.  How could you begin conversations with your building administrators regarding more effective ELL student placement and creating a teaching-learning environment that supports teachers in developing collaborative practices?