Workshop for teachers working with SLIFE (Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education) in Thames Valley and Waterloo School Districts, London Ontario

1. Supporting
Students with Limited or
Interrupted Formal
Education
Thames Valley School District
London, Ontario
October 23, 2014
Andrea DeCapua, Ed.D.
MALP, LLC
drandreadecapua@gmail.com

2. Welcome and Warm-up Activity
• Look at the chart paper around the room
• Write your first name and the first initial of
your last name under each sentence that
describes you.

3. Agenda Topics
• Welcome and Warm-up Activity
• Background to Understanding SLIFE
• Culturally Responsive Model: Mutually Adaptive
Learning Paradigm
• Using the MALP Teacher Planning Checklist
• MALP and Project-Based Learning
• MALP in Action
• Designing a MALP Project
• Planning for Change
and . . .
break, lunch

4. Introductions

5. Layers of the Instructional
Context
Curriculum,
Instruc.on,
and
Assessment
Culturally
Responsive
Teaching
Societal
Factors
Bedrock
Layer

6. What is This?

7. 2 Dimensional vs. 3 Dimensional

8. To think about:
Ways of thinking and lear2ing
are shaped by
prior lear2ing ex6eriences

9. SLIFE
Are unlike other ELs because
• no, interrupted, or limited formal education
• new to literacy or have limited literacy skills
• lack content-knowledge of their peers
• unfamiliar with “doing school”

10. Teachers and learners assume that
1. the goals of K-12 instruction are to
a) produce an independent learner
b) prepare that learner for life after schooling
2.
the learner is ready to
a) engage in literacy-based, school-related tasks
b) participate and demonstrate mastery on an
individual basis
(Adapted
from
DeCapua
&
Marshall,
2011)

11. Three Underlying Differences
• Oral transmission – Written Word
• Collectivism - Individualism
• Informal Ways of Learning – Formal
Western-Style Education

12. ©
www.globalafricanvillage.org
Used
by
permission

14. Collectivism
• “We” rather than “I”
• People see themselves as
part of an interconnected
whole
• “Web” of relationships
• Group is more important
than any single individual

15. Individualism
• Personal efforts praised,
rewarded
• Personal interests,
desires, primary
• Personal judgments
• Personal responsibility
• “Self-actualization”

16. Informal Ways of Learning
• Revolves around
immediate needs of
family, community
• Grounded in
observation, participation
in sociocultural practices
of family, community
• Has immediate
relevance
• Centered on orality
(Gahunga,
Gahunga,
&
Luseno,
2011;
Paradise
&
Rogoff,
2009)

17. Formal Western-Style Education
• Abstract knowledge
• Scientific reasoning
• Literacy is central
• Formal school settings
• Segmentation of
knowledge
• Age cohorts
(Anderson-­‐LeviK,
2003;
Flynn,
2007;
Grigorenko,
2007;
Ozmon
&
Carver,
2008
)

18. Academic Tasks
• Definitions
Ø What is a tree?
• True/False
Ø Vancouver is the capital of British Columbia.
Ø Toronto is the capital of Ontario.
• Classification
Ø Categorize these objects (see next slide)

20. Sample Question
(Luria,
1976)
What is the
group?
Which ITEM
does not
belong in
the group?

21. SLIFE
• Develop basic literacy skills
• Learn basic and grade-level subject area
concepts
• Adapt to cultural differences in learning
and teaching
• Develop academic ways of thinking

22. Teachers and learners assume that
1. the goals of K-12 instruction are to
a) produce an independent learner
b) prepare that learner for life after schooling
2.
the learner is ready to
a) engage in literacy-based, school-related tasks
b) participate and demonstrate mastery on an
individual basis
(Adapted
from
DeCapua
&
Marshall,
2011)

23. Activity
Please take one

24. Break

25. Schema Theory
Dictionary definition of schema:
An abstract structure
representing concepts
stored in memory

26. Linguistic Schema
F M J E O T P Y X
A B C D E F G H I
(James, 1987)

27. Version #1
➨ The batsmen were merciless against the bowlers. The
bowlers placed their men in slips and covers. But to no
avail. The batsmen hit one four after another with an
occasional six. Not once did a ball look like it would hit
their stumps or be caught.

28. Content Schema
➨ The men were at bat against the bowlers. They did
not show any pity. The bowlers placed their men in
slips. They placed their men in covers. They hit
some sixes. No ball hit the stumps. No ball was
caught.
(Tierney & Pearson, 1985)
Version #2

29. Formal Schema
Please name the months
of the year:
(James,1987)

30. TYPES of SCHEMATA
• Linguistic Schemata
• Content Schemata
• Formal Schemata

31. The Power of Prior Knowledge
When information is missing or confusing,
we compensate by accessing our familiar
schemata.
Observe the following:

32. Compensating Strategies
Example #1
Ths sntnc s wrttn wth
th vwl smbls lft t.

33. Compensating Strategies
Example #2
Our Father makes art in heaven
Howdja know my name?
Thy kingdom come,
Thy Wimbledon,
On earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this steak and jelly bread,
And forgive us our trash baskets
As we forgive those who put trash in our baskets.
And lead a snot into Kemp's station,
But deliver us from eagles,
For mine is the kingdom, the flower, and the jewelry.

34. Compensating Strategies
Example #3
_____________
____________
____________
____________
__________,
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
_________.
Ασδφγηκκ
(Adapted from Peregoy & Boyle, 2005)

35. FAMILIAR
SCHEMATA
UNFAMILIAR
SCHEMATA
Describing
your favorite
game in your
first language
or dialect
Writing a
science lab
report in
academic
English

36. (Ibarra, 2001)

37. MALP®
Mutually
Adaptive
Learning
Paradigm

38. Two Different Learning Paradigms
SLIFE North American
Classrooms
CONDITIONS
PROCESSES
ACTIVITIES
Immediate Relevance Future Relevance
(Adapted from DeCapua & Marshall, 2009, 2011;
Marshall, 1994,1998; Marshall & DeCapua, 2013)
Aspects of
Learning
Shared
Responsibility
Individual
Accountability
Pragmatic
Tasks
Academic Task
Interconnectedness
Oral Transmission
Independence
Written Word

39. Mutually Adaptive Learning
Paradigm® - MALP®
ü Culturally Responsive Instructional Model
ü Elements from students’ learning paradigm
ü Elements from North American learning paradigm
ü Transitional approach to close achievement gap
(DeCapua & Marshall, 2010; 2011 )

40. Mutually Adap.ve
Learning
Paradigm®
–
MALP®
Culturally
Responsive
Teaching
Model
SLIFE
North
American
Classrooms
Interconnectedness
Independence
Shared
Responsibility
Individual
Accountability
PragmaWc
Tasks
Academic
Tasks
ACCEPT
CONDITIONS
COMBINE
PROCESSES
FOCUS
on
NEW
ACTIVITIES
with
familiar
language
&
content
Immediate
Relevance
Oral
Transmission
WriKen
Word
with
Future
Relevance
(DeCapua
&
Marshall,
2009,
2011;
Marshall,
1994;
Marshall
&
DeCapua,
2013)

41. MALP Teacher Planning Checklist©
A. Accept Conditions for Learning
A1. I am making this lesson/project immediately relevant to my students.
A2. I am helping students develop and maintain interconnectedness.
B. Combine Processes for Learning
B1. I am incorporating both shared responsibility and individual accountability.
B2. I am scaffolding the written word through oral interaction.
C. Focus on New Activities for Learning
C1. I am focusing on tasks requiring academic ways of thinking.
C2. I am making these tasks accessible to my students with familiar language
and content.
© DeCapua, A. & Marshall, H.W. Breaking New Ground: Teaching Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal
Education in Secondary Schools, University of Michigan Press, 2011, p.68.

42. Lunch!

43. Scenarios
Directions: Using the MALP Checklist©,
analyze your teacher. Refer to p. 78 in
Breaking New Ground for specifics.
Groups 1 & 5 Scenario A p. 79
Groups 2 & 6 Scenario B p. 80
Group 3 & 7 Scenario C p. 81
Groups 4 & 8 Scenario D p. 82

44. Project-Based Learning
• Allows for differentiation
• Promotes integration of literacy
and content knowledge
• Improves student engagement;
learner-centered rather than
teacher-centered

45. and…
from a MALP® perspective
• Provides immediate relevance
• Fosters a sense of interconnectedness
• Allows for both shared responsibility and
individual accountability
• Incorporates oral transmission with print
• Develops academic ways of thinking

46. brainstorm
select
focus
propose
new
project
share
implement
delegate
idenWfy
reflect
&
evaluate
Project-Based
Learning

47. What is a Project?

48. Prototypical MALP® Project
Class Surveys
Characteristics that foster MALP
• Interpersonal
• Relevant topics likely to emerge
• Natural movement from oral interaction to written
product
• Provision for both group and individual task delegation
• Instruction in academic ways of thinking

50. Carol’s Class

51. Survey: Students’ Free Time

52. Bar Graph

54. Compare/Contrast:
Student Venn Diagram

55. Oral and Written

56. Using the Poster Surveys
Looking at the surveys we did
at the beginning of the
session, how could you use
information like this to develop
projects for your SLIFE?

57. To Define is to Know
The most common question asked in classrooms
in all subjects and at all levels:
WHAT IS ______?

58. Mystery Bag Activity

59. Questions to ask
about the Mystery Bag
• Do you know what it is?
• Do you know what it is called in your
language/another language?
• What do you do with it? What is it for?
• Do you like it?
• Give 4 words to describe it.

60. Checking Answers
• One by one, check all the answers
• All participate in the checking
Ø Give answers - tabulate them
Ø Write answers up as others give them
Ø Copy down all descriptive words

61. Apple Collection

62. Benefits of Collections
• Building definitions
• Learning ways to categorize objects
• Developing vocabulary
Ø academic terms
Ø descriptive adjectives
• Collaborating on a class project

63. Categorization
A/An _______________________
is
a/an _______________________
Important: small before big!

64. Characteristics
• with ___________________
Or
• that has ________________

65. Specific Descriptions
• red
• good
• delicious
• round
• sweet
• plastic
• wood
• so^
• glass
• wax
• small
•
soap
• key
chain
• potholder
• candle
• light
• magnet
• pin

66. Talking & Writing about Collection
Talk/write about the items in the collections using
sentence frames
My apple is a/an ____key chain________.
It is ___________, ___________ and ________.
It is a/an ________, ________, _________ key chain.

67. 1. Opinion
2. Size
3. Shape
4. Condition
5. Age
6. Color
7. Origin
(where from)
8. Material
(made of)
9. function
(Used for)
small white light pretty cloth potholder
DeCapua,
A.
2008.
Grammar
for
Teacher.
Boston:
Springer

68. Talking & Writing about Collection
Talk/write about the items in the collections using
sentence frames
My apple is a/an ____key chain________.
It is ___________, ___________ and ________.
It is a/an ________, ________, _________ key chain.

69. MALP Teacher Planning Checklist©
A. Accept Conditions for Learning
A1. I am making this lesson/project immediately relevant to my students.
A2. I am helping students develop and maintain interconnectedness.
B. Combine Processes for Learning
B1. I am incorporating both shared responsibility and individual accountability.
B2. I am scaffolding the written word through oral interaction.
C. Focus on New Activities for Learning
C1. I am focusing on tasks requiring academic ways of thinking.
C2. I am making these tasks accessible to my students with familiar language
and content.
© DeCapua, A. & Marshall, H.W. Breaking New Ground: Teaching Students with Limited or
Interrupted Formal Education in Secondary Schools, University of Michigan Press, 2011. p. 68.

70. A. Accept Conditions for Learning
• The category each object
represents is something
familiar
• The activity makes abstract—
classification— concrete, by
using real-world objects
• Students and teacher learn
more about each others’
interests
• Students create collections
together as a class

71. • Class collectively creates
sentences
• Pairs come up with additional
sentences
• Each person adds information
related to own object
• Students share answers to
questions orally as teacher
writes on board.
• Students read from board orally
and later copy into their
notebooks.

72. • Classifying
• Representational vs.
functional identification
• Language scaffolded by
use of L1 among students
• Content scaffolded by
relevant personal
information
• Content scaffolded by
sentence frames

73. More Examples of Projects
• Timelines
• Shared Events
• Concept Posters
• Theme Booklets
DeCapua
&
Marshall,
2011;
DeCapua,
Smathers,
&
Tang,
2009;
Marshall
&
DeCapua,
2013.

74. Welcome Book

75. Mrs. J’s Class Newcomer Book
Where is_?

76. It is Room 234.
It is on the second floor.
You
return
books
here.

77. These
are
lockers.
They
are
by
Room
110.
This
is
a
lock.

79. Number Lines

80. Like and Unlike Terms Posters

81. Timelines:
My Life

82. Bar Graph Posters

83. Timelines
• At your table, take a sheet of construction
paper and print in large letters the month
and day of your birthday, e.g. September
27th.
• When you finish, stand up, go to a corner
of the room and arrange yourselves
physically by birthdays.

84. Timelines
• Why timelines?
• What did this activity demonstrate in terms
of the development of:
– Formal schemata
– Linguistic
– Content

85. Project Design Activity

86. MALP® Projects
• Class Surveys: Immigration
• Collections: Mystery Bag
• Mapping Time: Timelines
• Autobiographies: Transitions
• Bookmarking: delicious.com
Class Surveys: Crossing the Mekong
Mapping Time: Calendar
Theme Booklets:
Curriculum Fire Prevention
Procedures Driver’s License
Language Comparison/Contrast
Murals: Our Community

87. Forward Planning
Next 5 days?
Next 5 weeks?
Next 5 months?
Next 5 years?

88. A Continuum of Ways of
Thinking & Learning
Dissonance View Deficit View
Informal Ways of Learning North American
Formal Education
SLIFE

89. MALP® Resources & Contacts
Website: http://malpeducation.com
Wiki: http://malp.pbworks.com
Andrea DeCapua: drandreadecapua@gmail.com
Helaine W. Marshall: helaine.marshall@liu.edu