SDAIE strategies are very important in everyday lessons. My Cooperative Teacher uses graphic organizers for each new topic he teaches. He gives students graphic organizers at the beginning of the lesson so that when he introduces a new word they can write it down for reference. He explains the new term and gives a definition, students write the definition down in their own words to help them remember what the word means. My CT models for them by writing a definition on a similar graphic organizer and displays it using a projector. There is also a column in the graphic organizer where they draw a visual representation of the term. If possible, he also tries to break the word down to meaningful parts and explains what each part means. For example "EQUILATERAL Triangles" he breaks it down to "EQUI" which means equal since these type of triangles have equal sides and "LATERAL" which means side. Students copy the term using correct spelling, write a definition and draw a visual representation. I believe this strategy helps students remember what the term means and learn how to correctly spell it.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
I created this survey using Google forms. This quick and easy assessment helped me get to know students' literacy habits, strengths, and struggles. It helped me modify my teaching strategies to be able to reach all of them. I was happy to see that most of the students were okay with giving an oral presentation to the class even if they answered that they're not very good with English. Students are willing to learn and progress if given the opportunity. Encouraging them to participate in discussions and collaborate with each other will certainly improve their literacy. I believe that these students when challenged they can reach their full potential.
These pictures of injustice represent some of the challenges students face in schools today. While technology is rapidly advancing, students can't even access up to date technological tools. Students use this "computer lab" to work on assignments. These computers are very old and most of them don't even work.