Title: Jump-Starting Language and Schema for English-Language Learners: Teacher-Composed Digital Jumpstarts for Academic Reading.
Authors: Rance-Roney, Judith
Source: Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy; Feb2010, Vol. 53 Issue 5, p386-395, 10p
Persistent link to this record (Permalink):
Summary:
Digital storytelling technologies can enhance the academic literacy of English language learners (ELLs). The article deals with pre-service and in-service teachers who worked together to compose “digital jump-starts” to use as pre-reading contextualized learning tools. Instead of the traditional pre-reading activities designed to facilitate the English speaker’s understanding, these voice-overs will include images, video, and words which the ELL will encounter in the reading to take place.
The digital storytelling method will provide background information, develop schema, and preview vocabulary of the content to be covered. The software programs are readily available and once created the student can view it over and over. Using the technology of this method will increase the ELL’s opportunities to interact with the vocabulary in a nonthreatening atmosphere. In contrast to the traditional jump-start activities (ie. Graphic organizers, parallel reading of simpler texts, pre-reading self-questioning, and prediction questions) the problem lies in the classroom management of other students. The ELL can even take a DVD format home to view with their families. It can be uploaded to free-access websites such as YouTube.
For mastery of the English language, ELLs need multiple and multimodal exposures to correct meaning, context, and pronunciation. It could take eight to ten explicit word encounters for an ELL to fully master phonology and the depth of the meaning in order to feel confident enough to use it in classroom conversation. Through digital storytelling a visual context is provided to place the language in so it makes sense.
Review:
The explanation of the process was described clearly for the production of a DJ (digital jump-start). The reasons for using them were given as multimodal exposure to the language using visuals. The student could even follow it up with creating one of his/her own to describe what was learned in the process (thus practicing the speaking of the language). There were several examples given which clearly identified the strengths of this method.
To get the student to interact and relate to the experience is a major purpose of the DJ. In one example, the teacher used a biographical article of Cesar Chavez to connect to the reading of The Circuit: Stories From the Life of a Migrant Child. In the process it was realized that not only did the DJ need to introduce academic language but also preview vocabulary words that would appear in both the article and the book (e.g. laborer, migrant, fields, organize, rights, boycott). Even such phrases as was raised, one of six children, and lacking basic necessities needed clarification. The superimposed vocabulary over certain images would increase the understanding.
Several things were learned through the process of creating these DJs. In the beginning it took longer to make them, but as experience was gained the time decreased. This would be true for an implementation of any new technique or technology. Several tips for teachers making these are included, which are very useful. Not only did the teachers gain understanding of the material better, but viewing it from the perspective of a non-American helped them to present it in a little different light than if it was prepared only for English speakers who had grown up here. The author does comment on the future research of the effectiveness of the use of DJs is yet to be seen. It is for sure that this approach will enhance some learners’ understanding, so that makes it worth it.
No comments:
Post a Comment