Get Ready! Soar - PROGRAM SAMPLER

8E | Supporting SLIFE UNIT 1 Suggestions Supporting Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE) There are several areas in Unit 1 where SLIFE will need additional support. Review the suggestions below with colleagues to find ways to meet the needs of individual students. Each student has his or her own story, unique situation, assets, and abilities to capitalize on. Stress Asking students to share about their home countries or cultures may trigger memories of trauma, particularly if students have been exposed to war, conflict, or severe distress. Students may feel overwhelmed by their new environment and language. They may miss their families and community. In Unit 1, students are asked to share “All About Me.” If they become emotional, allow them to simply listen to their classmates and rejoin activities when they feel ready. Be supportive, welcoming, and encouraging. Frustration Students may be excited for the opportunity to attend school on a regular basis, but then find they are academically behind their English-speaking peers. This can cause frustration or dismay. Be patient and encourage students to be patient with themselves. Language learning takes time. Lower students’ affective filter by offering extended wait time and breaking tasks into smaller chunks. Social-emotional support As students learn the rituals and routines of your school, pair SLIFE with a “buddy” to help them adjust to the daily schedule and social environment—someone who shares the same home language if possible. Ideally, select an empathetic and friendly peer who is well-versed in cross-cultural communication. However, ensure cultural norms are observed (e.g., in some cultures, females are not typically grouped or paired with males). Literacy support Students may not be able to read or write in their home language, or they may have had limited exposure to the language processes of speaking, reading, and writing in academic settings. Or, they may be quite literate in their home language. Literacy in the home language is an important variable. Cross-linguistic transfer will play a role. In the Unit 1 phonics lesson, for example, the sounds and letters b, s, t , f , d , and short a are taught. These letter sounds are shared between English and many languages. Speakers of Arabic and Vietnamese may need extra support. See the notes on the phonics lesson. If concepts about print (such as directionality) need to be addressed, have students work through the foundational literacy components prior to beginning Unit 1. Academic language support Academic vocabulary and discipline-specific language can pose a special challenge for students. The goal is for students to learn academic language and concepts at the same time. In the math, science, and social studies sections of the unit, students are introduced to key terms for those subject areas. In Unit 1, you may find that students are familiar with numbers 1 to 20 and can perform basic arithmetic, but are unable to count in English. Other topics may be less familiar to newcomers. Preview the vocabulary in those sections, follow the vocabulary routine, and add terms to an academic Word Wall. Build on what students know; some content language may have cognates in students’ home languages. Funds of knowledge Although SLIFE have myriad needs, they also bring “funds of knowledge” with them into the classroom. Students have had many life experiences. They bring linguistic, historical, and cultural knowledge to the table. A vast array of cultural interactions steeped in their community, family life, and everyday living has taught them much. They can serve as rich resources in the classroom.