Brain Based Research: Teaching with Many Modalities

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Best Practices, Meta-cognitive Strategies, Multi-sensory Teaching

“Our senses are designed to work together, so when they are combined . . . the brain pays more attention and encodes the memory more robustly.”

~ Medina 2014

Multimodal Learning

Study after study show that memory improves when more than one sense is stimulated at the same time.  The early pioneer in multimodal learning, Edgar Dale found that people learn better from pictures and words than from words alone.  In more recent years, Richard Mayer has established that learners who receive input in a variety of senses have better recall than learners who receive input that is only visual or auditory. Hear a piece of information, and three days later you’ll remember 10% of it. Add a picture and you’ll remember 65%.  (Medina 2014)  Furthermore, people who receive information via multiple modalities are more creative in their problem solving by 50% to 75%  (Newell, Bulthoff, Ernst 2003).

The ultimate expression of simultaneous and multimodal learning is learning by doing.  When we learn by seeing and hearing, we remember 50% fourteen days later.  But we remember 90% if we actually experience it.  (Dale 1969)   This means that simulations, such as role plays, are very effective in helping students remember the new language they learned.

All the Senses and All the Brain

Language, the subject of our teaching, is quite a brain-stimulating subject.  Language activates many parts of the brain. In fact, different lobes of your brain specialize in processing different aspects of language. (Zadina 2014).  You process sound in a different location than you process visual information or motor information, so hearing the word cat, seeing the word cat, seeing a photograph of a cat, and saying the word cat all stimulate different parts of your brain.  If you engage all these different senses you are more likely to remember the meaning of cat because you have an enriched experience of the concept of cat and you have more pathways to that concept.

Using Expressive Pathways

“Very simply, saying a word aloud leads to better memory than does reading a word silently. “  

~ Colin MacLeod (2012)

Within the four language skills of reading, writing, listening, and speaking, there is also a hierarchy of impact on memory.  Reading and listening are receptive pathways.  Speaking and writing are expressive pathways.  When we reread material aloud (using an expressive pathway) our memory of that information is stronger than if we read it silently (using our receptive pathway).  This is called the “production effect”  (MacLeod 2013).  While we cannot always prompt learning experiences that integrate all the senses, we should remember to give our students many opportunities to use their expressway pathways in class.  Invite them to speak, enunciate, discuss, print, write, type, and draw as much as possible.

 

Using Multiple Senses to Stay Stimulated 

 

“Our sensory receptors become aroused when a new stimulus begins, but if the new stimulus continues without variation in quality or quantity, our sensory receptors shut down from their aroused state.”

                                                          ~Pierce J. Howard  (2000)

In his popular book, The Owner’s Manual for the Brain Howard points out that our brains need variety.  We need to add novelty and variation for our neurons to fire until they wire.

Using multiple modalities is a way to add stimulation to student learning.  For example: if you have introduced words in print on the board, introduce them again in typeface on a computer screen, or have students practice “skywriting” the words with their fingers in the air, or have students type the words and “dress” them with the computer tools of font, color, and WordArt to express the word in graphic text.  Have students listen carefully for the beginning or end sound of each word.  Use gesture to demonstrate stress and rhythm. Introduce the words again with pictures from Google images or have students draw their own illustrations, or have students use their cell phones to photograph an example of the word.

Classroom Applications

Multisensory Checklist

Complete a checklist at random intervals to evaluate how much of the visual medium you use in class.   If you haven’t check an item off in a while, figure a way to integrate into your next class.   (See The Multisensory Checklist for Teaching Language:  https://teachertwoteacher.wordpress.com/2012/03/08/the-multisensory-checklist-for-teaching-language/ )

Dramatic Dialogues

• Make sure your students get multiple exposures to a dialogue from a variety of media: audio print, video.
• Give students multiple opportunities to practice the dialogues in a variety of dispositions:  sitting, standing, with propos, whispering, shouting, with gestures.
• Make sure students use the new language they learned in a role play.  You can add layers to their sensory learning by videotaping their role plays and sending them to the students to watch and transcribe short sections.

Multisensory Spelling Practice

• Sound: Students repeat a word and consider its number of syllables and syllable stress.
• Print: Students look at the printed word and consider how the letters and the sounds correspond.  Are there letters that are silent?  Are there sounds that have no corresponding letters?
• Movement: Students “write” the word on their desktops with their index finger.

Silent Read and Repeat 

This silent step allows students to focus on the mechanical aspects of pronunciation: the movements of lips, jaw, cheeks, and tongue.

• Read a line aloud to the class.
• Have students read it by mouthing the words (saying them with no voice).
• Have students then read the line aloud.

[Thanks to Marc Helgesen for this great idea! http://helgesenhandouts.weebly.com/diy-neuro-elt.html ]

Additional links to multi-sensory teaching ideas:

https://teachertwoteacher.wordpress.com/2012/03/06/lets-get-physical-teaching-pronunciation/

https://teachertwoteacher.wordpress.com/2012/05/08/eight-great-reading-fluency-activities/

The Multilevel Teacher: Creating a Common Classroom Experience

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Differentiating Instruction, Low-level ESOL

As educators, we know how to differentiate instruction one student at a time, but how do we differentiate instruction for a whole classroom of students at once?  And how do we maintain cohesion in a classroom with so many moving parts? 

A Common Classroom Experience

In our digital age, the classroom presents a unique opportunity for students to learn together and develop face-to-face social communication skills.  For this reason, I strive to use common materials , but I differentiate the tasks I give the students.  

We start each activity as a class, we break out into groups, and then we return to the class to debrief and summarize.  The class is the beginning and end of every learning activity.  

Grouping Students by Level

One way to manage break out groups in a multi-level classroom is by sorting students by level.  In this arrangement, students work with others at a similar level.  

Multilevel Tips for Low-Level Groups

·        Keep the numbers down.  Keep low-level groups small.  Communication and collaboration is always easier when fewer people are involved.

·        Provide model language.  Make sure students have the language they need to complete the assignment. Often that means writing some key phrases on the board or getting students to locate a reference page in their book. 

·        Limit the assignment.  Limit the number of items the group needs to complete.  When groups return to the whole class debriefing, make sure you call on this group early, so they can contribute the work they were able to complete.

Multilevel Tips for High Level Groups

·        Grow the group. The more people in a group, the more challenging the communication and collaboration.

·        Step away from model language.   Encourage students to work independently from the model language. If the model is on the board, encourage the students to turn their seats away from it.  If the model is in the book, encourage them to keep it closed as much as possible.

·        Assign an additional task.   These tasks should be familiar learning routines to students, so you don’t need to interrupt for long to explain the next step.  Some additional activities are: 

o   After a role play:  Students write their dialogue out and read it aloud, making language adjustments as needed.  Or students record their role play (with voice note on their cell phones), transcribe their speech, and identify errors.  Students submit their writing to you at the end of class.

o   After a reading activity:  Students identify key words in the text, or students write additional comprehension questions.  They write their additional information/questions on the board for the whole class debriefing.

o   After a discussion activity:  Students write their responses, and then review their written work by reading their responses aloud to group members.  Students submit their writing to you at the end of class. 

More of My Posts about Multilevel Teaching

Differentiating Instruction in a Multi-level Classroom  http://wp.me/pMYto-14

Multilevel Dictation Handout  http://wp.me/pMYto-8z

Conversation Cards:  A Warm-up Activity  http://wp.me/pMYto-8d

Mixing It Up!    http://wp.me/pMYto-3w

Building Better Learners:  The Teacher’s Worksheet  http://wp.me/pMYto-a8

 

Multilevel Dictation Handout

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Best Practices, Differentiating Instruction

A Multilevel Dictation for Low and Intermediate Levels created by John Antonellis.

1. The teacher dictates key words one at a time.  Students write the words and then check their work.
2. The teacher dictates sentences with the key words.  Students orally repeat the sentences and write the number of words they hear.
3. Students write the sentence referring to the key word list as needed.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This handout has been adpated to fit blog formatting.

 

Part 1:  Listen and write the word you hear.

 

1. _____________       5. ______________   

 

2. _____________       6. _____________ 

 

3. _____________       7. _____________ 

 

4. _____________       8. _______________

             

Part 2:  Listen and write the sentences you hear.

 

How many words? _________

1.  ______________________________________________

 

How many words? _________

2.  ______________________________________________

 

How many words? _________

3.  _____________________________________________

 

How many words? _________

4.  ______________________________________________

 

How many words? _________

5.  _____________________________________________

 

 

More of My Posts about Multilevel Teaching

The Multilevel Teacher:  Creating a Common Classroom Experience http://wp.me/pMYto-b0

Conversation Cards:  A Warm-up Activity  http://wp.me/pMYto-8d

Mixing It Up!    http://wp.me/pMYto-3w

Building Better Learners:  The Teacher’s Worksheet  http://wp.me/pMYto-a8

Differentiating Instruction in a Multi-level Classroom  http://wp.me/pMYto-14

Working Across Levels in the Multi-level Classroom  http://wp.me/sMYto-61

Conversation Cards: A Warm-up Activity

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Warm-up Activities

Questions are the springboard for most conversations in English, whether they be “What do you do?”  “Are you from around here?”  or “How was your day?”  These questions are a great way to open or extend a conversation.  In my low-level English class we practice and recycle these questions regularly.  Here’s how:

Conversation Cards

1. At the end of every class I write any new questions we practiced  that day on cards- one question per card.
2. At the beginning of the following class , I  place piles of the cards facedown on tabletops around the room.
3. As students come in, they meet in pairs  and take turns picking up a card and asking their partner the question.
4. The activity lasts about 5 minutes.

Notes:

• The piles of cards grow over time.  If you have open enrollment, change the color of the cards occasionally so you can easily sort out old questions.
• Students can also write these questions for their own set of cards.
• This is a great way to absorb  late-comers without disruption, as they can quickly join any group and take a turn without direction or transition.

Sample questions:

• What do you do?
• Where do you work?
• Where are you from?
• How was your day?
• How was your week-end?
• What are your plans for the week-end?
• Do you have family here?
• Where do you work?
• How’s the family?

More Posts about Multilevel Teaching

The Multilevel Teacher:  Creating a Common Classroom Experience http://wp.me/pMYto-b0

Multilevel Dictation Handout  http://wp.me/pMYto-8z

Conversation Cards:  A Warm-up Activity  http://wp.me/pMYto-8d

Mixing It Up!    http://wp.me/pMYto-3w

Building Better Learners:  The Teacher’s Worksheet  http://wp.me/pMYto-a8

Delegating Responsibility: Classroom Jobs

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Best Practices, Self-directed Learning

As you plan for the new school year, consider setting up a system of classroom jobs for students.  The benefits are plentiful.  By taking on specific responsibilities for their classroom, students practice new skills in communication and leadership. They also develop a strong sense of co-responsibility for their learning community and they usually improve their attendance.

A List of Possible Classroom Jobs:

Technology Assistant

• Cues the audio on the CD player.
• Sets up the Overhead or LCD Projector.
• Starts up the computers when needed.

Materials Assistant

• Hands out papers, cards, pens, pencils, and other learning materials as needed.
• Collects the materials at the end of an activity.

Board Assistant

• Writes the date on the board
• Copies school announcements on the board.
• Erases the board when asked.

Attendance Assistant

• Takes roll-call      every class.
• Delivers the      attendance list to the proper mailbox.

Welcome Committee

Two or three students welcome new students to the class and bring them up to speed on class routines and expectations.  This is an ongoing job throughout the term.

Study Buddies

Everyone can be paired with a classmate to be study buddies.  Study buddies:

• communicate homework assignments when one buddy is absent.
• compare their homework assignments when completed.
• work together to organize their papers or notebooks.
• review (and complete) class notes together.

Practical Questions:

How many jobs do I assign?  I introduce one job a week so the class has some time to understand what each job entails.  I limit the total to three or four jobs so it is not too confusing who is responsible for what.

 How often do students rotate?  Since my classes meet twice a week throughout the school year, I rotate the jobs on a monthly basis so students get enough time to learn their jobs well and experience a couple of skill sets. 

How do I train them?  As I introduce the job, I tell the whole class about the job, explaining its duties and supplying a list of phrases and questions useful in performing the job.   Then as students rotate, they train one another in the job duties. 

Do students volunteer or get assigned?  The most timid students get first dibs on which job they prefer, but in the end everyone holds a job.

Scaffolding Student Writing with Sentence Stems

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Differentiating Instruction

In my low-level class I use sentence stems as a way to scaffold student writing. 

 Talking about Feelings

Recently we have been reading a very simple family drama and we have learned many words for feelings.  Here are some of the sentence stems we have recently used.

 

 

 

(Stem + clause)

I feel great when _________________________ .

I get frustrated when  ___________________________ .

I get upset when  ____________________________ .

I don’t like it when _____________________________ .

I get confused when ___________________________ .

I relax when  _________________________________ .

I feel stress when ______________________________ .

 

(Stem + noun)

I am thankful for _______________________ .

I am proud of __________________________ .

I worry about __________________________ .

 

 

Getting Organized for the New School Year

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Self-directed Learning, Study Skills

I use manila folders as a way to organize the flow of papers between me and the students. This is my system.

Folders as Mailboxes

Manila Folders

Each student has a manila folder. On the first day of class students write their name on the label on the folder. I explain that the folders are our mail system. Any papers they want me to read and correct, they put in the folder. Student put in dictations, writings, homework assignments, tape recording of them reading aloud, and anything they’d like me to review and correct. I promise to review and respond to their work by the next class.

Before each class, I place the folders by the door. As students come in, they pick up their folder. All corrected papers are in the student’s folder. Students take those transitional early moments of class to empty their folder, read my corrections, and put away the papers. I circulate to answer any questions they may have about my comments or corrections. This is a great moment for students to organize their papers, write out their new spelling words, and generally get themselves oriented to their study of English.

At first the system is counter-intuitive. Everyone wants to store papers in the folder, but if you use the mail box metaphor it seems to help.

Staying Organized
During class, I may hand out papers for learning activities. The folders of absent students are still unclaimed and sitting by the door, so I just pop the hand-outs in those folders as well. This means late-comers can come in, pick up their folder, and get up to speed without interrupting the class or asking me for papers. Students who are absent the entire class know all their missed-class papers are waiting for them in their folder. Sometimes my students come by after hours to pick up the contents of their folder.

Multi-level Classes
This folder idea came about when I was teaching a multi-level class and I wanted to differentiate student curricula but every time I handed students their individual packets, I would hear the inevitable “me too” chorus. The folders provided privacy. The folders are a mailbox and only the recipient is allowed to peek inside.

Self-directed Study
Over the years I have found this folder system encourages students to initiate direct communications with me. Students may enclose a note they need to write for work or extra writing they did on their own. I still use the folders as a way to slip individual students some extra practice worksheets or readings. Students complete the extra assignments at their own pace. Once they return a completed assignment, I correct it, and then send them another in their folder. This way students establish the pace. Some students give me work every class. Others do it occasionally, as time permits.

A Record of Completed Work
If you have certain requirements for participation in your class, like completing a certain number of assignments or attending a certain number of days, you can also use the folder as a log. When I was teaching credit classes in a community college, I stapled a checklist of assignments to the inside of each student’s folder. (Of course it had many blank spaces for assignments we added during the semester). As students completed the assignments, I recorded it in my books and in the folder so students could see where they stood.

Mixing It Up!

Tags

Differentiating Instruction

In my workshops teachers have shared really great ideas for getting students into groups.  Here is one of my favorites:

 A Deck of Cards

Hand out a card to each student at the beginning of class.  Tell students to form the following groups in the following ways:

To form:	Tell students:
Pairs	Find a student with a different colored suit.For example:   Heart + Spade
Pairs or small groups	Find student with the same number.For example:  7 of Clubs + 7 of Hearts
Pairs or small groups	Find students  with numbers that add up to a total.For example:    4 + 7 + 3 = 14
Groups of four	Find one student from each suit.For example:   Heart + Spade + Diamond + Club
Pairs to large groups	Find students with matching suits.For example:  Diamond + Diamond + Diamond
Pairs to groups of 5	Find students with odd numbers.For example: 5 + 7 +  3
Pairs to groups of 5	Find students with even numbers.For example:  2 + 4 +  8

 Multi-level Classes

• To sort students by level, give low-level and high-level students distinctly different types of cards (for example: a number card vs. a face card).
•  To create same–level groups tell students to find someone with a similar card (for example: number card + number card).
•  For mixed-level groups, have students find someone with a different card (for example: face card + number card).
• For large multi-level groups have students play “Black Jack” and find enough students to add up to 21.

The Benefits

• Students learn the terms for playing cards.
• It is not an obvious assignation of level.
• It works in a large class.
• There are myriad ways to mix and match.

More Posts about Multilevel Teaching

The Multilevel Teacher:  Creating a Common Classroom Experience http://wp.me/pMYto-b0

Multilevel Dictation Handout  http://wp.me/pMYto-8z

Conversation Cards:  A Warm-up Activity  http://wp.me/pMYto-8d

Building Better Learners:  The Teacher’s Worksheet  http://wp.me/pMYto-a8

Getting that New Vocabulary to Stick

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Study Skills

 

Research says that to learn a new word a person needs to encounter it at least six times, and up to as many as 20.  Students need to encounter a new word in multiple contexts.  They also need to attend to how the word sounds, how it is written, its usage, and what it means to own the word.  This means we teachers need to present and recycle new vocabulary in a variety of meaningful and distinctive ways.

Here are some of the activities I do to present and recycle vocabulary:

 Vocabulary Corner

Students need to dedicate a place to record new words. This can be a small spiral notebook or a page in their binder.  They should review their lists regularly.

 Teachers also need a place to record the class’s new vocabulary.  I dedicate one area of the board to new words.  At the end of each class, the class and I go over the words, pronouncing them, and then selecting 5 to 7 salient words for our vocabulary lists.  We all record these words in our notes.

Dictation

At the beginning or end of class, I take five minutes to dictate short sentences with the new vocabulary. 

Flash Cards

I encourage students to write up flash cards them and keep handy a zip-lock.  They write a new word on one side of a small card and its translation or definition on the other side.  they can clip the bag to their binder or

 Question Cards

As a warm up, I often distribute questions on cards to pairs of students.  These questions incorporate or review recently learned vocabulary.  In pairs, students take turns asking and answering the questions; for example:  How many nieces do you have?  (niece is new word)  or How many parts of car can you name? 

 Class Vocabulary Cards

I also write all the new vocabulary from the class on cards.  I write each word or phrase in large print on a 3 x 5 card.  Every few months I start a new collection of cards.   We use these cards in the following activities.

 Sorting

I hand ten random cards to each pair of students and tell them to sort the words in any of the following categories:

• parts of speech (verbs, nouns, adjectives) 
• one, two, three, or four syllable words
• alphabetical order

 Classifying

I call out a category and have students look through their words to find ones that fit.  For example, I tell the class:  

• Find all the verbs. 
• Find all the words that describe a person.
• Find all the words you use at work.
• Find all the words that are about food.

 Personalizing

I hand one or two cards to each student.  Students write a true sentence using the word on their card.  When the student is finished writing, I check the sentence.  If the usage is correct, I hand the student a new card.

 What activites do YOU use to make words stick?