In academic writing, one of the key tasks is to analyze and synthesize information from multiple sources. For example, in a typical academic writing class, students might be tasked with writing summaries of several articles focused on a single topic. Once the summaries are complete, students must formulate a written response to the articles that includes a comprehensive look at the issues presented and an analysis of its causes and effects. In order to summarize a text, students must have a solid understanding of that text and, in order to respond, students must understand the text and take time to develop their own opinions and ideas related to the topic at hand.

In our first activity this month, we explain how to integrate reading early in the academic writing curriculum by teaching students to conduct close readings and annotations of their sources. A close reading is a type of intensive reading that includes making notes, or annotations, on the text. Close readings help readers focus on language, content, and ideas as a way to support comprehension and use of the material. In an academic writing class, close reading is the first step in teaching students how to conduct research and organize information.

Teaching students to conduct close readings and make annotations requires an emphasis on reading comprehension, vocabulary development, and intensive reading for details. Ultimately, close readings and annotations give students the tools to better navigate academic texts—texts that they will be expected to explain, synthesize, and evaluate in all of their academic writing assignments. This activity will show you how to teach students to closely read a text and make useful and relevant annotations to use in related writing tasks.

Advanced

• Writing
• Reading

During this activity, students will be able to:

• Annotate a text focusing on main ideas, key words, comments and opinions.
• Identify a text’s main idea and subtopics by underlining and paraphrasing them.
• Learn and utilize two vocabulary strategies for recognizing new terms.
• Interact with the text through comments, questions, and opinions.

• Sample annotation
• Article: “Assessment literacy: Building a better base for teaching and learning” (Rogier, 2014)
• Paper/pencils

• Write the following questions on the board or create a handout for students:

o   How long does it take you to read an article for class?

o   Do you take notes while you read?

o   If you take notes, what information do you include in your notes?

o   What are some reasons we take notes while we read?

• Put students into pairs. One way to put students into pairs is to draw a line down the middle of the room. Tell students on one side of the room to stand and find a partner on the other side of the room.

1.     Begin class by putting students into pairs.

2.     Once in pairs, ask them to discuss the questions listed on the board for 5-7 minutes.

3.     Bring the class back together as a large group. Ask students to share some of the answers they discussed. Then, focus on the last question: What are some reasons we take notes while we read?

• As students share their answers and ideas, write them on the board.

4.     When the students finish sharing ideas, write the word annotate on the board. Ask students what they think this word means.

• Give students a hint: Are there parts of the word they recognize? Notate or note

5.     Tell students that they are going to annotate a text as a way to practice note-taking while they read. Explain that annotating texts can better help them understand the text and will prepare them to use the text later for research and writing purposes.

6.     Hand out a copy of the sample annotation.

• Ask students to read through the sample annotation and make a list of the types of notes that are made.

7.     After students finish this, have them share their findings with the group while you write their responses on the board.

8.     Next, add any of the following to the list of things to include in a thorough annotation:

• Comments/opinions on ideas, concepts, and/or information presented in the text
• Questions about the text
• Connections to prior knowledge
• Vocabulary including two of the following: definition, connotation, translation, part of speech, and collocations.  Remind them that fully acquiring a vocabulary term involves a complete understanding. By examining a new word from a few different angles, they will begin to have a clearer understanding of the vocabulary.
• Underline/highlight main ideas and topic sentences
• Paraphrase important ideas
• Summarize ideas at end of each page

9.     Finally, give students the rest of the article used for the annotation. Tell them that they are now going to annotate the rest of the article by using the note-taking list. This task can be done as homework or in class.

An alternative to this activity is to allow students to do the full article’s annotation in pairs or small groups. When students work together to analyze a text, they pool their shared knowledge and offer ideas that they might not otherwise find on their own.

This activity can be extended to include a written summary. By having students write a summary, they have a chance to move from note-taking to using the text in an academic writing task. The summary is a way to assess whether students can transfer the information from their notes and the text into their own words. The annotation and the summary helps prepare students for academic writing tasks that ask them to analyze and synthesize multiple texts.

Rogier, D. (2014). Assessment literacy: Building a base for better teaching and learning. English Teaching Forum, 52(3). 2-13. Retrieved from https://americanenglish.state.gov/resources/english-teaching-forum-2014-volume-52-number-3#child-1783

This month’s Teacher’s Corner has emphasized the need for young learners to have many opportunities to move around and interact in the classroom. This final week will discuss how to use music, chants, and movement to create a lively, engaging classroom that appeals to multiple learning styles.

Perhaps the easiest way to begin using music with your students is to play it in the background during times when you are not providing direct instruction. Soft, instrumental music works nicely to create a calm atmosphere when students first arrive to your classroom. You can also play this type of music when students have time to work independently. Free music streaming services are a great resource to use for this purpose.

Another simple way to use music is during transitions. You can use specific songs (or portions of them) to signal students that it is time to change activities. For instance, if your students have been working independently, you could play a minute of a certain song each time you expect them to begin cleaning up. If you do this consistently, the song itself becomes a signal to students, and they will be familiar with how much time they have to straighten their area and/or move to the next appropriate location in the classroom. Using music like this is also great for getting students in line, packing up materials at the end of class, or any other transitions your young learners have to make. It is much easier and more effective than verbally telling students how much time they have left to complete a task, a concept that can be difficult for young learners to understand.

A great way to teach young learners content that you include in your daily routine is to use songs. For students learning the alphabet, letter sounds, numbers, shapes, colors, or other basic vocabulary, there are many songs available on the internet for free. Some songs include visuals such as videos or pictures that you can use if you have a way to project them in your classroom. If not, you can still use the songs in combination with your classroom posters and materials. It is important to preview the content you plan to use in your classroom to be sure it is appropriate.

Another great resource for teaching with songs is the American Rhythms collection from American English. The songs are available to download for free from the American English website and cover a wide range of content such as gardens, healthy foods, and social studies topics. Each song has an accompanying lesson plan including the lyrics and ready-to-use classroom activities that you can download for free.

Jazz chants, created by educator Carolyn Graham, use the rhythm of spoken English set to a simple beat to teach pronunciation, stress, and intonation. As presented in this Shaping the Way We Teach English Webinar, almost anything can be turned into a jazz chant. The webinar is a great resource if you are interested in creating your own chants to use in your classroom. Jazz chants are an excellent addition to a daily routine or your lessons for young learners.

The basic rhythm of jazz chants makes them easy for young learners to follow and learn. They also provide an opportunity to incorporate movements such as clapping, snapping, tapping on knees, or marching. You can also consider including instruments such as a drum or tambourine when you use jazz chants. For more information about how to use jazz chants with young learners, you can order a free video featuring Carolyn Graham through the U.S. Embassy.

As noted above, jazz chants provide an opportunity for learners to move around and actively participate in learning. Songs with lyrics can also give learners a chance to move around with a bit of planning. You can create a few simple movements according to the lyrics of the song and teach them to learners ahead of time. Then, have students follow along and perform the movements with you each time they listen. Eventually, they will remember how to do the movements on their own.

The same strategy can be applied when you read stories and teach vocabulary. Choose a set of words you want learners to learn (5 to 10 works well) and assign a movement to each one. You can teach learners what the words mean, and choose a movement that illustrates the definition. For instance, if one of your vocabulary words is the verb dig, act as if you were shoveling dirt and tossing it backward over your shoulder. Learners can even help you come up with the movements as you teach what the words mean.

Review the list of words and corresponding movements several times. Then, when you read the text, have learners perform the appropriate motion each time they hear you say one of the words. You can also split your class into small groups and assign each group a word to listen for as you read. When a group hears their assigned word in the text, they are responsible for performing the corresponding movement.

The great thing about using music in your classroom is that the frequency and extent you use it in your teaching is up to you. It is a very flexible tool to use with students. Music addresses different learning styles, and young learners really enjoy it. 

This webinar, Make it Meaningful: Bringing Learning to Life with Culturally Relevant Teaching, discusses ways to increase student motivation and achievement through the use of culturally relevant teaching techniques.

Most experienced teachers excel at integrating strong teaching methodologies, a challenging curriculum, and well-designed materials. Sometimes, however, we spend so much time on those aspects of teaching that we forget the most important part: the students! By creating a bridge between English and students’ backgrounds, knowledge, and experiences, teachers can empower students intellectually, socially, emotionally, and politically.

Though this webinar is grounded in research-based best practices for teaching diverse language learners, it will also share practical tips and classroom-ready activities.

In this webinar, "The Role of Humor and Language Play in the English Language Classroom," we discuss theories and practical strategies regarding the use of humor and language play in the English language classroom. Some educators may feel that humorous language is not a good way to teach language, but this webinar explains how the use of humor and language play is a great tool for teaching your students pronunciation, grammar, and conversational language skills, with a specific focus on vocabulary knowledge. You will see how examples of humor and language play work to enhance the learning of English, and how examples of humor and language play can be incorporated easily into your language learning curriculum.