Dear all,

Now that we are into week 2, we need to start planning for the ELL Case Study. Please see below for guidelines, rubric, and suggested activities. Please keep in mind that even though it says 10 weeks (hoping that you will go in to school at least once a week), it really depends on the timeline that you work out with the cooperating teacher, as long as you fulfill the required components. Also, everyone's target student will be different, so please keep close communication with me for the implementation of this case study.

EDLI636 ELL Writing Project through Literacy Partnership (guidelines & rubric)

This project will achieve the following two learning objectives:

1. To use literacy partnership approach to mentor ELL’s reading and writing.
2. To enhance preservice teachers' use of culturally responsive pedagogy and strategies to support ELL's learning.

This literacy partnership approach meets with the following IRA reading standards:

• Candidates have knowledge of the foundations of reading and writing processes and instruction.
• Candidates use a wide range of instructional practices, approaches, methods, and curriculum materials to support reading and writing instruction.
• Candidates use a variety of assessment tools and practices to plan and evaluate effective reading instruction.
• Candidates create a literate environment that fosters reading and writing by integrating foundational knowledge, use of instructional practices, approaches and methods, curriculum materials, and the appropriate use of assessments.

Rationale:

The literacy partnership approach provides preservice teachers an opportunity to put theory into practice, giving them an opportunity to conceptualize and actualize what they have learned in the teacher education program. The inservice teacher receives additional help from preservice teacher to assist ELLs' learning with established collaborative mentoring relationship. The ELLs gain more attention and extra help to improve their learning; specifically in this case, the ELLs experienced a sense of accomplishment and ownership of writing. This approach responds to the need to strengthen the connection between university and school, and gives preservice teachers first-hand experience to conceptualize and actualize culturally responsive pedagogy and strategies.

Descriptions:

Through field-based experience, each preservice teacher will work with a target ELL on a writing project, aligning with school curriculum and under cooperating teacher's supervision. Each preservice teacher will work closely with the cooperating teacher to identify target ELL, evaluate the needs, and come up with a work plan aligning with the curriculum standards to mentor the student in an efficient time frame. Student Oral Language Observation Matrix (SOLOM) and Limited English Proficient/English Language Learners Observation Rubric will be used to assess target ELLs’ reading and writing levels so the preservice teacher can work with ELL through writing processes.

Project Preparation and Timeline (NOTE: The following timeline is suggested, not mandatory. As long as you fulfill the stated requirements in the 10 hours allotted and submit a final report that follows guidelines and rubric.)

Week 1:

• Project overview

Week 2:

• Discuss with cooperating teachers to identify target ELL student
• Discuss how to proceed with or obtain student assessment information
• Discuss how timeline for your project

Week 3 to 4:

• Interview with the cooperating teacher (using the guiding questions provided)
• Work closely with the cooperating teacher to align the writing activity with the curriculum.
• Work closely with the cooperating teacher to conduct evaluation using the rubrics (writing rubric, and SOLOM Matrix), and identify intervention strategies
• Document challenges you have encountered this week (e.g. from cooperating teacher, student, or school administration...)

Week 5:

• Transcribe interview summary and post it unto your blog
• Start the observation and the writing activity
• Observe and document the target student's learning performance, learning motivation, and how they develop ideas in writing
• Document your observation and reflection on your blog
• Document challenges you have encountered this week (e.g. from cooperating teacher, student, or school administration...)

Week 6-10

• Work with cooperating teacher to mentor ELL
• Document details of each observation and procedures of working with cooperating teacher on the writing project.

Week 11

·        Final case study report

Rubric for final project (main criteria):

1. Weekly reflection and documentation of your lesson plan and your work with ELL on your blog
2. Culturally responsive strategies used in your mentoring process
3. Include student artifacts and analysis to inform your mentoring instruction
4. Clarity of writing and writing technique