Building Communication Skills Building Communication Skills Through Content-Based Through Content-Based InstructionInstruction

ByDr. Luyi Lien

Academy DirectorYinghua Academy

May 1, 2009National Chinese Conference,

Chicago, IL

Yinghua Academy Yinghua Academy

The first Chinese school in the Midwest as well as the first Chinese immersion public charter school in the United States.

Short history of Yinghua Short history of Yinghua Academy Academy

•School opened in September 2006 with 76 students•In school year of 2007-2008, we doubled our numbers•In school year of 2008-2009, we have 239 students •In school year of 2009-2010, we are expecting 314 students with a long waiting list for kindergarten and most of the grades

Yinghua Academy: Early Total Immersion Yinghua Academy: Early Total Immersion ProgramProgram

- 100% of Chinese instructional time in K & - 100% of Chinese instructional time in K & Grade 1Grade 1- 90% of Chinese instructional time in - 90% of Chinese instructional time in Grade 2 Grade 2 - 80% of Chinese instructional time in - 80% of Chinese instructional time in Grade 3Grade 3- 70 % of Chinese instructional time in - 70 % of Chinese instructional time in Grade 4 Grade 4 - 60% of Chinese instructional time in - 60% of Chinese instructional time in Grade 5Grade 5 - Provide special classes (PE class, art class, and music class) also in Chinese

Main Goals Main Goals for Our Students:for Our Students:•Provide academic rigor •Reach high levels of oral proficiency• Become truly bi-literate and bi-cultural

Building communication skills Building communication skills through content-based through content-based

instructioninstruction

What skills do students need to be able to

communicate with others?

Building communication skills Building communication skills through content-based through content-based

instructioninstruction

Academic Language vs.

Social Language

Building communication skills Building communication skills through content-based through content-based

instructioninstruction

Why do we need to emphasize social language?

How to build students’ social How to build students’ social language and get students to language and get students to useuse this language skill? this language skill?

Who– teachers and students, and native language speakers

When— anytime during the dayWhat– target functional languageWhere- anywhere: classroom/play ground/library/ field trip How— intentional teaching and informal

talking

How to build students’ social How to build students’ social language and get students to language and get students to useuse this language skill? this language skill?We want students to be able to

function, to feel successful and feel as if they are capable of communication in a real life situation.

As a teacher and administrator, we can do:

How to build students’ social How to build students’ social language and get students to language and get students to useuse this language skill?this language skill?

(1) provide the language(2) provide the environment (3) provide the opportunity to

practice and to be corrected

Provide languageProvide language --give students tools --give students tools

Use more pragmatic social language in your classroom

“Survival Language” --May I go to _____?--May I have _____?--Would you please repeat_____?--How does one do______?“Manners”—Please, thanks, excuse me“Request”—Would you please turn on the lights?“Direction”—Please wash your hands, drink some

water, then go to the lunch room.

Example video:s

Provide language --give Provide language --give students toolsstudents toolsSome ideas for social language

use: *lunch hour-*story time-*show and tell-*work time-*play time-*recess time-*dismissal time-

Example videos:

Provide the environment:Provide the environment:Create a place where students feel comfortable to speak Chinese without feeling embarrassed

Full Chinese Only Classroom: Full Chinese Only Classroom: Encourage the Social Encourage the Social LanguageLanguage

RulesTeachers : speak Chinese only when students are present

Students: are encouraged to speak Chinese only in the classroom English is discouraged in classroom conversation English may be used only as a whisper for clarification

Exercise:Exercise:(1)Please review the following video(2)Guess and think-- what subject is this

class? -- what content area is it? -- what do students learn? --what communication skills were

students using in this class? --What strategies does the teacher use? --What will you do differently to make

students “talk” more during the class? (3) Write it down, discuss with your

neighbor

Example videos:

Exercise:Exercise:(1)Please review the following video(2)Guess and think-- what subject is this

class? -- what content area is it? -- what do students learn? --what communication skills were

students using in this class? --What strategies do the teacher use? --What will you do differently to make

students “talk” more during the class? (3) Write it down, discuss with your

neighbor

Full Chinese Only Classroom: Full Chinese Only Classroom: Encourage the Social Encourage the Social LanguageLanguageTips for teachers:

(1)Plan ahead—Keep these questions in mind: What is the content objectives? What is the language/linguistic

objectives? Consider defining vocabulary for

each lesson which considers social and academic language.

Building communication Building communication skills through content-based skills through content-based instructioninstructionTips for teachers:(1)Plan ahead—Keep these questions in mind:What questions/ answers/

conversations will the students need when they are in a real life situation?

Building communication skills Building communication skills through content-based instruction through content-based instruction

(example 2:)(example 2:)*Reading*Games*Pair activities*Whole class choral reading*Group reading*Independent reading

Example videos:

Examples (3):Examples (3):A Lesson in 2nd grade:Theme: Celebrate the differences and

similarities (Tolerance and Acceptance Month)

Chinese language arts lessons: My best friend

Lesson and language integrate with social studies, character education, math lesson, PE class, and art classes:

Building Communication Skills Building Communication Skills through Content-based Instructionthrough Content-based Instruction

Tip for teachers:Simple lesson plan form:Grade:Teacher:Topic:Content Objective(s):Linguistic Objective(s): Vocabulary: Materials:Produce:DifferentiationAssessment:

Provide the opportunity to Provide the opportunity to practice and to be correctedpractice and to be corrected

Keep in mind:

What is the purpose of communication?

-What needs to be corrected?--How to correct?--Allow mistakes and imperfections—Even the native speakers make mistakes

Teaching is an art,Teachers are imaginative people

who create many amazing moments for students to learn and to discover—

More ideas to share?

Thank you very much!Thank you very much!

謝謝 ! 谢谢！

Building Communication Skills Building Communication Skills Through Content-Based InstructionThrough Content-Based Instruction

Dr. Luyi Lien, Academic DirectorYinghua Academy

luyi@yinghuaacademy.orgPhone: 651-379-4112