www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107 1.2 symbols in esl teaching – beyond snapshots of nouns...

www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107

1.2

Symbols in ESL Teaching – Beyond

Snapshots of Nouns

Presented By:Bogdan Pospielovsky


May 13th – 15th • See new technologies• Network with professionals

from across Canada• Learn from educational and

assistive technology leaders• Discover UDL strategies• Experience Technology hands

on.


EducATe

Content – Canadian curriculum in AT tools, templates, tutorials, tip sheetsCourses – How to, application of AT, requests

Community – build learning communities, post events and news


Introducing Youdle


Introducing the Youdle Box


How to Learn More

• Subscribe to Blog• Free Info Sessions• Bridges’ to

Learning Conference

• Web based live Software Demos

• Bridges Loan Pool– Switches– Communication Aids– Mounts etc.


Outline of Presentation

• Look at differences between symbols, realia and pictures

• How to use Symbols to support growth of BICS and CALP

• Overview of using the symbol based software in support of BICS and CALP

• Drawing on Research by:– Chris Abbot (Symbols Now, 2000) – Tina and Mike Dethridge (Literacy Through

Symbols, 2002)


Types of Technology

ClosedCurriculum

Multi-MediaAuthoring

Task Based

Tools


Widgit Literacy Symbols (WLS)

• Designed with a focus on literacy• Over 10,000 symbols available from Widgit

Software

Simple Line Drawings


Symbol

Pictures vs. SymbolsPicture

Symbol• something used for or regarded as representing something else; a material object representing something, often something immaterial; emblem, token, or sign• focuses on a single concept/idea

• can be put together to build more precise information

Picture• visual representation of a person, object, or scene, as a painting, drawing, photograph• conveys a lot at once/detail• its focus may be unclear


Limits of Photos and Realia

• Intensive use of concrete photographic visual representations language acquisition plateaus after initial success

(Kang, S.H. & Dennis, J.R. (1995). “The effects of computer-enhanced vocabulary lessons on achievement of ESL grade school children.” Computers in the Schools, 11 (3), 25-35).


Iconicity

Transparent Opaque

guessability learnability

drink

A continuum that describes symbols based on their ease of recognition


Iconicity

Opaque

Concrete Abstractverbs setsnouns Function

words

Transparent


What is the Message?

What is the lesson?


Choosing Symbols: Considerations

• Does the symbol convey the correct meaning?



• Do the symbols have a clear schematic structure to support learning?

WLS




Symbolstix




PCS



• Do the symbols have a grammatical structure to support reading/writing?– Verb tenses



• Do the symbols have a grammatical structure to support reading/writing?

• plurals, comparatives, superlatives



• Do the symbols support a range of vocabulary required for curriculum?


Contexts in which we use symbols

• Communication• Organization and Independence• Vocabulary support for concept

development, oral language ELL support, reading/writing– within the symbol application– combined with other software

applications• Create materials for reading support• Within grids to support student writing


BICS

• Basic interpersonal communication skills


Behaviour

• concrete references and/or cues are easily accessed during new, difficult, tense or escalating situations.


Pragmatics and Semantics

• subtly of language given in a visual context to make them more accessible and concrete.


Homophones

• words pronounced the same as another but differing in meaning, whether spelled the same way or not.


Heterophones

• words that are spelled the same but have different pronunciations and meanings.


Metalinguistic Awarentess

• Metalinguistic awareness (MA) across languages (Bialystock, 2007) very important

• Supported by studies by McCarthey et. Al (2004) and Garcia (2000)


Boardmaker – Dual Language Search

• Searches in English• Presents in Language of your Choice

– Arabic– Russian– Hindi etc.


Notes to parents


'Communication Friendly Environments'


Guide to creating a Communication Friendly Environment

www.symbolsinclusionproject.org/evidence/cfe

Symbols Inclusion Project


*Current support *Communication *Environment

www.symbolsinclusionproject.org/evidence/cfe

Audit strands self survey



Why do we use symbols?

• Supplement text to increase reading comprehension.

Symbol Inclusion Project (2006)


Learning to Read


Guided Reading: What Will You Be For

Halloween?


Supported Curriculum Learning– Reading books and worksheets



Creating Reading Materials

• Communicate in Print• Symwriter – writer • Clicker 5 – clicker library, PCS and/or WLS• Boardmaker Plus - symbolate


Communicate Ideas


Add Vocabulary to SMART Notebook

Copy and paste

Paste into gallery


Concept Mapping Software


CALP

• Cognitive academic language proficiency (Cummins)

• Symbols can be used effectively to support:– Discrete subject specific academic

language learning– Scaffolded subject specific Writing


“ELL’s are especially hurt by the fals presumption that they will continue developing advanced literacy skills in mainstream classrooms through mere exposure to classroom discourse and text reading, even without effective, ongoing language learning assistance (Allison 2008, Callahan, 2005) p132

•


Can you do this worksheet?


Symbols illustrate meaning


Key symbols help where meaning is unclear


• Supported text– primarily text, with a few key words

symbolized, used mainly for specific curriculum topics

• Symbol Literacy: – full content in symbols and text, symbols

reflect grammar, one sentence per line, no more than 8 symbols

• Symbol information: – Simply imparts the vocabulary terms

associated with the topic

Levels of Symbol Support



Simplified



Full symbol support



Symbol supported text



Text


Pupils often understand the ideas but cannot always

read the words or write their responses.


Communicate Ideas: Widget Software


In Smart notebook


•Word processor that displays a symbol (if available) for each word typed.

Communicate: SymWriter


• Supported writing environments for selecting from predefined grids and buttons




•Over 10,000 Widgit Literacy Symbols, color and black & white

•Smart Symbolizing


•Speech feedback•Symbolic spell checking



Vocabulary Support

• Within an application for creating displays :– Communicate in Print - WLS– Boardmaker – PCS (WLS addendums)– SymbolMate - Symbolstix

• Concept Mapping Software:– Kidspiration/Inspiration– Smart Ideas– Communicate Ideas – WLS

• Pasted into other applications– Boardmaker– Communicate Ideas– Symbolstix online– WLS Metafile Collection


Writing

• What is the activity, the goal?• The place for symbols for spellers

– Consider the impact of using a symbol processor on motivation

– Consider vocabulary support in text mode

– Language representation in word prediction?

• Language representation in the word processor as well as the grid?


Other Curriculum Symbol Supports

• Web support:– Point (Widgit)– Purchased by the web site developer



• Web support:– Insite (Widgit)

• create and display symbol-supported content on your website

• new "content editor" plugin which can replace or work alongside your existing content editor



• Web support:– SymbolWorld

http://www.symbolworld.org/


Communicate: Ideas

• A dynamic environment for modeling and organising thought

• Comes with the Widgit Symbol set of over 10,000 images

• Easy to use• Ideal for younger grades


Symbol Supported Assessment?

“It is essential that ELL’s be assessed in a way that uncouples language proficiency from content knowledge.”

Improving Achievement for English Learners Claude Goldenberg


Useful Web Resources

Symbol World – Symbol supported resourceswww.symbolworld.org

www.tarheelreader.com

www.dictionary.com/translate

www.wordle.netwww.tagxedo.com


Contact Information

Bogdan Pospielovsky, B.A., B.EdBridges Canada

1-800-353-1107, [email protected]

Please contact me with any questions!Or Comments!

www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107 1.2 symbols in esl teaching – beyond snapshots of nouns...

Documents

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