Christine Prosser Bob Efken Student Engagement Christine Prosser Bob Efken

Content Objectives Identify activities that promote interaction and student engagement. Recognize strategies to increase student accountability, elaborating student responses, and support student learning.

Language Objective Discuss the importance of planning and allowing for interaction activities. Explain how some of the strategies presented can work in your classroom or building.

Effective Teachers Time is often wasted when teachers are not prepared, lack classroom management skills, spend too much time making announcements, or passing papers. Effective teachers minimize these behaviors and maximize time spent actively engaging students in the content. (Mastropieri & Scruggs, 1994)

Leinhardt et al. (1982) When teachers spend their time and energy teaching students the content students need to learn, students learn the material. When students spend their time actively engaged in activities that relate strongly to the materials they will be tested on, they learn more of the material.

Consider This… When you walk into your classroom or are sitting down creating lesson plans, what is your mindset? Use backward design!! Mindset A What are we going to do today? What am I covering? Mindset B What are the students going to learn today? What do I want them to know by the end of the class? How are they going to do this? (this is when you dig in your toolbox)

Student Engagement Through Interaction Interaction with the content: student to student, student, and teacher to student Cognitively engaged in the content related to the desired outcome Approximately 90% to 100% of the time

Interaction Teachers tend to do most of the talking in the classroom. Effective student engagement with interaction balances teacher talk with student talk. Learning is more effective when students have the opportunity to participate fully in the lesson by discussing ideas and information. IF STUDENTS DON’T VERBALIZE, STUDENTS DON’T INTERNALIZE!!

Teacher Talk How much do teachers talk? Research shows that teachers talk in a regular classroom 80% of the time! 60 minute class period Teacher talk = 48 minutes Student talk = 12 minutes 30 students in class = 24 seconds for each students to practice academic language

Why do we need to increase interaction and student engagement? Makes our students accountable Students retain more with greater depth when they interact with the content in meaningful ways Allows students the opportunity to explore content and language on their own Provides opportunities for student to student interaction to help students develop language skills Promotes an environment of academic risk taking Teaches students structure, responsibility, and deadlines

Ways to increase student engagement and interaction Sentence Frames Randomizing Student to Student discussion Teach students what to say instead of “I don’t know!” Well structured activities linked to desired outcome Meaningful content focused activities

Interaction in my classroom How can I reduce the amount of teacher talk in my classroom? How often should interaction occur? How can we make our interactions more meaningful? How can I maintain control of my class when students are having discussions? How can I encourage and support elaborated student responses?

Ideas Provide structures, sentence frames, randomize, scaffold and support, let go! Often, often, often! Directly relate it to the content and learner outcome, be efficient. Clearly outlined routines and expectations from day one! (First Days of School, Wong)

Elaboration Ideas “Tell me more about that.” “What do you mean when you say…” “What else…” “How do you know…” “Why is it important to…” “What does that remind you of?” “In other words…”

What to say instead of “I don’t know!” “May I have more information please?” “Could you please repeat the question?” “May I have more time please?” “Where could I find more information?” “May I please ask a friend for help?” When you allow students to say “I don’t know,” you are telling them “you are not important and I know you can’t do this.”

Randomizing Develop systems for randomizing. Index cards Popsicle sticks Numbering It’s not just about equity, but paying attention. It’s about the mental rehearsal that occurs in your head when you think you might be called on.

Accountability We cannot allow students the opportunity to “check out”. When we have an academic conversation NO ONE is excluded. Provide sentence frames to support language and accountability.

Strategies that promote accountability. Carousel Yes, No, Maybe Each Teach Stay and Stray Round Table Gallery Walk Graffiti Writes

Sentence Frames I heard... Today I learned..... I wrote.... I want to mention... I remembered... I want to learn more about.... I already knew.... I wish .... I was impressed with ... I will use ..... I might.... I liked... I loved... I agree/disagree with _________ because__________________. The difference between One interesting point is..... It is important to remember..... The main idea of the section is..... One thing I noticed..... Today I learned..... I think..... I feel.... I didn't understand..... I need more information about.... I am.... I know..... I used..... I am confused about...... I need more time on ...... I wonder..... I will...... I hope..... I need.... If I could ..... My favorite..... I saw... I read...

More sentence frames Music – “Music has many different articulations, including _________. This articulation makes music more interesting by __________.” Math – “I know this triangle is a __________ triangle because ___________. There are several ways to find __________, including ___________.” Science – “The _______ of a cell is important because __________. If I add ________ to the mixture, the result will likely be __________.” Health – “__________ is an unhealthy habit because __________. If I ___________, then my body will likely respond by _____________.”

More… Comm. Arts – “The sentence I wrote could be made better by ____________. The improved sentence is ______________.” Social Studies – “If World War III broke out today, our economy might _________. My opinion is based upon __________.” Art – “Art can be an expression of ___________. The artist likely chose the color __________ because ____________.” Drama – “My character’s motivation to move from A to B is _________. The line _________ shows me that my character is feeling the emotion of __________ and so my character would ______________.”

And more… Nutrition – “If I add more ________ to this recipe the result would be _________. I know this because ___________.” Business – “One action that may be taken to increase profits in a business is __________. Taking this action increases profits because __________.” Computers – “If my antivirus software shows the error __________, I know _________. In the EXCEL if I want to __________ I need to use the function _______.” Foreign Language – “The word ________ may be derived from the word ________. The evidence I have to support my opinion is _________.”

Grouping Configurations Grouping configurations need to support the desired outcomes. Explicitly plan for grouping opportunities. Do not use grouping configurations if students can complete the task on their own, or without purpose.

Student Engagement Considerations What modalities (reading, writing, listening, speaking) do students need to use to access your content? What are the important content concept words I want students to understand and be able to use? (vocabulary) What scaffolding and structures are present to promote student engagement.

Vocabulary Strategies Personal Dictionaries 4-Corners Vocabulary Use Cognates Text Scavenger Hunt Classifying Who In This Room? White Boards – speed game Smartboard game templates – http://www.murray.k12.ga.us/teacher/kara%20leonard/Mini%20T's/Games/Games.htm

Student Engagement Misconceptions I have too much to get through. I don’t have time for my students to interact with each other. Students never stay on topic when they are talking to each other. It becomes chaotic. I am dummying down my content if I have the students talk about it. I don’t teach language in my class. In my class they “do.” When I have students talk or call on them randomly, it causes them anxiety. I can’t do that to them. Groups just don’t work. Interaction means I have to do silly games.

Triads Discussion In your triads, use the sentence stems below to discuss the following ideas. Each person in the triad will respond to one stem. Students should have the opportunities to interact… We avoid allowing interaction… I agree/I disagree/I also think…

Content Objective Identify activities that promote interaction and student engagement. Recognize strategies to increase student accountability, elaborating student responses, and support student learning.

Language Objective Discuss the importance of planning and allowing for interaction activities. Explain how some of the strategies presented can work in your classroom or building.

For More Information Bob Efken (314) 256-8685 befken@bayless.k12.mo.us Christine Prosser (314) 256-8686 cprosser@bayless.k12.mo.us