Learning Mosaic

Finding the right keys

I need ideas and advice for working with a 6-year-old student who is an English Language Learner. He started in our school last February and didn’t start speaking to anyone at school until June. Turns out that he’s very bright, knows English very well and reads fluently- as his family knew all along. We met 3 times in June and he read aloud for me and answered my questions as we were participating in online activities. He’s one of those people who sits back watching and listening until he feels the water is safe to jump in.

I start working with him again this Monday for 3 weeks until school begins. We will only meet for 2-one hour sessions each week so I want to make the best of our face to face time. Here is what I’m planning so far and I’d love feedback on my ideas and suggestions as well.

• Set up a google doc and google presentation shared between myself, the student and his family. The Doc will hold any links or text he wants to write. The Presentation will serve as a portfolio where we can embed images and audio we create.

• SmartBoard- I spent hours while in the US picking the brains of two friends who are Special Ed teachers and had the SmartBoard training a year ago. They shared what they did with their students and the progress these students made. It was so inspiring to hear of the progress and pride the students had for their learning. While they were sharing, I was thinking of this student and how great a tool this would be for him. It’s hands on and away from the “sitting down together” dynamic that is typical and maybe a bit too close for this student. So I’m compiling relevant activitiesthat we can use on the Smartboard.

• Audio recording. I’m not sure this is a good idea given this student’s reluctance to speak, but I also feel it would be a powerful tool for him. While in a digital storytelling workshop at BLC09 over a week ago, I was thinking about this student as well. if I compile compelling images for him to choose from, put them in a Voicethread and ask him to write comments and maybe speak about the images it may be a safe place to start. It’s risky, but I’ve had 3rd grade students who were reluctant to do almost anything involving literacy and when we began podcasting they were writing and recording eagerly.

• We’ll meet 6 times before our school begins this year, I’d love to create something with him that he can take to share with his class during those first few days. I’d like to see him to start the year contributing in all ways- not the shy, reluctant boy they saw last year but the bold guy underneath. Again, it may be too risky but is worth a shot.

So, what do you think of the above? Any additional ideas or thoughts to add that may help when I start on Monday??