Return-Path: <nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id iATGkwF27285; Mon, 29 Nov 2004 11:46:58 -0500 (EST) Date: Mon, 29 Nov 2004 11:46:58 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <F0A2E20726E77445BB749EA67AA8D4FB01FDCC70@aib-ex1.aiweb.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Heide Wrigley" <hwrigley@aiweb.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-aalpd@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-AALPD:1780] conecting research and practice (long) X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 6091 Lines: 147 Hi, Jackie and all - I very much look forward to a discussion on linking research and practice through staff development - here are just a few thoughts to get us started in response to your idea of what has worked. I'm working with Barbara Baird in El Paso to put together a model that combines teacher reflection (looking at the process from the perspective of the learner, the teacher, colleagues, and research in the field) so that outside research becomes one (and only one) of the anchors that informs practice. The others are student interests, goals and experiences as well as teacher's own insights and findings into what works. We then thread these pieces together with theories of language and literacy development and findings from studies carried out by researchers in the field. In workshops that are part of a series, I generally have several components that are woven together, including CONTENT KNOWLEDGE(about how the brain constructs knowledge and specifically about how people develop language and literacy skills - in the case of ESL literacy we draw quite a bit on the work done in Second Language Acquisition but also on research in reading and work in literacy studies). DEMONSTRATION (I often do demonstration lessons in German to let teachers experience what it feels like to be a language learner and not understand most of what's going on but then still pick up some vocabulary, ideas, and make meaning through bits and pieces - we then deconstruct both the teaching and learning process as teachers talk about the frustration they felt when things move too fast, the thrill of being able to "get it" and the desire to have similar ideas come around again so they can get anchored in the brain). Plus it's fun - MINI-LECTURE ON RESEARCH BASED PRINCIPLES - I usually start with "principles of language and literacy learning" - a short version of a much longer piece that Jim Powrie and I did for the federally funded CyberStep project - and then fold in research that supports various principles. I think by looking at learning in its totality, it's much easier to see that any ONE research finding can only suggest part of an answer because truly we don't have a clue of all the that need to come together for learning to happen, although there are two or three things we know for sure (i.e., you don't learn if you are bored or scared or worried about being embarrassed; making mistakes is a necessary part of language learning and correction does not make a difference unless a student is cognitively and emotionally ready to take in a new idea/rule/structure etc.) PRACTICE I usually have a series of tasks or activities for teachers to try out in the session (with extra copies to use with their classes if they are interested). These illustrate particular principles and I highlight what research has to say about a particular way of learning or teaching. I like to use "generative" materials that allow for multiple ways of learning and teaching - hoping that teachers might move away from an activity-driven model where something totally different happens every 20 minutes and students have a great time but aren't quite sure what it is they are taking away from the time spent in class - so that when it comes to making a decisions about spending time at home playing with the kids or doing another game of bingo in class - time with the kids wins out. OBSERVATION - lots of good ideas on the list; I ask teachers to both think about their own teaching and observe and talk with another teacher. I use a combination between the observation forms we developed for the What Works Study and the form that Douglas Brown has in his book on Principles of Language Learning; I often ask teachers to pick a principles and try out a new lesson that illustrates that principle and then discuss the experience in the staff development session with other teachers. TEACHER DEMONSTRATION I invite teachers to demonstrate a lesson that has worked for them and their students and in the class we discuss the connection to the research STUDENT INTERVIEWS AND/OR FOCUS GROUPS - teachers are invited to do one on one interviews with students (using a modified oral history model) or conduct focus groups with learners designed to get a better sense of what matters to learners and what works for them (focus groups are conducted in the native language if learners are not yet fully proficient in English) DISCUSSION AND REFLECTION We hold discussion circles (facilitated by local teachers)that make the connection between the readings and teacher experiences. This is probably more than anyone wanted to know, but in my experience keeping research and practice connected through ongoing discussions coupled with hands-on work to make it real helps teachers to wrap their minds around the research and consider changes in practice. I also think giving teachers materials that they can use is absolutely essential for new teachers who don't have experience designing lessons - these materials (basic grids; pictures; readings) can then be the jumping off point for teachers to develop their own teaching tools. And no, we don't have funding to do follow-up work to see how much teaching practice changes through these sessions but we know that all the teachers have at least thought about and tried one new thing that's connected to research - so it's a start Others ?????????????? Cheers Heide Heide Spruck Wrigley LiteracyWork International San Mateo, CA Hello again, everyone, What successes have you had in helping teachers link research and practice? What was the activity or activities, and what happened as a result? What challenges have you faced in helping teachers link research and practice? What happened, and what did you do? What might you do differently in the future? What support, if any, would be beneficial to you in helping teachers build an evidence-based practice? Thanks so much! I look forward to hearing your experiences. Best, Jackie Jackie Taylor Moderator NIFL-AALPD jataylor@utk.edu
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