Developmental Kindergarten ESL class- Students are 5 years-old and placed in this class based on test scores.
Purpose of Lesson: Introducing Fall
Sequence of Events
- Teacher welcomes students to class. "Today we are going to learn about fall!" "Ms. S told me that you are working on fall projects in her class."
- Teacher: "Let's go to the reading rug so I can read you a story."
- Teacher reads aloud from "Fall Harvest"- shows pictures while reading. Story relates why leaves change colors.
- Teacher introduces fall vocabulary while reading: fall, apple, tree, raking, pumpkin, etc. - also mentions colors like orange, red, brown, green, and yellow.
- Teacher: "Look at the pumpkin!" "What color is it?"
- ELL-S is usually the first to respond to questions, and ELL-E quickly follows with same response.
- When book is over, teacher: "Let's go to the yoga chairs and look at the board. I will show you some more pictures of fall!"
- Students work together to quickly put the yoga chairs in the center of the classroom so they can observe the board clearly.
- Teacher shows various pictures relating to fall: colorful leaves, pumpkins, apples, people raking leaves, etc. Teacher: "What do you see in the picture?" "Do you remember why leaves change colors?" "What color is that pumpkin?" "What are those people doing?"
- Students observe the pictures and answer questions with one-word answers and some prompting. ELL-E needs more prompting than ELL-S.
- Teacher reads aloud an online book on the board entitled "Autumn Leaves." Tells the students that "Autumn means the same thing as Fall." Teacher asks the students different questions while reading the book and makes sure to review fall vocabulary introduced in read-aloud book earlier in the lesson.
- Teacher: "Let's go to the work table so we can color a picture of a pumpkin patch." "Isn't Ms. S taking you on a field trip to the pumpkin patch?" Students: "Yes."
- One student gathers crayons and brings them to the table. One student moves the yoga chairs back to the table- they seem to know different tasks needed to be accomplished without being asked.
- Teacher plays alphabet songs on the CD player while students color. Teacher: "I can't wait to see your masterpieces!" "I will hang them up on the wall!"
- While students color, the teacher reviews fall vocabulary.
- Teacher allows for completion of coloring sheet and "It's time to go back to Ms. S's class!" "I will walk you down."
Read-Aloud on the Reading Rug consisted of the teacher reading aloud from "Fall Harvest," a beginning reading book about fall including the reasons why leaves change colors. The teacher introduced fall vocabulary including fall, pumpkin, leave, apple, raking, and tree as well as colors associated with fall; yellow, orange, green, brown, and red. She brought up past lessons pertaining to seasons as well as what was being taught in the general education classroom. While the teacher red the book, she pointed out different illustrations and described each carefully and slowly with words that the ELLs could understand. The teacher asked various questions after reading certain sentences in the story to check for understanding. She concluded the read-aloud with various questions including "Do you like to eat pumpkins?" and "What else can you do with a pumpkin?"
Analysis
As a development kindergarten ESL class, the relevance of the topic was obvious. Kindergarten is the time when children learn about the seasons according to state standards, and it was being taught in the general education classroom. By the end of the lesson, the ELLs were able to say and comprehend the fall vocabulary that was introduced as well as understand the process of leaves changing colors.
Ethnographic Perspective
An observer coming into this ESL classroom during this lesson would encounter a highly organized, brightly decorated classroom with a teacher incorporating a variety of methods and strategies to teach the topic of fall. The students are made to feel welcome and accepted by the encouraging words and actions the teacher utilizes throughout her lesson such as "high-fives" and "Great job!" The teacher also patted the students on the shoulder and would ruffle their hair which the students seemed to like.
