ALYSSA HEDENSTROM {ESL}
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Baking a cake

11/20/2016

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As I posted previously, my students love to sing and so do I! In my daily life, I make up songs, sing to myself, my son, and my husband. Naturally, I do the same thing with my students. 

If you find your students respond to singing and like the "call and response" nature of singing, you may want to make up some silly songs or use YouTube to help you sing in class which in turn will help your students remember what they are learning. You can then add actions (a sort of TPR - Total Physical Response) to add to the fun! Check out the song below! 

Lyrics (**Students echo teacher)
Baking a cake 
Baking a cake 
2x 

I need flour
I need eggs
I need butter
I need sugar
I need vanilla
I need baking powder

Baking a cake
Baking a cake
2x

First I pour
Then I mix
Then I heat
Then I eat
Now you may be thinking, "I would love to incorporate music but I'm not musical." First of all, we all have musicality, just with different degrees. The other great thing is we now have technology that allows any teacher use music in their classroom. 

Some of my favorite YouTube channels to use with my Pre-lit students are:
KidsTV123 (My students LOVE this channel!) 
Sesame Street

You may be thinking that these YouTube channels are too juvenile. They may be for your class, however, my students are Pre-lit and have NEVER been to school nor do they have smart phones or know how to use the computer. For them, this is GOLD! They love it and enjoy seeing the ABC, phonics, and letter videos. 

Regardless of your musicality, music can help your students grow, help with pronunciation, and allow them to feel more comfortable in class. Use all the resources you can and have fun!

​Your students are stepping out of their
​comfort zones, you should too! 
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Weekly routine: Happy teacher, Happy students

10/3/2016

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In the ESL/ABE world and even in public schooling, depending on the curriculum system that is set in place, you may or may not be "thrown into" an atmosphere that requires creativity and quick thinking. I have found that the following few things have helped me when I felt overwhelmed with curriculum confusion and lack of direction:

1. Go to Workshops & Conferences
Most cities have many opportunities for educators to attend workshops and conferences. However, if you aren't in a location that provides these opportunities, talk with your colleagues from other cities and see what is available online. Don't forget that blogs and YouTube videos abound! This leads me to number two.

2. Get together with Colleagues and Make Some New Friends!
Why should you have to reinvent the wheel? Many local colleagues may have curriculum or ideas that they would love to share or even worksheets that you are able to use. Don't forget that one of your most vital resources are people! Take someone out to coffee to discuss ideas and get inspired! 

3. Routine is Key!
All students, whether preliterate or advanced need a routine. Not only will this routine save you time, it will help your students feel more confident as they will be able to predict what will happen next and gain a deeper understanding of their knowledge. 

Below I have included my weekly routine. Every Monday is the same (with flexibility when needed). Every Tuesday is the same. Every Wednesday is the same. See the pattern? All the changes is the vocabulary but the activities remain consistent. By attending conferences, workshops, sitting down with colleagues, and assessing my student's needs, I have come up with this routine that has been a life saver to me and my students! Do yourself a favor and set aside some time to make a plan and benefit from it. 

​
Picture
Picture
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Phonics on your feet

8/30/2016

2 Comments

 
It is so important that your students stand up and move in your classroom. We've all been there; the yawning, the glazed over look, the head resting on the arm. I make it a rule for myself to get my students up and moving in some capacity every 30 minutes. Not only does it energize my students but it energizes me! 

There are so many things you can do to get your students up and moving but with my preliterate class, I like to do phonics and blending on our feet. 

Every day, we practice blending CVC (consonant - vowel - consonant) words and work on them through out the week. Speaking the sounds of each letter is not enough. However, if I can make phonics more physical, my students tend to feel each sound throughout their body and blend more appropriately. Also, a huge shout out to my colleague, Kristin Klas who has taught me more about blending. Check out her great website here: http://teacherkristin.weebly.com/

1.) We first say the name of each letter. 
2.) Next, I ask my students to reach out their hand and with their fingers, repeat the sound of each letter as they press another finger down toward their thumb. 
3.) Then, we repeat the sound of each letter and take a step forward with each sound. When we say the entire word, we JUMP!

The students get into it and enjoy seeing me participate. Here are two videos below of this activity. **Please forgive my spelling of "mitt" in the first video. Even teachers have their off days. 

Do you have any phonics activities that include movement? If so, let me know! I'd love to try new things with my students. Have fun jumping! 
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Music Matters : 1

8/19/2016

0 Comments

 
I've taught English as a second language to various levels of learners; community college, continuing ed seekers, graduate students, children, and adult preliterate students. Having earned degrees in ESL and music, I naturally use music in my classroom on a daily basis with every level of learner. 

I'm currently teaching preliterate adult refugees. Most of them are Karen (from Burma) and their experience in my class is their first experience with formal education. Any way that I can lower their fear of trying new things or participating in class is worth implementing. M u s i c is a great way to achieve this!

I use music everyday in class as it calms my students, allows them to see me be goofy and take risks, and is a community centered activity. 

One of the songs my students love to sing is our version of the "Happy Days" theme song. Remember this? 
I taught my students an altered version of this song teaching the days of the week. Here's how it goes:

Activity: 
1.) Pass out signs to 7 students that have one of the days of the week written on it in bold print. I use some that are laminated and have fun colors and designs. You can purchase these at a school supply store or on Amazon (https://amzn.com/B00207MGDA).
2.) Have the 7 students come up to the front of the class with their signs. You then help them get in order starting with Sunday through Saturday. After a few times of doing this, they will get the hang of it and help out new students. 
3.) When students are lined up, have the rest of the class read their signs. They will often catch a mistake but you may need to lead them to it. 
​4.) Have the students practice holding up their sign in the air when you call on their day of the week. 
5.) Once they get the hang of holding up their sign, you can start teaching the song.
"Sunday, Monday - Happy Day - Tuesday, Wednesday - Happy Day - Thursday, Friday - Happy Day - Saturday - Happy Day!!
6.) Doing this day after day during your unit or a few times a week will help the students catch on. 
My students have a lot of fun with this and after a few times, they start to sing it to themselves and ask to do it during class. It's also a reference that they can go to to practice the order of the days of the week. Have fun making music in your class! Check back for more activities that you can incorporate in your classroom! 

**Note: My classroom currently doesn't have a computer or projector so they've never heard the actual song. If you do have access to a computer, you could incorporate it when introducing the song.
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    ESL educator
    Midwest girl
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    Creativity Mindful

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