Page 42 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9-12: English As a Second Language and English Literacy Development, 2007

THEONTARIOCURRICULUM,GRADES9–12 | ESLandELD
Teachers can also provide multilingual word lists, dictionaries, and glossaries to students, often using students’ own contributions. Themed bulletin-board displays can highlight vocabulary in many languages (e.g., mathematical terms, or ways to say hello, offer praise, or say thank-you in a multitude of languages).
Cloze Procedure. The cloze procedure is a “fill-in-the-blanks” technique used to assess reading comprehension and to teach new vocabulary. In the classic cloze procedure, students read a passage from which every seventh word has been deleted and fill in the blanks to demonstrate their overall comprehension of the passage. However, the cloze procedure can be applied selectively to any words in a passage, to adapt the assessment to the student’s language level, and to concentrate on specific vocabulary items or gram- matical structures, such as content-specific vocabulary, prepositions, or verb tenses. A word bank can also be supplied with a cloze passage to provide additional support for students.
In addition to being used for individual student work, a cloze passage can be presented as a whole-class or group activity, with the teacher reviewing the text on a chart or over- head transparency. A cloze activity can also be done in pairs or small groups using a pocket chart or large sticky notes on chart paper.
Other cloze variations include the oral cloze, in which students learn to predict what word is to come by using structural and context clues, and the jigsaw cloze, in which several students each receive different words deleted from the same passage and work together to recreate the entire text.
Cooperative Learning. Cooperative-learning techniques allow students to work together as a team to accomplish a common learning goal. A cooperative-learning group may work together to complete a research project, prepare a media broadcast, or publish a newsletter.
In cooperative group activities, group members each take on a specific task they are responsible for, such as gathering materials, taking notes, or ensuring that the group keeps to its timelines. While participating in the cooperative-learning activity, students have numerous opportunities to practise the language necessary for the smooth func- tioning of the group: for example, how to make suggestions, express opinions, encour- age others, and disagree politely.
In addition to the final product produced by the group, an important aspect of the cooperative-learning process is having each group member examine how the group functioned in its task and evaluate his or her own contribution to the group process. Discussions, journal entries, and self-evaluation checklists are some ways in which students can reflect on the group work process and their part in it.
Dictogloss. Dictogloss is an activity in which students recreate a text read aloud in class. This strategy supports English language learners in listening to and recalling good English language models, while providing them with opportunities to collaborate and negotiate with their peers.
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