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Creating an Inclusive Learning Environment for Language Learners with Disabilities: Rosa Dene David, PhD Candidate, The University of British Columbia Today’s schedule 8:30-10:00 Workshop 1 Creating an inclusive learning environment for language learners wit...

Creating an Inclusive Learning Environment for Language Learners with Disabilities: Rosa Dene David, PhD Candidate, The University of British Columbia Today’s schedule 8:30-10:00 Workshop 1 Creating an inclusive learning environment for language learners with disabilities: The Basics 10:00-10:30 Break 10:30-12:00 Workshop 2 Multisensory Techniques for Inclusive Language Teaching 12:00-13:30 Lunch 1:30-3:00 Workshop 3 What is multimodality and and how does it shape literacy 3:00-3:30 Break 3:00-4:30 Workshop 4 Approaching Literacy Instruction from a Multimodal Lens 3 In a truly inclusive education system, there would not be a need for special accommodations for students with disabilities as diversity in all its forms would be accepted as the norm. Today, we will begin our exploration into inclusive education. We will reflect on our teaching practice, the institutions we teach in, and steps we can take to make our classrooms more inclusive. Many of the suggestions that I will make may just seem like general good practice, and this is the case. Remember, what is good practice for learners with LDs is usually good for all students. We will start by thinking about how teacher behaviour can positively affect the language learning experiences of students with LDs and help them to develop autonomy and self-regulation in their learning.  What Inclusion Entails In this 90-minute Communication, Instructions, workshop, we will and Feedback learn about… Classroom Organization and Classroom Management “The practice of differentiation is rooted in a student-centred philosophy or ethic of teaching” (Tomlinson & Imbeau, 2010, p. 26) What does differentiation entail? How is differentiation enacted in the classroom?  Let’s start with six questions that can facilitate engagement with differentiation 1. Who are you as learners? (Are you all alike or are there important differences?) 2. Given the differences we see, how should I teach you? 3. If our classroom is going to work for all of us, what will it be like? (How will it need to function? 4. What roles will each of us play?)How can I learn more about your starting points, interests, and best ways of learning? 5. If we have a differentiated classroom, can it be fair? (What will ‘fair’ mean in this room?) 6. What will success in this class mean? (How will I know if you’re succeeding? How will you know?) Tomlinson & Imbeau, 2010; p. 45–46  Activity time: Directions: In small groups, try to answer these six questions. Be prepared to share some of what discussed with the class 1. Who are you as learners? (Are you all alike or are there important differences?) 2. Given the differences we see, how should I teach you? 3. If our classroom is going to work for all of us, what will it be like? (How will it need to function?) 4. What roles will each of us play? (How can I learn more about your starting points, interests, and best ways of learning?) 5. If we have a differentiated classroom, can it be fair? (What will ‘fair’ mean in this room?) 6. What will success in this class mean? (How will I know if you’re succeeding? How will you know?) Tomlinson & Imbeau, 2010; p. 45–46  These questions will not be answered in a single discussion, and that this is an ongoing negotiation within the group, as all the members embrace the concepts Remember that these ofquestions will not differentiated be answered in a single learning. discussion, and that this is an ongoing negotiation within the group, as If youallchoose the members embrace to use these kindsthe of concepts questions, ofitdifferentiated learning. will be important to return to these questions and have discussion at various points throughout the course. If you choose Facilitating to use discussion willthese kindsmonitor help you of questions, progress it will be important in acceptance to may of what return to these bequestions a new andand have discussion different at various points way of working. throughout the course. Facilitating discussion will help you monitor Atprogress in of the heart acceptance of what may inclusive education andbedifferentiated a new and different wayare instruction of the relationships within the classroom, working. and it is important to invest time in getting to know each other. This can be done.through discussion, needs analyses, class surveys and role plays. Inclusive education means that all students attend and are welcomed by their schools in age- appropriate, regular classes and are supported to learn, contribute and participate in all aspects of the life of the school. Inclusive education is about how we develop and design our schools, classrooms, programs and activities so that all students learn and participate together. Inclusive education is about ensuring access to quality education for all students by effectively meeting their diverse needs in a way that is responsive, accepting, respectful and supportive. Inclusive education is carried out in a common learning environment; that is, an educational setting where students from different backgrounds and with different abilities learn together in an inclusive environment. Students participate in the education program in a common learning environment with support to diminish and remove barriers and obstacles that may lead to exclusion Inclusive Education Canada, 2024  Remember that we need to create effective common learning environments that Enable each student to fully participate in the learning environment that is designed for all students and is shared with peers in the chosen educational setting Provide a positive climate, promote a sense of belonging and ensure student progress toward appropriate personal, social, emotional and academic goals Are responsive to individual learning needs by providing sufficient levels of support and applying student-centred teaching practices and principles Common learning environment: an inclusive environment where instruction is designed to be delivered to students of mixed ability and with their peer group in the community school, while being responsive to their individual needs as a learner, and used for the majority of the students’ regular instruction hours. Inclusive Education Canada, 2024  What are some of things we need to think about to develop inclusive classrooms? (Hint: Think about your teaching practice and the physical space)  Communication and Giving Instructions Good relationships and good practice in language teaching depends on clear communication Clear communication is especially important for students with LDs because auditory processing may be slower in some learners. It is especially important to make sure that everybody understands what is being said as the lesson progresses and to have frequent checks of comprehension. If a student does not seem to have understood, it is better to give them a little longer to process the information, and then repeat the same phrase if necessary. Rephrasing should be used only when students have had ample time to process the information, and it becomes clear that they do not understand the vocabulary being used. When speaking, try not to be ambiguous it is best to avoid the use of metaphorical language as students who have autistic traits may take everything that is said literally, which can have unintended consequences.  Instructions and Feedback It may be helpful to give important information, including instructions, in both written or graphic and verbal form, so that they have a record that they can refer to it again. One way to improve the clarity of instructions is to plan them out before the lesson and provide written or visual prompts for those students who find that helpful. (Think: bullet points with 1 action per point) Each action should be explicitly described, and time scales could also be given to guide the learners Once the task or activity has been explained, it should be conducted in the way set out, with changes being avoided as much as possible. When giving feedback to students with LDs, it is important, to be absolutely explicit about which aspects are good, and what needs further work When suggesting improvements, is important to be very clear, and to model (or provide a model) how the work could be improved.  The Physical Classroom: Light and acoustics Students who have LDs may process sensory input differently, and their experience may differ from their classmates’ experiences significant ways. Fluorescent lights can cause problems for some learners, so natural light is usually preferred whenever possible (Shabha, 2006) Changing the students’ position may be helpful in reducing the reflection of the lights on the whiteboard. For some people, if light levels are too bright, they may report experiencing a range of visual distortion problems and even migraines. Visual distortion may be described as a perception that text is blurring, shimmering or disappearing, making it impossible to read. This can be reduced by printing on unbleached paper or changing the background colour of the screen. Some people who have LDs, and who are prone to distraction, find it hard to focus if there is anything moving in their line of vision. Some learners with LDs are also are hypersensitive to volume and noise. If a separate area is available for these students to work in with their partner, this would be an ideal solution, but otherwise, it is important to make sure that the ‘hum’ does not become a ‘roar’, and that the rest of the class are reminded that high volumes are distressing for their classmate  Personal Space Students who are having trouble managing their own workspace may find it difficult having to share with a neighbour. Students who have autistic traits may find it more comfortable to work individually, and those with traits of ADHD might find it easier to concentrate if they are not too close to other learners. The layout of the classroom depends to a great degree on the physical constraints of the room, of course, but being aware of these issues may enable the teacher to plan the arrangement of the furniture to the best advantage. If it is at all possible, students at all levels of education may appreciate having a designated ‘time-out’ space they can go to if the classroom environment becomes too overwhelming for them, whether because of cognitive overload or emotional distress (Maich et al., 2019).  Classroom materials Some learners may be prone to sensory overload or visual disturbances and may find it difficult to focus on too many items at once, it follows that materials should appear uncluttered and easy to navigate. Unfortunately, common practice in published language teaching materials continues to favour a bright, busy page, mimicking a magazine style. One option is to produce a ‘text window’, which can be as simple as cutting a hole in a piece of paper, that is then placed over the page, to block out a lot of the unnecessary information and allow the learners to focus just on the part of the text they need to work with at the time. In the case of font type, there is no one typeface or text setting that will be optimal for all learners. Many learners with LDs preferred a larger font.  Additional equipment and assistive technology While digital technology can be extremely helpful for learners with LDs, it is important to remember that low- tech, physical equipment still has a role to play. Paper-based materials have a tactile quality that electronic devices lack, and this contributes to a more multi- sensory experience that benefits many learners Many students who have LDs experience difficulties with organisation and memory. This means that they may easily forget the assigned homework, or not bring particular information or books to class. A simple solution is for the student is to carry a small notebook where the homework can be recorded, (by the teacher if necessary), as well as other points to remember. Most computers and computer programs now offer a huge range of accessibility features. Besides the ability to to change the appearance of text (size and font) or alter the background to reduce the glare, many computer packages now offer sophisticated word-processing facilities such as: Predictive text Grammar-checking comes as standard, including homophone differentiation based on the sentence context. Learners can use their voices to navigate the computer and dictate text screen-readers have improved immensely; the ‘immersive reader’ highlighting of the text as it is read, so that learners can follow as well as listen.  Classroom Management: Grouping Some learners with LDs may feel uncomfortable about sharing their work or speaking with students in small groups, especially if they do not know them well. It is good practice at the start of a course to set up activities in which the learners find out a little about each other and work together in a non-threatening a situation before starting on any serious project work in groups. Try to develop a collaborative and supportive class culture by pairing students with different partners on a regular basis. This provides opportunities for regrouping that can be very helpful for learners who need movement to maintain concentration. This also provides students with the opportunity to work with a range of different personality types and ability levels.  Classroom Management: Routine Many learners benefit from having a classroom routine, but students with LDs often benefit from knowing exactly what is expected of them at any given time. Dividing the lesson into shorter sections with breaks is an effective use of time, since students with LDs are likely to have problems maintaining concentration Introducing breaks offers additional beginnings and endings, so that more of the lesson content is likely to be retained It makes classroom management easier because there are well-established sub- routines that can be set in motion at various points in the lesson  Classroom Management: Routine Establish sub-routines for checking written work, for completing activities or for using time between activities Once this pattern has been established, by focusing on the stages explicitly, these activities can be ‘chunked’ into one checking routine which needs only one prompt from the teacher, or they become an automatic part of the tasks. Knowing what the next step is allows students to feel secure in the class, and to develop autonomy, by following classroom routines without needing direction from the teacher  Activity Time! Directions: Take a couple of minutes, to evaluate your own preferred ways of working in the classroom, considering your preferred for things such as the lighting, position of the desks, the temperature, noise levels and so on. Think about the amount of individual and group work you prefer, as well as the balance of holistic and analytical elements of teaching. Next, with a partner, discuss to what extent a teacher’s preferred ways of working can or should be modified to accommodate the individuals in the group. What would the practical and psychological implications be of modifying one’s teaching style?  What are some of things we need to think about to make the curriculum and course content more inclusive?  Curriculum: Organization of Course Content In most classrooms, the actual content of the curriculum is usually not decided by the teacher, but teachers can present and organize the curriculum in a way that supports the greatest number of learners. Provide extra activities and materials that allow for additional practice of certain language points, as it often takes students with LDs longer to assimilate new information and transfer it to long-term memory Provide ample opportunities for ‘over learning’ or revisiting the same information in different contexts so that automaticity can be developed through the chunking of single actions or sub skills into one action, that then in turn can become a sub-routine in a more complex task  Curriculum: Organization of Course Content For students who like to think about the BIG Picture structure of the lesson to have short-, medium-, and long-term goals. You can use of mind mapping techniques for planning out projects or assignments. For students who might find the BIG picture confusing, overwhelming or challenging, mitigate potential difficulties by setting out clear stages that the lesson will pass through, and break large tasks into smaller chunks You can use chaining and learning grids (Situation, Problem, Solution, Outcome). These are more formulaic and sequential methods allow for capturing ideas and forward planning  Chaining and Task Analysis Learners with LDs can become overwhelmed with a multi-step task. Teaching it bit by bit, step by step, reduces frustration and increases comprehension. Chaining is a way of teaching a task that is actually made up of smaller tasks. Some task analyses are set up as chains of activities that lead to completion of a task or skill. Chaining can be any type of task that requires you to do steps in a sequential order to get to the end product. During total task chaining, the teacher presents each task in sequences and instructs the learner to complete all of them. Least to most prompting is provided for the tasks that are difficult for the learner. The reinforcement is provided at the end after the whole task is complete.  Chaining and Task Analysis How can I teach using chaining? Forward chaining: The teacher focuses instruction on only the first step of the task. The student is given a reinforcer after they successfully, independently complete the first step. After the student is able to complete the first step independently for several times in a row, the teacher provides instruction on the second step in the task. This continues until the student is able to complete the entire multi-step task independently. Backward chaining: The teacher completes all the task for the student, up until the last step. The teacher focuses instruction on the last step. When the student is able to complete that step independently, the student is given a reinforcer. After the student is able to complete the last step independently for several times in a row, the teacher provides instruction on the second to last step in the task. This continues until the student is able to complete the entire multi- step task independently. Example of a Learning Chain and task analysis  Learning Grids and Task Analysis Learning grids help students to focus on the content and language learning outcomes of a unit and to monitor their own progress and learning grids also provide immediate feedback on student learning, enabling teachers to plan teaching to meet the students' identified learning needs. How to make a Learning Grid: Teachers prepare a grid which lists the content and language outcomes of a unit or work. At the start of the unit or work the students tick the boxes beside the items they know/can do, they then discuss with a partner the outcomes they have not ticked. This is repeated during the unit and at the end of the unit. The teacher can use the responses to inform the next teaching and learning steps. Students use the learning grids to manage each step of their learning process and to break things into manageable chunks  Genetic Mutations Learning Grid Content and language Goals At the In the At the beginning middle end (Put a X in the space to each goal you learn I know the meaning of key vocabulary related to genetic mutations x I know how to link key ideas together x visually I know how mutations to the genetic x code occur I understand how genetic mutations can x affect people’s loves I know how to locate main ideas and x supporting evidence within a text I know how to summarise and x paraphrase key information from the text I know how to write an explanation x paragraph in science Another example of using a learning grid  Activity Time! Directions In small groups, you will be given a topic. You will be assigned either to make either a Learning Chain or a Learning Grid for your students to use. What are some things you learned, or you found interesting in this workshop? Today’s schedule 8:30-10:00 Workshop 1 Creating an inclusive learning environment for language learners with disabilities: The Basics 10:00-10:30 Break 10:30-12:00 Workshop 2 Techniques for inclusive language teaching 12:00-13:30 Lunch 1:30-3:00 Workshop 3 Literacy Education Moving Towards a Multiliteracies Approach 3:00-3:30 Break 3:00-4:30 Workshop 4 Approaching Literacy Instruction from a Multimodal Lens  Break time! See you at 10:30  Multisensory Structured learning and Techniques for Inclusive Language Teaching Rosa Dene David, PhD Candidate, The University of British Columbia  Activity time With a partner create a list of activities that combine two or more senses simultaneously into classroom instruction? For example: Watching a movie with subtitles Try to think about skills such as listening, speaking, writing and reading as well as teaching prounication, grammar, spelling, or vocabulary!  What Multisensory Structured Learning Is In this 90-minute The guiding principles of workshop, we will multisensory structured learning learn about… Strategies for Implementing Multisensory Structured Learning  Workshop Overview In this workshop, we will learn about some language teaching strategies, techniques and methods that we can implement to enhance the success of teaching students with LDs. The strategies, techniques, and methods we will talk about follow the same pedagogical principles as general good teaching practice. This workshop approaches the the role of the teacher as a facilitator who provides assistance, and guidance to the students so that they can learn the language and to learn about how language works through using the language. We will begin by exploring multisensory structured learning, and then we will look at how the principles of multisensory reaching with other inclusive language teaching techniques grammar and vocabulary as well as reading, writing, speaking and listening.  What is Multisensory structured Learning? Multisensory structured learning (MSL) is an approach designed to provide students with direct, explicit, and cumulative instruction by connecting learning to more than one sense at a time. Multisensory teaching engages students’ visual, auditory, kinesthetic and tactile pathways either simultaneously or sequentially to improve memory and learning. Sparks et al. (1992)  Why Implement the Multisensory Approach into Your Classroom? Ø Students learn in many different ways. Ø When teachers use multisensory Some students learn best from what they techniques, students have the advantage of hear, while others learn best from what learning though different modalities. they see. Multisensory learning helps students discover how they learn best! Multi-Sensory Structured Learning (MSL) Aim: Develop L2 learner’s phonemic, morphological and syntactic awareness Provide instruction that is direct, structured, systematic, and explicit teaching of the organization of language Teaches elements of L2 through the activation of auditory, visual, tactile and kinesthetic pathways The active use of the senses makes learning enjoyable and memorable Learning through additional sensory channels helps counterbalance problems with phonological processing (Sparks et al, 1992) As adults, we are constantly doing multi- sensory activities or activities that rely on more than than one sense. For example, cooking is a multisensory activity. What are some multisensory activities that you do? What are some multisensory activities that you already incorporate into your teaching?  For example, when students learn a new word, they might repeat the word several times after the teacher (auditory channel), draw a picture to facilitate memorisation (visual channel) or act it out (kinaesthetic channel) The parallel use of several sensory channels facilitates encoding in memory and makes the event of learning memorable. The higher-level cognitive and affective engagement helps aid in memorization for learners with and without LDs..  Basic principles of the MSL approach multi-sensory carefully structured cumulative frequent revision explicit explanation/guided discovery of linguistic structures ample practice learning strategy training  Multi-sensory teaching methods (MSL) By introducing small units and practicing them in different contexts builds long term memory MSL places emphasis on the demonstration and practice of language learning strategies, which allows learners to experiment and find techniques that match their individual strengths and weaknesses Dynamic assessment: Teachers adjust the pace of learning to the progress of the students MSL provides students with direct and explicit teaching of rules in the L2 (most successful when the teacher shares the same L1) (Sparks et al, 1992) Stages of Information Processing Attending: Listening and paying close attention Encoding: Taking in the information Storing: Entering the memory bank, ready to be called upon Retrieving: Bringing the information back to the conscious awareness We often talk about what kinds of learners we have in our classroom, but what instead of talking about the different kinds of learners if we incorporated instruction that built in all of the senses simultaneously  Visual Tactile pathways pathways Auditory Kinesthetic pathways morphological pathways & syntactic awareness  The role of practice The MSL takes into consideration the need for practice for students with LDs A potential difficult for students with LDs that that they often have difficulties in committing verbal information to long-term memory. Learning another language requires the memorization of different types of verbal information such as sound sequences, letter combinations, words, phrases and larger linguistic constructions. According to MSL, progress in small steps and overlearning are key components and MSL stresses the importance of practicing different aspects of the L2 until they become automatic through the application of different multi-sensory teaching and learning tasks Proponents of MSL argue that focusing on one linguistic construction at a time in a block can help students strengthen connections to their long-term memory  Self-Regulation and Learning Strategies The MSL approach emphasizes the need for demonstration and practice in the target language language, using “techniques, approaches or deliberate actions that students take in order to facilitate the learning, recall of both linguistic and content area information” (Chamot, 1987, p. 71). By providing different examples of cognitive strategies that aid the memorization of new linguistic material and the inferring of information from the input such as reading and listening strategies, teachers can help students plan and learning processes. Learners need opportunities to experiment with learning strategies and should be encouraged to find the techniques that match their individual strengths and weaknesses. Once students discover and learn strategies that work for them, it is advised that teachers monitor how the learners apply these strategies until they can use them autonomously  Dynamic Assessment Dynamic assessment is a form of continuous classroom assessment that teachers apply to adjust the learning materials and the pace of learning to the progress of the students. Dynamic assessment is not only a method of testing what students have acquired, but it also provides a means to help students develop independent language use and learner autonomy Schneider and Ganschow (2000) list five stages of the teaching process that are based on dynamic assessment In the first two stages the teacher elicits information from the students and instead of giving direct feedback, guides the students through the process of discovering the solution to the task. The next stage involves the explicit comparison of the linguistic structure to be learnt in the target language with the learners’ L1. In the final two stages, learning strategies are taught and practiced, and learners are given explicit guidance on how to organise and review the material they have acquired. Stages of the teaching process using dynamic assessment Eliciting information from the students Reflecting on the answer, developing metalinguistic awareness Comparison of L1 and L2 Modeling and practicing learning strategies Organizing and reviewing learned material  Focus on Form Instruction should incorporate direct and explicit teaching of the L2 rule system This does not mean, that teachers should return to the traditional forms of grammar teaching that involve extensive focus on linguistic form that does not include communicative practice Instruction that guides students’ attention to a linguistic construction before engaging in communicative activities Multisensory Structured Learning can be easy as… Visual-Spatial Techniques: A visual learn learns best by seeing the necessary information in their eyes. Use: Ø Flashcards with identifying pictures Ø Mind maps, graphic organizers, outlines Ø Use colors to organize information Ø Student created art, images, texts, pictures and videos Target language practice: Allow students to watch what they look like when they are pronouncing difficult sounds. Help them identify how the mouth moves and the position of their tongue. Draw the corresponding letters on the board. Generate a word list for each sound. Auditory Techniques: An auditory learner learns best through listening. Use: Ø Books on tape, peer assisted reading, paired reading, Ø computerized text readers Ø Videos with accompanying audio Ø Music, songs, rhymes, chants Target language practice: Phonemic awareness activities help students segment and blend sounds to make words and phrases. Students can use rubber bands to feel the difference in syllables and the length of vowels Tactile Techniques: A tactile learner learns best through their sense of touch. Use: Ø Sand trays, raised lined paper, textured objects, finger paints Ø Clay, play dough, sculpting materials Ø Letter tiles, coins, dominoes, puzzles Target language practice: ‘Read it, write it, build it’ is an activity that helps builds vocabulary skills while developing tactile pathways. Students read a word, write the word and build it using either clay or magnets. Kinesthetic Techniques: A kinesthetic learner learns best through through movement of their gross motor muscles. Use: Ø Games that involve movement Ø Any large movement activity that involves concepts and rhythmic recall Ø Letter tiles, coins, dominoes, puzzles Target language practice: ‘Air writing’ is a popular kinesthetic activity where students say a letter or a word out loud while simultaneously writing it in the air. Let’s try a couple of activities that align with the Multisensory Structured Learning Approach. Activity time Get into small groups. Each group will be given a different multisensory activity. Complete the activity once or twice. Identify what senses it incorporates. Prepare to describe the activity to your classmates and to describe how could you modify this activity.  Phonology Phonology is the science of speech sounds. Phonology includes studying speech sounds development in a language and phonological awareness and phonemic awareness tasks. Phonological awareness is the umbrella term that includes: phonemic awareness rhyming, syllables word awareness and phoneme manipulation Incorporating multisensory strategies within phonological and phonemic awareness tasks includes the simultaneous engagement of the auditory-visual-kinesthetic/motor- tactile modalities to solidify sound knowledge. phonological awareness provides the underpinnings for reading and writing  Phonology Phonology is the science of speech sounds. Phonemic awareness teaches students to hear and manipulate the smallest units of sound and understand that spoken words are made up of sequences of speech sounds. We can support phonemic awareness with students and engage the senses by bringing awareness to the articulatory features of individual phonemes or speech sounds as we link sounds to print, engaging the auditory-kinesthetic/motor modalities. For example: Having students look in the mirror to identify their mouth position, tongue movement, and breath, when a sound is produced engages all the multisensory strategies Asking students to identify the position of a sound within a word engages the auditory memory, and when adding manipulatives or letters, adds in visual, kinesthetic/motor, and tactile senses.  Sound-Symbol Correspondences Sound-symbol correspondences encompass the alphabetic principle in connection to speech sounds. The connection of phonemes to graphemes is critical for learning to read and spell Linking sound to letter representation engages the auditory memory to the visual memory. Connecting to letter formations brings in a connection to the kinesthetic-tactile memory to help students remember the shape of a letter through muscle movement, feel of the letter, and sound. Tasks like segmenting, blending, manipulating sounds and letters are all examples of multisensory ways to connect sounds to letters. *See more on the image above. Many educators use sand trays during this part of the structured literacy lesson. The purpose of the sand for letter formation is to provide that kinesthetic/tactile connection to feel the letter formation.  Syllables + Syllable Knowledge Syllables + Syllable Knowledge helps learners understand patterns and the rules of the L2 writing system Most structured literacy lessons include explicit teaching of syllables, syllable division, and spelling conventions. Activities like segmenting syllables, tapping syllables, breaking them apart, and building words with graphemes and letter patterns engage multiple senses simultaneously. Activities like coding letters and syllables, mapping speech to print, and segmenting syllables provide hands-on multi-sensory engagement within lessons and empower students with strategies to read new unknown words.  Morphology Morphology is the study of the forms of words. Morphology addresses our understanding of the smallest units of meaning within our language Students manipulate word parts (prefixes, suffixes, base words, and roots) to break down and build words. Hands-on activities like manipulating blocks with affixes and base words/roots/combining forms to create new words, building word matrices, and engaging in reading and spelling all encompass multimodal strategies.  Syntax Syntax is the arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language Syntax aids in our communication, including parts of speech and grammatical conventions, order of words, and word usage We can have students diagram and label sentences, engaging in visual-auditory- kinesthetic-tactile senses. Activities like building sentences with word cards or unscrambling word cards with cards or in written form apply multi-sensory learning pathways. During our sessions, we may have students complete tasks like these in oral or written form, engaging in reading and writing tasks.  Semantics Semantics focuses on the study of meaning. Semantics refers to the layer of our language connected to meaning. Semantics tries to understand what meaning is as an element of language and how it is constructed by language as well as interpreted, obscured and negotiated by speakers and listeners of language Comprehension is the connection of oral and written language and encompasses vocabulary, word meaning, and word relations at the word, phrase, sentence, and text level. Reading comprehension is our goal, and activities like drawing semantic webs, paraphrasing text, and use of graphic organizers engage multiple learning pathways. Activity time You will be given a list of multisensory structured learning techniques and strategies to use in your classroom. With a partner, decide what senses each technique or strategy includes. Let’s look at the answers together! https://www.thedyslexiaclassroom.com/blog/multi-sensory-instruction-moving-beyond-the-sand-tray https://www.thedyslexiaclassroom.com/blog/multi-sensory-instruction-moving-beyond-the-sand-tray https://www.thedyslexiaclassroom.com/blog/multi-sensory-instruction-moving-beyond-the-sand-tray https://www.thedyslexiaclassroom.com/blog/multi-sensory-instruction-moving-beyond-the-sand-tray https://www.thedyslexiaclassroom.com/blog/multi-sensory-instruction-moving-beyond-the-sand-tray Today’s schedule 8:30-10:00 Workshop 1 Creating an inclusive learning environment for language learners with disabilities: The Basics 10:00-10:30 Break 10:30-12:00 Workshop 2 Multisensory Techniques for Inclusive Language Teaching 12:00-13:30 Lunch 1:30-3:00 Workshop 3 What is multimodality and and how does it shape literacy 3:00-3:30 Break 3:00-4:30 Workshop 4 Approaching Literacy Instruction from a Multimodal Lens  Lunch time! See you at 1:30 Literacy Education Moving Towards a Multiliteracies Approach Rosa Dene David, PhD Candidate, The University of British Columbia  Our collective and individual understandings literacy In this 90-minute What multiliteracies is and how it workshop, we will differs from multimodality learn about… Reexamine our understanding of literacies  Group Activity In small groups, you will answer a series of questions to help you gain an understanding of your own understanding of literacy and your literacy practices 1. Together you will discuss each question and take notes. 2. Each person must respond to each question in your discussion, but each person does not need to record an individual typed response to each question. 3. As a group, create a document that captures each of your responses; and where appropriate, put names by individual responses. Pro Tip: In the past, groups have found it effective to discuss and write joint answers to questions 1-3 and 11-12, while writing individual responses to the other questions. Let’s look at the questions and some of your answers. What stood out to you about your different understandings of literacy and about your different practices? 1. Do a search and find two to three different definitions of literacy and/or descriptions of types of literacy. Only one may come from a dictionary. These must be significantly different from one another. List these definitions with sources. 2. How do you define literacy? 3. Brainstorm two unique areas of knowledge that you each possess. List these here and explain how each area fits within your definition of literacy. 4. For each of the two areas, explain specifically what it means to be “literate” in that area. What do you need to know or be able to do? 5. For each of the areas, explain what steps you went through to achieve your current literacy. Who taught you? What motivated you? What do you need to do to reach the next level of expertise? Were there particularly influential milestones in your development of this literacy? 6. What factors influence a person’s (or community’s) access to opportunities to develop this kind of literacy? What kinds of opportunities enhance or detract from a person’s ability to develop this kind of literacy? 7. What values and ideologies are associated with this form of literacy? 8. How has this literacy helped you in other domains of life (i.e., beyond the practice of the literacy itself)? 9. How might skills associated with this literacy be brought into the classroom? 10. How do your own literacies impact your teacher identity, and your beliefs and practices as a teacher? 11. What is the difference between a literacy and a competence? How do you make meaning/read in a particular context with your literacy? Literacy is an evolving concept, but what does literacy mean in 21st century? How is literacy constructed and performed? What does it mean to have proficiency or to be literate?  What is Multiliteracies? Multiliteracy refers to the ability to understand and effectively use multiple forms of literacy and communication in a variety of contexts. Multiliteracies includes traditional understandings of literacy such as reading and writing, digital literacy, or the using technology and digital media, visual literacy or interpreting images and visuals, as well as and other forms of communication. It is essential in today's world where various modes of communication are prevalent. Literacy goes beyond traditional notions of literacy, which typically focus on reading and writing skills, to encompass a broader range of literacies that have become increasingly relevant in the digital age. Multiliteracy focuses on the new "literacy" that is developing in response to the changes in the way people communicate globally due to technological shifts and the interplay between different cultures and languages.  Multiliteracies and the New London Group Multiliteracies recognize the knowledge, attitude, and abilities of individuals to access, critically analyze, interpret and build meaning, and adopt a diversity of identities through various modalities, such as reading, writing, and digital media (New London Group, 1996). In 1996, the term multiliteracies was coined by the New London Group, a group of international literacy educators, in response to the rapid changes brought about by globalization, technology, and social diversity. Multiliteracies is the knowledge and ability to understand and use different modalities of communication The multi in multiliteracies refers to the range of literacies and literacy practices (e.g., reading, writing, nonverbal language, graphs, art, and digital communication) used in interaction and meaning-making. Meaning-making pertains to seeing and understanding the world through different representations. For bi/multilingual learners, multiliteracies serve as a tool for meaning-making that embraces their languages and cultures.  Multiliteracies is characterized by two key aspects of literacy Linguistic, diversity and multimodal forms of linguistic expressions, and Representation as a response to two major changes in modern society 1) Linguistic, diversity and multimodal forms of linguistic expressions: Multiliteracies seeks to acknowledge the growing linguistic and cultural diversity in part due to transnational migration and globalization. This shift in literacy can help educators think about the role of different languages as well as different forms of linguistic expression in the classroom 2) Representation as a response to two major changes in modern society: Multiliteracies understands the need to shift perceptions on literacy due to the proliferation of new mediums of communication due to advancement in communication technologies (e.g., the internet, multimedia, and digital media). The relationship between multimodalities and multiliteracies Multimodalities: the combined use of different modes of communication (e.g., graphics, art, and technology) Multiliteracies: the understanding and creation of meaning using those modes (e.g., creating and interpreting text, creating and interpreting art, and becoming digitally literate) Think of it this way: To engage in multiliteracies, we rely on various modalities. For example, as we engage in digital literacy practices, we rely on linguistic, audio, and visual modalities. Multimodalities is the combined use of modes (what we think of as modalities) Multiliteracies is the ability to understand and create meaning using those modes (modalities). The relation between multimodalities and multiliteracies The New London Group (1996) suggest that learners can draw five different modes of communication for meaning-making Multimodalities (the combination Examples Multiliteracies of...) Audio Music Sounds Linguistic Words Text Speech The knowledge and ability to Visual Pictures combine modalities to interpret Video and communicate during learning. Color Spatial Placement Location Depth Perspective Tactile/Kinesthetic Touch Feel Movement  Multiliteracies is similar to multisensory teaching. Imagine you are working with a small group of language learners on a reading task. As a group, the students listen, speak in pairs, read the text, and then take notes—on paper, computer, or tablet. When multilingual learners use all of these resources, including technology, art, music, and text, across all their languages, they are engaging with multiliteracies. Modalities or modes are similar to multisensory structured learning’s description of senses or VAKT learning styles. Together, these two understandings of learning help provide teachers with a set of tools to create inclusive environments.  Literacy is only the ability to read and write. iti n g; Liter r des w cesses ac c e Engl y means e a d re ing p crete pro ish L R e d is itera the y a r cy There are only 4 Literacy is alphabetic and language skills: reading, print-based writing, speaking and listening Literacy is the ability to use Everyone studies and uses printed and written information the same languages  Activity Time - You can work alone or with a partner! Think of an activity that you know how to do that a lot of people know how to do, but not everyone knows how to do, or isn’t thought of as exactly common knowledge (e.g., ride a bike, grow vegetables, start a fire, navigate using a map with a compass, sew a button on a shirt). Write down the steps to complete this activity Re-read the instructions, what else do you have to know how to do or understand to be able to complete this task? Let’s look at an example.  The complexity of literacies development There are a number of things we need to know, understand or be able to understand to be proficient, of “literate” in a given task. For example, As someone who is proficient and capable of changing a tire on a car there are number of things you have to know and be able to do to change a tire. 1. We need to know something about the genre of cars including how operate a vehicle to be able to turn on the hazards and apply the parking brake. 2. We need to know something about how to apply wheel wedges, operate a jack and to use a lug wretch. 3. We need to have some background knowledge of the vocabulary used to describe the vehicle, tools, and the different parts of the car.  Multiliteracies Padlet activity Instructions: Instructions: In In small small groups, groups, you you will will spend spend 30 30 minutes minutes walking walking around around the the neighborhood neighborhood looking looking for for different different ways ways that that literacy literacy is is enacted enacted on on around around us. us. You You will will take take between between 3-5 3-5 photos photos and and share share them them on on Padlet. Padlet. Only Only one one of of these these images images should should have have written written words. words. As As you you take take your your photographs, photographs, think think about about what what the the images images you you are are taking taking are are trying trying to to convey. convey. Once Once you you are are done done taking taking your your photos, photos, take take aa break, break, but but come come back back to to class class to to be be prepared prepared to to describe describe how how your your images images represent represent different different forms forms of of literacy literacy and and communication. communication. This is a link to the CBA Sucre Padlet Today’s schedule 8:30-10:00 Workshop 1 Creating an inclusive learning environment for language learners with disabilities: The Basics 10:00-10:30 Break 10:30-12:00 Workshop 2 Techniques for inclusive language teaching 12:00-13:30 Lunch 1:30-3:00 Workshop 3 What is multimodality and and how does it shape literacy 3:00-3:30 Break 3:00-4:30 Workshop 4 Approaching Literacy Instruction from a Multimodal Lens  Break time! See you at 3:30 What is Multimodality and How Does It Shape Literacy Rosa Dene David, PhD Candidate, The University of British Columbia  Our collective and individual understandings literacy In this 90-minute workshop, we will L learn about… Strategies for Implementing Multisensory Structured Learning  Before we begin the second half of our workshop on multiliteracies and foreign language teaching, I wanted to share with you why I wanted to go so deeply in our understanding of literacy. I personally believe that that one of the key components of creating an inclusive environment, means that we must evaluate our understanding of literacy to shift our teaching practice to meet the greatest number of learners. Let’s look at photographs you took of literacy in the streets of Sucre Foreign language literacies “is the use of socially-, historically-, and culturally- situated practices of creating and interpreting meaning through texts. It entails at least a tacit awareness of the relationships between textual conventions and their contexts of use, and ideally, the ability to reflect critically on these relationships. Because it is purpose- sensitive, literacy is dynamic- not static- and variable across and within discourse communities and draws on a wide range of cognitive abilities, on knowledge of written and spoken language, on knowledge of genres, and on cultural knowledge (Kern, 2000, p. 16)  How do the concepts of multiliteracies connect back to your own teaching practice?  The Goal: Foreign language Literacies The means to the Goal: Multiliteracies Development Pedagogy A literacies orientation emphasizes: A non-sequential, non-hierarchical set of activity types that develop students’ FL literacies through: Students’ developing ability to interpret and transform texts Experience a text through expression of thoughts and opinions Engagement with texts of different modalities and genres Conceptualizing form-meaning relationships expressed in a text The interconnectedness of language and culture Analyzing the sociocultural message in a text The centrality of language in understanding diverse societies and perspectives Applying knowledge learned from a text Kalantzis et al., 2016; Kern, 2000; Menke & Paesani, 2019; 2020  Experiencing Conceptualizing Analyzing Applying “Explore familiar ”Connect language and “Question the “Create texts and and new ideas” meaning through texts” complexity of culture, showcase new language and ideas” knowledge” Spontaneous, Explicit instruction & immersive practice of skills and Relating textual Application of learning without knowledge needed meaning to social, new skills and conscious for communication cultural, historical understandings reflection contexts, and Unpacking texts, purposes Using knowledge Focusing on such as language and producing learners forms, conventions, Questioning the language in expressing their organization, ETC meaning, creating ways thoughts, importance, and opinions and consequences of feelings what is learned Kalantzis et al; 2016; New London Group, 1996 You may notice that there are some similarities to Blooms Taxonomy's higher order thinking and lower order thinking  Four Process Knowledge Construction (FPKC) Reyes-Torres and Raga (2020) suggest four process knowledge construction (FPKC) based on the multiliteracies pedagogy as discussed below: Experiencing: it is the first step of teaching which engages learners in meaningful ways that incorporate both spontaneous reflection and lived experiences. This allows them to immerse themselves in the text and world. Conceptualizing: it draws students’ attention towards specific concepts and explicit instruction on how linguistic, visual, spatial layout, etc. produces meaning. It emphasizes what they should know and understand about the text. They also learn to examine what specific knowledge and skills they need in their process of inquiry and meaning-making. Analyzing: it engages students in examining and discussing the author’s message from their perspectives. Applying: it emphasizes the transfer of new knowledge to other situations and the production of new designs. Thus, learners, at this level, become able to apply different strategies for their learning. What is literacy in the 21st century? How is literacy constituted and performed? How can we teach and assess language and literacy as contemporary social practice in a digitally-embedded, superdiverse urban context? How do we lobby educational policy makers to anticipate and accommodate rapidly changing literacy practices? How does multiliteracies and multimodal teaching connect to foreign language literacies?  Multiliteracies suggests that competency in print literacies is not adequate for the 21st century. Students must be able to understand, manipulate electronic/mediated text Multiliteracies incorporates deploying different modes of pedagogy to encapsulate multimodal text types visual literacy Multiliteracies assumes multiple modes of expression, all of which have to learned and practised. Multiliteracies must take into account globalisation and digitalisation for TEFL and language education  Pedagogy of Multilitetracies Situated Practice: This is about recruiting ”learner’ previous and current experiences as well as their extra-school communities and discuoses as an integral part of the learning experience Overt Instruction: “Systematic, analytic and conscious understanding of Designs of meaning and Desgins Procresses Critical Framing : This is about “Interpreting the social and coultrual context of particular designs of meaning. This involoves the students standing back from what they are studying and viewing it critically in relation to its context” Transfored Practice “ In transformed practice we try to recreate a discourse by engaging in it for our own real purposes. Teaching reading ²Reading is best taught after a longer oral language teaching phase as it provides students with the foundation of speaking and lowering the affective filter ²Introduce new vocabulary and grammar prior to reading and revisit after the reading exercise ²Pre-reading activities are essential for dyslexic learners as it supports student understand and autonomy (discussions and providing a context for the reading help learners engage with material) ²Length of text should increase gradually, starting with short paragraphs and moving onward to short stories ²Use texts that take into account the social and cultural context where learning is taking place to help students gain a better understanding of self within a larger picture Multisensory Techniques for Inclusive Language Teaching Rosa Dene David, PhD Candidate, The University of British Columbia