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In the spirit of truth and reconciliation, here is one way to find highly recommended books by Indigenous peoples for your classroom.

The First Nations Communities Read “…celebrates the very best of Indigenous literature across Turtle Island. The program encourages family literacy, intergenerational storytelling as well as intergenerational knowledge transmission. FNCR also helps to increase awareness of the importance of First Nation, Metis and Inuit writing, illustration and publishing.”  (fcnr.ca)

I am sure there are books from the past and present short lists that would be incredible stories to  read aloud in your classroom. 

Let’s look at last year’s winning book in the children’s category, Phoenix Gets Greater. The main character is a boy whose confidence gets shattered when he realizes he’s different. His self-image is rebuilt as he begins to understand what it means to be Two Spirit. The acceptance and love from his family help him rekindle his passion for dance and dolls. I can imagine using this story as a wonderful teaching tool.

The volunteer jury of First Nations librarians who select the award winning books from the short list must have a difficult time. There are so many great books nominated that I wouldn’t know how to narrow it down!  This year there are 34 books on the short list in the children’s category. The program awards $5000 to the authors through sponsorship by the Periodical Marketers of Canada. 

The FNCR also has a YA/Adult category where you can find titles for yourself. Many of you are avid readers who are looking to better understand our role as teachers in truth and reconciliation. Looking through the titles I can see many that would interest my colleagues and friends. One of the things that I love about reading is that it gives me a deeper understanding of other people’s lives. No doubt I will be suggesting titles of this list to my book club!

I’m heading to my local public library to get familiar with some of the nominated titles in both categories.  When I’m out on my supply teaching days, I will also be talking to teacher librarians and principals to encourage them to add books from FNCR to their collection. I’m grateful to the Ontario Library Service for running this program and shining a spotlight on these wonderful books!

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: it is a joy to collaborate with educators in our board. Whether visiting a bustling kindergarten class or co-planning with on-the-go grade 8 teachers, the knowledge and ingenuity of my colleagues always enriches my practice. 

Such educators ensure they teach in ways that reach all students in their classes, that everyone has what they need to learn and belong: the student with attention challenges, for example, might have noise cancelling headphones to help them focus, among other supports; or the student who experiences challenges with written expression might have extra time, assistive technology, and alternative ways to demonstrate learning … 

However, an equally impressive feat is when these same skilled educators use strategies for students who are yet to arrive, but that also benefit the current students in their classes. They embed and normalize diversity of identity and learning needs, every day. Here is a sampling of their inclusive efforts:

An intermediate teacher always adds a multilingual box to her “new vocabulary” graphic organizers, even if there are no Multilingual Language Learners in her class; in addition to recording the new word’s definition, a picture of its characteristics, examples and non-examples, she also requests students translate the term to another language of their choice, later discussing any commonalities or insights gained through translation. This rich learning task is just one example of multilingualism she incorporates in regular instruction. And if one day an MLL does arrive in her class, they will find the use of multiple languages already well-established in the learning environment …

A primary teacher uses a speech amplification system at all times, even though there are no students with known hearing impairments in the class. Her delivery is crisp and clear, her voice is saved from projecting, and all students have the benefit of a volume and clarity that enhances and literally amplifies the message. If a student who is hard of hearing arrives, that learning environment is ready and waiting …

A junior teacher I knew many years ago learned sign language for one of her new students, and continued using it in every subsequent class she had over the years. It was always a delight to watch her students request to learn more, acquire a new way to communicate with members of the deaf and hard of hearing community, and have the benefit of visual signals accompanying transitions throughout the day. Plus it never hurts to have a little bit of the incomparable joy sign language can create in your class.

It is of course impossible to anticipate all the ways in which our learning spaces would benefit from re-imagining, re-creating. But the beauty is in the journey. And each day I see educators like these making their classrooms that much better for everyone.

I will take that “normal” any day.

It is pretty typical to wonder how newcomer students who are just starting to learn English acquire the language in a mainstream classroom. Educators often ask: what will the student even learn in the classroom if they cannot understand what I am saying? How can I even assess this student?

Most professional learning about English language learners (ELLs), or multilingual language learners (MLLs) address this topic by focusing on program adaptation and instructional tips. I’m not convinced that those approaches have always been effective, especially since we don’t often think about language acquisition from the perspective of the learner.

This blog will first focus on exactly how students learn English, or the language of instruction, in Ontario. We will then explore practical ways educators can enhance language acquisition through instruction and program adaptations, using a student-centred perspective.

How do We Learn a New Language?

Language learning is something that most Canadian teachers are familiar with to some degree. Even if you haven’t invested time in learning an additional language, you still live in a bilingual country where everything from road signs and toothpaste labels are in at least two different languages. At this point, you have probably learned a handful of French words and phrases, simply by reading and re-reading environmental print.

As someone who has spent a considerable amount of time language learning and travelling in places where English is not typically the first language spoken, I can confidently say that a lot of the best learning I have experienced comes from listening, attempting to decode environmental print, and having to interact with others in practical situations like asking for directions or purchasing something.

Yes, explicit instruction makes a big difference. When you take time to learn a new language in a class, study and complete activities from a language learning activity book, or consult a phrase book or digital translator, you can enter a linguistically foreign context armed with much more background knowledge that helps you to navigate situations more easily.

It is no different for newcomer students (students that have recently arrived to Canada for the first time) that enter a new country, community, school, and classroom. Many students come with some background knowledge of English learned in school or through media exposure. Others may not, and will be exposed to English for the first time during the time they join your classroom.

In either case, you will want to consider the environment you work in and the content you teach  to be two powerful pathways newcomer students can acquire English language skills.

A Quick Note on Content

It is important to note that much of the content you use will not teach English as a second or additional language explicitly, especially if you are teaching older students in the intermediate grades. Because you are teaching curriculum to a large and diverse group of students, it is important to reframe the way you think about how your teaching will land differently with a newcomer student.

One way to understand content based instruction to ELLs is to put yourself in their shoes. Find a piece of content on an academic topic in another language using a search engine. Watch a news report in a language you are completely unfamiliar with.

What information can you actually extract or learn from that text, or piece of content? What would you need to make that content more comprehensible?

We will explore how to reframe the content you teach by making it more comprehensible in the second part of this blog.

Language Acquisition through the Learning Environment

Let’s get back to focusing on the learning environment – how might a newcomer student acquire English by simply being in the classroom?

You have may have heard about the Reggio Emilia philosophy of peers being the “second teacher”, and the classroom being “the third teacher”. When an environment is set up effectively for learners with opportunities to explore and problem-solve, they can be active participants in their own learning.

While this concept has roots in learning in the early years, it can also be incredibly relevant to supporting language development in older, newcomer students that are acquiring English while learning alongside non-ELL peers in a mainstream class environment.

Perhaps more importantly, it leverages an additional teaching resource – the environment; in other words, your classroom is also doing some of the work! Consider “tweaking” your classroom for English language development by taking the following actions:

• Label common objects (ex. Whiteboard, clock, garbage can, computers, bins, etc.). You can even add labels in the home languages of your students if they have literacy skills in those languages.
• Include literacy materials around the class that address a range of different reading levels. For example, display non-fiction texts that have lots of features like subheadings, pictures, and table of contents. Have a selection of graphic novels and picture books that students can explore.
• Make a large scale timetable for students to reference, with visuals or symbols that support the subject being learned during a specific period.
• Provide opportunities for informal, low risk conversations among students in small groups or play games in large groups. Listening is a rich way for ELLs to acquire language, and all students benefit from activities that build community.
• Encourage all students in the class to use translation tools to bridge communication gaps in spontaneous conversation.
• Use the outdoors as much as possible, whether it is time for unstructured play and socializing or a guided walk through nature or the community. Language acquisition is powerful when the learning is experiential, and you are referring to concrete elements. The break from the classroom environment and tech also supports your students well-being.
• Have charts with common sentence starters and frequently used academic language (ex. transition words, mathematical vocabulary) posted around your room and refer to them frequently as you teach.
• Leverage phonics resources like sound walls in the classroom to help students, including ELLs, with their decoding skills.

The Learning Environment is Just a Starting Point

Setting up your learning environment to support language development for newcomer ELLs is just a starting point. The main takeaway is that you can support English language acquisition through “implicit” forms of instruction instead of relying solely on program adaptation and explicit instruction – which we will explore in this blog series!

Welcome: to be gladly received.

Welcome to the 2024-25 school year! I hope you have been gladly received by your co-workers and administration. You are likely putting a lot of energy into creating a warm classroom environment that welcomes each of your students.

When I was a new teacher I remember being told that I shouldn’t smile until November but I always failed miserably at that assignment. After all, if the word welcome means to be gladly received, then a smile is the first way you want to communicate to your students that they are welcome in your class!

Another bit of advice I got was to teach the students all the routines I wanted them to follow. Simple procedures had to be reviewed such as where to put their outdoor shoes, how to enter and exit the building, and safe use of the washrooms. Together the students and I would outline expectations for out of classroom locations such as the schoolyard, the library and the gym.

Teaching these basics is second nature to me now but I really appreciated that advice early in my career. I believe consistency helps students feel safe and students who feel safe have an easier time learning and retaining what they have learned.

Academics have their place in September but building a sense of community amongst the people in your classroom is going to set the tone for your year ahead. As a supply teacher I often look for the class agreement poster wherever I am working. It is helpful to have something like that to refer back to when needed. Including prep teachers, support staff, lunchroom helpers, custodians and secretaries as part of the community will help students understand and appreciate the different roles that make the school function. Students can be taught the names of all these important adults throughout the first month.

I already know you’re a resourceful, problem-solving type of teacher since you’re here at the heart and art blog. You are looking to others for ideas and seeing yourself as a lifelong learner. Keep doing what you’re doing. It may not go as planned. It probably won’t go as planned! I’m sure you’ll continue to learn and grow as a teacher and fill your toolbox with all kinds of suggestions from others.

I gladly receive you here and I’m sending you all kinds of great vibes for a wonderful September!

Brenda

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Perhaps you’ve heard the story of the legendary Tina Turner. Although she was born Anna Mae Bullock and had been crowned the Queen of Rock and Roll, the name she fought to keep was her stage name Tina Turner. As the story goes, her first husband gave her this stage name thinking that if she ever left the band he would be able to replace her with another ‘Tina Turner’. Upon leaving the marriage, keeping her name was so important to her that she had it included in her divorce agreement. Tina knew that she had built that name and stage presence and it encapsulated her hard work, talent, and determination to succeed. Ultimately, she won that right.
I’m reminding you of this story because I think it captures exactly how important our names are to people. Names are a huge part of our identities. At times they link us to culture and family while other times they represent the parts of us that we know deeply and personally about ourselves. They can demonstrate a transition or change in our identities – sometimes changing surnames, for example, due to marriage, divorce, adoption, or choice. Sometimes that looks like changing a first name, using a different version or a name that better fits one’s gender identity. Other times people may choose to be recognized by their nicknames or terms of endearment. In fact, in my Filipino culture it is common for people to have their birth name and another name that is more commonly used. I have some cousins that we fondly call ‘Bong’ and ‘Nene’, for example.
When we honour students’ names, we are telling them how important they are to us. It creates a classroom environment where students can feel seen, acknowledged, and respected. It models acceptance for the other students in the class and we are being given a gift of knowing a child for who they know they are and want to be. We may know students who will change their names several times throughout their schooling and it’s important that they feel supported and accepted.
How do we honour students’ and their names, whether they are chosen or given or changing? The first step is to be approachable and open minded. Know that students may have names you have never heard before; ask them to teach you how to say their names properly. This shows them how important it is to you, as the educator, that they have advocacy over how they want to be addressed at school. Should students decide they want to be called a different name than what appears on their school registry, abide by their wishes. Sometimes that’s a change in name and it’s okay to ask whether they want you to share this information with the class or if they are just inviting you to know them. It’s our job to keep them safe and to respect their privacy and wishes.
Discuss varied and real life examples of why people change their names. Share your own story if you’re comfortable! I often share my story of how it is common for people to change their names after they marry, but I chose to keep my name because it reminds me of how close I am with my own mother. It’s important to allow space for students to understand that identity can be determined in different ways, including conscious choice of what feels right or best for oneself. Share the public stories of famous people who talk about their names to build understanding as to why it’s important to honour and respect one another.
Ultimately, using the right names with correct pronunciation are a way we show care and respect for ourselves and each other. That can set the tone for the classroom spaces we cultivate. It’s important for students to feel seen for their authentic selves and as the educator in the room, we can model that explicitly. Names are so powerful and so deeply necessary for all of us to feel seen and validated. As the late, great Tina Turner said, “I’ll give up all that other stuff, but only if I get to keep my name. I’ve worked too hard for it.”