Triage

I previously knew about the word “triage” and I have heard it many times before, but instead it was used to refer to things other than education. In education, students in the triage are placed in categories of needs and the highest needs are met first. One ah-ha from learning this in RED 4519, is that a triage can be used for ESOL students as well as mainstream. When I heard of what a triage is, I immediately thought of ESOL students so that I can meet the needs of my ESOL students since it will be more difficult for them to learn in a whole new language. I also thought of my exceptional needs students because I believe it is important that their needs are met early as well. For students that learn differently, it may be difficult to put them in the same categories of needs as the mainstream students. Mainstream students can be taught concepts much quicker than ESOL students or students with exceptional needs. It is important to see how much students gain from instruction, whether they may be ESOL students, mainstream, or diverse populations. (REC 4.3) As a class, I am willing to treat all students equally but I would also like to help my students in need the best I can.

Gradual Release Model

The Gradual Release Model is one of the most important steps to teaching. This is a scaffolding technique that the teacher performs in order for her students to learn how to do something on their own with no assistance or modeling from the teacher.  First thing to do when doing the Gradual Release Model is to explicitly teach. “I do it, we do it, and you do it,” is the basis of this model. First the teacher does it to show the students, then the teacher and the students do it together, and finally the students will be able to do it on their own with no help. Jeff Wilhem added “Y’all do it to the model placed before the “you do it” so that students can do it together before they do it by themselves. The Gradual Release Model is very effective with ESOL students as well as teaching mainstream students because each student needs to be explicitly taught something to learn something new. When teaching ESOL students, it is important to go over the new technique one-on-one because students can benefit better when they are learning alone rather than working as a whole in a classroom. As for testing ESOL students, it is important to consider current issues and know techniques for teaching, scaffolding, and testing. (ESOL 19)

Progressivism and Constructivism

Before taking RED 4519, I had heard about theorists and their learning theories but I never knew which theory belonged to what theorist. I learned that John Dewey is the father of Progressivism and he said that people learn by doing. I also believe in this theory because as children are actively learning and are “doing,” they are also gaining knowledge at the same time. Jerome Bruner believed that learners construct new ideas or concepts based on their current or previous knowledge. Bruner named this theory Constructivism. In both circumstances, students are learning; whether it may be by doing, or by constructing based on knowledge. Progressivism and Constructivism are both theories that can enhance instruction of cultural characteristics in which can benefit an ESOL student. (ESOL 4) Both theories also promote assistance for ESOL students because if a teacher believes in Progressivism, she will teach her students to learn by being actively engaged. This does not require much knowledge of the language, but about knowledge in engaging to learn. If a teacher believes in Constructivism, ESOL students can construct things based on what they already know in their native language and slowly build on as they learn the new language. ESOL students and mainstream students will gain knowledge from either or both theories.