Social/Affective Strategies
In what situations do you think social/affective strategies are most helpful to your ELL students?
I find them most useful in my Basic English and Adcanced Eglish classes. The most effective part is the visual learning. I use the white board a lot to explain, show, and illustrate the abstract concepts. For example, how a particular word meaning changes if placed in a different context. I can make a sentence with a word, say, bear. It can be used as a noun, a verb, or an adjective. Then, I show by writing different sentences on the board to illustrate the context in which they were used differently.
1. I saw a brown bear in the woods. (Noun)
2. (You)/Bear with me. (Verb, a command)
3. Give me a bear hug. (adjective)
Then, I go to explain the context.
Harinder,
Excellent example, I hope others in the course will use your example. You have interrogated two basic learning styles auditory and visual to assist your students in understanding the concept. My I suggest that you have your students clip out words or pictures from magazines and newspaper ads to follow your example. Some words or pictures will only be nouns and adjectives. This will extend your student activity to further understand the concept.
Arlene Muller
In my line of work, nursing instructor, the situations I fine social/affective strategies are most helpful is during clinical or skills. The students are either observed by their instructor only or by the instructor/patient/fellow students. I will always tell them to relax and visualize the skill that must be performed. They have practiced/reviewed over and over; and, I have them write it down in their own words to mimic a checklist. Sometimes I give them little mnemonics or a dance/gesture to help them in remembering the steps in the procedure. I encourage them to come up with their own mnemonics. I find that this seem to help with their theory exams as well. As long as their anxiety is low, the student is able to learn that skill, stay motivated, and be successful.
Marcia,
Outstanding exercise, and I know the students reap the rewards from it as well. When anxiety is low and students feel safe, they learn the skills. Once students can feel successful they are motivated to stay in school. Thank you Marcia for sharing your student activity.
Arlene Muller
Using Social strategies definitely not only helps ELL students but ALL student's. In addition to teaching English, another class I teach on a regular basis is Math. Many student's are often afraid of Math from the beginning, they see numbers on paper and immediately the fears come alive. Once I start using examples from our everyday life's (for example; going shopping, you have only so much money to spend, how many items can you get for that amount of money)the student's begin to get a better understanding of how Math works.
Stewart,
Oh Fantastic!, the more you can make learning be a part of the student's everyday life the more they can absorb the importance and be motivated to learn.
Arlene Muller
In my art history courses I encourage students to participate by doing presentation on art from their culture. This works quite well and the students always want to participate rather than have me assign them a topic.
fred
Fred,
Wonderful motivational technique! Fred, your ability to make the assignment interesting to your students is the foundation for learning, When students share their cultural backgrounds, it adds to creating a safe learning environment.
Arlene Muller
As an English instructor, I have many opportunities to teach social/affective lessons. We read stories and discuss the social implications that arise in the text. We analyze what social constructs--text setting, time the text was written, etc.--help to shape the world of the text. This offers great areas of discussion and we play the "what if.." game a lot. What if this story took place in 1820? What if this story was set in Germany during WWII?
Erin ,
Wow, I like your "What if ..." game because it seems to really allow your students to participate. Students learn when they are participating and you have made learning fun. Great job!
Arlene Muller
Students are asked to share how they celebrate a holiday in their country. They discuss food, music, why they celebrate on that day, etc. We have even gone so far as to bring in traditional foods and shared them in the class.
Lori,
This is always my favorite activity to share food in the classroom. This really brings the students together. It also helps all the students to respect each other starting from their traditions. Good work!
Arlene Muller
