Reflection 1

Standard 3.a. ESC 725

Standard 3.a. Planning for Standards-Based ESL and Content Instruction.
Candidates know, understand, and apply concepts, research, and best practices to plan
classroom instruction in a supportive learning environment for ESOL students.
Candidates plan for multi-level classrooms with learners from diverse backgrounds using
standards-based ESL and content curriculum. They use multiple modes of assessment and
address their students diverse backgrounds, developmental needs, and English proficiency as
they plan their instruction. They plan toward specific standards-based ESL and content
objectives, but include multiple ways of presenting material. They collaborate with general
education and content-area teachers to ensure that ELLs access the whole curriculum while
learning English. Candidates design their classrooms as supportive, positive learning climates.
They recognize the array of needs of SIFE students acclimating to the school environment and
plan instruction accordingly.

In my course ESC 725 we primarily focused on analyzing the English
language and how to teach English grammar to students, especially to ESL students.
For part of the course we had to tutor a group of ESL students and plan for teaching
a multi-level classroom with diverse learners. For my tutoring sessions I worked
with four low/intermediate English proficient students, this particular artifact
presented we worked on the be and modal families. Before creating my lesson
plan I collaborated with both the general education teacher, and ESL teacher to
ensure that all of my learners would be working to their full potential.
This artifact relates to standard 3.a. because during this lesson the students
were provided multiple ways of understanding the material. We played a game with
partners, they were provided a deductive explanation of be and modal families,
and they were given an activity and provided support through out. All of my
activities consisted of visual, auditory, and hands on approaches to learning the
material to assure that all students were following. In addition, I also prepared a
modification for any students that may have encountered any difficulties with the
content. One student ended up needing this modification and I was readily prepared
to support this student.
This tutoring experience has helped me develop a better understanding of
how to apply concepts and plan classroom instruction in a supportive learning
environment for ESOL students. It has given me the opportunity to have a first hand
experience on how diverse each student is as a learner, and what it truly takes to
properly address a multi-learning level classroom. I have learned that it takes a
variety of instructional strategies and an understanding of each student to
successfully teach content instruction.