Vis

ua

l l

ea

rn

ing

Co

nn

eC

tio

ns

Visual LearningConnections

• Language acquisitionELL students face a variety of fundamental challenges in learning English, including difficulties with vocabulary and sentence structure. Kidspiration and Inspiration help transition these students from what they already know to what they need to know by offering a multi-sensory approach, combining the use of pictures, symbols, and written and spoken words. The symbols in both Kidspiration and Inspiration include word labels. By associating familiar images with new words, English Language Learners reinforce critical vocabulary skills.

Students can also use Kidspiration and Inspiration to visually diagram the components of sentences and paragraphs. This helps them learn to structure meaning in their new language and become familiar with how English words work together.

With the Word Guide, the combination dictionary and thesaurus in Kidspiration and Inspiration, students can look up words and their definitions, synonyms, antonyms and parts of speech to develop their vocabulary. They’ll also find the words used in sample sentences, which supports their reading comprehension, and they can listen to the recorded speech to learn correct pronunciation. Kidspiration’s Word Guide also pairs 1,400 words with images to enhance word recognition and comprehension, and it aligns with TESL vocabulary to further support ELL and ESL students.

Continued on next page.

ab•sorb b zorbe ?

1 of 2

Synonyms and Antonyms:

Text © Wordsmyth 2000–2008

Word Guide

Synonyms:blotdigestsoaksoak up

Antonyms:dischargeemitrepelsecrete

verb (absorbed, absorbing, absorbs)to take in or soak up.

A paper towel will absorb the spilled milk.

absorb

More DetailMore Detail

Close

Look Up

Focus on English Language LearnersA growing number of children come to this country every day without the necessary language skills to be successful in school. These English Language Learners (ELL) struggle to develop the abilities to read, write, speak and understand English while also attempting to participate as fully as possible in the standard curriculum.

Teachers around the country have found that visual learning software Kidspiration® and Inspiration® are highly effective tools for meeting the specific needs of English Language Learners. With Kidspiration for grades K-5 and Inspiration for grades 6 to adult, students build graphic organizers to reinforce reading, vocabulary and writing skills. ELL students build conceptual understanding of math concepts using Kidspiration 3’s five visual math tools. By visually representing information and relationships, ELL students convey their understanding of concepts even before they have mastered the vocabulary for communicating ideas in English.

Kidspiration and Inspiration help ELL students with:

foCus on englisH language learners page 2

• ComprehensionReading comprehension is essential to ELL students’ full participation in the standard curriculum. Images are a universal language that can help them. Creating visual diagrams of the information encountered in books empowers students otherwise constrained by their language skills. They utilize the connection between words and pictures to convey their thoughts, questions and insights. The option of recording their voices extends this ability and encourages student involvement.

• Critical thinkingVisual learning techniques help ELL students work through many language limitations by allowing them to express themselves at higher levels than their language skills permit. By providing a vehicle to express complex ideas, graphic organizers help ELL students demonstrate their understanding and tap into their learning strengths. ELL students use graphic organizers to evaluate and analyze information and convey their understanding of how information is interconnected.

• Expression and writingFor many ELL students, writing in English is the most difficult part of learning the language. Kidspiration offers integrated Picture and Writing Views and Inspiration offers integrated Diagram and Outline Views, providing a bridge between visual and verbal expression. Students start by developing a visual diagram of their ideas and the relationships between them. That diagram can then be instantly transformed into an outline that shows the same ideas in a linear format. To help young students express their thoughts visually, Kidspiration offers the Symbol Maker tool. Students can draw their own symbols and include them in their graphic organizers.

• Mathematical modelingStudents with language barriers can be overwhelmed by new experiences in content courses. To ensure that all students have access to math content, modifications must be made to curricula and its delivery. Kidspiration’s visual math tools—color tiles, pattern blocks, base ten blocks, fraction tiles and fraction boxes - allow students to communicate content visually and develop a conceptual understanding of math that might otherwise be limited by language barriers. In Math View, they can connect their visual representations to the language of mathematics using numbers, symbols and words.

Continued on next page.

regulateshelps provides

provides

Cell membrane

transport anchoring sitecompartmentalize

stable site

cell domain

subcellulardomain

cytoskeletal filaments

components

extracellular matrix

microdomains

binding

enzymes

catalyzingin or out of

for

for for

or

or

of

What I learn at school

I am in the third grade. My teacher is Mr. Jarecki. He is nice.

Annie at SchoolMy name is Annie Taylor, I am 8 years old.

Things I take to school

I carry my lunch to school in a backpack. Sometimes I also bring a toy for show and tell.

One time I brought a bird nest I found in our yard

Butterflies

We watched a movie about butterflies. We learned about their life cycle.

Spelling

We learned how to spell “exaggerate.” My sister exaggerates me when she tells stories.

Where I live

Mr. Jarecki taught us about maps today. I found our country on the globe.

Crayons

I like to draw. My favorite thing to draw is horses. I wish I had my own horse to ride.

Things I take to school

My Classmates What I learn at school

Tyrone

RebeccaSpelling

x

Abc23

Name

Patterns.kid

Pattern 1:

Pattern 2:

Pattern 3:

Pattern 4: Make your own!

Extend each pattern the length of the workspace.

x

Abc23

Name

Representing Numbers.kid

Hundreds Tens OnesThousands

Represent the number 1,672

1000 600 70 2

Hyperlink Word Guide Transfer PresentationNote

100%

Outline RapidFire SnapshotListenCreate Link Arrange

The Glass Menagerie.isf

foCus on englisH language learners page 3

The research basisSupporting the positive experiences of countless teachers, research shows that the use of graphic organizers improves critical thinking, retention, comprehension and organization. In Put Reading First, the National Reading Panel cites the use of graphic organizers as a key strategy for developing text comprehension. (www.nifl.gov/publications/pdf/PRFbooklet.pdf)

A broader survey of 29 scientifically based studies provides a research base that supports the use of graphic organizers for improving student learning and performance across grade levels, with diverse students and in a broad range of content areas. (www.inspiration.com/Educators/research)

Getting started Use these resources to get started using Kidspiration and Inspiration with your English Language Learners:

• Findmultimediaprofessionaldevelopmentdemonstrations and complimentary workshop materials at www.inspiration.com/Educators/Trainer-Resources.

• Acrossallgradesandsubjectareas,findmeaningfulways to integrate Kidspiration and Inspiration into your classroom at www.inspiration.com/Examples/Search.

© 2010 Inspiration Software, Inc. All rights reserved. Inspiration Software owns U.S. and foreign trademark registrations for the following brands: Inspiration®, Kidspiration®, InspireData®, Supergrouper®, RapidFire®, Site Skeleton® and Inspiration Software’s Flying Man design mark. Inspiration Software also owns the following brands: The Leader in Visual Thinking and Learning™, and various other word and design marks used with Inspiration Software’s above brands. All other brands mentioned in these materials are the property of their respective owner.

Ca

se

st

uD

Y A few years ago, Jose was sent to New Beginnings, a public school for at-risk students in Osceola County, Florida. Teacher Teri Inwood says that despite being a bright student, Jose’s school life was a day-in, day-out struggle because he had such a hard time understanding and expressing himself in English. When Inwood showed Jose how to use Inspiration

for an important History assignment, Jose used Inspiration to visually organizehisprojectandcreateatimeline of critical events. Despite his previous academic struggles, Jose’s presentation went on to win the school History Fair. Inwood was thrilled with how the software helped Jose and all of her ELL students organize their thoughts, express

themselves and produce their best work. “I see Jose in the hallways now and marvel,” says Inwood. “His success with his presentation did wonders to build up his confidence. Language barriers didn’t prevent him from conveying his depth of understanding and making insightful connections between ideas.”

Inspiration and Kidspiration partner with Hampton-Brown TextbooksHampton-Brown, a leading provider of classroom textbooks, understands the value of visual learning for English Language Learners. Both of their recommended textbook series, Avenues and High Point, integrate the use of Kidspiration and Inspiration into a range of activities that improve student learning, including:

• understanding,learningandrememberingnewwordsby building graphic organizers that combine text, pictures and spoken words.

• buildingcomprehensionthroughstorymapping.

• makingbilingualdictionariesintheirhomelanguageand English.

• improvingcomprehensionandpronunciationwithaudio tools.

Since its release in August of 2003, Avenues (grades pre K-5) has been evaluated and state-adopted in TX, GA, TN, NC, OK and KY. High Point (grades 6-12) has been evaluated and state-adopted in FL, CA, TX, UT, NC, GA, TN, OK and KY.

For more information, visit www.inspiration.com/hamptonbrown

9400 Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy, Suite 300Beaverton, OR 97005-3300 USA

www.inspiration.com800-877-4292