Strategies that Lead to Transference
Lynne KoenigWoodburn School District
Woodburn, Oregon
Woodburn School District
4 Elementary, 2 Middle, 5 High schools
Washington Elementary School
Pop. 587Free &Red 82%ELL 76%
Who’s Here?
Teachers Administrator
s New to dual 50/50 or
90/10 Self
Contained Partnership Bilingual
Knowledge/conce
pts unique to L1
Knowledge/concepts unique to L2
Surface features of L1 Surface features of L2
Language Transfer and Discrete Language Skills
Interdependence ModelLinguistic (Adapted from Cummins, J. 1987)
Everything is about language
Know your students
Must be explicitly modeled.
For Transference To Occur…
Strategies
Así se dice-Literacy Squared
Interactive Cognate Word Wall
Probable Passage- Kylene Beers
Interactive writing-Literacy Squared
Other favorites!
Así se dice Literacy Squared-Kathy Escamilla
Purpose:Explicit translation practice helps language learners navigate between languages and experience the subtleties of language as well as get the “gist” of meaning. Language is not directly transferable. This activity also gives power to both languages as each child gets to be the “expert”.
Can be used as early as late kinder with appropriate scaffolding (whole class, based on theme).
Moves to partner work with students as “experts” as early as second grade.
Can use curricular theme or selected poetry.
Así se dice Whole class-
Choose topic- Example: Halloween vocabulary from books read.
Teacher records words/phrases on chart in target language (L1 or L2)
Teacher leads discussion of how you would “say it” in the opposite language.
This should include partner talk thinking around the best way to say it.
Teacher support is essential here as they can draw out other ideas or ways the students could say it and explicit teaching of getting the gist.
Teacher again records words/phrases that reflect the ideas from the original language.
Así se dice Partners- Choose poem, shared/creative writing etc. Partners take a phrase/sentence at a time and
discuss how they could say it. Students record directly on same page Teacher support to draw out other ideas or
ways the students could say it and explicit teaching of getting the gist.
Share with other partners.
Let’s Try It!
Interactive Cognate Word Wall
Purpose:Students don’t automatically use cognates to help them communicate in L2. Explicitly teaching students that cognates exist adds to the tools they have available to them to grow in their ability to communicate.
Always about language So many cognates in Latin based languages Math/Science, visually, phonologically false Student run/centered/owned Accessible
Probable Passage
adapted from Kylene Beers
Purpose:
This is a prereading strategy that previews key language for students. It sets students up for success in reading in L2 and builds language and vocabulary through student dialogue in groups.
How it works:
Can be used as early as reading level I Teacher chooses 12-16 key words from the story based on characters,
setting, problem(s) and solution. Students work in teams to discuss which category the words belong
in. Students do not need to agree! Students write their prediction or gist of how they think the story will
go. They read the story, class discussion or partner discussion should
follow to debrief the realign thinking and record what they know now.
Probable Passage Word Selection arroyos riverbed Reba Jo well horned toad ranch house Flash 3 small favors kiss caballero Padre prairie hitched prince
Let’s Try It!
Interactive Writing
Literacy Squared
Purpose:
Students build bridges between languages by reading in one language and writing about a familiar or known story or text in their other language.
This writing activity is based on a known story that is generally read in L1.
How it works: Day one: Picture book read aloud in L1 Day Two: Post pictures from the story- class discussion of most
important words from that page- sticky note the pages-students record in story booklets
Day Three- students use words from previous day to create sentences. Day Four- students use phrases to begin final written retell in final
booklet.
Day 2- Labeling The Most Important Words
Day 3- Taking Words To Sentences
Day 4- Final Written Retell
Other Strategies That Lead To Transfer
Language Rich Environment
Chants
Word study- Cognitive Content Dictionary- G.L.A.D.
Input charts
Shared reading
Newsbook
Cognitive Content Dictionary
Including:• Chants• Input charts
Language Rich Environment
Take Aways…….