Embodying English: Experiential Education

Embodying English Utilizing Experiential Education to

Enhance Literacy

Ali Cullerton, Ph.D. English Language Fellow

Centro Ecuatoriano Norteamericano Loja, Ecuador

Agenda

ò Ice-Breaker

ò Embodiment

ò Experiential Education

ò Literacy

ò Implementation Strategies

Ice-Breaker

ò  You were each given a card with a letter on it when you walked in today.

ò  The word you are trying to spell is EMBODY

ò  Find others so you can complete the word, standing in order.

ò  When your word is spelled, try to come up with a definition for EMBODY.

Embodiment

ò Tangible or visible form of an idea, quality or feeling.

Embodiment & Learning

ò How could a physical, tangible experience help support deeper learning?

Experiential Education

Learning happens through experience

Tasks need to be hands-on

Engages ALL learning styles

History of Experiential Learning

“There is an intimate and necessary relation between the processes of actual experience and education.”

-John Dewey (1938)

“The process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience.”

- David Kolb (1975)

Experiential Learning Cycle

Concrete Experience

Observation and Reflection

Forming Abstract Concepts

Testing in New Situations

Model of Experiential Education (Kolb, 1984)

Concrete Experience:

Experience with contact (here and now)

Observation and Reflection:

Observation and compiling facts about the experience

Active Experience/Testing:

Elaborating hypotheses, applying conclusions and new

experiences

Abstract Conception:

Formation of abstract concepts and conclusions

Experiential Education

Effect of Experience on Learning

Progressive Education

Experiential Component

Student Experiences

Student Experience

Background Knowledge

Personal

Family

Interests

Culture

Let’s try it

ò What are YOUR opinions on some of these HOT TOPICS?

ò Living together before marriage?

ò Women not having the right to drive a car in some countries?

Comes in Many Forms

ò  Outdoor Education

ò  Service Learning

ò  Internships

ò  Group-based learning

ò  Field Trips & Excursions

ò  Physical Education

ò  Manual Arts

ò  Drama

ò  Art

Values

Experience Educational Process

Literacy

Youth Development Society Culture

History Reading Writing

Speaking & Language Listening Text

Mediation

Successful Strategies with English learners

Speak slower, NOT louder.

Integrate listening centers.

Give examples of successful projects.

Partner work of mixed levels.

Provide outlines, advanced organizer,

or visual guides. Model new skills.

Let students use Spanish to solve

work. Picture glossary

Use games. Extend test time. Use pictures, sketches and

graphic organizers.

Cooperative learning

Read written instructions.

Repeat.

Don’t rescue them when they struggle

to speak.

Make videos of presentations for

kids to see themselves.

Low-stakes writing

Write key concept vocabulary on a

word wall. Think-Pair-Share

Use checks for understanding. Repetition is key

When incorporating movement and/or experience in the classroom…

MOVE, BREAKS, ENRICH LESSONS & TRANSITIONS

ORGANIZATION: know objective, be aware of what could go wrong, model, clear frameworks

(rules, timers, etc.)

CLEAR GUIDELINES: reflect on rules, repeat for

understanding

GROUPING: use puzzle pieces, cards, numbers,

colors, or pre-assign

Classroom Adaptations: Reading

Readers Theater Debate Role Playing

Creative Projects Reflection Games

Student Investigators Predictions New Story

for Character

Classroom Adaptations: Writing

Journals Poems Oral Transcribers

Theater Group Projects

Creative Projects

Games Music Presentations

Classroom Adaptations: Speaking & Listening

Theater Debate Role Play

Presentations Performance Listening Centers

Music Recording Speeches Poetry Slam

Example of Experiential Education

What is your goal? I want my students to take more efficient notes in class. How will you measure your goal? Informal: I will walk around and look through their notebooks to see if their note-taking is getting better and talk with them about it. How much time do you think it might take to reach your goal? I think if I keep talking about it and reminding them of the game each time I give a lecture (and they take notes) they will keep getting better with practice. How will you try to appeal to ALL students? This game involves movement, competition, group work and is fun. How can you make this learning memorable? We are using a game to learn this skill.

Note-Taking & Discussion Skills Game

ROUND 1: Look at the objects on the following slides for 30 seconds and remember as much as you can. There are three slides of objects. You will get 10 seconds to look at each slide. You may NOT take notes while looking at objects.

Now take ONE MINUTE to write down everything you can remember

about what you saw.

ROUND 2

You will now get to look at the objects for another 30 seconds. This

time you CAN write notes while you are looking at the objects,

adding detail to what you’ve already written. Again, you will get 10

seconds per slide.

Take another minute to write down everything you

remember seeing.

Whole Group Discussion

ò As a group, let’s work together to name the 28 objects.

ò Check off the objects on your list as they are named.

Practice Questions

ò  Now that we’ve named the objects, let’s see how detailed your notes are. Can you answer the following questions?

1.  What object is underneath the box of crayons?

2.  What team’s jersey is on the first slide?

3.  What month is showing on the calendar?

Round 3

ò  Now, we are going to break up into TEAMS!

ò  We are going to look at the slides one more time. Your goal is to be able to answer specific questions about the slides. Take detailed notes. You will get 20 seconds per slide this time.

ò  Talk to your team and come up with a plan.

SHARE

ò Share your notes with your team. You have 2 minutes to get organized.

GAME RULES

§  Teams take turns answering questions (10 seconds to answer).

§  You get 1 point for each answer correct.

§  If your team gets the answer wrong, the next team can answer it for 2 points. (If they get it wrong, the 2 point question keeps getting passed around until someone can answer it).

§  Pick ONE person to be the speaker for your team.

GAME QUESTIONS

1.  What color is the fly swatter?

2.  What time is it on the clock?

3.  How many inches in the ruler?

4.  How many keys on the key ring?

5.  What is to the left of the calendar?

6.  Is one of the balls of yarn green?

7.  What numbers are on the dice?

Game Questions

8. How many balls of yarn are there?

9. What state is the license plate from?

10. How many candles on the cupcake?

11. Who is the AUTHOR of the book?

12. What is the TITLE of the book?

13. What is on the top right corner of the third slide?

14. What does it say on the eraser?

Game Questions

ò  15. What colors are the inside and outside of the mug?

ò  16. How many crayons are in the crayon box?

ò  17. What numbers and letters are on the license plate?

ò  18. What numbers are on the calculator?

ò  19. What is on the top left corner of the second slide?

ò  20. Name 3 of the kitchen utensils on Slide 1.

Reflection & Debriefing

1. What did you notice about this game that most helped you remember the details of objects?

2. What method of working with your team was most helpful? Why?

3. How can you sue the skills of this activity in school?

Testing in New Situations ò  Each time I give a lecture I will remind them of

this game. The big take-aways from this game are:

ò  Be organized

ò  Be clear and specific

ò  Have a plan ahead of time

ò  Know the goal before you start writing

ò  Talk with peers about important topics to help you

Now YOU try…

ò 1. Get in groups

ò 2. Pick a topic

ò 3. Discuss what types of experiential activities you could do to teach this topic.

ò 4. Pay attention to the questions at the bottom.

More Resources for Fun Games & Activities!

ò  http://www.manythings.org

ò  http://a4esl.org

ò  http://www.vocabulary.co.il/english-language-games/

ò  http://iteslj.org/c/games.html

ò  http://www.eslgamesplus.com

ò  http://www.eslgamesworld.com

ò  http://www.everythingesl.net/inservices/elementary_sites_ells_71638.php

ò  http://www.ictgames.com/literacy.html

ò  http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/interactive/literacy.html

ò  http://www.crickweb.co.uk/ks2literacy.html

ò  http://pbskids.org/games/reading/

References

Texts:

Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education. New York: Macmillan Co.

Websites:

http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/4967

http://www.wilderdom.com/experiential/ExperientialWhatIs.html

http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=593

http://www.wellnesscke.net/downloadables/Rationales,Strategies&ResourcesforMovementintheClassroom.pdf

http://edutopia-dl-support-strategies-ell.pdf