Q1 Global Literacy though Mandarin Immersion and STEM

Global Literacy Through Mandarin

Immersion and STEM

Molly Wieland, Ph.D., Hopkins Public SchoolsTara Fortune, Ph.D., CARLA - University of

Minnesota

Presentation Overview

Introduction to FLAP Grant Project

Focus: Immersion Curriculum DevelopmentLanguage, Culture, Content Integration

(immersion education)Engineering is Elementary (our

interdisciplinary curriculum base)

Group Work and Debriefing

What We’re Learning

Overview of our FLAP Grant Project

The Minnesota Mandarin Immersion Collaborative

Hopkins Public Schools

Minnetonka Public Schools

St. Cloud Public Schools

The University of Minnesota

The Impetus for the Project

Lack of curricular materials in Mandarin for elementary immersion that align with local standards

Inexperienced teaching staff

Need for proficiency assessment to monitor progress

Why STEM?

Need for articulated K-16 Mandarin immersion pipeline

State of Minnesota’s new engineering standards

Why Mandarin Immersion?

Goal of advanced proficiency in Mandarin by the end of grade 12 and superior level by the end of grade 16

Four pre-existing Mandarin immersion strand programs

Why LEA-IHE Partnership?

Need for many kinds of expertise

Established research-informed expertise in language immersion education at university

Successful history with collaboration between K-12 sector and university

Project Goals

Curriculum DevelopmentDevelop and implement two interdisciplinary units in Mandarin

with a STEM focus for one grade level per year starting with grade 3

Staff DevelopmentProvide quality immersion-focused staff development for

teachers

AssessmentDevelop a system for assessing oral proficiency in K, grade 2,

grade 5

Secondary Program FrameworkDevelop a framework for continuation of Mandarin immersion

and STEM

Immersion Curriculum Development

Integrating Content, Culture and Language Learning

Just Passing Through: Designing Model Membranes

Engineering is Elementary (EiE) (Boston Museum of Science)

STEM: Using science, technology and math to design solutions to real problems

Overview of the Membranes Unit

Interdisciplinary Connections FOSS Science: Structures of Life Social Studies: El Salvador, rainforest, cross-cultural

connections Chinese Language Arts: The story of Juan Daniel Math

Adapting EiE Lesson 1 for the Immersion ContextGroup 1

Look through the original EiE version of Lesson 1. What curricular and instructional adaptations would you need to make so that this lesson would work in a Mandarin immersion context?

Group 2

Look through the redesigned lesson (5 or 6). What lesson design features can you identify that help to make the lesson more appropriate for the immersion context?

The Process

What We Have Learned

Lesson 1

It Takes a Village!

Form a strong curriculum team with members who bring:

Expertise in curriculum, instruction and assessment practices for immersion contexts

Proficiency in oral and written Mandarin and knowledge of cultural similarities and differences

Mandarin/English proficiency and knowledge of vocabulary, structures, and functions that may pose problems for English speakers

Knowledge of STEM curriculum and standards

Form a strong curriculum team with members who bring:

Experience with grade-level curriculum and standards in all content areas

Mandarin immersion classroom teaching experience and familiarity with our students and programs

Expertise in learning technologies, especially SMART Board

Lesson 2

Re-think Language and Literacy Expectations

EiE Lesson 1, Step 1: “Read the story Juan Daniel.”

That won’t work in the immersion context!

Lesson 3

Immersion Curriculum Development Begins with Content

Create a Curricular Map for the Unit

Expand the unit into more lessons

Original unit: Four lessons: The story + three engineering lessons

Immersion unit: Fourteen interdisciplinary lessons with story chapters integrated throughout the unit

Create a Curricular Map for the Unit

Include interdisciplinary connections to science, math, social studies/cross-cultural learning, Chinese language arts/literacy

Develop standards-based lesson objectives for additional content areas

Lesson 4

“Interpreting” the Story Juan Daniel into Mandarin is a Balancing Act

Strike a Balance

Keep the text rich, but comprehensible

Scaffold with visuals, but not too many

Invite Teacher Feedback

What to do with the Spanish words?

Word choice: Mainland Chinese or Taiwanese Chinese?

Lesson 5

Use a Common Framework to Design the Unit/Lessons

Lesson FormatMaterials Needed

Time

Learning Objectives for Content, Culture, Language (Content obligatory and content compatible vocabulary, functions and structures)

Learning Strategies

Lesson Format3 Lesson Phases, divided into

learning activities:Pre/ “Into” PhaseDuring/ “Through” PhasePost/ “Beyond” Phase

Evidence of Learning

Lesson 6

Well-designed Lessons Can Be a Tool for Teacher Development

Components of Effective Immersion Instruction

Cooperative pair and group activities that give students opportunities to use vocabulary, functions and structures in all skill areasNumbered headsFour cornersDescribing a membrane with a small groupMatching people and their jobs/functionsPost-it story summaryRole-play the story chapterJoint writing activitiesMatching cards (e.g., animal + environment)

Components of Effective Immersion Instruction

Scaffolds for language and literacy development integrated throughoutOral interaction framesLanguage objectives: CO and CCHighlighting characters/radicals for

noticing/awareness raisingPredicting with pictures, K-P-W-LSequencing and “playing cards” to

retell story

Components of Effective Immersion Instruction

Use of visuals and graphic organizers to support learningNew vocabulary with visual support,

realiaFrayer Model Concept Map for

defining “membrane”Thinking Maps (National Urban

Alliance)

Components of Effective Immersion Instruction:

Culture integrated into the lessonSymbols of luckGreeting/leave-taking practicesFoodNational bird, rainforest

Lesson 7

An Immersion Curriculum Developer’s Work is Never Done!

ContentLearning Activities

Language

Next Step: Language Objectives

We invite your [email protected]@umn.edu