ELL/SDAIE Strategies

Instructional Strategies A-Z

Anticipatory KWL Chart
- Before reading a selection, hearing a selection or viewing a video studentsare
asked to complete the first two sections of the chart-"What I already know
about ...." and "What Iwould like to find out about ...." After the information has
been presented students complete the "What Ilearned..." section. Responses are
shared with a partner. This is also known as a KWL Chart
Anticipatory Guide -
Students are given a series of statements that relate to a reading selection,
lecture,or video. Students indicate AGREE or DISAGREE. After the information has
been presented, studentscheck to see if they were correct.
Brainstorming -
Students work as a whole group with the teacher, or in small groups. Begin with
astimulus such as a word, phrase, picture, or object and record all responses to
that stimulus without prejudgment. Prewriting or INTO strategy. The students give
ideas on a topic while a recorder writes themdown. The students should be working
under time pressure to create as many ideas as possible. All ideascount; everything
is recorded. More ideas can be built on the ideas of others.
Carousel Brainstorming -
Each small group has a poster with a title related to the topic of the lesson.Each
group uses a different colored marker to write 4 to 5 strategies/activities that relate
to their topic.Students rotate to all the other posters, reading them and adding 2 to
3 more strategies. Students discussthe results.
Character Matrix -
In groups, students create a grid, which lists the characters horizontally on the
leftand character traits vertically across the top. The students determine the traits
used. Group membersdecide if each character possesses each of the traits and
writes "yes" or "no" in the appropriate box.
Choral Reading -
Groups of students chorally present a poem, or other reading selection. One
personreads the title, author, and origin. Each person says at least one
line individually. Pairs of students readone or more lines. Three students read one or
more lines. All students read an important line.
Clustering/Webbing/Mapping -
Students, in a large group, small groups, or individually, begin with aword circled in
the center, then connect the word to related ideas, images, and feelings which are
alsocircled. Prewriting or INTO strategy.
Comprehension Check
- The teacher or students read the selection aloud. Intermittently, the teacher
asksfor verbal and nonverbal comprehension checks ("raise your hand", "thumbs up
for 'yes' ", "thumbs downfor 'no'." The teacher uses a variety of question types:
Right There, Think and Search, On My Own
(SeeQAR, Day One.)
Co-op Co-op
- Students work in teams to complete a project. The steps are: student-centered
classdiscussion, selection of student study teams, team building and skill
development, team topic selection,mini-topic selection, mini-topic preparation, mini-
topic presentations, preparation of team presentations,team presentations,
evaluation.
Cooperative Dialogue -
1.Students number off one through four.2.Each student pairs with another student
from a different group who has the same number.3.Following the timeline from the
article that was previously read each pair writes a dialogue between twocharacters
in the passage.4.Pairs are selected to present dialogues in chronological order to
the class. activity is designed to be a text
Cooperative Graphing -
This activity involves graphing information based on a survey. Each group offour will
take a survey of how many countries each has visited (or other teacher-determined
information).A bar graph is then developed. Each person in the group is responsible
for one aspect of the graph, andsigns his/her name on the chart along with their
area of responsibility. Jobs are: survey group membersand record results, construct
the graph, write names and numbers on the graph, write title and assist withgraph
construction. Each person in the group describes his/her part of the graph to the
class.
Corners
- Cooperative activity used to introduce a topic. The teacher poses a question or
topic along withfour choices. On a 3x5 card students write their choice and the
reasons for it. Students go to the corner ofthe room representing their choice. In
their corner, students pair up and share their reasons for selectingthat corner. The
topic is discussed. For example, the corners could be labeled cone, cube, pyramid,
andsphere with information about each figure provided. Students go to the corner,
learn about the figure, andreturn to teach other team members.
Directed Reading-Thinking Activity
This is a group activity to get students to think about the content ofa fiction or non-
fiction reading selection. The steps are 1) Students predict what they will read and
set purposes for reading. 2) Students read the material. 3) Students discover if
their predictions andhypotheses are confirmed.
Famous Person Mystery -
The name of a famous

person, living or deceased is placed on the back of eachstudent. Without looking,

students try to guess who the person is by asking questions that require onlyyes/no
answers.
Graphic Organizers -
Graphic organizers are charts, graphs, or diagrams, which encourage students tosee
information as a component of systems rather than isolated facts. Students may
complete these as theyread or view a presentation. There are a variety of ways to
use graphic organizers, including the following:semantic word map, story chart,
Venn diagram, spider map, network tree, word map, and KWL chart.Other examples
of graphic organizers are listed below.Comparison-Contrast Matrix-Students
determine similarities and differences between two people, things,solutions,
organisms stories, ideas, or cultures.Branching Diagrams -Organization
charts, hierarchical relationships systems, family trees.Interval Graphs-
Chronological order, bar graphs, parallel events, number value.Flowcharts -
Sequential events, directions, decision making, writing reports, study skills.Matrix
Diagram-Schedules, statistics, problem solving, comparisons with multiple
criteria.Fishbone Diagram-Cause and effect, timeline.
Group Discussion, Stand Up and Share, and Roam the Room
- After the teacher asks a question,students discuss and report their group findings
to the class. Teams can share their best answer, perhaps onthe board at the same
time, or on an overhead transparency. When an individual student has
somethingimportant to share with the class, he or she stands up. When one
person from each group is standing, theteacher calls on one of these students for a
response. If others have a similar response, they sit down.Students move around
the room to view the work of other teams. They return to their teams to RoundRobin
share what they have learned.
Hot Topics -
Students title a sheet "Hot Topics". This sheet is kept in an accessible place in
theirnotebooks or portfolios. Students brainstorm with the teacher on possible
topics of interest related to thecontent of the course. Each student writes down at
least ten Hot Topics and adds to the list throughout theyear. Students occasionally
choose one Hot Topic and write in depth on the topic as a class assignment oras
homework. These may be included in their portfolios.
Idea Starts -
Use a prompt for writing, such as a quote, a photo, words from a vocabulary list, an
article, a poem, opening lines to a story, an unusual object, a film, or a guest
speaker to get students started.
Image and Quote with Cooperative Poster -
Groups of four are formed. Students read a selection. Each chooses a quote and an
image that have impact for them. Round Robin share. Groups come to consensus on
favorite image and quote. Each student takes one colored pen. With all members
participating, and each using their chosen color, they draw the group image and
write the group quote on a piece of butcher or easel paper. Each member signs the
poster with his or her pen. Posters are shared with the class.
Inside-Outside Circle
- Students are arranged into two equal circles, one inside the other. Students
fromthe smaller inside circle face those in the outer larger circle and vice versa.
Students ask each otherquestions about a review topic. These may be either
teacher or student generated. Students from one of thecircles rotate to either the
left or right. The teacher determines how many steps and in which direction.Another
question is asked and answered.
Interactive Reading Guide -
Working in groups, students write down everything they know about areading
selection topic. Then, they write three questions they want to have answered by the
selection.Each student reads a short first section silently; then students retell the
information with a partner. Next,the first ___pages (teacher's choice) are read aloud
in the group, each person taking a turn to read. Then,the group predicts four things
that will be discussed in the next section. The groups finish reading thechapter
silently. Each person writes four thinking questions for a partner to answer. (Why do
you think ?Why do/did ____ ? How does ____relate to your life or experiences?
Compare ____to __. What if____?Predict _____) Papers are exchanged and answers
are given to each other's questions. Finally, with a partner, a chart or diagram is
drawn to illustrate the main points of the chapter.
In-Text Questions
- Students answer teacher-constructed questions about a reading selection as they
readit. Questions are designed to guide students through the reading and provide a
purpose for reading.Students preview In-Text questions first then answer them as
they read the article. Students review theiranswers with their small group, then
share them with the whole group.
Jigsaw -
4-6 people per "home" team. Name the teams. Within each team, number off 1-4.
All ones forman "expert group," as do twos, threes, and fours. Each expert group is
assigned a part to read (or do).Experts take 15 minutes to read, take notes, discuss,
and prepare presentations. Return to home teams.Each expert takes 5 minutes to
present to home team.
Journals -
Students keep questions and ideas in a journal. These may be used later to develop
a formal piece of writing.
Key Words Story Prediction -
In their groups, students using key words listed by
Language Experience Approach
- This is a reading strategy based on a common experience. Thestudents dictate a
story to the teacher, who then records the story. The teacher then uses the reading
as a practice on word recognition, sentence patterns, and vocabulary items.
Learning Logs -
Double-entry journals with quotes, summaries, notes on the left and responses
reactions, predictions, questions, or memories on the right.
Line-Ups -
Line-ups can be used to improve communication and to form teams. The entire
class lines upaccording to a specific criteria (age, birthday, first letter of name,
distance traveled to school, etc.). Theend of the line can move to the head of the
line and pair up until each person has a partner. This is called"folding the line."
Teams of four members can then be formed from this line-up.
Multiple Intelligences Inventory
Given a list of preference statements organized according to the eightmultiple
intelligences, students place checks next to those that are true for them. By totaling
the number ofchecks per intelligence students are able to determine areas of
strength and weakness.
Novel Ideas
- Groups of four are formed. Each group member has a sheet of paper with the
team name or