See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/234742422

Learning to Think in English

Article in Educational leadership: journal of the Department of Supervision and Curriculum Development, N.E.A · January 2006

CITATIONS READS

15 10,261

1 author:

Yu Ren Dong
City University of New York - Queens College
15 PUBLICATIONS 435 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE

All content following this page was uploaded by Yu Ren Dong on 06 September 2014.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

Learning to Think they can provide challenging and
meaningful instruction to students with
Rather than treat high school English language limited proficiency in English. Are basic
reading and writing skills in English a
learners like small children who are unable to prerequisite of content-specific
learning? Are English language learners
understand, challenge them with higher-level thinking. capable of dealing with complex ideas
in English?
Yu Ren Dong Although English language learners
may be limited in expressing their
understanding and ideas in English,
ran, a high school English laughs. A researcher in literary instruc-
this doesn't mean that they lack critical-
language learner, is tion who happens to be observing in the
thinking skills. Several researchers
working with his teacher as classroom that day asks, "Have you ever
heard about any bears in jungles?" Tran (Cummins, 1994; Dong, 2004;
he learns how to form Genesee, 1994) have emphasized the
sentences in English: confidently replies, "No, it doesn't make
need for mainstream subject-matter
any sense. But you don't have to make
TEACHER: Where is the tent? sense, just make a sentence. Don't teachers to develop English language
learners' higher-order thinking skills,
TRAN: It's behind the tree. think!" (Fu, 1995, p. 82) In this lesson,
along with language and literacy skills.
TEACHER: Where is the family? a concentration on the basics of sentence
According to Jim Cummins, an interde-
formation has clearly short-circuited the
TRAN: It's in the tent. pendence in conceptual knowledge
meaning-making process, reducing
exists between a student's first and
TEACHER: Where is the bear? learning to a thoughtless game.
As mainstream subject-matter second languages. For example, an
TRAN: It's in the jungle. immigrant student who enrolls in a
teachers see increasing numbers of
English language learners come into U.S. high school may have already
A bear in a jungle? The teacher mastered the concept of adaptationin
pretends to be shocked, and Tran their classrooms, many wonder how
his or her native language. The student
may only need to acquire an additional
label for this concept in English.
Content teachers can gain access to
students' conceptual knowledge in their
first language by tapping into back-
ground knowledge, scaffolding, and
providing opportunities for students to
transfer their knowledge into English.
It is crucial for teachers-especially
at the secondary level-to develop
English language learners' higher-order
thinking skills. Research (Collier, 1989)
has shown that it takes English
language learners 5-7 years to develop
proficiency in academic English, even
though they develop their basic inter-
personal communication skills in
English in 1-2 years. High school

22 EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP/OCTOBER 2006

in English
Breaking through
the language
barrier should not
be the final goal
of instruction.

students who are English language

learners have limited time to catch up
with their native English-speaking
peers in academic English language
proficiency Therefore, it's not sufficient
to teach them the technical basics of
reading and writing alone. Instead, to
take part in both the social and
academic worlds of mainstream
subject-matter classes, English language
learners need to receive instruction that
integrates literacy and critical thinking
skills.
Learning a language is closely
connected to learning to think critically
in specific subject matter, just the
opposite of the opening example in
which Tran composed sentences that
didn't make sense. By tailoring instruc-
tion to students' needs and meaning-
fully linking cognitive and linguistic
elements in the learning process,
teachers can help English language
learners develop the higher-order
thinking skills they need.

Posing Thought-Provoking
Questions
Christine welcomed her English
language learners into her 10th grade
English class. She seated them close to
Sher desk, checking for their under-
i standing throughout the lesson. She

ASSOCIATION FOR SUPERVISION AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT 23

 " the/ way wel titik, a4/Ld/ determivesv
what we., thvirnk' c -23 er/yamvin Leel Whorf

tutored them in writing during her

lunch hour, and she borrowed ideas
and reading materials from their
English as a second language teachers
to tailor instruction to their needs. After
a year, Christine saw a big improve-
ment in these students as they
progressed to her 11th grade English
class.
However, she was surprised when
Maria, one of her English language
learners, mentioned that she didn't like
Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not
Taken." When Christine asked her why,
Maria answered, "Because I don't
understand it." Christine asked Maria
to write down some of the questions
she had about the poem. But Maria
couldn't come up with any questions
because she didn't know how to ask
questions about a poem that she didn't
understand.
Maria's difficulty caused Christine to
examine her own teaching. Christine
decided to make inquiry the cornerstone addressed in their literature discus- tions about the text included the
of her lessons, and she began restruc- sions. This activity-in which the following: What does Sally look like?
turing lessons by teaching her students teacher actively sought out student What does the author mean when she
different questioning techniques. questions-soon became a daily says Sally has "eyes like Egypt"? What
She first modeled ways of formu- routine. Students became more kind of relationship does Sally have
lating questions during whole-group involved in class discussions because with her parents? How does Sally feel
reading sessions. Christine then they knew that their questions might be about staying on Mango Street?
provided students with a list of phrases the topic of the discussion. Moreover, Another group of questions connected
that they could use to compose their they were interested in hearing what the character to students' own thoughts
own questions, such as, What does the their peers and teacher had to say and feelings: Do you think that people
author mean by..., Why does the about their questions. misunderstand Sally? Do you know
narrator/character say or do..., What is As the students became comfortable someone who looks like Sally? Would
your opinion of..., and How is this with the questioning strategy, Christine you be friends with Sally if she were in
similar to or different from... ? At the encouraged them to ask three kinds of our class?
beginning of every lesson, Christine questions: questions about the text and Students also broadened their ques-
handed out sticky notes to her the author, questions connecting the tions to connect with the world around
students, on which they wrote down text with the reader, and questions them: Why did Sally's father say that
questions they had about the selection connecting the text with the world her beauty was trouble? If Sally were a
they were reading; at the end of the around them. boy, would her father have treated her
lesson, she collected the written ques- For example, when the class differently? What does it mean to be a
tions in a box. The following day, discussed "Sally," a chapter in Sandra beautiful girl in your culture? What
students randomly picked questions Cisneros's The House on Mango Street does it mean to be a beautiful girl in
out of the box, which the class then (Vintage Books, 1991), students' ques- U.S. culture? Christine was delighted to

24 EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP/OCTOBER 2006

see that her English language learners the student's question about gnus and
not only identified the confusing parts Learning a language echoing students' responses without
in the chapter but also asked thought- explicitly evaluating those responses,
provoking questions about varied views is closely connected he placed student voice at the center of
of beauty among different cultures. the discussion. Moreover, students had
Christine did several noteworthy to learning to think time to pose hypotheses, think about
things. First, she encouraged curiosity their responses, read the excerpt aloud,
and created a safe environment in critically in specific and examine the pictures in the text.
which students were not afraid to This approach led to high-level
reveal their ignorance about a topic. subject matter. responses.
She made learners responsible for
formulating their own questions, Writing from Different
encouraging thinking skills as students reads it.) You're right, Anna. It talks Perspectives
sought and considered questions about about the lions eating the gnus, but what
Lee, a high school English teacher,
are gnus? Me being the teacher, I have no
perplexing text. She provided her taught a class of intermediate English
clue! Does anyone know what a gnu is?
students with language tools to frame language learners composed of 10th to
their ideas. She modeled the ques- MARIA: Maybe it's a small animal.
12th graders. Before beginning a unit
tioning process and effectively used the TEACHER: How small? on the history and culture of Native
box and sticky notes as a teaching tool. MARIA: (She indicates something about 5 Americans, Lee learned that her
Once she gave students permission to inches long with herfingers.) students-who came from such coun-
both ask questions and seek language tries as China, Korea, Colombia, and
David: Maybe it's a lizard.
support, they became more willing to Haiti-had no prior factual knowledge
reveal their confusion and were able to ANNA: Maybe it's in the picture on this of this topic. She activated her students'
move beyond the surface of the text to page?
prior personal knowledge, however, by
grapple with underlying ideas. TEACHER: Maybe you're right. I don't asking them to share what they felt
know. when they were uprooted from their
Inviting Students to Hypothesize CYNTHIA: Well, I think it's a big animal. native countries to come to the United
John also established a question- States. That created a good segue into a
TEACHER: Why?
seeking routine in his 9th grade science discussion of the American westward
class composed entirely of English CYNTHIA: The passage says that if these expansion and the ensuing conflicts
language learners. He firmly believed gnus were no longer living, the lions
would go hungry. I know that lions are over land.
that science learning begins with ques- big animals, so they must eat big Lee decided to use a series of texts
tions and that second language learners animals. I think the lions would starve if that included Chief Joseph's famous
are as capable of thinking deeply about they didn't eat big animals because big speech "I Have Shaken Hands with a
science topics as any other students are. animals provide more food. Great Many Friends" (Macmillan/
In John's class, students' questions TEACHER: I think you have a point. Did McGraw Hill, 1988), as well as Indian
drive the lesson. And there are no everyone understand? Chiefs by Russell Freedman (Holiday
"stupid" questions. Even a basic
Using the question about gnus as the House, 1987) and Karen Liptak's North
comprehension question can serve as a focal point of the discussion, John American Indian Tribal Chiefs (Franklin
departure for inquiry What is crucial is invited students to hypothesize and Watts, 1992). Unlike most textbooks,
generating questions and discussing ponder their own answers. He taught these texts eased comprehension
them. According to John, this is an them not to settle for easy answers. He through first-person accounts and
invaluable part of learning how to think encouraged them not only to ask ques- chronological storytelling formats. They
about science. tions but also to give rationales for their made history come alive. Lee wanted
For example, in a discussion about answers, thus developing a habit of her students to empathize with Native
the food chain and how animals adapt active learning and thinking. Americans; she wanted them to move
to the environment, the word gnus John's feedback is interesting: "Me beyond the text to assume historical
came up: being the teacher, I have no clue!" and roles so that they could understand the
ANNA: What are gnus? They talk about "Maybe you're right. I don't know" His loss experienced by Native Americans.
gnus on this page, but I don't know what responses issued an invitation for open She also wanted students to think
they are. discussion and placed the teacher as deeply about social issues, such as
TEACHER: Let me read the paragraph. (He one of the learners. By acknowledging inequality, that pervaded U.S. history

ASSOCIATION FOR SUPERVISION AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT 25

To provide context, Lee showed the
class pictures of places where Native
In John's class, students' questions drive the
American tribes had initially settled and
called their attention to various books
lesson. And there are no "stupid" questions.
on Native American culture and history.
She also read aloud certain excerpts
and defined key vocabulary words- lost. I'm so angry that they killed my nity in which students believe that their
such as treaty, restriction, capture, terri- family. They could live in peace with us, ideas matter, by tapping into students'
tory, promises, generous, and if they wanted to. But they didn't. They prior knowledge, and by providing
took our home, they took our freedom, context-rich language resources. But
reservation-to facilitate class discus- and finally, they took our life. Please let
sions and writing. us go. There isn't any reason that we breaking through the language barrier
Next, Lee conducted a class discus- have to live under their restriction. I should not be the final goal of such
sion on the concept of "points of view" must go to Canada, the land of the free. instruction.
She divided the class into two groups. -- Chief Joseph Mainstream subject-matter teachers
One group took the point of view of Sept. 30, 1877 have the responsibility of moving
Chief Joseph, a Native American tribal beyond teaching basic language and
Dear Diary,
chief who led his people against the literacy skills to gaining access to
U.S. Army in 1877. The U.S. govern- Today is the best day of my life. I students' ideas and making them visible
captured [Chief Joseph!. This is a big in the classroom. By encouraging
ment had decided to open the Nez
contribution in the battle against Native
Perce homeland to white settlers and Americans. I don't know why they tried
English language learners to compare,
place the tribe on a reservation; Chief to escape to Canada. Our glorious nation question, discuss, validate, and reflect
Joseph attempted to lead his people to promises them that we will let them live on their own and others' ideas, teachers
freedom in Canada and fought with the free in this territory. We are so generous promote higher-order thinking skills
U.S. cavalry along the way The other with them, but they are not satisfied. We and, at the same time, create active
are more powerful, so they must obey readers and writers. M
group of students took the point of our rules and our order.
view of General Nelson Miles, the
-General Miles References:
commander who led the U.S. Army to
defeat Chief Joseph. In this unit, Lee used a number of Cisneros, S. (1991). The house on Mango
The class discussed several ques- strategies to guide, support, and Street. New York: Vintage Books.
Collier, V.P. (1989). How long? A synthesis
tions: What were some of the argu- prepare her students for higher-level of research on academic achievement in
ments that Chief Joseph made to thinking through reading, discussing, a second language. TESOL Quarterly, 21
defend his people's land? How would and writing. She activated students' (4), 617-641.
you feel if something dear to you were prior knowledge and provided rich Cummins, J. (1994). Knowledge, power,
background information to contextu- and identity in teaching English as a
taken away? What were General Miles's
second language. In F. Genesee (Ed.),
beliefs during his battle against Chief alize an unfamiliar topic. She provided Educating second language children (pp.
Joseph, and why did he believe these students with language tools to enable 33-58). New York: Cambridge Univer-
things? As students contributed to the them to think using newly learned sity Press.
differing points of view, Lee noted their concepts. She worked with the class to Dong, Y. R. (2004). Teaching language and
ideas on a T-chart. She then asked the come up with a T-chart to help them content to linguistically and culturally
diverse students: Principles, ideas, and
students to compose two diary compare and contrast differing view- materials. Greenwich, CT: Information
entries-on the basis of the reading points. Using the perspective journal, Age Publishing.
material, their class discussion, and the she encouraged her students to step Fu, D. L. (1995). "My trouble is my English":
T-chart-in which they assumed the into the shoes of both General Miles Asian students and the American dream.
personas of both Chief Joseph and and Chief Joseph. Studying the Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook.
Genesee, F. (1994). Introduction. In F.
General Miles. One student wrote the conflicting perspectives helped students
Genesee (Ed.), Educating second language
following two entries: learn about this era of U.S. history children (pp. 1-12). New York:
meaningfully and deeply Cambridge University Press.
Sept. 30, 1877
Dear Diary,
Taking It to the Next Level Yu Ren Dong is Associate Professor in
Today is the saddest day of my life. Too
many people died. We fought for Teachers can help English language the Department of Secondary Education
freedom to travel, freedom to work, and learners break through the initial and Youth Services at Queens College,
freedom to think and talk. However, we language barrier by fostering a commu- CUNY; [email protected].

26 EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP/OCTOBER 2006

 COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

TITLE: Learning to Think in English

SOURCE: Educational Leadership 64 no2 O 2006
PAGE(S): 22-6
WN: 0627403461004

The magazine publisher is the copyright holder of this article and it

is reproduced with permission. Further reproduction of this article in
violation of the copyright is prohibited.

Copyright 1982-2006 The H.W. Wilson Company. All rights reserved.

View publication stats