A.R.

’S CASE STUDY
PMI Chart
By: Kara-Ann Nagel
Connection from the
course
Welcoming School
Environment
Multiple Languages
Having multiple languages visible
in the school community to
encourage the use of multiple
languages instead of just leaving
them at the door.
Involving Parents
A parent who speaks the same
language calling A.R.’s parents to
invite them to a school event or
informing them about new
announcements from the school.
Students Co-Create Classroom
Students help design the classroom
by posting projects they are proud
of, reorganizing the desks, adding
pictures from home or drawing
something that reminds them of
home, and help clean the space to
take ownership over it.
Pluses & Positive Points
Multiple Languages
- A.R. would feel proud to see
Lithuanian posted in his school
- A.R. could teach Lithuanian to his
peers and staff giving him a
leadership role
- All students will see the value in
learning other languages
Involving Parents
- They will be able to see how
hard A.R. is working
- He can take ownership and pride
in work he has created by
showing his parents it in his
classroom or on a field trip
- This could help his parents learn
English too
Students Co-Create Classroom
- Students take ownership over
their classroom
- A.R. would feel more included in
his classroom
- Every student contributes to the
idea process
Minuses & Challenges
Multiple Languages
- How do we choose which
languages to display?
- How can we ensure every
teacher is incorporating different
languages in their classrooms?
Involving Parents
- His parents may feel obligated to
help with events even if they
may not have the time because
of working two jobs
- This would be putting a lot of
responsibility on another parent
to give messages
- It may end up like a game of
telephone where his parents
don’t get the same message as
was in the newsletter
- It is challenging to find someone
who speaks Lithuanian in Guelph
Students Co-Create Classroom
- Every idea will not be able to
happen. How do we ensure
every voice is heard?
Interesting Thoughts &
Information
Ontario Ministry of Education.
(2005). Many Roots, Many Voices:
Supporting English Language
Learners in Every Classroom. A
Practical Guide for Ontario
Educators. ON: Queen’s Printer for
Ontario.
- This resource gives many
practical suggestions for
benefiting ELL students in every
classroom
Gould-Lundy, K. (2008). Teaching
fairly in an unfair world. Markham,
Ont.: Pembroke.
- This resource encourages
multiple languages and explains
how to do it in the school,
classroom, and in our lessons
with different strategies
https://www.amnestyusa.org/tools-
and-reports/training-education/
- This website provides examples
on how teachers can incorporate
human rights & activism into
their schools
Connection from the
course
Use of L1 in His Classes
Remind A.R. He Can Use His L1
Students feel like their first
language will not be accepted, so
encourage him to use his L1. A.R.
has never spoken or written in
Lithuanian in class.
Bilingual Books
Show him bilingual books written
by other students. Then have him
create a bilingual book. A.R. could
be scaffolded by writing a poem,
short story, song, or rap at first. He
could also work in pairs. He should
be encouraged to write about
something he is passionate about.
Brainstorming in his L1
Encourage A.R. to brainstorm in his
L1. He needs to be encouraged to
write and speak his L1 in order to
work on English.
Pluses & Positive Points
Remind A.R. He Can Use His L1
- His peers can see the value of
learning another language
- It will increase his confidence
- It will increase his self-identity by
encouraging Lithuanian
Bilingual Books
- He will be able to see other
books written by students
- He would write about something
he’s passionate about
- He will acquire new vocabulary
- His parents will be able to help
him write the book
- Future Lithuanian-speaking
students in Guelph will be able
to read his book
Brainstorming in his L1
- It will help his confidence in the
classroom
- He will be able to work on his
vocabulary
- He will be working on the
content rather than translation
Minuses & Challenges
Remind A.R. He Can Use His L1
- He may be reluctant to use his L1
- There are no other students in
the class who speak Lithuanian
Bilingual Books
- There are no student examples
of Lithuanian & English books
- He may be overwhelmed when
he hears that he will be writing a
book
- He gets anxious depending on
who he is working with – the
pairing should be his choice
which will probably be his best
friend who distracts him
Brainstorming in his L1
- No other students speak the
same L1
- He will not be working on his
English skills
- He might be tempted to use
Google Translate to translate his
rough draft which would be
inaccurate and plagiarism
Interesting Thoughts &
Information
Department of Language and
Literacy Education, University of
British Columbia. (n.d.). The
Multiliteracy Project. Retrieved July
20, 2018, from
http://www.multiliteracies.ca/index.
php/folio/viewDocument/38/11470
Quote from The Multiliteracy Project
“I feel that when I speak my first
language I will be accepted not
rejected. If I had the permission to
speak my first language, I will feel
confident, free, feel like I can catch a
dream and run with it.”
Thornwood Public School. (2001).
Dual Language Showcase. Retrieved
July 20, 2018, from
http://www.thornwoodps.ca/dual/in
dex.htm
- A website that showcases books
created by students in English
and their L1. Can show these to
A.R.
Connection from the Pluses & Positive Points Minuses & Challenges Interesting Thoughts &
course Information
Models of Support Vygotsky Vygotsky Lerner, J. W., & Johns, B. H. (2015).
- that best impact his success and - Working in A.R.’s zone of - It will be challenging to find the Learning disabilities and related
achievement proximal development will raise right level for A.R. as he needs disabilities: Strategies for success
his self-confidence different supports depending on (13th ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage
- He will be challenged in a way he the day Learning.
Vygotsky
can handle - Information on learning
Students learn best in their zone of
Chomsky disabilities, scaffolding, Vygotsky,
proximal development where
Chomsky - A.R. will not be in a completely Chomsky, & Skinner
things are not too hard and not too
- Him being exposed to English immersive environment as he
easy.
will help him develop his skills needs access to his Lithuanian – Ontario Ministry of Education.
- A.R. will be encouraged to watch English dictionary (2007). English as a Second
Chomsky
English movies and TV that Language and English Literacy
Students need to be exposed to
match his interests Tutorial Support Development: The Ontario
the language to help activate it.
- A.R. will be encouraged to join - It will remove him from the curriculum grade 9 - 12. ON: Queen’s
Immersive environments help
the video game club at school classroom for 30 minutes twice a Printer for Ontario.
support A.R.’s learning.
week - Provides different information
Tutorial Support - He may feel isolated from his about support models on p.28 –
Tutorial Support
- He may feel like he can ask mainstream classroom peers 30
Extra support outside of the
questions in this smaller
classroom to work on specific
environment with other ELL Mentorship
English related to the work being
students - There are no Lithuanian-
done in-class. 30 mins twice a
speaking mentors
week.
Mentorship - The program is only available
- He will be able to practice his after-school which may not be
Mentorship
oral English skills in a one-on-one possible for A.R.
A.R. will get a mentor from the
environment
Sidekicks program at his school.
Connection from the
course
Internet Resources
As A.R’s parents both have two
jobs and speak minimal English,
they probably wouldn’t be able to
come to the school in order to
meet with the teacher during the
school day.
Internet resources and online
feedback helps them understand
the education system and get
settled in Ontario. Online feedback
in English with visuals about their
son could provide them the chance
to learn and practice their English
too.
These resources will benefit A.R.
and also his family.
Pluses & Positive Points
- This enables the parents to be
involved in A.R.’s education as he
has been struggling with the fact
he has been getting lower marks.
This could enable his parents and
A.R. to see that he is trying his
best.
- A.R. can do additional readings
on Breaking News English that
interest him
- He will always be provided lots
of choice for news articles he is
assigned in class
- These resources can be accessed
anywhere that has internet
- He will have access to internet
resources during the school day
because he will be assigned his
own Chromebook
Minuses & Challenges
- This is assuming they have
internet and a computer at home
when we are unaware of that.
We would need to ask A.R. about
that. If there is no internet, we
could sign out internet from the
library for him to take home.
- Wordreference is not available in
Lithuanian, so he will need to
continue to use his dictionary
until he is more confident in his
English skills.
- I also was not able to find any
bilingual books by students in
Lithuanian & English for him to
see as an exemplar.
- Giving video feedback with
images would be time-
consuming for the teacher and
may not be possible. However,
non-verbal communication from
the video may assist his family
and himself.
Interesting Thoughts &
Information
www.settlement.org
Resources available in multiple
languages to help families find a
doctor, understand the school
system, learn about transit, etc.
www.wordreference.com
Multilingual dictionary to provide
definitions of words in different
languages. Also has a forum for short
expressions and questions.
https://breakingnewsenglish.com/
Website that gives current news
stories for different English levels.
https://sesamehq.com/
Students are able to submit their
assignments as pictures, videos,
audio recordings, typed, and written.
The teacher can give feedback the
same way & post assignments there.
http://www.multiliteracies.ca/index.
php/folio/viewDocument/38/11470
Bilingual books created by students.
Connection from the Pluses & Positive Points Minuses & Challenges Interesting Thoughts &
course Information
UDL & DI UDL UDL Gould-Lundy, K., Glass, J., & Green, J.
- Benefits all students - Students may not feel they need (2011). Talking to learn: 50 Strategies
- Graphic organizers help every the graphic organizer for developing oral language. Don
UDL
student organize their thoughts - A.R. may get frustrated with all Mills, Ont.: Rubicon Publishing Inc.
Graphic Organizers
- Exit cards allow students to the work that goes into filling out - Book that provides many UDL
reflect on the lesson, ask for help a graphic organizer while his strategies focusing on oral
Exit Cards
in a low pressure environment, peers complete it quickly communication. Most of these
and assess what they - A.R. may not fill out the exit card activities would encourage A.R.
Pausing
know/don’t know/want to know accurately because he wants to
The teacher will pause after they
- Pausing allows every student feel like and wants the teacher to Ontario Ministry of Education.
ask a question to allow think time.
think time which is very think that he understands, to not (2013). Learning for All – A guide to
important to ELL students and draw attention to himself effective assessment. ON: Queen’s
DI
A.R. Printer for Ontario.
Anchor Charts
DI - Ministry document that provides
Providing sentence starters, ways
DI - A.R. may become dependent on definitions and examples of DI
to agree/disagree, key vocabulary
- Anchor charts in a duotang allow the anchor charts instead of and UDL
he needs, etc. in a duotang for easy
A.R. to use them whenever he gradually not using them
access.
needs them anymore A.R.’s duotang could include anchor
- He can co-create the anchor - He may take advantage of the charts and also things that help him
Providing Breaks
charts breaks when things are too relax. Maybe his favourite D&D
A.R. will be provided learning
- The anchor charts are specific to challenging in certain classes or character, colouring pages, textures
breaks where he can go for a walk,
his needs when he is assigned group work to feel to help him calm down, and
get a drink of water, or listen to
- Breaks allow him time to process pictures of his friends, family, and/or
music for a few minutes to help
new information pet.
with his GAD and nervousness in
- Breaks enable him to feel safe in
class.
the classroom
Connection from the Pluses & Positive Points Minuses & Challenges Interesting Thoughts &
course Information
Beneficial Assessments for Assessment as Assessment as Ontario Ministry of Education.
- He could record inner speech in - A.R. could lie on his exit card to (2012). STEP Initial Assessment. ON:
A.R. his first language, using emojis, not draw attention to himself Queen’s Printer for Ontario.
or using symbols like ! = shocked, - He could really struggle with - Using STEP is important to know
Assessment as ? = I’m not sure what this means, creating a portfolio because he where A.R. is at. Using the OLB’s
Portfolio # = write more about this, etc. has anxiety and is not proud of will help the teacher create
Exit card - His journal can be in Lithuanian his work; he would need a lot of modifications and
Writing down inner speech and English teacher conferencing accommodations for him.
Journal - He chooses which entries the
teacher reads in his journal & Assessment of http://thelearningexchange.ca/video
Assessment of portfolio - He would be overwhelmed s/rethinking-classroom-assessment-
Final project finding someone to interview with-purpose-in-mind/
Portfolio Assessment of - He would not want to work in a - Lecture about the importance of
Interview - He can interview someone in a group to create a PSA, so this assessment
Creating a PSA career path that he wants to project could be very time-
work in which would help him consuming for him Quote from the lecture
Assessment for gain new vocabulary & “when you do an assessment make
Placemat confidence Assessment for sure to think that it’s not a finishing
KWL Chart - He can create a PSA of an issue - In small groups, A.R. doesn’t do point, but that it’s a learning point”
Think/Pair/Share he is passionate about much work and shuts down, so
Corridor of Voices think/pair/share, KWL chart, and http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/litera
Soundscape Assessment for placemat may not be helpful cynumeracy/inspire/research/WW_P
- Soundscapes take off the - Him walking down the corridor erformPoetry.pdf
pressure of him to know all the of voices would be really - Monograph giving examples &
correct vocabulary; he will just overwhelming, so he would strategies of using drama to
focus on meaning probably just stand around it benefit students