M3:U1:A2 (matrix grade)

Introduction: 
As an ESL teacher, my goal is to support students who are learning English as a Second Language by providing them with the necessary tools and assistance to make the learning process easier. Scaffolding instruction acts as a friendly guide to accompany young learners on their language learning journey.

Supporting Vocabulary and Communication: 
Visual aids, gestures, and simple sentences all help my students grasp basic vocabulary words like colors, animals, and everyday objects. By using these strategies, I am aiming to boost their understanding and encourage active participation when we do circle sharing time (speaking practice).

Utilizing Technology for Engaging Learning: 
To further enrich the learning experience, I incorporate technology into my instructional practices. 

• Language learning apps, such as vocabulary translation (with simple games like listen and match);
• Interactive websites (BBC Learning English / Duolingo are good places to find mini word games, multi-choice word games);
• Video presentations (usually paired with a Kahoot session);
• Gamification tools like Kahoot!, Quizlet are great for my older students to check understanding;
• Virtual class community tool (Class Dojo, I really want to try this out with my older students but am waiting administration approval, which will be never);

These are valuable resources that offer engaging activities and games designed to practice English. 

For example, I introduced Duolingo snippets in my English class. I let the students play a 5-minute vocab game in a round robin style tournament. The vivid images and accurate audio record pronunciations makes for a nice change of pace for my younger students and they get super loud and competitive too. 

A by-product of competition is that they learn to match words with their correct meanings and learn new words in context. Yeah for making vocabulary acquisition an enjoyable competitive e-sport!

Building Language Skills and Confidence: 
In addition to technology, I provide students with sentence frames and templates that serve as building blocks for constructing English sentences. 

For younger students, we start with pronouncing the new words, then linking in understanding in English and Mandarin. 

For my older students, I start them off with understanding the word in Mandarin and pronouncing it in English. Then give them a familiar and simple sentence pattern to use the new vocabulary in. Eg. competition (new word), Pattern: “Who is in the (….)?” Where the students will substitute new words into a simple previously learned sentence pattern. 

These scaffolds enable students to express themselves effectively. It’s use it or lose it!

Progressing to Advanced Language Structures: 
As students progress in their language learning journey, they learn more complex grammar rules and vocabulary. I provide tailored reading materials, such as short stories or articles specifically designed for ESL learners – TedEd  is an amazing multimedia resource. These resources expose students to diverse language structures and allow them to apply their expanding language knowledge. 

Little informal Q+A during the course of group work in class allows me to assess their understanding and track their progress. I can take the pulse of their understanding fairly quickly with informal chitchat.

Embracing the Power of Home Language and Scaffolded Discussions 
To enhance their learning experience more, I recognize the need to use a learner’s home language as a classroom resource. I encourage students to bring their cultural backgrounds and languages into discussions, major holidays, such as Chinese New Year or Dragon Boat Festival, are a great times to do bridging activities between classwork and their home environment. 

Scaffolding is an effective technique to ensure comprehension. Using visual aids, simplified explanations, and guiding questions really helps my students to understand the topic at hand. 

Closing:
By combining scaffolding instruction, technology, and the recognition of a learner’s home language I hope to bolster my students’ confidence in using the English skill they learned in the classroom in the real world beyond the confines of school.

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