Cultural
According to Herrell & Jordan (2008), “Cooperative learning is a term used for a collection of strategies in which students work together to accomplish a group task. Dr. Tharp (Laureate, 2008) stated, “When students work together in small groups to create something, they have the maximum motivation to assist each other because everyone is tied into the same goal.” This is true, everyone works hard using their flexible thinking, which allows each student brings different abilities to the group as well as, learn from each other. I interact with the students in ways that respect students’ preferences for speaking that maybe, different from the teachers such as wait time, eye contact, turn taking, or spot lighting. According to Center for Research on Education, Diversity, & Excellence (2002), “Language development at all levels informal, problem-solving, and academic should be fostered through use and through purposeful, deliberate conversation between teacher and students, not through drills and decontextualized rules. Reading and writing must be taught both as specific curricula and integrated into each content area.” I model everything that I teach the students, before I expect them to demonstrate what was taught. I read aloud to my students, providing modeling of correct speech since majority of the students language is developed in the classroom. According to Herrell and Jordan (2008), model talk is “the use of gestures, visuals, and demonstrations as explanations are made” (p. 161).
Dr. Tharp stated, that “Teachers do not know enough about their students and it is vital to make a hook that will be able to grab what they already know and attach it to the curriculum.” In reading groups, I work together with my students. I listen to the students talk about familiar topics such as home and community. This gives me creative ideas for the students writing assignments, things that interest them and they can relate to. This promotes the...
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