I've Attached a Word Document with a Visions Diagnostic Test That You Can Give to Your Students

1st Five Days – Middle School ESL

Day 1 (These plans may be extended for more than 5 days)

Student Information

Quick Reference Cards - Place a note card on each desk - Model of what you want them to do on the board. - Ask them to write: Name, Parents' names, phone numbers, addresses, where they are from, how long they have lived in the USA, Student ID #'s (You may have to help them understand what these are), lunch number, bus number, locker combination and something fun like "What is your favorite food" (or animal) - you can use this later to start an ice breaker. On the back of the card have them write their A day B day schedule (They will definitely need help with this. Monitor them to make sure that they understand.) Just have them write A day B day, the block, the class and the room #. You can file these cards as a quick reference for when a student forgets his or her lunch number, bus number, or loses their schedule (which will happen). If they leave information blank, hold them accountable to find out the information and get back to you.

Parent Communication Log -Have S’s fill in the same information as above on a 3 hole punched page of paper. (Repetition of filling out this information is good practice). You can use this page to make a communication notebook/log for calls home to parents and writing short comments for yourself regarding observations of each student.

-While they are doing the above, you will have time to call out attendance and handle any other unexpected "to do's" that may come up on day 1.

Tour (have them take their schedule with them)

The Line -Teach the class how to line up in a straight line. Let them know what your expectations are of behavior in the hallway and how they are to line up. Do not be afraid to correct someone on day 1 for being out of line, or for talking...One time should keep the whole class under control and will let them know right away that you are not one of those teachers who will allow them to run all over you. You are in control.

Cafeteria - Have them practice coming into the lunch room like they will need to do later in the day. Walk through the line with them. Let them meet some cafeteria workers. Teach them to say "Thank you" when they get their food. Show them where they will put in their lunch numbers and where they need to pay. Let them know what they get with a regular lunch and how much additional items will cost. Show them where they will sit and where they will put trays when they are done.

Class Tour - Show students where their A day classes will be. You may run out of time so at least show them classrooms and the names of the teachers in each class. -Most important....At least show each of them where their A day elective class is. -If time, take them out to the bus lot and carpool lane to show them how to be dismissed from school and where they will go to be picked up.

END OF CLASS....Assign homework - Any information that you or the school distributes needs to be taken home and or returned to you.

- You'll likely have new students today - give them information cards and pages to fill out while the others work on a back to school word search (see attachment) or some other assignment (edhelper.com is a great place to find activities for your students).

Rules and Expectations (School and yours)

- You may want to highlight and role play these. You can also use pictures to illustrate them. Or you could ask them to draw a picture to represent a certain rule. -Let them know what you expect them to do each day when they come in and how they will leave your class. - I give my students a cloze quiz over the next week on the my classroom rules (5 brief rules) that they can take over and over until they may 100. For lower level students the quiz can have a word bank or use pictures (maybe even cut and paste some of their pictures into the quiz). This is their 1st grade in my class. The following are my rules: Be in your seat when the bell rings, Be prepared for class, Raise your hand to speak or move, Respect others, follow directions the 1st time.

-Also take this time to let them know about school supplies they need to bring daily and give them a bit of an overview of what to expect from your class.

Tour -Make sure that everyone has or knows their schedule- some may need to copy it off of their card from yesterday, just make sure you keep their card so that it does not get lost. -Remind students of how you expect them to line up and act in the hallway. -Take them around and show them their B day classes (make sure to show them their B day elective)

Homework -Bring in paperwork and information required by the school or you. -Study for rules quiz

- Have any new students complete information, collect paperwork from homework, add names on board under smiley face.

Bag Project Presentation

-Assign to my students for homework and model for them on day 3 how to do it. Bring in a brown paper bag with 3 items that are important to you - for eg. pictures, vacation do-dads, trophies, diploma, etc... - Make a big deal about the mysteries in your bag. Let them know you are going to share some things with them that mean a lot to you. Ask them to see if they can guess what some of those things are. Then present each item one by one and explain their meaning. Pass items around, if they are not too fragile. -Allow them to ask questions if they would like. -Explain the homework assignment - give them 3-5 days to complete. Give them each lunch-sized paper bags. I give my students 5 points extra credit if they decorate their bag with school related drawings (for example, numbers, words, relevant pictures from any content area, etc.) Each student will present their items and bag to the class when homework is due. -You will have students who do not do it because they are afraid to get up in front of the class. Try to provide ways out for them if needed, but do not offer this up initially - for example another student could speak for them, you could speak for them, they could present in their 1st language, etc. The bag presentations usually take up the majority of a class. Allow students to practice raising their hands to ask questions of other students. You will find this is a precious time for your class to bond and you can make informal observations of students’ strengths, weaknesses and personalities.

Rule Quiz -try to give them feedback on how they did and let those know who need to retake it tomorrow

Review/ Continue going over rules procedures and expectations

Practice Fire drill procedure -Review how you expect students to line up. -Let them know what to expect when you have a fire drill. Let them know that this is just practice. Some students may come from war-torn countries or bad experiences. Let them know about the terrible noise and where it will come from (the red box on the wall). Walk them out to where you expect them to line up outside during a fire drill. Explain whether or not they are allowed to play during a fire drill. You may want to mention that other students in other classes will be misbehaving; but that your class is a wonderful class and you will be lined up and on your best behavior.

People they should know... (If time today...if not then do this on day 4) - I like to take digital pictures of people that students should know by name: Media Specialist, Principal, Assistant Principal for grade level, custodian, cafeteria manager, Main office secretaries, nurse, grade level counselor, etc. I introduce these staff members on day 3 and then review for the next 4-5 days by flashing the pictures up using power point. Have the students say the staff person's name. This is really fun for them and the staff LOVE that the students know them by name. -Pictures- you can either use a disposable camera and take pictures - get them developed and bring them in or make a power point presentation if you have the equipment. If you have hard copies of the photos, you can create a bulletin board with the staff pictures. The staff will love this...you can invite them to come see themselves on your bulletin board and introduce themselves to you class if they'd like.

Homework -return all paperwork -Work on paperbag project -Study for rules quiz (Those who did not make 100 yet)

Day 4 - collect paperwork, take attendance, allow students to retake rule quiz, Have students who are not taking the quiz to list 5 school supplies that they need everyday in alphabetical order. Those taking the quiz can join in the alphabetical list when then finish and go over the answers after a reasonable amount of time. -Remind students of the paperbag homework project - maybe have a student remind the class of what they need to do. -Administer the Visions diagnostic assessment. -Review rules, expectations, and procedures -Review "People you should know"

Homework -Bring in paperwork -Study for rules quiz -work on bag projects

Day 5 - collect paperwork "Where in the World are you from?" project - Give each student a large index card and provide them with colored pencils or markers if they do not have them (You may want to provide your an example) -On the left side of their card (first 1/3 of card) have them write Where they are from, how long they have lived in The United States, what languages they speak and what they miss about their home country. On the right side of their card (2/3 of the card) have them draw the flag from their home country. They will need to use a picture. You will likely need to pull this together before class - you can reference their info cards to find out where they are from- print flags off the internet, some dictionaries have pictures of flags in them, some maps have pictures of flags on the bottom, you could also visit the media center and bring in books with their flags.

-While students are working on this, pull rules quiz takers off to the side to take their quiz and then allow them to continue to work on their card.

-When students finish, post their cards on your wall or if you have a map and a bulletin board, staple up their card with a string of yarn pointing to their home country. This is fun to keep up on your wall so that your students feel accepted and so that visitors can check out where all of your students are from.

-Review "People you should know" and rules, expectations etc....

-Closing activity: have students to list or draw 3 things that we've done this week. Go over their responses together as a class.

Homework -Bring in paperwork -Study for rules quiz -work on bag projects ------

OTHER IDEAS FOR LATER

-Have each create a timeline of their life - 3 important events. Have them include pictures and words. Pictures can be drawn, cut from magazines, or photos used with parent permission -Sign up to take your students to the media center as soon as possible. Make them aware of expectations before you leave the classroom so that their behavior is superb. If the Media Specialist is going to ask them questions in a presentation, find out what they are and clue student in before they go so they will feel very confident to answer. -Have students label things in your classroom -Have students draw their home and label the rooms -Have students draw one or both of their parents at work -Have students learn to spell classroom items -Teach them US currency and give them authentic examples to practice with - For example, if you have $2.25 what can you buy for lunch in the cafeteria? -give them a chance to practice multiplication tables (they may need major help learning this) - Teach them to read and write numbers (using words) -Communicate with Social studies and Science teachers and preteach, reteach, and or review some of their content material with your students. If you can find out about a lesson ahead of time, you can preteach vocabulary and concepts to the students ahead of time. -Teach them to record their homework on a calendar or in a notebook and hold them accountable for continuing. - Check out some books from the library and read to them - Jumanji always goes well with my students. Some have seen the movie and they love the pictures in the book.