Precision Partnering:

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Precision Partnering Strategies to Structure
Accountable Academic Interactions in
Second-Language Classrooms
Central Valley Dual Language Conference October
10, 2009
Dr. Kate Kinsella San Francisco State
University katek_at_sfsu.edu [phone]
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Workshop Objectives

• Participants will learn effective ways to
• Structure engaged, accountable responses during
  lessons
• Design precision partner task-based
  interactions
• Elicit more competent and democratic verbal
  participation
• Explicitly teach target lesson vocabulary and
  language
• Utilize response frames to structure competent
  language use
• Check for task comprehension in mixed-ability
  classrooms
• Observe lessons for explicit instruction and
  engaged, accountable learning and use of academic
  language

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Workshop Setup

• Identify a colleague who can be your
• partner for any assigned partnering tasks.
• Decide who will be partner 1 and partner 2.
• Observe the 4 Ls for working with a partner
• Look (Make eye contact.)
• Lean (Turn toward your partner.)
• Low Voice (Use your private vs. public voice.)
• Listen (Authentic vs. pseudo listening)

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Setting Up Precision Partnering
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Precision Partnering in Action Video 6 Gr. 8
Read 180Identifying Main Ideas Details
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Active Listening Vocabulary
Word Meaning Examples
authentic authentic adjective ____, genuine The bride wore authentic pearls at her ________. Authentic _____ are made in _____________.
pseudo pseudo adjective ___________ Santa gave my daughter pseudo ___ from ______.
real
wedding
Uggs
Australia
fake
Uggs
Target
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Think-Write-Pair-Share
What are two ways a student can demonstrate
active, authentic listening while working with a
partner?

• Starter A partner can demonstrate active,
  authentic listening by__ (verb ing)
• making eye contact
• leaning toward the partner

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Check for Understanding of Task Directions

• Use a hand rubric to communicate your level of
  understanding
• 3 I understand what to do.
• I can explain the directions to the class.
• 2 I am a little confused.
• 1 I am very confused.
• I do not know what to do.

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Partnering Directions

• Partner 2 shares first. Partner 1 shares next.
• Jot down your partners idea.
• If you dont understand your partners idea, say
  Will you please explain that idea?
• If your partner spoke too quickly or softly, say
  Will you please repeat that idea?
• Keep sharing until you hear 1-2-3, eyes on me.
• Share the teachers idea or your partners idea
  if you dont have a second idea.

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Class Discussion Ground Rules

• Demonstrate respect for others at all times.
• No hand-raising until I ask for volunteers.
• Use your public voice 2 x slower and 3 x louder
  than your conversation private voice.
• Use the sentence starter to share your idea.
• Listen attentively and jot down one new idea.
• Point out similarities before sharing your idea.

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Language for Classroom LearningPointing Out
Similarities

• Casual Conversational English
• Mines the the same.
• Oh yeah. Right.
• Me too.

• Formal Spoken and Written English
• My idea is similar to __s.
• My idea builds upon __s.
• I agree with __. I also think that __.

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Think-Write-Pair-Share

• Starter A partner can demonstrate active,
  authentic listening by__ (verb ing)

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Language for Classroom LearningExpressing
Agreement

• Casual Conversational English
• Yeah. Right.
• Uh huh.

• Formal Spoken and Written English
• I agree with __s statement/perspective that
• I support __s decision to/argument that
• Like __, I support /I am in favor of
• My idea dovetails with __s. I believe

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Language for Classroom LearningAsking for
Clarification Paraphrasing

• Casual Conversational English
• Huh? What? I dont get it.

• Formal Spoken English
• I dont quite understand.
• Could you explain what you mean by __.
• So what you mean is __.
• If I understand you correctly, you think that __

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Pragmatics of Precision Partnering
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Think-Write-Pair-Share
Discussion Task What are two important factors
to consider when partnering students in
mixed-ability classes to complete important
lesson tasks?

• Starter One important factor to consider
• is a students __ (noun phrase).
• time on task
• attendance record

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Explicit Vocabulary Teachingwith a Structured
Oral Task
Word Meaning Examples
factor factor (noun) _______ A number that you can _______ into another number evenly One of ________ things that affects a situation 3 is a factor of 15 because 3 x ___ 15 2. An important factor when I buy a gift for someone is _______ _________________
divide
5
many
factor
the persons interests
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Factors to Consider When Assigning Lesson
Partners

• We decided that one important factor
• to consider is a students
• _______________________ proficiency
• _______________________ score
• _______________________ skills
• _______________________ background
• _____________________________________
• _____________________________________
• _____________________________________

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Check for Understanding of Task Expectations

• Partner 1, explain to 2 what you are supposed
  to do right now.
• Partner 2, listen to see if your partner left
  out an important step.

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Factirs to Consider When Assigning Lesson
Partners

• Attendance record
• Time on task
• _______________________ proficiency
• _______________________ score
• _______________________ skills
• _________________________________
• _________________________________
• _________________________________

Language
Reading / Lexile
Social
Cultural background
Gender comfort level with opposite sex
Behavioral issues
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Pragmatics of Precision Partnering

• Arrange seating conducive to partnering.
• Assign partners thoughtfully rather than
  randomly.
• Change partners routinely (a new month, unit).
• Designate who is partner 1/2, green/blue.
• Designate who speaks first for a particular task.
• Assign a concrete task and a specific time frame.
  
• Check for understanding of task expectations.
• Provide a clearly displayed sentence starter and
  model appropriate use.
• Assign a related follow-up task for fast
  finishers.

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A Sentence Starter in Academic Register with a
Targeted Word Bank
What challenges do immigrants face coming to
America?
One challenge that immigrants face is _ (verb
ing) learning a new language.
Word Bank dealing with
finding understanding
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Language Function Prediction Sentence Starters
in Academic Register
I predict that the character __ will __ (base
verb study, leave) . will be __ (adjective
upset, excited) I made this prediction because
she/he __ (past tense verb tried, bought)
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Follow-up Tasks for Partnering Fast Finishers

• Share a second idea using the starter.
• Share another idea using a challenge starter.
• Write your idea in your notebook.
• Write your partners idea in your notebook.
• Prepare to report your partners idea.
• Decide together which answer is the strongest.
• ____________________________________
• ____________________________________

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Language For Class DiscussionsReporting Someone
Elses Idea

• Casual Conversational English
• __ said that
• __ told me that
• Formal Spoken and Written English
• __ pointed out that According to __,
• __ indicated that
• __ observed that
• __ emphasized that

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Language For Class DiscussionsReporting A
Pairs/Groups Idea

• Casual Conversational English
• We think
• We said
• Formal Spoken and Written English
• We decided that We agreed that
• We determined that We concluded that
• We observed that We believe that

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Precision Partnering in Action Video 7 Gr. 6
Read 180Using a Newly-Taught Word
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Structure Democratic Responses AFTER Precision
Partnering

• Pre-selected initial responses Jumper Cables
• Name cards or sticks
• Random (or seemingly random) selection
• Partner nominations
• Reporting the partners idea
• Popcorn participant 1 selects 2 from another
  section of the classroom, etc.
• Choose one per table group using pre-assigned
  color/number codes All greens report
• Authentic volunteers (after partners share)

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Checking for Understanding of Lesson Content or
Tasks
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Productive Ways to Check for Understanding of
Task Expectations

• Partners quickly share what they perceive as the
  task expectations and the teacher monitors.
• Partners or individuals prepare a written
  question regarding the task.
• Individuals use a hand rubric or color-coded
  cards to assess level of understanding
• (Green) 3 I know what to do.
• (Yellow) 2 I am a little confused.
• (Red) 1 I am very confused.

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Check for Understanding of Lesson Content

• Review your notes on __. Check any ideas that you
  dont fully understand.
• Write one or two questions you would like
  answered that will help you better understand
  this topic, vocabulary, etc.

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Language For Classroom LearningExpressing
Confusion About Tasks

• Casual Conversational English
• We dont get it.
• We dont know what to do.
• Formal Spoken English
• We arent quite sure what to do.
• We arent exactly sure what __ means.
• We are somewhat confused about __.
• We dont quite understand how to __.

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Language Functions (Purposes) Within Academic
Interaction

• Expressing an opinion
• Asking for clarification
• Paraphrasing
• Soliciting a response
• Agreeing/Disagreeing
• Affirming
• Holding the floor

• Acknowledging ideas
• Comparing ideas
• Justifying
• Predicting
• Summarizing
• Offering a suggestion
• Reporting/Citing

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Steps in Setting UpThink-Write-Pair-Share

• Direct students attention to the written task.
• Provide a sentence starter to frame responses.
• Provide a word bank to bolster vocabulary use.
• Model a response, verbally and in writing.
• Clarify the sentence structure and/or grammar
  necessary for an appropriate response.
• Monitor students writing process.

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Steps in Facilitating DiscussionThink-Write-Pair
-Share

• Partner students to rehearse responses.
• Assign active listening and note-taking tasks.
• Jump-start with a nominated volunteer.
• Require use of public voices and the starter.
• Randomly call on a few students before soliciting
  volunteers.
• Refrain from offering your perspective until
  students have had ample opportunity to share.

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A Sentence Starter in Academic Register with a
Targeted Word Bank
What challenges do immigrants face coming to
America?
One challenge that immigrants face is _ (verb
ing) learning a new language.
Word Bank dealing with
finding understanding
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How to Write a Sentence Starter That Can Serve
As a Response Frame

• Turn the discussion question/task into a starter.
• Write a response using as much language as
  possible from the question.
• Analyze your response and decide what part will
  serve as the starter (vs. the completion task).
• Make sure the starter can be completed in various
  ways using either lesson content or prior
  knowledge.
• Make sure the starter doesnt require overly
  complex grammar and vocabulary use.

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Tandem Goals for All LessonsAcademic Content
Academic Language

• Developing critical conceptual, linguistic and
  strategic foundations to prepare students for
  lesson tasks
• Improving students ability to articulate lesson
  understandings and perspectives in speaking and
  writing.

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Web Sources for Dr. Kinsellas Resources

• Scholastic Read 180 Community Web Site
• www.scholastic.com/read180/community
• Consortium on Reading Excellence 2009 Summit
• www.corelearn.com
• Santa Clara County Office of Education
• www.sccoe.org/depts/ell/kinsella.asp
• California Department of Education
• Office of Middle and High School Support
• (4 webinars focusing on structured engagement)
• http//pubs.cde.ca.gov/TCSII