Cognitive+and+Metagonitive+Learning+Strategies

__** Cummin Quadrants: **__ The continuums that illustrate Cummins’ two dimensions of degree of context and degree of cognitive demand can be arranged so they form 4 quadrants to characterize language and learning activities:



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Cummins quadrants were quite interesting. With the BICS (Basic interpersonal communicative skills) there is a lot of simple discussion going on. Quadrant A is cognitively undemanding and the context embedded. This could include interviewing a classmate at the beginning of the school year about their interests or hobbies. Quadrant C is also cognitively undemanding but the context is reduced. This would include talking on the telephone about a football game or reading an email about the game. With the CALP (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency) there is more to discuss and there is a higher level of thinking. In Quadrant B the context is embedded and it is cognitively demanding. This would include working in groups to make a time line of events during the Colonial period or role-playing a key scene from a novel. Quadrant D is context reduced, but cognitively demanding. This would include reading a social studies chapter and answering the end of the chapter questions or taking a standardized test. =====

Quadrant A High context, low cognitive demand (easiest) Quadrant B High context, high cognitive demand (harder) Quadrant C Low context, low cognitive demand (harder) Quadrant D Low context, high cognitive demand (hardest of all)

**(Freeman, 2009.)** __**Reasons to teach Teach Language and Content**__
 * 1) Students learn both language and content - they learn academic English as they learn academic content
 * 2) Language is kept in the natural context - it is easier to learn words in context than in isolation or as part of a list of unrelated words.
 * 3) Students have reasons to use the language - they are not just memorizing words for a test
 * 4) Students learn the academic vocabulary of the content areas - they will come to understand that in different contexts, the same word can take on different meanings.

__** Motivating ELLS and SELS to read **__

1. Set goals with students so that they understand kind of information they are reading for. These students will be able to read to understand and communicate information about academic content. Organize it around themes and involve students in asking "big questions". This will help them stay engaged in what they are reading and to read with a purpose that matters to them.

2. Find ways to connect what students are reading about in the class to the world outside the classroom.

3. Provide an extensive variety of books, magazines, articles, etc. that will be interesting for the students. Give students many opportuntities to read the texts and choose what they are interested in continuing to read.

4. Provide students the opportunity to choose materials and subjects they read about to provide motivation and interest to read.

5. Provide direct instruction to students so that they can read their texbooks and other content related material. Use think alouds and activate prior knowledge to help them comprehend more effectively.

**(Gutherie & Davis, 2003)**

__ **Word Learning Strategies** __

There are three learning strategies that are apart of an effective program for building vocabulary :

1. Use context clues - using clues within and around the sentence to infer the meanings of unknown words. All readers use these clues as they read, but skilled readers make better use of these context clues than struggling readers.

2. Use word parts - looking at word parts to infer meanings of words. Words that we use often have Latin or Greek roots and prefixes and suffices. Students can use these parts to infer the meanings of words.

3. Using Dictionaries and other reference tools - this teaches students to use dictionaries and other reference tools such as thesaurus' at their appropriate level. For beginning ELLs they can begin with a picture dictionary, and for the advanced students, a regular student dictionary would be appropriate.

**(Freeman, 2009.)**

** __Read and Retell Procedure__ - this procedure can help students improve their reading and writing in different genres**

1. Pick an excerpt from a text that is from the content area 2. Read the title and write it on the board for the students 3. Ask the students to write one or two sentences predicting what the story might be about 4. List words that might be found in the story 5. Put the students into groups of three or four 6. Have each student read their predictions to the group 7. Have the students comment on the predictions 8. The teacher passes out the excerpt 9. The teacher reads the excerpt to the class 10. Students read the excerpt on their own 11. Students write a retelling without looking back at the story 12. Students compare their retellings with a partner

**(Freeman, 2009.)**

**References: **

Gutherie, J., Davis, M. (2003). Motivating Struggling Readers in Middle School Thorugh an Engagement Model of Classroom Practice. //Reading and Writing Quarterly,// 9, 59-85.

Freeman, Y. S., & Freeman, D. E. (2009). //Academic Language for English Language Learners and Struggling Readers//.