BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
1.2
Symbols in ESL Teaching
– Beyond Snapshots of
Nouns
Presented By:
Bogdan Pospielovsky
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
May 13th – 15th
• See new technologies
• Network with professionals
from across Canada
• Learn from educational and
assistive technology leaders
• Discover UDL strategies
• Experience Technology
hands on.
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
EducATe
Content – Canadian curriculum in AT tools, templates,
tutorials, tip sheets
Courses – How to, application of AT, requests
Community – build learning communities, post events and news
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Introducing Youdle
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Introducing the Youdle Box
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How to Learn More
• Subscribe to Blog
• Free Info Sessions
• Bridges’ to Learning Conference
• Web based live Software Demos
• Bridges Loan Pool– Switches
– Communication Aids
– Mounts etc.
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Outline of Presentation
• Look at differences between symbols, realia and pictures
• How to use Symbols to support growth of BICS and CALP
• Overview of using the symbol based software in support of BICS and CALP
• Drawing on Research by:
– Chris Abbot (Symbols Now, 2000)
– Tina and Mike Dethridge (Literacy Through Symbols, 2002)
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Types of Technology
Closed
Curriculum
Multi-Media
Authoring
Task Based
Tools
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Widgit Literacy Symbols (WLS)
• Designed with a focus on literacy• Over 10,000 symbols available from Widgit
Software
Simple Line Drawings
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Symbol
Pictures vs. Symbols
Picture
Symbol
• something used for or regarded as representing something else; a
material object representing something, often something immaterial;
emblem, token, or sign
• focuses on a single concept/idea
• can be put together to build more precise information
Picture
• visual representation of a person, object, or
scene, as a painting, drawing, photograph
• conveys a lot at once/detail
• its focus may be unclear
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Limits of Photos and Realia
• Intensive use of concrete photographic visual representations language acquisition plateaus after initial success
(Kang, S.H. & Dennis, J.R. (1995). “The effects of
computer-enhanced vocabulary lessons on
achievement of ESL grade school children.”
Computers in the Schools, 11 (3), 25-35).
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Iconicity
Transparent Opaque
guessability learnability
drink
A continuum that describes symbols based on their ease of
recognition
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Iconicity
Opaque
Concrete Abstract
verbs setsnouns Function
words
Transparent
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What is the Message?
What is the lesson?
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Choosing Symbols: Considerations
• Does the symbol convey the correct meaning?
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Choosing Symbols: Considerations
• Do the symbols have a clear schematic structure to support learning?
WLS
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Choosing Symbols: Considerations
• Do the symbols have a clear schematic structure to support learning?
Symbolstix
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Choosing Symbols: Considerations
• Do the symbols have a clear schematic structure to support learning?
PCS
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Choosing Symbols: Considerations
• Do the symbols have a grammatical structure to
support reading/writing?
– Verb tenses
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Choosing Symbols: Considerations
• Do the symbols have a grammatical structure to support reading/writing?
• plurals, comparatives, superlatives
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Choosing Symbols: Considerations
• Do the symbols support a range of vocabulary required for curriculum?
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Contexts in which we use symbols
• Communication
• Organization and Independence
• Vocabulary support for concept development, oral language ELL support, reading/writing
– within the symbol application
– combined with other software applications
• Create materials for reading support
• Within grids to support student writing
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
BICS
• Basic interpersonal
communication skills
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Behaviour
• concrete references and/or cues are easily accessed during new, difficult, tense or escalating situations.
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Pragmatics and Semantics
• subtly of language given in a visual context to make them more accessible and concrete.
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Homophones
• words pronounced the same as another but differing in meaning, whether spelled the same way or not.
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Heterophones
• words that are spelled the same but have different pronunciations and meanings.
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Metalinguistic Awarentess
• Metalinguistic awareness (MA) across languages (Bialystock, 2007) very important
• Supported by studies by McCarthey et. Al (2004) and Garcia (2000)
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Boardmaker –
Dual Language Search
• Searches in English
• Presents in Language of your Choice
– Arabic
– Russian
– Hindi etc.
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Notes to parents
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
'Communication Friendly Environments'
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Guide to creating a Communication Friendly Environment
www.symbolsinclusionproject.org/evidence/cfe
Symbols Inclusion Project
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
*Current support *Communication *Environment
www.symbolsinclusionproject.org/evidence/cfe
Audit strands self survey
Symbols Inclusion Project
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Why do we use symbols?
• Supplement text to increase reading comprehension.
Symbol Inclusion Project(2006)
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Learning to Read
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Guided Reading:
What Will You Be For Halloween?
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Supported Curriculum Learning
– Reading books and worksheets
Symbols Inclusion Project
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Creating Reading Materials
• Communicate in Print
• Symwriter – writer
• Clicker 5 – clicker library, PCS and/or WLS
• Boardmaker Plus - symbolate
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Communicate Ideas
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Add Vocabulary to SMART Notebook
Copy and paste Paste into
gallery
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Concept Mapping Software
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
CALP
• Cognitive academic language proficiency (Cummins)
• Symbols can be used effectively to support:
– Discrete subject specific academic language learning
– Scaffolded subject specific Writing
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
“ELL’s are especially hurt by the fals presumption that
they will continue developing advanced literacy skills
in mainstream classrooms through mere exposure to
classroom discourse and text reading, even without
effective, ongoing language learning assistance
(Allison 2008, Callahan, 2005) p132
•
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Can you do this worksheet?
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Symbols illustrate meaning
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Key symbols help where meaning is unclear
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
• Supported text
– primarily text, with a few key words symbolized, used mainly for specific curriculum topics
• Symbol Literacy:
– full content in symbols and text, symbols reflect grammar, one sentence per line, no more than 8 symbols
• Symbol information:
– Simply imparts the vocabulary terms associated with the topic
Levels of Symbol Support
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Levels of Symbol Support
Simplified
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Levels of Symbol Support
Full symbol
support
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Levels of Symbol Support
Symbol
supported text
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Levels of Symbol Support
Text
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Pupils often understand the ideas but cannot always read the
words or write their responses.
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Communicate Ideas:
Widget Software
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
In Smart notebook
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
• Word processor that displays a symbol
(if available) for each word typed.
Communicate: SymWriter
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
• Supported writing environments for
selecting from predefined grids and
buttons
Communicate: SymWriter
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Communicate: SymWriter
•Over 10,000 Widgit Literacy Symbols, color
and black & white
•Smart Symbolizing
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
• Speech feedback
• Symbolic spell checking
Communicate: SymWriter
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Vocabulary Support
• Within an application for creating displays :
– Communicate in Print - WLS
– Boardmaker – PCS (WLS addendums)
– SymbolMate - Symbolstix
• Concept Mapping Software:
– Kidspiration/Inspiration
– Smart Ideas
– Communicate Ideas – WLS
• Pasted into other applications
– Boardmaker
– Communicate Ideas
– Symbolstix online
– WLS Metafile Collection
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Writing
• What is the activity, the goal?
• The place for symbols for spellers
– Consider the impact of using a symbol processor on motivation
– Consider vocabulary support in text mode
– Language representation in word prediction?
• Language representation in the word processor as well as the grid?
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Other Curriculum Symbol Supports
• Web support:
– Point (Widgit)
– Purchased by the web site developer
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Other Curriculum Symbol Supports
• Web support:
– Insite (Widgit) • create and display symbol-supported content on your
website
• new "content editor" plugin which can replace or work
alongside your existing content editor
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Other Curriculum Symbol Supports
• Web support:
– SymbolWorld http://www.symbolworld.org/
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Communicate: Ideas
• A dynamic environment for modeling and organising thought
• Comes with the Widgit Symbol set of over 10,000 images
• Easy to use
• Ideal for younger grades
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Symbol Supported
Assessment?
“It is essential that ELL’s be assessed in a way that uncouples language proficiency from content knowledge.”
Improving Achievement for English Learners Claude
Goldenberg
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Useful Web Resources
Symbol World – Symbol supported resources
www.symbolworld.org
www.tarheelreader.com
www.dictionary.com/translate
www.wordle.net
www.tagxedo.com
BRIDGES
Presented by: Bogdan Pospielovsky
1-800-353-1107 ext. 234
www.bridges-canada.com 1-800-353-1107
Contact Information
Bogdan Pospielovsky, B.A., B.Ed
Bridges Canada
1-800-353-1107, 2178
Please contact me with any questions!
Or Comments!