Currently: 49°F
Inspired by the book “The Language-Rich Classroom,” international schools in China and Venezeula invited the book’s co-authors, Drs. Pérsida and William Himmele, both elementary education professors at Millersville, to present at separate two-day workshops, on new teaching strategies.
“The main struggle for schools overseas is ensuring all of the content of the English-based curriculum is taught, while teaching the English language to 80% of their students. It takes more than just a single teacher or group of teachers to raise the academic achievement of English language learners (ELLs),” says Persida Himmele.
During the workshops, the Himmeles discussed the five-piece framework they developed for teaching ELLs, as outlined in their book. The strategies, known as CHATS include:
- Content Reading Strategies, for helping students understand complicated readings.
- Higher-Order Thinking, for helping teachers go deep and ask questions that require analysis, synthesis and evaluation, not just the simple recalling of facts.
- Assessment Techniques, that allow teachers to assess students during the learning and to structure lessons that foster growth.
- Total Participation Techniques, that allow teachers to get evidence of active participation from all students at the same time.
- Scaffolding Learning, by using imagery to help students understand concepts.
For the past 22 years as educators, the Himmeles have traveled the world presenting their workshops. William Himmele says, “I’m passionate about going overseas and helping educators who are left on their own. Sometimes teachers overseas do not have access to the same professional development opportunities that teachers in the United States are overwhelmed with.”
The Himmeles presented similar content during a World Language and ESL workshop last month on Millersville’s campus.
