LESSON PLAN Title:
Topic:
Approaching the Skills of Reading and Writing Across Cultures
Comparing and Contrasting Reading, Writing, and Children’s Literature Genres in English, Arabic, and Spanish (Focus on Arabic Exposure)
)Grade:
Subject/Course:
Elementary Reading/ Social Studies/ Initial Exposure to Arabic as a World Language
Lora Lynn Werkmeister
Primary (2‐
3) (Can be adapted to any grade level for Designer:
initial exposure)
Stage 1 – Desired Results
ESTABLISHED GOALS/STANDARDS The study of world languages prepares students to be linguistically and culturally competent and to communicate, work and collaborate effectively with people of diverse backgrounds at home and abroad. Speaking the language of others is essential for understanding their culture, and perspectives and for the global competency. Students need to be prepared for life and work in the 21st century. Studies show that language learning improves cognitive development, develops transferable reading skills, reinforces other subjects, and develops cultural literacy and appreciation and understanding for diversity. (Minnesota Department of Education –http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/EdExc/StanCurri/K‐
12AcademicStandards/WorldLang/index.html)
The learning experiences in this unit are designed for initial exposure and exploration rather than mastery.
Pennsylvania Common Core Standards 1.1.2.B: Use knowledge of phonics and word recognition (e.g., root words, prefixes, suffixes, and syllabication) to decode and understand new words during reading.
1.1.1.B: Use word recognition techniques:
● Demonstrate phonological awareness through phoneme manipulation.
● Demonstrate knowledge of letter sound correspondence (alphabetic principle) to decode and encode words.
1.2.1.A: Demonstrate concepts of print
CC.1.1.2.D: Know and apply grade level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
CC.1.1.1.B: Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print.
CC.1.1.1.C: Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes).
Source for decoding information: Based on the UbD template © Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe Page 1
ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS ● Spanish, Arabic and English are only three examples of world languages
● Different cultures approach the skill of reading and writing in a variety of different ways.
● Spanish and Arabic are among the most common and widely used languages in the world.
● Spanish is an Indo‐European Language that applies a Latin script like English. It is a common second language throughout much of the United States.
● Arabic is a Semitic language and is vastly different than English. It is not widely used in much of the United States.
● Students in second grade are developing writing and decoding skills in English. ● While Spanish follows rules similar to English.
● Arabic has significantly different conventions.
● Many writing systems develop sound‐system relationships.
CONTENT
● Spanish is the third most commonly spoken language in the world and the second language in United States. It is the language of most of Latin America as well as Spain
● Arabic is the fourth most common language of the world and is used in North Africa and the Middle East. ● Arabic is also the language for prayer and study in the religion of Islam.
● Both Spanish and Arabic apply alphabetic systems. Spanish and English use a Latin script using a left to right progression like most European languages. Arabic uses Arabic script that, unlike English, is written from right to left.
● Children in Arabic and Spanish speaking countries, like those in English speaking countries, have to work to learn the systems for reading and writing applied in their cultures. ● While the aspects of the systems used in English, Spanish and Arabic vary, the process a learner goes through in becoming a reader and ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
● How do English, Spanish and Arabic speakers approach the problem of reading and writing?
● How do decoding skills utilized in reading English transfer for the reading of Spanish? ● How do decoding skills utilized in reading transfer in the reading of Arabic?
● How is the problem of reading and writing in Spanish and Arabic similar to that of English? ● How the problem of reading and writing in Spanish and Arabic different to that of English?
● How do the interests of children as reflected in children’s literature genres compare and contrast?
●
What likenesses do we share with those in other cultures despite language differences?
●
SKILLS
● Compare and contrast writing systems.
● Apply early literacy skills using sound system relationships to decode unfamiliar words in Spanish.
● Apply newly acquired concepts at the exposure level for introducing the writing of Arabic to build an understanding that written Arabic also contains characters that stand for sounds and that these sounds are used to read and can be used to create words.
● Generate hypotheses that derive similarities in theme and content between Arabic and English primary literature. ● Attempt the problem of decoding sounds and writing in Arabic.
● Identify Arabic writing from a variety of writing systems used by people around the world. ● To report on their new learning on Arabic as a world language and its writing system.
Source for decoding information: Based on the UbD template © Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe Page 2
a writer is similar across cultures.
Source for decoding information: Based on the UbD template © Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe Page 3
Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence
Formative: ● Observation of student engagement with materials.
● Small group focused discussion and reporting on comparing and contrasting examples of primary literature written in Arabic.
● Observe students attempting to apply knowledge of sound‐symbol relationships in Arabic while attempting to choose characters needed to write their own names.
Summative: ● Students will identify Arabic books out of a collection of primary books that are written in a variety of world languages.
● Students will form their name in clay using Arabic letters
● Students will report on their new knowledge by creating a write‐draw page for a class book on newly acquired knowledge on their exposure to Arabic as a world language.
Student Engagement Assessment Tool
Level
Descriptor
Advanced
Student is actively engaged in learning activities and discussions. Student displays an ability to provide consistent feedback on taught concepts at an 80% or higher accuracy and engagement rate. In addition, student seeks or brings more information to the learning experiences by connecting outside knowledge or learning.
Student is actively engaged in learning activities and discussions. Student displays an ability to provide consistent feedback on taught concepts at an 80% or higher accuracy and engagement rate Student is shows limited involvement in learning activities and discussions. Student shows a limited ability to provide feedback on taught concepts
Proficient
Basic
Additional Evidence
Stage 3 – Learning Plan
Source for decoding information: Based on the UbD template © Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe Page 4
Lesson One‐ Introduction to Arabic Language Exposure Anticipatory Set‐ Present students with word cards. Explain that each card will have greeting words written on them for English, Spanish, and Arabic. The first set of words will have words you say when you first meet someone. Hello, Hola, and ‫رﺣﺒﺎ‬ The second set will have words that you say when you are leaving someone and saying goodbye.
Goodbye, Adios, ‫ﻣﻊ‬ ‫اﻟﺳﻼﻣﺔ‬
Questions: ● How can you read these words? Possible responses: (possible responses: “Hello”” Goodbye” possibly known as a sight word, sound it out, apply phonics skills ● “Hola” “Adios” possible previous exposure through Spanish instruction, apply sound symbol relationships to sound the word out. ● ‫ﻣﺮﺣﺒﺎ‬ ‫ﻣﻊ‬ ‫اﻟﺳﻼﻣﺔ‬ (Marhaba/ Massalama) Why is it difficult for you to read the Arabic card? (Do not recognize any letters or symbols that resemble the letters that are known and used in English)
Direct Instruct (I Do )
Content:
● Arabic, English, and Spanish are also 3 of the 6 official languages of the UN United Nations. (UN at a Glance. 2015. 16 February 2015. <http://www.un.org/en/aboutun/languages.html>.)
● Arabic is the fourth most commonly spoken language in the world ● Ranking is as follows: 1‐ Chinese, 2‐ English, 3‐ Spanish, 4‐ Arabic. ● Found as primary language in 27 countries found in Africa and Middle Eastern Asia. List of countries and a map indicating those countries: Arabic as a written and spoken language has similarities and differences with our known native language, English. (Arabic Keyboard. Lesson 1 The Arabic Language: History and Facts. 2010. 16 February 2015.<http://www.arabic‐keyboard.org/arabic/>.) ● Students learning to speak, read, and write in Arabic go through the same learning processes that we go through as we learn how to speak, and then learn how to read and write in English.
● The similarities between Arabic and English include the following: o use symbols to represent sounds
o require readers to blend the sounds into words
o can be spoken and heard, written and read
o utilize their systems to write in different genres such as Fiction, Non‐Fiction, Poetry, etc, and for different purposes ● The differences between Arabic and English include:
Source for decoding information: Based on the UbD template © Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe Page 5
o use different symbols to represent their sounds o have some shared similar sounds ● Both languages also have some sounds that are unique to their own sound symbol relationship website. (Wikibooks. Arabic/Arabic Sounds. 2014 8 June. 2015 February 2015. <systemhttp://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Arabic/Arabic_sounds>.) ● When trying to learn a language different than your native language, it can be challenging to hear and learn sounds that are not part of your native sound/symbol system, some examples are the Ayn in Arabic is hard for English speakers. Also, Arabic have no /p/, /v/ (example parking=barking) ● English has 26 letters and each of those letters has a lower case and an uppercase as well as a print and cursive form. Arabic has 30 letters with no difference between uppercase, lowercase, print, or cursive. The letters do change form in print according to position in a word. Website source: (Scherek, Daniel. The Arabic Alphabet. n.d. 16 February 2015. <http://danielschereck.com/wp2002arabia/wp‐arabicalphabet.htm>.) ● Sound carrying vowel sounds are handled differently in English and Arabic. In English, the vowels are separate letters in the sound symbol system. In Arabic, there are three long vowels that are written as letters. Beyond there are three short sounds that are not written as letters, but as marks above or below the letters. Website with resource information: (Falooka. Short or Long Vowels? 2015. 16 February 2015.<http://falooka.com/modules_read_learn/read_learn_vowels_2.htm>.) ● English and Arabic use different print progressions. English uses left to right while Arabic uses right to left. Both systems utilize top to bottom in their print progressions.
Guided Practice: (We Do)
● Students will be exposed in a rotating center format to different forms of displaying the Arabic alphabet. Focus will be on that the Arabic language uses letter symbols to stand for sounds as well as the similarity of how early English reading learners utilize similar varied formats to provide a lot of ways for children to learn letters and their sounds. Items to be placed in centers will be as follows:
o Center 1 Alphabet posters
o Center 2 Alphabet and thematic alphabet books
o Center 3 Alphabet puzzles
o Center 4 Alphabet videos. Learn the Arabic Alphabet Song (Syraj. Best Arabic Alphabet Song ‐ Fun & Easy. 4 December 2012. 16 February 2015.
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFBUqjDt_oA>.)
● After center rotation, meet in a discussion circle. Pass out foam Arabic letter manipulatives. Each child will have 10 seconds with each letter and then will pass that letter to the right. Continue rotation until every child has had an opportunity to briefly explore every letter. Utilizing a teacher created Velcro poster with the outlines and names of the letters displayed, play I Have, Who Has and have the children one by one bring their foam letters forward to be placed on the poster as its name is called and it’s shape is highlighted. Once full alphabet has been completed, whole group echo read the alphabet.
Source for decoding information: Based on the UbD template © Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe Page 6
Independent Practice (You Do) Center Rotations Children will experience making Arabic letter forms with the goal objective being exposure, not mastery by engaging in the following independent practice experiences:
● Center 1 : Create 3‐D Arabic letters using wikisticks and utilizing laminated alphabet outline booklets. Source for letter outlines is : (Arabic Playground. Play Dough Letters. 2015. 16 February 2015. <http://www.arabicplayground.com/product/play‐dough‐letters>.)
● Center 2 Write Arabic Letters‐ Using outlines of Arabic letters that contain stroke directional starting points and progression guides, experience writing Arabic letters. Students will utilize laminated booklets and dry erase markers. Booklet source: (Arabic Playground. Trace Inside the Letter. 2015. 16 February 2015. <http://www.arabicplayground.com/product/trace‐inside‐letter>.)
● Follow‐up‐ Create a poster rainbow writing any letters that you can remember how to write. Source for decoding information: Based on the UbD template © Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe Page 7
Lesson Two: Initial Exposure to Arabic Writing in a Variety of Similar Genres. Anticipatory Set Question of the Day discussion: What genres of writing do you enjoy? What are you favorite things to read? Why do you enjoy them? Do you think Arabic speaking children enjoy the same kinds of stories, poems, and books or different. Why? Direct Instruction (I Do)
● Share that children’s literature in Arabic follows some of the same characteristics as what we know in English language literature. You can find non‐fiction books on real information on real topics, fiction, realistic fiction, poetry, fairy tales and folk tales. ● Expose to the children that there are some stories that are specific to the countries and areas where children live while some stories are cross‐over stories where the stories and characters would be familiar to both English and Arabic speakers. ● Review previously taught concepts about Arabic letters representing sounds and creating words. Demonstrate the difference in progression (right to left) and how books written in Arabic have their front page on what we typically know as the last page and progress from there. Guided Practice/ Shared Exploration (We Do)
● Present children with a sample of a variety of books written in Arabic. Include in this sample fiction, non‐fiction, poetry, folktales, and cross‐over books such as Disney Aladdin/Cinderella/Peter Pan etc. ● On board, display a Venn Diagram graphic organizer to lead discussion about discoveries on what is the same or different about children’s books written in English and Arabic.
Independent Practice (You Do) Follow‐up Writing Using sentence frames:
● “Books in Arabic and English can be the same because ___________.”
“Books in Arabic and English can be different because ______________.” ● Students will write/draw their responses based on their new knowledge. Student writing will be collected and assembled on a class book to be included in the classroom library.
Source for decoding information: Based on the UbD template © Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe Page 8
Lesson Three‐ Initial Exposure to Word Writing in Arabic Language
Direct Instruct (I Do)
● Review previously taught concept that just like in English, Arabic letters represent sounds that can be blended into words and read. ● Review that Arabic words and writing uses a right to left progression, not left to right. ● Expose children to the Arabic alphabet by both reviewing the alphabet posters and by showing the following alphabet videos. ● Learn the Arabic Alphabet Song
(Syraj. Best Arabic Alphabet Song ‐ Fun & Easy. 4 December 2012. 16 February 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFBUqjDt_oA>.) ● Learn the Arabic Alphabet Sounds . (Learn the Arabic Alphabet Letters & Sounds. 2 January 2013. 16 February 2015.
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=er5F_E1_mp4>.) ● Learn the Arabic Sounds with Beginning Sounds Words
(Learn the Arabic Alphabet Sounds (Alef to Saad). 10 October 2013. 16 February 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgX1ooknMRA>.) ● Play Go Fish with Arabic letter flashcard double sets
Flashcard source: (Arabic Playground. Flash Cards Beginning Sounds. 2015. 2015 16 February.
<http://www.arabicplayground.com/product/flash‐cards‐beginning‐sounds>.)
Guided/ Independent Practice (We do/ You do)
● Name Writing Students will be given the opportunity to practice knowledge of Arabic sound symbol relationships through a name writing activity. Students will be given a 4 quadrant chart. In the upper left corner they will write My name is __________. In the upper right corner, they will write the letters/sounds needed to write their name in left to right progression. In the lower left corner, they will write those same letters/sound symbols but this time reverse the order to right to left as in Arabic. In the last lower right quadrant, the students will predict what Arabic letters will be needed to write their name. Students will utilize a chart such as the one shown below to help them predict what Arabic letters will be needed. See worksheet on next page: Source for decoding information: Based on the UbD template © Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe Page 9
My name is :
Letters needed to write my name:
Write your letters left to right as in English.
_________________________________________
___ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ___ ___ ___
Letters needed to write my name:
Write your letters right to left as in Arabic.
Arabic Letters I predict I will need:
___ ____ ____ ____ ___ ___ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ___ ___ ___ ___
___ ____ ____ ____ ___ Source for decoding information: Based on the UbD template © Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe Page 10
Source: Caravan‐Serai Inc. The Arabic Alphabet. 2014. 16 February 2015.
http://www.caravan‐serai.com/arabic‐language/
Lesson Four‐ Secondary Exposure to Word Writing in Arabic Language
Direct Instruct (I Do)
Content:
● Arabic Letters connect to each other when written in words similar to letters written in cursive English.
● There are different connecting rules for different letters that causes the letters to look different in words than they do in isolation ● Arabic letters change their shape according to their position in a word. ● Some letters only connect to letters that come before them. Some letters connect to letters that come before and after them ● Each letter will follow its own connecting rule, unless it is beside a not connecting letter, a letter that does not want to “hold hands”. Then the letters will not connect. ● Resources for teacher/student background: (arabic‐course.com. Basic Arabic Course ‐ Lesson 1: Arabic Alphabet. 2009. 16 February 2015.
<http://www.arabic‐course.com/arabic‐alphabet.html>.) ● Arabic Alphabet Chart (Letter names, sounds, and connecting information) (See Resources section for full chart visual.). (Lesson 2: The Arabic Alphabet (Writing Letters). 2010. 16 February 2015.
<http://www.arabic‐keyboard.org/arabic/arabic‐alphabet.php>.) ● Connecting Arabic Letters, baa, taa, thaa ● Video intro to connecting letters: (Learn Arabic from Me. Class Number 1 Connecting Arabic Letters "baa, taa, and thaa". 31 October 2013. 16 February 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxUIC6dRC88>.)
Guided Practice (We do)
● Whole group examination of names written in Arabic with focus on identifying letters used and how they are connecting. ● To get the names in Arabic form, use Google Translator. This tool will convert the names by translating them phonetically. (Google Translate. 2015. 16 February 2015. <https://www.google.com/#q=google+translate>.)
Source for decoding information: Based on the UbD template © Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe Page 11
EXAMPLES:
Mrs. Werkmeister ‫ﺘﺮ‬
Chandler ‫ﺗﺸ ﺎﻧﺪﻟﺮ‬
Chandyn ‫ﺗﺸ ﺎﻧﺪن‬
Kayant ‫ﻛﺎﯾﻨ ﺖ‬
Edward ‫إدوارد‬
Isis ‫إﯾ ﺰﯾﺲ‬
Alyssa ‫أﻟﯿﺴ ﺎ‬
Mason ‫ﻣﯿﺴ ﻦ‬
Tyler ‫ﺗ ﺎﯾﻠﺮ‬
Timothy‫ﺗﯿﻤﻮﺛ ﻲ‬
Ayden‫اﯾ ﺪن‬
Diego ‫دﯾﯿﻐ ﻮ‬
Raelyn ‫رﯾﻠﯿ ﻦ‬
Elijah ‫ﺎ‬
‫إﯾﻠﯿ‬/‫اﻻﯾﺠﺎ‬
Ashley ‫اﺷ ﻠﻰ‬
Jayden ‫ﺟﯿ ﺪن‬
Alexis ‫اﻟﯿﻜﺴ ﺲ‬
Zachary ‫زاﻛ ﺮي‬
Twanee ‫ﺗواﻧ ﺎ‬
Noah ‫ﻧ وح‬
‫ﯿﺪة ورﻛﻤﺎﯾﺴ‬
‫اﻟﺴ‬
Independent Practice (You Do)
● Each student will be given a copy of their name written on a page that will be placed in a page protector. Students will be able to trace their names with dry erase or water color markers, erase, and practice. Students will then be able to copy their Arabic written names.
Source for decoding information: Based on the UbD template © Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe Page 12
This is my name written in English:
Diego This is my name written in Arabic:
This is how I can write my name in Arabic
Additional Follow‐Up Culminating Experiences
1. Students will make 3 D representations of their Arabic written names by using baking soda dough. The models will be dried, painted, and placed on string hangers to be hung on display. Baking Soda Dough Recipe: (My Pinterventures. Baking Soda Dough Sea Art. 25 June 2014. 16 February 2015. <http://mypinterventures.com/baking‐soda‐dough‐sea‐art/>.)
Ingredients: 2 cups baking soda 1 cup cornstarch 1 1/4 cup water
Step 1
Combine all the ingredients in a pot and heat on medium heat.
Step 2
Continue to constantly stir the ingredients until the mixture begins to thicken. It will take several minutes to thicken.
Step 3
When the mixture starts to come together and looks like mash potatoes, scoop it out onto a Silpat mat or parchment paper to cool down. Cover it with a damp cloth.
Step 4
Source for decoding information: Based on the UbD template © Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe Page 13
Once the dough is cool enough to handle, you can roll it out to approximately 1/4" thickness and use cookie cutters, stamps, shape by hand, or whatever method you want to use to decorate your cut‐outs.
Step 5
Bake at 175F for 45 minutes to an hour. Baking will make the ornaments turn a slightly tan color. *If you don't plan on painting the ornaments and want to keep them white, air dry for 2‐4 days.*
Step 6
Let the dough cool and you're ready to decorate.
2. Identify Arabic Books in a Selection of Multi‐Languaged books. Include for example selections presented in English, Arabic, Spanish, Turkish, Japanese. Discuss how we were able to identify the Arabic language books from the collection. What new knowledge do we have about Arabic that helped us to know which books were written in Arabic? Review concepts such as Arabic letters, right to left progression, etc.
3. Create a Hall Display/ Classroom books about our knowledge of Arabic as a world language. Each student will create a Write/Draw page illustrating information that they have learned and can now share about Arabic. Students will engage in a Review/Brainstorming session with ideas being shared whole group. A word bank of phrases will be produced during this session to be used as a resource during independent writing. Students will create individual posters of information that they would like to highlight and corresponding drawings. The posters will be photocopied to make a class book that will be available in the classroom library or to share with other classes in the school. Posters will be displayed in the hallway along with the 3‐D name representations to share with the larger school community. Additional Resources Source for decoding information: Based on the UbD template © Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe Page 14
Books
● Amerikaner, Susan and Kara Kenna. PLAY‐DOH Let's Create: Letters: Where Learning and Creativity Take Shape. Silver Dolphin Books, 2013.
● Cinderella (Disney Crossover Book) ISBN 978 9953 16‐439‐7
● Peter Pan (Disney Crossover Book) ISBN 978 9953 16‐440‐3
● Aladdin (Disney Crossover Book) ISBN 978 9953 26‐805‐7
● Nurpetlian, Angela. Alef Ba Ta Al Hayawanat: Animal ABC (Arabic Edition). Kalimat Publishing & Distribution, 2007.
Puzzles
● Letters Box (First Learning System) ISBN 214001 452018
Additional Resource Websites
● Arabic Playground. Letter Formation. 2015. 16 February 2015. <http://www.arabicplayground.com/products/letter‐formation>. This website offers a huge resource for educators to buy, sell, or trade teaching resources related to Arabic language. It offers a wide range of products that are appropriate for learners aged preschool‐ adult. ● Learn Arabic. Your Name in Arabic. 21 April 2011. 16 February 2015.
<http://www.learnarabic.me/your‐name‐in‐arabic/>.
This website has a nice tool for typing in names and seeing them transcribed into Arabic.
● Learn Arabic from Me. Learn Arabic From Me. 2011. 15 February 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/user/LearnArabicFromMe>. This site has a series of videos, some more helpful than others, but some good ones on letter names, formations and connecting.
The following chart, from Lesson Four, can be found at: (Arabic Keyboard. Lesson 2: The Arabic Alphabet (Writing Letters). 2010. 16 February 2015. <http://www.arabic‐keyboard.org/arabic/arabic‐alphabet.php>.)
Source for decoding information: Based on the UbD template © Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe Page 15
Source for decoding information: Based on the UbD template © Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe Page 16
Source for decoding information: Based on the UbD template © Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe Page 17
Source for decoding information: Based on the UbD template © Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe Page 18