LA 1.2 Considering a Learner's Assets

Tools for Getting to Know a Student

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Learning Outcome Pedagogical Intent Student Position

Articulate issues of assessment as they affect learners’ development of English language skills, their access to the Utah core curriculum, and their placement in appropriate programs.

Assessment: 25 pts.

TA:30 Minutes

Teachers, having assessed themselves in the four areas,will be able to approach their students with an asset-based rather than a deficit-based mindset.

Students have learned about second language acquisition and legal issues related to English language learners.  They will assess themselves regarding their linguistic, cultural, experiential, and social-emotional aspects.  

Instructions

1. Using the learner’s asset graphic organizer fill in your own social & emotional, cultural, linguistic and experiential assets:

    a. Linguistic: reflect upon how your use of language shapes your personal identity.

    b. Cultural: reflect upon how your cultural heritage, beliefs, values, and thinking influence others.

    c. Experiential: do you feel your interests are portrayed in your teaching? How do these interests influence the learning in your classroom?

    d. Social and Emotional: reflect on how your students might perceive you through the stories, pictures and/or background information that you share with them.

Click and download the Asset Graphic Organizer to fill it in.

2. Next, working with a partner and using the Inclusive Pedagogy Framework and the details from the Asset Graphic Organizer, consider yourselves as learners and fill in information in the framework. 

3. In your group, what did you learn about yourself and partner through this exercise?

4. How might your education have been different if your teacher had fully considered your social, emotional, cultural and language and literacy assets and other talents and strengths, the policies and programs that could support you, taken different perspectives, held higher expectations, used all they knew about teaching and learning and considered each child as they planned for and enacted instruction and in their assessment of your learning? How might the language and literacy development of the ELs you teach be different if you attended to these issues in your teaching?

5.Think about your own educational experiences. How was your education different when teachers took an assets approach? How has your interaction with your students shifted when you intentionally took an asset rather than deficit approach? What are some assets your ELs bring to the classroom that you might be ignoring and how could you use them in developing ELs language and literacy development?

This content is provided to you freely by BYU Open Learning Network.

Access it online or download it at https://open.byu.edu/diverse_assessment/la_1.2.