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Len Newman and Richard Kinslow's English Language Learner Class at Central Falls High School
Central Falls, RI
School Type: Public
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School Setting: Urban
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Level: High
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School Design: Traditional
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Content Presented By:
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The Education Alliance at Brown University
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ArtsLiteracy Project
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Replication Details
Replication Tips
Provide a clear focus for program design
All the work of The ArtsLiteracy Project (ArtsLit) is grounded in a curricular framework whose philosophy and strategies support adolescent literacy. The curriculum engages participants in a group activity--creating an original performance--that provides clarity and consistency in program design.
Create a classroom community through motivating activities
ArtsLit's work is centered on a curricular framework, called the Performance Cycle. The framework benefits English language learners by creating a safe, engaging, and welcoming community of learners and by offering an abundance of motivating activities for practicing skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Students benefit particularly from the enactive and purposeful learning activities and collaborative learning of the Performance Cycle. With these supportive elements, English language learners are better able to understand challenging text.
Plan literacy activities using the performing arts
The ArtsLit Performance Cycle represents a way performance might be connected with text in both school and out-of-school settings. Most of the activities work with students of any age, although certain aspects of activities should be adapted depending on the age group. Although the categories are not necessarily chronological, in planning a unit it usually helps to begin with community building activities and end with a final performance exhibiting students' understanding of a text.
Collaborate with teachers, professional artists, and mentors
When planning a classroom unit in collaboration with partner artists and mentors, teachers find that these units vary widely according to the needs of their students and the contributions of the collaborators. Collaborations between teacher, artist, and mentor teacher often involve other teachers in the school, university student teachers, undergraduates, and other outside artists.
Meet students' diverse learning needs
A given group of adolescents will be at a variety of stages in their emotional, social, and physical maturation, and, because these stages are not fixed but fluid, the needs of the same individual can vary within short periods of time. The need for guidance, clear expectations, and consequences must be balanced with respect, choice, and flexibility. The complexity of these combined factors requires that the design and facilitation of learning experiences for adolescents be purposeful and carried out with these understandings in mind on the part of educators.
Provide ongoing professional development
Ongoing professional development meets teachers' learning needs and includes intensive summer training, yearlong coaching, and supplemental workshops. Teachers attend training to learn strategies, work one-on-one with mentors to implement those strategies, and present or participate in workshops to further complement their growth.
Conduct consistent evaluation
Artslit constantly conducts documentation, evaluation, and dissemination of Project work to refine its design and broaden its impact.
Contact ArtsLit
Schools interested in replicating The ArtsLiteracy Project may inquire about professional development opportunities and contact Project staff through
http://www.artslit.org/.
Costs and Funding
The ArtsLiteracy Project (ArtsLit), part of the Education Department at Brown University, has been funded by various national and local grants since 1998. Currently, it is supported by the National Endowment of the Arts, Rhode Island State Council for the Arts, U.S. Department of Education, and The Educational Foundation of America. ArtsLit collaborates with artists from the Providence Black Repertory Company, Trinity Repertory Company, and other local theatres and arts organizations. ArtsLit works in Rhode Island with teachers and administrators at Blackstone Academy in Pawtucket and all schools in the Central Falls Rhode Island School District, including Calcutt Middle School, Central Falls High School, Ella Risk Elementary School, Feinstein Elementary School, Robertson Elementary School, and Veterans Memorial Elementary School.
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