by: Mery Tellez
For my IBDP Computer
Science class I will be teaching a unit in Data Representation for students in
grade 11.
The objectives for the
unit are:
- Convert positive denary integers into binary and positive binary integers into denary.
- Recognize the use of binary numbers in computer systems.
- Represent integers as hexadecimal numbers
- Show understanding of the reasons for choosing hexadecimal to represent numbers
- Convert positive hexadecimal integers to and from denary
- Convert positive hexadecimal integers to and from binary
- Show understanding of the concept of a byte and how the byte is used to measure memory size.
An example of what
students will be asked to do, is to convert numbers between different base
number systems, and be able to explain how and why this systems are used in
computing, for example understanding the codification system for colors in HTML
using RGB colors and hexadecimal numbers.
I work at an
International Private School in Beijing, China.
In my classroom I have a variety of ELL students. The first group I have is formed by a couple
of English native speakers, and a couple of students with advanced fluency, who
have been studying for a long time in international schools, or are from
countries with a strong English language program in their schools. For this group of students the language I
will be speaking (computer science) will be foreign one anyways, so I will always
start every unit reminding them that in this class (contrary to others) most of
them are being exposed to the material for the first time, I remind them that
we are all “newbies” and that not understanding is ok.
With this group of
students I will use connection to other academic areas, for example I will ask
them to count in decimal system and come up with an algorithm for counting
using manipulatives. I ask them to
develop a method to explain how to count to a toddler (ones, tents, hundreds,
etc. are brought back to memory), and then I translate their method to the
other numeric systems.
Another group of my
students are in the beginning fluency stage, I find this to be one of the most
difficult stages to deal with, given that my school does not have a formal
evaluation process for ELL students, and therefore these students are difficult
to identify at first. Their
conversational level is good enough for you to believe they are in another
stage, so it is easy to make assumptions of their understanding. For this group of students one strategy will
be to pair them with the advanced fluency ones, so they can help them make the
connections they could possible have lost due to lack of vocabulary. These students will work in pre-arranged
pairs of advanced fluency and beginning fluency to create a visual organizer
(mind map, table, etc.) to summarize the uses of hexadecimal numbers in
computing and explaining the reasons why this encoding is used and the benefits
of it. All CS students are also going to
be asked to keep a glossary of terms for themselves. For students in this level, they will be
asked to find formal definitions using appropriate terminology and to keep the
glossary with them at all times. These
students will often be target of my open-ended questions, so I can re-phrase
their answers with proper grammar or terminology, they will be encouraged to
used their glossary when responding to these questions.
I have another student
who recently moved to China. As
explained before we don’t have an official way to evaluate his level of
English, but given the few conversations I’ve been able to exchange with him, I
believe he is in an early production stage.
The textbooks and support material are out of his reading level and his
responses are rare and using only very basic sentence structure. He might be also simply passing through the
mute stage of a third culture kid, but while he adjusts, I am planning to ask
him to produce a different kind of assignments.
I will be giving him written and will read aloud multiple-choice
questions, instead of open ending ones for the beginning of the class. I will be using a lesson in which I use the
students as bits from the computer, and holding white or black cards they will
represents the bits being on and off (0 – 1).
It is a very simple way to understand binary numbers, and to explain
some of the conversion techniques, and as it is highly visual, is perfectly
suited for this level of ELL students. I
would also provide this student with a glossary of terms that I created myself
(rather than asking him to create it based on textbook reading), and I will use
simpler sentences that he can repeat to define the concepts of the unit.
I have one student
only in the Speech emergent stage; her first language is Chinese. In her case,
I will use some of the same techniques I am planning to use in the previous
case. Additionally, I will ask her to do
her group activities together with one of my Chinese speaking with advanced fluency
ELL, so they can switch to Chinese when necessary during group work. Questions for checking on last lesson topics
will be aimed to short answers, and she will as well be provided with a
glossary of terms written in a simpler way that she can use as a reference when
answering questions. I will encourage
her, to take notes during lectures, and I will illustrate how she can take
notes using diagrams and graphics that will later help her to go over the
topics covered.
This is a unit that
adapts easily to the different English levels of the students, as it is more
practical and requires a lot of mathematical and not necessarily verbal or
written skills. I’ve found in the past
that explaining this topic with the help of videos, and activities like the ones
explained before, works for everybody as it fits a variety of needs not only
ELL needs.
References:
Haynes, J. (1998). Stages
of Second language acquisition. Retrieved September 16, 2016, from Everything
ESL: http://www.everythingesl.net/inservices/language_stages.php
Robertson, K. & Ford, K (2009). Language Acquisition: an
Overview. Retrieved September 16, 2016, from Colorin Colorado: http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/language-acquisition-overview#h-stages-of-language-acquisition
Bongolan, R & Moir, E. (2005). Key Strategies for Teachers of English-Language Learners. Retrieved
September 15, 2016, from: https://www.suu.edu/ed/fso/resources/esl-six-key-strategies.pdf
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