Planning+instruction+and+designing+curriculum

**Brain Research- How you think, may change the way you teach**

 * Check out the [|review] of David Sousa's book, [|How the ELL Brain Learns], to prime your thinking about how some of the best practices for teaching ELL students can be used to support all types of learners.
 * In terms of curriculum design, the paper: [|BICS and CALP: Empirical and Theoretical Status of the Distinction] by Jim Cummins at The University of Toronto concentrates on the distinction between basic interpersonal communicative skills (BICS) and cognitive academic language proficiency (CALP). Feel free to skim this paper however, critically examine the ways in which Cummins addresses language-learning. You'll note that language learning does not happen in isolation. As you read, think about how language learning applies more generally to your content area and to others across the curriculum.

** Thinking Backward to Move Forward ** "Backward design is a process that focuses on assessment first and instructional activities last. It shifts teacher perspectives. Traditional curriculum design often begins with really interesting books or activities we want to teach or are required to cover. We then design a curriculum, often on the go and then decide on some type of assessment at the end. Backward design forces teachers to look at the big picture with the end goals in mind. In backward planning teachers set the vision or the essential understanding of their curriculum or unit, decide how students will provide evidence of their learning, and finally design instructional activities to help kids learn what is needed to be successful." [|Read More Here]
 * Understanding by Design: [|Backward Design]