Fun in any language
Published 2:01 pm Sunday, March 12, 2017
- Miguel Baldazar reads a story he wrote to Woodson Kindergarteners Vivian Cano, clockwise, Darien Wagner, Lily Pederson and Madalynn Gorman Friday when Austin High School English language students visited the school. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
It did not seem to matter, at all, to Woodson Kindergarten Center students whether or not their new friends were from a different culture.
What they were interested in were the stories the ELL (English Language Learners) students from Austin High School were telling them.
“They liked the animals and they liked the colors,” said sophomore Ronald Valdez-Grande, of the kids’ reaction to his story, read from his laptop.
Groups of three or four kindergartners sat in front of the laptop, while Valdez-Grande read his story. During some of the recitation, the children were just inches away from the screen, so interested were they. After the story was told, the kindergarten students rotated to another area of the room, where another student author and book awaited.
Woodson Kindergarten student Darien Wagner follows along with Austin High School English language student Pu Meh Friday as Meh reads a story she wrote. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Valdez-Grande joined over 70 other EL students who read their books — a kind of test of what they have learned in class — to the children of Woodson on Friday.
“They like my story�� said Dah Ku with a laugh. “They say, ‘Ahhh … Minions!” referring to the popular characters he incorporated into his story, from the “Despicable Me” series of animated movies.
Having ELL students create their own books, combined with a reading session at Woodson has been around for several years, the brainchild of ELL instructor Kathy Sforza. The program was established over 10 years ago.
ELL instructor Arik Andersen said the beauty of the process is that not only do the high school students “get to actually work on a project that someone can see when it’s done,” the students also connect with the younger kids, some of whom are either from their native culture, or are brothers and sisters.
“It is an amazing tradition,” he said.
Meti Omad uses a laptop to tell a story he wrote as Isaac Andon follows along Friday at Woodson Kindergarten. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Kindergarten teacher Sarah Heller agreed. Her students love having the students come in.
“And they get to see that things are possible; that they could also be authors and illustrators,” she said.
ELL instructor Jonathan Hines said this marked the first year students had a choice to use traditional materials for their books, or to create a digital book. Those who chose the latter in his classroom used software called “Storyboard That” that helps students with the process of creating a book.
Either way, he said, the older students benefit from the process.
“It’s engaging; we all have stories to tell,” he said.
The kindergarten students seemed to like both forms, too. They were as interested in the traditional form, such as the physical book created by Yamilet Paz — as the others who used laptops.
ELL instructor Magda Farrell said her students will write a reflection about their experience; from past sessions, she knows her students will be “one hundred percent positive.”
“Some were terrified” to present to even the youngest of children. The experience builds confidence in language skills — and it is fun.
“It is all so amazing,” she said. “And I am so proud of them.”
