The Lana Learn team is implementing High-Impact Tutoring with English Language Learners at Theodore Roosevelt High School.
Lana Learn’s High-Impact Tutoring (HIT) program kicked off last month, and the team is in full swing at our partner schools. The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) in Washington, D.C. funds and oversees this program. It will help approximately 315 freshmen fill in academic gaps that were widened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Read on to find out how Lana Learn Academic Coach, Annakaren, is implementing high-impact tutoring at Theodore Roosevelt High School.
I have been at Theodore Roosevelt High School for a few weeks, and it has been an interesting learning experience. I am working with English Language Learners (ELLs), and I’ve realized that I have to change my mindset and approach. Guiding my students to understand some of the topics we cover in their English classes requires a different teaching strategy than working with native speakers. I help them understand the material by giving them direct translations as needed and offering additional context. The additional context allows them to grasp culturally different concepts more easily and increases engagement. Helping students make personal connections is another useful strategy as it helps boost retention.
We are currently doing a section on rehabilitation and prison. I have been using these strategies to get the students more involved in discussions about their different perspectives on the topic. It has been rewarding for me to watch the students understand the material and relate it to their own life experiences. We’ve been focusing on finding evidence they can use to support their claims. As the students gather their evidence, I instruct them on how to write a short essay, including adding annotations. I am excited for this opportunity to help students become more confident in their English literacy skills.
