A Walk Through Haverstraw Middle School

THE PROGRAM: A Walk Through Haverstraw Middle School is a beginning speaking, reading, and writing project for new Limited English speaking learners to develop a vocabulary for "survival" in their school environment. It integrates the geography of the building, the names and loca tions of specialized classrooms and personnel, the responsibilities of school employees, and the names of things immediately outside the building. Students are actively engaged in a creative photographic (art) experience where the results are displayed, labeled, matched, classified, and used to play games.

Learners are taken on a "field trip" around the building and directly outside. Each is given a disposable camera to record what they see. After photos are developed, they are labeled. Photos are classified according to location and matched to a school map. Students practice reading, writing, and saying the names of the places and things they visit in class pairs, individually, and at home. A picture record is created for later use with other newcomers or others with limited vocabularies.

THE STUDENTS: A Walk was developed for twelve non-English speaking students who are also limited in their first language. It can be adapted as an ongoing activity for the acquisition of new vocabulary wherever and whenever there are new words or concepts to learn. Students take an active role in deciding what they want to know.

THE STAFF: The project was developed by Gail Jakubowski, a second year ESL/Reading teacher at Haverstraw Middle School. She was assisted by the faculty, staff, paraprofessionals, and administration in the building, as well as the learners' parents and other students.

MATERIALS & FACILITIES: Materials include cameras, art supplies, writing materials, and what exists inside and outside of the building, as well as a virtual reality field trip of the school created by other students in Haverstraw Middle School.

OUTSIDE RESOURCES: Eventually other field trips are taken and recorded for use.

OVERALL VALUE: The program helps new, non-English speaking students face frightening and demanding tasks. They successfully connect through a survival English experience together, thus reducing anxiety about the transition to a new experience and a different language.

RECOMMENDED FUNDING: $300.00

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

DEVELOPER: Gail Jakubowski

SCHOOL:

Haverstraw Middle School
16 Grant Street
Haverstraw, N. Y. 10927
(914) 942-3400

PRINCIPAL: Raymond Hagadorn

DISTRICT: North Rockland Central School District

The Welcome Page Back To The Table of Contents Building an Impact II Network
Adaptor Application Impact II Sponsors Teacher Development Programs
Learn More about Impact II Participating School Districts