Frames for Fluency Top Questions
General Questions
- How were the themes and target vocabulary chosen?
The themes and vocabulary in Frames for Fluency are aligned to Carousel of IDEAS, 4th Edition, a comprehensive English language development program. These themes and target vocabulary were chose from a variety of sources, including a review of ELD/ESL and mainstream vocabulary lists, as well as a review of grade-level basal readers and textbooks in content areas. The sequence follows a logical progression from basic and very general words to more difficult and specific words in an effort to give English learners the same foundation as native English speakers.
- How were the grammatical forms and language functions chosen?
The scope and sequence of grammatical forms and functions follows the sequence in the Carousel program, which was influenced by The Grammar Book by Celce-Murcia and Larsen-Freeman and the work of Susana Dutro and her colleagues in delineating a focused approach to English language development. Click here for a complete list of the forms and functions covered.
- What grammatical forms and language functions are covered by Frames for Fluency?
Click here for a complete list of the forms and functions covered.
- If my students are not familiar with the target nouns in the chapter, how do I teach the target vocabulary?
The reverse sides of the Theme Pictures provide suggestions and differentiated activities to introduce and reinforce the target vocabulary for that chapter. This white paper (Strategic Oral Language Instruction) provides practical strategies you can use to get students to practice target vocabulary.
Here are additional ideas to engage students learning new vocabulary:
Stop the Music
Give each student a Picture Card. Start the music and have students pass the picture around until the music stops. Then ask: What do you have? The student responds, "I have ______."
20 Questions
Have one student choose one of the target nouns and whisper it to you. Have the other students ask 20 questions that can be answered "yes" or "no" (e.g., Is it big? Is it in the classroom?). The object of the game is for the students to guess the word by asking fewer than 20 questions.
Board Game
Make a path-type board game with colorful stickers depicting a theme, such as the circus or a holiday. Use the Picture Cards as draw cards. Have students take a draw card and name the noun. If they name it correctly, they may spin a spinner (or roll dice) and then move along the board. If they do not name it correctly, they must wait until their next turn. You may alter the language task depending on student needs and abilities. For example, you could have students say the plural form of the noun or name a synonym.
Using Frames for Fluency with Carousel of IDEAS
- If I am using Carousel of IDEAS, 4th Edition, do I need to purchase the Theme Pictures and Picture & Word Cards?
No, the same Theme Pictures and Picture & Word Cards from the Carousel program are used in Frames for Fluency. You only need the box of sentence frames and Frames Teacher's Guide for each set.
- How do I know when I should use a frame during a Carousel lesson?
In the Frames Teacher's Guide, on the top right hand corner of each frame box, it tells you the page number in the Carousel Teacher’s Guide that corresponds to a frame practice. To help plan your Carousel lesson, download these charts. These charts map out the lessons in Carousel and the corresponding frame practice.
- Set 1
- Set 2
- When and how should I use Frames with Carousel?
Frames for Fluency provides a meaningful and authentic setting to extend, reinforce, and apply the target vocabulary and language forms and functions students are learning in the Carousel lesson.
At the beginning of a lesson, use the frames to:
- informally assess student proficiency with regard to grammatical forms in order to guide instruction.
- establish a function-form link to the previous lesson/chapter.
During the lesson, use the frames to:
- introduce a specific form in relationship to a function of language.
- give students additional practice and reinforcement on a specific form used with a specific function.
- embellish on a function and form using different vocabulary.
- take advantage of "teachable moments" that arise.
At the end of a lesson, use the frames to:
- informally assess student proficiency with regard to a grammatical form in order to discern mastery of the form, which will guide subsequent instruction.
- give students an opportunity to reinforce their new learning.
- give students extended practice after reviewing the objectives at the end of each lesson.
At the end of a chapter/unit, use the frames to:
- review the grammatical forms and functions learned in that chapter/unit.
- informally assess students at a particular proficiency level.
