Assignment 4: The Multiple Simultaneous Diverse Learning Activity (MSDLA) Assignment

Purpose: The MSDLA provides you with an opportunity to demonstrate everything you know about adjusting your instruction to accommodate and promote the learning and language development of ELs and their classmates.  In constructing the MSDLA your will develop content and language objectives, attend to Language and Literacy development (listenting, speaking, reading, and writing), support vocabulary development, utilize the Standards for Effective Pedagogy, build on the knowledge they bring from their families, communities, or other experience and modify texts making them comprehnsible for your learners. 

Learning Outcomes met:

Language and Linguistics: knowledge and skills to construct learning environments that support development of English language proficiency: literacy, academic, and cognitive development. 

Cultural Diversity Domain: create a learning environment that is sensitive to and supportive of English language learner’s cultural identities, language and literacy development, and content area knowledge. 

Instruction Domain: know, understand, and use the Utah English Language Proficiency Standards in selection of programs, practices and strategies related to planning, implementing, and managing ESL and content instruction, including classroom, organization, teaching strategies for development and integrating language skills, and choosing and adapting classroom resources. 

Family & Community Domain: demonstrate understanding of the role and contribution of family and community in the cognitive, linguistic, and social development of students. 

Directions: (The  work you do for this assignment will be turned in to jenrowehughs@gmail.com not Learning Suite.)

1. This  assignment can be created with a partner and needs to be enacted during your practicum experience. (Remember you constructed an MSDLA during TELL 440). If you are working with a partner in your practicum placement, both of you should work together on this project. If you are working alone in your practicum and can find a preservice teacher who is working with students at your grade level, partner with them for this project. If you are working in a partnership, you will turn in only one assignment except for the reflection on the project which you will each do separately. 

2. First, consult with your teacher and partner and select a content standard (math, science, social studies) from the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) Standards for your grade level. 

3. To support you in making your initial plans for the MSDLA you will turn in two documents that reveal your thinking about the MSDLA as a whole. You, along with your partner, will turn in these two documents within about a week (the dates are posted in the schedule). These present a 'rough draft' for your MSDLA and will be returned quickly with feedback or a request for a phone conversation. The purpose is to support you in doing your best work.  The links to these documents follow 

4. Now begin work on your MSDLAs using the template to guide you. You will use the Multiple Simultaneous Diverse Activity Overview (MSDLA) template to guide you. You can also access the MSDLA checklist here, which you will use to make sure you have included everything.  When you complete the MSDLA project, use the MSDLA checklist to make sure you have everything and attached here is the MSDLA rubric form that will be used to evaluate your project. 

5. You will need to attach a student rotation chart which you will use when you enact your MSDLA. You will fill this out with your student names when you enact the MSDLA in your class. This chart helps you create a flow for the students as they move through the centers and allows for all students to work with every other student in the class as they progress through your centers.

6. After you enact the center, each partner will individually write a reflection about your experience. The directions and rubric for writing reflections are found in Appendix A. The Standards for Effective Pedagogy, Assessement Literacy: Concepts, Principles, Checklist, and Strategies, and Literacy Guidelines for ELs all found in the TELL Tools book. 

MSDLA Resources

This content is provided to you freely by Equity Press.

Access it online or download it at https://equitypress.org/ptd8/msdla_instructions.