Charlotte Annotated Bibliography

Charlotte Wesley-Musonda
EDU 551-50, Spring 2011
Annotated Bibliography

I am teaching a grade 10-level U.S. History unit on the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. This subject is usually either omitted from the curriculum or given only brief mention. However, it is an important chapter in American history, and has more recent parallels with McCarthyism of the 1950’s, and the detention of Muslims after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. In addition to three trade book sources to supplement the textbook, I have chosen the two websites below to provide additional perspectives on the internment and its aftermath. Please note that the web addresses below are valid, but for some reason I can't link to them in Blogger. Just copy and paste a website address into your web browser and it will take you right to the site. My home internet is down, I've been fiddling with it for a couple of hours. I'm at the library to post this....it's been one of those days!

1. Trade book: The Japanese American Internment Camps
ISBN 1-56006-345-9
Flesch-Kinkaid: 11.4

Sakurai, Gail. (2002). The Japanese American Internment Camps. New York, NY: Children’s Press.

This is another comprehensive book about the internment, but at 41 pages, it is much shorter than the other trade books I chose. The content mirrors that of Coopers book, but each chapter is shorter and the treatment more abbreviated. Furthermore, although the Flesch-Kinkaid readability estimate is 11.4, my sense is that the book is actually much easier than that. The font size is large, and there is a glossary of more difficult words, which are highlighted in boldface. At the end of the book there is a simple timeline of the internment and related postwar events. These reader friendly devices, together with the book’s copious photos and other visuals, make it inviting for below grade level readers. As an assessment, students will 1) complete a reading guide, and 2) work as a group to create a photo/graphic collage of the internment issue for display in the classroom. Each student will chose 5 items to copy/reproduce for the collage (fair use regulations would permit this) and compose the accompanying captions.

2. Trade book: Fighting for Honor: Japanese Americans and World War II

ISBN 3-395-91375-6
Flesch-Kinkaid: 10.5

Cooper, Michael. (2000). Fighting for Honor: Japanese Americans and World War II. New York: Clarion Books. Children’s Press.

This book provides a comprehensive, expository approach to the internment, the 100th and 442nd Nisei (Japanese-American) army units that fought in Europe, and the period immediately after the war. In addition to providing a factual account of events, the psychological consequences of the internment and the Nisei soldiers’ experiences on the battlefield and upon returning home are discussed. Photos, maps and other graphics help increase reading comprehension and interest. As an assessment, students reading this book will work in pairs to choose one chapter about which to make a factual, visual poster to be presented to the rest of the class.

3. Trade book: Farewell to Manzanar

ISBN 978-0-553-27258-1
Lexile 1040

Houston, Jeanne Wakatsuki, and Houston, James D. (1973). Farewell to Manzanar. New York, NY: Random House.

This book is an autobiographical novel that follows Jeanne Wakatsuki (Houston)’s life from just before the bombing of Pearl Harbor through her family’s relocation to Manzanar internment camp in California in 1942. Wakatsuki talks about her fears, dreams and the reality of life in the camps, touching on landmark events like the loyalty oath conflict and resulting camp riots. She also describes how the internment destroyed family life and broke the spirits of first generation Japanese immigrants like her father.

Another theme of Farewell to Manzanar is the exclusion and rejection she experienced as a racial minority and the resultant psychological confusion and alienation, particularly after being released from Manzanar. This theme of the book will likely resonate with minority student readers. In addition, it is easy to read, neither the structure nor the vocabulary is difficult. As an assessment, students will choose 3 out of 10 discussion questions for which to write a one-paragraph response. In addition, students will work in pairs or groups of 3 to write a short skit (2-5 minutes) based on a scene from the book, which will be performed to the class. A short introduction to the skit that can be read to the class will precede each performance.

4. Website: Exploring the Japanese American Internment through Film & the Internet

National Asian American Telecommunications Association.
http://caamedia.org/jainternment/
Retrieved March 28, 2011.

This is a comprehensive website about the Japanese American Internment. The readability estimate is 12.0 on the Flesch-Kincaid scale, but to me the text is easier to read and understand than some of the other websites I’ve chosen. It is divided into three sections, each of which contains accompanying video clips. I will ask the students to review all of the sections, but will focus on the section “Postwar and Impact Today” which details the hardships endured during resettlement, the lasting effects on internees and their descendents, and government policy and actions to redress the internment. I will supplement this section with a reading guide. In addition I will ask the students to view the video clips, and choose one clip on which to write a one-paragraph summary, and a one paragraph personal response.

5. Website: “Letters from the Japanese American Internment”, correspondence between San Diego librarian Clara Breed and young internees.

Smithsonian Institution.
http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/educators/lesson_plans/japanese_internment/index.html
Retrieved February 21, 2011.

By reading actual letters written by child internees, students will gain a more personalized view of the internment. From the standpoint of a pen pal, each student would choose a letter and write a one page response to it, in the form of a reply letter. The reply letter should reflect what the student has learned factually about the Japanese-American internment and conditions in the camps. The response letters would be shared with the class.

Inquiry Group Essential Question #2 & 1 source

Charlotte Wesley-Musonda

April 4, 2011

Inquiry Group Essential Question #2 & 1 source

Qu.: How can educational technology enhance English as a Second Language student comprehension and interest?

This week I looked at instructional software packages for teaching English as a Second Language (ESL). A popular and well-known brand is “Rosetta Stone”, which has products for many languages and audiences—adult, child, government, corporate, home school, and lastly, school classrooms.  I looked around the subsection for classrooms and ESL. The website does not give a detailed look at the actual software, one must contact the company directly for more information.  However, it offers “case studies” (a.k.a. testimonials) from a variety of school district users. 

An advantage of using an ESL software program is that students can work at their own pace. One of the school districts highlighted on the Rosetta Stone website is Centralia, California. This district is very heterogeneous, with pockets of wealth as well as areas of poverty and transience. Many children from the poorer areas speak limited English, and attend school only sporadically.  The Rosetta stone software package was implemented to help such students by assessing their English level and beginning immersion type instruction at that point.  Students can pick up where they left off, if they stop school and return later. In this way, student transience does not affect class progress, and each student can be engaged at his or her own level, regardless of native language. One area of difficulty I anticipate in adopting this type of software-based curriculum is that many students needing ESL instruction are illiterate in their native languages to varying degrees, so they need to learn to read and write in addition to learning English. My next step would be to research whether there is an ESL curriculum available that teaches literacy as well as language acquisition.

I think using a software package for ESL instruction is an excellent use of educational technology.  Programs such as Rosetta Stone are available via the internet or through individual licenses and CD-ROMs.  They incorporate not only a language lab-type listening component, but reading, writing and comprehension instruction as well. The instruction is built with appealing graphics and interactivity that frees the teacher from having to put together their own multimedia supplements and allows them to focus on student needs.

Bibliography:
Rosetta Stone Corporate website

http://www.rosettastone.com/schools
Retrieved April 4, 2011

Inquiry Group Presentation Information

Last week we decided on the order of our inquiry group presentation, listed below:
1) Natalie- Factors influencing literacy instruction fir ELLs
2) Anna- Pre-reading and building background knowledge for ELLs
3) Maggie- ELLs and Differentiation
4) Shannon- Special Education and ELLs
5) Charlotte-ELLs and educational technology

Each of us is going to develop our slide and send it to Natalie, who will compile it into a group PowerPoint presentation. Our plan is to go from general/background to special/specific, with technology as an "add on".

My own presentation on ELLs and educational technology will be last because technology can be applied to all of the (previous) topics.

Content Area Blog websites #4

Content Area Blog

Charlotte Wesley-Musonda EDU 551-50

March 28, 2011

I am in the final stage of teaching a grade 10 level U.S. History unit on the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.  In addition to three book sources to supplement the textbook, I have chosen an additional website below to provide another source on the internment and also a web link to introduce the topic of parallels with the detention of suspected terrorists after the 9/11/01 attacks.

1. “Exploring the Japanese American Internment through Film & the Internet”. National Asian American Telecommunications Association.

http://caamedia.org/jainternment/

Retrieved March 28, 2011.

This is a comprehensive website about the Japanese American Internment.  The readability estimate is 12.0 on the Flesch-Kincaid scale, but to me the text is easier to read and understand than some of the other websites I’ve chosen. It is divided into three sections, each of which contains accompanying video clips. I would ask the students to review all of the sections, but would focus on the section “Postwar and Impact Today” which details the hardships endured during resettlement, the lasting effects on internees and their descendents, and government policy and actions to redress the internment.  I would supplement this section with a reading guide.  In addition I would ask the students to view the video clips, and choose one clip on which to write a one-paragraph summary, and a one paragraph personal response.

2. “Relatives of Interned Japanese Americans Side with Muslims”. The New York Times, archived article, April 3, 2007.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/03/nyregion/03detain.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

Retrieved March 28, 2011.

This is a link to an archived New York Times article that introduces the topic of the internment of Muslims after the 9/11/01 terrorist attacks.  Students would be asked to read the article, and then ask a comprehension questions, using the laptop/projector.  I still need to find more factual information about the Muslim detentions to facilitate a class discussion of the topic.

Inquiry Group Essential Question #2 & 1 source

Charlotte Wesley-Musonda

March 21, 2011

Inquiry Group Essential Question #2 & 1 source

Qu.: How can educational technology enhance English as a Second Language student comprehension and interest?

I continue to look for ways in which technology can enhance English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction, and in this case specifically, how language comprehension and interest can be increased.  In my search, I found that Brigham Young University’s Technology Assisted Language Learning Group has developed a dramatic narrative component of it ESL program. Previously, the group had developed 3-5 minute videos to introduce specific language tasks, i.e. for greetings and introductions. However, the group found that the short video clips were not involved enough to hold learners’ interest, nor did they teach language tasks in rich context.  To combat the problem of “decontextualization”, the team began producing dramatic narrative videos approximately 45 minutes long.  Each video included about 12 language tasks embedded in natural context with dramatic interest. One video, entitled “Fronk”, was a comedy about a high school student from Eastern European living with his mother in the United States. The video follows Fronk as he moves to a new school and tries hard to make friends and fit in.

"Fronk"

The videos were produced using BYU’s theatre students as screenwriters and actors. First, the story lines were written for dramatic impact, although screenwriters were required to prominently include particular topics, events, and contexts important to instructional goals. The dramatic narratives described in this article illustrate what I think is one of the most powerful uses of video technology in ESL learning.  Students are engaged in the content, and learn material in meaningful and extended context.  After learning the topics, events and contexts of a video, increasing listening comprehension and improving contextual decoding, students can extend their learning of academic English by writing structured responses to the material.  They can also write and record their own short narrative dramas, based on what they have viewed. Examples could include altered plot lines and endings, prequels and sequels.

Bibliography:

South, Joseph P., Gabbitas, Bruce, and Merrill, Paul F. “Designing Video Narratives to Contextualize Content for ESL Learners: a Design Process Case Study “. Interactive Learning Environments, v16 n3 p231-243, Dec. 2008.

Retrieved from:

http://www.informaworld.com.ezp.lndlibrary.org/smpp/content~db=all?content=10.1080/10494820802114044

March 14, 2011

Content Area Blog websites #3

Content Area Blog

Charlotte Wesley-Musonda EDU 551-50

March 14, 2011

I am teaching a grade 10 level U.S. History unit on the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.  In addition to three book sources to supplement the textbook, I have chosen the two additional websites below to provide perspectives on the internment and the Pacific War in general.

1. “Children of the Camps: Internment History”. The Children of the Camps Project. (documentary produced for PBS, broadcast in 1999 and 2000).

http://www.pbs.org/childofcamp/history/index.html

Retrieved March 12, 2011.

This is a companion website to a documentary film of the same title that was broadcast on PBS.  The Internment History section of the website has four subsections, which I would ask the students to review.  I would give particular emphasis to the copy of the official letter of apology written by President Bill Clinton and sent to Japanese Americans interned during the War.  We would have a class discussion about the letter, the accompanying reparations, and any historical parallels that students can draw. (What about Slavery in America?)

2. “World War Two in the Pacific: Timeline of Events 1941-1945”. The History Place.

http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/pacificwar/timeline.htm

Retrieved March 12, 2011.

I would ask students to review the timeline,  pick out five pivotal events in the Pacific War and explain their significance.  The students’ findings/conclusions would be shared with the class as we construct our own abbreviated timeline of those significant events, using the laptop, projector, and digital projection camera.  Next, I would initiate a class discussion about how the Pacific War events influenced the internment of Japanese Americans.

Inquiry Group Essential Question Part 2 & 1 source

 

Qu.: What are effective uses of educational technology in English as a Second Language instruction?

I found an interesting article outlining a study “Comparing Face-to-Face and Electronic Discussion in the Second Language Classroom”, by Mark Warschauer of the University of Hawaii at Manoa.  (In my search I found several scholarly articles and a book authored by Warschauer, and it appears that the University of Hawaii is a powerhouse in ESL research.)  In his study, Warschauer tests the hypothesis that using “computer-mediated communication” can foster more equal participation among students.  Small groups of English language learners (ELLs) conducted English language discussions both electronically and face-to-face. The study concluded that a) there was a tendency toward more equal participation in computer mode, and b) students used more formal and complex language (lexically and syntactically) in electronic discussion than during face-to-face communication.

In addition, the article discusses other benefits of computer-mediated communication.  Several cited studies reported that using the computer to teach English language composition also had an equalizing effect on participation, namely that women’s participation increased because the “floor” was shared more equally, rather than being dominated by a few students, hesitant writers benefited from electronic peer critiquing, and weaker students increased the amount of communication with both their teachers and other students. Another study posited that electronic communication is linguistically from both traditional written and spoken discourse, in that the language used in electronic discussion is as complex as written text, yet it resembles face-to-face discussion in terms of functions performed. This could serve as a bridge for transferring skills from the written to the spoken domain.

As a result of reading this article, I will try to incorporate electronic discussions in ESL classes to increase students’ equality of participation, complexity of language used, and transfer of skill from written to spoken domain.

Bibliography:

Warschauer, Mark. “Comparing Face-to-Face and Electronic Discussion in the Second Language Classroom”, CALICO Journal 13(2), 7-26. 1996

https://www.calico.org/memberBrowse.php?action=article&id=604

Inquiry Qu #1 & answers (English Language Learners and Literacy)

Charlotte Wesley-Musonda

Inquiry Group Essential Question & 1 source

Qu.: What are effective uses of educational technology in English as a Second Language instruction?

In beginning the exploration of my inquiry question, I found an online article in the Educational Technology and Change Journal entitled “ESL/EFL Teachers and How they Use Technology”.  The article author interviewed several teachers to discover their best practices and caveats regarding technology use in the ESL/EFL.  First of all, however, it is important to draw the distinction between ESL (English as a Second Language) and EFL (English as a Foreign Language) instruction, because the distinction determines the type and amount of technology available.  ESL is the teaching of English in an immersion environment, in a country where the primary language is English and non-native speakers are learning.  EFL is English language instruction in a non-immersion environment, i.e. in a country where English is not the primary language.

In an immersion (ESL) environment, many teachers incorporate English instruction with computer skills training in a computer lab setting.  Other effective uses of computer labs in ESL instruction include grammar, reading and listening comprehension exercises. Monitored use of “Pronunciation Power” software was found to be effective as well. It was further noted that computer lab use can be especially helpful for reading comprehension. 

In the ESL or EFL classroom (as opposed to a computer lab setting), many teachers found the use of computers with projector to use for DVDs and PowerPoint presentations effective. Teachers also use camera to provide photo and video enhancement of lessons. Cameras are also used with projectors to share student work and other documents, eliminating the need for an overhead projector and making transparencies. To increase the ESL /EFL classrooms interactivity, the use of interactive whiteboards and clickers (Student Response System) was suggested. Outside of class, many teachers use email, wikis, blogs and social networks such as “Ning” (online platform for people to create their own social networks) and even Skype with chat function to augment instruction.

Bibliography:

Zimmerman, Lynn. “ESL/EFL Teachers and How They Use Technology”, Educational Technology & Change (etc) Journal, June 3, 2009. (http://etcjournal.com/2009/06/03/esleft-teachers-and-how-they-use-technology )

Content Area Blog websites #2

Content Area Blog

Charlotte Wesley-Musonda  EDU 551-50

February 21, 2011

I am teaching a grade 10 level U.S. History unit on the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.  In addition to three book sources to supplement the textbook, I have chosen the two websites below to provide additional perspectives on the internment.

 

1. “Letters from the Japanese American Internment”, correspondence between San Diego librarian Clara Breed and young internees. Smithsonian Institution.

http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/educators/lesson_plans/japanese_internment/index.html

Retrieved February 21, 2011.

I would assign a letter to each student to read and write a short reflection comparing the letter to what they have learned factually about the Japanese-American internment and conditions in the camps.  The reflections would be shared with the class.

JARDA: Japanese American Relocation Digital Archives

http://www.calisphere.universityofcalifornia.edu/jarda/

Retrieved February 21, 2011.

I would ask each student to choose a work of art (painting) contained within the website and write a reflection on what the artist is trying to portray and express, and to compare/contrast the scene in the painting with what the student has learned about the internment from factual sources. The reflections would be shared with the class.

At the end of the unit, the students’ reflections will be compiled into a PowerPoint presentation, or into an online document where they can post comments on each other’s work.

Revised Annotated Bibliography Prospectus

Charlotte Wesley-Musonda EDU 551-50            February 14, 2011

Annotated Bibliography Prospectus:

I would like to teach a unit on the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II as part of a high school U.S. History course. I searched for three trade books to support the unit, and came up with more than three possibilities.  I requested all of the books from my local library and reviewed them to choose the three most appropriate items to use for the unit.  The revised annotated bibliography prospectus is below.

Cooper, Michael. (2000). Fighting for Honor: Japanese Americans and World War II. New York: Clarion Books.

(Young Adult, 1040L)

Houston, Jeanne Wakatsuki, and Houston, James D. (1973). Farewell to Manzanar. New York, NY: Random House.

            (Young Adult, 1040L)

 Sakurai, Gail. (2002). The Japanese American Internment Camps. New York, NY: Children’s Press.

             (Juvenile)

Yancy, Diane. (1998). Life in a Japanese American Internment Camp. San Diego, CA: Lucent Books.

             (Ages 12 and up 1040L)

Subtopics for Inquiry Group: English Language Learners and Literacy

Factors that influence literacy development- Natalie
Technology for ELLs: Charlotte
Pre-reading activities/building background knowledge: Anna
Differentiated Instruction: Maggie

Charlotte Annotated Bibliography Prospectus

Charlotte Wesley-Musonda EDU 551-50         February 14, 2011

Annotated Bibliography Prospectus:

I would like to teach a unit on the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II as part of a high school U.S. History course. I searched for three trade books to support the unit, and came up with more than three possibilities.  I’ve requested all of the books from my local library because I would like to make the final decision after looking at them more closely.

Cooper, Michael. (2000). Fighting for Honor: Japanese Americans and World War II. New York: Clarion Books.

Readability: Age 12 and up; 1040L

Donlan, Leni. (2008). How Did This Happen Here? History Through Primary Sources. Chicago, IL:  Raintree.

(More advanced?)

Grunenewald, Mary Matsuda. (2005). Looking Like the Enemy: My Story of Imprisonment in Japanese-American Internment Camps. Troutdale, OR: New Sage Press.

(Young Reader’s Edition)

Lange, Dorothea. (2006). Impounded: Dorothea Lange and the Censored Images of Japanese American Internment. New York: W.W. Norton.

(General audience?)

Larson, Kirby. (2010). The Fences Between Us: The Diary of Piper Davis. New York: Scholastic.

            (Juvenile)

Sakurai, Gail. (2002). The Japanese American Internment Camps. New York, NY: Children’s Press.

            (Juvenile)

Last Witness: Reflections on the Wartime Internment of Japanese Americans, 1^st Ed. (2001) New York: Palgrave.

            (Advanced)

Houston, Jeanne W. (1973) Farewell to Manzanar: A True Story of japanese American Experience During and After the World War II Internment. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.

            Age 12 and up

Hello blog world....nothing weird to muse about yet but it will come....hopefully....