Page 28 - Scaffolding for English Language Learners

Comprehension questions
Ask questions closer to the section of text that includes the relevant information and use sentence starters.
Word work
Syntactic awareness activity
Vocabulary instructional activity
Text
Pre-teach key vocabulary and use role playing to reinforce word meanings.
Provide concrete examples and group practice.
Provide additional practice.
Teach a minilesson on cognates.
Extensions
Multiple meaning word activity
Pre-teach the concept of multiple meanings, model with text and use supplementary questions.
A Father and His Son in Mesopotamia
Almost four thousand years ago, a father and a son were walking together on the banks of a great river, close to what was then possibly the biggest city in the world: Babylon. The father, whose name was Warad (WAH-red), said to his son Iddin (ID-din), “See, my son, the great Euphrates (you-FRAY-teez) River. If this river did not flow, there would be no wonderful city of Babylon, no palaces, no gardens, not even any houses.”
Iddin said, “But I don’t understand, Father. Did all these things appear out of the water?”
“No,” his father laughed. “No one just floated the palaces down here or pulled them from the water. Let me explain, Iddin.” They sat down on a bench overlooking the wide river, which rolled before them, reflecting the palaces and religious temples that rose high on both banks of the river.
“The first people who lived along this river realized that the land surrounding the river had rich soil for planting crops, like wheat and barley for bread. These people settled along the river because the land farther away from the river was desert, and the desert is not a very good place to grow crops. These people built their homes along the river so that they could grow crops to feed themselves and their families.
“Now, let me ask you a question, Iddin. Why do you think people built our city right here?” “Because of the water?”
“Yes, the river water kept alive the plants that were grown for food. Now look around.”
And Warad waved his hand in a circle. “Now we have our great and beautiful Babylon. Of course, the people that settled in Babylon weren’t the only ones who had the good idea to settle along the river. Other people came and settled up and down the river, forming other towns and cities.
“Soon, people realized they could use the Euphrates for more than just growing food. What else do you think they discovered they could use the river for?” Warad asked his son.
Iddin thought for a moment, then asked, “To carry things from one city to another like we do today?”
“Correct!” his father bellowed. “They traveled in boats up and down the river to trade with people from other cities. The cities soon traded crops, material to make clothing, and other items that they needed. The Euphrates River is not the only river that is used in this way. People also use the Tigris River
American Institutes for Research
Scaffolding Instruction for ELLs: Resource Guide for ELA–24