Biographical Surveys with CHOICE
When You Can’t Do a Home Visit
How do you connect with your students?
All students come to school with Funds of Knowledge (Gonzalez, Moll & Amati, 2005). Funds of Knowledge are family and community cultural practices, work experience, and daily routines. It is the knowledge and expertise that students and their family members have because of their place in history, their roles in their families, communities, and culture, and their acquired skills.
Unfortunately, not all schools and teachers recognize the resources Multilingual Learners bring. While the Funds of Knowledge protocol suggests conducting home visits, that isn’t always practical or advised for secondary school teachers because they are assigned well over 100 students a term. For elementary-aged students, it’s not always supported by the school.
One way to understand your students’ lived experiences and the resources they bring is to create an assignment with biographical survey questions.
Secondary students are sometimes hesitant to answer personal questions on a survey, so I suggest creating a list of possible questions (they can answer in their primary languages) and having them choose which they like best.
Interests (choose any 3 to answer)
In your free time, what do you like to do?
Have you volunteered in your community? What have you done?
What are a few books that have engaged you?
What do you like to watch on TV or YouTube?
What are some of your favorite movies?
Emotions (choose any 3 to answer)
Which of the following traits do you think best describes you: funny, thoughtful, caring, outgoing, or ________?
How do you most like to connect with your friends? Through social media, by talking over the phone or texting, or by meeting up in person?
What is one thing your teacher can do to get to know you better?
What are some things you want me to know about you?
When you are stressed or anxious, what do you do to relax?
What makes you feel the most appreciated and understood?
How would your friends or a relative describe you?
Photo by Kadyn Pierce on Unsplash
Family and Cultural Background (choose any 3 to answer)
What does dinner time look like at your house?
What are some family items or artifacts that represent your culture and identity?
Who do you admire in your family?
What are some happy memories you have with your family or loved ones?
Describe one of your family or culture traditions that you like?
Does your family have pets? If not, would you like to have a pet? What kind?
What are some of your favorite meals?
Do you have siblings? What are their names and ages? What do you do for fun with them?
Content Specific Surveys
I find it essential to understand how my MLs understand schooling, especially because formal schooling might differ in their countries. They might have different expectations of teachers, the process of schooling, and assessments. This survey helps me to have a window into what they enjoy and what they are accustomed to.
Choose (5) questions to answer.
What is schooling like in your country of birth? Hours each day? Where did you sit? What did the teachers do?
Think about one of your favorite teachers. How did they teach?
What do you especially like to study?
What topics/areas of study are most challenging for you?
How do you study best (quiet, by yourself, with music, etc.)?
What are some things you would like to do better as a student?
What do you like most about school?
What do you like least about school?
What is something you would want to learn about at school?
Which of the following is your favorite way to learn: by talking with others, by listening, by watching films, or by reading? State all or choose what works best.
Have you used surveys before?
How do you manage them?
How do they inform your teaching?