Instructing the English Language Learner ELL in the Regular Classroom By Janet L. Pierce with information from: Pennsy

1. Instructing the English Language Learner (ELL) in the Regular ClassroomBy Janet L. Piercewith information from:Pennsylvania Department of Education BECs; PDE/PaTTAN Video conference presentation, Feb. 24, 2005; TESOL, 1997.

2. 2 The Role of the ESL Teacher is to: Design appropriate English language courses and teach English language/literacy for academic and social purposes to ELLs Test, place and exit students from the ESL program Facilitate ELLs’ cultural adjustment Create a safe environment for newcomers

3. 3 ESL Teacher role continued: Serve as a liaison and outreach to ELLs’ families Deliver information on ESL and ELLs to colleagues Monitor ELLs’ social adjustment and linguistic/academic progress

4. 4 What the ESL Teacher’s role is NOT: Translation of documents Teaching or tutoring regular classroom teacher’s content and giving content tests Helping ELLs finish specific content assignments

5. 5 Content Area Teachers’ Role: Provide access to comprehensible content instruction Facilitate students’ language learning through modeling and feedback Monitor ELLs’ social adjustments and linguistic/academic progress in the specific content area classroom

6. 6 What is needed: An ESL-Content Teacher Partnership To work together to teach each other about the content and language learning the ELL will need to learn best Time to consult, discuss curricula, and how to meet the needs of each individual ELL in the class Involve the WHOLE SCHOOL, as a team, working with ELLs (guidance, social & psychological services, IST, etc.)

7. 7 Types of Partnerships: Informal- in-the hall- on the run, informal email information exchange Co-planning- in regular team- or grade level meetings or occasional co-planning for special projects Adjunct teaching in which the teacher reinforces the language required for a specific content course

8. 8 What’s next? The ELLs Get to know more about each ELL, his/her story tells a lot about how he/she learns, why he/she learns the way he/she does and how his/her culture views learning So… lets look closer at the English Language Learner

9. 9 “As a student in my country, I could talk, express my ideas and opinions. When I came to this country I became mute.”- A second year English Language Learner (ELL) Each child brings a set of values and cultural frames of reference through which he or she views the world. Not only does he/she face a strange and different world, but most find he/she has no way of making sense of the surrounding world. At least in the beginning…

10. 10 As teachers of ELLs you need to realize you are part of a TEAM that is on the first line to help the ELL adjust to his/her new surroundings and a new language. Recognizing the 3 stages of CULTURE SHOCK that each ELL may face is also important. These 3 stages are:1. Newness- when the ELL likes his/her new environment.2. Dislike of the new surroundings- ELL finds faults, noticing discomforts and problems3. Adjustment- realizing the differences that do exist and understanding them and accepting them

11. 11 Why talk about Culture Shock? You need to realize that Culture Shock produces a feeling of disorientation, which may manifest itself as homesickness, imagined illness or even paranoia (unreasonable fear). As a result the children who are experiencing culture shock may want to stay inside all of the time, to protect themselves from an unfamiliar environment. The Solution?You can help the ELL become familiar with his/her environment and expectations, give him/her many different ways to experience our culture. Be understanding and give him/her time to process what he/she sees and hears, let him/her share as he/she is able, about his/her culture

12. 12 Knowledge- try to find out what country your ELL is from and facts about the culture. Access the internet, check with the ESL teacher, read the student’s Home Language Survey Experience- find out where the ELL has lived, how much education and any health care he/she has received in his/her native country

13. 13 Needs- What literacy skills does he/she have in his/her first language and /or in English, and what level of education do the parents have?Goals- What is the English Proficiency level of the ELL as determined by the district’s English Proficiency Assessment Test (the IPT)?

14. 14 Once you know the English Proficiency Level you can go from there in determining what you can expect your ELL to do. For our purposes we will look at 3 English Proficiency Levels. The Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced levels and look at what they can do and what you can expect at each level.

15. 15  The Beginning English Proficiency Level is comprised of ELLs at:1. The Pre-emergent (they have no English and can make few or no responses).2. The Emergent (the ELLs have just begun to be aware of letters of the alphabet, and sounds and may recognize a few isolated words, universal symbols and gestures).3. The Basic English Proficiency level ( the ELLs can understand simplified speech spoken slowly with much repetition on subject the students are familiar and reply with memorized ritualistic speech and common phrases. They have a few sight words and are just beginning to understand simple writing conventions of usage, mechanics and spelling.). 

16. 16 Beginning Level ELLs These ELLs have little or NO understanding of English. They may or may not be able to respond non-verbally to simple commands, statements and questions. As their oral comprehension increases, they first imitate what others say.

17. 17 They construct meaning from: Non-print items such as pictures, graphs, maps and tables. Remember this depends on native language development and familiarity with the same types of non-print items.

18. 18 The Intermediate English Proficiency Level is comprised of ELLs who can:1. Understand more complex speech, but still need repetition. 2. Have a vocabulary of basic words and phrases that cover their usual daily situations. 3. Generate some English on their own, but may not be able to express their thoughts because of restrictions in vocabulary and knowledge of English grammar and structure. 4. Use simple sentences which may be understood but have grammatical errors. 5. Have difficulty with Academic language and more complex syntax.6. Generate more complex texts with more coherence than beginners, but will still have unconventional features in their language patterns.

19. 19 The Advanced English Proficiency Level is comprised of ELLs who can: 1. Read with some fluency and are often able to locate and identify specific facts within the text.2. Have some difficulty understanding texts in which material is presented in a de-contextualized manner, with complex sentences structure and/or abstract vocabulary.3. Read independently, but with some comprehension problems.4. Produce texts on their own for both personal and academic purposes but errors persist in structure, vocabulary and overall organization of the material. (TESOL, 1997)

20. 20 Please note: The Advanced English Proficiency Level is NOT the Fluent Level and the ELL will still need to progress in order to successfully exit the ESL program and perform at the HIGHEST level at which HE/SHE WOULD BE CAPABLE, unhindered by language deficiencies or misunderstandings.

21. 21 BICS versus CALP- What are these two terms and how do they impact the ELL in the regular classroom?

22. 22 BICS: Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills- or Social English. This is the English you hear the ELL first learn to use when talking with his/her peers. It takes 1-2 years to learn.

23. 23 BICS continued- Cognitive Processes involved- ELLs need to be able to recognize and recall information, understand meaning, apply information. Language Processes involved- ELLs need to reproduce sounds, use labels and words in context, use language structures (grammar).

24. 24 CALP: Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency - or Subject Matter or Content Course English This is the ELL’s need to be able to read and do work in each class. It take 5-7 years to learn.

25. 25 CALP continued Cognitive Processes involved- ELLs need to be able to analyze parts for their relationship, synthesize or put parts together to form new ideas, and evaluate the worth of an idea, notion, theory, information or opinion. Language Processes involved- ELLs need to be able to rely on the context of the language for semantic meaning, understand language in a functional, meaningful way across setting, topics and breakdowns in communication.

26. 26 Meanwhile…you must help the ELL learn in your classroom. How do you do it? What is the key to success?

27. 27 Consider cultural background…Imagine YOU are recently employed in a foreign country or studying the native language of a foreign country!

28. 28 You would face differences in these issues: gender teacher/student relationships, former school experience home situation work ethic time demands to translate and then complete assignments and homework (some students are also studying their native language with weekend classes and homework expectations) 

29. 29 Adapt Instruction: Allow Alternate Responses ( give choice of printed or cursive written responses, oral responses, illustrations, and /or provide an outline of notes for highlighting) Modify amount of work (especially reading assignments ) Print as much as possible ( rather than cursive writing) Increase individual participation

30. 30 More Adaptations- Cooperative Learning Techniques Oral presentation (rephrase- student to teacher and teacher to student, repeat, and speak clearly and slowly) Generate summary sentences for short segments of text

31. 31 Modify Assessment Modify tests and quizes (to reflect comprehension of smaller units of information) Make expectations brief and clear Do not use new words on tests that ELLs have not had explained to them

32. 32 Modifying Assessments continued When writing- ask for summary sentences instead of essays, use cloze activities, word banks, matching exercises should be in groups of 5, allow more time When giving oral responses, allow the use of notes, tape record responses, allow practice time

33. 33 Monitor the social and emotional well-being of the ELLs If you observe signs of depression, low self esteem, social problems, developmental issues, problems with health or hygiene or if you need help understanding family and ethnic dynamics, contact the ESL teacher and school counselor

34. 34 When adapting your Unit Plan Look at the main concepts you want the ELL to learn from that unit. Prioritize your ideas- most important to least important

35. 35 What are ideas that have Context? Can they be illustrated? Make or select a picture that can illustrate your main ideas- list vocabulary that the ELL can learn from that will use simple sentences. Ex- Weather Cycle- label the parts, write sentences: It is hot. The sun shines. It rains. The clouds have water. What Multiple Intelligences will make it easier to understand the main ideas? Teach to the ELL’s and other students’ strengths- Use MI to develop simple plans for the ELLs to learn what you cover in class.

36. 36 Activities for the Beginning ELL: Draw pictures to summarize what has been discussed in class and from student/teacher notes Make lists of words that are key (keep it short and simple) Write simple sentences- It is big. It is a cat. Oral retelling of factual information with pictures provided tape recording an ELL reading a few words

37. 37 Activities for Intermediate ELLs Make a web of words that cover key points Make an outline of short sections of information Keep a daily response journal Oral role play with other students Make a tape of an ELL reading a few sentences Give simple oral responses to simple questions

38. 38 Activities for Advanced ELLs Write summaries Keep a detailed daily response journal Write a report Make up and tell a story Tape record a whole story Role play more detailed roles in a play, or story Read a book and answer questions about the content in paragraph form, being sure that there is context to draw from

39. 39 Support Services and Websites Enchanted Learning- print friendly pages on a variety of subjects: www.enchanted learning.com Office of English Language Enhancement and Academic Achievement for Limited English Proficient Student: www.ed.gov/offices/OELA/ or www.ed.gov/offices/OBEMLA Pennsylvania Department of Education: www.pde.state/pa.us Dave’s ESL Café Idea Cookbook- ideas for teaching ELLs a variety of subjects: www.eslcafe.com/ideas/

40. 40 With all your teaching strategies you are well equipped to proceed with your plans to develop adapted lessons for the English Language Learner.