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Objectives:

Objectives:. Staff will have a better understanding of the English Language Learners they work with Staff will have a better understanding of second language acquisition Staff will leave with a tool box of strategies for working with English Language Learners.

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Objectives:

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  1. Objectives: • Staff will have a better understanding of the English Language Learners they work with • Staff will have a better understanding of second language acquisition • Staff will leave with a tool box of strategies for working with English Language Learners

  2. Understanding English Language Learners (ELLs) at our school

  3. Things to Know About Our Students • Student Arrivals: • Typically we get Burmese students in chunks; some start at the beginning of the year and others start in January/February. • Home Life: • Students are the primary care takers of the home since parents have to work. • Language Spoken at Home: • Typically, the student’s first language is spoken at home by family members • Within the Burmese students, there are a number of languages spoken: Burmese, Chin, Mara, Tedim, Haka, Falam, as well as others • Educational Background: • Many of our students come to us with limited to no educational background

  4. Things to Know Continued: • Religion and Holidays: • Our Burmese students are very religious and attend church regularly. It is important to them that the people they care about (teachers) are Christian. • Our Yemen students are practicing Muslims, a major holiday they celebrate is called Eid-Festival of Sacrifice. It will be celebrated this year from November 6-9. • Our Yemen students do not eat food at school, they have permission to go home to eat during the school day. • Music and the Arts: • The Burmese students are very musically driven. • A number of the ELLs have a passion for drawing and creating hands on projects

  5. Things to Know Continued: • Conferences: • Some parents do show up for conferences. Sometimes they bring their own translator, other times they use the ones provided by the school. • Reasons why parents do not show up for conferences: • Lack of English fluency • Do not feel welcome • Do not have childcare • Do not have transportation • Conflicting work schedule • Parents show their concern for academic success in other ways. • Work as a life lesson • Work as a lesson in the value of doing well in school • Work as a life skill

  6. People to Know: • Services: • Ann Solovey-Bilingual Support Specialist and Spanish Translator/Interpreter • Dalia Tucker-Spanish Translator/Interpreter • Mr. Pau-Burmese Translator/Interpreter • Mrs. Nang-Burmese Translator/Interpreter • Sarah Runkel-English as a Second Language Teacher

  7. Partner Talk • With a partner, discuss what it has been like for you to work with an ELL, what were some of your challenges, successes, or ah-ha moments?

  8. Instructional Myths Myth Reality Allowing students to use their native language facilitates cognitive and academic growth. Such students are about as likely to be off-task as monolingual English speakers. • Teachers should not allow students to use their native language as this will retard their English Language Development. • When ELLs speak in their native language, they are likely to be off-task.

  9. Myths about second language acquisition Myth Reality The ability to speak a second language does not guarantee that a student will be able to use the language effectively in academic settings. The challenge of learning English for school varies tremendously from learner to learner and depends on many factors • Once second language learners are able to speak reasonably fluently, their language problems are likely to be over in school. • Learning academic English is equally challenging for all second language learners.

  10. Tips for Teaching ELLs • Use manipulatives, objects, videos, visuals, gestures, and demonstrations • Group students for collaborative study and problem solving • Build on the knowledge and interests of the students • Teach content words and terms • Modify their speech • Use a variety of print material (books, magazines, brochures, websites) • Mediate complex texts through paraphrasing or restating, drawing key ideas, and using more common vocabulary and more high frequency grammatical structures • Engage students in meaningful writing • Take students on content- related field trips

  11. Tips Continued • Vocabulary Instruction • Highlight academic words • Teach multiple word meanings • Teach cognates • Teach strategies for figuring out word meanings from context • Writing Instruction • Reflective Writing • Dialogue Journals • Writing workshop • Create authentic writing activities for students to engage in. Maintain High Expectations

  12. Questions or Comments? • Please take 5 minutes to fill out the exit slip that is being passed around. Your feedback is helpful in assessing the needs of the staff. • Information taken from Myths and Realities: Best Practices for English Language Learners by Katherine Davies Samway and Denise McKeon

  13. Getting Involved • Chin National Day • February 2012 • Lutheran Social Services • http://www.lssm.org/LSSM/Page.aspx?pid=304 • Hispanic Club • Advisors: GreathenDereene and Sarah Runkel

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