Region V Head Start TA Network

2. Objectives: Briefly highlight approaches to teaching English Language Learners (ELL). Recognize the importance of culture and family to support learning. Identify effective strategies to support the child�s first language and enhance the development of a second language. Identify resources for additional information. To distinguish between language development and possible learning problems.

3. Agenda Introductions/Ice Breaker Related Head Start Performance Standards Approaches to Teaching English Language Learners Basic Strategies Characteristics and Challenges of English Language Learners Resources/Activity Closing Activity/Questions

4. Related Performance Standards 1304.21(a) Child development & education approach for all children. (1) In order to help children gain the social competence, skills and confidence necessary to be prepared to succeed in their present environment and with later responsibilities in school and life, grantee and delegate agencies� approach to child development education must: (i) Be developmentally and linguistically appropriate, recognizing that children have individual rates of development as well as individual interests, temperaments, languages, cultural backgrounds, and learning styles. (iii) Provide an environment of acceptance that supports and respects gender, culture, language, ethnicity and family composition. (3)(i) Grantee and delegate agencies must support social and emotional development which enhances each child�s strengths by: (E) Supporting and respecting the home language, culture, and family composition of each child in ways that support the child�s health and well-being.

5. Approaches to Teaching English Language Learners

6. Basic Strategies Support the child�s culture Include materials from the child�s culture Include familiar pictures and books Include materials & pictures from various cultures Support the child�s home language Allow children to use their home language in the classroom Learn key phrases in the child�s home language Seek community volunteers Encourage parents to participate in the classroom Respond to children when they communicate in their home language

7. Basic Strategies Provide opportunities for success Incorporate hands on activities Use matching games Incorporate pictures Allow children to point Play imitation games Schedule and follow a daily routine Allow children time to process information Give children extra time to respond Accept the child�s response Paraphrase Use simple sentence structures Begin with Yes/No questions Use repetitive songs and rhymes

8. Basic Strategies Encourage parents to Teach their children to have pride in their culture Share cultural traditions and stories Continue to communicate in their home language Allow/create time for children to use the languages they are learning Participate in the program Make Connections Help parents with the same language connect with each other Connect families with appropriate community resources

9. Typical Challenges of Children Who are ELL in the Learning Environment Child�s adjustment to new environment Emotional well-being Silent/latency period Difficulties adapting to the new culture (acculturation) This involves understanding different systems of thought, beliefs, emotions, and communication system Child�s health status Ability to build relationships with playmates Possibility of isolation

10. Questions To Determine if there is a Learning Difficulty To determine whether the difficulties being seen are due to learning or language problems: Has the child's problem persisted over time? As the child acquires a language, errors in his/her oral language skills will improve over a period of time. If the child has a learning problem, his/her skills will improve at a slower rate. Has the problem resisted normal classroom instruction? Does the problem interfere with the child's academic progress? If the child has received individualized instruction in the problem area and still does not improve, it could be an indication that further assessment is needed.

11. Questions To Determine if there is a Learning Difficulty Does the child show an uneven pattern of strengths and weaknesses? Does the child have good oral skills but poor fine motor skills? Is there an irregular pattern of performance? Does the child seem to get it one day and not the next? If the answer to all the questions is "Yes," or you have answered "Yes," to the first four questions, it is likely that the child needs further assessment. If the problem exists in both the first and second languages, it is also likely that the child needs further assessment.

12. Recommendations for Pre-referring Children Who Are ELL in Early Childhood The pre-referral process involves identifying challenges that a student is having and possible interventions. The purpose is to avoid unnecessary referral for special education services. The following steps assure success: Identify the problems experienced by the student. Identify the source of the problem. Present the problem to the education, health, and disabilities coordinators . Make sure that a bilingual education specialist ( from the local school district) attends the meeting along with the classroom teacher.

13. Recommendations for Pre-referring Children Who Are ELL in Early Childhood Invite the parents to the meeting. Develop a plan of action at the meeting to be implemented by all concerned parties. Have a follow-up meeting to discuss the effectiveness of the proposed interventions and how they worked or didn't work.

14. Resources and References Burnett J. (1999) Critical behaviors and Strategies for Teaching Culturally Diverse Students (ERIC Digest) The ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education. Retrieved January 12, 2005 from http://ericec.org/digests/e584.html Coltrane C. (2003). Working With Young English Language Learners: Some Considerations (Digest) Retrieved December 22, 2004 from http://www.cal.org/resources/digest/0301coltrane.html Chang H. (1996). Many languages, many cultures. Early Childhood Today, 11(3), 60-66. Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) online at http://clas.uic.edu/ De Houwer, A. (1999). Two or more languages in early childhood: Some general points and practical recommendations (Digest) Retrieved December 22, 2004, from http://www.cal.org/resources/digest/earlychild.html Litt S. Learning Disability or Language Development Issue? Retrieved January 12, 2005 from http://everythingesl.net/inservices/special_education.php National Clearing House for English Language Acquisition online at http://www.ncela.gov.gov.edu/

15. El Mercado/The Market Place www.hubbardscupboard.org/printable_booklets - Printable sight word booklets in English and Spanish for the emergent reader. http://members.tripod.com/spanishflashcards/ - Helpful tool for learning basic words in Spanish. For example: chose Basic Animals, mouse over the English word to see and hear the word in Spanish. http://mrsjones.org/spanish/menu.html - Has school words in English and Spanish with pictures. Includes links to other sites. www.sla.purdue.edu/fll/JapanProj/FLClipart/ - Simple line drawings for foreign language instructors. www.literacycenter.net � Play and learn lessons in English, Spanish, German and French. http://www.islaonline.com/ - Puerto Rican Treasures from Caribe Direct. Purchase products from Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. Products include children�s books and music. http://www.nlci.org/resource/latienda.htm - National Latino Children�s Institute website store which has a variety of children�s books in English, Spanish and bilingual. http://gourmetsleuth.com � Online catalog that carries Mexican kitchen utensils. There are items such as a child�s wooden tortilla press, tortilla baskets and tostoneras, a plantain press used to make to stones. Tostones are traditional to Puerto Rico and other Latin American countries also.

16.  QUESTIONS & ANSWERS