Teaching English Language Learners STEELI Professional Development Seminar September 8, 2010

1. Teaching English Language Learners STEELI Professional Development Seminar September 8, 2010 Presented by Fay Shin, Ph.D. Professor California State University, Long Beach Department of Teacher Education fshin@csulb.edu

2. Introduction • In the U.S., one of the growing populations in school-aged students is English language learners (ELLs), showing an approximately 170 percent increase over the last two decades. • As a group, English language learners represent one of the largest growing population groups in school-aged students in the U.S. Today there are 9.9 million students classified as English language learners in public schools, with roughly 5.5 million students classified as LEP by means of English proficiency assessment. Over 400 different languages are collectively spoken, though Spanish is the first language approximately 80 percent of these students. • By 2015, it is projected that 30 percent of the students in this nation will be English language learners, consisting of students who immigrated before kindergarten and children of immigrants who were born in the U.S.

3. In California, the English language learner population is now estimated at almost 1.6 million students or 33 percent of the entire school age population • These numbers are resulting in a K-12 population in which one in every four public school students speaks a language other than English as their primary language • (The National Center for Educational Statistics, 2006).

4. The terms English language learner (ELL) and English learner (EL) are used to refer to students whose level of English language proficiency does not allow them to participate fully in English-only instructional contexts. While there is controversy about any of the currently-used labels, the term limited English proficient (LEP) is often used in legislative, policy, and some research documents. • This label is often criticized because it is thought to imply a focus on deficits rather than a focus on normal learning processes.

5. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 stresses high standards of learning and instruction, with the goal of increasing academic achievement within all subgroups in the K-12 population. • However, English language learners present a specific set of challenges to educators because of difficulties in the acquisition of academic language proficiency and content-area knowledge (Francis, Rivera, Lesaux, Kieffer, & Rivera, 2006). • Like other populations of learners with academic challenges, underachieving English language learners require specialized instruction and intervention. • Therefore, educators must become knowledgeable about and also continue to develop effective instructional practices and interventions to augment and support academic attainment for these students.

6. This seminar will introduce and describe an approach to effective instruction for English language learners. This approach attempts to describe content area instruction for English language learners that is differentiated (from a language acquisition perspective) and integrated (language and content instruction) with the goal of impacting both English language development and scientific knowledge and skills. • Before getting in to these issues, some background and characteristics on the target population needs to be presented.

7. Achievement gaps • In all grades and content areas, results from national assessments show that English language learners or LEP subgroups fall behind their native English-speaking peers. It is a well-known fact that English language learners’ test performance is affected by their lack of English proficiency that interferes with students’ demonstrating knowledge of content. • In 2005, only 7 percent of fourth grade English language learners achieved at or above the Proficient level in National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading test, compared with 32 percent of native English speakers. • The situation is similar in mathematics achievement; only 11 percent of fourth grade English language learners scored at or above Proficient level, while 36 percent of native English speakers scored at or above the same level.

8. Characteristics of English language learners • Definition: The U.S. Department of Education defines English language learners as national-origin-minority students who are limited English proficiency (LEP) or English Language Learners (ELL). • ELL is used to refer to a portion of the English language learners population that is unable to successfully participate in mainstream classrooms when English is the only language of instruction. • The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) has more elaborated definitions for this population which highlights their accomplishments rather than deficits, describing “students who are in the process of acquiring English language skills and knowledge” (The National Center for Educational Statistics, 2006).

9. In science, 2005 NAEP test results show that only 4 percent of fourth grade English language learners scored at or above the Proficiency level, compared to 31 percent of native English-speaking students. • Also, 28 percent of fourth grade students identified as English language learners performed at or above Basic level, while 71 percent of English-speaking peers achieved at that level (The Nation’s Report Card, n.d.,a.). • It is important to note that these statistics on performance suggest that two-thirds of fourth-grade English language learners cannot demonstrate the knowledge and reasoning required for understanding the earth, physical, and life sciences at a level appropriate to Grade 4. • In simple terms, they are not able to carry out basic investigations and read uncomplicated graphs and diagrams and do not demonstrate understanding of classification, simple relationships, and energy.

10. As one can see in the national reading performance data, English language learners tend to have many difficulties on the road to becoming competent and fluent readers in their second language. • Many struggle with literacy in general, as well as vocabulary, which is one of the key components in academic language in content areas and reading comprehension. • Additionally, many contextual influences such as prior schooling, home literacy practices, and print access are strongly associated with the facility with which English language learners meet the challenging demands of learning to read.

11. Within-group diversity • While English language learners are often considered a unitary group, there are many within-group differences. These differences include factors not only related to language proficiency, but include factors such as SES, immigration history and status, amount of schooling in the native language, cultural factors, family, and so forth. • These factors can impact instructional considerations independently as well as interactively, and represent many factors that fall under the general label of opportunity to learn. • They may include things such as background knowledge, experience and practice in the development of academic language, print environment, access to adults with extended school literacy experience, and cultural differences, including perspectives on education. Each of these may have independent effects on learning, but may interact in complex ways as well.

12. Definition of Terms • LEP- Limited English Proficient • EL- English Learner • ELL- English Language Learner • ELD- English Language Development • ESL – English as a Second Language • SDAIE- Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (sheltered) • CELDT – California English Language Development Test

13. Identify students’ English proficiency levels according to the required national, state or district ESL standards • California ELD Standards: • Beginning (Level 1) • Early Intermediate (Level 2) • Intermediate (Level 3) • Early Advanced • Advanced

14. Second language acquisition • A. Language is acquired when it is meaningful. • B. Comprehensible input is required. “ We acquire language when we understand the messages or obtain Comprehensible Input” (Krashen, 1988)

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18. Order for ESL Instructional Medium • *Realia- real objects Most effective • *Model of the object • *Photos • *Drawings • *Written Word • *Oral Word Least effective

19. “ We acquire language when we understand the messages or obtain Comprehensible Input” (Krashen, 1988)

20. Primary language vs. second language as a medium of instruction? • “time on task” theory

21. Affective variables relate to the success in second language acquistion. • 1. Affective variables: • Motivation • Self-confidence • Anxiety • 2. When teaching English language learners, teachers need to remember to keep the learner’s affective filter low

22. Academic Language • 1. ELLs’ language needs are complex, and while they benefit from ELD instruction per se, they also need instruction in the use of English in the content areas (math, history, science, etc.). • Cognitively demanding and complex concepts need to be taught through sheltered instruction or SDAIE (Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English) • 2. Content area instruction provides challenging vocabulary and gives ELLs the opportunity to keep up in subject matter. Instruction must be comprehensible.

23. Important components for an ESL program • ESL “time” must occur daily. A recent study suggest ELD probably benefits from a separate period (NCELA 2006). • Includes instruction focusing on needs for specific English proficiency levels: • Students are grouped according to English proficiency levels and needs NCELA found teachers spent more time on oral English and were more efficient and focused in their use of time • Minimum 45 minutes • Encourages oral participation • Builds on student’s prior knowledge and experiences

24. Supporting ELLs in English Only Settings (Goldenberg, 2008) • Predictable and consistent classroom management routines, aided by diagrams, lists and easy-to-read schedules on the board or on charts. • Graphic organizers that make content and the relationships amoung concepts visually explicit • Additional time and opportunities for practice, either during school or after school • Identifying, highlighting, and clarifying difficult words and passages • Providing opportunities for extended interactions with teacher and peers

25. SDAIE Strategies for the ESL Classroom Speak slowly Lots of visuals and realia Context embedded Manipulatives and hands-on Build on prior knowledge Limit teacher-centered lectures TPR (total physical response) Use grouping strategies Focus on the meaning, not the form Graphic organizers Preview-review Alternative assessment Make the text comprehensible (Give ELLs access to the content) Make home-school connections (connect home language and culture with school) Independent reading opportunities

26. Differentiated instructional planning and lesson delivery is recommended because it considers WHO is being taught, not just WHAT is being taught

27. Activities for Language Acquisition Stages Beginning - Level 1 • Characteristics: • Students have very little comprehension • No verbal production • Activities: • Use lots of visual aids and slow speech. • Oral production not forced. • Key words written on board. • TPR (Total Physical Response) • Use realia. • Student tasks include: • listening physical actions • drawing gesturing • matching • Examples of questions: • Find the…. • Point to the….. • Walk to the…..

28. Beginning – Level 1 Characteristics: Students have limited comprehension one or two word responses. Activities: pictures role playing charts and graphs labels Student tasks include: One or two word responses. Naming, labeling Listing Categorizing Yes/no answers Examples of questions Where is the….? Is this a table? Yes or no? What color is the…?

29. Intermediate - Level 2 • Characteristics: • Good comprehension • Simple sentences with limited vocabulary • Many errors in grammar, syntax and pronunciation • Activities: • Matching, classifying • Games • Group discussions • Charts and tables • Student tasks: • Small group work • Summarizing • Describing and explaining • Role playing • Complete sentences • Retelling • Examples of questions: • Tell me about… • Why did the…. • Describe…. • What do you think…. • How did the boy feel….

30. Advanced -Level 3 • Characteristics: • Excellent comprehension • Few grammar errors • Appears fluent when speaking, but has problems with high level academics and literacy • Activities: • Paraphrasing • Use SDAIE strategies • Journals • Oral discussions • Language experience • Outlining and mapping • Newspaper articles • Student tasks: • Analyzing • Prediction • Give instructions • Giving opinions, justifying • Reading and writing • Examples of questions: • Compare (the lion and the tiger….) • Contrast (the desert and the rain forest) • Which do you prefer? Why? • How do you think this story will end?

31. Distance from the sun (in millions of miles) Pluto- 3,688 (explain it used to be a planet but it is now “demoted” to dwarf planet status) Neptune – 2,794 Uranus – 1784 Saturn – 887 Jupiter – 483 Mars – 142 Earth – 93 Venus – 67 Mercury – 36

32. Quick Start GuideThis is an example of explicit directions and questions for how a lesson plan card can be used. It is intended to be only a guideline for a person not familiar with the program to demonstrate one way of teaching it. Topic: Zoo Animals (ELD Lesson Plan Card 3.1 Level A) • Whole Group (Levels 1, 2 and 3) Instruction • Introduction/Background/Motivation: • Introduce zoo animals and vocabulary using picture cards, stuffed animals, photographs, books, videos, realia (real objects), or actual animals if possible. For example, to motivate students: • bring an animal (like a snake or bird) into the classroom and let students touch or hold it. • Bring different kinds and sizes of stuffed animals or animal figurines and put them in the front of the class • Ask students to bring their favorite stuffed animal to class. • Show pictures of a zoo and ask students if they have ever been to the zoo. • Ask students: How many of you have been to the zoo before? • What animals have you seen at the zoo? • What do you do at the zoo? • Record responses on chart paper. Make a table or draw a cluster map representing the answers. • Read a book about animals or the zoo. Using the book A Trip to the Zoo, show the front cover and ask students if they can predict what the book is about. Say and ask students questions such as: • I am going to read a book. • Does anybody know what this book is going to be about? • Why do you think the book is going to be about _______?

33. Beginning (Level 1) • Some vocabulary words for zoo animals: elephant, lion, alligator, bear, eating. • Guided Instruction: Using realia (real objects), visuals or picture cards, point to the animal and identify them several times. Say the words and enunciate each word slowly and clearly. • (Teacher points as she says the following): • This is an elephant. • Say elephant. • Is this a lion?(pointing to the elephant picture). No. This is an elephant. • This is a lion. (point to a lion) • Is this a lion? Yes. • This is an alligator. This is a bear. (Repeat with different animals) • What animal is this? • Point to the alligator. • What color is the bear? • What is the bear eating?

34. Intermediate (Level 2) and Advanced (Level 3) • Vocabulary words: fur, wings, trunk, scale, sharp • (Note: These words are in addition to the Beginning- Level 1 vocabulary. Review vocabulary words for Level 1 first) • Guided Instruction: • Introduce vocabulary words pointing to the pictures. • Lions have fur. Do you know other animals that have fur? • This elephant has a trunk. Do you have a trunk? Does a lion have a trunk? • Birds have wings. • Have students identify and classify the animals. • Which animals have fur? • Which animals have wings? • Which animals have a trunk? • Ask students to come up and show the class an animal you name. • Sally, where is the lion? Come to the front and hold it for me. • Juan, where is the alligator? Come to the front and hold it for me. • Who is holding the bear? • Which animal do you like? • If you like lions, come and stand next to Sally. • Tell me about this bear. • Describe what a giraffe looks like. • What do you think about alligators? • Why do you think a giraffe has a long neck? • Why do you think alligators have sharp teeth? • Why do you think bears have lots of fur? • Which animals do you like? Why? • Which animal would you prefer? Why? • Compare an elephant and a giraffe.

35. Language Experience Approach activity • Choose a topic (zoo animals, lions, our favorite animals, etc.) • Write the title or topic on chart paper or a white board. • Ask students to create a story or give you sentences about the topic. • Write the sentences on the chart paper. • When you are finished, read the sentences to the class slowly and clearly. • Read it again but ask students to read it with you. • Ask students to read it on their own if they can (silently or outloud) • Ask students to copy the sentences on a piece of paper. • Have students illustrate their own paper. • Example of a Language Experience activity: • Zoo animals • There are lots of animals at the zoo. • I like the lions. • I like elephants. • Lions have fur. • Elephants are big and have trunks. • Take-home book: Small and Big Animals • Pass out copies of the take-home book. Fold and staple them together. • Read the take home book to the students. • Repeat and ask students to read it with you. • Have students read the take home book silently. • Have students color the pictures and complete the activity on the last page (let students work independently, in pairs, or in groups if they choose)

36. Components for ESL Lessons • Each lesson should have at least one or more SDAIE strategy listed for each component of the lesson. • Lesson topic or theme: • Grade and English Language proficiency level: • Language objective:Content objective: • ESL Standards • Key vocabulary: • Supplementary materials: • Introduction or motivation strategies for ESL Lessons: • (Build background and connect prior knowledge) • Realia, Graphic organizers: clusters, mapping, charts, tables • Ask questions about what they know, Share personal experiences, KWL , reflective journals or charts • Picture cards, Photos, Literature, Field trip, Games, Poem, Music and songs • Guided Instruction/teaching: • (presentation, teaching sequence) • Independent activity, Practice, Application: • Oral Practice • Reading and Writing • Assessment/evaluation: • Extended Activities:

37. ESL Lesson Plan Template • Lesson topic or theme: • Grade and English language proficiency level: • Language objectives:Content objective: • Key vocabulary: • Supplementary materials: • Introduction or motivation strategies: • Guided Instruction/teaching: • Independent activity, Practice, Application: • Assessment/evaluation: • Extended Activities

38. Example of differentiated activities for Vocabulary Development Vocabulary words for clothing: pants, dress, socks, shirt, scarf, hat, skirt, blouse Reminder: Use realia or pictures to demonstrate • Beginning (Preproduction and Early Production, Level 1) • (Teacher points as she says the following): • Everybody wears different clothes. • I (the teacher) am wearing a skirt and blouse. • He is wearing a shirt. He is wearing pants. He is wearing socks. • She is wearing pants and a shirt. • She is wearing a scarf. • She is wearing a dress. • Point to shirt. • Point to the socks. • Point to the pants. • Point to the scarf. • Are you wearing a skirt? • Are you wearing socks? • Is this a hat? • Is this a dress? • Intermediate (Level 2 or speech emergence) • What is she wearing? (point to her blouse) • What is this? (point to socks, pants, skirt, etc.) • What do you wear with pants? • Is this a dress or a blouse? • Advanced (Level 3 or intermediate fluency) • Why are you wearing pants? • What do you like to wear? Why? • Do you prefer to wear pants or a skirt? • Why do you think people wear clothes? • Describe what she is wearing.

39. Integrating poetry/language arts in the content area • ACROSTIC POEMS Volatile explosion Occasionally erupts Lava over rocks Can we get out of the way? Ash can come out too Not safe Oh my! By Randy Drumm

40. Acrostic Poems Generates differences sEquence of DNA No two alike chromosomE by Vicente Perez Warm Extreme weather Air pressure Thunder storm Heat wave Evaporate Rain storms by Steve Vang

41. BIO Poems • I am ________ • I feel _______ • I think ________ • I like ________ • I don’t like ______ • I have _________________ • I ___________ • Example: I am (a lion, the sun, an apple, winter) • I am (the sun) • I feel  (hot ) • I think  (people like me) • I like  (to make the earth warm) • I am (made of hydrogen and helium) • I provide energy • I provide heat • I provide light

42. “I Am” Poem • Students will choose a subject (themselves or something they are studying) • Students will fill in the blanks. • When the student is finished with the rough draft, students rewrite it and make a final copy to post on the walls.

43. WORD What I think it means Definition What it means to me

47. Frayer Model (for vocabulary development or concept development) Students can develop their understanding of a word or concept by having them analyze a word’s essential and non-essential characteristics. Have students write a definition, list characteristics and write examples and non examples of the concept or word. (Adapted from Frayer, Frederick, & Klausmeier, 1969) definition Examples The third planet in order from the sun with an orbital period of 365 days earth Non-examples characteristics 5th largest planet Has life 71% covered in water Atmosphere: 77% nitrogen 21% oxygen Star Moon No life

49. Anticipation Guides • 1. Read the statement. • 2. Check “Agree” or “Disagree” before reading the article. • 3. After reading the article or text, check if the author “Agreed” or “Disagreed” with the text. Then put a check mark if you agree or disagree with the statement after reading the article.

50. Anticipation/Prediction Guide • Create anticipation (or prediction) guides for texts or investigations to help activate and assess students’ prior knowledge and to motivate student interest. • Select major concepts and statements you want your student to learn. • Choose statements that may challenge or support a student’s belief. Directions: Place a check (or write Y for yes) in the “me” column if you agree with the statement. After reading the text, check the statements that agree with the text. Compare your opinions with those in the text. ME TEXT ____ ____ A healthy mouth in an adult has thirty-two teeth. ____ ____ Your tongue helps you swallow. ____ ____ The digestive system is a very short tunnel of muscle. ____ ____ Food’s energy is measured in ounces. ____ ____ The esophagus connects the pharynx and the stomach. Anticipation guides are useful for predicting and investigating science concepts. ME Text or Observation ____ ____ Corn syrup is more dense than water. ____ ____ Water and milk have the same density.