Overview: Teaching ELLs

1. Overview: Teaching ELLs Dr. Laura McLaughlin Taddei Neumann University Original PowerPoint created by Dr. Megan Scranton

2. Demographic Changes & Diversity • U.S. Population: Becoming more racially, ethnically, & linguistically diverse • More than 90% of recent immigrants are coming from non-English-speaking countries • Today: 1 in every 3 children is from a different ethnic or racial group • Today: More than 14 million ESL students in U.S. • By 2030: More than 50% of school-age (K – 12) population in U.S. will be ELLs • Over 400 different languages spoken in U.S. • ELLs are diverse; vary in educational & cultural experiences

3. Statistics • Only 30% of all secondary students read proficiently, but for students of color, the situation is worse: 89% of Hispanic students & 86% of African American middle & high school students read below grade level (2005) • English learners have some of the highest drop-out rates & are more frequently placed in lower ability groups & academic tracks (2004) • Only 31% of English learners complete high school (2004) • Graduation rate for ELLs in PA is 55% (2012). Why? (Turn & Talk)

4. Academic Achievement • Research says if English is not a child’s first language, that child is less likely to be successful than a native English speaker • Why? 1) Lack of acceptance & inclusion of a student’s home culture in the schools 2) Complex nature of learning a 2nd language 3) Low socioeconomic status (SES)

5. Important Acronyms • ELL – English Language Learner (student) • ESL – English as a Second Language (teacher, program) • LEP – Limited English Proficient • ESOL – English to Speakers of Other Languages • IMM – Immigrant • SLA – Second Language Acquisition • WIDA – World-Class Instructional Design & Assessment consortium • ACCESS for ELLs – Annual assessment to test language proficiency

6. Cloze Activity: Fill in the Blanks The questions that p_______ face as they raise ch________ from in_______ to adult life are not easy to an_______. Both fa________ and m________ can become concerned when health problems such as co______ arise any time after the e_____ stage to later life. Experts recommend that young ch________ should have plenty of s_______ and nutritious food for healthy growth. B______ and g______ should not share the same b______ or even sleep in the same r______. They may be afraid of the d_______.

7. Stop & Jot How does life experience and background knowledge affect students’ ability to process new information?

8. What Do You Need to Know About Your ELLs? • Their English language proficiency levels in listening, speaking, reading, & writing • Their background knowledge & experiences (including their previous formal schooling) • Their cultural values, norms, beliefs, & practices • Additional relevant student factors (immigrant & refugee status, language & social distances) • Their “special” needs, such as their giftedness, cognitive limitations, &/or behavioral difficulties • Their interests

9. Culture “The way of life of a given society passed down from one generation to the next through learning and experience.”

10. Activity: Cultural or Not? • An ELL won’t look you in the eye when you are speaking to him • The parents of your ELL do not show up (or are late) for P-T conferences or school events • An ELL hits another boy after the boy takes a ball away from him • An ELL is extremely quiet in class & never asks ??s • An ELL refuses to work in a group & has difficulty interacting with others • An ELL is always in your face & is a close-talker • An ELL falls asleep in your class

11. Developing Cultural Competency A path to Intercultural Learning • Ethnocentricity: My way is the best • Awareness: There are other ways? • Understanding: There are reasons why they act differently? • Acceptance/Respect: It’s ok to be different • Appreciation/Value: Value the difference • Selective Adoption: Take certain aspects • Multi-culturation: Stir-fry vs. melting pot

12. Becoming Cross-culturally Competent • Manage personal biases • Reduce tendency to negatively judge those who are different • Flexibility • Be warm; recognize each person as an individual • Personalize observations so others know you care • Pay attention to your own thoughts & feelings • Listen attentively/observe carefully • Assume complexity • Tolerate stress of uncertainty • Keep a sense of humor • Show respect & empathy

13. Provision of a Culturally Relevant Education for ALL Students • Develop understanding of multiethnic groups • Respect students’ ethnic identities, heritages, traditions, & beliefs – Be aware of own as well • Multiculturalism – Refers to race & ethnicity as well as class, culture, religion, sex, & age • Cultural Diversity – Refers to the wide variety of backgrounds, languages, customs, & environments represented within the larger society or a given classroom

14. Goals for a Culturally Diverse Classroom 1) Children need to feel comfortable with their ethnic identities 2) Children need to learn to function in other cultures (particularly in the dominant culture) 3) Children need to relate positively with individuals from varied ethnic backgrounds 4) Children who do not speak English or standard English must learn English, but they should also retain & value their first language(s) & culture(s)

15. Helping ELLs in the Classroom • Diverse language abilities of children – from little or no English to monolingual in English • Immerse in language-rich classrooms • Provide natural opportunities to communicate with each other – purposeful pairings • Respect & value native languages • Include plenty of words, phrases, & texts in the native languages of ELL students

16. Types of Instruction for ELLs • English Immersion: English-only instruction; effective with young children who are able to acquire new languages easily • English as a Second Language (ESL): Children are taken out of their classroom (pull-out) by a different teacher & taught English • Primary Language Instruction: Develops literacy in primary language first before shifting to bilingual or English-only instruction

17. Types of Instruction for ELLs, cont… 4) Bilingual Education a) Transitional Approach: Promotes subtractive bilingualism; English eventually replaces the student’s native language b) Maintenance Approach: Promotes additive bilingualism; students learn English while maintaining their first language c) Two-way Bilingual Approach: Used in classrooms with a mix of English & Non-English speakers; half of curriculum taught in English & Half in other language

18. Activity – The Grant Years • In groups of four, assign each member to read a paragraph from “The Grant Years” • Underline any word that is a content-based word, or a word that most students would NOT use when talking with friends • When finished, read your paragraph to your group, but substitute “blah” for the underlined words

19. Turn & Talk What kind of content vocabulary do your students need to know?

20. Build Background Knowledge & Academic Vocabulary • Activate what they already know • Use informal assessment checks • Front-load vocabulary • Revisit vocabulary frequently • Incorporate visuals, realia, & graphic organizers

21. Academic Literacy • The foundation of school success is academic literacy in English • Age-appropriate knowledge of the English language is a prerequisite in the attainment of content standards • ELLs must master “academic language” which includes semantic & syntactic knowledge along with functional language use • ELLs must acquire 3 knowledge bases: Knowledge of English, Knowledge of the content topic, & Knowledge of how the tasks are to be accomplished

22. What is Academic Language? • The language used in the classroom and workplace (academic & professional settings) • The language of text • The language of assessments • The language of academic success • The language of power Students who do not learn academic language will struggle academically & be at a higher risk for dropping out of school

23. Research Findings (from the National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority Children & Youth, 2006) • ELLs benefit from instruction in the key components of reading: Phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, & text comprehension • Instruction in these 5 components is necessary but not sufficient to teach ELLs to read & write proficiently in English. Oral language proficiency is also needed. • Oral proficiency & literacy in the student’s native language (L1) will facilitate development of literacy in English, but literacy in English can also be developed without proficiency in the L1

24. Research Findings, cont… • Individual student characteristics play a significant role in English literacy development • Home language experiences can contribute to English literacy achievement, but on the whole, the research on the influence of sociocultural factor is limited

25. More Research Findings(National Center for Research on Education, Diversity, & Excellence, 2006) • Processes of second language (L2) literacy development are influenced by a number of variables that interact with each other in complex ways • Certain L1 skills & abilities transfer to English literacy: phonemic awareness, comprehension, & language learning strategies, & L1 & L2 oral knowledge • Oralcy & literacy can develop simultaneously

26. Research Findings, cont… • Academic literacy in the native language facilitates the development of academic literacy in English • ELLs need enhanced, explicit vocabulary development • High-quality instruction for ELLs is similar to that for English-speaking students, but ELLS need instructional accommodations & support to fully develop their English skills