CTELL: Collaborative Teaching of English Language Learners

1. CTELL: Collaborative Teaching of English Language Learners A Title III Professional Development Grant funding a five-year collaboration between UHCL and Alvin, Clear Creek, Deer Park, Pasadena and Texas City School Districts

2. Responsibility for Teaching ELLs • Over 5.5 million English Language Learners (ELLs) in US as of 2001-2002 • Supply of teachers with background to teach ELLS is far below the demand • To reach every child (NCLB): All teachers must teach content concepts and academic English

3. CTELL Goal 2 Provide high-quality professional development for secondary content teachers to help these teachers improve academic achievement, literacy and language development of ELLs

4. Linguistic Hurricane

5. From “Postcards from France” • “In the beginning, after about twelve hours of intense concentration, during which I understood every fourth word, my brain would just shut down. Sometimes I would see mouths moving all around me, but I couldn’t hear anything at all. Sometimes I heard noise, but no recognizable words at all.”

6. “By the beginning of October things were better. Sometimes I understood an entire complex sentence at top speed, with clauses, adverbs, adjectives, and tense changes. Then I got so impressed with myself that I missed the next three sentences entirely. My head pounded every night. I had to escape to my room, put my earphones on, and listen to my American music just to connect again with something familiar and comforting. In the morning, I ran a mile before breakfast to prepare myself for the trauma of the coming day.”High School Foreign Exchange Studentfrom US

7. Shelter from the Linguistic Hurricane

8. Sheltered Classes • A content class (such as math, science, social studies) taught to a group of ELLs • Teacher teaches grade level material • Teacher uses sheltered instruction techniques to make the content comprehensible • Language development as well as content are addressed

9. Sheltered Instruction within a General Education Class • General education content class consisting of native English speakers as well as ELLs • Teacher teaches grade level material • Teacher uses sheltered instruction techniques to make the content comprehensible • Language development as well as content are addressed

10. Sheltered Instruction Lesson Preparation Comprehensible Input Lesson Delivery Building background Interaction Developing Vocabulary Practice Learning Strategies Assessment

11. Who is a Good Candidate for Sheltered Instruction? • An educator who wants to help ELLs succeed • A educator who realizes that the only factor we have control over is the quality of instruction • A educator who is willing to try new techniques • A educator who doesn’t mind some noise in the classroom • A educator who likes to use easy to implement teaching strategies that work for all students

12. Sample of Teacher Feedback after Sheltered Instruction Workshop: “I wanted to let you know how very much I enjoyed and appreciated your seminars at our school in the past two weeks.   I’m sitting here today, working on a reconstructed paragraph activity to go with one of our stories we’ll do this week.  I think we’ll follow it up with a ‘find your match’ activity as well. This lesson is going to reach many more of my students than just my ELL’s.  Plus, they’ll LOVE doing it, learn more about the story than they would have otherwise, and probably retain a lot more. If you ever teach additional seminars on this, I hope you’ll let me know.  I’d pay my own way to get to go to them.” An email to Dr. Laurie Weaver received 11/07/07 from a teacher in a local ISD

13. Sample of Teacher Feedback after Sheltered Instruction Workshop: “As a first time teacher with three months in the profession and zero ideas, this class was extremely beneficial and I have implemented the Hour Buddies and the Pass the Paper Activity in my classroom. The kids absolutely love it!  And the best thing is that their vocabulary grades have gone up from 30's and 40's to all A's!!!!   My students who speak very little English are feeling more exited about learning new words. Thank you for your well organized lecture. Plus I made a new friend at the work shop!!”An email to Dr. Laurie Weaver received 3/06/07 from a teacher in a local ISD

14. Sample of Teacher Feedback after Vocabulary and Interaction Workshop:I wish I had a video camera to show you how well the students accepted this. As we were reading many of them were writing words down in the appropriate boxes. Then I collect them and make a list of the words in question. I am so excited about this, and I thank you so much for providing me with so many good ideas! Go Cougs!An email to Dr. Laurie Weaver received 3/11/07 from a teacher in a local ISD

15. How Districts Can Maximize CTELL Opportunities • Endorse the CTELL Project as one that has potential to improve the achievement of your students. • Assist with district recruitment plans. • Collaborate to recruit the right teachers for fall 2011. • Consider ways of affirming and supporting teachers who participate in the CTELL Project. • Identify ELL students in the district whose achievements could be showcased on the CTELL Website.