ELL Handbook 2015

English Language Learner Resource

School District of La Crosse

ELL Best Practices and Service Recommendations Prepared For the Staff and

Administration of the School District of La Crosse

Fall 2015

This handbook revision represents the work of the ELL Resource Committee in 2013-14.

Committee Members:

JoAnne Cappuccio, Danette Tritch, Benita Socha, Karen Markwardt, Pheng Lo, and Rob Tyvoll. Contained in this booklet is information that will be helpful in understanding the acquisition of a second language and the best practices for the instruction of ELL’s. It is the committee’s hope that you will find it a valuable and worthwhile resource.

Contents

Topic Page # English Language Proficiency Levels and CAN DO Descriptors ELL Program Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Understanding Our ELL Population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Learning a Second Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Culture Shock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 ELL Grade/Classroom Placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 ELL District Staff Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Instructing ELL Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Preparing for Day One with Your ELL Student: Suggested Practices Recommended ELL Instructional Approaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Best Practices for ELL’s in the Mainstream . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Elementary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Middle School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 High School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

APPENDIX A: Additional Suggestions for Incoming ELL Students . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 APPENDIX B: Websites for Teachers and Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

English Language Proficiency Levels Current WIDA Language

World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment

Level 1—Beginning/Preproduction: (WIDA= Entering) The student does not understand or speak English with the exception of a few isolated words or expressions. Level 2—Beginning/Production: (WIDA = Beginning) The student understands and speaks conversational and academic English with hesitancy and difficulty. The student understands parts of lessons and simple directions. The student is at a pre-emergent or emergent level of reading and writing in English, significantly below grade level. Level 3—Intermediate: (WIDA = Developing) The student understands and speaks conversational and academic English with decreasing hesitancy and difficulty. The student is post-emergent, developing reading comprehension and writing skills in English. The student’s English literacy skills allow the student to demonstrate academic knowledge in content areas with assistance. Level 4—Advanced Intermediate: (WIDA = Expanding) The student understands and speaks conversational English without apparent difficulty, but understands and speaks academic English with some hesitancy. The student continues to acquire reading and writing skills in content areas needed to achieve grade level expectations with assistance. Level 5—Advanced: (WIDA = Bridging) The student understands and speaks conversational and academic English well. The student is near proficient in reading, writing, and content area skills needed to meet grade level expectations. The student requires occasional support. Level 6—Formerly LEP/Now Fully English Proficient (WIDA = Reaching) The student was formerly limited English proficient and is now fully English proficient. The student understands, speaks, reads, and writes English, and possesses thinking and reasoning skills to succeed in academic classes at or above the student’s age or grade level. Refer to the WIDA website for grade level can do descriptors http://www.wida.us/standards/CAN_DOs/

ELL Program Overview The School District of La Crosse provides English Language Learner (ELL) services for ELL students from Pre-Kindergarten through high school. The vast majority of these

ELL students are Hmong from Laos, Thailand and the U.S. However, ELL’s representing a number of other language groups are served as well. Some of these languages include Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, Urdu, Chinese, French, Japanese, Bulgarian, Laotian, and Arabic. This representation often shifts from year to year. The School District of La Crosse’s ELL program had its unofficial beginning in 1979 serving three ELL’s. By 1984-85, this program

had developed into a state approved ELL/Bilingual program with over 400 students. ELL students were serviced by the district’s highly trained staff of ELL certified teachers, highly qualified teacher assistants, and the Supervisor of Academic Programs. During the 2004-2005 school year, the district experienced a significant increase in ELL numbers. This program expansion was due to the closing of the Wat Tham Krobook (Hmong refugee site) in Thailand. With this closure, the city of La Crosse welcomed the arrival of 25-30 Hmong refugee families including 100-150 school-aged children. These children initially receive educational services in district Newcomer classrooms. The ELL population in the School District of La Crosse has fluctuated significantly since the program’s inception. Most recently, at the beginning of the 2014-2015 school year, the district was serving approximately 400 ELL students. An overview of the district’s ELL population patterns is presented in the following graph:

Understanding our ELL Population: Why They’re Here As indicated earlier, the majority of the ELL students enrolled in the School District of La Crosse are Hmong refugees from Laos. Many of these students and their families found it necessary to resettle in the United States because of their affiliation with the CIA during the Vietnamese War. The Hmong were recruited and trained by the CIA as part of a secret army developed to aid the United States in its fight against Communist North Vietnam and Laos. When the United States withdrew its troops in 1975, tens of thousands of Hmong men, women, and children had

been killed or wounded. Countless Hmong were left homeless. To remain in Laos was not an option for many Hmong, especially those who had directly aided the United States. Therefore, great numbers of families and individuals escaped from Laos to refugee camps in Thailand. The district has a large paj ntaub (story cloth) demonstrating several Hmong folktales that are explained through a computerized touch screen. This is available to all schools, through the Office of Academic Programs. Contact that office to reserve a time to have it sent to your school. The following links, for example, provide additional cultural information: Hmong: http://www.hmongculture.net/ http://www.cdc.gov/tb/publications/guidestoolkits/ethnographicguides/hmong/chapters/chapter2.pdf Chinese http://www.cdc.gov/tb/publications/guidestoolkits/EthnographicGuides/China/chapters/chapter2.pdf Mexican http://www.cdc.gov/tb/publications/guidestoolkits/ethnographicguides/Mexico/chapters/chapter2.pdf Visit the CDC or other websites for additional cultures. Learning a Second Language Learning a second language is a natural, developmental process very similar to learning a first language. Learners generally proceed from listening and comprehending to speaking and eventually to reading and writing. The rate of language acquisition is not to be equated with intelligence; rather, the rate of acquisition is affected by a variety of inter-related factors including the economic, social, personal, and circumstantial factors impacting each student. While language mastery may take years to emerge, Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) generally develop over a period of two to three years. Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency Skills (CALPS), including specialized language and jargon, require a much longer period of time to acquire, frequently from five to nine years. Universal instructional practices need to address academic content in a way that can be understood by ELL's. See section on best practices for Language Acquisition. Culture Shock

It is important to remember that ELL’s may experience varying degrees of psychological and adjustment problems due to culture shock and stress in their new environment. These factors must be taken into account when teaching and assessing ELL’s. Studies show that psychological and adjustment problems can occur at any time, but most often surface at about 18 months after arrival in the U.S. Ironically, this is also the time that more language expectations are placed upon the student. Studies also show a recurrence of these problems between 6 to 8 years after arrival. Stressors in the Resettlement Process

• Within the Family System: Role changes occur between adults, children, male, female, and the elderly. A change in values and behaviors is forced upon family members.

• Within the Native Culture: Survivors often experience guilt and post-traumatic stress. Self-identity is threatened and a sense of marginality results.

• Within the Mainstream Society: Refugees and other immigrants are confronted with the frustration of language barriers, employment, a school system, and cultural barriers including communication patterns and interpersonal relationships.

• Within Aspirations: Refugees and other immigrants must face and resolve future concerns of education, career, and family.

Age Appropriate ELL Grade Level Placement The proper grade and classroom placement of an ELL student should be the same as all other learners.

• Age:

! Elementary: 5-11 years of age ! Middle School: 11-14 years of age ! High School: 14-18+ years of age

At times it may seem prudent to make exceptions to these guidelines based on learner needs. However, while the urge may be strong to initially place an ELL in a lower grade to compensate for a lack of educational experiences, research suggests that this practice is generally thought to be more harmful than beneficial to the student’s overall adjustment. As a result, the placement guidelines provided above should be followed whenever feasible.

• Educational Background: The educational background of ELL students varies between cultures. See best practices related to background knowledge.

• Peer Support:

The presence of peer support (including same language peer

support) cannot be over-emphasized. The positive aspects of motivation, oral language practice and socialization are essential if an ELL student is to perform well in an academic setting. Note that school district staff should not discourage the use of the ELL’s first language in the mainstream as the ELL’s first language is an important tool leading to the processing and development of second language (in this case, English) skills. Conversely, the negative aspects of placing a student far from his/her peer group can hinder immensely an ELL’s linguistic and academic development. Inevitably, the student will sense alienation, failure or punishment, be poorly motivated to communicate in English, and have a lack of socialization in opportunities with peers. Mainstream placement with peers and placement in an ELL program appropriate to the ELL’s linguistic and academic needs should provide the necessary mixture of social, linguistic, and academic contact.

ELL District Staff: Overview Providing a sound educational experience for a diverse and expanding group of ELL’s requires the joint energies of all district staff. Specialized ELL staff is a key part of assuring that each ELL’s unique needs are met. ELL Teachers The primary responsibility of the ELL teacher is to provide and support language arts and content instruction to students (Pre-K -12) who have been identified as English Language Learners (ELL's). ELL teachers provide instruction to, have sufficient contact with, and monitor all ELL students. They are responsible for:

• Assessing each student’s level of English language proficiency using the ACCESS (Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State) test.

• Assuring that each ELL student receives an appropriate level of instruction that supports universal classroom instruction.

• Providing ELL students with the language and skills necessary to function in the mainstream environment.

• Assisting universal instruction through differentiation and accommodations. • Providing accommodations for ELL students on state, district and building level assessments.

• Monitoring the progress of exited ELL students for a period of two years to ensure their success in the mainstream.

• Being an active participant in appropriate PLC group(s). • Serving as an instructional resource to content area teachers.

ELL teachers also work to maintain and to nurture the delicate balance that exists between pride in one’s native language and culture and the necessity of acquiring and adjusting to a new language and culture.

ELL Teacher Assistants

ELL teacher assistants are employed by the district to fulfill a variety of needs. Bilingual individuals serve in this capacity in the majority of buildings. Teacher assistants are responsible for:

• Supporting the educational development of ELL students. • Tutoring ELL’s in the content areas in individual and group settings. • Accompanying ELL’s to mainstream classes to support universal instruction. • Providing translation and interpretation in a variety of settings (classroom, parent-

teacher conferences, IEP meetings, testing, and parent communication). • Serving as a cultural/linguistic resource.

ELL teacher assistants work under the direction and guidance of the ELL teacher and building administrator and within the guidelines for teacher assistants in the School District of La Crosse.

ELL Supervisor The Supervisor of Academic Programs oversees the broader district ELL program. Responsibilities include working with all district staff to facilitate the best possible learning environment for district ELL’s. The Supervisor of Academic Programs also serves as a resource to respond to ELL related questions/issues emerging at both state and local levels and to oversee a variety of district program functions. Instructing ELL Students Language Acquisition

• ELL’s require 2-3 years to acquire Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS--- the language skills needed to function in social settings.)

• ELL’s require 5-7 years to acquire Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency Skills (CALPS—the language skills needed to function with full understanding in content area classrooms).

• Opportunities to experience both social and instructional conversation are vital. • Native language literacy benefits the acquisition of a subsequent language. • Students should be allowed to use whatever tools or accommodations necessary for their academic success, including the use of their first language.

• ELL's require instructors to speak clearly and slowly, provide plenty of wait time, give clear instructions, and focus on academic vocabulary.

• Reading and writing are integral parts of the ELL’s academic development. • Materials (including videos) designed to provide necessary schema for ELL’s

should be consistently engaged in the mainstream.

6+ years12 + years

4-5 years8-11 years

5-8 years5-7 years (no prior education in native countries

Academic Progress of ELL Students

Student age on arrival Years needed to achieve an average score at 50th percentile on national standardized tests of reading, language arts, science, and social studies.

Instructional Approaches

The use of these approaches varies by building.

1) Bilingual Supported Instruction: Language and content instruction offered in the ELL’s L1 has proven to be a highly effective means of improving second language proficiency. Bilingual instruction should be utilized as needed and provided by bilingual staff.

2) Sheltered Instruction: Modified curriculum-based content, at times paired with bilingual instruction, is an effective means of promoting second language proficiency. (See best practices for SIOP model).

3) Dual-Language Instruction: has been identified as the most successful of all ELL training models. Dual Language Instruction implies a classroom composed of both native and nonnative English speaking students. In this model, the classroom teacher rotates instruction in English and the ELL’s first language (L1) on alternate days. This model is potentially difficult to implement on a large scale within the School District of La Crosse since it requires a good deal of logistical and parental support as well as a qualified ELL teacher with equally strong language skills in multiple languages.

4) Team Teaching: Teaching performed by a group of two or more instructors assigned to the same students, at the same time, in a particular content area. This can be whole group, small group, or individualized instruction.

5) Mainstream Immersion: Students are in the mainstream classroom and receive support through resource centers, RtI, etc.

Preparing for Day One with New Arrival ELL Students The district has decreasing numbers of new arrivals in large groups. However, it is best to be prepared. While it may not be possible to do all of the following in preparing to

welcome ELL’s to your classroom, utilizing some of the following suggestions may make you feel better prepared.

Suggested Practices Be aware of the following before day one: • Naming practices • Family structure • Gender roles • Student’s educational background • Learning styles • Verbal and non-verbal behaviors • Family attitude toward education • Health care beliefs and treatments • Different discipline styles • Possible personal traumatic experience Using the following resources may help you in understanding some of the topics mentioned above: • Talk with students from the same language group • Involve parents (provide translation/interpretation as needed) • Use library and district cultural resources • Get involved with community groups • Become aware of local people with similar cultural and language backgrounds • Visit cultural exhibits, movies, etc. • Talk with students about their religious background • Identify student holidays and customs

An additional list of best practice classroom recommendations is provided for the reader in Appendix A. Best Practices for ELL's in the Mainstream

I. Elementary Best Practices for ELL's

A. Universal instruction: ELL's are most successful when universal instruction embeds scaffolding of background knowledge, vocabulary support, and differentiated instructional strategies that address the common core.

B. Vocabulary development:

“The average native English speaker enters kindergarten knowing at least 5,000 words. The average ELL may know 5,000 words in his or her native language, but very few words in English. While native speakers continue to learn new words, ELLs face the double challenge of building that foundation and then closing the gap.” (www.colorincolorado.org/educators/teaching/vocabulary)

“ELL students can communicate verbally with peers, but remember that there is a big difference between social English and academic English. Reading, writing, speaking, and understanding academic English happen in the classroom. Using a combination of the following strategies will help ELLs to close the gap.” (www.colorincolorado.org/educators/teaching/vocabulary)

C. Teaching Academic Vocabulary

1. What is academic vocabulary?

a. Words that are critical to understanding concepts taught in school. b. Words that are specialized, rather than the high frequency words of

reading and speaking. (There are, however, high incident academic words.)

c. School-related words that form the language of learning and metacognition.

2. Why must instruction of academic vocabulary be systematically taught?

a. Many students do not come from academically advantaged backgrounds.

b. It is critical for academic achievement. c. Vocabulary deficit at an early age results in problems with reading

comprehension and a substantial catching-up process.

3. What does it mean to know a word (and to what degree)? Vocabulary knowledge is a continuum that includes:

a. Never heard or saw the word before. b. Heard or saw the word and know that it is related to a particular topic or concept. c. Heard or saw the word and have a general sense of what it means. d. Have a narrow contextual understanding of a word. e. Can define a word in context but not use it in appropriate situations. f. Can recall or use a word in specific contexts. g. Know multiple meanings of a word. h. Can apply a word correctly and recognize inappropriate use. i. Can use the word naturally in thinking, writing, and talking. j. Has a rich knowledge of a word’s meaning and how it relates to other

words with similar meanings, roots, or affixes. k. Has deep knowledge of a word. Can conjugate forms and use it appropriately in figures of speech, such as puns, metaphors, and understand its use in idiomatic expressions.

4. What are the best practices for systematic academic vocabulary instruction?

a. Context: Words must be taught in a meaningful context with other

more familiar words.

b. Categorization: Many words are best understood when they are related to other words that are similar or opposite in meaning.

c. Word parts: Word parts and word derivations are critical to making meaning of words.

d. Scaffolding: Vulnerable students need high utility vocabulary (general academic purposes) and specialized vocabulary for concepts. Direct and recognizable instruction of these words is paramount.

e. Structured opportunities: Students will not develop powerful academic vocabulary just by listening to the word being used. Instruction must be interrupted and structured opportunities created for students to use the vocabulary.

5. Strategies for Teaching Vocabulary

a. Six-Step Method (Marzano)

i. Provide a description, explanation or example. (Students need to see the word and know how it is pronounced.). When introducing a new term or phrase it is useful to avoid a formal definition---at least at the start. This is because formal definitions are typically not very "learner friendly." They make sense after we have a general understanding of a term or phrase, but not in the initial stages of learning. Instead of beginning with a definition, it is advisable to provide students with a description, explanation, or example much like what one would provide a friend who asked what a term or phrase meant. Ideas: • Provide a context for the term. • Introduce direct experiences that provide examples of the term.

• Tell a story that integrates the term. • Use video as the stimulus for understanding information. • Ask students to investigate the term and present the

information to the class (skit, pantomime, poster, etc.). • Describe your own mental picture of the term. • Find or create pictures that explain the term.

ii. Ask students to restate the description or explanation in their own words. • Monitor and correct misunderstandings • Must be student’s original ideas, not parroting the teacher • Discuss with a partner • Student record (vocabulary notebook or journal)

iii. Students construct a picture, pictograph of symbolic

representation or the term. Understanding and being able to explain non-linguistic representations is crucial. • Model, model, model • Provide examples of student’s drawings (and your own)

that are rough but represent the ideas • Play “Pictionary” • Draw an example of the term • Dramatize the term using speech bubbles • Find a picture on the internet • Create Comic Books • Use Web 2.0 Tools from http://innovativocab.wikispaces.com

iv. Engage students in vocabulary activities that help them to add to

their knowledge. • Highlight prefixes, suffixes, root words that will help them

remember the meaning of the term • Identify synonyms and antonyms for the term • List related words • Write brief cautions or reminders of common confusions • Translate the term into another language for second language students. • Point out cognates to words in students' first language when possible (Spanish, for example). • Write incomplete analogies for students to complete • Allow students to write (or draw) their own analogies • Sort or classify words • Compare similarities and differences

v. Periodically ask students to discuss the terms with one another:

Think-Pair-Share • Compare their descriptions of the term • Describe their pictures to one another • Explain to each other any new information they have learned (“aha’s”) • Identify areas of disagreement or confusion and seek clarification • Students can make revisions to their own work

vi. Involve students in games that enable them to play with the terms.

D. SIOP (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol) Model makes content

material comprehensible to ELL's in the mainstream. The 8 components of the model include: 1. lesson preparation- clearly defined content and language objectives 2. building background

3. comprehensible input 4. strategies 5. interaction 6. practice/application 7. lesson delivery 8. review and assessment

See links below: http://siop.pearson.com/about-siop/ http://www.tolerance.org/supplement/sheltered-instruction-observation-protocol-siop http://www.cal.org/siop/lesson-plans/index.html

E. Additional Strategies: 1. Build background knowledge/schema 2. Pre-teach vocabulary in context 3. Focus on the meanings of word parts (root words/ suffixes/ prefixes) 4. Provide scaffolding (visual representations, word walls, graphic

organizers) 5. Encourage oral and written use of new vocabulary 6. Frequent formative assessments of vocabulary acquisition

F. Current Practice 1. RtI: For ELL's it appropriate to use screening and progress

monitoring tools, as well as Tiers 1, 2 and 3 interventions to improve instructional outcomes.

See link: www.rtinetwork.org/learn/diversity/englishlanguagelearners

2. Practice PLC: ELL teachers work collaboratively with mainstream teachers to: a. Write content and language objectives of lessons b. Determine academic language necessary for student success c. Develop necessary vocabulary supports d. Collect data and monitor progress to develop appropriate interventions (Adapted from www.allthingsplc.info)

G. Structured reading groups

1. The Daily 5 (CAFE) is an approach for teaching reading and writing consisting of a series of literacy tasks: read to self; read to someone; listen to reading; work on writing; spelling/working with words. See link below: http://www.slideshare.net/InfowhizDCSD/abridged-version-of-the-daily-5

2. The Four Block Model is an effective mainstream device for educating ELL’s. Guided reading* elements should recognize the importance of the following: phonemic awareness, nonfiction (tied to curricular content) and fiction reflecting an appropriate instructional level, like-groupings, sufficient opportunities for additional instruction (e.g., pre-teaching—schema, vocabulary, connections), bilingual assistance (when possible), linguistically diverse groupings (acceptable for most level 3-5 students), and team planning (must be inclusive of ELL teacher). *Small group instruction should be made available to reinforce reading and writing (sheltered instruction). Flexible reading groups (like-groupings) should be a part of an ELL’s daily instruction.

a. ELL’s should participate in supplementary reading instruction in addition to universal reading instruction.

b. Content instruction must be integrated using modified content reading materials and/or differentiated instruction.

c. The ELL’s background knowledge in instructional settings (schema) should be recognized by the ELL and mainstream teachers.

3. Reading Comprehension Strategy:SQP2RS (Squeepers) SQP2RS is a metacognitive strategy to help learners interact with academic text.

a. Survey b. Question c. Predict d. Read e. Respond f. Summarize The following link provides additional information (includes printable poster) http://www.siopinstitute.net/media/squeepers.pdf

H. District Resource: Moodle

See link https://mysdlax.lacrosseschools.org/groups/englishlanguagearts

I. Assessment

1. General Testing Accommodations for ELL's (Note: Allowable accommodations may vary dependent upon the nature of the assessment.)

Suggestions for reasonable testing accommodations for teacher prepared content area assessments. a. Simplify instructions and write directions at an appropriate reading level b. Limit matching items to groups of 5 c. Reduce multiple choice options to 3 d. Include a single major point in each test item (especially in true/false items)

e. Provide work banks f. Test key concepts and main ideas g. Allow more time h. Eliminate excessive wording and irrelevant information in the test items i. Make sure there is only 1 correct or best response j. Reduce the length of the exam k. Eliminate “all of the above” or “none of the above” from multiple choice l. Make all or part of the exam oral, if applicable (use native language if necessary)

m. Provide sentence starters for short answer and essay items n. Use non-verbal responses (draw a picture, diagram, graph, point to) o. Use picture representations for key concepts or vocabulary p. Avoid “trick” questions (spelling, grammar, minute details) q. Provide translation of test questions as needed

For more information see link below: http://www.esasd.net/Page/2252

2. Alternative Methods of Assessment/Evaluation

Whenever possible, it is best to use multiple assessment tools when assessing ELL’s.

a. Rubrics and Rating Scales—evaluate learning targets b. Checklists—assess according to student skill mastery c. Teacher observation and anecdotal records d. Story retelling/Summarizing – oral or written e. Cloze tests – evaluate academic vocabulary f. Journaling and Exit Slips—quickly measure student understanding g. Peer or Self-evaluation—oral or written format h. Oral interviews – Teacher-led i. Projects—can be completed independently or cooperatively

J. Elementary ELL Logistical Recommendations 1. Grades K-2: Group level 1 and 2 ELL’s in the same classroom to facilitate

access and ease of ELL instruction. 2. Grades 3-5: Group ELL students of like level (e.g., levels 1 & 2, levels 3 & 4) in same classrooms to facilitate ELL program access and small group instruction. The emphasis of ELL instruction in these grades will be content instruction through reading.

3. The elementary and middle school ELL teachers consult regarding grade six ELL scheduling.

II. Middle School Best Practices for ELL's

A. Universal instruction: ELL's are most successful when universal instruction

embeds scaffolding of background knowledge, vocabulary support, and differentiated instructional strategies that address the common core.


“The average native English speaker enters kindergarten knowing at least 5,000 words. The average ELL may know 5,000 words in his or her native language, but very few words in English. While native speakers continue to learn new words, ELLs face the double challenge of building that foundation and then closing the gap.” (www.colorincolorado.org/educators/teaching/vocabulary) “ELL students can communicate verbally with peers, but remember that there is a big difference between social English and academic English. Reading, writing, speaking, and understanding academic English happens in the classroom. Using a combination of the following strategies will help ELLs to close the gap.” (www.colorincolorado.org/educators/teaching/vocabulary)



a. Words that are critical to understanding concepts taught in school. b. Words that are specialized, rather than the high frequency words of

reading and speaking. (There are, however, high incident academic words.)



a. Many students do not come from academically advantaged backgrounds.

b. It is critical for academic achievement. c. Vocabulary deficit at an early age results in problems with reading



a. Never heard or saw the word before. b. Heard or saw the word and know that it is related to a particular topic or concept.

c. Heard or saw the word and have a general sense of what it means. d. Have a narrow contextual understanding of a word. e. Can define a word in context but not use it in appropriate situations. f. Can recall or use a word in specific contexts. g. Know multiple meanings of a word. h. Can apply a word correctly and recognize inappropriate use. i. Can use the word naturally in thinking, writing, and talking. j. Has a rich knowledge of a word’s meaning and how it relates to other words with similar meanings, roots, or affixes. k. Has deep knowledge of a word. Can conjugate forms and use it

appropriately in figures of speech, such as puns, metaphors, and understand its use in idiomatic expressions.


a. Context: Words must be taught in a meaningful context with other

more familiar words. b. Categorization: Many words are best understood when they are

related to other words that are similar or opposite in meaning. c. Word parts: Word parts and word derivations are critical to making

meaning of words. d. Scaffolding: Vulnerable students need high utility vocabulary

(general academic purposes) and specialized vocabulary for concepts. Direct and recognizable instruction of these words is paramount.



a. Six Step Method (Marzano)

i. Provide a description, explanation or example. (Students need to see the word and know how it is pronounced.). When introducing a new term or phrase it is useful to avoid a formal definition---at least at the start. This is because formal definitions are typically not very "learner friendly." They make sense after we have a general understanding of a term or phrase, but not in the initial stages of learning. Instead of beginning with a definition, it is advisable to provide students with a description, explanation, or example much like what one would provide a friend who asked what a term or phrase meant. Ideas: • Provide a context for the term. • Introduce direct experiences that provide examples of the term.

• Tell a story that integrates the term. • Use video as the stimulus for understanding information. • Ask students to investigate the term and present the

information to the class (skit, pantomime, poster, etc.). • Describe your own mental picture of the term. • Find or create pictures that explain the term.

ii. Ask students to restate the description or explanation in their own words. • Monitor and correct misunderstandings • Must be student’s original ideas, not parroting the teacher • Discuss with a partner • Student record (vocabulary notebook or journal)

iii. Students construct a picture, pictograph of symbolic representation

or the term. Understanding and being able to explain non-linguistic representations is crucial. • Model, model, model • Provide examples of student’s drawings (and your own) that are rough but represent the ideas • Play “Pictionary” • Draw an example of the term • Dramatize the term using speech bubbles • Find a picture on the internet • Create Comic Books • Use Web 2.0 Tools from

http://innovativocab.wikispaces.com

iv. Engage students in vocabulary activities that help them to add to their knowledge. • Highlight prefixes, suffixes, root words that will help them



Think-Pair-Share • Compare their descriptions of the term • Describe their pictures to one another • Explain to each other any new information they have learned • Identify areas of disagreement or confusion and seek clarification • Students can make revisions to their own work


D. SIOP (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol) Model makes content

material comprehensible to ELL's in the mainstream. The 8 components of the model include: 1. lesson preparation- clearly defined content and language objectives 2. building background 3. comprehensible input 4. strategies 5. interaction 6. practice/application 7. lesson delivery 8. review and assessment


E. Additional Strategies

1. Build background knowledge/shemas 2. Pre-teach vocabulary in context 3. Focus on the meanings of word parts (root words/ suffixes/ prefixes) 4. Provide scaffolding (visual representations, word walls, graphic organizers) 5. Encourage oral and written use of new vocabulary 6. Frequent formative assessments of vocabulary acquisition 7. When appropriate, ELLs should participate in supplementary reading

instruction in addition to universal reading instruction. 8. Content instruction must be integrated using modified content reading materials

and/or differentiated instruction.

F. Current Practices 1. RtI. For ELL's it is appropriate to use screening and progress monitoring

tools, as well as Tiers 1, 2 and 3 interventions to improve instructional outcomes.

See link: www.rtinetwork.org/learn/diversity/englishlanguagelearners

2. PLC: ELL teachers work collaboratively with mainstream teachers to: a. Write content and language objectives of lessons b. Determine academic language necessary for student success c. Develop necessary vocabulary supports d. Collect data and monitor progress to develop appropriate interventions (Adapted from www.allthingsplc.info)

G. Current Structures 1. Reading Comprehension Strategy:SQP2RS (Squeepers) SQP2RS is a

metacognitive strategy to help learners interact with academic text. a. Survey a. Question b. Predict c. Read d. Respond e. Summarize

The following link provides additional information (includes printable poster) http://www.siopinstitute.net/media/squeepers.pdf



I. Assessment

1. Testing Accommodations for ELL's Suggestions for reasonable testing accommodations for teacher prepared

content area assessments. a. Simplify instructions and write directions at an appropriate reading level b. Limit matching items to groups of 5 c. Reduce multiple choice options to 3

d. Include a single major point in each test item (especially in true/false items)

e. Provide word banks f. Test key concepts and main ideas g. Allow more time h. Eliminate excessive wording and irrelevant information in the test items i. Make sure there is only 1 correct or best response j. Reduce the length of the exam k. Eliminate “all of the above” or “none of the above” from multiple choice l. Make all or part of the exam oral, if applicable (use native language if

necessary) m. Provide sentence starters for short answer and essay items n. Use non-verbal responses (draw a picture, diagram, graph, point to) o. Use picture representations for key concepts or vocabulary p. Avoid “trick” questions (spelling, grammar, minute details) q. Provide translation of test questions as needed



Whenever possible, it is best to use multiple assessment tools when assessing ELL’s. a. Rubrics and Rating Scales—evaluate learning targets b. Checklists—assess according to student skill mastery c. Teacher observation and anecdotal records d. Story retelling/Summarizing – oral or written e. Cloze tests—evaluate academic vocabulary f. Journaling and Exit Slips—quickly measure student understanding g. Peer or Self-evaluation—oral or written format h. Oral interviews – Teacher led i. Projects—can be completed independently or cooperatively

J. Middle School ELL Logistical Recommendations

1. Sheltered Language Arts for 6th, 7th, & 8th graders as needed. 2. ELL Scheduled Resource and/or Supervised Study Hall as needed. 3. ELL team-teaching is a valuable and viable option for the middle school ELL program.

4. Level 5’s are generally served in the mainstream with support. 5. ELL student scheduling is coordinated by the ELL teacher with approval from

the school administrator. 6. The middle school and high school ELL teachers consult regarding H.S.

scheduling of incoming freshmen. 7. The middle school and elementary teachers consult regarding grade 6 ELL scheduling.

8. ELL participation in Homework Clubs will be encouraged.

I. High School Best Practices for ELL's

A. Universal instruction: ELL's are most successful when universal instruction

embeds scaffolding of background knowledge, vocabulary support, and differentiated instructional strategies that address the common core.


“The average native English speaker enters kindergarten knowing at least 5,000 words. The average ELL may know 5,000 words in his or her native language, but very few words in English. While native speakers continue to learn new words, ELLs face the double challenge of building that foundation and then closing the gap.” (www.colorincolorado.org/educators/teaching/vocabulary)

“ELL students can communicate verbally with peers, but remember that there is a big difference between social English and academic English. Reading, writing, speaking, and understanding academic English happen in the classroom. Using a combination of the following strategies will help ELLs to close the gap.” (www.colorincolorado.org/educators/teaching/vocabulary)



a. Words that are critical to understanding concepts taught in school. b. Words that are specialized, rather than the high frequency words of reading and speaking. (There are, however, high incident academic words.)



a. Many students do not come from academically advantaged backgrounds. b. It is critical for academic achievement. c. Vocabulary deficit at an early age results in problems with reading



a. Never heard or saw the word before. b. Heard or saw the word and know that it is related to a particular topic

or concept. c. Heard or saw the word and have a general sense of what it means. d. Have a narrow contextual understanding of a word. e. Can define a word in context but not use it in appropriate situations. f. Can recall or use a word in specific contexts. g. Know multiple meanings of a word. h. Can apply a word correctly and recognize inappropriate use. i. Can use the word naturally in thinking, writing, and talking. j. Has a rich knowledge of a word’s meaning and how it relates to other

words with similar meanings, roots, or affixes. k. Has deep knowledge of a word. Can conjugate forms and use it appropriately in figures of speech, such as puns, metaphors, and understand its use in idiomatic expressions.


a. Context: Words must be taught in a meaningful context with other more

familiar words. b. Categorization: Many words are best understood when they are related to

other words that are similar or opposite in meaning. c. Word parts: Word parts and word derivations are critical to making

meaning of words. d. Scaffolding: Vulnerable students need high utility vocabulary (general

academic purposes) and specialized vocabulary for concepts. Direct and recognizable instruction of these words is paramount.



a. Six Step Method (Marzano)

i. Provide a description, explanation or example. (Students need to see the word and know how it is pronounced.). When introducing a new term or phrase it is useful to avoid a formal definition---at least at the start. This is because formal definitions are typically not very "learner friendly." They make sense after we have a general understanding of a term or phrase, but not in the initial stages of learning. Instead of beginning with a definition, it is advisable to provide students with a description, explanation, or example much like what one would provide a friend who asked what a term or phrase meant.

Ideas: • Provide a context for the term. • Introduce direct experiences that provide examples of the term. • Tell a story that integrates the term. • Use video as the stimulus for understanding information. • Ask students to investigate the term and present the information to

the class (skit, pantomime, poster, etc.). • Describe your own mental picture of the term. • Find or create pictures that explain the term.

ii. Ask students to restate the description or explanation in their own words. • Monitor and correct misunderstandings • Must be student’s original ideas, not parroting the teacher

• Discuss with a partner • Student record (vocabulary notebook or journal)

iii. Students construct a picture, pictograph of symbolic representation or

the term. Understanding and being able to explain non-linguistic representations is crucial. • Model, model, model • Provide examples of student’s drawings (and your own)

that are rough but represent the ideas • Play “Pictionary” • Draw an example of the term • Dramatize the term using speech bubbles • Find a picture on the internet • Create Comic Books • Use Web 2.0 Tools from

http://innovativocab.wikispaces.com

iv. Engage students in vocabulary activities that help them to add to their knowledge. • Highlight prefixes, suffixes, root words that will help them



Think-Pair-Share • Compare their descriptions of the term • Describe their pictures to one another • Explain to each other any new information they have learned (“aha’s”) • Identify areas of disagreement or confusion and seek clarification • Students can make revisions to their own work


D. SIOP (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol) Model makes content material

comprehensible to ELL's in the mainstream. The 8 components of the model include:

1. lesson preparation- clearly defined content and language objectives 2. building background 3. comprehensible input 4. strategies 5. interaction 6. practice/application 7. lesson delivery 8. review and assessment


E. Additional Strategies 1. Build background knowledge/schema 2. Pre-teach vocabulary in context 3. Focus on the meanings of word parts (root words/ suffixes/ prefixes) 4. Provide scaffolding (visual representations, word walls, graphic organizers) 5. Encourage oral and written use of new vocabulary 6. Frequent formative assessments of vocabulary acquisition 7. When appropriate, ELLs should participate in supplementary reading

instruction in addition to universal reading instruction 8. Content instruction must be integrated using modified content reading

materials and/or differentiated instruction

F. Current Practice 1. RtI. For ELL's it is appropriate to use screening and progress monitoring tools, as well as Tiers 1, 2 and 3 interventions to improve instructional outcomes. See link: www.rtinetwork.org/learn/diversity/englishlanguagelearners

2. PLC: ELL teachers work collaboratively with mainstream teachers to: a. Write content and language objectives of lessons b. Determine academic language necessary for student success c. Develop necessary vocabulary supports d. Collect data and monitor progress to develop appropriate interventions

(Adapted from www.allthingsplc.info)

G. Current Structures 1. Reading Comprehension Strategy:SQP2RS (Squeepers)

SQP2RS is a metacognitive strategy to help learners interact with academic text. a. Survey b. Question c. Predict

d. Read e. Respond f. Summarize

The following link provides additional information (includes printable poster) http://www.siopinstitute.net/media/squeepers.pdf



I. Assessment

1. Testing Accommodations for ELL's Suggestions for reasonable testing accommodations for teacher prepared

content area assessments. a. Simplify instructions and write directions at an appropriate reading level b. Limit matching items to groups of 5 c. Reduce multiple choice options to 3 d. Include a single major point in each test item (especially in true/false items)

e. Provide word banks f. Test key concepts and main ideas g. Allow more time h. Eliminate excessive wording and irrelevant information in the test items i. Make sure there is only 1 correct or best response j. Reduce the length of the exam k. Eliminate “all of the above” or “none of the above” from multiple choice l. Make all or part of the exam oral, if applicable (use native language if necessary)

m. Provide sentence starters for short answer and essay items n. Use non-verbal responses (draw a picture, diagram, graph, point to) o. Use picture representations for key concepts or vocabulary p. Avoid “trick” questions (spelling, grammar, minute details) q. Provide translation of test questions as needed



Whenever possible, it is best to use multiple assessment tools when assessing ELL’s. a. Rubrics and Rating Scales—evaluate learning targets b. Checklists—assess according to student skill mastery c. Teacher observation and anecdotal records d. Story retelling/Summarizing – oral or written e. Cloze tests—evaluate academic vocabulary f. Journaling and Exit Slips—quickly measure student understanding g. Peer or Self-evaluation—oral or written format h. Oral interviews – Teacher led i. Projects—can be completed independently or cooperatively

J. High School ELL Logistical Recommendations

1. ELL’s are programmed into the mainstream with ELL staff support. 2. ELL team-teaching is a valuable and viable option for the high school ELL program.

3. ELL Scheduled Resource and/or Supervised Study Hall as needed. 4. ELL student scheduling is coordinated by the ELL teacher with approval from

the school administrator. 5. The high school and middle school ELL teacher(s) consult regarding H.S.

scheduling of incoming freshmen. 6. ELL participation in Homework Clubs will be encouraged, if available.

APPENDIX A

Additional Suggestions for Incoming ELL Students

" Consult your ESL teacher for assistance. " Secure the service of the district translator as needed. " Assign a buddy or peer tutor. " Allow student time to adapt. " Prepare your class for the arrival of the new student. " Use the correct pronunciation of your student’s name. " Introduce the student to the class. " Ensure that your student has the appropriate materials and equipment. " Orient your student to the school, classroom, and classroom routines. " Provide non-threatening opportunities for student participation—group response,

signaling, choice of answers, low level questions, BUT " Keep them active and involved in instructional activities. ELL’s have much to lose

and little to gain by volunteering so they often retreat to silence. " Create a comfortable learning environment that incorporates the ELL student and

honors his/her culture and heritage. " Limit over correction; production errors are signs of progress. " Promote more complex language and expression by inviting students to expand.

(e.g., “tell me more about that”,“what do you mean?”, “in other words . . .”) " Refer to best practices for strategies that work for ELL students.

APPENDIX B Websites for Teachers and Students http://www.tesol.org/ http://www.greatschools.org/special-education/support/704-cultural-differences-student-performance.gs http://eslinfusion.oise.utoronto.ca/eslinfusion/Home/index.html http://www.wausau.k12.wi.us/curriculum/esl/ http://ell.nwresd.org/ http://www.tolerance.org/ell-best-practices-collection http://www.alliance.brown.edu/tdl/ http://www.cal.org/siop/lesson-plans/index.html http://siop.pearson.com/tools-resources/index.html http://www.tolerance.org/supplement/sheltered-instruction-observation-protocol-siop http://www.rtinetwork.org/learn/diversity/englishlanguagelearners http://www.cdc.gov/tb/publications/guidestoolkits/EthnographicGuides/China/chapters/chapter2.pdf http://www.hmongculture.net/ http://www.cdc.gov/tb/publications/guidestoolkits/ethnographicguides/Mexico/chapters/chapter2.pdf http://www.cdc.gov/tb/publications/guidestoolkits/ethnographicguides/hmong/chapters/chapter2.pdf http://hopemiddle.weebly.com/-8-components-of-siop.html http://www.eslgold.com/teacher/resources.html http://learningenglish.voanews.com/ http://bogglesworldesl.com/ http://www.eslnotes.com/index.html http://www.eslsite.com/index.html

http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/ideas-for-e-l-l-s/ http://www.esl-library.com/news.php http://www.eslcafe.com/ http://www.eslamerica.us/ http://www.manythings.org/ http://www.everythingesl.net/ http://www.colorincolorado.org/

Documents

ELL Handbook 2015