ESL INFORMATION FOR CONTENT TEACHERS
Helpful ESL Information
What is ESL? Or (ESOL English to Speakers of Other Language) ESL
is an acronym for English as a Second Language students. Our
district has students from a variety of countries. Some of these
students will be novices, speaking little or no English.
What are ELLs? English Language Learners
What is LEP? Limited English Proficient-Term used by DPI
What do I need to know about my students?
When communicating with the family you will need to use
translated documents when possible (from TransAct). If you need a
translator, contact the ESL department and an appointment will be
set up with prior notification.
The Novice Student
1. Cultural Shock
The novice students will be experiencing culture shock and be
moving through several stages.
Stage 1: This is the period of excitement and euphoria over the
newness of the surrounds.
Stage 2: The student seeks out the support of things familiar,
like other students from his own culture/language background. The
student might be so overwhelmed with cultural traumas that cause
him/her to be defensive.
Stage 3: This is a period of gradual, and at first tentative
recovery. Some students may again to dislike their first culture
and/ or language and not feel a part of one culture. General
progress is made as the student begins to accept the differences in
thinking and feeling that surround him.
Stage 4: This stage represents acceptance of the new culture and
self-confidence.
2. The Silent Period
During this Initial phase which can last from 6 months or more,
the students will listen and perhaps respond with gestures. During
this period, students need exposure to language that they can
understand. Study should also be centered on topics that have
meaning for the students. Do not force the student to talk. Be
aware of the cognitive processes underlying the skill of listening.
Listening is NOT a passive process; it is an active skill of
interpreting the verbal and non-verbal output of the speaker in
order to understand the message.
If students are to be expected to listen to long texts or
lectures, it is usually desirable to activate their existing
knowledge of the topic by asking questions and making connections
with existing knowledge, discussing opinions, making predictions
and sometimes by pre-teaching key words. It is also helpful if
students are told what they will have to do after they have
finished listening so they can focus on the forthcoming task.
3. Use Concrete Referents: In order to make language meaningful,
develop activities so that what is described can be seen, heard,
felt, and smelled. The use of visual aids and experiments are very
effective activities.
4. Create a Positive Climate
Student should not be embarrassed by errors,
Be warm and welcoming with your body language smile!
Provide a nurturing environment for the ELLs. Be patient.
Provide lots of opportunities for success.
Label objects in the room.
Assign English-speaking and /or similar language-speaking
buddies and peer tutors.
Encourage the student to share his language and culture with the
class.
Do not focus on student errors during communication. Try to
respond to the content of students speech and not to error.
Modeling the correct response is the best approach.
Pronounce newcomers name correctly. Determine which part is the
given name and which is the family name. Two-part first names are
common in many cultures, and may appear to be a first name and a
middle name. Ask. Use both parts of a two-part name. Hispanic
family names may also be two-part. Saying the name right isnt
always easy, but its important.
Learn a few words in the students language
Learn as much as you can about the students culture
Do not assume that all students have the same background
knowledge or prior experience
5. Other Points to Consider
Effective listening presupposes that students can hear what is
being said and are not being distracted. The teacher can wait for
silence before speaking and ensure that students listen to each
other. Teacher repetition of a students question or comment is
often necessary or helpful.
Listening comprehension is easier if supported by visual
material. As well as the obvious advantage of students being able
to see pictures or diagram of what is being talked about, it is
often helpful for them to have key words written on the board.
Consider increasing wait time to give students a chance to
process what they have heard and formulate answers in their mind.
Simply repeating or rephrasing what you have said will give
students extra time and help to process your message.
It is often helpful to give a brief summary at beginning of
lesson on what youre going to cover in the lesson, and then to
clearly signpost each section. For example: Now weve talked about
some of the effects of acid rain. I want to ask you what we can do
to reduce the problem.
A summary at the end of the lesson by the students (based on the
E.Q.)will help ELLs finally make sense of some of what they heard
during the lesson
ADVANCED PREPARATION IS ESSENTIAL
Before a mainstream teacher stands in front of the classroom,
advance preparation is essential in order to provide necessary
adaptations in content area instruction and materials for second
language learners. Teachers must consider what they should do to
make the content information accessible to their English language
learners. They need to determine the language level of instruction
appropriate for the English language learner in their class.
Teachers should:
Evaluate your second language learners' listening comprehension
skills. How much do they understand?
Simplify the language of instruction, not the concept being
taught.
Work toward depth, not breadth of information, presenting
materials in a clear, concise, comprehensible manner and
eliminating all peripheral, nonessential information.
Impart information through oral, visual, auditory, and
kinesthetic learning modalities.
Use graphic organizers, such as webs, Venn diagrams, and charts,
to make information more accessible to second language learners.
Content materials present text, which is too dense for second
language learners.
Present content area vocabulary and concepts using realia,
picture files, and hands-on activities.
Examine your students' backgrounds and learn how their past
experiences will affect learning. The impact of students'
backgrounds on learning will depend on their previous schooling,
home languages and cultures, and the concepts important to those
cultures.
Understand that ESL students may not have experience with all of
the concepts being taught in American schools. For example,
concepts such as freedom and democracy, perceptions of time, and
right to privacy may be different or non-existent in many
cultures.
Build background knowledge before teaching a lesson.
What Can I do to Help ELLs?
Paraphrasing- restating a students response in order to model
correct English.
Slow down your rate of speech, pause between phrases, and give
students wait time to process all the information in a new
language.
Think alouds point out to students when using a think-aloud and
how it can be helpful.
Avoid unclear pronoun referents ex. The boy picked up the
pencil. He put it here. Then it was time to leave. Point to what it
is you are talking about whenever possible.
Watch multiple meaning words It was a fair test. The weather was
fair. She has fair skin. It was a fair ball. He went to the state
fair.
Be careful with homophones passed/past.
Avoid or be ready explaining figurative language/culture
referents/idiomatic expressions Paul ran past at breakneck speed.
He let the cat out of the bag.
Stages of Second Language Acquisition
Silent Period/preproduction
The student-
The students is able to-
Is verbally unresponsive
May often feel uncertain and confused
May respond nonverbally
Develops listening skills
Sound meaning associations
Listen draw
Point choose
Move dramatize
Mime circle
Match underline
Early Production
The student-
The Student is able to-
Makes connections between sounds and the environment
Understands main ideas
Learns keywords and sight words
Can use context clues
Can answer orally using one-,two-, or three-word responses
Name list
Label categorize
Group tell or say
Respond answer
Use a dictionary
Speech Emergence
The student-
The student is able to-
can produce words that have been heard and understood many
times
may mispronounce words
may omit words in speaking or writing
can produce words that are heard, such as nouns, verbs, and
adjectives
Recall describe
Retell role play
Compare contrast
Use phonics restate
Intermediate/Advanced Fluency
The student-
The student is able to-
Makes more errors as speech becomes more complex
Has not mastered grammar because focusing on grammar is not
productive at this stage
Displays extensive vocabulary development
Analyze evaluate
Create justify
Defend support
Debate examine
Complete describe
Define summarize
Explain use word analysis
Sources; Colorado of Department of Education, 1997: Main
Department of Education, 1991
Two Kinds of Reading Strategies for English Language
Learners
Unsuccessful Strategies
Successful Strategies
Thinking about something else while you are reading
Setting purpose for your reading
Skipping parts you do not understand and not coming back to make
sense of them later.
Thinking about what you already know about the topic
Reading as rapidly as possible.
Thinking about what you do not know about the topic
Concentrating on figuring out what the words are.
Concentrating on getting the meaning
Making a list of every word you do not know.
Underlining important parts.
Looking up all of the words that you do not know in a
dictionary
Asking questions about the parts you do not understand.
Repeating the main idea over and over again.
Using other information to figure out what you do not
understand.
Taking notes
Picturing information in your head.
Checking back through the text to see whether you remember
it.
Sources: Vacca, Vacca, & Gove, 1987; Waxman & Padron,
1987, as cited in Padron, 1992.
Many Ways to Modify Instruction for English Language
Learners
Instructional Modifications:
break assignments into segments or shorter tasks
relate information to students experiences. Activate prior
knowledge
reduce the number of concepts introduced at any one time
monitor the level of language you use to communicate idea
check for comprehension throughout the lesson by asking the
students to retell, explain, describe
provide outlines or study guides
monitor the rate at which you present material
use graphic organizers consistently
use English/Native language dictionary for secondary level
students
avoid idiomatic language
follow predictable routines
have students sit near the front
assign a buddy.
use collaborative groups
increase amount of time allowed completing assignments and test
or reducing the amount of work.
avoid large amounts of written work, both in class and
homework.
provide visual explanation of concepts
Total Physical Response
provide realia or real life examples of things
use rubric to preteach each and model expectations
use visuals/hands-on manipulatives
use gestures to convey meaning non-verbally
build on the prior knowledge of students (make connections with
students cultures, experiences, interests and skills)
highlight/review/repeat key points and vocabulary frequently
establish consistent classroom routines/list steps for
completing assignments
use yes/no, either/or, wh- questions and why/how
create story and semantic maps
use Language Experience Approach
plan ways for ELLs to participate in class and in cooperative
learning groups
use audio tapes to reinforce learning
use simplified books/texts that cover content-area concepts
display Word Walls and charts (updated)
For literate ELLs (in their native language):
encourage older ELLs to use bilingual dictionary as a learning
tool
have student write essays/journal entries in the native
language
instruct student to write what he or she has learned in the
native language when they initially arrive
Teach Ells to ask the following:
What do the title, special kinds of print, and illustrations
tell me?
What are the most important words?
Why am I reading this? What do I need to achieve?
Do I understand what I am reading?
What reading strategies am I using, and how well am I using
them?
Vocabulary Instruction
Dependence on a single vocabulary instruction method will not
result in optimal learning. Various methods were used effectively
with an emphasis on multimedia aspects of learning, richness of
context in which words are to be learned, and the number of
exposures to words that learners receive: (National Reading Panel,
2000, p.4)
Vocabulary learning is effective when it entails active
engagement in learning tasks.
Maintaining word walls with words and their pictures on
display
Having students complete sentence stems that will show their
mastery of the meaning (The students were exuberant when their
teachers told them)
Students can keep track of vocabulary words in various ways,
including vocabulary notebooks or on index cards that they hold
together with ring clips.
Novice -Low Writers:
allow the students to touch, point, show, draw, match, select,
check circle, underline, list yes/no, circle, categorize, group (as
opposed to writing a sophisticated response)
allow the students to draw the sequence of events. Students can
later write words under their drawings
allow the student to label using words from word
banks/pictionaries
allow the student to write using single-words, simple phrases,
simple sentences, simple paragraphs (as opposed to expecting
sophisticated sentences, grammar, and/or spelling)
provide a pattern or sentence frame
use cloze sentences with a word bank
How to Develop Questioning Strategies:
Let ELLs know which questions they will be responsible for
answering in advance. Allow for think time and preparation of
answers.
Hierarchy of Questions
Ask newcomers to point to a picture or word to demonstrate basic
knowledge Point to the penguin.
Using visual cues, ask simple yes/no questions. Is a penguin a
fish?
Ask either/or questions in which the answer is embedded. Is a
penguin a mammal or a bird?
Break complex questions into several steps. Look at the mammals.
Find the bear, the dog and the cat. Why are these animals all
mammals? How are they the same?
Ask simple how and where questions that can be answered with a
phrase or a short sentence. Where do penguins live? How do bats
hear?
Do not expect your novice ELLs to answer broad open-ended
questions. How do fish breathe underwater?
Checklist for Effective Practice
The following list is taken from the Checklist for Effective
Practice with English Learners (Freeman & Freeman, 1999), with
minor adaptations.
Is curriculum organized around "big" questions?
Are students involved in authentic reading and writing
experiences?
Is there an attempt to draw on students' background knowledge
and interests? Are students given choices?
Is the content meaningful? Does it serve a purpose for the
learners?
Do students have opportunities to work collaboratively?
Do students read and write as well as speak and listen during
their learning experiences?
Are students' primary languages and cultures valued, supported,
and developed?
Are we reaching all students? Are students involved in
activities that build their self-esteem and provide them with
opportunities to succeed?
(TESOL Matters, December/January 1999)
ESL Program Models
Guilford County School district provides an alternative program
for its limited English proficient students, or English Language
Learners. The program model is English as a Second Language model.
In the ESL model, the language of instruction is English. The
native language of the child is used only for clarification and not
for instruction. Since there is a variety of languages represented
in the district, this model is more appropriate than a bilingual
model. However, the district always remains open to exploring other
program models to serve its English Language Learners. Annual
program review and evaluation provide an opportunity to revisit the
present program model and its effectiveness and to make changes
when needed.
Description of Services
The ESL classes for grades K-12 are organized into five possible
language proficiency levels: Level I (Entering), Level II
(Beginning), Level III (Developing), Level IV (Expanding), Level V
(Bridging), Level VI (Reaching). By organizing ESL classes in this
way the curriculum in ESL classes addresses the particular language
needs for students at each level of language proficiency.
Elementary Pull -Out Program
In grades kindergarten through fifth, students are pulled from
regular classes for ESL instruction. ELLs are pulled into ESL
classes by their English language proficiency level. When it is
necessary to combine grade levels, students from lower grade levels
are grouped together. Similarly, ELLs in higher grade levels are
grouped together for ESL instruction. The length of time for ESL
instruction is dependent on the English language proficiency level
of the student. Students who are more proficient may need less time
in ESL class.
ESL Class Period
It is generally used in middle and high school settings.
Students receive ESL instruction during a regular class period and
usually receive an elective course credit. They may be grouped for
instructing according to their level of English proficiency.
SIOP Sheltered Instructional Protocol
This model groups language minority students from different
language background together in classes where teachers use English
as the medium for providing content area instruction, adapting
their language to the proficiency level of the students. They may
also use gestures and visual aids to help students understand.
Content through language is the goal of this model.
Language Development Stages
Classroom Modifications
Student Name_____________________
ESL Teacher Name_____________
Classroom Teacher Name_______________
Scores___________________
Grade Level______________ Years in ESL__________________
Stages
Sample Student Behaviors
Sample Teacher Behaviors
Questioning Techniques
Pre-Production
ESL I Level 1- Students are totally new to English
- Generally lasts 1-3 months
- Points to or provides other nonverbal responses
- Actively listens
- Responds to commands
- May be reluctant to speak
-Understands more than can produce
- Gestures
- Language focuses on conveying meanings and vocabulary
- Repetition
- Does not force student to speak
- Point to . . .
- Find the . . .
- Put the . . . next to
- Do you have the . . .
- Is this a . . .?
- Who has the . . . ?
- Who wants the . . . ?
Early production
ESL I Level 2
- Students are low
- Beginners Generally lasts several weeks
- One or two word utterances
- Short phrases
- Asks questions that can b answered by yes/no and either/or
responses
- Models correct responses
- Ensures a supportive, low anxiety environment
- Does not overtly call attention to grammar errors
- Asks short answer WH-questions
- Yes/No (Is the trouble light on?)
- Either/Or (Is this a screwdriver or a hammer?)
-One word response (what utensil am I holding in my hand?)
- General questions which encourage lists of words (what do you
see on the board?)
-Two-word response (Where did he go? To work.)
Speech Emergence
ESL II level 3
- Students are beginners
- May last several weeks or months
- Participate in small group activities
- Demonstrates comprehension in a variety of ways
- Speaks in short phrases and sentences
- Begins to use language more freely
- Focuses on content on key concepts
- provides frequent comprehension checks
- Uses performance-based assessment
- Uses expanded vocabulary
- Asks open-ended questions that stimulate language
production
- Why?
- How?
- How is this like that?
- Tell me about . . .
- Think about . . .
- Describe
- How would you change this part?
Intermediate Fluency
ESL III Level 4
- Students are high beginners, intermediate or advanced
- May require several years to achieve native-like fluency in
academic settings
- participate in reading and writing activities to acquire new
information
- may experience difficulties in abstract, cognitively demanding
subjects at schools, especially when a high degree of literacy is
required
- Fosters conceptual development and expanded literacy through
content
- Continues to make lessons comprehensible and interactive
- Continues to be alert to individual differences
- What would you recommend/suggest?
How do you think this story will end?
- What is the story mainly about?
- What is your opinion on this matter?
- Describe/compare
- How are these similar, different?
- What would happen if . . . ?
- Which do you prefer? Why?
Check Appropriate Box:
-
English Language Proficiency Levels
Students Name_________________________
Students Proficiency level_____________________
__Level 1- Entering: Students at this proficiency have virtually
no functional ability in listening, speaking, reading, and writing
English. They are often new arrivals.
__ Level 2 -Beginning: Students at this proficiency are
beginning to understand language and use it in a limited capacity.
Typically, they memorize words and phrases and can comprehend and
utilize language that they have been taught.
__Level 3- Developing: Students at this proficiency are able to
understand most oral language pertaining to familiar topics but
have difficulty comprehending and using academic vocabulary. Their
speech and writing are basic and contain frequent errors.
__Level 4 -Expanding: Students at this proficiency are able to
function well in most everyday situations but still have difficulty
with academic language. They may have difficulty understanding text
beyond the literal level. They often make errors in structure and
idiomatic language.
__Level 5 -Bridging: Students at this level of proficiency can
handle most personal, social, and academic language though they
still may make occasional errors in idiom and structure. They may
have difficulty with complicated literary and academic texts and
may still need to use a dictionary when the language and context
are unfamiliar.
__Level 6 -Reaching: Students at this level are no longer
limited English proficient and in most cases function like a native
speaker. However, they may still have interference from their first
language and may have difficulty understanding nuance and tailoring
writing to a variety of audiences
Recommended Modifications
Student Name_______________________
Classroom Teacher __________________
ESL Teacher _______________________
Date ____________
How to Adapt Instruction
Graphic Organizer: These visual displays of information and
vocabulary help students recognize key concepts and their
relationships.
Used before reading, they help students build the necessary
background information to read the text.
Used during reading, they can help students take notes, see
relationships among ideas, and recognize how the text is
organized.
Used after reading, they can be used by students to note what
they understand and their own responses to the meaning (Buehl,
2001; Macon, Buehl, & Vogt, 1991, cited in Echevarria, Vogt,
&Short, 2004).
Examples graphic organizers include story maps, Venn Diagrams,
timelines, semantic webs, and charts. (See Crandall, Jaramilo,
Olsen, & Peyton, 2001.)
Study Guides: Teacher-prepared study guides are designed with
students needs in mind.
Used before reading, they can give students a brief summary of
the text and provide a guide for the reading task.
Used during reading, they can provide needed information so
students can understand new vocabulary and concepts.
Used after reading, they can offer challenges and opportunities
for students to deepen their understanding.
Outlines: Teacher-prepared outlines are designed with the
students needs and the main points of the content in mind.
Used before reading, they provide a guide for what students will
read.
Used during reading, they help students take notes.
Used after reading, they can serve as a review of the
information.
Outlines that have some of the information on them serve as
scaffolding to which students can attach additional
information.
Highlighted Text: Teachers preview the material to be read and
highlight key terms, concepts, and summaries or other important
information.
Used before reading, only the highlighted text is read. This
reduces the amount of reading students are required to do.
Used during reading, the highlighted text provides reminders of
what is important.
Used after reading, the text provides a review of the key
information.
Scaffolding Technique: Scaffolding occurs when teachers assist
students in learning new concepts. This assistance, used before,
during, or after instruction, may be delivered through the use of
paraphrasing, modeling of think-alouds, and carefully framed
explanations that enable students to make connections with the new
concept.
Scaffolding may also be provided through the use of a variety of
grouping strategies. This may include whole-group instruction in
which the teacher teaches, models, and structures student practice
with others and then has students use the procedure independently.
Or, it may refer to small-group or one-on-one instruction. In these
latter instances, students practice applying the new strategy with
another, more experienced student (Echevarria, Vogt, & Short,
2004, pp. 26-29).
Jigsaw Reading: This cooperative learning activity helps
students by reducing the amount of text that must be read. It also
limits the amount of information students must understand.
Used before reading, jigsaw reading can provide students with an
overview of the text.
Used during reading, it helps make the reading task more
manageable for them, because they do not need to attend to all of
the information in the text.
Used after reading, it can provide a review of the
information.
(Echevarria, Vogt, & Short, 2004). The adaptations, listed
below, may be used before, during, and after reading.
Regular teachers are required by law to make classroom
modifications to ensure that their instruction and evaluation is
comprehensible to ELLs. Every teacher must have knowledge of the
language proficiency of the ESL student in his or her class in
order to modify instruction and assessments. The ESL teacher will
provide classroom teachers with each students proficiency level.
Testing accommodations will be provided on ALL assessments, both in
the classroom as well as benchmarks and standardized state
tests.
Lau vs. Nichols: Equity of Educational Opportunity is not
achieved by merely providing all students with the same facilities,
textbooks, teachers and curriculum; (because) students who do not
understand English are effectively foreclosed from any meaningful
education. All English Language Learners (ELLs) are entitled to
equal access to the core curriculum and the curriculum must be made
comprehensible to ELLs. 1983 Office of Civil Rights It is our
policy to find a violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 if
Limited English Proficient (LEP) students are retained in grade for
failure to demonstrate basic skills in English.
Specific Classroom Assessment Techniques for ELLs
Evaluation can be done through observation.
A checklist can be used to record behaviors and responses.
If paper and pencil tests are given, multiple choice or
fill-in-the blank questions (with a word-bank) can be used.
Effective evaluations can be done through interviews and
questionnaires.
Total Physical Response (TPR) can be used for testing. Ask
students to touch, circle, pick up, point to, nod, or respond in
some physical way to cues/commands/directions.
Ask students to demonstrate their understanding of
procedures.
Ask students to put a strip story into proper sequence.
Ask students to reproduce the steps in an experiment or a
sequence.
Require students to keep a reading log.
Evaluate comprehension as students contribute to Language
Experiences.
Ask students to choose characters to focus on and deep diaries
of their character as the unit unfolds.
Ask students to dramatize or role-play specific situations.
Ask students to complete a graphic organizer to demonstrate
proficiency on a topic.
Observe students as they participate in games and learning
activities.
Ask students to MATCH pictures with words and/or phrases.
Ask students to complete sentences or give short answers.
Provide a word-bank when possible.
Ask students to draw or illustrate their comprehension.
Ask students to respond orallyrather than in writing.
Give students paragraphs/articles. Ask them to write
headlines.
Ask pairs or small groups of students to prepare bulletin boards
or displays on a given topic.
Have students do group projects such as report writing or
dioramas.
Give open book tests.
Have students write essays, to demonstrate understanding, not
grammatical competence.
Allow students to write a summary in their native language, if
they are literate in their first language.
Have student point to the picture of a correct answer (limit
choices)
Have student circle a correct answer (limit choices)
Ask a student to retell/restate orally and in writing
Numbered Heads or Think-Pair-Share or other cooperative group
work
Examples of Test Modifications
reduce the number of responses
make an alternative test with simplified language
assess on key or main ideas
simplify test directions
read questions aloud
supply word banks for tests
use matching activities
provide extended time for test completion
use portfolios to assess student progress
Guide for Grading
ESL students should not receive grades of D or F unless their
lack of performance on modified instruction warrants such grades,
for examplenot completing modified assignments/homework, not
turning in modified assignments/homework, not making satisfactory
progress on modified work.
ESL students will receive report card grades based on their work
(modified as necessary in the regular classroom). These grades will
be given by the classroom teacher and will not necessarily reflect
grade-level expectations. Classroom teachers should modify
instruction, assignments, and tests based on students English
language proficiencies. Report card grades should reflect these
modifications. The use of instructional accommodations and
modifications does not indicate that a student cannot receive the
highest grade in the content area.
LEP students may receive language accommodations in the
classroom while being instructed with the NCSCOS on grade level.
These students have the ability to receive the highest grade
attainable in the content area with use of language accommodations
based on the students proficiency level.
Level 1 Novice Low ELLs who have been in the United States less
than six months often do not have enough English proficiency to be
fairly graded, even on modified work. For these students, it is
acceptable for the classroom teacher not to give grades in the
content areas for the first grading period. Use the S, N, U scale
instead of traditional letter grades.
ESL teachers are expected to maintain open communication with
classroom teachers regarding appropriate expectations and
assessment of English language learners.
Grading scales are available for parents in Spanish, Vietnamese,
Arabic, and Urdu. Translated report cards and progress reports for
elementary level are on the ESL Web site. Progress reports for
middle and high school ELLs are also located on the GCS/ESL Web
site.
Regular teachers are required by law to make classroom
modifications to ensure that their instruction and evaluation is
comprehensible to the English language learner. Every teacher must
have knowledge of the language proficiency of the ELLs in his or
her class in order to modify instruction and assessments.
The ESL teacher will provide classroom teachers with a students
proficiency level to determine eligibility for accommodations based
on each English language learner. Testing accommodations will be
provided on ALL assessments (if eligible), both in the classroom as
well as benchmarks and standardized state tests. (Includes extended
time, separate room, multiple sessions, read aloud, reads to self
and word-to-word dictionary).
Translated Documents
We are legally obligated to provide parents with translated
information whenever possible. You will find many translated forms
on the GCS/ESL Web site. In addition, the GCS Web site is now in
Vietnamese and Spanish. If you need help with translating, please
contact our interpreters: Lily Cendoya and Milly Barreto at
370-8982.
It is advisable to print English on the front; translated
document on the reverse so parents may choose which language to
complete.
Translated materials are available at www.TransAct.com and
at
This is a resource paid for by Guilford County Schools.
Important Web Sites
GCS/ESL Web page
http://www.gcsnc.com/depts/esl/index.htm
GCS /ESL Program Description
http://www.gcsnc.com/depts/esl/esl_documents.htm
Translated report cards
http://www.gcsnc.com/depts/esl/teachers_resources.htm
Other Recourses:
Help! They Dont Speak English Starter Kit/ The Center for
Applied Linguistics
http://employees.oneonta.edu/thomasrl/introcontents.pdf
Help Online Web site for teachers and parents of ELLs
Colorin Colorado [email protected]
Colorn Colorado! Reaching out to Hispanic students and
families.docx
Fast Math Tutorial Program for ELLs developed by ESL
teachers
http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/resabout/curriculum/fastmath/
Challenging Common Myths About Young English Language
Learners
http://www.fcd-us.org/usr_doc/MythsOfTeachingELLsEspinosa.pdf
Useful information for content classroom teachers
http://tapestry.usf.edu/Crandall/data/frameset/04_01.htm
www.wida.usThe WIDA Consortium is a non-profit cooperative of
sixteen states working together to meet the requirements of No
Child Left Behind (NCLB) for English Language Learners (ELLs) with
innovative standards and assessments. It is housed at the Wisconsin
Center for Education Research in Madison, Wisconsin. WIDA was
founded in 2003 when it received a federal enhanced assessment
grant. Those funds have been used to develop:
A) The WIDA English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards that
were recently adopted by Teachers of English to Speakers of Other
Languages (TESOL), the national ESL organization, to form the basis
of the next national NCLB-compliant model standards for ELP
proficiency. These standards are aligned to the academic standards
of all WIDA member states.
C) The ACCESS for ELLs English language proficiency test based
on the five WIDA standards and aligned to the academic standards of
member states. ACCESS for ELLs was developed by Dr. Margo Gottlieb,
The University of Illinois, and the Center for Applied Linguistics
(CAL), and meets all requirements of NCLB for testing and reporting
of English proficiency. WIDA revises its operational form of ACCESS
for ELLs annually with a complete item turn over every three years
(33% change per year). ACCESS for ELLs comes in five grade clusters
(K, 1-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12) and three tiers (A, B, C). Tiering the
test allows students to avoid responding to questions that are
inappropriately difficult or easy. WIDA followed State of Wisconsin
procurement regulations in seeking a commercial vendor to print,
distribute, score and report the ACCESS for ELLs. The award was
granted to MetriTech, Inc. in Urbana, Illinois.
D) A screener test known as the WIDA ACCESS Placement Test
(W-APT) which is based upon the ACCESS for ELLs and is used to
identify students in need of ESL program support and place them in
tiers for the ACCESS for ELLs assessment.
Glossary of ESL Terms
The world of second language acquisition has many acronyms.
Several of these are included below. In addition, a number of key
events and educational terms and that are used with ESL/LEP
students and their academic development is important for you to
know.
ESL = English as a Second Language; English learned in an
environment where English is the predominant language of
communication.
EFL = English as a Foreign Language; English learned in an
environment where a language other than English is the predominant
language of communication.
SLA = Second Language Acquisition; the study of how second and
subsequent languages are learned.
L1 = First Language, mother tongue; language used first and most
often by a speaker.
L2 = Second Language; any language learned after the mother
tongue; could become dominant language.
LEP = Limited English Proficient; term used denote English
language learners where English is the L2 LEP: Limited English
Proficient, A student who is not fully English proficient, speaks a
language other than English at home, and does not demonstrate
English language skills of comprehension, speaking, reading, and
writing at a level that would place him/her in a mainstream,
English only class setting.
FEP = Fluent English Proficient; educational/governmental term
used to designate those English language learners that have reached
a specific proficiency in the L2.
Bilingual Education (BE): An educational program in which two
languages are used during instruction in order to 1) continue
primary language (Ll) development, 2) provide instruction in
content in both Ll and L2, and 3) English acquisition.
BICS: Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills: Skills necessary
for functioning in everyday life, face-to-face interactions. These
skills usually take about two years to develop in most second
language learners.
CALP: Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency: The aspects of
language linked to literacy and academic achievement. These skills
usually take five to seven years to fully develop in second
language learners.
Comprehensible Input (CI): Language that is understood by the
learner. Focuses on meaning first and uses simplified speech.
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) The basis for educating
students with disabilities in classrooms comes from the concept of
least restrictive environment (LRE), a provision in the federal
laws that have governed special education since 1975 with the
passage of PL 94-142. LRE is a student's right to be educated in
the setting most like the educational setting for nondisabled peers
in which the student can be successful, with appropriate supports
provided. Mainstreaming and Inclusion are interpretations of
LRE.
Mainstreaming: Mainstreaming is the term for placing students
with disabilities or special needs in general education setting
only when they can meet traditional academic expectations with
minimal assistance, or when those expectations are not relevant,
for example, participation in school assemblies, art, music,
health, and physical education in order to have social interactions
with the other students. There is no separation of students based
on need or ability. All students are placed in classrooms designed
for native English speakers that function at the perceived "normal"
level. Inclusion: Inclusion represents the belief that students
with disabilities should be integrated into general education
classrooms, community activities and resources, and home settings
as students who do not have disabilities. Within classrooms,
students work toward their IEP goals. The term inclusion has been
broadened in order to create what is known as inclusive learning
communities where all children belong, those with and without
disabilities and those with linguistic, ethnic, cultural, and
socioeconomic differences, such as ELL/LEP students. Code
Switching: The alternate use of two languages. Speaking one
language and using words from another, their native language. Pull
Out: Classes in which students are withdrawn from the mainstream
regular subject classes for one or more periods a week, for English
language instruction classes in smaller groups. Silent Period: A
time, during which ESL students observe, gather and absorb
information without speaking while developing listening
comprehension skills and sorting out structures in the language
such as the sound system (phonetics) and vocabulary. Students also
take in aspects of deep culture that are not taught such as the
"common sense" aspects of everyday functioning. This period varies
in length depending on the student. Affective Filter: The
psychological barrier that allows input to be filtered through to a
language processing mechanism. A high filter is full of anxiety and
stress while a low filter has little anxiety increasing
comprehension and attention. Lau vs. Nichols: (1974) The United
States Supreme Court decision which found the San Francisco Board
of Education failing in the duty of providing equal access to
education of Chinese speaking students who were enrolled in
mainstream, English only classes. Providing ESL students with the
same materials as native speakers does not satisfy the requirement
of equal access to education. Sheltered English: Also referred to
as transition or bridge classes, students cover the same content
areas as mainstream, English only classes but they do so in a
manner that adapts the language components of the classes to meet
the needs of the language minority students' English proficiency
levels. Adaptations include simplified speech, contextualization,
task-function orientation, and interactional activities. ESP:
English for Special Purposes, Classes are designed to give students
instruction in specific content areas. TESOL: Teachers of English
to Speakers of Other Languages. This is a national and professional
association.
http://www.cortland.edu/flteach/esl/ESL-Terminology.html
TESOL Matters (April, 1999)
Thanks to: R. Saenz & J. Kimsey
learnnc.org
Resource Handbook from BER
INFORMATION FOR CONTENT TEACHERS
ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE
120 Franklin Blvd.
370-8982
Guilford County Schools
2008-2009
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Subject
Page number(s)
Helpful Information00
3-4
What Can I do to help my ELL
5
Stages of Second Language Acquisition
6
Reading Strategies
7
Many Ways to Modify Instruction for ESL Students
8-9
Checklist for Effective Practice
10
ESL Program Models
11
Language Development Stages
12-13
Instructional Accommodations for ELLs
14
English Language Proficiency Levels
15
Form Recommended Modifications
16
How to Adapt Instruction
17-18
Specific Classroom Assessment Techniques for ELLs
19-20
Guide for Grading ELLs
21
Translated Documents
22
Important Web sites
23
WIDA ELP Standards
24
Glossary
25-26
EOG Reading w/accommodations
EOG Math w/accommodations
Reading NCCLAS
Math NCCLAS
Writing NCCLAS
EOC Algebra I
EOC Algebra II
EOC Geometry
EOC Chemistry
EOC Biology
EOC Physical Science
EOC Physics
EOC U.S. History
EOC English
Appropriate for Level 1 and 11 ELLs
Take-home tests
Open book tests in alternative locations
Reduced or extended time on homework
Extended time
Oral assessment
Reteach
Review key concepts and vocabulary
Comprehensive Review of Key Content concepts using outcome
concepts
Thumbs up/thumbs down
Response boards
Strategies for All Levels
Use of visuals
Demonstrations
Simplified written language
Cooperative Learning
Role Playing
Graphic organizers
Thinking maps
Manipulatives
Think-pair-share
Strategies for Level I
Teacher uses language objective in lesson planning
Teacher modifies speech
Use of helper for note-taking/classroom buddy
Elimination of questions requiring advanced writing ability word
problems, essay questions
Alternative tests (hands on demonstration)
Portfolio Assessment
Reduced number of test questions
Teacher comments:
25
