Improving Education for English Learners: Research Based

Approaches:

Chapter 2 English Language Development: Foundations and

Implementation Kindergarten through Grade 5

Ensure students develop the levels of English proficiency required to succeed academically

“Regardless of the instructional configuration, a specified ELD time allows teachers to deliver explicit English instruction designed specifically for English learners’ levels of proficiency.” (p. 85)

Main Goal of ELD

Primary LanguageSociocultural Considerations and Parental and Community Support

Second-Language Acquisition Processes

1. Foundations for ELD Instruction for Young Learners

Standards-Based Instruction and Assessment (pp. 98-99)

Plan for instruction must take into account relevant standards because they outline core content of instruction

Components of standards-based reform model◦Standards◦Assessments◦Accountability

2. Designing ELDInstruction and Assessment

Role of Academic Language Students need to be able to transition from ELD to ELA

Teachers should teach the academic language in a directed but interactive manner

One researcher (Gibbons) suggests that teachers create a “language inventory” or list of academic language features found in a unit of instruction

Designing ELD Instruction and Assessment , continued

pp. 112-122 Importance of utilizing protracted

language events, situated within a context and for the construction of meaning

ELD instruction includes a focus on particular forms and patterns of their construction and use

Applying Instructional Strategies for Listening, Speaking, Reading & Writing

Six Components of Language Learning Input Output Interaction Feedback Rehearsal Language Understanding

How To Teach Effectively?

ELs who have some literacy development in their first language tend to transfer those skills to reading in English

Teachers should provide as many authentic sources and purposes for reading as possible in addition to the required reading text.◦ Label items in classroom◦ Students read lists, announcements,

notes to parents, etc.

Applying Instructional Strategies for Reading

Introduce academic reading skills to prepare ELs for reading in the content area◦ Prereading◦ During reading◦ Postreading

Applying Instructional Strategies for Reading (cont.)

Underlying proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing is vocabulary.

The three categories of words are:1.High-frequency general words used

regularly in everyday contexts2.Nonspecialized academic words that are

used across content areas and not specific to any content area

3.Specialized content-area words that are unique to specific disciplines

Applying Instructional Strategies for Teaching Vocabulary

1. ELA and ELD Standards2. Content and Language Objectives3. Learning Strategy Objective4. Materials/Resources5. Assessment (self-evaluation)6. Explicit Instruction7. Practice 8. Grouping Patterns9. Closure10. Homework/Extension

3. Examples of Effective ELD InstructionElements of Lesson Plan

To develop lessons for instructed ELD, teachers need to draw on a variety of resources to deliberately plan for instruction that incorporates components to ensure they maximize student learning.

Districts need to build a comprehensive system that promotes and sustains high quality ELD instruction.

4. Professional DevelopmentImplications for Practice

“Perhaps most important, it is our hope that teachers of ELD K-5 will become passionate advocates for English learners in their school communities.”p. 137

A final thought….