LANGUAGE:LANGUAGE:Challenges and Teaching Challenges and Teaching

Strategies for ELL Strategies for ELL StudentsStudents

Stephanie ParadisStephanie Paradis

AgendaAgenda

• Read AloudRead Aloud– Language: What It Means to You?Language: What It Means to You?

• PresentationPresentation• Group ActivityGroup Activity

– How can we meet the academic needs How can we meet the academic needs of ELL students?of ELL students?

• Wrap-UpWrap-Up– Questions/CommentsQuestions/Comments– ReflectionReflection

Meet Monica Thao!!!Meet Monica Thao!!!

•Read Aloud Read Aloud

“ “I Am Proud to Be Bilingual”I Am Proud to Be Bilingual”

Think, Pair, ShareThink, Pair, Share

• THINKTHINK about what “your” language, about what “your” language, languages, dialect, language languages, dialect, language variations mean to you. What does it variations mean to you. What does it say about you?say about you?

• PAIRPAIR off with a partner to discuss off with a partner to discuss your thoughts.your thoughts.

• SHARESHARE your findings with the class. your findings with the class.

Challenges for ELL StudentsChallenges for ELL Students• Mastering a new Mastering a new languagelanguage• Learning content- Learning content- area material area material • Social acceptanceSocial acceptance among peersamong peers• Adjusting to a new Adjusting to a new culture without culture without having to give up having to give up their owntheir own

What This Means for What This Means for TeachersTeachers* Giving Students the Best Experience * Giving Students the Best Experience

Possible *Possible *

• Resist “Americanizing” ELL studentsResist “Americanizing” ELL students

• Educate YourselfEducate Yourself

• Ask questions but avoid generalizingAsk questions but avoid generalizing

• Model language learningModel language learning

• Visit language classroomsVisit language classrooms

• Look beyond cultureLook beyond culture

Teaching Tolerance: A Project of the Southern Poverty Law Center. (n.d.) Giving your Teaching Tolerance: A Project of the Southern Poverty Law Center. (n.d.) Giving your students the best experience possible. Retrieved from students the best experience possible. Retrieved from http://www.tolerance.org/supplement/giving-your-students-best-experience-possiblehttp://www.tolerance.org/supplement/giving-your-students-best-experience-possible

Additional Challenges for Additional Challenges for ELLsELLs

• English language learners receive English language learners receive lower gradeslower grades

• Judged by their teachers to have Judged by their teachers to have lower academic abilitieslower academic abilities

• Score below their classmates on Score below their classmates on standardized tests of reading and standardized tests of reading and math math

What This Means For What This Means For TeachersTeachers

• ““Teachers and administrators must Teachers and administrators must draw from a range of research-based draw from a range of research-based strategies, pedagogy, and instruction strategies, pedagogy, and instruction to support English language learners to support English language learners in building language proficiency.”in building language proficiency.”

Focus on Effectiveness: Current Education Challenges. (2005). English language Focus on Effectiveness: Current Education Challenges. (2005). English language learners. Retrieved from http://www.netc.org/focus/challenges/ell.phplearners. Retrieved from http://www.netc.org/focus/challenges/ell.php

ImplementationImplementation

• Develop reading skillsDevelop reading skills• Work from strengthsWork from strengths• Connect with students’ families and Connect with students’ families and

culturescultures• Use engaging instructionUse engaging instruction• Vary assessment strategiesVary assessment strategies

Focus on Effectiveness: Current Education Challenges. (2005). English language Focus on Effectiveness: Current Education Challenges. (2005). English language learners. Retrieved from http://www.netc.org/focus/challenges/ell.phplearners. Retrieved from http://www.netc.org/focus/challenges/ell.php

Group ActivityGroup Activity

• 4 Members per Group4 Members per Group

• Remember to build off of each Remember to build off of each other’s strengths and incorporate other’s strengths and incorporate your own experiences with your own experiences with language!!!language!!!

Your Task… Your Task… (10 (10 mins.)mins.)

• What are ways you can meet the What are ways you can meet the needs of ELL students and enable needs of ELL students and enable success through…success through…

• Daily Classroom Assignments (in any Daily Classroom Assignments (in any content area)content area)

• Assessments (in any content area)Assessments (in any content area)

• Standardized Tests/MCAS Standardized Tests/MCAS Preparation (ELA and Math)Preparation (ELA and Math)

Daily Classroom Daily Classroom AssignmentsAssignments• Assign a buddyAssign a buddy

• Repeat directions and check for Repeat directions and check for understandingunderstanding

• Teach key words along with visual Teach key words along with visual aidesaides

• Read and reread aloudRead and reread aloud

• Utilize available resourcesUtilize available resources

• Technology (computers, calculators)Technology (computers, calculators)

AssessmentsAssessments

• Varied, such as including hands-on Varied, such as including hands-on activities and experiments activities and experiments

• Provide directions in their own Provide directions in their own language or orally and allow use of a language or orally and allow use of a translation dictionarytranslation dictionary

• Avoid the use of jargon or Avoid the use of jargon or unnecessary complex sentence unnecessary complex sentence construction construction

• Extended amount of time with Extended amount of time with frequent breaksfrequent breaks

Standardized Tests/MCASStandardized Tests/MCAS

• Give language learners many Give language learners many opportunities to read and write in opportunities to read and write in meaningful contextsmeaningful contexts– Practice communicating complex ideasPractice communicating complex ideas

• Integrate technology to support writing Integrate technology to support writing instruction and motivate students to use instruction and motivate students to use written language to communicatewritten language to communicate

• Direct instruction on how to use Direct instruction on how to use calculators, dictionaries, thesaurusescalculators, dictionaries, thesauruses

• Help students recognize patterns and Help students recognize patterns and learn test-taking skillslearn test-taking skills

To Conclude…To Conclude…

• ReflectionReflection

– How can How can “your” “your” language language benefit benefit

your teaching?your teaching?

ReferencesReferences

Focus on Effectiveness: Current Education Challenges. Focus on Effectiveness: Current Education Challenges. (2005). English language learners. Retrieved from (2005). English language learners. Retrieved from http://www.netc.org/focus/challenges/ell.phphttp://www.netc.org/focus/challenges/ell.php

Shore, K. (2005). Success for ESL students. Shore, K. (2005). Success for ESL students. ScholasticScholastic. . Retrieved from http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/ Retrieved from http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/ article.jsp?id=4336article.jsp?id=4336

Teaching Tolerance: A Project of the Southern Poverty Teaching Tolerance: A Project of the Southern Poverty Law Center. (n.d.) Giving your students the best Law Center. (n.d.) Giving your students the best experience possible. Retrieved from experience possible. Retrieved from http://www.tolerance.org/ supplement/giving-your-http://www.tolerance.org/ supplement/giving-your-students-best-experience-possiblestudents-best-experience-possible