Mainstream teacher ESOL accommodations

Here are some suggestions for accommodating and assisting ESOL students in the classroom from the Portland Public Schools ESL/Bilingual Resource Guide for Mainstream Teachers.

1. Try to read aloud to newcomers as much as possible. Appropriate reading material for beginning English Language Learners (ESOL students) should include at least some of these characteristics.

Numerous illustrations that help clarify the text Story plots that are action-based Little text on each page Text that contains repetitive, predictable phrases High-frequency vocabulary and useful words Text that employs simple sentence structures

2. Use reading strategies to increase students’ comprehension. When you read to beginning ESL students, be sure to make language comprehensible to them.

Point to the corresponding pictures and text as you read the text. Act out, dramatize, and provide models and manipulatives for students to handle. Read sentences at a slow-to-normal speed, using an expressive tone. Allow time after each sentence or paragraph for students to assimilate the material. Verify comprehension of the story by asking students to point to items in the illustrations and to answer

yes/no and either/or questions. Read the same story on successive days. Pause at strategic points and invite students to supply the words

or phrases they know. When students are familiar with the story, invite them to “read” along with you as you point to the

words.

3. Use authentic literature. Begin with materials that have easily understood plots, high frequency vocabulary and few idiomatic expressions.

4. Chunk larger text into smaller pieces by paragraph or topic. A large passage will be difficult for ESOL learners to process.

5. Teach phonics in context. Using authentic literature, you can introduce and reinforce letter recognition, beginning and ending sounds, blends, rhyming words, silent letters, homonyms, etc. Remember that students are new to the sounds and words that we may take for granted.

6. Make sure students understand the meaning. Your students may learn to decode accurately but be unable to construct meaning out of the words they have read. Teach newcomers to reflect on what they have decoded and to ask questions to be sure they understand.

Think pair share activities Double entry journals Give students a stack of sticky notes and ask them to write summary statements for each part of the text. Highlighters to outline main ideas/points. Prediction statements. (I think that…..will happen next.)

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7. Check comprehension through sequencing activities by writing individual sentences from the text on separate sheets of paper; then read or have the students read each sentence and put them in time order.

8. Provide for audio review. Set up a tape recorder/ ipod or ipad and record stories as you read. Newcomers then have the opportunity to listen to a story, and read along, as many times as they wish.

9. Teach reading in the home language first. Whenever feasible, students should have an opportunity to receive reading instruction in their home language prior to receiving reading instruction in English. If you have a newcomer with little to no English skills, allow them time to develop some familiarity with English before beginning reading instruction. Use Google translate or available other language texts.

10. Encourage newcomers to explore creative writing in English. Students will learn to write faster when they have real reasons to write. Motivate students to write by providing them with meaningful and interesting reasons to write.

12. Make up individualized Starter Packs for your newcomers. The Starter Pack enables entry-level students to work independently on activities suited to their specific needs. Packs can include independent lower level readings, books, and other activities. Encourage students to work on these activities when they cannot follow the work being done in the classroom. Remember, however, not to isolate the newcomers from their peers with separate work throughout the whole class.

13. It may seem difficult to balance this at first, but here are some tips for communicating effectively with your students:

Avoid slang and idiomatic expressions. Speak clearly and naturally, without going too quickly or slowly. Encourage students to raise their hand if they don't understand a word.

Via: ESL/Bilingual Resource Guide for Mainstream Teachers Portland Public Schools.

Next, here are some tips for evaluating and assessing ESOL students via Laureen A. Fregeau’s Assessing ELLs in ESL or Mainstream Classrooms

Simple Strategies: Tests and evaluating students

There is no need to create a special test for your ESOL students. A number of adjustments can be made to already-existing assessments, including tests that will help ESOL students perform better.

Go through the test before hand and highlight important key terms and phrases. Use a highlighter to indicate important terms and phrases. This will draw the ESOL student’s attention to those terms or phrases. Point out to the ESOL students that they should translate the highlighted terms first.

Read the test directions aloud as the students follow along to assure understanding. Literally, have the students follow along with their fingers.

Clarify important key words or “confusing” directions. ESOL students, especially those who are low-level in reading English, need step by step directions. If directions have multiple steps, give them the directions one step at a time, allowing them to accomplish the first step before telling them the second.

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Highlighting, defining or pointing out key words in written directions saves time since the ESOL students may not need to look up every word.

Share your class notes or lesson plans with the students ahead of time, allowing them to do a translation. It will save you instructional time if ESOL students have had time outside of class to look up the vocabulary they do not understand.

Provide students alternate definitions of commonly used terms that may be confusing. For example use: “gasoline” instead of  “gas,” “test” instead of “assessment,” “tissue” instead of  “Kleenex”.

Explain test taking vocabulary. ESOL students may not know the test-taking meaning of terms such as: explain, name, think about, compare and contrast, define, or describe. Give them examples or answers from previous students or from last year's tests.

Simple Strategies: Accommodate Students Taking Tests

Mainstream classroom teachers sometimes do not have much time to make special accommodations for ESOL students on tests. Here are some strategies that require little teacher time:

Allow ESOL students to use electronic word-to-word translators, picture dictionaries and dictionaries during tests. 

Give the ESOL students more time to complete the test. Have the ESOL students answer fewer test questions. Depending on the level of proficiency of the ESOL

students, have them answer two thirds or one half of the questions. Rather than creating a separate test simply cross out some questions or circle the ones you want each student to answer.

Read the questions aloud to the student if they need clarification. Check periodically as the student takes the test to see if he/she is taking the test correctly. ESOL students

often come from cultures where the teacher is viewed as the ultimate authority. To question a teacher is to indicate that a teacher's directions are unclear. Thus, students are expected to not ask questions and to say they understand directions even when they do not. Check frequently to see if the ESOL students did indeed understand the test procedure, vocabulary, and directions. Also ensure students are correctly following directions and recording answers.

Provide “cognates” for important key terms when applicable. When the ESOL student's first language uses the Roman alphabet (such as a Spanish language student), it is often possible to increase their comprehension of assessments by using cognates. Cognates are words that “look” more or less the same in the ESOL student's first language and English and have the same meaning. Examples of cognates for Spanish are: for “talk” use “conversation” (Sp: conversacion),for “test” use “exam” (Sp: examen) and for “purpose” use “objective” (Sp: objectivo).

Teacher-made tests and assessments can be quickly adjusted to accommodate ESOL students. Accommodations can be selected according the English level of the ESOL students. Here are examples of quick adjustments for multiple choice, matching, short answer, discussion/essay, fill in the blank, and true/false tests:

Multiple choice: eliminate one or more of the choices also avoid “trick” questions such as which of the following is NOT the answer etc..

Discussion and essay: have ESOL students label terms, draw and label diagrams and pictures Matching: reduce the number of matches required, give an equal number of possibilities in each column,

and eliminate “trick” language matches Short-answer: accept one-word answers and phrases in place of complete sentences True/False: eliminate or clarify “tricky” language, reduce the number of questions Fill in the blank: provide two or three options (make the answer multiple choice)

This packet is property of Mrs. Martha Brookley. Please email me at mbleakle@mail.usf.edu for permission to copy. May be reproduced for classroom use with ownership attached.

Simple Strategies: Accommodate in Grading Assessments

Accommodations in grading can be time-saving for teachers and stress-reducing for ESOL students. There are a number of grading strategies the mainstream teacher can employ in accommodation including:

Grade only those items completed by the ESOL students Grade only half the number of items that would be completed by the mainstream students. Accept a picture or a description rather than a specific word as an answer for fill-in the blank. Count and grade the process rather than only the product. Grade homework and include it as part of the final assessment grade. Grade labs and include them in determining an assessment (science, foreign languages)

Via: Assessing ELLs in ESL or Mainstream Classrooms: Quick Fixes for Busy Teachers

This packet is property of Mrs. Martha Brookley. Please email me at mbleakle@mail.usf.edu for permission to copy. May be reproduced for classroom use with ownership attached.

(sample activity or test accommodations)

Monster Novel Questions

Directions: Write an answer to each question on a separate sheet of paper. All answers must be written in complete sentences. You also must fully explain all of your answers (WHY do you think that? HOW do you know that?)

Pages 1-19

1. Identify the narrator and tell how old he is. Where is he and how long has he been there? How does he feel about his life at this point?

2. *Why does he decide to make a movie? What would you do in a similar situation?3. Why does the narrator name his movie script Monster?4. Of what crime is Steve accused? What reflects the seriousness of his circumstances?5. Activity: Write a metaphor or simile poem about FEAR.

Pages 20-23

1. What is the exact nature of the crime and who is accused of participating in the actual robbery and murder? What is the role Steve allegedly played?

2. Why are cigarettes a key issue for the prosecution?3. *What is Zinzi’s reason for informing? How do both Briggs and O’Brien cast doubt on his testimony? If you were

a juror, would you believe him?4. What is the purpose of the flashback on pp. 41-43?5. Activity: Explain your reaction to the maxim, “Innocent until proven guilty” in a paragraph or poem.

Pages 45-58

1. *Summarize Steve’s feelings about jail. How would you feel if you were Steve?2. Identify Bolden and tell what you learn about him from the testimony.3. *What do you learn from the flashback on pp. 49-51? Why do you think this is important to the plot?4. *If you were a juror, what impact would Bolden’s testimony have on you?

Pages 59-88

1. Why does Steve think the prosecution calls on witnesses such as Zinzi and Bolden?2. *Explain Steve’s dream. Why do you think this is significant?3. *Note the commonality of events in the midst of Steve’s life/death trial (pp. 65-66). Explain a time in your life

when you resented “life as usual” when you were experiencing personal trauma.4. Summarize Detective Karyl’s testimony.5. How did the detective trace the crime to Bobo Evans, James King, and Steve Harmon?6. Why does O’Brien say the trial could be going better?7. *Identify Osvaldo Cruz and summarize his incriminating testimony. Would you believe him? Why or why not?

This packet is property of Mrs. Martha Brookley. Please email me at mbleakle@mail.usf.edu for permission to copy. May be reproduced for classroom use with ownership attached.

Test accommodations Example with translated directions (using Google translate)

English through music quiz.

The Beatles.

1. Where are the beatles from? Sp: ¿Dónde están los beatles de?

a. England

b. France

c. America

d. Australia

2. How many members are in the band? Sp: ¿Cuántos miembros hay en la banda?

a. 1

b. 2

c. 3

d. 4

3. What genre of music did the Beatles play? Sp: ¿Qué género de la música tuvieron los Beatles?

a. Pop rock

b. hard rock

c. Reggae

d. Country rock

4. when did the Beatles debut their first album? Sp: cuando hicieron los Beatles debutar su primer álbum?

a. 1979/1980

b.1987/1988

c.1959/1960

d.2012/2013

This packet is property of Mrs. Martha Brookley. Please email me at mbleakle@mail.usf.edu for permission to copy. May be reproduced for classroom use with ownership attached.

Language Development:

Here is a helpful tool for exploring your ESOL student’s English proficiency level and how to best assist them in the classroom

This packet is property of Mrs. Martha Brookley. Please email me at mbleakle@mail.usf.edu for permission to copy. May be reproduced for classroom use with ownership attached.

WIDA standards via : http://wida.us

WIDA Can-do descriptors are a useful tool for evaluating what students can be expected to produce at various English proficiency levels. To find your particular student’s English level ask your ESOL teacher.

This packet is property of Mrs. Martha Brookley. Please email me at mbleakle@mail.usf.edu for permission to copy. May be reproduced for classroom use with ownership attached.

Sources:

1) ESL/Bilingual Resource Guide for Mainstream Teachers Portland Public Schools, http://www.pps.k12.or.us/curriculum/PDFs/ESL_Modifications.pdf

2) Supporting ESOL studentss in the Mainstream Classroom: Language Tips By: Kristina Robertson (2009) http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/33047/

3) Assessing ELLs in ESL or Mainstream Classrooms: Quick Fixes for Busy Teachers By Laureen A. Fregeau http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Fregeau-AssessingESOL STUDENTSs.html

4) WIDA Consortium website http://wida.us/

This packet is property of Mrs. Martha Brookley. Please email me at mbleakle@mail.usf.edu for permission to copy. May be reproduced for classroom use with ownership attached.