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Working with Working with English language English language learners: learners: An overview of policy and An overview of policy and practice for educating practice for educating ESL students ESL students

Working with English language learners:

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Working with English language learners:. An overview of policy and practice for educating ESL students. Important Terminology. ESL:English as a second language program designed to instruct students who’s first language is not English in reading, writing, speaking and listening. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: Working with English language learners:

Working with Working with English language English language

learners:learners:

An overview of policy and An overview of policy and practice for educating ESL practice for educating ESL

studentsstudents

Page 2: Working with English language learners:

Important TerminologyImportant Terminology

• ESL:ESL: English as a second English as a second language program designed to language program designed to instruct students who’s first language instruct students who’s first language is not English in reading, writing, is not English in reading, writing, speaking and listening.speaking and listening.

• ELL:ELL: English language learner English language learner (the student who is learning English)(the student who is learning English)

• LEP:LEP: Limited English proficient Limited English proficient student student

Page 3: Working with English language learners:

English language learners English language learners in Pennsylvaniain Pennsylvania

• Approximately 43,000 students Approximately 43,000 students throughout the Commonwealth of throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania have a language other Pennsylvania have a language other than English as their first languagethan English as their first language

• These students speak about 175 These students speak about 175 different languagesdifferent languages

• Most commonly spoken language Most commonly spoken language other than English is Spanishother than English is Spanish

Page 4: Working with English language learners:

Legal obligations of school Legal obligations of school districtsdistricts

• No Child Left BehindNo Child Left Behind• Title VI and Title IXTitle VI and Title IX• Pennsylvania School Code of 1949Pennsylvania School Code of 1949• Chapter 4 Curriculum RequirementsChapter 4 Curriculum Requirements• Basic Education Circular of 2001Basic Education Circular of 2001• Local school district policyLocal school district policy

Page 5: Working with English language learners:

Types of ProgramsTypes of Programs

• Bilingual Education: Seeks to educate Bilingual Education: Seeks to educate students in core content areas using students in core content areas using native language instruction and native language instruction and support with an English componentsupport with an English component

• ESL or ESOL: Uses specific teaching ESL or ESOL: Uses specific teaching techniques to instruct the English techniques to instruct the English language learners in reading, writing language learners in reading, writing listening and speaking Englishlistening and speaking English

Page 6: Working with English language learners:

Considerations when Considerations when working with English working with English

language learnerslanguage learners• CultureCulture• LanguageLanguage• Instructional backgroundInstructional background• Assessment Assessment • Communication with Communication with

parents/caregiversparents/caregivers• Parent and student rightsParent and student rights

Page 7: Working with English language learners:

Cultural ConsiderationsCultural Considerations

• Get to know about the culture of the ELL Get to know about the culture of the ELL students in the classroomstudents in the classroom

• Understand the perspective that is driving Understand the perspective that is driving their reaction to the school experiencetheir reaction to the school experience

• Encourage the ELL students to share Encourage the ELL students to share information about their culture information about their culture

• Create an atmosphere of acceptance of Create an atmosphere of acceptance of differing cultures in the classroomdiffering cultures in the classroom

Page 8: Working with English language learners:

Linguistic Linguistic ConsiderationsConsiderations

• Learn about the language of the ESL Learn about the language of the ESL students in your classroomstudents in your classroom

• Learn about the pitfalls that they may Learn about the pitfalls that they may exhibit in English based on the structure exhibit in English based on the structure of their native languageof their native language

• Develop an understanding of the stages of Develop an understanding of the stages of language acquisitionlanguage acquisition

• Encourage the students to keep their Encourage the students to keep their native language alive while they are native language alive while they are acquiring Englishacquiring English

Page 9: Working with English language learners:

Instructional Instructional ConsiderationsConsiderations

• Gather as much information about the Gather as much information about the students previous school experiences students previous school experiences

• Using a language assessment tool, the Using a language assessment tool, the ESL teacher will evaluate the ESL teacher will evaluate the student’s skills in English and assign student’s skills in English and assign the student to one of the levels of the student to one of the levels of English proficiencyEnglish proficiency

• Entering, Beginning, Developing, Entering, Beginning, Developing, Expanding, Bridging and ReachingExpanding, Bridging and Reaching

Page 10: Working with English language learners:

Instructional Instructional ConsiderationsConsiderations

• Work alongside the ESL teacher to Work alongside the ESL teacher to learn about some appropriate and learn about some appropriate and general educational expectations of general educational expectations of the student based on the level of the student based on the level of English proficiencyEnglish proficiency

• Become familiar with the ESL Become familiar with the ESL curriculum for students in your curriculum for students in your district and how it aligns with the district and how it aligns with the general education curriculumgeneral education curriculum

Page 11: Working with English language learners:

Instructional Instructional ConsiderationsConsiderations

• Instruction with students at the Instruction with students at the lowest levels of English proficiency lowest levels of English proficiency must be explicit and direct with a must be explicit and direct with a great deal of background great deal of background scaffolding, picture support and scaffolding, picture support and simplified vocabularysimplified vocabulary

• Instructional materials and Instructional materials and assessments will need to be modified assessments will need to be modified to meet the instructional and to meet the instructional and language needs of the studentslanguage needs of the students

Page 12: Working with English language learners:

Instructional Instructional ConsiderationsConsiderations

• Use instructional Use instructional techniques that techniques that support all areas of support all areas of language developmentlanguage development

• Guided Reading/Choral Guided Reading/Choral Reading/Taped ReadingReading/Taped Reading

• Label items in the Label items in the classroom and throughout classroom and throughout the school with the word the school with the word written in Englishwritten in English

• Graphic organizersGraphic organizers• Simplified study guidesSimplified study guides• Buddy system/partneringBuddy system/partnering• Differentiated instruction Differentiated instruction

practicespractices• Vocabulary instruction Vocabulary instruction

with picture supportwith picture support

• Adjusting the amount Adjusting the amount of language needed to of language needed to complete assignments complete assignments

• Reducing the amount Reducing the amount of language by of language by modifying textsmodifying texts

• Use different shades of Use different shades of highlighters to focus highlighters to focus on main ideas and on main ideas and supporting detailssupporting details

• Focus directly on skills Focus directly on skills of particular lessonsof particular lessons

• Find a text that is Find a text that is linguistically less linguistically less challenging, but not challenging, but not insulting to the insulting to the studentstudent

Page 13: Working with English language learners:

Assessment Assessment ConsiderationsConsiderations

• Consider alternative Consider alternative methods of assessing methods of assessing studentsstudents

• Allow graphic organizers Allow graphic organizers to demonstrate to demonstrate understanding of key understanding of key conceptsconcepts

• Allow students to draw Allow students to draw picturespictures

• Allow the student to Allow the student to orally answer questions in orally answer questions in lieu of providing a lengthy lieu of providing a lengthy written responsewritten response

• Allow students to Allow students to complete a projectcomplete a project

Page 14: Working with English language learners:

Assessment Assessment ConsiderationsConsiderations

• Students will always need to complete the Students will always need to complete the PSSA Math assessmentPSSA Math assessment

• Students are permitted a one time Students are permitted a one time exemption for the PSSA Reading exemption for the PSSA Reading assessment if they are in their first year of assessment if they are in their first year of school in the U.S.school in the U.S.

• School districts generally follow these School districts generally follow these same guidelines for local assessmentssame guidelines for local assessments

• ESL students are allowed ESL students are allowed accommodations during testing accommodations during testing

Page 15: Working with English language learners:

Communication with Communication with ParentsParents

• Schools are required by numerous federal Schools are required by numerous federal legislative pieces to communicate with the legislative pieces to communicate with the parents in the language and mode that is parents in the language and mode that is most accessible to themmost accessible to them

• Pennsylvania Department of Education Pennsylvania Department of Education provides each district free access to provides each district free access to TransAct document servicesTransAct document services

• Oral interpretation is the responsibility of Oral interpretation is the responsibility of the school districtthe school district

• Only in cases of emergency should Only in cases of emergency should children be used as translators between children be used as translators between the school and homethe school and home

Page 16: Working with English language learners:

Parent and Student Parent and Student RightsRights

• ESL instruction must be provided to students ESL instruction must be provided to students if it is indicated that they are not fluent in if it is indicated that they are not fluent in EnglishEnglish

• ESL services may not be refused by the ESL services may not be refused by the parentparent

• A designation of English language learner A designation of English language learner does not indicate that the student also does not indicate that the student also qualifies for special educationqualifies for special education

• An ESL student does not have an IEPAn ESL student does not have an IEP• Students must continue to attend content Students must continue to attend content

classes while they are acquiring Englishclasses while they are acquiring English• Students may not be placed in a lower grade Students may not be placed in a lower grade

level due to lack of English proficiencylevel due to lack of English proficiency

Page 17: Working with English language learners:

Help for the classroom Help for the classroom teacherteacher

• There are thousands of websites that There are thousands of websites that are available for the classroom are available for the classroom teacher to assist with instructionteacher to assist with instruction

• Many school districts throughout the Many school districts throughout the nation with large ESL populations nation with large ESL populations have many interesting links to assist have many interesting links to assist classroom teachersclassroom teachers

• Contact school district ESL personnel Contact school district ESL personnel or I.U. ESL personnel for specific or I.U. ESL personnel for specific questions questions

Page 18: Working with English language learners:

GOOD LUCK!!!GOOD LUCK!!!You will do a great job with ESL You will do a great job with ESL students and find that you will students and find that you will

learn as much from them as they learn as much from them as they will from you!will from you!