ELLs’ Writing DevelopmentELLs’ Writing Development

What classroom practices What classroom practices best promote ELLs’ writing best promote ELLs’ writing

development?development?

Student PopulationStudent Population

44thth Grade Grade 23 students23 students Majority of students speak English and Majority of students speak English and

4 students are English/Spanish 4 students are English/Spanish speaking students.speaking students.

ELL students work with a Spanish ELL students work with a Spanish speaking aid in the classroom for speaking aid in the classroom for small group instruction for about 45 small group instruction for about 45 min. a day. min. a day.

Strategies Supporting Writing Strategies Supporting Writing DevelopmentDevelopment

#1 Implementing Graphic Organizers#1 Implementing Graphic Organizers Graphic organizers can be used to Graphic organizers can be used to

brainstorm ideas, convey meaning, brainstorm ideas, convey meaning, study vocabulary, etc. study vocabulary, etc.

Graphic organizers can be used Graphic organizers can be used whole class, teacher demonstration, whole class, teacher demonstration, small group or individually. small group or individually.

Graphic Organizers (cont.)Graphic Organizers (cont.)

ELL students can benefit from ELL students can benefit from graphic organizers because they are graphic organizers because they are using text to complete them and it using text to complete them and it gives them a reference to use when gives them a reference to use when developing larger written works. developing larger written works.

A resource that can be used to find A resource that can be used to find student friendly graphic organizers is student friendly graphic organizers is www.pbs.org/teacherswww.pbs.org/teachers

Example of a Graphic Example of a Graphic Organizer Organizer (This is a 4-square completed on (This is a 4-square completed on

Microsoft Word)Microsoft Word)

What is it What it is notWhat is it What it is not

DefinitionDefinition Picture Picture

Word

Strategies Cont.Strategies Cont.

#2 Modeling#2 Modeling An effective teacher will continuously An effective teacher will continuously

model exemplary writing. model exemplary writing. As stated in the article As stated in the article

Teaching Diverse Learners: Writing Teaching Diverse Learners: Writing “By “By inviting students to observe and inviting students to observe and participate in the teacher's own writing participate in the teacher's own writing process, ELLs can better understand ways process, ELLs can better understand ways to approach the task of writing.” to approach the task of writing.”

Modeling (cont.)Modeling (cont.) As stated in the article As stated in the article

Teaching Diverse Learners: WritingTeaching Diverse Learners: Writing, “ , “ When When writing interactively, teachers verbalize their writing interactively, teachers verbalize their thinking as they write (e.g, "I'm going to put a thinking as they write (e.g, "I'm going to put a comma here after bananas because I want to list comma here after bananas because I want to list three fruits: bananas comma apples comma and three fruits: bananas comma apples comma and grapes period. The comma tells the reader to grapes period. The comma tells the reader to pause in between, and the period says that's the pause in between, and the period says that's the end of the sentence."). Writing is interactive end of the sentence."). Writing is interactive when teachers invite student participation (e.g., when teachers invite student participation (e.g., "What would be a good title for this journal "What would be a good title for this journal entry? What was my topic?").” entry? What was my topic?").”

Strategies Cont.Strategies Cont.

#3 Rubrics#3 Rubrics Rubrics are an effective way to Rubrics are an effective way to

encourage text from ELL students. It encourage text from ELL students. It allows the student to know exactly allows the student to know exactly what is expected of them when what is expected of them when writing. writing.

Rubric Example for WritingRubric Example for WritingContentContent 44 33 22 11

Word Word ChoiceChoice

Writer uses Writer uses vivid words & vivid words & phrases, & phrases, & placement of placement of words seems words seems natural and not natural and not forced.forced.

Writer uses vivid Writer uses vivid words & words & phrases, but phrases, but occasionally the occasionally the words are used words are used inaccurately or inaccurately or inappropriately.inappropriately.

Writer uses Writer uses words that words that communicate communicate clearly, but clearly, but lacks variety.lacks variety.

Writer uses a Writer uses a limited limited vocabulary vocabulary that does not that does not communicate communicate clearly.clearly.

SentencSentence e FluencyFluency

All sentences All sentences sound natural sound natural & are easy to & are easy to read.read.

Most sentences Most sentences sound natural & sound natural & are easy to are easy to read.read.

Most Most sentences sentences sound natural, sound natural, but are not but are not easy to read.easy to read.

Sentences Sentences are difficult to are difficult to read & read & understand.understand.

ContentContent Relevant Relevant information & information & quality details.quality details.

Relevant Relevant information, but information, but an idea is not an idea is not supported.supported.

Relevant Relevant information, information, but several but several ideas are not ideas are not supported.supported.

Information is Information is unclear & not unclear & not related to the related to the topic.topic.

ConventioConventionsns

No errors No errors 1 or 2 errors are 1 or 2 errors are mademade

Few errors are Few errors are mademade

Several Several errors are errors are mademade

Strategies Cont.Strategies Cont.

#4 Portfolio Assessment#4 Portfolio Assessment Using a portfolio as a student’s Using a portfolio as a student’s

ongoing assessment allows both the ongoing assessment allows both the teacher and the student to track teacher and the student to track progress that is being made in progress that is being made in writing.writing.

What is a portfolio?What is a portfolio?

A portfolio is an informal assessment A portfolio is an informal assessment because the teacher is evaluating a because the teacher is evaluating a students work over a period of time students work over a period of time using different pieces of data that using different pieces of data that have been gathered. have been gathered.

A portfolio can also allow the student A portfolio can also allow the student to go back to revise and edit their to go back to revise and edit their previous works. previous works.

Assessing StudentsAssessing Students

Informal assessments (also called authentic or Informal assessments (also called authentic or alternative) allow teachers to track the ongoing alternative) allow teachers to track the ongoing progress of their students regularly and often. progress of their students regularly and often. While standardized tests measure students at a While standardized tests measure students at a particular point in the year, ongoing assessments particular point in the year, ongoing assessments provide continual snapshots of where students provide continual snapshots of where students are throughout the school year. By using informal are throughout the school year. By using informal assessments, teachers can target students' assessments, teachers can target students' specific problem areas, adapt instruction, and specific problem areas, adapt instruction, and intervene earlier rather than later. (Colorin’ intervene earlier rather than later. (Colorin’ Colorado 2007) Article titled Colorado 2007) Article titled Using Informal Assessments for English LanguageUsing Informal Assessments for English Language Learners Learners

Essential QuestionsEssential Questions

Essential questions are a great way Essential questions are a great way to encourage higher order thinking to encourage higher order thinking from your ELL students. from your ELL students.

Essential questions also allow for Essential questions also allow for creative answers that students can creative answers that students can continue to add to. continue to add to.

Examples of Essential Examples of Essential QuestionsQuestions

1.1. What do you think makes a persons What do you think makes a persons writing interesting? Why? writing interesting? Why?

2.2. Why do you think it is important to Why do you think it is important to be able to write using the English be able to write using the English language?language?

These questions encourage students to These questions encourage students to think and explain. think and explain.

Creating Your Own Essential Creating Your Own Essential QuestionsQuestions

Question cannot be answered using Question cannot be answered using one word answersone word answers

Encourage students to thinkEncourage students to think Generate curiosity in the studentsGenerate curiosity in the students There is likely to be more than one There is likely to be more than one

answer that can be givenanswer that can be given

Connecting to CurriculumConnecting to Curriculum

LA State Standards AddressedLA State Standards Addressed

1.1. Standard 1: Reading and RespondingStandard 1: Reading and Responding

2.2. Standard 2: WritingStandard 2: Writing

3.3. Standard 3: Writing/ProofreadingStandard 3: Writing/Proofreading

4.4. Standard 7: Demonstrate Standard 7: Demonstrate understanding of information in grade understanding of information in grade appropriate texts using a variety of appropriate texts using a variety of strategies.strategies.

Connecting to the Connecting to the CurriculumCurriculum

National Standards AddressedNational Standards Addressed1.1. Standard 4: Students adjust their use of Standard 4: Students adjust their use of

spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes. audiences and for different purposes.

2.2. Standard 5: Students employ a wide range Standard 5: Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of different audiences for a variety of purposes. purposes.

National Standards (cont.)National Standards (cont.)

National Standards AddressedNational Standards Addressed4.4. Standard 6: Students apply knowledge of Standard 6: Students apply knowledge of

language structure, language conventions (e.g., language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and non-print texts. critique, and discuss print and non-print texts.

5.5. Standard 7: Students conduct research on Standard 7: Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and non-print texts, artifacts, sources (e.g., print and non-print texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience. ways that suit their purpose and audience.

National Standards (cont.)National Standards (cont.)

National Standards AddressedNational Standards Addressed6.6. Standard 8: Students use a variety of Standard 8: Students use a variety of

technological and information resources (e.g., technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge. and communicate knowledge.

7.7. Standard 11: Students participate as Standard 11: Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities. members of a variety of literacy communities.

8.8. Standard 12: Students use spoken, written, and Standard 12: Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information) exchange of information)

Connecting to the Connecting to the CurriculumCurriculum

Technology Standards AddressedTechnology Standards Addressed

1.1. Standard 1: Creativity and Standard 1: Creativity and InnovationInnovation

2.2. Standard 2: Communication and Standard 2: Communication and CollaborationCollaboration

3.3. Standard 4: Critical Thinking, Standard 4: Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Problem Solving, and Decision MakingMaking

ResourcesResources

Louisiana State DepartmentLouisiana State Department RubistarRubistar rubrics rubrics