Evergreen Park Elementary School District 124

August 2012

 ELL= English Language Learners LEP=Limited English Proficiency TBE=Transitional Bilingual Education TPI=Transitional Program of Instruction ACCESS Test = A standards based, criterion references English Language Proficiency Test

 There are more than 5 million English language learners (ELLs) in U.S. public schools today; these students make up nearly 12 percent of the total public school population. By 2025, many teachers will have had a least one ELL in their classroom, if not a whole roomful.

In addition to learning a new language, most ELLs also have to adjust to a new environment and culture, as well as learn new academic skills and content.
This can be a challenge for educators, especially if they have not received prior information, materials, or preparation on how to work with this group of students.

http://www.colorincolorado.org/pdfs/guides/ellstarterkit.pdf

 How is a student identified as an ELL student?

Anyone whose Home Language Survey indicates YES needs to be screened.

Just because they answer YES on the Home Language Survey does not mean they qualify for ELL services. In order to see if a student qualifies for ELL service the students are given the W-APT screener. This screener determines a childs eligibility for ELL services. Once the screener has been given, the proper program will be identified for the student.

 We have touched a little on how a student is identified for ELL services, now lets talk a little bit about how the ELL Department has changed since the last school year.
We have two programs to service our ELL students and we are very excited about it. Those programs are: Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) and Transitional Program of Instruction (TPI)

 Instruction is in the students native language to enable them to transition into English. The goal is to help students transition to mainstream, English-only classrooms, and the linguistic goal of this program is English acquisition. Students from all four elementary schools are eligible for this program and it is currently being housed at Northeast School.

 Any school with an enrollment of 20 or more ELLs of the same language background from kindergarten to 12th grade must establish a TBE program. Prekindergarten students are counted separately from the overall school count. When there are 20 or more ELLs of the same language background in a Prekindergarten program, the school must establish a PreKindergarten TBE program regardless of the number of ELLs in the rest of the school. English language learners receive contentarea instruction in their native language and English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction, and some content area instruction in English with support.

 The purpose of the TPI program is to provide ELLs with English as a second language instruction and additional resources and supports in the general program of instruction. English language learners may be part of the general program of instruction and must receive daily ELL from appropriately certified teachers. The structure of the TPI program is determined by the ELLs English language proficiency and is designed to enable students to keep pace with peers in achievement in the core academic content areas.

 Learning a second language is a complex process.

It is important for educators to gauge each students abilities and skills regularly; each ELL will acquire second language skills and knowledge at his or her own pace.

It is especially important to keep track of these academic skills because ELLs may acquire social language skills (the language used in informal interactions, such as a playground) a lot faster; this may mask their true progress learning academic language (the type of English found in textbooks & assessments).

http://www.colorincolorado.org/pdfs/guides/ellstarterkit.pdf

Stages of Language Acquisition

Stage 1 - Entering
Also called: Preproduction, Silent Period, Entering, Newcomer 0-6 months in U.S. schools

Students are not ready to actively produce language; however, they are still acquiring the new language.
0-500 receptive word vocabulary Adjusting to U.S. schools Students listen and respond in non-verbal ways (pointing, gestures, drawings) to show understanding. Understanding depends heavily on context since they may only understand a few key concepts. They may not produce speech. Forcing Stage 1 students to speak can significantly increase anxiety and slow the language acquisition process.

Stage 1 - Strategies
Students are able to: observe, locate, label, match, show, classify, categorize Use manipulatives, visuals, realia, props, games

Cooperative learning groups

Use physical responses to check understanding (show, point, draw) Model activities Display print to support oral language Adjust rate of speech to help comprehension Ask yes/no questions Preteach content area vocabulary/terminology Create a climate of acceptance and respect

Stage 2 Beginning
Also called: Early Production, Emergent, Beginning 6 months-1 year in U.S. schools Very limited comprehension and vocabulary Up to 1000 receptive word vocabulary Still adjusting to U.S. culture Students can attend to hands-on demonstration with more understanding Students may initiate conversation by pointing or using single words Understanding depends heavily on context They may produce words in isolation or verbalize key words Indicate comprehension physically Frequent mispronunciation and grammar errors

Stage 2 - Strategies
Students are able to: name, recall, draw, list, record, point out, underline, organize Continue Stage 1 strategies PLUS Simplify language (not content) Lessons designed to encourage students to talk Ask questions that require one/two words responses (Who? What? Which one? How many?) Plan lessons to expand vocabulary

Stage 3 - Developing
Also called: Low intermediate, social language stage 1-3 years in U.S. schools Students begin speaking in short phrases and simple sentences Up to 7,000 receptive/active word vocabulary Limited comprehension and vocabulary (but they may hide it well)

Many mistakes in grammar, word order, word usage, but overall meaning is understood
Understanding depends heavily on context Can demonstrate comprehension by responding orally and in written form (charts, graphs, diagrams) Function on a social level Initiates conversation and questions

Stage 3 - Strategies
Students are able to: tell, describe, restate, compare, question, map, dramatize Continue Stages 1 and 2 PLUS List and review instructions step by step Build on prior knowledge Incorporate more reading and writing Engage students in producing language by asking them to describe, retell, compare, contrast, summarize, and use visuals

Stage 4 - Expanding
Up to 12,000 receptive/active word vocabulary 3-5 years in U.S. schools Students can communicate thoughts more completely Students can participate in every day conversation without highly contextualized support Understanding depends on context Can engage in and produce connected narrative (discourse) Uses expanded vocabulary

Makes grammatical and word choice errors, but meaning is still understood
Can function more successfully on an academic level

Stage 4 - Strategies
Students are able to: imagine, create, appraise, contrast, predict, express, repost, estimate, evaluate, explain

Continue Stages 1-3 PLUS

Have students brainstorm, list, and use graphic organizers

Ask questions soliciting opinions, judgment, explanation (why and how questions)
Introduce figurative language Develop oral and written academic language

Stage 5 - Bridging
Beyond 12,000 receptive/active word vocabulary 5-7 years in U.S. schools Students have advanced skills in academic language Functions on an academic level with age/grade peers Maintains two-way conversations

Uses complex grammatical structures

Demonstrates comprehension in decontextualized situations

Uses enriched vocabulary

Stage 5 - Strategies
Students are able to: relate, infer, hypothesize, outline, revise, suppose, verify, rewrite, assess, justify, critique, summarize, illustrate, judge, demonstrate Continue Stages 1-4 PLUS Incorporate higher level note-taking skills, study skills, test-taking skills Demonstrate how to verify answers (oral and written) Expand understanding of figurative language

Tips for Teachers Working with ELL Students

Learn how to pronounce the students name Give newcomers time to adjust Increase your knowledge learn as much as you can about the language and culture of the students Encourage students to continue speaking their first language Encourage students to read in their first language Read aloud Speak directly to the student, emphasize important nouns and verbs, and avoid slang and idiomatic expressions For beginners, adjust the amount of work or the performance standard to be reasonable, and increase requirements as proficiency and comfort increase

More Tips
Demonstrate and use manipulatives Use all 5 senses Use visual clues and graphic organizers Access background knowledge and prior experiences Write legibly (not all cultures use cursive) Teach note-taking (for beginners, copying is writing) Provide frequent, low-anxiety opportunities to speak small groups, pairs, native language groups Recognize that students will make language mistakes Dont force hesitant students to speak

Assessments

 All ELL & LEP students in grades K-12 will be given the ACCESS test, this test is also given to LEP students even if their parents refuse services This test is designed to measure an English Language Learners social & academic proficiency in English It assesses social & instructional (academic) English, as well as Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, & Social Studies within the school context across the four language domains: speaking, listening, reading, & writing The results from this test can be utilized to guide instruction

ACCESS Test
Information from the report is to be shared with family members, such

as at parent conferences or family nights, or during home visits. The CAN DO Descriptors that describe the expectations of ELLs at each level of English language proficiency may be a helpful tool to share with family members (and they are available in Spanish). Teachers might explain the results from ACCESS for ELLs by showing what their student can do in each language domain. Information from the Parent/Guardian Report may be useful in meetings at school (for example, for PLC meetings, Tier Meetings, or School Improvement), when family members are present, in explaining a students English language proficiency. To the extent feasible, family members should receive the Parent/Guardian Report in their native language and in English (available at www.wida.us).

ACCESS Report
There are 5 Content Areas of Standards

Social and instructional language (SI)

English language arts (LA) Math (MA)

Science (SC)
Social Studies (SS) For each grade level, the standards specify one or more performance indicators for each content area within each of the four language domains: listening, speaking, reading, and writing

Lets take a look at what the ACCESS report looks like.

ACCESS Parent Report

The columns in the center are where you can locate the students English language proficiency for each of the 5 domains.

ACCESS Teacher Report

The far column on the right is where you can locate the students English language proficiency for each of the 5 domains.

What can you do with the ACCESS information?

So now that you have the English language proficiency levels of the student what can you do with that information? By identifying the students English language proficiency in each of the five strands you can then utilize the WIDA CAN DO Descriptors to help you identify the skills the ELL student can do. The CAN DO Descriptors are a collective representation of WIDAs five English language proficiency standardssocial and instructional language, the language of language arts, the language of mathematics, the language of science, and the language of social studies. The Descriptors are a standards-based resource toolan extension of, not a substitute for, the English language proficiency standards. The CAN DO Descriptors are arranged in grade clusters: Kindergarten, Grade Level1-2, Grade Level 3-5, and Grade Level 6-8

How might the CAN DO Descriptors be used?

As an instructional assessment tool that supplements the English language proficiency standards, language teachers may use the Descriptors to: as a way to describe or explain the stages of English language development using concrete examples; suggest language goals to be incorporated into Individual Education Programs (IEPs) for English language learners with diagnosed disabilities; translate English language proficiency test scores (i.e., ACCESS for ELLs, the W-APT, WIDA MODEL) into instructional practice; develop or co-develop lessons with differentiated language objectives; advocate on behalf of English language learners to show what they CAN DO.

CAN DO and Beyond

It is important that we understand what our students can-do outside of language. By understanding the levels of language acquisition, utilizing the ACCESS English language proficiency levels, the CAN DO Descriptors, and reflecting on a few questions we will be able differentiate and assess the ELL and LEP student most effectively.

Essential Questions for Reflective Practitioners

Who are my ELLs?
What are my goals and objectives? What is challenging about this unit/lesson/activity for the ELLs in my class? What instructional strategies can I use to enable my ELLs to participate and achieve in this activity/lesson/unit/class/program?

What assessment strategies can I use to collect evidence of my ELLs learning?

Classroom Assessments
Assessment materials should also be adjusted to the students English proficiency level because a text that is not comprehensible will only measure the vocabulary that a student does not know. Materials used to informally assess ELLs may be different from those that a teacher would choose to assess the literacy level of mainstream students. Collaborative work helps ELLs feel safe, work comfortably at a level where incoming stimuli are kept at a minimum, and demonstrate literacy to teachers in informal ways (Kagan & Kagan,1998; Krashen, 1993, 2003). Conversations between students can scaffold learning (Vygotsky, 1934/1978), so collaborative assessment activities provide a powerful lens through which to view ELLs literacy.

Classroom Assessments
Possible assessment accommodations for ELL students: Permit students to answer orally rather than in writing Allow a bilingual teacher or paraprofessional to assist with or interpret the assessment

Offer ELLs the possibility to demonstrate reading progress and growth through group assessments
Allow students to provide students to provide responses in multiple formats Accept responses in native language Allow students to use a bilingual dictionary (this skill must be taught)

Classroom Assessments
Divide assessment into small chunks Use visuals (especially if visuals were used to teach the information) Simplify directions (Choose the right answer vs. Select the appropriate response) Begin the assessment with several examples

Write affirmative questions

Teach sentence structure so students are familiar with the language of testing

Give breaks during assessments

Give directions in the native language
Lenski, Ehlers-Zavala, Daniel, Sun-Irminger, 2006)

Classroom Assessments
It is possible to assess ELLs' content area understanding independently of English proficiency.

Scaffolding assessments allow ELLs to demonstrate their content knowledge through exhibits or projects, drawings, and graphic organizers.

Give ELLs extra time to complete these tasks, or to give short responses.

Score content knowledge separately from language proficiency.

Look at how well ELLs understand key concepts, how accurate their responses are, and how well they demonstrate the processes they use to come up with responses.

In Closing
It is important to remember social language develops before academic language.
Just because a student is reading fluently in English does not mean they understand what they have just read.

Excerpt from El Conjito Knuffle by Mo Williams

Useful Links:
http://www.colorincolorado.org/pdfs/articles/acade mic.pdf http://www.wida.us/standards/CAN_DOs/