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Prevent the Creation of Long Term English Learners

Prevent the Creation of Long Term English Learners. Laurie Olsen, Ph.D. December 2012 CDE Accountability Institute lolaurieo@gmail.c. English Learners.

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Prevent the Creation of Long Term English Learners

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  1. Prevent the Creation of Long Term English Learners Laurie Olsen, Ph.D. December 2012 CDE Accountability Institute lolaurieo@gmail.c

  2. English Learners “There is no equality of treatment merely by providing students with the same facilities, textbooks, teachers and curriculum…for students who do not understand English are effectively foreclosed from any meaningful education…” Lau v. Nichols, Supreme Court

  3. GAP has increased 2002-2012 Calif. Standards Test ELA % Proficient and aboveEnglish Only: English Learners 33.4% gap ----------------------------------------------------------39% gap

  4. Research on EL District Initiatives Families, Community State & Federal Accountability Reforms Civil Rights from an era of multiple forces impacting EL education, little coherence and disappointing impact Politics Capacity Prof. development, teacher placement, credentialling,

  5. To converging forces Long Term English Learner Research The Common Core Standards English Learner Research

  6. Long Term English Learner Research The elementary school years

  7. Building Block#1:Know who your English Learners are – Monitor their progress – Identify those at risk of becoming a LTEL

  8. Across all districts59% of secondary school ELs are long term(103,635 in sample) Differs significantly from district to district (21% - 96%)

  9. How long? Academic and Language? “English learners cannot be permitted to incur irreparable academic deficits during the time in which they are mastering English” “School districts are obligated to address deficits as soon as possible, and to ensure that their schooling does not become a permanent deadend.”

  10. Definition: An English Learner who….. Has been continuously or cumulatively enrolled in U.S. schools for 6+ years Has not met reclassification criteria Evidence of inadequate progress in English language development (CELDT III or below, has remained at CELDT level for 2+ years, or has lost ground on CELDT) Evidence of academic struggle (e.g. GPA 2.0 or lower)

  11. Annual Expectations for English Learners

  12. Recent survey • Data from 35 school districts (mix of suburban, rural and urban; geographic diversity; small to very large; vary in concentration of English Learners) • Data on 108,609 ELLs in grades 3 - 5

  13. Indicators of Risk • After 5 years – haven’t reached CELDT proficiency • After 5 years – stalled at Intermediate Level III on CELDT for more than two years • After 5 years – scoring at FBB or BB on CST-ELA

  14. By fifth grade • Almost half of students who enrolled in Kindergarten as English Learners are redesignated • 52% of those who enrolled as an ELL in Kindergarten are still English Learners • Half of those have not yet reached CELDT proficiency • 1/3 have been stalled at Intermediate level for MORE than two years • ½ are scoring at FBB or BB on CST-ELA

  15. State definition: “Students at risk of becoming a LTEL” • Fifth grade English Learner • Continuously or cumulatively enrolled for more than four years • At Intermediate level or below on CELDT • 4th grade CST scores are at a Below Basic or Far Below Basic level

  16. Keeping an eye out for the development of LTELs • Information for teachers, parents, leadership planning • To build awareness • To assist in planning • To identify students in need of support • To help inform instruction • To engage students and parents in monitoring, goal setting and planning

  17. Action Items  • Adopt a clear definition • Develop expectations for progress based on number of years of enrollment • Use those expectations to identify students at risk of becoming Long Term English Learners • Disaggregate achievement data by number of years in US schools

  18. BUILDING BLOCK #2: KNOW WHAT TO WATCH FOR!

  19. High school: typical behavioral profile • Learned passivity, non-engagement, underlying discomfort in classes • Don’t ask questions or ask for help • Tend not to complete homework or understand the steps needed to complete assignments • Not readers • Typically desire to go to college – high hopes and dreams but unaware of pathway to those dreams • Do not know they are doing poorly academically – think they are English fluent

  20. By 6th grade, they have distinct language issues • High functioning in social situations in both languages – but limited vocabulary in both • Prefer English – are increasingly weak in their home language • Weak academic language – with gaps in reading and writing skills • Are stuck in progressing towards English proficiency

  21. The continuum: learning English as a second language 1 – 3 years 7 – 10 years  _______________________________________________________________________ No English CELDT Proficient Proficient for Academic work Oral, social English CST Basic I II III IV V

  22. What is an AMAO?Annual Measurable Achievement Objective • AMAO #1 – progress towards English proficiency measured by CELDT levels (target 54.6%) • AMAO #2 – attainment of English proficiency which is defined as “CELDT proficient” (overall Early Advanced, no domain less than Intermediate) - (target: 43.2% those <5yrs) • AMAO #3 – academic performance in English measured by scoring proficient on CST in ELA and Math (target: 67%)

  23. Which levels on CELDT are meeting growth targets?

  24. Look at your AMAO data • Met the target? • Getting better, staying same or declining % of students meeting target? • Is the target a sufficient goal for your school or district? • Which CELDT levels appear to be progressing and which are not progressing as well? • Which students are “stuck” or falling behind?

  25. Building Block #3: Understand what practices contribute towards the creation of LTELs – and what may need to change

  26. No services - mainstream • Three out of four spent at least two years in “no services” or mainstream • This trend has increased in California schools in past decade

  27. Trend: Towards the weakest EL Program Models

  28. Other contributing factors • Inconsistent program placements • Inconsistent implementation within programs • Social segregation and linguistic isolation • Transnational moves – transnational schooling

  29. Unintended consequences • Narrowed curriculum academic gaps & lack of academic language • Professional development and monitoring are tied to fidelity in implementation of core curriculum packages that aren’t adequate for the language development strategies English Learners need • Interventions as solution schedule filled with inadequate and inappropriate support classes, interventions that aren’t designed for English Learners

  30. CONFUSION ??? English Language Development (ELD) English Language Arts • Universal Access • Preview/Review Reading Support, English Intervention Classes

  31. The National Literacy Panel “Instructional strategies effective with native English speakers do not have as positive a learning impact on language minority students….. Instruction in the key components of reading is necessary but not sufficient for teaching language minority students to read and write proficiently in English.”

  32. So far…to prevent the creation of LTELs • Clearly defined EL program models (ELD plus access), consistently implemented • Consistency in placement and EL language approach (no ping-pong) • Importance of full curriculum • Strategies that promote student engagement as active learners • Importance of scaffolding instruction • No more “Interventions = EL Program” – especially interventions designed for native English speakers • No more “Mainstream = EL Program”

  33. Building Block #4: Know the research on effective English Learner practices

  34. New generation of research • National Literacy Panel on Language Minority Children and Youth • California Department of Education: Research-based Practices for English Language Learners (commissioned papers)

  35. #1: Early childhood education makes a difference Begin with preschool programs Active outreach/recruitment to English Learner communities Attention to supporting the transition from preschool into kindergarten Articulation, alignment between the two systems (preschool and K-12)

  36. 2. Importance of rich oral language development • Producing language encourages learners to process language more deeply than when just listening or receptive. • Verbal interaction is essential in the construction of knowledge • Oral language is the bridge to academic language associated with school and the development of literacy --

  37. National Literacy Panel finding • Oral language development and proficiency is critical to literacy… and is often (and increasingly) overlooked in instruction • It is not enough to teach reading skills alone to language minority students; extensive oral English development must be incorporated into successful literacy instruction

  38. So…… • Multiple and frequent structured opportunities for students to be engaged in producing oral language should be features of classroom instruction • The amount, type and quality of student talk that is generated is a mark of good instruction • Emphasize complex vocabulary development • Model rich, expressive, amplified oral language

  39. #3: Academic Language is essential • “Academic language” is different from social language, is discipline specific and takes longer to develop • Academic language and literacy for ELs develops most powerfully where background knowledge is also being built • Learning a second language for academic success requires explicit language development across the curriculum (ELD alone is not sufficient)

  40. So……. • Identify key academic vocabulary and discourse patterns – and explicitly teach them • Monitor the rigor and complexity of the language used in text and instruction • Set a high bar for sophisticated, complex, precise language in both social and academic domains

  41. #4. Language develops in context • Young children develop language through play, interaction, listening, experimenting - facilitated in an enriched and interactiveenvironment • Much of the early literacy curriculum is decontextualized “language arts” - phonics, letter-of-the-week. • An enriched environment is important for stimulating language development and making language comprehensible for all English Learners

  42. Academic language develops in context • Hands-on activities, realia, visuals provide context for learning language. • Academic language develops in the context of learning academic subjects. A strong EL program infuses intentional language development throughout the entire curriculum. • Thematic curriculum units provide context for rich language development for ELs

  43. So…… • Dramatic play and exploratory play opportunities in the preschool and kindergarten classrooms – tied to content • Attention to the classroom environment • Intentional language development across the curriculum • Full curriculum – including rich science and social studies

  44. 5. To access the curriculum, English Learners need specially designed instruction • Along the continuum, as they are developing English, an English Learner cannot access grade-level academic content without specially designed instruction and support. • The support that is needed differs depending on where along the continuum – pacing, questioning, activities, forms of participation, etc. need to be differentiated

  45. So…… • Language objectives for content lessons based on analyzing the linguistic demands of the content • Identify key academic vocabulary and discourse patterns and explicitly teach them • Professional development related to making content accessible to English Learners • Home language support • Home language instruction when possible • “Generic” approaches must be differentiated (e.g., Balanced Literacy)

  46. #6: ELD instruction can advance knowledge and use of English • Sequential, predictable steps along continuum from no English to English proficiency • Carefully planned, dedicated ELD instruction facilitates and accelerates movement towards proficiency • ELD instruction should emphasize listening and speaking, explicitly teach foundational elements of English • ELD instruction should continue at least through Early Advanced levels of proficiency

  47. These are related – but not the same – they need all three English Language Arts (scaffolded) ELD instruction Academic language across curriculum

  48. #7: Development of the home language is powerful – but neglected • A child’s home language is a crucial foundation for social interactions, cognitive development, learning about her world, and emerging literacy • Language of the home is vehicle for making and establishing meaningful communication and relationships • The best foundation for literacy is a rich foundation in language - not necessarily in English, but in the language strongest for the child and his or her family. • Link between L1 reading ability and L2 reading ability is the most direct cross-linguistic relationship • Effects of L2 literacy are long-lasting and extend to performance on 8th grade assessments

  49. Students have more extended and complex vocabulary and language skills if their home language is developed • 1st and 2nd language are interdependent - and they transfer; instruction in the first language facilitates proficiency in English. • English Learners make more academic progress when they have the opportunity to learn in both their home language and English • Systematic, deliberate exposure to English + ongoing development of L1 = highest achievement in both languages by end of 3rd grade and beyond.

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