Joan Rolston ESL Program Counselor, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

1. Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in ELL Student Education: Educating the Whole ChildNC Department of Public Instruction Joan Rolston ESL Program Counselor, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

2. Today’s Objectives Content Objectives: • to provide participants with the various elements of cultural and linguistic diversity impacting the ELL student education process—building an understanding of the “whole child” • to bridge connections between ESL teachers, content teachers, school counselors, and other stakeholders in the ELL student education process Language Objectives: • to discuss the relationship between cultural and linguistic diversity and the ELL student education process • to specify the second language acquisition process and its connection to the other aspects of ELL student education • to identify strategies for stakeholder collaboration-the school’s team for ELL student education

3. Alphabet Soup LEP-Limited English Proficient (student) ESL-English as a Second Language (program) ELL-English language learner L1 and L2-first language, second language SIOP-Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol

4. Alphabet Soup WIDA-World-class Instructional Design and Assessment NAFSA: Association of International Educators ASCA-American School Counselor Association NCLB-No Child Left Behind BICS-Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills CALP-Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency

5. National and Local Trends

6. National Trends • 1 in 5 of our nation’s students are immigrants or American-born children of immigrants • In 2001-2002, there were 4.7 million students with limited English proficiency in the U.S. This is 9.8% of the total school-age population. Source: National Student Profile (NCES, 2000)

7. State and Local Trends • What does NC look like? As of October 1, 2009, our state’s population of LEP students was 111,926-that’s about 12% of our total student population preK-12. • Let’s talk about your classrooms and why we’re here today.

8. Linguistic Diversity: different kinds of ELLs Students with advancedacademic skills and some English Students with advancedacademic skills and noEnglish Students with some academic skills and no English (interrupted education) Students with no prior schooling and no English

9. The WIDATest four domains: listening, speaking, reading, and writing proficiency levels: Entering, Beginning, Developing, Expanding, Bridging exit criteria: ACCESS composite score of 4.8, minimum of 4.0 on the reading subtest and 4.0 on the writing subtest blending objectives—why??

10. Second Language Acquisition let’s think about the purpose of language stages of language acquisition (pre-production, early production, speech emergence, intermediate fluency) types of language proficiency BICS and CALP comprehensible input affective filter silent period

11. Myths and Misconceptions

12. Second Language Acquisition Is not magical and automatic… Is much harder than it sounds… Is different for everyone depending on age and native language literacy skills…

13. Second Language Acquisition Factors which impact SLA motivation first language development-literacy language distance and attitude access to the language home situation age personality and learning style peers and role models quality of instruction cultural background access to curriculum

14. The Iceberg Theory BICS CALP

15. Dual Iceberg Common Underlying Proficiency L1 L2

16. Cultural Diversity and Schooling in the US • first, lets talk about school and its format here—the impression on ELLs • next, let’s talk about the role of the ESL teachers, content teachers and school counselor • collaboration with teachers and the school’s team as part of a learning community • SCHEDULING, SCHEDULING, SCHEDULING

17. What kind of data are available with ELLs? transcripts interview results teacher feedback English language proficiency test results intake information (educational background) Why do counselors need to understand an overview of curriculum and the second language acquisition process?

18. Now let’s talk about educational backgrounds public school in the US—educating the masses world-wide curriculum rigor has many definitions specialized diplomas grading systems

19. Which Years are “High School” explain the US system during the interview how similar/different is the international system compared to the US system—explain some students call Kindergarten their “first year of school” age-appropriate setting different is just different—not better or worse

20. The NAFSA Guide Description:Edited by Shelley Feagles.This book is available again, now as a PDF document on CD. It compiles information on the educational systems of more than 156 countries, from Albania to Zimbabwe, covering secondary as well as higher education. Articles on the methodology of credential evaluation, interpreting foreign grades, and using the internet as a research tool provide critical background information for the novice or experienced admissions professional. (The PDF file on this CD CANNOT be stored on/in a multi-user, network environment.)1999. 398 pp. (ITEM CD2055)

21. Interview the Student Getting to know the student is crucial—what are their goals for being in school? Use clear wording with your questions with ELLs welcome the help of a bilingual family member the student may be “twice” as nervous to come to a new school and a new country a few extra minutes in the beginning will ensure the right courses for scheduling students from the same country may have different experiences-case by case is best

22. Review the Transcript make a “working” copy to use while interviewing the student make notes about each course on the transcript—documentation is crucial it’s important to ask about course content—some course names are really different but have very similar content YES-please use a copy/fax to start with if an original is not available the day of enrollment

23. Grades and grading scales Subjective or objective process? most scales are very different from ours Who gets an A? Anyone? Is there a level for D? What kind of pressure do students feel? Pass/fail and the GPA honors level classes and rigor

24. Use a Checklist look at each academic area for courses completed--remember foreign language did the student have English? Some kind of R/W? take your time—it’s another language/system give a copy to the registrar to use for entering grades-history information if course names will change, explain and document—make sure the family understands

25. Parlez-vous francais? What if the transcripts are not in English? let’s look about “barriers” and access to public education

26. No records? What now? oral history form—make it, use it and be comfortable with it it’s a helpful tool and it’s great documentation “Official” records may not be available—understanding how to give credit where it’s due ministries of education—national transcripts establish a deadline with the student and the family—create a tickle system that works in your school counseling department

27. Apples to Oranges school calendars may be different combining classes for credit—another reason to have an overview of curriculum the NAFSA philosophy—a year of education the relationship with “accuracy” and “consistency” in the counselor’s interview the regime of “exact” and “fair”

28. What is ? Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol Purposeful teaching of the language necessary for English Learners to understand content

29. What Sheltered Instruction Isn’t “Just good teaching” (it’s more than that) pulling LEP students out of class to work with the ESL teacher translations having all LEP students in the same classroom

30. Helpful Hints ask questions-consider more than just language use the available data—they are most relevant make notes and keep them with the cumulative records—documentation is helpful for future questions a student/parent signature is a great idea some teachers love having ELLs students—some are SIOP trained scheduling is challenging—and it’s much more than just an empty seat

31. Let’s look at “CULTURE” What is culture? How does it impact education and schooling? How can we use culture to enhance our classrooms? What is our culture? Is there a culture within our schools?

32. Whole child considerations are KEY! considering linguistic and cultural diversity is “KEY” in the process of successful ELL student education language proficiency AND academic background—remember to look at both scheduling and transcript evaluations are both very important school counseling functions—graduation/promotion requirements are no picnic trust your experience and your professional skills—you have lots of knowledge—think outside the box

33. The School Community ELLs area heterogeneous group ELLs are full members of the school community equal access to curriculum and rigor classrooms with cultural and linguistic diversity are the mainstream

34. “Every path to a new understanding begins in confusion.”-- Mason Cooley

35. Next Steps—what do we do now!?!? Think about: How will we use this information in our school? Who are the key people to involve? What challenges will we face? school counselors, ESL teachers, content teachers, SIOP teachers,—helping each other keeping in touch is crucial

36. Resources and References • www.nafsa.org • www.wes.org • www.asca.org

37. Today’s Objectives Content Objectives: • to provide participants with the various elements of cultural and linguistic diversity impacting the ELL student education process—building an understanding of the “whole child” • to bridge connections between ESL teacher, content teachers, school counselors, and other stakeholders in the ELL student education process Language Objectives: • to discuss the relationship between cultural and linguistic diversity and the ELL student education process • to specify the second language acquisition process and its connection to the other aspects of ELL student education • to identify strategies for stakeholder collaboration-the school’s team for ELL student education

38. Wrap Up—YOU DID IT!!!!

39. Questions? Comments?

40. Super Educators are Still Human it’s ok to ask each other questions email if you need ANYTHING--I love to help joan.rolston@cms.k12.nc.us

41. Thank You and GOOD LUCK!