Teaching Strategies for Engaging English Learners (ELs)

1. Teaching Strategies for Engaging English Learners (ELs) EDSC 440S Resource Developed by Grace Cho, PhD. and Debra Ambrosetti, PhD., 2006

2. First Steps • Know your students’ backgrounds: • Administer a Needs Analysis • Identify your students’ math levels—(pre-test) • Assess students’ attitudes towards math • identify the background and prior experiences of students (e.g., cultural, linguistic abilities, educational experiences, etc.) • Be aware of cultural differences and include modifications in order to develop a culturally relevant curriculum • Example: In some cultures, the process of finding the answer is not as valued as the product…. • If the teacher asks students to “show their work”, students may not understand this action because the process is a mental action and not computed on paper—the “work” is done in their head • Create a positive learning environment in order to diminish math anxiety and maximize learning by: • Allowing for controlled social interaction • Utilize group work/cooperative learning effectively and correctly • Incorporating consistent and established structure into class procedures: • classroom procedures/routines—where to hand in homework, get paper, text books, etc. • classroom organization—seating arrangement, free walk spaces, teacher areas

3. First Steps (continued) • Motivate all students regardless of gender, race, ethnicity • Be aware of the historical expectations/stereotypes of certain groups • Lack of females in math related fields • “Asians excel in math.” • Make subject matter interesting, engage students in the process • Make content relevant and meaningful

4. First Steps (continued) Demystify Myths about Math as a Universal Concept • Universal: Simple concepts are universal i.e. simple concrete number algorithms (2+2=4) • Not Universal: Other aspects of Math are difficult because of language differences • Difference between “a” and “the” • “Six times a number is 3 more than 10 times the number.” • Not all cultures use math, or math symbols in the same way • Use of “period (.)” instead of “coma (,)” • Decimals are indicated by a period in English and a comma in many other languages. Commas as used in English, may be indicated by a period in many other languages • Two thousand (2,000 in English): (2.000 in Spanish, German) • Dates: • In Spanish and some other languages the day is written first, followed by the month, then the year. • January 27, 2003: Spanish: 27-01-03; English: 01-17-03; Korean: 2003. 1. 27. • Time: May be written as military time: 14:00 hours as opposed to 2 pm • Measurement: • Metric system (kilogram, meter, liter) vs. English system (inches, feet, pounds, cups)

5. First Steps (continued) • Invite and Involve Parents • Note: Don’t make assumptions—parents from certain cultures may be absent from the school environment as a sign of respect for the teacher. • Modify your lessons for ELs by incorporating the following teaching strategies • Note: These strategies are not to be used in isolation and they should complement the lesson

6. Modifications for ELs • Lessons must contain both content and language objectives • ELs need many opportunities to learn all academic aspects and complexities of Math (content) while developing communicative competence in English (language skills). • Students should be given ample opportunities to clarify key concepts in their first language (L1) as needed with an aide, peer, or L1 text.

7. Modifications for ELs: Promoting Lesson Comprehension Contextualize the lesson: • Progress concepts from concrete to abstract by using math manipulative, games, realia, visuals. • Demonstrate the process of solving mathematical problems by using pictures and modeling. • Visualization-- abstract to concrete conceptualization. The ability to explain the concept in concrete terms • Teachers should provide connections to key problem solving strategies that assist students during mathematical challenges. • Teach students to make connections within the subject and in the real world, to reason mathematically, verify their findings, solve real world problems, communicate their thinking about math…etc. • Provide many and continuous opportunities to learn complexities of math. For additional ideas, see Concrete-Representational-Abstract.

8. Modifications for ELs: Promoting Lesson Comprehension (continued) Employ Speech Modification • Use language that is appropriate for proficiency level • Use more pause between phrases, enunciation, and simple sentence structure for beginners Clearly explain the academic tasks • Speak slowly and clearly without overdoing it • Provide sufficient wait time Use a variety of techniques/strategies to make content concepts clear • use visuals, hands-on activities, demonstrations, gestures, body language and model Develop and emphasize technical (content) vocabulary • Introduce, write, repeat, and highlight key words • Use vocabulary building strategies (see next slide)

9. Modifications for ELs: Promoting Lesson Comprehension (continued) Display a chart depicting commonly used abbreviations and symbols • Pt. = pint, lb.=pounds, ft.=feet Continuously review previously learned key conceptsthroughout the year • Incremental learning, in which skills are developed slowly over time through repetition and extension, is an effective strategy for this.  Review key terms whenever necessary such as mathematical terms that may be too abstract or confusing • Multiplication of 2-digit numbers: review product, sum, carry, exchange and equals • Introduce key vocabulary using visuals, realia, modeling and demonstrations.

10. Vocabulary Building Strategies • Clarify expressions, words, and symbols that have multiple meanings. • rationalize, column, table, simplify • X and(.) Indicate the multiplication process • Teach technical terms. • percentage, square root, • Word Tree given one term, the students generate 3-4 words that denote the same meaning • Subtraction = take away, minus or difference

11. Vocabulary Building Strategies (continued) • Recognize and generate attributes, examples and non-examples of a concept. • Using a geoboard, have students identify the unique characteristics of a shape they have created • Have students provide and explain an analogy based on content/concept. • “Negative numbers are like the overdrawn amount in a checking account.”

12. Modifications for ELs: Tap Prior Knowledge: • Link conceptsexplicitly to students’ background experiences • Percentage • Restaurant bill –calculating the tip • Percentage of taxes taken out of a pay check • Sales discount • While giving examples, use vocabulary relevant to the students’ lives • Links explicitly made between past learning and new concepts--Help students make the connection between what they know to what they need to learn for math. • “Multiplication is repeated addition.” • Use concept maps to relate prior knowledge to new concepts and terms • Assess or validate prior knowledge • POD—Problem of the Day • KWL- What I know, what I want to know, and what I learned

13. Modifications for ELs: Promote Academic Learning: • Teach study skills • Cornell notes • Use of a student planner • Questioning skills • Accommodate different learning styles • Visual (Graphs, charts, tables) auditory (discussion, lecture), kinesthetic (manipulative, games) • Highlight the visual side of math since many students may not be auditory learners. • Incorporate cues such as: facial expressions, body language and visual aids • Use concrete manipulatives such as base ten blocks, geoboards, algebra tiles

14. Modifications for ELs:Use Curriculum Adaptations • Adapt the text to the language level of Els • Tailor the curriculum to meet ELs’ need • Assist students in rewriting word problems in simpler terms • Teach content concepts which are appropriate for age and educational background levels of your students. • Use supplementary materials to make the lesson clear and interesting (e.g., graphs, models, visuals, trade books, )

15. Modifications for ELs: Consider Affective Issues: • Demonstrate sensitivity to cultural & linguistic diversity • Use alternative grouping and interactive learning • Heterogeneous cooperative learning groups, think-pair-share, peer work, peer evaluations, jigsaw • Foster supportive learning environment (i.e. low anxiety environment) • Encourage elaborated responses in Teacher student interactions • Prompts: • “Can you tell me more?” • …and how would you do that? • Would you explain that to the class?

16. Modifications for ELs:Use variety of Assessment: • Use authentic or ”real” assessment • interview, portfolio, quick write (“In one paragraph, explain the Pythagorean theorem.”), teacher observation, project, demonstrations • Vary ways of showing concept attainment • Modify forms of assessments to fit lesson • graphic organizers, oral presentations, student generated test, concept maps, projects