Helping Language Learners Succeed

1. Helping Language Learners Succeed November 4, 2008

2. Acronyms • ESOL-English for Speakers of Other Languages • TESOL-Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages • ESL-English as a Second Language • ELL-English Language Learner • LEP-Limited English Proficiency • L1- First Language • L2- Second Language

3. Federal Laws • Civil Rights Act 1964 • Equal Educational Opportunities Act 1974- • Schools must take appropriate measures to help students overcome language barriers • No Child Left Behind Act 2001 • IDEA 2004 • PA code mandates services for ELL’s provided by certified ESOL program specialist

4. Student Identification • Home Language Survey- if any language other than English is indicated, student HLS sent to ESOL department • Screening questionnaire (call home) to get background on actual language use in the home • If warranted- English proficiency test

5. Student Placement • W-APT – WIDA-Access Placement Test • Entrance and placement decisions • Evaluates all four domains – Listening, Speaking, Reading, & Writing (Except K) • Specifically designed to test social and instructional language proficiency, not content knowledge

6. Proficiency levels • Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing • Entering • Beginning • Developing • Expanding • Bridging • Reaching

7. http://www.wida.us/standards/CAN_DOs/index.aspx

8. Levels of Service The following are recommended amounts of DAILY instructional time: • Non-English speaking student – 2 to 3 hours • Beginning/Developing – 2 hours • Expanding – 1 to 1½ hours • Bridging – 1 hour Students who have exited the program should be carefully monitored for progress. They may require some support that can be provided two to three times per week. http://www.pde.state.pa.us/k12/cwp/view.asp?A=11&Q=45272

9. Linguistics 101 Languages can vary in many ways • Phonologically- Chinese and Arabic speakers may have difficulty with /v/ • Morphemes- Chinese, Thai, Khmer, and Vietnamese have no tense inflections -Spanish has no equivalent for –er • Vocabulary- Some languages do not have words for common items in English- Gras ‘im head= hair in Tok Pisin • Syntax- Spanish adjectives come after nouns, Subjects can be omitted in Farsi • Writing systems vary widely . Chinese is non Alphabetic, while others use alphabets other than Roman.

10. English Language Acquisition 101 • Second Language Acquisition is similar to first language acquisition…but different • Some students might seem like proficient speakers, but there are two types of language development

11. BICS AND CALP

12. BICS- Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills • Universal aspects of language proficiency that are normally acquired by all native speakers of any language • Usually by ages 5-6, all children have developed BICS in their first language • Language skills needed for every face-to-face communication (personal and social situations) • Contexts are clear and generally concrete • Not necessarily related to academic success • May take up to 2 years to develop in a second language (L2)

13. CALP- Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency • Language skills associated with literacy and cognitive development • Language skills required to go beyond ordinary social communication • Cognitively demanding, decontextualized • Language skills needed for reasoning, problem solving, or other cognitive processes required for academic achievement in subject matter • CALP development in a first language contributes to the development of CALP in a second language • May take 5-7 years to develop in a second language (sometimes 9-11 years, depending upon L1 CALP, age and other variables)

14. Cummins’ Quadrant (Jim Cummins, 1981)

15. Language development and communication Language functions Patterns and structures All aspects of reading from concepts of print to fluency and comprehension strategies Literary analysis and appreciation Listening, speaking, viewing, and representing Grammar, usage, mechanics, spelling Cognitive academic skills Learning strategies Critical thinking Research skills Test taking strategies Writing Handwriting Writing purposes, modes, and forms Writing process Writer’s craft Technology and media Cultural perspectives ESOL Instruction Strands(or where I’m going)

16. Strategies and Supports Activate prior knowledge Build background Develop concepts and vocabulary Everything in context Multiple exposures to same text Interactive manipulative materials Thematic songs and chants Real photographs and visual supports Big book/small book Authentic, culturally relevant literature Fiction and non fiction texts Memorable language patterns and repetition of high frequency words Strong text-picture correlation Strategies and Supports(or how I’m getting there)

17. Cómo Hacer una Mantequilla de Maní y jalea dos rebanadas de pan mantequilla de maní Jalea Cuchillo Primera abra el tarro de mantequilla de cacahuete y el tarro de jalea. Después, tome dos rebanadas de pan del bolso, coja el cuchillo y separe la mantequilla de cacahuete en una rebanada de pan. Entonces separe la jalea en la otra rebanada de pan. Finalmente, ponga las dos rebanadas de pan junto con la condimentos en el interior y tome una mordedura

18. Cómo Hacer una Mantequilla de Maní y Jalea 2 rebanadas of pan mantequilla of maní Jalea Cuchillo First, abra the tarro of mantequilla of cacahuete and the tarro of jalea. Next, tome two rebanadas of pan del bolso, coja the cuchillo and separe the mantequilla of cacahuete en one rebanada of pan. Then separe the jalea on the otra rebanada of pan. Finally, put the two rebanadas of pan junto con the condimentos on the interior and tome a mordedura

19. Cómo Hacer una Mantequilla de Maní y Jalea 2 rebanadas de pan mantequilla de cacahuete jalea cuchillo

20. Cómo Hacer una Mantequilla de Maní y jalea 1. Primera abra el tarro de mantequilla de cacahuete y el tarro de jalea. 2. Después, tome dos rebanadas de pan del bolso, coja el cuchillo y separe la mantequilla de cacahuete en una rebanada de pan

21. Cómo Hacer una Mantequilla de Maní y jalea 3. Entonces separe la jalea en la otra rebanada de pan. 4. Finalmente, ponga las dos rebanadas de pan junto con la condimentos en el interior y tome una mordedura

22. Language Support in Your Classroom General Classroom Support • Provide predictable classroom routines • MODEL, MODEL, MODEL • Cooperative groups • Use gestures, pictures, and realia to get the point across • Use SVO sentences for beginning and developing students • Avoid slang and idiomatic expressions at first

23. Language Support in Your Classroom General Classroom Support • Adjust lesson presentation and assessments • Adjust the amount of work • Increase requirements as proficiency and comfort increase • Provide opportunities for students to practice speaking- try puppets!

24. Language Support in Your Classroom General • Access and build prior knowledge before presenting new material • Announce the lesson’s objectives and activities prior to the lesson • Always set a purpose for reading or listening • Prepare and provide focus questions before you start to teach the lesson • Give directions in sequential order and write them on the board • Adjust your language when questioning

25. Language Support in Your Classroom Reading and fluency • Read aloud • Choral Reading and/or echo reading • Multiple readings of same text • Set up a listening center so student can read and listen simultaneously • Readers’ Theatre- use props and masks

26. Language Support in Your Classroom Phonemic Awareness and Phonics • Some phonemes may not be present in native language • Difficult to pronounce and distinguish auditorily, as well as to place into a meaningful context • Use meaningful activities such as language games and word walls to focus on particular sounds and letters • Songs and poems • Rhythm and repetition • Easily memorized • Can be used to teach phonemic awareness and print concepts to ELLs http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/pubs/directions/15.pdf

27. Language Support in Your Classroom Vocabulary- • Preteach vocabulary, as well as vocabulary in context of fiction and nonfiction text • Teach morphology and cognates • Use visual aids, realia, description, explanations, and synonyms • Use graphic organizers to activate schema and aid in retention • Use vocabulary in writing projects • Be aware of words with multiple meanings

28. Language Support in Your Classroom Comprehension • Assessment of prior knowledge and building of background is vital • Use of prereading, during reading, and post reading activities to facilitate interaction with text • Create semantic webs, cluster vocabulary, use graphs, charts, maps, timelines, diagrams to help convey meaning and check for understanding • Teaching text backward • Minilessons on text navigation and strategies for active reading http://www.pps.k12.or.us/curriculum/PDFs/ESL_Modifications.pdf

29. Language Support in Your Classroom Writing • Use graphic organizers to plan and organize writing • Emphasis on the writing process through lessons on each of the writing steps • Use of Language Experience Approach • LEA is a shared experience and gives students important vocabulary for reading and writing • Integration of content area concepts and vocabulary with writing tasks • Use dialogue journals to communicate with students about writing

30. Language Support in Your Classroom Math • Demonstrate and use manipulatives • Accompany your message with pictures and objects that help get the meaning across • Use a variety of different pictures or objects for the same idea • Be sensitive to Math words with common and mathematical meanings • Teach math vocabulary in context • Remember, there is no spiral curriculum in most cultures

31. Language Support in Your Classroom Content Areas • Simplify your language, not the content • Enunciate clearly • Consider using a slower rate of speech • New vocabulary should be presented, discussed, and used prior to teaching content and again in context • Illustrate and label concepts and vocabulary http://www.pps.k12.or.us/curriculum/PDFs/ESL_Modifications.pdf

32. What Should I Expect? http://www.wida.us/standards/CAN_DOs/index.aspx

33. Assessment & Grading • Standard Progress reports for some students at expanding and bridging levels • Students having difficulty because of language proficiency use “modified curriculum” • ESOL progress reports supplement teacher grades, except in case of non-speakers and beginners • I can assist you with modifying classroom assessments!

34. ELLS and Standardized Tests • ACCESS for ELLs – Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State to State for English Language Learners • Pennsylvania requirement to meet NCLB • Annual test given to ALL ESOL students (including any just arrived in US) • Similar to PSSAs • Tests English language proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing across the curriculum • Administration window – mid-January to mid-February, 2009

35. Exit Criteria • PSSA- Proficient or Advanced in Reading and Math • ACCESS-Composite score of 5.0 (Bridging) or higher • District Benchmarks- Proficient or higher in reading, writing, and math • Progress reports- No less than C in all areas • Daily curricula- At least grade level performance

36. Language Learners and PSSA* • LEP students in their first year of enrollment in U.S. schools- • Reading PSSA is optional • If students participate in the Reading assessment, their performance level results will not be included in the AYP calculations for the school/district http://www.pde.state.pa.us/a_and_t/lib/a_and_t/AccommodationsforEnglishLanguageLearners2007.pdf

37. Language Learners and PSSA* • All ELL’s are required to participate in the Mathematics PSSA, with accommodations as appropriate • The Mathematics scores of LEP students in their first year of enrollment in U.S. schools will not be used to determine the percent proficient or higher for AYP status http://www.pde.state.pa.us/a_and_t/lib/a_and_t/AccommodationsforEnglishLanguageLearners2007.pdf

38. Language Learners and PSSA • Three separate accommodations are allowed: • Word-to word (without definitions) translation dictionaries (not for the multiple-choice/passages on the Reading test or on any part of the Writing test) • Qualified interpreters • Spanish/English Mathematics test • All of these accommodations are voluntary and not mandatory. http://www.pde.state.pa.us/a_and_t/lib/a_and_t/AccommodationsforEnglishLanguageLearners2007.pdf

39. District Testing • MAP testing* • First year students take math in fall • First year students take math and reading in spring • DIBELS/DRA* • Tests administered * It can take 5-7 years to develop proficiency. Student scores on these assessments are not an indicator of progress.

40. Difference or Disability? • Since ELL’s may seem proficient at speaking but may have difficulty “keeping up” in the classroom, some may wonder if it is difference or disability • This can lead to overrepresentation of ELL’s in special education

41. Difference or Disability 5 Sociocultural factors • Cultural and linguistic background • Experiential background • Stage and pattern of acculturation • Sociolinguistic development and language transfer • Cognitive and learning styles http://www.crosscultured.com/articles/sdd_handouts.pdf

42. Communication Tools • TransACT • A data base that includes all required NCLB forms in many languages • Includes some “housekeeping” forms schools often need

43. Communication Tools • Language Line • A “conference call” • District supplied through AT&T • Place the call to LL, tell them the language of the person, their name and phone number • Explain what you will be talking about and any specialized vocabulary you will be using • Translator places the call to the parent • Talk to the parent, giving time for the translator to translate for you. • IT’S EASY!!

44. Communication Tools • Interpreters!!! • Available for testing, parent conferences, etc. • Working on a procedure for getting interpreters/ translators • For now, ask me

45. More Information Please visit: ESOL department webpage and Ms. Weaver’s webpage for an electronic version of this presentation and for links to many many helpful sites.