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ESL at St. Stephen’s. U.S. Faculty Meeting Presentation. Transitional English Classes (9T & 10T). are designed for intermediate-advanced ESL students feature many of the same texts as the mainstream 9 th & 10 th graders
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ESL at St. Stephen’s U.S. Faculty Meeting Presentation
Transitional English Classes (9T & 10T) • are designed for intermediate-advancedESL students • feature many of the same texts as the mainstream 9th& 10th graders • pace = slightly slower, with more focus on comprehension and vocabulary development • class size = smaller (8-15 students), discussion seminar format • pedagogical approach = geared toward second language learners
Goal of Trans. English To facilitate a smooth transition into a mainstream English class the following year by… • strengthening students' spoken English and ability to participate fully in class discussions • introducing and reinforcing the vocabulary and skills associated with literary analysis • developing students' academic writing
Feedback from former/current students… • “Since all the students are international students who speak English as second language like me, I felt very confident about participating in the class.” • “Before starting a section, we get to learn different terms and vocabularies which was very helpful to me because it is a basic words that we use in English classes all throughout the year.” • “I have never analyzed any literary work like this before I took this course.” • “The teacher's pace is suitable for the international students and the teacher understands the difficulty of foreign students.”
Faculty Survey Questions • What assets have ESL students brought to your class? • What challenges have you faced working with ESL students? • What strategies have you found most effective in your work with ESL students?
Assets! International students bring… • great personalities • diverse viewpoints • global consciousness • humor • diligence • willingness to work hard
Challenges! Some international students… • avoid asking questions/making conferences • wait until the last minute to confer and then have too much to cover • miss important content • self-segregate in the classroom • are reluctant to speak up • have issues with academic honesty • seem very stressed/pressured • are obsessed with electronic devices
Adopt a multi-sensory approach • Write specialized vocabulary on the board (direct vocabulary instruction) • Use images and visual symbols wherever possible • Have all students write answers to questions on dry erase boards
Elicit support from peers • Assign a buddy in the same class (or course) who speaks their language but is much more fluent in English • Assign a native-English-speaking partner for note-taking and studying • Do more small-group work, including collaborative learning activities
Offer support outside the classroom • Get to know as many of the students as possible • Encourage conferences(in which information can be streamlined) • ** Note: It may be necessary to REQUIRE a conference, rather than merely suggesting it
Give writing support • Use sentence stems and structured prompts • Allow students time to write down thoughts before answering • Allow for (even require?) multiple drafts/revisions of papers
The challenge of… evaluating international student work
TESOL Levels of Language Proficiency The levels… • reflect the complexity of language development • allow for the tracking of student progress over time • provide a model of the process of language acquisition • highlight characteristics of language performance at each developmental stage
Level 3 - Developing Students at this level… • understand complex speech but may require repetition • use English spontaneously but have some difficulty expressing thoughts (restricted vocabulary, limited command of structure) • speak in simple sentences (comprehensible+ appropriate but marked by grammatical errors) • vary considerably in reading proficiency • construct meaning from texts for which they have background knowledge
Level 4 - Expanding Students at this level… • can meet most day-to-day communication needs • can communicate in English in new, unfamiliar settings • have some difficulty with complex structures and abstract academic concepts • read with considerable fluency BUT may not understand de-contextualized concepts or vocabulary that is abstract or has multiple meanings • experience occasional comprehension problems
Level 5 - Bridging Students at this level… • can express themselves fluently and spontaneously on a wide range of personal, general, academic, or social topics in a variety of contexts • have good command of technical and academic vocabulary as well as colloquialisms • can produce clear, smoothly flowing, well-structured texts of differing lengths and degrees of linguistic complexity • errors = minimal, generally corrected when they occur
Why is it helpful to consider proficiency levels? • Knowing a student’s level may help in your assessment of his/her work in your class. • You may consider adjusting your expectations for students at different levels of proficiency. • Ask yourself: What is reasonable to expect at this level? • Proficiency develops over time. A student may start the year at Level 3 and transition into Level 4.
Some Useful Terminology BICS • Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (social) CALP • Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (academic)
Why is it helpful to be aware of social vs. academic language? • Sometimes you can adjust your language without adjusting or compromising content. • Using simpler language and grammatical construction allows students to distinguish between what is/isn’t necessary to answer the question.
Example: original modified Suppose you have a bag containing 3 red, 4 blue, 5 white, and 2 black marbles. One marble is selected at random. Find the theoretical probability of choosing each of the following… You have a bag with 3 red, 4 blue, 5 white, and 2 black balls inside it. You choose one ball. What is the probability that you will choose…
How can I best serve you as the ESL support person at the school? • Work with teachers on an individual basis to help meet the needs of particular students • Optional workshops, faculty meetings in the future… • Online information & resources (see Moodle page)
Written Feedback on ESL student writing Principles for maximizing effectiveness
Common problems related to L2 writing • learners not utilizing teacher comments • lack of learner interest in writing • teacher investment of large amounts of response TIME for little return
Clarity is paramount (learners’ most oft cited criticism about teacher feedback is that it is unclear) • Respond selectively (too much feedback can be overwhelming/discouraging) • Responses should be interactive (suggestions rather than commandments… avoid appropriating student writing) • Appropriately balance critique and praise
Creating self-regulated learners • Offering freedom to choose activities / assignments builds motivation • Developing students’ awareness of the stages of the writing process (prewriting, planning, drafting, revising, editing) helps with time management • Requiring evidence of the completion of each part of the process helps students avoid procrastination • Creating a safe environment that supports risk-taking will allow students to engage in meaningful interaction necessary for developing their communicative competence
Motive and its application to L2 writing
