1. 1 You and Your ELL Student Wellesley Public Schools

2. 2 2 Important Questions to Consider 1.How does my student acquire English? 2. What strategies can I use to help my student?

3. 3 Before You Can Help Your Student You Must Know Your:

4. 4 BICS Student is Very proficient socially Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (1-3 years) Student comprehends and responds to interpersonal language High Context Students uses many Observational cues Nonverbal behaviour Intonation and stress Pictures and objects Don’t be fooled by a student who has excellent BICS! He/she may still not have …

5. 5 CALPS Cognitive Academic Language Proficienc y Skills (5 + years) Context Reduced Non verbal cues are absent Less face to face Abstract Inferential High literacy demand High on cultural and linguistic knowledge Very demanding Lots of support needed! -Cummins

6. 6 CALPS C ognitive A cademic L anguage P roficiency S kills (5+ years) BICS B asic I nterpersonal C ommunication S kills (1-3 years) What influences language acquisition ? Motivation Prior educational experience Literacy level in L1 Support in L1 Perception of L2 In the home Social needs/friends Risk taking ability Emotional state Cultural Differences Learning Styles Teacher Centered vs.. Student centered Parental support At home language rich environment Acceptance of new culture

7. 7 Transfer of language skills from first language (L1) to second language (L2) There is a transfer of not just language but also cognitive skills from L1 to L2. Children who are proficient in their L1 will use these skills when acquiring L2. Children who are prematurely stopped from fully developing their L1 will suffer and struggle trying to acquire L2 L1 L2 Did you know??? Proficient bilingual and biliterate children and adults have heightened metalinguistic awareness and knowledge that may actually enhance their ability to use linguistic processes and analysis in L2 reading? L1 proficient Learners Seek and discover in the L2: Lexical items, Clauses, phrases, speech acts and functions, patterns, and structures

8. 8 Level of English S’s Characteristics How S’s Learn Most Effective Classroom ProductionPractice Pre- production ~1-3 months Silent Period: no speaking Responds to instruction and commands S learns by observation and imitation Points, gestures, draws to show understanding Create a safe, no pressure environment. Speak to s frequently in simple language, use lots of gestures, pointing, and visuals. Repeat and rephrase Ask student to point, draw, find, put, show… Early Production ~many weeks to many months Speaks using one to two words Uses repetitive language patterns Gives “yes” and “no” answers May mix L1 and L2 S learns by observation and practicing one to two word responses Points, gestures, draws, or responds with one or two words Create a safe, no pressure environment. Ask yes or no questions Ask questions to elicit one or two word responses: What color is the elephant? What do I have in my hand? Is this the mother or father? Speech Emergence ~many months to a year or two Speaks in longer complex phrases to express a thought or retell a story States opinions/original thought Asks for clarification Responds to open ended questions S is ready for formal reading and writing in English S begins to ask questions Uses basic literary skills Participates in discussion and responds to questions playing with syntactic structures Create a safe, no pressure environment. Ask open ended questions Ask “tell me about” questions Ask “why” or “how”? Ask basic reading comp questions Play with sentence structures and grammar Guided reading and story mapping Use writing prompts and organizers

9. 9 Level of English S’s Characteristics How S’s Learn Most Effective Classroom ProductionPractice Intermediate Fluency Several years Ready for more advanced reading and writing in English Needs help with vocabulary development in math, science, and social studies Needs help with cultural content S applies more advanced literary skills S builds on content learning through discussion using more advanced syntactic structures Call for process writing Provide content material at grade level Ask s to respond to conditional questions: What if… What would you do if… How would it look if… Language and learning skills are comparable to that of a native English speaker in academic settings. Fluency -Krashen

10. 10 Adjusting to a New Culture Your student has many adjustments to make. Keep in mind these phases of cultural adjustment as they can affect language acquisition! Honeymoon great! love all the new things very up phase very playful phase Hostility reality sets in everything is inferior to native culture fear of loss of native culture can be very negative and uncooperative, moody Humor see differences in culture as non- threatening sees that new culture has both positive and negative sides Home acceptance of new culture able to fully function in new culture

11. 11 Student Behaviors Many new students exhibit some of these behaviors during the “hostility” phase of adjustment: Quick Exit Needs frequent trips to the bathroom or water fountain Long Term Exitsfrequent absence from school Physical Problems upset stomach, headache, tiredness Psychological Problems mood swings, tears, blow ups, (including homesickness) Classroom Behavior inappropriate behavior with classmates, teachers: touching, grabbing, yelling

12. 12 Set a place for your student right away! Help your student navigate the new system: what to expect in the classroom with you and other students. Be consistent with rules and routines Give students jobs to do. Make them a part of the class immediately! Informally assess your student’s understanding frequently. Don’t take anything for granted. Communicate with parents and your ELL tutor! How Can We Help?

13. 13 Effective Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) Strategies for ELL Students in the Content Classroom

14. 14 Remember: all strategies for ELL students are just good teaching! All your students benefit from these strategies!

15. 15 1. Building Background Get to know your student and his/her academic and cultural background Link concepts to your student’s experiences Make clear connections between student’s past learning and new concepts Emphasize key vocabulary

16. 16 2. Comprehensible Input (Make sure what your are saying is comprehensible !) speak appropriately to accommodate your student’s proficiency level enunciate clearly explain academic tasks (repeat, rephrase, review, and revisit) use a variety of techniques to make content concepts clear: Modeling, hands on, visuals, demos, gestures, movies, pictures, graphs, globes, maps, diagrams, alternative and supplementary texts provide ample wait time Can vary from culture to culture

17. 17 Strategies for Scaffolding 3. Incorporate many grouping configurations: –Whole class To develop classroom community To provide shared experiences –Flexible small groups To promote multiple perspectives To encourage collaboration –Partnering To provide practice opportunities To scaffold instruction -Flodd, Lapp, Flood, Nagel, 1992

18. 18 Whole classSmall Group Partners Independent Work Teach Model Practice Apply Increasing Independence -Echvarria Scaffolding Teaching Scaffolding Grouping

19. 19 4. Vocabulary Remember: vocabulary is one of the most limiting factors in L2 acquisition. Think about not only content vocabulary but all vocabulary surrounding it. Explain special vocabulary in terms and words students know Word walls and charts Vocabulary centers with vocabulary cards and games (concentration, matching words with pictures, puzzles: crosswords, soups) Illustrations of vocabulary items Classroom games: pictionary, scategories, tic-tac-toe, jeopardy..) Other Ways to Say Charts Big huge, enormous, gigantic, mega, supersized

20. 20 Vocabulary (cont.) Provide vocabulary lists of important terms already known to class (especially in math) Use dictionaries and thesauruses: appropriate for your student –Picture, bilingual, beginner’s English-English Word of the day: –Define it, draw it, find an antonym, synonym, use in a sentence, put it on the wall! Find vocabulary in context –Page 7. Paragraph 3 What word means large?

21. 21 5. Reading “Learning to read only happens once. When children are already literate in their first language they do not need instruction in how to read in English. What they need is to learn how to speak.” -MASCD

22. 22  Cultural Background  Topic Background  Punctuation  Vocabulary  Increasing complicated sentence structures and grammar  Writing Style and Text Structure

23. 23 Reading Culturally driven content will require extra supplementary material!! Think about culture and language demands…

24. 24 Making Reading Comprehensible Independent Reading is Essential Make sure student is reading a their “just right” level in L2 Start slow and work up (leveled readers) Many ELL’s do not have access to books at home: send readers and many books home Encourage use of the public library Read Read Read Content Reading Maintain a library of supplementary books at varying levels of difficulty Make written materials more readable by: –Simplifying/rewriting –Enlarging –Highlighting key concepts –Writing headings

25. 25 Make reading interactive Give a Purpose! Photocopy text to mark up with questions, predictions, highlights Have students fill in an outline or notetaking guide as they read; move from completion to production activities Support reading material with: -films, music, pictures, magazines, and other supplementary material

26. 26 Fabulous Really Effective Practices Found in Wellesley Public Schools 1.Using the whiteboard. Frequently. -daily agenda -outlines/ graphic organizers -key points/main points -vocabulary with definitions -questions/answers -homework 2. Providing outlines and notetaking guides 3. Writing examples and providing the “first one done” 4. Asking fellow students to repeat and speak clearly: enunciate! 5. Keeping communications open with parents via email or back and forth book. 6. Finding differentiated materials to suit your students’ reading levels. 7. Asking ELLs about their culture/ point of view/background knowledge.

27. 27 Plan Instruction according to what your student Can DO!! Use the WiDA Can Do Descriptors Focus on the verbs! Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4 and 5 Listen Draw Point Illustrate Match Locate Circle Select Repeat Sort Copy Trace Identify Define Name Predict Label State/restate Describe Group Respond List Categorize Sequence Answer Tell or say Ask/request Classify Create Connect Make lists Rephrase Give examples Recall Retell Define Explain Summarize Role play Compare/contrast Discuss Express Analyze Interpret Justify/defend Elaborate Critique Explain Narrate Conclude Convince Reflect Resolve Compose Infer Synthesize Hypothesize

28. 28 Ten Considerations and Strategies in Teaching ELL Students

29. 29 Other Things To Know Familiarize yourself with the WiDA language proficiency standards and Can Do’s! View the WiDA tutorial:http:// www.wida.us/ DownloadDocs/standards/20 12Amplification/2012Tutorial/player.html Your ELL is assessed annually using the ACCESS assessment http://www.wida.us/assessment/ACCESS/