1. 1 Margot Downs Professional Development Specialist Portland Public Schools October 5, 2010 Maine Department of Education ESL/Bilingual Programs Professional development online webinar Educating ELLs The nuts and bolts of methods, curriculum, linguistics and diversity

2. 2 Understanding Learner Assets

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5. 5 Literacy Level in L1 Age of Entry in to US TraumaPrior Schooling Socio- economic Status Birth Country v. Home Language Differences between L1 and English Cultural Capital Physical Health How Long Does It Take? Concept Development

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9. 9 “Ram’s Horns” (Dwennimmen) Symbol of humility together with strength

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13. 13 Policy and Procedures

14. 14 What is a Lau Plan? A Lau Plan is named after the landmark Supreme Court case, Lau v. Nichols. The 1974 decision upheld Title VI and required school districts to provide special assistance to LEP (limited English proficient) students who were unable to benefit from an educational program conducted primarily in English. The Plan itself is a written program guide to address the appropriate educational practices for LEP students and includes the following components: Identification Assessment Placement Programming Exit Criteria Program Evaluation

15. 15 3 One symbol, many meanings … Grade level English language proficiency code ACCESS proficiency level NECAP level

16. 16 Equity Educators have an obligation to pursue relationships with parents and students even if there are social, economic, linguistic, and cultural challenges. The Lau Plan puts procedures in place to ensure that these obligations are met. All students must have access to core instruction, but that core instruction needs to be accessible from a language perspective. In Maine all schools must have appropriate English Language Development (ELD) services for Levels 1-5.9 overseen by ESL endorsed teacher.

17. 17 Language Acquisition

18. 18 General Principles of Language  Language is functional.  Language and culture are interrelated.  Language and culture vary and change.  Language skills develop interdependently across language domains (reading, writing, speaking, listening).  Native language contributes to second language acquisition.

19. 19 Two Levels of Language Proficiency (Cummins) BICS - Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills - involves using language for social, face-to-face, everyday situations. BICS tends to be very contextualized, providing abundant clues to comprehension (acquired within two years). CALP - Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency - involves language skills and functions of an academic or cognitive nature. This is the language needed to accomplish academic tasks (acquired between 4 - 7 years). CALP is highly transferable from one language to another. If you have have academic proficiency in one language, you can more easily acquire the matching language for the concept and ideas in a second language.

20. 20 Important Concepts  L2 Acquisition is not a linear process. ELLs will progress at different rates and times.  Similar ELP levels among ELLs do not connote similar linguistic background profiles. As a result, instructional emphases will vary.  Delivery of instruction needs to be mediated individually to ELLs according to their individual linguistic and cultural backgrounds (Comprehensible Input).  Consistent embedding of targeted language is required through consistent task-based, cognitively demanding activities (Building Student Autonomy)(SIOP Model).  Collaboration is a must between the ELL support teacher and the content teacher for strategic delivery of instruction with a differentiated language focus and grade-level delivery of content.

21. 21 Academic Language

23. There was no rain for a long time. Farmers had planted crops like wheat and corn, but because it did not rain, and all the crops died. Because there were no crops, there was nothing for people to eat, and they became hungry and died. Many people were children and old people. The extended drought caused the crops to fail, resulting in a widespread famine and many deaths, including the children and elderly.

24. 24 What is “Academic Language”? Relating events to someone who was not present Making comparisons between alternatives and justifying a choice Knowing different forms and inflections of words and their appropriate use Using content-specific vocabulary and modes of expression in different academic disciplines such as mathematics and social studies in reading, writing, speaking and listening.

25. 25 Social Language Proficiency Academic Achievement Academic Language Proficiency Gottlieb (2003)

26. 26 Register (Halliday and Hasan 1985 and Gee, 2000) Field - topic Tenor - Relationship between speaker and listener or reader and writer Mode - the channel of communication (spoken or written)

27. Using appropriate terminology is integral to the concepts being learned. Understanding concepts isn’t simply a question of learning new vocabulary. Academic literacy means being able to express more concisely and precisely the complex ideas and concepts that are embedded in the context of a subject. (Gibbons 2009)

28. Academic language proficiency refers to the abilities to construct meaning from oral and written language, relate complex ideas and information, recognize features of different genres, and use various linguistic strategies to communicate. Dutro &Moran (2003)

29. 29 English Language Proficiency Standards

30. 30 Overall Organization of Standards Frameworks for Formative & Summative Assessment (2) English Language Proficiency Standards (5) Language Domains (4) Language Proficiency Levels (5) PIs are the lowest level of expression of the standards Model Performance Indicators (MPIs)

31. 31 Navel Orange

32. 32 Five WIDA ELP Standards Standard 1- SIL: English language learners communicate for SOCIAL AND INSTRUCTIONAL purposes within the school setting. Standard 2 – LoLA: English language learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of LANGUAGE ARTS. Standard 3 – LoMA: English language learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of MATHEMATICS. Standard 4 – LoSC: English language learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of SCIENCE. Standard 5 – LoSS: English language learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of SOCIAL STUDIES.

33. 33 Four Language Domains Listening ─ process, understand, interpret, and evaluate spoken language in a variety of situations Speaking ─ engage in oral communication in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes and audiences Reading ─ process, interpret, and evaluate written language, symbols, and text with understanding and fluency Writing ─ engage in written communication in a variety of forms for a variety of purposes and audiences

34. 34 Criteria for Performance Definitions ENTERINGBEGINNINGDEVELOPINGEXPANDINGBRIDGING 54321 6 REACHINGREACHING Linguistic Complexity: Expectations of the quantity and organization of the student’s verbal response Vocabulary Usage: Expectations of the student’s use of appropriate vocabulary for grade level and proficiency level; refers to language quality Language Control: Expectations of the student’s control of English grammar, word choice in context, and the English sound system; refers to language quality

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36. 36 Assessment

37. 37 Summative Is amenable to large-scale testing under standardized conditions Includes visual and graphic supports Contains model performance indicators that are observable and measurable Formative Corresponds to everyday classroom practice Includes visual, graphic, and interactive supports Contains model performance indicators that include strategies, technology, and long-term projects Two Standards Frameworks

38. 38 ACCESS for ELLs Overview Secure, large-scale test Anchored in the WIDA ELP Standards Assesses academic language Three tiers for each grade level cluster Tier A: Proficiency levels 1-3 Tier B: Proficiency levels 2-4 Tier C: Proficiency levels 3-5 One third of test items replaced annually Administered once per year as required by No Child Left Behind Indicator of student’s ability to perform on state content test

39. 39 Implementing Standards

40. 40 “ELLs need academic content instruction, just as all students do; although language development is crucial, it must be in addition to - not instead of - instruction designed to promote content knowledge.” “Teaching English Language Learners: What the Research Does - and Does Not - Say” By Claude Goldenberg American Educator Summer 2008

41. 41 Establishing a Clear Purpose with High Challenge and High Support A content objective that includes criteria for successful task completion A language objective that teaches and provides practice in the academic language needed for the task A social objective that defines the nature of the interaction

42. 42 High Challenge High Support Learning Zone Frustration Zone Low Support High Support Comfort Zone Boredom Zone Low Support Low Challenge

43. 43 Student Profile to Start a Conversation with Parents and Students

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45. 45 Elements of Model Performance Indicators The Model Performance Indicator (MPI) consists of three elements: The language function describes how students use language to demonstrate their proficiency The example topic specifies the context for language instruction, derived from state content standards The support includes instructional strategies or tools used to assist students in accessing content necessary for communication; can be sensory, graphic, or interactive

46. 46 Model Performance Indicator (Level 3-4 Writing) Explain how to calculate unit price involving decimals using a word bank and realia.

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48. 48 Content Place value Decimals Add, subtract, multiply, divide Ratios Units Doubling

49. 49 Academic Language Unit price Price per unit Ratio Proportion What is the better deal? What is the better value What is the best buy? _______ of _______ for ______ _______ for ______ Transitions Meta-language

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52. School General academic language for knowing, thinking, reading, writing and visualizing Language of Music Language of Mathematics Language of Science Language of Language Arts Language of Social Studies Student Learner assets, home and community language, and cultural factors Researched Based Teaching Strategies and Instructional Activities Formative and Summative Assessment of English Language Proficiency Adapted from Zwiers (2008)

53. 53 WIDA Consortium / CAL / MetriTech Where to Go for WIDA Resources Access and download the sample ACCESS for ELLs ® test items and the W-APT  test materials Take Online ACCESS for ELLs ® Test Administrator Training Course Read FAQs about WIDA and ACCESS for ELLs ® Access your state’s page with contact information, important dates, state policies, and local training opportunities Purchase and/or download the WIDA ELP Standards and CAN DO Descriptors Learn more about WIDA staff, products, and services www.wida.us

54. 54 Educating ELLs : The nuts and bolts of methods, curriculum, linguistics and diversity Acronyms Access for ELLs ® Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Langauge Learners.WIDA’s annual English language proficiency test ELLEnglish language learner (student) also EL ESOL English to speakers of other languages TESOL Teaching English to speakers of other languages ELP English language proficiency ESL English as a Second Language (program) LEP Limited English Proficient (student) WIDA World-class Instructional Design and Assessment

55. 55 Resources Building Academic Language: Essential Practices for Content Classrooms, Grades 5-12 by Jeff Zwiers (2007) English Learners, Academic Literacy, and Thinking: Learning in the Challenge Zone by Pauline Gibbons(2009) English Learners, Academic Literacy, and Thinking: Learning in the Challenge Zone Tongue-Tied: The Lives of Multilingual Children in Public Education by Otto Santa Ana (Hardcover - Mar 15, 2004) Tongue-Tied: The Lives of Multilingual Children in Public Education The Language of Schooling: A Functional Linguistics Perspective by Mary Schleppegrell The Language of Schooling: A Functional Linguistics Perspective Academic Languages: A History Functional Approach (Halliday, 1975) BICS vs. CALP (Cummins, 1979) Academic Languages (Lemke, 1990) Discourses (Gee, 1996, 2004) Explicit guidance in content-area practice for young practitioners (Schleppegrell, 2004) Educating ELLs : The nuts and bolts of methods, curriculum, linguistics and diversity

56. 56 Thank you!