Including English Language Learners in Social Studies Bárbara C. Cruz & Stephen J. Thornton University of South Florida NCSS, November 2008

Do teachers feel well-equipped to meet the needs of ELLs? Between13% and 30% of teachers have received ELL training (although almost 50% have ELLs in their classrooms) Less than 3% of teachers have earned a degree in ESL In a study of 25 popular teacher education texts, it was found that less than 1% of the text included useable content related to the teaching of ELLs; in many cases, the topic of English language learning was not identified at all

Some U.S. statistics… There are over 10 million ELLs in the U.S. Depending on the district, this can represent between 10% and 50% of the school population. Between the and the school years, the overall national school population grew 12%; the ELL population grew 105% Today 1 in 9 K-12 public school students is an ELL; in 20 years it is estimated to be 1 in 4

In Florida…

Speakers of Languages other than English Combined Source: African Langs. ArabicArmenianChinese French French Creole GermanGreek Gujarathi Hebrew Hindi HungarianItalian Japanese Korean LaotianMiao, HmongNavajoOther N. Am Langs. Persian PolishPortugueseRussianScandinavianTagalog ThaiUrduVietnameseYiddish Serbo-Croatian

Stages of Second Language Acquisition Preproduction: ELLs are able to comprehend more English than they can produce; focus is on developing everyday “survival” English Early Production: ELLs are taking more risks with English, often resulting in grammar and pronunciation errors; important to create a safe, low- anxiety classroom environment Speech Emergence: ELLs typically have 1-3 years exposure to English; awareness of English language structure is growing; may have a receptive understanding of academic English Intermediate Fluency: ELLs exhibit almost native-like like fluency in everyday social English, but not in academic English; still difficult to understand and verbalize cognitively demanding, abstract concepts

Preproduction ELLs are able to comprehend more English than they can produce; focus is on developing everyday “survival” English Early Production ELLs are taking more risks with English, often resulting in grammar and pronunciation errors; important to create a safe, low-anxiety classroom environment Speech Emergence ELLs typically have 1-3 years exposure to English; awareness of English language structure is growing; may have a receptive understanding of academic English Intermediate Fluency ELLs exhibit almost native-like like fluency in everyday social English, but not in academic English; still difficult to understand and verbalize cognitively demanding, abstract concepts ENGLISH LANGUAGE ABILITY “Silent” period Point Respond with movement Follow command Receptive vocabulary up to 500 words One- or two-word responses Labelling Listing Receptive vocabulary up to 1,000 words Expressive vocabulary words Short phrases and sentences Comparing and contrasting Descriptions Receptive vocabulary up to 7,000 words Expressive vocabulary 2,000 words Dialogue Reading academic texts Writing Receptive vocabulary up to 12,000 words Expressive vocabulary 4,000 words TEACHING STRATEGIES Yes/No questions Simplified speech Gestures Visuals Picture books Word walls KWL charts Simple Cloze activities Realia TPR Questions that require: Yes/No; Either/Or; Two-word response Lists of words Definitions Describing Reader’s Theater Drama Graphic organizers How and why questions Modeling Demonstrating Cooperative learning Comprehension checks Alternative assessments Simulations Brainstorming Journal writing Literary analysis Problem solving Role playing Monologues Story telling Oral reports Interviewing and applications

ELL Principles Vocabulary and Language Skills Development Examples: linking written & oral lang, listening centers, storytelling Making Text in English more Comprehensible Examples: modified text, graphic organizers, visuals Promoting Interactive Learning between ELLs and English-speaking Students Examples: class discussion, cooperative learning, peer teaching, group projects Accommodating a Variety of Learning Styles Examples: total physical response, kinesthetic learning, hands-on, visual, auditory

Lewis & Clark: Visual Aids, Cartography, & Critical Thinking Overhead transparency of LA Purchase: online.org/library/formatted/images/lpur chase.htmlhttp:// online.org/library/formatted/images/lpur chase.html /Louisiana_Purchase.htmlhttp://encarta.msn.com/media_ /Louisiana_Purchase.html rchase-index.htmhttp:// rchase-index.htm

Louisiana Purchase Ask students to consider: How many modern-day states are part of the Louisiana Purchase? What sorts of terrain did Lewis and Clark encounter along the Missouri? How was it different from the settled parts of the U.S. east of the Mississippi River? (Hint: look at natural vegetation and precipitation maps). What natural resources did the U.S. gain from the Louisiana Purchase?

Pre-Production Find the Alleghany Mountains. Where is the Mississippi River? Which areas were settled before 1760? Early Production Do you think Lewis and Clark will complete their trip safely? Which is longer: the Mississippi or the Illinois River? List all the states shown on the map. Speech Emergence What kind of people would Lewis and Clark likely find on their trip? Why does it say “Spanish” south of Georgia? If you were on the Lewis and Clark expedition, what would you take? Intermediate Fluency What do you think Lewis and Clark will find on their journey? How long do you think their trip will take? Do you think it was right for Pres. Jefferson to ask Lewis and Clark to go on such a dangerous journey?

Case Study: Women’s Changing Roles in WWII

Source: Library of Congress

Picture Books

Historical Photograph Analysis Another source: “How to Read a Photograph,” NCSS

Dora Miles and Dorothy Johnson Long Beach Plant, Douglas Aircraft Credit: Library of Congress “Women Learn ‘War Work’” Volusia County Vocational School. Daytona Beach Credit: FCIT

Lesson Summary of the Cuban Missile Crisis

Triangular Trade

Christ Church and Coal Staith, Leeds, 1829 Photo credit: Science & Society Picture Library, Science Museum, London

Textile industries, George Spill & Co., 1855 Photo credit: Science & Society Picture Library, Science Museum, London

“She talks about what people can do, not what they can’t.” John F. Fanselow, Professor Emeritus at Teachers College, Columbia University, speaking about Maxine Greene, noted educator and philosopher

Questions? Comments?

To access this PowerPoint, go to: seced/seced.html Click on “Department Chair” (Thornton)