1. 1 Instructing the English Language Learner (ELL) in the Regular Classroom

2. 2 Research predicts that in 20 years,1 in 4 students in the United States will speak a language other than English.

3. 3 Factors that Impact the ELL Culture Culture shock Language background Rate of acquisition Work ethic Former school experience

4. 4 Language Development The rate of English acquisition varies from student to student. We can break language development down into two categories: BICS CALP

5. The Role of the ESL Teacher Test, place, and exit students from the ESL program Facilitate ELLs’ cultural adjustment Create a safe environment for newcomers Serve as a liaison and outreach to ELLs’ families Deliver information on ESL and ELLs to colleagues Monitor ELLs’ social adjustment and linguistic/academic progress Collaborate with content area teachers

6. What the ESL Teacher’s role is NOT: Teaching or tutoring regular classroom teacher’s content and giving content tests Helping ELLs finish specific content assignments Translation of documents

7. The Role of the Content Area Teacher Provide access to comprehensible content instruction Facilitate students’ language learning through modeling and feedback Monitor ELLs’ social adjustments and linguistic/academic progress in the specific content area classroom

8. Beginning Level ELLs (entering/beginning) 1.These ELLs have little or NO understanding of English. 2.They may or may not be able to respond non-verbally to simple commands, statements and questions. 3.As their oral comprehension increases, they first imitate what others say. 4.They construct meaning from: Non-print items such as pictures, graphs, maps and tables. This depends on native language development and familiarity with the same types of non-print items.

9. Intermediate Level ELLs (developing) 1.Understand more complex speech, but still need repetition. 2.Have a vocabulary of basic words and phrases that cover their usual daily situations. 3.Generate some English on their own, but may not be able to express their thoughts because of restrictions in vocabulary and knowledge of English grammar and structure. 4.Use simple sentences which may be understood but have grammatical errors. 5.Have difficulty with academic language and more complex syntax. 6.Generate more complex texts with more coherence than beginners, but will still have unconventional features in their language patterns.

10. Advanced Level ELLs (expanding) 1.Read with some fluency and are often able to locate and identify specific facts within the text. 2.Have some difficulty understanding texts in which material is presented in a de- contextualized manner, with complex sentences structure and/or abstract vocabulary. 3.Read independently, but with some comprehension problems. 4.Produce texts on their own for both personal and academic purposes but errors persist in structure, vocabulary and overall organization of the material. Please note: The Advanced English Proficiency Level is NOT the Fluent Level and the ELL will still need to progress in order to successfully exit the ESL program and perform at the HIGHEST level at which HE/SHE WOULD BE CAPABLE, unhindered by language deficiencies or misunderstandings

11. 11 What you should do… Knowledge- find out what country your ELL is from and facts about the culture. Access the internet, culture grams, check with the ESL teacher, read the student’s Home Language Survey. Experience- find out where the ELL has lived, how much education he/she has received in his/her native country. Needs- What literacy skills does he/she have in his/her first language and /or in English, and what level of education do the parents have? Goals- What is the English Proficiency level of the ELL as determined by the district’s English Proficiency Assessment Test (W-Apt)?

12. Adapt Instruction: Allow Alternate Responses ( give choice of printed or cursive written responses, oral responses, illustrations, and /or provide an outline of notes for highlighting) Modify amount of work (especially reading assignments ) Print as much as possible ( rather than cursive writing) Increase individual participation

13. Adapt Instruction (continued) Cooperative Learning Techniques Oral presentation (rephrase- student to teacher and teacher to student, repeat, and speak clearly and slowly) Generate summary sentences for short segments of text TPR (Total Physical Response) Using body language and gestures to teach vocabulary and concepts Extended wait time

14. Modify Assessment Modify tests and quizzes (to reflect comprehension of smaller units of information) Make expectations brief and clear Do not use new words on tests that ELLs have not had explained to them Use pictures and diagrams When writing- ask for summary sentences instead of essays, use cloze activities, word banks, matching exercises should be in no larger than groups of 5, allow more time

15. Modify Assessment (continued) When giving oral responses, allow the use of notes, tape record responses, allow practice time Eliminate true and false questions Limit answer choices Open book or notebook assessments Prioritize objectives Limit material evaluated to the most important Use alternate forms of assessment

16. Grading the ESL Student The lowest level ESL students must be graded on a pass/fail unless they are completing the content work that has been modified for them. Students should not just be exempt from assignments that are “too hard” for them. The assignments must be modified. More proficient ESL students can be graded on a regular scale If the student is completing the content area work with appropriate accommodations, use a regular grading scale.

17. 17 With all your teaching strategies you are well equipped to proceed with your plans to embrace the challenges and rewards of teaching English Language Learners.