Strategies and Supports for English Language Learners

Substitute Teachers’ Conference

October 19, 2013

Karen Shaw

karjshaw@shaw.ca

Understanding the English Language Learner

language proficiency level

Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency

Presentation Outline

Activating Prior Knowledge

Knowing the English Language Learner • Cultural Background

• Characteristics of English Language Learners

• Language Acquisition o Understanding BICS and CALP

o Comprehensible Input

Break

English Language Proficiency Benchmarks • Divisional Summaries

Support Strategies for Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing

o Listening and Speaking - Leveled Questioning

o Reading – Question/Answer Relationship

o Writing – Feedback, Write, Trace, Copy/Recall

Lesson Plan Techniques & Strategies • Comprehensible Input

• Language Strategies Before, During & After the Lesson

Activating Prior Knowledge

Does this picture represent the ESL context?

Why or why not?

Could this picture represent an ESL context?

If so, how?

Activating Prior Knowledge Debrief

What is different between the two questions? Does this

picture represent the ESL context?

Could this picture represent an ESL context?

Activating Prior Knowledge Debrief

What is different between the two questions? Does this

picture represent the ESL context?

Could this picture represent an ESL context?

Activating Prior Knowledge Debrief

- We all have assumptions based on our own lived experiences and knowledge

- Language is powerful; small words change meaning explicitly or with subtlety

- ESL/ELL is a field with some common understandings and foundational research with many areas requiring further research and innovation.

How does this picture represent cultural diversity?

How does this picture represent cultural diversity?

Diversity can be expressed in age, gender, grade, prior schooling, prior English, languages/dialects spoken in the home, age on arrival or Canadian born, family traditions, ethnicity, cultural norms and values

Acculturation Experience

Pretend you belong to a fictitious

culture in Asia where

nodding your head means no

shaking your head means yes.

Move your heads in response to the following questions

Decontextualizing activity

How did you feel?

Share with us some of the behaviors

we expect linguistically and culturally diverse families to adopt overnight

Cognitive

Emotional

Level

Iceberg Model of Culture

Level of Awareness

Surface Level Observable/ Behavioural

dress, age, race, ethnicity,

language, gender, food

Eye behaviour,

facial expressions

Body language – sense of self

Notions of modesty – concepts of

cleanliness

Emotional response patterns

Rules for social interaction

Child rearing practices -

Decision-making processes

Approaches to problem-solving

Concepts of justice – value individual vs. group

Perceptions of education, teacher, student, parent roles

Perceptions of mental health, illness, disability

Patterns of superior and subordinate roles in relation to

status by age, gender, class

More…

“ FOLK LEVEL

Linguistic and Behavior Characteristics of English Language Learners

ATA ESL Brochure #6 –Moving Toward Cultural

Responsiveness—A Guide for Teachers

”Cultural Differences in Student Behavior” p.3

Brochure 1 – Understanding ESL Learners: Distinguishing between Basic Interpersonal

Communicative Skills (BICS) and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP)

Brochure 2 - Understanding ESL Learners: Meeting Needs in the Classroom

Brochure 3 – Understanding ESL Learners: Teaching in the Content Areas

Brochure 4 – Understanding ESL Learners: Assessment

Brochure 5 – Understanding ESL Learners: Differentiating Instruction

Brochure 6 – Moving Toward Cultural Responsiveness— A Guide for Teachers

http://eslc.teachers.ab.ca/About%20the%20Council/Pages/ESLPublications.aspx or hard copies

from ATA – 1-800-232-7208 ext. 432

Four Stages of Cultural Shock

Adjustment and Acculturation Stage 1 – Arrival and first impressions

Stage 2 – Culture shock

Stage 3 – Recovery and Optimism

Stage 4 – Acculturation Coelho, Elizabeth. (2003)(Revised & Reprinted (2007) Adding English: A Guide to teaching in

Multilingual Classrooms. Pippin Publishing Corporation, Ontario p. 17 & 18

Feelings students may demonstrate

Stage One - eager, idealistic, excited & optimistic

Stage Two – confusion, withdrawal, aggressive behavior, period of confusion

Stage Three – constructive attitude, feel less anxious, try new behaviours

Stage Four – show humour and trust, value both old and new cultures

Alberta Education “Guide to Implementation” p.32-33

http://education.alberta.ca/media/507659/eslkto9gi.pdf

Considering the Deep Culture

Turn & Talk Discuss the following teacher observations and how the behavior could be related to cultural perceptions.

ELL student does not participate actively in

group work

ELL student avoids eye contact

What Can I do in the Classroom? (ATA Brochure # 6 – Moving Toward Cultural Responsiveness—A Guide for Teachers p. 4 )

ESL Guide to Implementation K-9

http://education.alberta.ca/media/507659/eslkto9qi.pdf

Appendix 2 p.157 &158

Linguistic and Behavior Characteristics of English Language Learners

Resources Alberta Learn on-line resource: Characteristics of English Language Learners www.learnalberta.ca (Search word ESL) Alberta Education “Guide to Implementation”

http://education.alberta.ca/media/507659/eslkto9gi.pdf p. 157 Appendix 2 “Understanding Cultural Differences in Student Behavior “ p.159 Appendix 3 “General Language Characteristics of ESL Students

• ATA Brochures # 1 – 6 www.teachers.ab.ca/sitecollectionsdocuments/ATApublications or hard copies from ATA – 1-800-232-7208 ext. 432

Linguistic and Behavioral Characteristics of English Language Learners

Read “Behavioral and Linguistic Characteristics of

English Language Learners” across ELP Levels 1-5.

Discuss with a partner the various characteristics at

each ELP level. Pay close attention to what you may

observe the student doing at each of the ELP levels .

(Levels1-5). E.g., ELP 1 – Repeating words, experiencing a silent

period, etc.

Guiding Question

What key verbs describe the main linguistic and

behavioral characteristics students are in engaged in at

each ELP level?

Characteristics at each ELP level

ELP 1 Beginning - copying/repeating

language, gesturing, may experience a silent

period, may demonstrate frustration and fatigue

ELP 2 Developing – imitating, observing

others, relying on supports, uses models & first

language translations,

ELP 3 Expanding– experimenting with

language, more competent in most social

situations, requires practice when learning new

content

ELP 4 Bridging – adjusting language for the

context, intentionally learning “specialized”

vocabulary with subject areas.

ELP 5 Extending – developing fluency and

flexibility with English, uses a variety & range of

language, uses translation tools strategically

Linguistic and Behavioral Characteristics of English Language Learners

• Language Learners

gain more confidence

• Require less scaffolds

• English language becomes closer to native like with perhaps accents

What do we notice about the learners’ characteristics as they progress across the ELP levels?

Linguistic and Behavioral Characteristics of English Language Learners

• Language models,

opportunities for practice

• Specific feedback and coaching to promote language progress

• Vocabulary –print rich environment-explicit instruction

• Scaffolds to support explicit language learning

What supports will students require as they move along the continuum?

The iceberg metaphor

Iceberg

BICS (1-2 years)

Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills •Surface level – Here and Now •Familiar Content •Face to Face Conversation •High Frequency Vocabulary – 2000 words •Simple Sentence Structure •Low Pressure

CALP (5 or more years) Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency •Experience and exposure to culture •Lectures, formal, written text, specialized terminology, humour, culture, idioms, textbook language, social appropriateness, non-verbal communications •Limited Interaction (textbook) •More Abstract •Less familiar content •Decontextualized •Low frequency Vocabulary

•High Stakes (lots of pressure)

Cummins’ BICS and CALP

BICS Basic Interpersonal

Communication Skills

CALP Cognitive Academic

Linguistic Proficiency

takes 1 or 2 years to acquire takes 5 to 10 years to acquire

social language academic language

high-frequency vocabulary low-frequency vocabulary

simple language structures complex language structures

context embedded

(e.g., meanings are concrete and supported by extra-linguistic cues such as gestures, objects and actions)

context reduced (e.g., meanings are abstract so extra-linguistic cues are not readily available and must be constructed through scaffolded language)

Concrete contexts abstract contexts

Often low-pressure situations Often high-pressure situations

Cummins’ BICS and CALP

Is the speaker demonstrating BICS or CALP?

1. I go to store last day.

2.That theory is debatable.

3.The leaves have a stem and an apex.

4.Photosynthesis is the process that uses energy from sunlight to convert carbon dioxide into organic compounds.

5.Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

6.What does it feel like when you volunteer?

Cummins’ BICS and CALP

Language Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5

Social (BICS) BICS BICS BICS BICS BICS

Academic (CALP) BICS

BICS Academic (CALP)

• At the lower proficiency levels,

students rely on BICS.

• As they gain proficiency, they steadily

acquire CALP and they rely more and

more on CALP for their academic

success.

BICS and CALP

The Cummins Mode Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills Cognitive Academic Linguistic Proficiency

BICS CALP

Cognitively Undemanding

Context Imbedded Context Reduced

Cognitively Demanding

What Quadrant for BICS and CALP? 1. Talking on the phone

2. Talking about weekend activities

3. Reading a textbook

4. Sharing a joke

5. Participating in a science project

6. Using a graphic organizer

7. Discussing the theme in a novel

8. Writing a journal response about personal experiences

9. Writing a journal response about connections to a

science experiment

10. Labeling a map

11. Creating a poem

Krashen’s Comprehensible Input

Comprehensible means to understand Input means “what goes in”

Learning takes place when the brain can connect new information to existing knowledge.

It is important to provide students information at their language level.

Language proficiency is increased by gradual steps always working from student’s present language level.

Use 1st language to help make connections in 2nd language

Alberta K-12 ESL Proficiency Benchmarks

On-line Videos - About the Benchmarks Considerations for using the Benchmarks Speaking videos – Div. II, Div,III & Div. !V K-12 ESL Benchmarks Online Digital Resource: www.learnalberta.ca Keyword ESL

Alberta K-12 ESL Proficiency Benchmarks

On-line Videos - About the Benchmarks Considerations for using the Benchmarks Speaking videos – Div. II, Div,III & Div. !V K-12 ESL Benchmarks Online Digital Resource: www.learnalberta.ca Keyword ESL

Purpose of ESL Benchmarks

Provide descriptions of language ability demonstrated at each proficiency level

Support initial identification of language proficiency level

Guide effective instruction and program planning for English language learners

Purpose of ESL Benchmarks

The Benchmarks support teachers in:

• monitoring and reporting progress

• planning for explicit language instruction

within everyday classroom learning

• communicating with students and parents to develop an understanding of language proficiency

When are the Benchmarks used?

Ideally, the Benchmarks will be used for:

intake assessment to establish initial language proficiency, appropriate programs and instructional starting points

identifying language proficiency levels at each reporting period

monitoring language proficiency throughout school year.

Benchmarks Organization

grade-level divisions

language strands

Swain’s Communicative Competence

Grade-level Divisions

Kindergarten

Grades 1-3

Grades 4-6

Grades 7-9

Grades 10-12

Language Strands

Listening

Speaking

Reading

Writing

3 Components of Language Vocabulary: The words we

use.

Form: The way the words join together to form a complete thought i.e.. syntax, grammar

room,teacher,of, out, the is going the

The teacher is going out of the room.

Function: The purposes for using language i.e. explain, inform or inquire

Benchmarks Grades 1-12

Listening Linguistic Strategic Socio-Linguistic Discourse Auditory Discrimination

Reading Linguistic Strategic Socio-Linguistic Discourse Fluency

Speaking Linguistic Strategic Socio-Linguistic Discourse Pronunciation

Writing Linguistic Strategic Socio-Linguistic Discourse Editing

Note: Kindergarten deals with Speaking and Listening only.

Levels of Proficiency

Level 1 – Beginning

Level 2 – Developing

Level 3 – Expanding

Level 4 – Bridging

Level 5 – Extending

39

Break Ten Minutes

Benchmark Division Level Summaries

Alberta Learn Resource

Benchmark Division Level Summaries www.learnalberta.ca http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/eslapb/printable_benchmarks.html (Search word ESL –

Printable Benchmarks)

Listening

Listening is the first way in which English language learners involve themselves in the language learning process.

Listening involves hearing, processing and interpreting spoken words by distinguishing:

sound

rate

pitch

volume

tone

as part of the communication process.

Listening

Auditory discrimination is the ability to:

hear specific sounds and words

recognize changes in tone and other nuances of spoken English.

Listening Simulation- Auditory Input

The following nonsensical phrases are hiding a phrase that makes sense. To find the hidden phrase, you have to redistribute the sounds and stresses you hear in the phrase as you read it aloud or as it is read aloud to you. An example, read out loud “Ann eye sock eek aim,” you or your partner should eventually hear “An ice hockey game.”

Turn to the person next to you and try these two sentences. Read the sentences

aloud to one another. You may repeat the reading every 9 seconds. In the interim do Not read the sentence to yourself.

Of her tie new maybe calm tie red.

Frost rations all soak amen feline.

Arnett, Katy. (2013) Languages For All How to Support and Challenge Students in a Second Language Classroom.

Pearson, ON. Canada p. 26-27

Listening Simulation Reflection

Of her tie new maybe calm tie red.

Answer: Over time you may become tired.

Frost rations all soak amen feline.

Answer: Frustration is also a common feeling.

How many tries did you (or your listener) need to “hear” the meaningful phrase?

What made it difficult to make out the real sentence?

How would you describe your emotional reaction to the simulation?

Arnett, Katy. (2013) Languages For All How to Support and Challenge Students in a Second Language

Classroom. Pearson, ON. Canada p. 26-27

Listening Simulation Debrief

“The way in which someone speaks—a person’s accent, sound blends, and rate of speech—could make it harder for some students to gain the auditory input.”

Processing auditory input

Assigning meaning to the sounds

Recognizing where one word ends and another begins

Comprehending speech at the rate at which it is spoken

Responding to questions and instructions given by the teacher

What teaching techniques would support the ELL in understanding oral directions and instructions?

Arnett, Katy. (2013) Languages For All How to Support and Challenge Students in a Second Language Classroom.

Pearson, ON. Canada p. 26-27

Benchmark Division Level Summaries

www.learnalberta.ca (Search word ESL – Printable Benchmarks)

Think about a student you know or create a

hypothetical student. Select the grade level for this

student and their ELP level.

• In Listening, Speaking, Reading & Writing, read

across the five proficiency levels in the appropriate

Division Level summary and notice what is

happening as the use of language progresses

across the five ELP levels.

Benchmark Division Level Summaries www.learnalberta.ca (Search word ESL)

With a partner discuss the language

descriptors in the Divisional Summaries

for each of the strands. Discuss what you

noticed about the student’s language

learning as they progress through levels

1 – 5? (Beginning, Developing,

Expanding, Bridging and Extending)

Benchmark Division Level Summaries www.learnalberta.ca (Search word ESL)

• Language progresses from simple structures to more complex structures

• Fluency and flexibility in language use continues to develop

What do we notice about the use of language as it progresses across ELP levels?

Benchmark Progression across ELP Levels

ESL Benchmarks Summary - Grades 4 to 6 Listening

ELP One ELP Two ELP Three ELP Four ELP Five

Needs visuals,

gestures and

demonstrations

to understand

familiar social

and classroom

routines

-Understands

simple

questions

Needs visuals to

understand

familiar topics

and to learn new

words and

concepts.

Understands:

Literalquestions

beginning with

“What, Where,

When, Who and

How many---”

Understands the

main ideas and

some details of

unfamiliar

topics.

Understands:

Open-ended

questions

beginning with

“Why” or “How”

on familiar

topics.

Understands

specific

details of

unfamiliar

topics

Understands:

Open-ended

questions

Understands

academic

explanations

Understands:

Hypothetical

questions,

such as

“What if…?”

“If…then

why…?””If..

then how….?

Benchmark Division Level Summaries www.learnalberta.ca (Search word ESL – Printable Benchmarks)

• Vocabulary –print rich environment-explicit instruction of language structures

• Language models and many opportunities for practice

• Specific feedback and coaching to promote language progress

• Scaffolds to support language learning e.g.

What supports will students require as they move along the continuum?

Listening - Questioning

Listening involves understanding questions.

Questions can be:

• literal or figurative

• open-ended or closed.

Question Sequence

• Yes/No

• Either/or

• Who, what, where, when, how many

• Open-ended, Why? How?

• Hypothetical

• Inference

• Implied Meaning

Listening – Question Sort

What would happen if people didn’t get all their basic needs met?

Is water a need?

How is having clothing an example of a want?

What is a need?

Should the U.N. ensure all countries have their basic needs met?

What is the difference

between a need and a want?

Listening involves responding to questions.

Sort the questions in the blue box on the right from easiest to more complex

Listening – Question Sort

Is water a need?

What is a need?

How is having clothing an example of a want?

What is the difference between a need and a want?

What would happen if people didn’t get all their basic needs met?

Should the U.N. ensure all countries have their basic needs met?

Answers sorted

Levels of Proficiency

The levels “staircase”:

Benchmark Levels

Kindergarten 1 2 3 4 5

Division I

Gr. 1 to 3 1 2 3 4 5

Division II

Gr. 4 to 6 1 2 3 4 5

Division III

Gr. 7 to 9 1 2 3 4 5

Division IV

Gr. 10 to 12 1 2 3 4 5

Vocabulary for Following Directions

Mildred Odom Bradley has identified key words important to classroom instructions. Language Learners also often need more time to process the instruction and to fully comprehend the meaning.

Refer to handout page 8 and quickly check the words you hear your self using while giving instructions.

What teaching techniques could support the ELL in understanding instructions?

Speaking

Speaking is a vital component of language learning that incorporates verbal communication elements such as:

• intonation

• timing

• inflection

• speed

• rhythm

• pausing

• nonverbal elements

to support non-verbal communication, such as gesturing and facial expressions.

Speaking

Pronunciation involves the ability to effectively produce the sounds and intonations of English so that the speaker is understood. Accents are expected and accepted.

Resource on line

Speaking Videos

http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/eslapb/video.html?id=0

Question Matrix – props

Two blank die with question words and verbs

one dice with 6 question words

What

Where/When

Who

Why

Which

How

One dice with 6 verbs

can, might, did, is, would, will

Question Matrix -Try It

Listen as the following text is read aloud. Using the cubes at your table take turns with a partner creating questions about this content

“You can increase students’ confidence in themselves as language

learners by:

Providing conditions that promote language learning

Setting tasks appropriate to the learner’s present level of

language proficiency

Providing supportive feedback rather than constant

correction

Introducing them to others who have successfully

learned English and are achieving academic success.

Ensuring that no student is criticized or ridiculed for

making the language errors that are a necessary part of

the language-learning process”

Coelho, Elizabeth. (2003)(Revised & Reprinted (2007) Adding English: A Guide to teaching in

Multilingual Classrooms. Pippin Publishing Corporation, Ontario p. 163

Question Matrix

Benefits to Students

• content is processed

• builds language

• supports the understanding of question words

• gives practice in use of question words

• gives opportunity to use abstract vocabulary

• supports generating of questions orally

and/or in written form

gives opportunity to respond to questions

Speaking – Reflection

What can you do as a teacher to increase the overall quality of dialogue and oral responses?

- Know your learners

- Model target responses

- Prompt at “just right level”

- Positive feedback

Speaking – Try It! Plan some teacher

responses to acknowledge what ELLs are saying

Plan for some prompts to encourage students to expand their responses

(at appropriate level)

Recognize level of student response

Recognize ELP of ELL

Prompt with question

Prepare to model, support and encourage towards target response

Speaking

- Great answer – tell me in a

sentence.

– Good response, can you provide more detail?

– Good summary, can you use the words that I introduced in the lesson today?

– Terrific idea, can you say it in another way?

– Wonderful connection, can you expand on it?

Reading

The process of reading involves:

• decoding (recognizing and understanding letters, numbers and symbols and how they are used to form words and represent ideas)

• comprehension (constructing meaning from words, numbers and symbols in different contexts)

Strand Specific Competency

Fluency relates to the rate, ease and accuracy with which a student decodes and comprehends a text in English.

Reading – Tips

- Know the reading ELP of your learners

- Select most appropriate text for your learning experience (lesson).

- Identify ELP level required to understand the text selection

- Provide alternate text choices at other ELP levels **NEW K-9 Annotated ESL Resource Collection http://tinyurl.com/AERCAlberta

- Construct background knowledge for text

- Think of “just right” questions to “spot check” comprehension

- Teach “right there”, “think & search”, “On my own”,

“Author and me.”

Writing

The process of writing involves exploring, shaping and recording one’s thoughts and communicating them through various text forms to particular audiences using appropriate tone and voice.

The writing process involves conventions such as:

spelling

punctuation

grammar

syntax (sentence structure)

word choice

Writing

Editing is the process of reviewing, revising and refining a text for the purpose of improving it based on:

English language conventions (spelling, punctuation and grammar)

word choice

the form of the text

the intended audience and purpose

Reading Writing Connection Composing Answers to Comprehension Questions

Quality Answer Composition Using Raphael’s question guide find the best answer for the question

Teach students to

Include part of the question in the answer to scaffold the composition of a complete sentence.

Students ask themselves, “Are the words provided in

the text copied accurately?”

Is the tense the same for the verbs in the sentence from the text? Have I used the right tense to answer the question?

Check structure; reread to yourself—does it make sense?

Writing – Language identification

vocabulary

grammar

Discourse Student Background - Grade Five student

- Bilingual in Russian and English

- Student is taking Russian classes on the week ends.

- Outgoing personality

- Identified as ADHD

NOTE:

This is free writing after a

class discussion

First Few Days in Mexico

Hi my name is …. I’m on my plane that’s

supposed to stop in Mexico. Calgary-

Mexico? 5 hour flight? On the plane I

played my game boy colour. Five hours

later our plane landed. It took us 1:54

min to get to our hotel, One of the Bahia

principle. We were there for 2 weeks!

That only the beginning (oh and it’s a 5

star hotel) I got free food. Scuba dive for

free, rent a bike for I full hour free, oh?

Enough you say eh? Well I got to rent a

quad for free 2 weeks! No payment of gas

too. My favorite rides are shuttle rides.

Every day they gave us 9 coke bottles.

What ever starts must have an end well

here it is. On the plane I got to see

Spiderman! Cause I never saw it.

Remember that cold week in August.

That’s when I came back.

Feedback Here are some suggestions Read past the mistakes- content first before language errors

Be selective-focus on one error at a time Focus on a consistent error of a specific type-match input to the ELP level of

the student . Allow students to make corrections. Use on-the-spot supports like a cloze

for students to think about their errors. Choose to affirm for students what is correct.

e.g. Spelling error rede for the word “ready” re_d_ student can see what is correct The “_” dash indicates to the student to think about what letter to use to spell the word correct. Encourages student to use classroom references Be patient

Coelho, Elizabeth. (2003)(Revised & Reprinted (2007) Adding English: A Guide to teaching in Multilingual Classrooms. Pippin Publishing Corporation, Ontario p. 187-188

Mediating Language Errors – Cloze Tasks

Grapho-phonic cues by scaffolding letter cues o In the student’s writing for misspelled words record the correct letters under the word and place a blank if a

letter is missing or is incorrect. This helps the student to see the part of the word that is correct and highlights the part of the word the student needs to work on.. This technique supports the student in the development of

spelling skills form of the English language (affixes) verb tenses

• Syntactic Cues by highlighting structure words o In the student’s writing draw a blank where a structure word has been missed or underline the word if the

incorrect word has been used. Place a line over the top of the word for the student to record the correct word This technique supports the student in the development of

Parts of speech - e.g., pronoun usage Connector Words – but, if, and, because, etc.

__ E.g., The father bird helping her to get straw for her nest. __

Coelho, Elizabeth. (2003)(Revised & Reprinted (2007) Adding English: A Guide to teaching in Multilingual Classrooms. Pippin Publishing Corporation, Ontario p. 187-188

Spelling Strategy

Help students use a multi-sensory approach to spelling practice. Divide paper into three columns.

Write & Trace Write the word in cursive in the first

column. Say each letter as you write it.

Trace the first word, saying each letter as

you trace it.

Copy Copy the word in the next column

Recall Fold the paper from left to right, so that the first

two columns are covered. Now write the word from

memory in the last column

Check your work. Correct mistakes immediately

Cerussi, Fredrycca & Stern-Levine, Linda. (1988) Working with Individual Needs: Classroom

Strategies to Help Students Succeed – Study Skills- Communication Skill Builders

Strategies for Comprehensible Input

Read through the Comprehensible Input checklist and for each strategy indicate if you have used the strategy or if it is a strategy you would like to try.

Discuss with a partner whether the strategy could be used

Before the lesson - BL

During the lesson - DL

After the lesson- AL

Record examples of specific language you might use.

Haynes, Judie. (2007) “Getting Started With English Language Learners

How Educators Can Meet the Challenge.” ASCD, Alexandria,Virginia,USA, p. 90

.

Before the Lesson Use oral rehearsal of key ideas and words. E.g., “Make sure everyone

in the group knows the four ideas about……”

Select Key Vocabulary for the concept of the lesson and use a graphic organizer to present cognitive connections and to relate ideas. A graphic also supports the collection of information throughout the lesson.

venn diagram – compare/contrast

fish bone - cause and effect

KWL Chart - prior knowledge

Brainstorm Web - Building ideas

Flow Chart - Visually represent ideas as the lesson

progresses

Alberta Education “Guide to Implementation”

http://education.alberta.ca/media/507659/eslkto9gi.pdf - Appendix 5

During the Lesson

Use key vocabulary in context with opportunity to repeat and review

Model thinking processes for students using think alouds

Give ELL questions in advance to give them time and opportunity to prepare

After the Lesson

Homework Assignments

Model what is expected in a homework response

Make copies of notes for ELLs to use

Reflections

Review Questions and comments on colored cards.

and key vocabulary from word splash.

I am aware of the importance of ……………. for ELLs.

To make my lessons comprehensible for ELLs I can……..

Three teaching strategies to support language learning for ELLs I will try are ……

language proficiency level

Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency

Understanding the English Language Learner

A Letter to My Teacher I am a student whose first language is not English. To help me adjust to Canadian ways, may I make a few suggestions: I am proud of my name. Please let me help you say and spell it correctly. Since I miss my friends from my home country, I would feel more secure with a buddy as a mentor and school tour guide. Don’t assume I know all about your school system—instead familiarize me with the schedules and routines (late slips, fire bells, absences, lunch hours, celebrations, assemblies). Our family values education and would like to be helpful and supportive. Although I know learning another language and adjusting to a new culture may be long and difficult, I will strive to do my best,

Signed,

Your World Citizen

Take some time to go on line at www.learnalberta.ca (search word esl) and learn about the on-line resources for English Language Learners

More Questions????

Mike.Ettrich@gov.ab.ca – Alberta Education