the world of el & how it impacts student learning developed by the el team of marshall county...
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The World of EL & How It Impacts Student Learning
Developed by the EL Team of Marshall County for classroom teachers, administrators, and staff members working with our EL students.
The EL Team of Marshall County hopes this informative PowerPoint will help you know who your EL students are and how you can help them!
EL TEAM:Sherise Swearengin, Karen Golden, Amber Hancock, Tana Bonds, Kelli
Isbill, Dona Hill, Whitney Pate, Gabriela Conriquez, Dr. Stephanie Wisener (Director for EL, Migrant, Homeless, and
Preschool Services)
Your parents tell you that you and your siblings are going to the US to start a new life.
The problem is that they can’t come with you. You set out across the Rio Grande in a car tire, the
best you could find. After what seems an eternity, you wash up
onshore. Now it’s time to walk across the desert while trying
not to be caught and trying to find the person your parents told you to find.
Imagine
You are here and it’s your responsibility to take care of your younger siblings,
Where are you going to find shelter, food, clothing?
You have to go to school. AND You don’t speak English!
You are only 13!
You come to start the American dream of school. The teacher walks up to you and says “aslfei ienaonge addowinvoe” She hands you a sheet of paper that says “seenaiovne efioane ieniove eoalndowt” This isn’t going to be easy!
This is the story of many of OUR ELs here in Marshall County.
The First Day of School
Become aware of cultural and linguistic differences that impact students’ learning.
Gain understanding of the variations between social and academic language.
Encourage parental involvement. Understand the identification process of
English Learners.
What Can I Do?
Over the years the acronyms for language learners have changed from ESL, ELL, to the current term, EL (English Learners).
Not all Hispanic children are EL. EL students consists of children of any origin
whose first language is not English (Chinese, Japanese, Russian, etc.).
What does EL mean?
EL – FIRST Language is NOT English EL means that the FIRST language spoken at home was not
English OR that English and another language were spoken at home
This information is gathered from the Home Language Survey filled out by EVERY new student.
It is imperative to look at every home language survey because: (1) a student may be adopted from a foreign country who does
not speak English (2) a student may be a foster child who has a first language
which is not English (3) a student has a first language such as Spanish.
English Learner (EL Student)
We have many first or heritage languages represented in Marshall County. The majority of our students speak Spanish.
We have students from Vietnam, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Puerto Rico, Denmark, India, Philippines, Kazakhstan, Russia, and China.
Many EL students come from a country where there is a national language as well as a regional dialect spoken. English is the third or fourth language for some students. EL students from Guatemala would be an example of this.
Languages
There are differences between attending school in native country vs. not going to school at all. Many students from Mexico only attend school until sixth grade.
EL students have diverse educational backgrounds as well. Some students attend school in the United States their whole life; whereas others only attend school sporadically in their native country.
Sometimes there are no schools available and a travelling teacher leaves work for the students.
There are Different Literacy and Educational Backgrounds for English Learners
Many countries do not have mandatory school attendance. Some countries, like Guatemala for example, only have education for three years. It is plausible that you may receive a high school aged student from Guatemala that has only attended school in his home country for 3 years.
There are Different Literacy and Educational Backgrounds for English Learners
Social VS. Academic Language
B asic I nterpersonal C ommunications S kills Research has shown that the average
student can develop conversational fluency within 2-5 years. Developing BICS involves building listening and speaking vocabulary and understanding that language serves a variety of purposes, such as formulating ideas, seeking information, expressing opinions, engaging in discussions, relating information, questioning, describing and persuading.
C ognitive A cademic L anguage P roficiency
Developing fluency in technical, academic language can take from 5-7 years. Developing CALP involves building vocabulary in all the areas of listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Reference: BICS and CALPS are distinctions between the two types of language as researched by Dr. Jim Cummins (1991).
BICS 2-5 Years: Surface Language
CALPS 5-7 Years: Underlying Academic Language
Social VS. Academic Language• Social language is simpler (shorter sentences, simpler vocabulary and and grammar) Academic language is technical; written material has longer sentences and more complex grammar• Social- usually face to face, small number of people, informal settings Academic- often lecture-style communication of reading a textbook; little situational context• Social- precise understanding is seldom required Academic- precise understanding and precise description/explanation is required; higher order thinking
Social- Usually simpler, familiar topics (movies, friends, daily life) Academic- New and more difficult to understand topics; knowledge is
often abstract; cognitively complex; student often has less background knowledge to build on
Social- Get many clues from expressions, gestures, social context Academic- Fewer clues, most clues are language clues such as further explanation Social- Many opportunities to clarify (look puzzled, ask questions, etc.) Academic- More difficult to clarify
Social VS. Academic Language
Some students act as translators for their parents. They may miss school to translate for doctor’s appointments or to help fill out papers for work.
Family is very important. Students may go back to the home country to help take care of sick or aging relatives.
Many times, when a student leaves school for the weekend, for breaks, or for the summer, they will not hear English again until they come back to school.
Challenges with EL Students
Parental Involvement
Did you know the way schools care about children is reflected in the way schools care about children’s families? (Epstein 1995)
Parental Involvement Programs can produce more reading gains than small group instruction.
According to research, students whose parents are actively involved in their education are more likely to:
Earn higher grades and test scores Pass their classes Attend school regularly Show improved behaviors Have better social skills Graduate and go on to post-secondary education
Parental Involvement
Ways the school can involve parents: Emphasize to parents at the beginning of the year
that they are joint partners with educators to make decisions about their child.
Use translators as needed for help – parents want to know about their child’s education.
EL Conference Day Multicultural Day – families share their country,
crafts, food, arts, or music to the entire class/school.
Parental Involvement
How to Identify Students as Limited English Proficient (LEP)
Point of Enrollment
Home Language Survey Completed
If a language other than English is indicated, EL staff will be notified by enrolling school.
If available, previous school records are requested.
The main goal is to enroll students and remove barriers to enrollment.
EL Staff will review records and administer a W-APT screener if necessary.
The EL committee will determine the need for supplemental EL services and notify parents. The student will be placed age appropriately in a regular classroom.
The level of English proficiency will determine the amount of time the EL staff will serve the student.
EL students will receive core instruction in the regular classroom with the EL staff serving as a supplement to the regular classroom instruction.
Identification and Service of LEP Students
After EL identification has been made by the EL Committee, the EL staff will contact the parents to meet and discuss the program and the students’ Individualized English Learner Plan.
Parent Notification and Meetings
Culture Grams www.culturegrams.com The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) www.unhcr.ch United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
www.uscis.gov U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of
Refugee Resettlement www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/orr/ Visit a Refugee Camp (curriculum on refugee issues)
www.refugeecamp.org
Gusman, J. Practical Strategies for Adapting Response to Intervention Techniques to Enhance
the Performance of Your English Language Learners (Grades 1-8). Bellevue, WA: Bureau of Education & Research, 2010.
Refugee Immigrant/Cultures/Demographic Information
Thank you for working with our EL staff and students. We greatly appreciate your help.
Please call or email us if we can help.
Dr. Stephanie Wisener – [email protected] Hill – [email protected] Pate – [email protected] Bonds – [email protected] Isbill – [email protected] Swearengin – [email protected] Golden – [email protected] Hancock - [email protected] Conriquez – [email protected]
Thank You