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Section I: Purpose of Shadowing

1. Creating a Sense of Urgency

2. History and Context of Shadowing

3. A Day in the Life of Josue, an English Language Learner

Section II: Research Base

4. The Role of Academic Oral Language Development

5. The Importance of Active Listening

Section III: Preparation for Shadowing

6. Preparing for a Shadowing Training

7. How to Use the Shadowing Protocol

Section IV: Debriefing the Shadowing Experience

8. Analyzing and Reflecting on the Results of Shadowing

9. Using the Results to Leverage Change

Section V: Next Steps With ELL Shadowing

10. Next Steps and Follow-up to ELL Shadowing

Appendix A: ELL Shadowing Resources

Appendix B: Academic Language Development Resources

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Section I: Purpose of Shadowing 1. Creating a Sense of Urgency 2. History and Context of Shadowing 3. A Day in the Life of Josue, an English Language Learner Section II: Research Base 4. The Role of Academic Oral Language Development 5. The Importance of Active Listening Section III: Preparation for Shadowing 6.

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Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) refer to linguistic skills needed in everyday, social face-to-face interactions.

Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) focuses on proficiency in academic language or language used in the classroom in the various content areas.

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Social English is the language of everyday communication in oral and written forms. Examples include:

when your students are talking to their friends on the playground or in the school bus

when you and your students are having an informal face-to-face conversation

when your students go to the grocery store and read the shopping list

ELLs' social English may start developing within a few months. However, it will likely take a couple of years before ELLs fully develop social English skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Academic English and social English are not two separate languages. Academic English is more demanding and complex than social English. An ELL student with social English proficiency may not necessarily have the academic English proficiency. It is important for you, the teacher, to make this distinction. Academic English is the language necessary for success in school. It is related to a standards-based curriculum, including the content areas of math, science, social studies, and English language arts.

To facilitate academic language development at the kindergarten level, you can focus on oral language development around themes like plants, Mexico, and dinosaurs. You can include art, manipulatives, and dramatic play. In first grade, you can add reading and writing with a focus on thematic units and literacy development through phonics and storybooks. In the second and third grades, you can focus on higher order literacy skills around the thematic curriculum, as well as using novels, anthologies, trade books, and basal readers. You can begin by explicitly teaching academic vocabulary in the content areas. For example:

In math you can teach your students all the terms for subtraction, like "subtract," "take away," and "decreased by."

In science, you can teach the terms to connect the parts of an experiment, like "therefore," "as a result," and "for instance."

For social studies, you can teach the words and also the background knowledge that ELLs will need. For example, when you mention Thanksgiving, an English-speaking student may think of the first European settlers on the east coast during the 17th and 18th centuries. But for an ELL, the word "Thanksgiving" may not mean much by itself.

In English language arts, you can teach ELLs by using basic graphic organizers for word development to visually represent knowledge. ELLs can write a word and then explore its connections and relationships.

Why is it important for ELLs to develop academic English?

ELLs come to school not only to learn how to communicate socially, but to become academically proficient in English. Learning social English is just the tip of the iceberg. Just because they can speak on the playground, talk to peers, and use everyday English does not mean that they are up to speed in academic English. To the contrary, these ELLs are not yet proficient enough to handle the standards-based curriculum. They lack the academic vocabulary needed to develop the content knowledge in English that they will need to succeed in future schooling. By recognizing these two types of proficiencies, you can help expedite your ELLs' academic English.

Although there are no official lists of academic English words available, we have suggestions on how to select appropriate vocabulary words to teach ELLs.

How can I identify my ELLs' level of English proficiency?

Both social English and academic English are demanding tasks. One is needed to communicate and the other to succeed in academics at school. Learning both types of English well may take at least four years. However, it is important to note that students will learn at different rates, depending on a variety of variables, including students' existing English proficiency, primary language literacy level, and the quality of the instruction they receive.

Since the ELLs in your classroom probably have different levels of language proficiency, your challenges will be unique with each student. An important first step is identifying your students' levels of English language development. Most ELLs are at the beginning or intermediate levels of English proficiency. The following descriptions of the stages of English language development may help you recognize your ELLs' level of English proficiency.

Beginning stage

ELLs at the beginning stage demonstrate comprehension of simplified language, speak a few English words, answer simple questions, and use common social greetings and repetitive phrases. They make regular mistakes.

Intermediate stage

ELLs at the intermediate stage speak using standard grammar and pronunciation, but some rules are still missing. Their level of comprehension is high and they can ask or answer instructional questions. They can actively participate in conversations, retell stories, and use expanded vocabulary and paraphrasing.

Advanced stage

ELLs at the advanced stage use consistent standard English vocabulary, grammar, idioms, and oral/written strategies similar to those of English-speaking peers. They have good pronunciation and intonation. Advanced ELLs initiate social conversations. They use idiomatic expressions and appropriate ways of speaking according to their audience.

Visit our Assessment and Placement section for more on assessing your ELLs.

What can I do to help my students develop both social and academic English?

You can do both in your classes. Once you have determined your students' levels of proficiency, you can help them develop social and academic English without watering down the curriculum. Here are some ways you can involve ELLs through meaningful social language that stimulates their academic English growth.

Begin with social English

As much as possible, use the ELLs' background knowledge of what they know and bring to school. Include many contextual supports through visuals, maps, charts, manipulatives, music, and pantomiming. You can also use Total Physical Response (TPR) activities to help ELLs learn by doing.

Use social English to teach academic English

As ELLs reach the intermediate level, use social English with contextual support to teach academic English. Add content vocabulary in your lessons or units. Cooperative group projects with more advanced ELLs or English-speakers are also helpful for intermediate ELLs.

Challenge students' thinking

Use Bloom's taxonomy to make sure you are challenging students' thinking. ELLs at different stages of English proficiency can be challenged to think at higher levels, even if their vocabulary and expressive skills are fairly limited.

For example, early intermediate students might be learning about urban and rural life in the United States. Lessons would focus on vocabulary and being able to produce short statements. Students can be expected to:

know what they can find in a U.S. city and in the country (knowledge and comprehension)

determine whether someone lives in the country or city based on a description of what they see (application)

name two or three ways in which cities and rural towns are similar and different (analysis)

draw typical city and rural scenes (synthesis)

say whether they would prefer to live in the city or the country and give one or two reasons why (evaluation)

The important point is that advanced English is not required to engage ELLs in advanced thinking as long as you are aware of the language proficiency levels of your ELLs and adjust the language expectations accordingly.

Discover strategies on teaching content areas to ELLs and for improving their academic English.

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What Is the Difference Between Social and Academic English?

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Social English is the language of everyday communication in oral and written forms. Examples include: when your students are talking to their friends on the playground or in the school bus when you and your students are having an informal face-to-face conversation when your students go to the grocery store and read the shopping list ELLs' social English may start developing within a few months.

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The foundation of literacy for ELLs is academic oral language practice

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The foundation of literacy for ELLs is academic oral language practice

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One of the greatest ways a teacher can support academic success, as well as English proficiency, is to allow students to have multiple opportunities for discussion, academic and social.

Unfortunately, historically we have believed that quiet classrooms are good classrooms. We have thought that rows of students who compliantly listen while the teacher imparts knowledge into empty receptacles are best practice. Instead, what we must develop in a classroom setting is a culture of talking about academic topics. We must find the language in the curriculum and elicit the voices in our classrooms…There must be a commitment to academic oral language development by everyone in the system in order for ELLs to be successful throughout their schooling experiences.” ELL Shadowing as a Catalyst for Change by Ivannia Soto, pp. 22-23

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Check out these tips to see what works for English learners during reading and content area instruction.

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Check out these tips to see what works for English learners during reading and content area instruction.

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1. Teach a set of academic vocabulary words intensively across several days using a variety of instructional activities.

2. Integrate oral and written instruction into content-area teaching.

3. Provide regular, structured opportunities to develop written language skills.

4. Provide small-group instructional intervention to students struggling in areas of literacy and English language development.

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This practice guide was prepared for the WWC by Instructional Research Group under contract ED-IES-12-C-0016.

The following research staff contributed to the guide: Joseph Dimino, Kelly Haymond, Russell Gersten, Madhavi Jayanthi, and Rebecca Newman-Gonchar.

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WWC | Teaching Academic Content and Literacy to English Learners in Elementary and Middle School

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This practice guide provides four recommendations that address what works for English learners during reading and content area instruction. Each recommendation includes extensive examples of activities that can be used to support students as they build the language and literacy skills needed to be successful in school.

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Helping Your ELLs Adjust to New Surroundings

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Helping Your ELLs Adjust to New Surroundings

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1. Learn their names

2. Offer one-on-one assistance when possible

3. Assign a peer partner

4. Post a visual daily schedule

5. Use an interpreter

6. Invite their culture into your classroom

7. Use materials related to your ELLs' cultures

8. Label classroom objects in both languages

9. Include ELLs in a non-threatening manner

10. Involve ELLs in cooperative learning

11. Help your ELLs follow established rules

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6 Key Considerations for Supporting English Learners with Distance Learning

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6 Key Considerations for Supporting English Learners with Distance Learning

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1. An explicit focus on complex, precise, rich and academic language is needed.

2.  An emphasis on oral language is an essential element of an effective language and literacy development program.

3.  Language develops most powerfully when it is in the context of building knowledge about something and interacting with the world.

4.  English Learners require specific, specially designed instruction, and support in order to access, comprehend and participate effectively in school.

5.  Development of the home language in addition to English is critical because it contributes to growth in both English and the child’s home language – and accrues life-long benefits to the child.

6. Strong relationships between home and school are a cornerstone of powerful education for English Learner children.

So how do I do this while teaching from a distance? See link below

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6 Key Considerations for Supporting English Learners with Distance Learning - SEAL

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By Heather Skibbins We find ourselves in unprecedented times as the COVID 19 pandemic has shut down our schools for an indefinite amount of time. As educators, we are scrambling to adapt to what distance learning means and how to best serve our students. In the past few weeks, many teachers have bee…

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So what can I do to support students in different stages of language acquisition? 

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So what can I do to support students in different stages of language acquisition? 

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Scaffold

Use cognates

Explicit vocabulary instruction

Guide students through error correction (intentional and appropriate)

Work with the student to learn their language

Seek the experts

Visit the hotlinks (attached)

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Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain by Zaretta Hammond

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Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain by Zaretta Hammond

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This is a must-read for teachers who are working to create a more supportive environment for their culturally and linguistically diverse students. Get the study guide for free, too!

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Culturally Responsive Teaching & the Brain

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Hey. Thanks for stopping by my blog. You might have found your way here through a number of possible paths. Maybe you heard about my book, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain. Or, maybe you typed in www.ready4rigor.com and those shadowy internet puppeteers redirected you here. Maybe you ended up here because you were doing a Google search for culturally responsive teaching practices

Or maybe your school is reading Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain in a book study and you wanted to know more about this Zaretta Hammond chick who wrote it.

It doesn't matter how you got here. What's important is that you and I are now connected.

Since you are an equity-minded educator like me, you are probably waging your own private movement to bust the myths behind student engagement (or the lack of) among low performing students of color, poor students, and English learners.

Well, you are in the right place. This is a blog where we can get answers to our collective and individual questions about how we can help students become confident and competent learners. In this space, I want to highlight what I am learning from being out in schools and classrooms with teachers who are successful with diverse students. I want to focus on how we can take everyday strategies and practices and put them to work in their classrooms to be more culturally responsive.

So, again, welcome!

Just to let you know, on average, I publish a new post every other week - two times per month at the least (sometimes a few more). That gives me time to be in schools and to write. If you don't want to miss updates on what I am seeing and learning, sign up for my newsletter by pushing that button below.

Binge-worthy Posts and Podcasts

Books are good, but sometimes you want your knowledge in bite-sized doses. That's what I like to deliver: consumable, usable, and entertaining food for thought (and action). Here are some of the most popular blog posts and guest podcast interviews to sample.

About Zaretta Hammond

It's funny. These days a lot of folks are calling me "Dr. Hammond" since the book has become required reading in many teacher education programs and school districts. Well, to set the record straight, I am not a PhD. I do have a Master's degree, but I consider myself a "boots on the ground" teacher. I call myself a former writing teacher turned equity freedom fighter. My heart is forever with children and teachers in the classroom, not in an ivory tower, even if these days most of my "students" are new leaders and pre-service teachers. [ A quick note: Not throwing any shade at all the PhDs out there doing the work.]

When I was in the classroom back in the day, I taught composition (expository writing). It was where I started to understand how important literacy was to equity, and how neuroscience and culture should inform our instructional practice.

Since leaving the classroom, I have done work as a curriculum designer and professional developer at organizations such as the National Equity Project and the Annenberg-funded Bay Area School Reform Collaborative (BASRC) in the San Francisco-Bay Area. I am a trained facilitator in anti-bias processes and have facilitated groups focused on learning to talk about issues of racial politics and privilege.

My primary work has been linking instruction, equity, and literacy. I have spent time as an adjunct instructor at Saint Mary's College in Norther California where I taught Adolescent Literacy and trained tutors and parents in reading support strategies for struggling students of color.

As an undergraduate, I attended University of California, Berkley before finishing up my degree at New York University where I majored in English Literature with a minor in Writing. I completed my Masters in Secondary English Education, with a Concentration in Writing Instruction at University of Colorado, Boulder where I simultaneously did my teacher certification program (starting three months after the birth of my son. I do not recommend this).

For the past 25 years, I've maintained a small, independent education consulting practice from which I do my research and writing as well as support schools doing deep instructionally-focused equity work.

Stay in touch

I hope this blog inspires, motivates, and challenges you to try some new practices that move you toward being more culturally responsive. If it does, send me a note. I'd love to hear from you. The best way to keep in touch with me is to sign up for free email updates (where you get all kinds of exclusive goodies).

Other Ways to Connect

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About - Culturally Responsive Teaching & the Brain

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Hey. Thanks for stopping by my blog. You might have found your way here through a number of possible paths. Maybe you heard about my book, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain. Or, maybe you typed in www.ready4rigor.com and those shadowy internet puppeteers redirected you here.

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How can you support ELLS in the Mainstream Classroom?

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How can you support ELLS in the Mainstream Classroom?

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Create a language-rich environment

Be aware of the relationship between a student's native language and English

Simplify your language without "dumbing it down"

Support academic language development

Discuss word families and how different forms of words are used

Help students understand when to use different kinds of language

Provide students with frequent opportunities to work together, both in pairs and in small groups

Implement an effective correction/feedback policy

Reach out to your ELL/bilingual colleagues, reading specialists, special education teachers, and parents

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Supporting ELLs in the Mainstream Classroom

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Check out this document for "Teacher Should" suggestions for helping students progress to the next stage

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In this unfortunate time of virtual learning we can use technology to our advantage! Many class platforms and webpages have built in translators
Google Classroom - Google Translator
Microsoft Teams - Microsoft Translator.
Students can better express themselves and understand assignments using these tools.

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the esl / ell teacher's survival guide: ready-to-use strategies

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and activities for teaching english language learners of all levels

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english language - study and teaching - foreign speakers

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foreign language study / english as a second language

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teaching esl; teaching english as a second language; esl classroom; strategies for teaching esl; motivating esl students; parents of esl students; esl teaching techniques; lesson plans for esl; interacting with esl students; challenges of teaching esl

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foreign language study / english as a second language

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The ESL / ELL Teacher's Survival Guide: Ready-to-Use Strategies, Tools, and Activities for Teaching English Language Learners of All Levels

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The ESL / ELL Teacher's Survival Guide: Ready-to-Use Strategies, Tools, and Activities for Teaching English Language Learners of All Levels [Ferlazzo, Larry, Sypnieski, Katie Hull] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers.

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Record new lessons, instruction or even read aloud's for ELL students to rewatch later. Sometimes they cannot catch everything we say in a class session and being able to re-watch a lesson reinforces the activity as well as the language used.

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Where is your student in their English language learning journey? Where are they headed next? How can you assist them in this journey?

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Where is your student in their English language learning journey? Where are they headed next? How can you assist them in this journey?

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Pre-Production - Students have no verbal production and minimal comprehension - they can respond with physical and visual cues best. Matching games, small group work and many movement/art/music opportunities to help breakup the day.

Early Production: Students have some comprehension and respond with 1-2 words. Ask closed ended questions, do shared reading activities and provide students with sentence starters. Introduce new academic vocabulary, model how to use it, provide visuals, and make connections to student's background knowledge.

Speech Emergent: During this stage students can comprehend English pretty well and speak in simple sentences. During this stage start using more open-ended questions and expand student thoughts. Restate and expand their learning and language.

Beginning Fluency: In this stage, students have become fairly fluent in conversations with peers, but new academic vocabulary might be challenging. Allow students time to work with each other often, to give them the time needed to process new language.

Intermediate Fluency: Excellent comprehension and very few grammar errors are made. Use graphic organizers to encourage the student to write in more detail.

Advanced Fluency: Near native speech.

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In order to support ELLs it is crucial to provide them with a print rich environment. Make sure that you have books that include text and pictures. Also make sure to include books that represent a variety of cultures and abilities.

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Using Picture Books with Beginning English Learners