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This site can be incredibly helpful for teachers, students, and parents. It shows exactly what each student must strive towards as well as help given.

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The Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) is an English language proficiency assessment aligned to the Texas English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS). This assessment is designed to assess the progress that emergent bilingual (EB) students make in learning the English language. TELPAS fulfills ESSA requirements for assessing EB students in kindergarten through grade 12 in four language domains: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Grades K-1 include:

holistically rated observational assessments of listening, speaking, reading and writing
Grades 2-12 include online tests for:

listening and speaking

reading and writing

Who Is Tested?

All EB students in kindergarten through grade 12 enrolled in Texas public schools or open-enrollment charter schools are required to participate in TELPAS. EB students are required to be assessed annually with an English language proficiency assessment until they meet EB reclassification criteria.

What Is Tested?

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The Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) is an English language proficiency assessment aligned to the Texas English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS). This assessment is designed to assess the progress that emergent bilingual (EB) students make in learning the English language.

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Practice exams are extremely important for each category of the TELPAS exams. They provide help for listening, speaking, comprehension, and many other ESL tested subjects.

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The Texas Education Agency (TEA) releases previously administered tests for the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR ®), STAAR Alternate 2, and the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS). Some released tests are available in the online testing environment as practice tests, some released tests are available in a printable PDF format, and some are available in both.

Online Practice Tests

The online practice tests are designed to familiarize students with the online testing environment, the available tools, and the various types of test questions. These tests provide students with an opportunity to interact with the test interface, respond to questions, and locate and use available tools.

Practice tests are released tests that have been previously administered and are available for STAAR and TELPAS. The online practice tests provide students with an opportunity to interact with the online testing environment, locate and use the available tools, and respond to the various types of questions. In addition, small sets of test questions are available as practice sets. These practice sets are used to introduce students to new types of test questions.

Access the online practice tests and practice sets by clicking the Practice Tests Login card below.

Printable PDF Released Tests

Printable PDF versions of released tests for STAAR through spring 2022 and STAAR Alternate 2 are available on the TEA website. Access PDF versions of the released STAAR tests by clicking the STAAR Released Tests card below. Access PDF versions of the released STAAR Alternate 2 tests by clicking the STAAR Alternate 2 Released Tests card.

Local education agencies may order printed versions of the STAAR braille released tests. Use the online order form below to order printed STAAR braille released tests.

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The Texas Education Agency (TEA) releases previously administered tests for the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR ®), STAAR Alternate 2, and the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS). Some released tests are available in the online testing environment as practice tests, some released tests are available in a printable PDF format, and some are available in both.

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This website is extremely important for teachers, parents, and students to view. It goes over all of the rights of ELLs and EBs and talks about the legislations for these students.

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Children learning English need proper tools to excel. Quality programming, trained teachers, and special resources position them to master English. Here, learn how federal law protects children's right to education on their level, in their language, and considering any potential disabilities.

How does federal law individualize the effort to help students struggling to learn English?

What types of language programs does the Texas Education Agency (TEA) approve for state schools?

Do English learning students have the same access to regular and extracurricular programs?

Do I have a right to receive school information in a language I can understand?

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English Learners' Rights to Educational Access

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Limited English proficiency poses a barrier to education. The Department of Education and the Department of Justice are supposed to coordinate to lessen the impact of that obstacle.

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This guide is very helpful and easy to view for teachers, students, and parents. It gives nothing but factual information about what exactly teachers and students are to follow when going through an ESL program.

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This rubric shows exactly what teachers should follow when teaching ESL students. It gives an exact program that the TEA recommends for teachers.

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This website shows parents many at-home resources and programs that they can use to help their child in learning English.

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Welcome to the Supporting my Child page. For all parents, guardians, and family members looking to provide support to their child, we have a collection of resources and tools to provide help and guidance. Everything from important parent information to learning strategies and activities for students is available. We will continuously update the site with new, up to date information and materials.

When a child begins school or transfers to school in Texas, often times it can be overwhelming for parents to know who to contact and what to do. Check out the resources below for tips on schools in Texas and what you can do as a parent of an emergent bilingual student.

Some schools provide a prekindergarten program for 3-year-olds and/or for 4-year-olds. Emergent bilingual students meet eligibility requirements. For a full list of eligibility requirements for free public school kindergarten, visit Prekindergarten Eligibility and Attendance webpage.

Education on Literacy at Home

To learn more about the process of learning to read or learning a new language, the resources below will guide you as a parent to support your child's literacy and language development.

Emergent bilingual (EB) students take the same subject tests as all other students in Texas called STAAR - State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness. The content of the tests vary by grade level after starting in third grade.

As a parent of an emergent bilingual child, it is helpful to know about the six approved language models in the state of Texas. Below that, you will find an explanation of how your child was identified as an EB student, how they are being served, how they can be reclassified (determined to be proficient in English, and how they are monitored to make sure they continue to be successful after they are reclassified.

Dual Language Immersion Program Models

Transitional Bilingual Program Models

English as a Second Language Program Models

After reviewing the Home Language Survey that was filled out when your child initially registered in a Texas public or charter school, all students whose Home Language Survey shows any language other than English will be tested to determine their level of English proficiency.

The LAS Links Battery of language proficiency assessments (English) are used for all students grade PK-12.

The table below shows the tests that your child will take to be potentially reclassified from an emergent bilingual student to an English proficient student based on their grade level.

Parental approval of program exit is required in order for your child to exit program services.

Your child will be monitored by the LPAC of their academic progress for the first two years after they have been reclassified.

Based on data reviewed in the two-year monitoring process, the LPAC may determine that a reclassified student is still in need of program services and may recommend a return to program placement, with parent permission.

After reviewing the Home Language Survey that was filled out when your child initially registered in a Texas public or charter school, all students whose Home Language Survey shows any language other than English will be tested to determine their level of English proficiency.

The LAS Links Battery of language proficiency assessments (English) are used for all students grade PK-12.

The table below shows the tests that your child will take to be potentially reclassified from an emergent bilingual student to an English proficient student based on their grade level.

Parental approval of program exit is required in order for your child to exit program services.

Your child will be monitored by the LPAC of their academic progress for the first two years after they have been reclassified.

Based on data reviewed in the two-year monitoring process, the LPAC may determine that a reclassified student is still in need of program services and may recommend a return to program placement, with parent permission.

When a child is identified as an emergent bilingual student, the child is placed in either a bilingual program or an ESL program. For more information about these programs as well as your rights as a parent select the appropriate brochure, below:

All emergent bilingual students in Texas take a test, TELPAS - Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System - that measures the progress made each year in learning the English language. For additional information and tips, refer to the documents below.

The table below shows the tests that your child will take to be potentially reclassified from an emergent bilingual student to an English proficient student based on their grade level.

Test

Purpose

Texas English Learner Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS)

Tests the student's English language proficiency

State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) or End of Course (EOC)

Tests the student in grades 3-10 in the area of English academic achievement

Iowa Assessments, Form F

Tests students showing high levels of English proficiency in grades 1-2 and 11-12 in the area of English academic achievement

Parental approval of program exit is required in order for your child to exit program services.
EB/EL Reclassification Criteria Chart (PDF)
Your child will be monitored by the LPAC of their academic progress for the first two years after they have been reclassified.

Based on data reviewed in the two-year monitoring process, the LPAC may determine that a reclassified student is still in need of program services and may recommend a return to program placement, with parent permission.

The educational resources below are targeted for students to use at home. While they focus on language and literacy, there are many that also include activities in other subject areas such as science, math, and social studies.

Early Education & Elementary

Duolingo- A free language-learning website and app for elementary and middle school students. Information available in multiple languages.

Story Place Preschool online books- Online books and activities for preschool children. Information available in Spanish.

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English Learner Portal-Supporting my Child

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Supporting Emergent Bilingual Students in Texas

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This shows ways teachers can use operant (behavioral) conditioning in the classroom. This theory can be extremely helpful for younger students.

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Behaviorism Learning Theory And Operant Conditioning

By leveraging the artful orchestration of stimuli, responses, and consequences, educators can cultivate a dynamic learning ecosystem that imparts knowledge and nurtures intrinsic motivation, active engagement, and enduring understanding.

What Is Behaviorism?

Behaviorism is a psychological theory that holds that human behavior can be understood and modified through observable and measurable actions. Rooted in the belief that behaviors are learned responses to external stimuli, behaviorism emphasizes the significance of conditioning and reinforcement in shaping individuals' behavior. This theory became a cornerstone in psychology and education, impacting how Instructional Designers approach the creation of effective learning experiences.

Why Is It important?

Behaviorism's relevance for Instructional Designers lies in its focus on the relationship between stimuli, responses, and outcomes. This perspective aligns seamlessly with the goals of education: to facilitate learning by influencing behaviors, encouraging the acquisition of new skills, and reinforcing positive outcomes. Here's why behaviorism remains essential for Instructional Designers to consider:

Targeted Learning Objectives

Behaviorism advocates for clear, specific learning objectives that can be objectively measured. This ensures that Instructional Designers design courses and modules with well-defined goals, guiding learners toward attainable outcomes.

Structured Instruction

Behaviorism encourages structured Instructional Design, where content is organized sequentially with gradual complexity. This approach supports learners in building a solid foundation before advancing to more intricate concepts.

Immediate Feedback

In behaviorism, feedback plays a crucial role. Learners receive immediate and frequent feedback, reinforcing correct behaviors and guiding them from incorrect responses. This iterative feedback loop aids in solidifying learning outcomes.

Reinforcement Strategies

Instructional Designers can apply principles of reinforcement to create engaging learning experiences. Positive reinforcement, such as rewards or recognition, can motivate learners to participate and excel in their studies actively.

Application Of Conditioning

Behaviorism's classical and operant conditioning concepts can be employed to foster desired behaviors. By associating positive outcomes with specific actions, Instructional Designers can encourage learners to replicate these actions.

Adaptive Learning

Behaviorism forms the foundation for adaptive learning, where content and pace are tailored based on learners' responses and progress. This personalized approach ensures that each learner's needs and abilities are considered.

Measurement And Assessment

Behaviorism's emphasis on observable behaviors aligns with the assessment process. Instructional Designers can create assessments that directly measure targeted behaviors and skills acquisition.

Key Aspects Of Skinner's Theory Of Behaviorism And Operant Conditioning

Behavior-consequence association
Operant conditioning focuses on the relationship between behaviors and their consequences.

Voluntary behavior
Unlike classical conditioning, operant conditioning deals with behaviors under the individual's control.

Reinforcement
Positive consequences following a behavior increase the likelihood of that behavior being repeated.

Positive Reinforcement
Adding a desirable stimulus after a behavior to strengthen it.

Negative Reinforcement
Removing an aversive stimulus after a behavior to strengthen it.

Punishment
Negative consequences following a behavior decrease the likelihood of that behavior being repeated.

Positive punishment
Adding an aversive stimulus after a behavior to weaken it.

Negative punishment
Removing a desirable stimulus after a behavior to weaken it.

Schedules of reinforcement
Different patterns of delivering reinforcement, such as continuous (every instance) or partial (occasional) reinforcement.

Continuous reinforcement
Reinforcing every instance of a behavior initially for faster learning.

Partial reinforcement
Reinforcing behavior intermittently for more resistance to extinction.

Operant chamber (Skinner box)
Experimental apparatus used to study operant conditioning with animals.

Shaping
Gradually guiding behavior closer to a desired goal through successive approximations and reinforcement.

Chaining
Linking multiple behaviors in a sequence, where each behavior serves as a cue for the next behavior.

Token economy
A system using tokens or points as reinforcers in institutional settings.

Skinner's legacy
B.F. Skinner's work significantly influenced psychology, education, and behavioral therapy.

Real World Applications

Operant Conditioning (Business Setting)

Imagine a company that wants to improve employee productivity and performance. They decide to implement operant conditioning principles to achieve this goal.

Positive reinforcement
The company introduces a monthly "Top Performer" award. Employees who consistently meet or exceed their targets are recognized with a bonus or a special parking spot.

Negative reinforcement
The company identifies that employees often feel stressed due to a lengthy commute. To encourage punctuality and attendance, they offer flexible work hours or the option to work from home for employees who consistently meet their deadlines.

Extinction
If employees are not meeting targets, the company avoids providing additional perks like extended breaks or early leave, which were previously offered.

Punishment (with caution)
The company uses caution when implementing punishment. For instance, if an employee repeatedly arrives late, they might temporarily lose a privilege, like the ability to choose their projects, to discourage tardiness.

Schedules of reinforcement
The company employs variable reinforcement by periodically surprising employees with rewards for exceptional performance, creating excitement and maintaining motivation.

Operant Conditioning (Online Learning)

Positive reinforcement
Provide immediate positive feedback for correct answers or successful completion of tasks. This reinforces desired behaviors and encourages learners to engage actively.

Interactive rewards
Use digital badges, virtual points, or certificates to reward learners for achieving milestones or mastering specific content. This positive reinforcement motivates continued participation.

Progressive challenges
Gradually increase the complexity of tasks or questions to challenge learners and encourage them to improve their skills and responses over time.

Feedback loops
Set up adaptive quizzes or assessments that adjust difficulty based on learners' responses. This promotes a tailored learning experience, with increasing levels of difficulty as learners improve.

Goal setting
Encourage learners to set personal learning goals and provide rewards once those goals are achieved. This strategy promotes intrinsic motivation and active engagement.

Interactive simulations
Implement interactive simulations where learners can manipulate variables and witness the outcomes of their decisions, reinforcing the concept of cause and effect.

Collaborative projects
Assign group projects that require learners to collaborate and contribute actively to achieve a shared goal.

Real-world applications
Present real-world scenarios where learners must apply concepts to make decisions. Their responses lead to different outcomes, reinforcing the concept of behavior consequences.

Choice-based learning
Offer learners choices in their learning paths. Their responses to these choices influence the direction and content they engage with.

Timed challenges
Set time limits for completing tasks or quizzes. The pressure of time encourages learners to respond quickly and decisively.

Personalized feedback
Provide detailed feedback on assignments, assessments, or responses. Constructive feedback acts as a consequence, guiding learners toward improved performance.

Operant Conditioning (Offline Learning)

Positive reinforcement
Provide verbal praise, stickers, or small rewards for learners who actively participate, answer questions correctly, or contribute to discussions.

Behavior charts
Use visual behavior charts to track and reward positive behaviors. Learners can see their progress and strive for consistent positive responses.

Token systems
Introduce token systems where learners earn tokens for desired behaviors. These tokens can be exchanged for privileges or rewards.

Role rotation
Assign different roles in group activities, promoting various responses and enhancing cooperative behaviors.

Interactive demonstrations
Incorporate live demonstrations where learners actively respond to instructions, reinforcing the connection between actions and consequences.

Problem-based learning
Present real-world problems for learners to solve. Their responses guide the learning process and influence outcomes.

Progressive complexity
Design activities that gradually increase in complexity. As learners successfully respond to more straightforward tasks, they build skills for more intricate challenges.

Immediate consequences
Ensure that responses lead to immediate consequences, whether positive feedback, tangible rewards, or opportunities for leadership roles.

Choice and autonomy
Allow learners to make choices within the learning process, giving them a sense of control over their responses and learning journey.

Conclusion

In our technologically advancing world, the fusion of these behaviorism theories with modern instructional strategies has forged a path toward education that is both evidence-based and learner-centric. In this synthesis of timeless theories and contemporary practices, we find the blueprint for a transformative educational journey that empowers learners to thrive in a rapidly evolving world.

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Instructional Strategies To Implement Operant Conditioning

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This article delves into the profound influence of behaviorism theory and operant conditioning on the contemporary education landscape.

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This Prezi shows an extremely detailed ides of what the innatist perspective is and how it works with ESLs.

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Innatist Perspective in Second Language Acquisition 

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Hypothesis Children are born with specific innate ability to discover for themselves the underlying rules of a language system on the basis of the samples of a natural language they are expose to. Universal Grammar The name for the innate mechanism which allows children to

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When reading through this website, it showed many great lessons and tactics used to help teach syntax to our English language learning students.

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Many ESL learners-children and adults alike-have no idea what syntax is or how to define it.

It is, however, an important concept to teach, even if it doesn't actually involve the rules of grammar.

Syntax refers to sentence structure; that is, the order of the words in a sentence that makes it understandable to native English speakers.

There are multiple ways to write a sentence while maintaining the rules of grammar, but many ESL students require a set structure for the simple sentences they learn. At least in the beginning, they don't need to learn how to express the same ideas in active and passive voice.

In this post, I'll go into the importance of syntax and how to teach syntax to ESL students. Let's get started!

Contents

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere.Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Why Should ESL Students Learn Syntax?

It's important that ESL students recognize word order and sentence structure as soon as possible. As students progress in their English studies, it becomes more difficult to correct syntax problems. In many cases, students translate their native language directly into English without considering the word order that changes between languages. For example, native Spanish speakers tend to place the noun before the adjective, instead of the other way around. When the right structure is reinforced early on, ESL students will develop a natural inclination to use correct syntax.

Native English speakers learn syntax through repetition before they learn the parts of speech and rules of grammar. ESL students generally have little or no understanding of nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc. in their native languages, so there isn't a reason to teach them that the adjective must precede the noun. The students will, however, notice that colors come before objects in a sentence through recognition of repeated sentence structures. As this concept is reinforced through classroom exercises, the students will utilize the structure when creating their own sentences as they continue learning the language.

Just because a student knows a word doesn't mean they know how to use it in a sentence. Many students begin learning English by memorizing words and phrases. It's your responsibility as the teacher to ensure they understand the meaning and usage of these words. Be sure to include more vocabulary than what's available in a child's textbook, and instruct students how to alter sentences to fit different situations.

How to Incorporate Syntax in an ESL Lesson

1. Start by reviewing the vocabulary and phrases from the curriculum

In many ESL textbooks, the lessons will have similar phrases and sentences with substituted vocabulary. The ability to replace one or two words in a sentence helps reinforce the structure of the sentence through basic memorization. Many students will focus on the word or two in each sentence that changes, and see the remaining words as a less important, larger group.

For example, if the sentence in the textbook is "I have a red notebook," the students should already know how to switch the colors and objects in the sentence-e.g., "I have a blue notebook" and "I have a red pencil," respectively. Depending on age, the students may also be able to change the subject of the sentence. If the students have difficulty replacing such words in a sentence, you should review this process to ensure better comprehension of key vocabulary.

2. Write sentences on the board with words out of order

But what happens when the sentences are altered by more than just one or two words?

Unscrambling English sentences in lessons forces students to think about each word in a sentence rather than only memorizing an entire phrase without understanding the importance of structure. After repeating each word in a sentence individually, students should recognize where each belongs.

It's a common practice for ESL teachers of all ages and levels to deliberately make mistakes to see if students will notice. Of course, some ESL teachers will unintentionally make mistakes and then play it off as an exercise when the mistakes are pointed out by eagle-eyed students. This exercise helps you gauge whether your students are paying attention and learning the material.

3. Ask the students to put the words back in order

Of course, you're not going to leave the sentences on the board unscrambled as they are. Ask some of your students to volunteer to rearrange the words such that they conform to proper syntax.

This method can be made easier by using laminated flashcards for each word stuck to the board. Not only does this save on chalk or whiteboard markers, but the flashcards can be also reused for multiple classes.

After the volunteers complete the exercise, ask the class if the sentence is now correct. If the sentence is still not correct, ask another student go up to the board and write it again. Be sure to point out and explain the differences between the correct and incorrect sentences.

4. Turn the syntax activity into an ESL game

For this game, the students can be split into at least two teams. (I have had large enough classes to have four teams of five students.) The game should take 15 to 20 minutes in classes of about 20 students.

Choose a student from each team. Make sure to pick students that are at a similar level to make the game more fair.

Show the students the incorrect sentence to rewrite.

The first student to correctly write the sentence earns a point for their team.

Go through this process until each student has had an opportunity to participate.

If none of the students rewriting the sentence gets it correct, ask one more student from each team to help out, but tell the original participants to write the correct sentence.

For students at a lower level in the class, choose easier sentences to improve their confidence. For more advanced students, choose more difficult sentences to challenge them.

5. Have your students write the correct sentences in their notebooks, then ask volunteers to do the same on the board

If your goal is to better gauge the class's overall comprehension of the material, you may want to give everyone in class the same opportunity to correct the same sentences. This activity should take about 10 minutes to complete.

Write a few sentences with their words out of order on the board.

Have the students rewrite the sentences correctly in their notebooks.

While the students are rewriting the sentences, you can walk around the room and see how each student does with the activity, while providing some one-on-one instruction before moving on to the next student.

After all the students complete the exercise, invite volunteers (or appoint students) to rewrite the sentences on the board.

Review each sentence with the class to ensure that everyone understands the corrections.

6. Make an ESL sentence scramble activity for small groups

You can turn the scrambled sentences into a group activity, with groups of no more than five students. (Three or four in a group usually works best, however.) You'll need laminated word cards that are smaller than what you'd use for class lessons. This activity should take about 15 minutes.

Place the card sets in reusable bags.

Split the class into groups of three or four students.

Hand out a bag of cut-up sentences to each group.

Have the students rearrange all the words into correct sentences.

Ask the groups to raise their hands when they've completed the activity.

Check the students' progress during the activity. Make sure to provide hints for groups that are struggling.

This activity works best with a greater variety of sentences rather than with substitution exercises. It also works when reviewing multiple units at one time. Ensure one student in each group will take the lead and keep the rest of the group on task.

As with the previous methods, invite students to write the corrected sentences on the board and review each with the entire class. You can also go around the room and ask students to read the sentences aloud.

These activities can be used as warm-up exercises to review previous lessons or as end-of-class reviews. They can also be used as transitional exercises depending on the length of the class.

Together, these tips on how to teach syntax to ESL students will add variety to your classes while reinforcing proper sentence structure.

And if you want to show your students more examples of proper English syntax, you can play some videos from FluentU in class.

FluentU takes authentic videos-like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks-and turns them into personalized language lessons.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere.Click here to get a copy. (Download)

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How to Teach Syntax to ESL Students: A Complete Guide | FluentU English Educator Blog

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Knowing how to teach syntax to ESL students will go a long way in boosting their ability to comprehend other aspects of the English language. In this guide, I'll walk you through the basics of teaching syntax in an ESL classroom-from incorporating it into lessons to specific activities you can have them do.

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This website discusses the principle of phonemic awareness and gives plenty of strategies for teachers to follow when teaching ELLs and EBs the process of sound in English.

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Implementing Phonemic Awareness with English Language Learners

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Teaching phonemic awareness with English language learners is important. Phonemic awareness is a foundational cornerstone for students’ future fluency.

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This chapter of the textbook breaks down each method of ESL teaching. This can be extremely helpful for teachers to break down each method and figure out which works best for them and their students.

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This site was very insightful to the full timeline of methodology for the English second language eduction topic.

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To print the story please do so via the link in the story toolbar.

Below you will find a timeline featuring nine approaches or methods to language teaching and their most predominant characteristics. Supplementarily videos, images, and materials are provided for further clarification. Timeline by Analía Amaral Foti and Lourdes Keochgerien

Noam Chomsky on Language Acquisition

Language Teaching Methods is a video-based teacher-training series with an accompanying teacher-training guide. The videos show examples of six language teaching methods that have been used over the past few decades: the Audio-lingual Method, Community Language Learning, the Comprehension Approach (TPR), Suggestopedia, the Silent Way, and the Communicative Approach. The project was produced by the U.S. Information Agency in 1990.

The Grammar-Translation Approach: 16th - 19th Centuries

The Direct Approach - The Natural Method - The Berlitz Method - Early 20th Century

The Reading Approach - 1930s

Grammar specifically associated with reading comprehension is taught

Vocabulary is monitored at first and then expanded

Translation makes a resurgence

Reading comprehension is the focus point

The teacher's oral proficiency is null

The Audiolingual Approach - The Audiolingual Method - ALM: 1940s - 1960s (USA)

The Situational Approach: 1940s - 1960s (UK)

Spoken language is dominant

Choral repetition

All material is first presented orally, and then, presented in other variations

Monolingual environment

The complexity of grammar is scaled

Common lexical items are taught

New concepts are introduced via scenes (at a doctor's office, etc.)

The Cognitive Approach: late 1960s - 1970s

Rules will help a student acquire a language

Learners are responsible for their own learning

Grammar can be taught before or after introducing examples

Perfection in pronunciation is unrealistic

Reading, writing, speaking, and listening are equally important

Vocabulary expansion is emphasized at higher levels

Errors are a part of learning

Example: The Silent Way method

The Affective-Humanist Approach (Community Language Learning): late 1960s - 1970s

Emotions are recognized and respected

Meaningful communication is dominant

Classroom atmosphere > methods or materials

Peer support and interactions occurs through pair or group work

Learning another language is about personal growth

The teacher is viewed as a counselor or facilitator

Translation may be used greatly at the beginning to create a welcoming atmosphere

(The above is an example of Comprehension-Based learning, which focuses on listening.)
The Comprehension-Based Approach : 1970s

The Communicative Approach - Communicative Language Teaching (CLT): 1970s

The main goal is to communicate in the target language

The content of the course will feature not just linguistic structures but social functions as well

Students often work in groups or in pairs to aid one another

Students often role-play or dramatize various social situations

Classroom activities and materials are from the real world

All the skills are touched upon from the beginning

The teacher's role is to ease communication in class, rather than solely correct errors

Noam Chomsky on Language Acquisition

Language Teaching Methods is a video-based teacher-training series with an accompanying teacher-training guide. The videos show examples of six language teaching methods that have been used over the past few decades: the Audio-lingual Method, Community Language Learning, the Comprehension Approach (TPR), Suggestopedia, the Silent Way, and the Communicative Approach. The project was produced by the U.S. Information Agency in 1990.

The Grammar-Translation Approach: 16th - 19th Centuries

The Direct Approach - The Natural Method - The Berlitz Method - Early 20th Century

The Reading Approach - 1930s

Grammar specifically associated with reading comprehension is taught

Vocabulary is monitored at first and then expanded

Translation makes a resurgence

Reading comprehension is the focus point

The teacher's oral proficiency is null

The Audiolingual Approach - The Audiolingual Method - ALM: 1940s - 1960s (USA)

The Situational Approach: 1940s - 1960s (UK)

Spoken language is dominant

Choral repetition

All material is first presented orally, and then, presented in other variations

Monolingual environment

The complexity of grammar is scaled

Common lexical items are taught

New concepts are introduced via scenes (at a doctor's office, etc.)

The Cognitive Approach: late 1960s - 1970s

Rules will help a student acquire a language

Learners are responsible for their own learning

Grammar can be taught before or after introducing examples

Perfection in pronunciation is unrealistic

Reading, writing, speaking, and listening are equally important

Vocabulary expansion is emphasized at higher levels

Errors are a part of learning

Example: The Silent Way method

The Affective-Humanist Approach (Community Language Learning): late 1960s - 1970s

Emotions are recognized and respected

Meaningful communication is dominant

Classroom atmosphere > methods or materials

Peer support and interactions occurs through pair or group work

Learning another language is about personal growth

The teacher is viewed as a counselor or facilitator

Translation may be used greatly at the beginning to create a welcoming atmosphere

(The above is an example of Comprehension-Based learning, which focuses on listening.)
The Comprehension-Based Approach : 1970s

The Communicative Approach - Communicative Language Teaching (CLT): 1970s

The main goal is to communicate in the target language

The content of the course will feature not just linguistic structures but social functions as well

Students often work in groups or in pairs to aid one another

Students often role-play or dramatize various social situations

Classroom activities and materials are from the real world

All the skills are touched upon from the beginning

The teacher's role is to ease communication in class, rather than solely correct errors

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Language Teaching Methods - A Historical Timeline

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Below you will find a timeline featuring nine approaches or methods to language teaching and their most predominant characteristics. Supplementarily videos, images, and materials are provided for further clarification. Timeline by Analía Amaral Foti and Lourdes Keochgerien Noam Chomsky on Language Acquisition

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This small article was found to be incredibly impactful by myself. It stresses the fact that we must encourage our students to speak in their new learned language as well as their first language and feel comfortable doing it.

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I loved this article because it discussed focusing on understanding what level of proficiency each student is at. From there, you can focus on oral activities that will be engaging for each student.

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I always found graphic organizers helpful when setting up an essay or any small writing. This article dives deeper into why and how these can help our ELLs in their writing proficiency.

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Graphic organizers are a great tool to use when teaching English language learners (ELLs). Visual illustrations allow ELLs to better understand the material while learning important vocabulary.

Graphic organizers are most useful to ELLs when presented in small group activities. During the activities ELLs benefit from opportunities to work cooperatively - students are able to discuss and share their thoughts as they begin to contribute to the group effort. When ELLs use graphic organizers, they show achievement benefits across a variety of content areas, in all grade levels.

Ideas for Graphic Organizers

When teachers begin to use graphic organizers they need to follow some simple steps to make sure ELLs gain knowledge from such a simple yet reliable tool (Merkley & Jefferies, 2001). For example as a teacher begins to present a new topic, such as the solar system, an organizer can assist introducing the new idea.

Teachers should also begin to verbalize the relationship between the ideas, and the information that will be taught. Students or adults can write/draw the information provided by other students using a K-W-L chart. Graphic organizers should be tailored to reinforce the relationships between concepts, reminding students that this is just a quick preview of the material that will be taught next.

Secondly, teachers need to provide the opportunity for students to participate in discussions. ELLs need to have numerous pauses to process language in order to participate. For instance, classroom activities can be tailored to let students create graphs such as a concept definition map. Students can create a list of familiar terms to these maps.

Once students had the opportunity to share their thoughts and understand the topic that it is to follow, teachers can start to connect new material to their prior knowledge. Lessons need to guide ELLs to activate prior knowledge as they recollect earlier taught content to be able to retain new material (Merkley & Jefferies, 2001). In other words, graphic organizers provide a visual summary as they describe information - introducing ELLs to new technical vocabulary as they reinforce decoding skills of key words for an upcoming lesson.

Graphic organizers facilitate ELLs' comprehension through visual illustrations of key terms, vocabulary, ideas, and the relationship among them. Improving student's reading comprehension can be challenging, but such progress is necessary when focusing on students who are learning English (Kim, Vaughn, Wanzek, & Wei, 2004).

Note: When using graphic organizers with ELLs, be sure to explain how to use them and check back to ensure their understanding.

Strategy: K-W-L Chart

K-W-L charts are graphic organizers where students can share:

Here are some examples:

Video: Using a K-W-L Chart for background knowledge

ELL high school teacher Christine Rowland explains how to use a KWL chart to identify students' existing background knowledge.

Recommended Resources

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Graphic organizers are a great tool to use when teaching English language learners (ELLs). Visual illustrations allow ELLs to better understand the material while learning important vocabulary. Graphic organizers are most useful to ELLs when presented in small group activities.

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The Reading Rockets organization has hundreds of resources for students and teachers. This organization goes above and beyond to help ELLs proficiency levels sky rocket.

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Explore reading basics as well as the key role of background knowledge and motivation in becoming a lifelong reader and learner. Watch our PBS Launching Young Readers series and try our self-paced Reading 101 course to deepen your understanding.

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This site has a list of multicultural books for early education classrooms. It is extremely important that each child feels included and represented in our lessons and activities.

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Here is a selection of books from our collection that depicts the diversity of families and family life. We strive to include as much varied racial/cultural representation as possible, with a focus on #OwnVoices, but these lists also reflect what is available on the market.

These titles are only a sample of what you can find in our full collection. To see more, go to Search the Collection to type any variation of family words, such as "family,""mother,""son,""grandmother," or "uncle."

Multicultural and multigenerational people demonstrate what it means to be a family and how all families offer each other support and love--Provided by publisher

Allows young readers to visit with fourteen children, each from a different country, to learn about their families. Includes suggested activities

Told in lively and powerful verse by debut author Kevin Noble Maillard, Fry Bread is an evocative depiction of a modern Native American family, vibrantly illustrated by Pura Belpre Award winner and Caldecott Honoree Juana Martinez-Neal

The little girl in this story loves to visit Grandpa's farm where she and her cousins run through the fields, swing out the bar loft window and feed crab apples to the Appaloosa in the corral. They explore the root cellar and tiptoe into Grandpa's secret room to look at memories from the past.

As a young girl observes that each of six women in her life wears her hijab and hair in a different way, she considers how to express her own style one day.

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Children's Picture Books: Multicultural Family Stories | Diverse BookFinder

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Looking for stories featuring multicultural families? We've picked some of our favorites! Search our vast collection of picture books for children to find diverse family stories. Check them out, then search our database to find even more.

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This website shows plenty of inclusive activities teachers can have their students participate in. This brings comfortability and familiarity to the classroom.

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Written by Nadia T
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Check out these 15 Cultural Diversity Activities for Elementary Students to teach children about children of the world.

The world is so large that it can be tough to teach children about places that exist outside of their own immediate physical world. There is so much to learn about other countries and people.

We live in America and we also spent 10 years in South Africa. I was fascinated by the cultural differences and daily norms that were each so very different from the life I lived in America.

Different cultures from around the world have so much that could and should be celebrated.
I am a blog ambassador for Lakeshore and am compensated for my work. I received product free of charge, but all thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.
From music, languages, and food to school, dressing and sports there is so much of beauty and excitement that each country and culture brings to our world.

What is cultural diversity?

Cultural diversity is about creating equity, respect, and understanding between people from different cultures..It's about understanding that each of us comes from a specific culture, which has its own history, language, norms, values, and beliefs. It is about inclusion.

When we talk about cultural diversity in the world today, it encompasses many things - race, ethnicity, religion, gender, age, and skills are just some examples.

Why do we need cultural diversity?

Cultural diversity makes a community stronger. It helps create better ideas, more creativity, innovation, and forward-thinking. It allows for better problem solving because it brings together a wider range of perspectives, experiences, and knowledge.

Cultural diversity is important to everyone - regardless of culture or background.

Let's Celebrate Diversity

Add these activities to your lesson plans to promote inclusion.

Choose one country a week and do a small "trip around the world" each week. These cultural activity ideas are great for the classroom as well as for home too.

You could make it even more fun by choosing one particular day a week that you would be 'flying' out to this country to experience some of their cultures.

Here are my favorite activities to teach children about diversity.

15 Cultural Diversity Activities for Elementary Students

1. Celebrate holidays and traditions from around the world

My kid's calendar includes a variety of holidays. Make sure to acknowledge and celebrate these dates in your classroom. You could even decorate the classroom for different cultural holiday celebrations like Christmas, Eid, Hannukkah, etc.

See my post on Ramadan Decorations Ideas For Kids. You could set up a book area that incorporates these books during that week of celebration too. Learning experiences are enhanced through fun decorations, especially in young children.

2. Read books about other countries and their special cultures.

We really love the Lakeshore Children of the World Book Set. The books contain interesting facts, more about the spoken language, what the money looks like and wonderful discussion questions to ask students.

How are we each the same? How are we a little different? What makes us unique? Do a craft activity that would encourage a child to focus on the different physical features of people from different countries. The People Shapes Project Kit was perfect for this! It included tacky glue and everything you see below minus the trays.

The paper doll set comes in a variety of skin color options so kids can create and celebrate every ethnicity. They are also gender-neutral so can be adapted to a child's own creativity.

We were focusing this week on India and Mexico. So she set out to create an Indian and Mexican little girl. She noticed that the Indian girl was wearing a lot of sparkly sequins on her outfit and added these to her paper doll puppet.

My 8 year old really enjoyed this project. It was definitely a little tough for my three year old to do, as she needed a lot of help with gluing and cutting small parts and pieces. This activity is perfect for elementary aged students.

This would be a wonderful classroom activity. You could have each child build a 'puppet' from one country and then stick them around the room.

We may have a few different physical characteristics, but what about on the inside? How are we different? Are our emotions any different? Check out my feelings and emotion chart for kids

4. Print out a world map or use a globe

Show children where each country is located. You could even talk about how many hours it would take to fly to that country.

4. Bake or cook a special recipe from other countries.

10 Cultural Diversity Activities For Elementary Studentshttp://bit.ly/2gXBCl4

6. Go visit a restaurant that has authentic food from other countries.

Sample cuisine from these countries. For example, have curry at an Indian restaurant. Try a dish that is special to that country. Just be careful because some cultural foods incorporate a lot of spice!

7. Listen to music from other countries -

Ask students what they think of the music. Does it make them feel like dancing? Does it make them feel happy?

8. Spelling the country names -

We used Lakeshore's Sweet Treats! Letter Molds to bake these little cakes together. Once we were done decorating the cakes, we would spell out each country's name before eating them all up. I'm always trying to weave spelling and hidden learning into all the activities we do together.

9. Listen to a recording of a person speaking that language.

It would be interesting to see if the children can understand any of the words the person is saying.

10. Cultural Greetings

Learn how to say hello and goodbye in each language.

11. Talk about animals that live in each country.

Children always love learning more about animals.

12. Discuss stereotypes, prejudices, and racism

If it is age-appropriate, then discuss this further. What are stereotypes? Are you defined by a stereotype too? Is that fair? Talk about how each individual can self-define who they are. Build understanding.

15. Create Multicultural Decorations

Do art projects that incorporate cultures. This will be a beautiful classroom decoration and will also serve as a reminder of the inclusive and celebratory nature of the classroom.

13. Expand the resources found within your classroom

Build a culture of celebrating diversity in your classroom. Bring in special toys, music, posters, videos, and even movies. Children will love seeing their own culture represented within their classroom.

14. Have a multicultural day, also known as Heritage Day

Have each student dress up in a cultural outfit. Then, have each student talk about some of the special things they love about their own cultural heritage. They can bring in specialties like special toys, books, music, and even cultural foods and desserts. This. is a great way to encourage diversity in the classroom and even in the school.

15. Create Multicultural Decorations

Do art projects that incorporate cultures. This will be a beautiful classroom decoration and will also serve as a reminder of the inclusive and celebratory nature of the classroom.

16. Sing the Celebrate Our Differences song.

More cultural activities

Cultural diversity activities for preschoolers, toddlers, and really, for all ages is such a fun and adaptable activity. It is always filled with beautiful colors and a lot of interesting facts and learning. Let's create a classroom filled with love and unity.

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15 Cultural Diversity Activities For Elementary Students

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Check out these 15 Simple Cultural Diversity Activities for kids to teach children about inclusion, equity, and about children of the world.

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This website goes over extensive strategies for teachers to teach academic language to ELLs and what students should be reaching in the classroom.

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English Language Learners (ELLs, ELs ELDs) face a variety of challenges in the mainstream classroom. Along with social and cultural differences, ELLs may also struggle with the language used in the classroom. This academic language can be difficult for ELLs to grasp and can pose a stumbling block when it comes to classroom success.

"Mastery of academic language is arguably the single most important determinant of academic success for individual students," says David Francis in Practical Guidelines for the Education of English Language Learners: Research-Based Recommendations For Instruction and Academic Interventions. "Unfortunately, ELLs often lack the academic language necessary for success in school. This lack of proficiency in academic language affects ELLs' ability to comprehend and analyze texts in middle and high school, limits their ability to write and express themselves effectively, and can hinder their acquisition of academic content in all academic areas."

So what can mainstream teachers do to help ELLs master academic language? First, it's important to understand the key components of academic language. Linguist Jim Cummins distinguished between two different types of language: Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP).

Recognizing the differences between these elements of second language acquisition will help you develop effective strategies for teaching academic language to ELLs.

Understanding BICS

Cummins classifies Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) as the language system that a person uses in everyday, informal types of communication. The language used for BICS is typically cognitively undemanding and developed largely through social interactions.

This type of language is typically developed well before students become proficient in academic language; English learners can become proficient in BICS as quickly as a year. BICS is predominantly oral and uses Tier 1 vocabulary.

For this reason, it is important not to judge students' language proficiency on their speaking abilities alone. Students with a high level of BICS might be able to hold a conversation about a familiar topic or converse well in high-context situations. However, they may not have the linguistic sophistication to engage in academic discussions without the intentional development of academic language.

Understanding CALP

Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) measures mastery of the rigorous, intellectual vocabulary of content areas, which Cummins states is a key distinction from BICS. Academic language refers to the language needed by students to conquer classroom tasks, from understanding basic content vocabulary and directions to navigating advanced textbooks.

"To me, academic language is when teachers use keywords and important content area concepts when working with ELs," says Dara Schmick, an ESL teacher at Rutherford Elementary School and the Elementary ESL Department Chair for the Central Dauphin School District in Harrisburg, PA. "It is important for teachers to speak to students in a way that promotes language in every aspect of their school day."

Mastering academic language is critical to the academic success of ELLs. Cummins theorized that the development of CALP can take from four to seven years, independent of other factors such as language proficiency level, age and time of arrival in a school setting, degree of academic language proficiency in the student's first language, and the level of in-school language support.

How Can You Help Students Achieve Academic Language Mastery?

Successful understanding of academic language requires a partnership between mainstream teachers and ESL teachers, Schmick says, noting, "Teachers need to all be on the same page so that the academic language is comprehensive."

Working together, mainstream and ESL teachers can help ensure English Language Learners have success when it comes to conquering academic language.

"Some mainstream teachers have the skills and strategies to work with ELs and can use these with all of their students," Schmick says. "However, there are times when teachers are unsure of how to work with these students."

If you're teaching ELLs in your classroom, consider these tips for teaching academic language:

Introduce and reinforce academic language regularly.

It's important to preview text and identify words that might be new to students, says ELLs specialist Kristina Robertson on Colorin Colorado!, a bilingual site for educators and families of English Language Learners. She suggests writing words and phrases on the board and having students write them on index cards. She also recommends using visuals, acting, or synonyms to help students understand the meaning of a word. "Reinforce the newly learned language by asking the students to draw it, act it out, or use it in an appropriate sentence," she says.

Provide opportunities for review.

Consider creating a "word wall" of academic language terms so that students can refer to what they've learned throughout the year. Students can also use journals or word logs to reference academic vocabulary that they've learned throughout the year

Use academic language throughout all content areas.

"As the classroom teacher, it's important to integrate academic language into your daily classroom practice," says teacher Marine Freibrun on Minds-in-bloom.com. "Use the words in your objectives for other lessons, use the words in classroom discussions, and ask students to use them in their writing across disciplines. I also use academic language tickets to have students practice their words after lessons have been taught. I use them for tickets out, as morning work, or as independent practice. Just because you teach the lesson, doesn't mean you or your students are done with the word. It's important to continue the practice throughout the year."

Use resources for support.

Mainstream teachers should feel comfortable relying on other teachers or resources to help ELLs in their classrooms.

"It is imperative that mainstream teachers continue to use professional development opportunities in order to enhance the necessary skills needed to work with ELs," Schmick says. "If this is not possible for them, they can also use their ESL teacher as a resource for their own classroom. ESL teachers are there to not only help ELs succeed but to help classroom teachers with the challenges of educating ELs."

Resources such as Continental's TEAM Toolkits: Teaching ELs for Academic Language Mastery can be useful go-to supports when it comes to academic language and ELLs. The kits feature structured activities in listening, reading, writing, and speaking to help English learners develop grade-level academic language skills.

Academic language is an essential component of education and is critical for success in school-and it poses unique challenges for English language learners. By intentionally developing academic language for your ELLs, you will support their academic success.

Looking for more ESL/ELD/ELL resources for your classroom? Check out Continental's wide variety of instructional materials for K-12 students.
This blog was originally published on September 13, 2017. It was updated on October 19, 2022.

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Strategies for Teaching Academic Language to ELLs | Continental

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It's important for mainstream teachers to know the basics of academic language and develop strategies for teaching academic language to ELLs.

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This article goes through what teachers should know when teaching academic language. I loved this article because it gave real-world scenarios and how a teacher should go about the scenario.

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This article helps educators understand the role that academic language plays in their classrooms and in ELL student success.

The article also includes information on social vs. academic language, as well as numerous examples of the different kinds of academic language needed for all students to fully participate in classroom activities and assignments. Additional articles, books, and videos can be found in our Academic Language and ELLs Resource Section.

Academic Language: An Overview

Why is academic language important?

Perhaps you or your colleagues have taught a student, who, like Carlos, gave every sign of being fully "fluent" in English, only to find that the student struggled on more academic kinds of assignments.

Many students, including English language learners (ELLs), have difficulty mastering the kinds of academic language needed to succeed in school, especially if they have never been explicitly taught how to use it. These students include long-term ELLs, students who have attended U.S. schools for much or all of their education but have not yet mastered the language of school.

At the same time, many educators have never learned how to teach academic language since language has traditionally been considered the domain of English as a Second Language (ESL) or English language arts teachers. Yet the use of academic language is more important than ever in preparing students for academic and professional success, particularly in the era of rigorous college- and career-ready standards (such as the Common Core State Standards) that require an increased use of academic language in and across all disciplines.

What is your role?

It may seem daunting at first, but you have an important role to play in supporting your students' academic language development. You do not need an in-depth background in linguistics or ESL methods to do so; rather, you need some guidance and practice in learning how to recognize the role academic language plays in your subject area and classroom, as well as support from colleagues who can guide you in your efforts. Many ESL and bilingual colleagues have extensive experience in identifying students' academic language needs and collaborating with colleagues and will be more than happy to do so if asked!

In this article

To get you started, this article shares three things you need to know about academic language:

The difference between social and academic language

The importance of looking beyond vocabulary

How academic language will be used in your classroom

The article will also share recommended resources for further review. For specific instructional strategies on increasing the use of academic language in your classroom, see these ideas from ELL expert Kristina Robertson, as well as the resources at the end of the article, and check in with your ESL/bilingual colleagues for additional suggestions!

The difference between social and academic language

As the example of Carlos above suggests, teachers may be most familiar with the level of students' social language - the language they hear students using with their friends in the hallways or on the playground. Students typically achieve proficiency in social language long before they have mastered a grade-appropriate level of academic language. As a result, a student's ability to use language in social settings is not necessarily an accurate indicator of their mastery of academic language.

What is academic language?

Academic language is the language of school and it is used in textbooks, essays, assignments, class presentations, and assessments. Academic language is used at all grade levels, although its frequency increases as students get older.

It is also the language of the workplace - for example, the language used to write a business letter as opposed to a casual e-mail to a co-worker.

Examples

One strategy that academic language expert Dr. Robin Scarcella uses to help her college students understand the difference between social and academic language is to provide them with similar sentences or passages that convey the same meaning but that are written in different styles, such as the following:

I like this book more.

This story is more exciting than the first one we read.

Because they were brave.

The soldiers received the medal because of their courage.

If you were to compare other kinds of passages or documents, some examples might include:

A business letter vs. a personal e-mail (noted above)

A newspaper's summary of a research report vs. the actual abstract of the report

A customer review of a book vs. the publisher's description of the book

As your students become more familiar with the differences between social and academic language, it will be easier to identify which is which and what is most appropriate for a certain setting. Kristina Roberston notes in her video clip on our academic language playlist that her students call this "sounding smart" - and they know it when they hear it. When they hear themselves "sounding smart," it is a source of excitement and motivation in the classroom.

Additional resources

To learn more about the distinctions between social and academic language, take a look at the following resources from Colorín Colorado:
Discussion questions:

Have you had any students who were proficient in social language but struggled with academic language?

If so, how did their social and academic language use differ?

Did anything in their language abilities surprise you?

What are some examples that could be used to compare social and academic language in your classroom?

Beyond vocabulary

Many people think of vocabulary first when it comes to academic language. While content-area vocabulary words and terms are certainly an important component, academic language also refers to the words and phrases used to connect these key words and to communicate concepts. Here are two different ways to understand a broader interpretation of academic language.

"Bricks and mortar"

Dr. Cindy Lundgren explains the idea of " bricks and mortar" in our academic language video playlist, where "bricks" are the key vocabulary words and concepts in a sentence, and "mortar" is the language (such as signal words and phrases) holding the bricks together. Here is the example she explains in the video:

Even though bats have wings, they are not birds.

In this sentence, the bricks are the key vocabulary words in bold:

Yet to fully understand the sentence, students must understand the meaning of "even though." Here is a sample definition:

"Even though" means that two items are similar, but they are not the same. In this case, bats and birds both share a similar feature (having wings), but they are not the same animal.

Understanding signal words and phrases is a key step in a student's ability to "unlock" the academic language they encounter, as well as to start using it correctly themselves.

Video: Bricks and mortar in language instruction

Dr. Cindy Lundgren discusses the concept of "bricks and mortar" when thinking about effective vocabulary instruction for ELLs.

TWIPs

Debbie Zacarian and Judie Haynes (2010) also look beyond discrete vocabulary words in their academic language definition, including a range of structures they call TWIPs ( Terms, Words, Idioms, and P hrases). Here are some examples:

Note that, in the second example, the "Declaration" is a single word standing in for the official name of a specific document (the Declaration of Independence). Many textbooks used abbreviated terms in the interest of space, which requires students not only to track the references back to the original term but to build on existing background knowledge about the subject being discussesd. ELLs may need some extra preparation to draw upon or build background knowledge in order to fully understand the academic language being used.

Same Word, Different Meaning

Keep in mind that some key words or terms may have different meanings across disciplines and may be used as different parts of speech in different contexts (i.e., noun vs. verbs):

Lunch table (Social language)
Periodic Table of Elements (Science)
Table of Contents (ELA)
Multiplication tables (Math)
To table (delay) the discussion (Social Studies)

Plot of a story (ELA)
Plot of land (Geography)
Plot ordered pairs on a graph (Math)
To plot a government coup (History)

Branch of government (Social Studies)
Branch of a river (Geography)
To branch out (Idiom)

Your foot (Health)
One foot in length (Math)
Foot in your mouth (Idiom)
Foot of the mountain (Geography)
To foot the bill (Idiom)

As you identify the academic language you will be focusing on in a particular lesson, take a moment to think about whether any of the words or phrases may have another definition so that you can anticipate any possible confusion. You may wish to share your list with your ESL colleagues for input as well.

Cognates

Finally, there is a great tool you can use to bolster academic language for students who speak a language related to English. This is the use of cognates - words that have a similar spelling and meaning in both languages. More than a one third of words in English have a Spanish-language cognate! These often include technical or content-specific words that can help students make a connection between both languages, such as the following:

You can see many more in our list of Spanish-English cognates, and your ESL or bilingual colleagues may be able to think of other related examples as well. Once students know how that a connection exists, they will start noticing more words that are related and they will be able to apply their own existing background knowledge about those words to the vocabulary they encounter. They may need some guidance initially, and we provide some tips on how to use cognates in this Colorín Colorado article to help you get started.

Note: There is such a thing as a false cognate, the most famous one being that embarazada in Spanish is not "embarrassed" - it means "pregnant"! It is not a 100% foolproof strategy - but it is generally a very useful tool.
Discussion questions:

What are examples of key vocabulary words, terms, idioms, and phrases that are useful to know in your subject area?

Can you think of some phrases or signal words that are not content specific but are commonly used in your area (such as "In comparison...")?

Looking at the list of cognates from Colorín Colorado, find 10 words related to your subject area.

Planning for purpose and products

Now that you have some more background on what academic language is, it's time to think about how it is used in your subject area. Academic language is used for a variety of purposes across disciplines:

Students may write a lab report in science class.

Students may orally explain their reasoning in math class.

Students may listen to and compare two famous speeches in history class.

Students may compare a scene from a novel and a movie in an English language arts class.

Domains of language

As you can see in these examples, academic language is used in all four domains of language (reading, writing, speaking, and listening), and all four domains are needed to achieve the above tasks. While the uses of academic language may be more obvious for reading and writing, academic language is also necessary for listening to class discussion, lectures, and debates, as well as delivering speeches, presentations, and oral arguments. Students may need just as much help using academic language in their speaking as in their writing, and they may be at different levels across different domains. Carlos, for example, has strong academic listening and speaking skills, but weaker writing skills.

Students may also need help moving from the word level to the sentence, paragraph, or essay/project level in these sophisticated assignments. The most important thing you can do is to provide examples and model the kinds of language you expect students to use on a regular basis. By doing so, you will help familiarize students with the kinds of academic language needed to succeed in your classroom, as well as the purpose of the language they are using. Our Academic Language booklist and webcast include a number of subject-specific strategies for helping students master the kinds of language needed in different content areas.

This is also another area where ESL/bilingual colleagues can help you; they may have tried and true strategies, graphic organizers, and suggestions for modeling academic language and for helping students transition into more sophisticated assignments. One great example is the process that high school ESL teacher Michelle Lawrence uses to help her students transition from sentences and paragraphs to essays. (See Playlist: Writing Process 2.)

Note: Another helpful tool for communicating expectations about academic language is the use of language objectives , which you can learn more about from Colorín Colorado.
Discussion Questions:

As you consider how academic language is used in your discipline, what kinds of assignments are students expected to produce in your classroom and in higher grades?

What are some examples of academic language that are needed for each of these activities?

How are different language domains used at different steps of the process? (For example, a lab may require spoken language to be used in discussions between partners, and then writing to be used for the final written lab report.)

Based on what you now know about academic language, what kinds of support do you think Carlos needs in his chemistry class?

Do you have any ideas on how Mrs. Wilson can support his written academic language?

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Academic Language and ELLs: What Teachers Need to Know

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This article helps educators understand the role that academic language plays in their classrooms and in ELL student success. The article also includes information on social vs. academic language, as well as numerous examples of the different kinds of academic language needed for all students to fully participate in classroom activities and assignments.

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Problem-solving skills are extremely important when doing math. It involves reading comprehension which is something ELLs tend to struggle with, but this article goes into methods for teachers to follow.

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Not all students with learning disabilities struggle in mathematics. They do however have some characteristics in common. By definition, the term "specific learning disability" means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which may manifest itself in imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations. Such term includes such conditions as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. Such term does not include a learning problem that is primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, or mental retardation, or emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage. (IDEA amendments of 1997, P.L. 105-17, June 4, 1997, 11 stat 37 [20 U.S.C. §1401 (26)]).

Students with learning disabilities tend to experience academic difficulties, yet they have average to above average intelligence (Friend, 2005).

The academic language difficulties that are characteristic of students with learning disabilities are very similar to those of students learning a second language. For example, both may have difficulty retrieving words. In the case of a student with a learning disability, this may be due to a perceptual, processing or memory disorder. With English Language Learners (ELL), it is more a matter of learning a new word. In both cases comprehension may be slower due to the effort taken to remember words and their concepts. What strategies are useful for a teacher of mathematics whose student has a true learning disability and is also learning English as a second language?

In this article, we will specifically address the area of problem solving because of the strong emphasis it has been given by the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics (2000). With the strong demand for language and conceptual development in problem solving, we will highlight aspects of the teacher and student's roles and the importance of discourse. We will provide some strategies for working through mathematical problems, questioning, and assessment. We are making the assumption that the determination of a learning disability was made using best possible assessment practice. We are assuming that the learning disability exists in both languages and that the student is being provided with a rich native language development curriculum.

Implications for Teacher Practice

Teaching Standards

The Teaching Standards are an integral part of the Professional Standards for Teaching Mathematics (NCTM, 1991). The first three standards include items that support language development for EL students who also have learning disabilities.

Worthwhile Mathematical Tasks

The teacher of mathematics should pose tasks that are based on:

Sound and significant mathematics

Knowledge of students' understandings, interests, and experiences

Knowledge of the range of ways that diverse students learn mathematics

and that

Engage students' intellect

Develop students' mathematical understandings and skills

Call for problem formulation, problem solving, and mathematical reasoning

Promote communication about mathematics

Represent mathematics as an ongoing human activity

Display sensitivity to, and draw on, students' diverse background experiences and dispositions

Promote the development of all students' dispositions to do mathematics

Teacher's Role in Discourse

The teacher of mathematics should orchestrate discourse by

Posing questions and tasks that elicit, engage, and challenge each student's thinking

Listening carefully to students' ideas

Asking students to clarify and justify their ideas orally and in writing

Deciding what to pursue in depth from among the ideas that students bring up during a discussion

Deciding when and how to attach mathematical notation and language to students' ideas

Deciding when to provide information, when to clarify an issue, when to model, when to led, and when to let a student struggle with a difficulty

Monitoring students' participation in discussions and deciding when and how to encourage each student to participate

Students' Role in Discourse

The teacher of mathematics should promote classroom discourse in which students

Listen to, respond to, and question the teacher and one another

Use a variety of tools to reason, make connections, solve problems, and communicate

Initiate problems and questions

Make conjectures and present solutions

Explore examples and counterexamples to investigate a conjecture

Try to convince themselves and one another of the validity of particular representations, solutions, conjectures, and answers

Rely on mathematical evidence and argument to determine validity

Tips for Teachers

Working Through Mathematical Problems

One approach to planning lessons involving mathematical problem solving is to plan in three parts: before, during and after (Raborn, 1991; Van De Walle, 2004).

Observing how a student approaches a problem can provide important information for teachers. Not all students will need to do each of the following steps every time they approach a mathematics problem. However, the skills that are listed below can help students prepare mentally for comprehending and solving problems. The following inventory also provides information for teachers to use in order to identify strategies that can be taught to develop and strengthen the language and concepts of mathematics. We have included an Inventory of Student Skills for Mathematics Problem Solving in Appendix A that can be used as an observational checklist for collecting assessment data. Appendix B provides lesson plan Web sites for mathematics instruction.

Before Solving Mathematical Problems

Student Skills

Teacher Strategies

Previews knowledge of the topic involved in the problem

Previews pictures, print, and concrete materials to generate ideas

Direct Instruction

Is familiar with the mathematics materials and is clear about expectations on how to use and care for them.

Direct Instruction

Identifies and requests any additional materials that may be needed to solve the problem

Direct Instruction

Accesses and applies background knowledge to understand the gist of the problem, the vocabulary and the mathematical concept involved in the problem.

GIST

Analyzes the Question-Answer Relationships to examine where to find the answer

Q-A R

Sets purpose - demonstrates understanding about what he/she needs to figure out (the problem and end product)

Direct Instruction

While Solving Mathematical Problems

Student Skills

Teacher Strategies

Brainstorms ideas for solving the problem

Listen. Give students time and space to discuss ideas. Make behavioral expectations clear

Uses concrete materials to manipulate ideas and to test solutions

Have materials readily available for use. Observe use of materials

Student monitors own comprehension

Provide hints only when necessary

Integrates new concepts with prior knowledge

Break down the concept and introduce a simpler version of the problem first

Looks for patterns

Encourage students to express ideas with peers or represent ideas in drawings, writing, or models

After Solving Mathematical Problems

Student Skills

Teacher Strategies

Summarizes and explains problem and solution

Questioning

Makes a symbolic/graphic representation to record solution

Prior Direct Instruction and Guided Practice

Makes a table or chart to show findings

Prior Direct Instruction and Guided Practice

Evaluates ideas from solving problem (ideas from self and peers)

Questioning

Makes applications to student's own life

Questioning

Connects ideas from problem and solution to broader community and societal issues

Questioning

Teaching Strategies

KWL and PREP are two similar strategies that activate students' prior knowledge and provide the teacher with information on what students already know about the topic.

KWL

With KWL, teachers ask students to identify:

1. What the students already Know (K)

2. What the students Want to learn (W)

3. What the students have Learned (L) after the lesson or unit of study

Generally, the class constructs a chart on the chalkboard or on poster chart paper. The chart is divided into three sections with ample room for students to contribute to each section.

PREP

Pre Reading Plan (PREP) is a strategy that helps the teacher to determine the prior knowledge and vocabulary that students have on a given topic (Langer, 1982). The teacher asks the students to tell her or him everything they know about the topic. There are two ways this can be done. Either the students give information verbally in an open discussion, or they contribute first in writing and then verbally. Some teachers distribute three postable notes to each student. Students write one fact they know about the topic on each postable note and place them in a basket. The teacher collects the notes and reads them one at a time with the whole class group. In either case, the teacher uses the student information to develop a chart of what students already know. As students are discussing what they know, the teacher can prompt further discussion with questions such as "What made you think of...?" "Do you want to add or change your first response?" Some teachers organize the chart by subtopic and then keep the chart posted in the room for students to review as they continue to learn about the major topic of study. Many teachers find it helpful to make a chart that organizes the extent to which students are familiar with the topic:

GIST

GIST is a strategy for identifying the most important aspects of a story problem. First, the teacher defines 'gist' to the students as the main idea without excessive details. The teacher draws a chart on the board for each paragraph of the text, or uses a pre-made overhead transparency with charts already outlined. Each chart has 20 boxes. The class can work in groups to capture the main idea of each paragraph in 20 words or less (one word for each of the 20 boxes). If the text includes more than one paragraph, students read and 'gist' the first paragraph completely before proceeding to the second paragraph. Then the students incorporate the information from both the first and second paragraphs in just 20 words. It is recommended that text with no more than three paragraphs be used in this exercise.

GIST Chart for Word Problems

Question-Answer Relationship

Question-Answer Relationship (Q-A R) strategies assist students in examining information provided by the author of the text (Raphael, 1986). Comprehension tasks now require students to answer both explicit and implicit questions. Students are taught to read the text carefully to determine whether answers are in the text or whether they will have to draw from their own knowledge to find answers to questions. Although this strategy is useful with reading of books and longer text, it can be used in problem solving to help students identify what information is indeed provided in the problem and what they will need to draw from their own knowledge. Q-A R uses four categories. When the answer is in the text, it is either stated directly "Right There" in one part of the text, or the student can "Think and Search" to put the answer together from information found in several parts of the text. When the answer is drawn from student knowledge, it is either between the author and reader (the reader must consider what the author is providing in the text and fit it with what the reader already knows), or the reader can answer the question without even reading the text (no part of the answer is in the story, the reader must draw totally from their own experience and prior knowledge).

Questioning Strategies

Current standards emphasize the importance of mathematics as communication. Many students with learning disabilities and many ELL students will benefit from the use of language to elicit, support and extend mathematical thinking. We have included a table of strategies and corresponding examples of questions to use to help students process and conceptualize solutions to mathematical problems. Yeatts, Battista, Mayberry, Thompson, & Zowojewski (2004) and Fraivilling (2001) recommend the strategies included in the table below. The questions were adapted from Carin, Bass & Contant (2005).

Strategies to Elicit Student Thinking

Questions to Elicit Student Thinking

Strategies to Elicit Student Thinking

Questions to Elicit Student Thinking

Elicit many solution methods for one problem

Did anyone find a different way to solve this problem?

Wait for, and listen to, students' descriptions of solution methods

What did you do? What happened when you...?

Encourage students to elaborate and discuss

What surprised you about... Were all of the groups' solutions the same? How were they different? Why do you think there was a difference between your groups' answers?

Use students' explanations as a basis for the lesson's content

What are some things you noticed about the...?

Convey an attitude of acceptance toward students' efforts

I see... So you're saying that...You may need to rephrase student response to clarify for student what was said. Write out student solutions for all to see, or have students contribute to group display.

Promote collaborative problem solving

Ask directly, "How did you work together to solve this problem?" or after one student has described the answer to a question, redirect the question to another member of the same problem solving group, "Rosa, would you like to add anything else?"

Strategies to support students' thinking

Questions to support students' thinking

Remind students of conceptually similar problems

How was this like the problem we solved last week using raisins?

Provide background knowledge

What objects do you see here? (Explicitly teach vocabulary of new and unknown items) What do you see that is new to you? Provide clear and vivid examples/stories or act out any actions required to solve the problem.

Lead students through "instant replays"

What happened first? In what sequence/order did things happen?

Write symbolic representations of solutions when appropriate

Let's write out all the solutions we found. Is there a way to organize these answers? (Organize solutions into tables or graphs)

Strategies to extend students' thinking

Questions to extend students' thinking

Maintain high standards and expectations for all students

Make sure that each student has an opportunity to participate and respond as a valued member of the group and class.
Simulate situations that require the particular problem solved. If you go to the doctor's office, you will expect them to know how to solve this type of problem. Your life could depend on it. Today, you are going to show me what you know by being my doctor. You will explain to me how you have solved this problem...

Encourage students to make generalizations

How does this relate to what your family thinks about...? (topic of discussion)
As a consumer, how would this help you make a choice about the products you will buy?

List all solution methods on the board to promote reflection

Looking at all of our work, how would you state the problem? What are the alternative choices? What personal and societal values are reflected in this problem? Which choice do you think is the best choice for you?

Resources

Preparing to Solve Mathematical Problems

With Teacher Support

Without Teacher Support

Solving Mathematical Problems:

After Finding a Solution to the Problem:

Appendix B: Lesson Plan Web sites

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Improving Mathematics Problem Solving Skills for English language learners with Learning Disabilities

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Not all students with learning disabilities struggle in mathematics. They do however have some characteristics in common. By definition, the term "specific learning disability" means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which may manifest itself in imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations.

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This site includes videos and strategies for teachers in ELL math achievement. It discusses scaffolding which I think is vital for ELLs

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Math has often been called "the universal language." While it's true that numbers work the same way regardless of the language you speak, teachers cannot assume that their English language learners (ELLs) will automatically excel in math for this reason alone.

Language proficiency is also closely related to the development of strong mathematical skills. Kristina Roberston writes, " Solving word problems, following instructions, understanding and using mathematical vocabulary correctly - all of these skills require a language proficiency...We tend to think of mathematics as a subject that does not require a strong command of language. In reality, however, mathematical reasoning and problem-solving are closely linked to language and rely upon a firm understanding of basic math vocabulary (Dale & Cuevas, 1992; Jarret, 1999)."

This blog will discuss specific ELL math best practices and math instructional strategies that you can use to boost student learning.

4 Best Practices for ELL Math Instruction

According to data from the US Department of Education's Academic Performance and Outcomes for English Learners, overall ELL performance in math has been significantly below the performance of native speakers.

For ELL students to fully participate in the math classroom, teachers must employ strategies to promote both their academic and linguistic development. The following best practices can help you support your ELLs' mastery of math skills.

1. Scaffold your instruction

As you consider how to engage students in math lessons, it's important to provide your ELLs with support in navigating the linguistic challenges of math. Jeanine Harvey, director of multilingual learner academics at The New Teacher Project says, " We know from our work that multilingual learners do not have the same access to grade-level assignments as their peers...All students could engage with grade-level assignments with the right supports. "

Scaffolding instructional strategies for math may involve the following:

Providing visuals.

Allowing students to work in pairs or small groups.

Modeling and thinking aloud during instruction.

Using manipulatives.

Giving students word banks.

By providing intentional and strategic instructional scaffolding, your ELL students will be more engaged and experience more growth.

All students benefit from instruction that incorporates a variety of learning modalities. Research has shown that when auditory, visual, and kinesthetic methods are combined, students retain information better.

Though all students benefit from hands-on learning activities, they are particularly important for ELLs. According to The National Math Foundation, " By 2009, Mulalic (et al.) discovered that the kinesthetic learning style was the most preferred learning style among ESL students. Studies in 1987, 1990, 1993, 1997, and 2001 reported that adult L2 immigrants and ESL students in the US favor kinesthetic styles over all others (Gilakjani, 2012)."

While there are many ways to incorporate kinesthetic activities in your ELL math instruction, manipulatives are one of the most powerful tools you can use to support your ELLs. Although they are often thought of as math tools for elementary students, they can be used with students at any level.

Manipulatives provide a common language for students to communicate their thought processes. This is especially important for newcomer ELLs, whose expressive English language skills are starting to develop.

When you're teaching math to ELLs, it's important to consider how you can deepen their understanding of math concepts as well as encourage their language skills.

However, your ELL students face a significant cognitive load during instruction in content areas- they're simultaneously learning a new language and new skills. It's important to minimize their cognitive load while maintaining academic rigor.

A student's proficiency in a language is dependent on both production and comprehension. ELL students' receptive language skills generally develop more quickly than their expressive language skills.

Teachers need to intentionally help them increase their language production. You can do this through scaffolding and supportive language practices, like those below.

Allow students to use their native language alongside English.
Doing so can help you gain an understanding of what students know in their native language and will help in making connections with prior knowledge.

Provide students with sentence frames for a math discussion.
For example, "I know that this is a ______ because it has ______ line segments and _____ vertices."

Create opportunities for low-stakes discussion through activities like think-pair-share.
Jeff Zwiers, a senior researcher at the Stanford Graduate School of Education and the director of professional development for the Understanding Language initiative, stresses the importance of giving ELLs time to talk with each other and ask questions. Zwiers states, "Very few kids will raise their hand and say 'Can you explain that?' to the teacher, particularly multilingual learners, who need it the most, they won't do that. But with one other person, it's a safer setting."

4. Focus on word problems

As word problems become increasingly difficult over time, it's important to note that reading skills play a vital role in math.

Brenda Krick-Morales writes, " Word problems in mathematics often pose a challenge because they require that students read and comprehend the text of the problem, identify the question that needs to be answered, and finally create and solve a numerical equation - ELLs who have had formal education in their home countries generally do not have mathematical difficulties; hence, their struggles begin when they encounter word problems in a second language that they have not yet mastered (Bernardo, 2005)."

When using word problems with ELL students, it's important to consider the following questions:

What background knowledge do my students need to have to understand this problem?

Are there any multiple-meaning words or phrases that my ELL students may not be familiar with in this problem?

Will my students need to distinguish between necessary and unnecessary information in this problem?

High-Impact Strategies to Teach ELL Math Vocabulary

Vocabulary instruction plays a key role in ELL math achievement. ELLs need explicit, intentional vocabulary instruction to successfully gain math skills.

Focus on academic vocabulary

Math is full of challenging words like quadrilateral and vertices -and your ELL students may or may not have a prior understanding of these concepts in their native language.

ELL students benefit from pre-teaching academic vocabulary terms in a lesson, as it provides them with a foundation of understanding. It is also important to give them multiple exposures to math words-research on vocabulary development shows that students retain vocabulary better when they learn words in context rather than in isolation.

The following ideas can help you develop and reinforce academic math vocabulary:

Use a math word wall with visuals for ELLs.

Create personal "word walls" customized for math vocabulary.

Use precise vocabulary when discussing terms AND give a kid-friendly definition.

Incorporate graphic organizers to help students develop and expand their understanding of word meanings.

Get creative with teaching definitions-give students numbers and have them line up from least to greatest or give students string and call out different shapes for them to create. You can have a little fun while engaging your students in different learning styles.

Teach "tricky words"

Math vocabulary includes both specific terminology and everyday words that have different meanings in the context of math. Take a look at the example below:

Did the student "find x"? Technically, yes!

Words like "face," "table," and "carry" (and even the word "and!") have different meanings when they're used in math. Provide your ELL students with many opportunities to practice using these tricky words in the context of math.

Don't forget about homophones

Whether you're a native speaker or new to English, homophones can present a challenge. Many math vocabulary words are homophones: some and sum, raise and rays, won and one, wait and weight...the list goes on!

Consider creating a chart for your ELLs to reference to help them differentiate between common homophones.

Math and language skills are inextricably linked. By keeping language in mind when you plan your ELL math instruction, you can help your students develop important math skills.

Check out our Marvelous Math Pinterest board for engaging math ideas and support for students in all grades!

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Elevate ELL Math Achievement With These Top Tips and Strategies | Continental Educational Publisher

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This blog will discuss specific ELL math best practices and math instructional strategies that you can use to boost student learning.

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This article includes plenty of strategies and activities to use for ELLs in the science classroom. There is detailed descriptions for the activities and how they are helpful.

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How science teachers can use ELL strategies to help students have a better grasp of the vocabulary of science.

Middle school science students filter into the classroom, gradually transitioning to speaking English as they finish conversations in their first language, Korean or Chinese. One of a series of slides is up on the board, each cuing an activity to get them talking about the subject in the target language, preparing them for the challenge of the vocabulary-dense content area of science.

The volume of science terms discourages many students early on, especially students who don't often see themselves reflected in the content, particularly girls and students of color. To address the needs of the large language learner population at our school, the two of us-English language learner teacher Kent and science teacher Gina-teamed up to create resources to support students as they grow as both scientists and English speakers.

While these resources were designed with language learners in mind, the activities have proven highly effective in increasing confidence with science vocabulary for native English speakers as well.

Teachers can easily modify each of the resources below to fit different science units or even different content areas and support learners as they transition away from figuring out what to do and instead focus on content, skills, and vocabulary, reducing the amount of time needed for instructions. For example, when students see a vocabulary puzzle in class, they discuss with a partner or small group (in English or their first language) the multiple ways to approach it and then immediately get to work.

Supporting English Language Learners in Science Classes

Interactive student-to-student talk: Using the target language for frequent student vocalizations and student-to-student interactions is a primary goal and the main area we focused on when we developed these resources. Each class starts with an opportunity for students to warm up their science vocabulary, activate schema relevant to the day's lesson, or retrieve previously learned content, all while practicing their academic interpersonal English skills. We have slides and activities to engage students in partner talk using unit vocabulary, and teachers can easily adapt them for a range of content.

Vocabulary puzzles: Vocabulary puzzles tap visual, kinesthetic, and interpersonal modalities and can be differentiated with little difficulty. Teachers can scaffold the puzzles for different linguistic levels by cutting them into fewer larger pieces before tackling all the pieces separately. Students can also lay pieces on top of the completed puzzle, using it as a key. Once students are confident with the vocabulary, they can use the cards in a dominoes-style game where students make connections between different terms to build an interconnecting board.

Student roles in jigsaw discussions: Dividing up content using a jigsaw strategy gives students the chance to dig in more deeply with a smaller amount of information and offers all learners the opportunity to feel more like an expert about specific content material. This also allows for the leveling of source material to give every student an entry point into the topic. Clear student roles in the discussion ensure that every student is contributing and is engaged during the interactive portion of the jigsaw.

These tools also support effective collaborative talk as students are tasked with asking questions, summarizing main ideas, and using a recording tool to offer a window into their conversations. The teacher can easily change the roles to meet the needs of the students, content, or task.

Fishbowl discussions: Once students feel comfortable with the content vocabulary, it's important that they get an opportunity to apply it. Fishbowl discussions consist of a small group of students conversing about a unit-related topic while another group of students observes the discussion. Topics are designed to prompt debate, deep thinking, and connections to student experiences, as well as promote the application of unit content and vocabulary.

Tailoring both the student preparation sheet and the observation sheet gives the teacher the opportunity to guide students toward the right content and discussion norms. For example, after noticing that girls were often excluded from discussions involving groups that had a majority of boys, we added an "invites quieter member to share" section to the observations sheet.

The fishbowl format facilitates high-level discussions in the target language and supports students in developing academic and collaborative discussion skills. In classroom reflections, students often point to fishbowl discussions as the activity that really pushes them and helps them learn.

Students thrive in learning spaces where they can be engaged and successful-where they can feel themselves learning. Integrating activities like those above into a science or other content class gives every student entry points for success and the tools to support them in making progress. We encourage teachers to give these strategies a try, measure how classroom interactions shift, and plan their next steps in supporting all learners in communicating about scientific topics.

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Using ELL Strategies in the Science Classroom

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How science teachers can use ELL strategies to help students have a better grasp of the vocabulary of science.

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This article discusses ways we can still challenge our ELL students in science while still scaffolding and providing accommodations for the students.

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Good science starts with a question. Using inquiry science, children discover answers to their questions in the same way that scientists do - with experiments, predictions, observations, and conjectures.

In this excerpt from Chapter 4 of Becoming Scientists: Inquiry-Based Teaching in Diverse Classrooms, Grades 3-5, Rusty Bresser and Sharon Fargason describe some of the opportunities and challenges that ELLs may face in an inquiry classroom and offer guidelines for identifying important academic language features in a lesson. The approaches described are designed to engage students in the practices outlined in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

Introduction

Many factors contribute to a classroom's diversity. These include race, culture, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, learning styles, varied experiences and background knowledge, support from home, skill level, readiness, behavior, and students' proficiency level in English. Because they are among the fastest-growing demographic group of students in the United States, teaching English language learners (ELLs) has become a big challenge for teachers as they try to find ways to make content comprehensible and help students use English to communicate their understanding of the core content areas of mathematics, social studies, and science.

Just as diversity comes in many different forms in the classroom, English learners as a group are diverse as well. ELLs vary widely by level of schooling, parents' level of education, parents' proficiency in English, proficiency and literacy in their native language, and proficiency in English. Some English learners have had limited access to education, and some have experienced war firsthand or lived in refugee camps. Most ELLs are born in the United States, but the level of English spoken in their homes varies considerably (Wright 2010).

The students in Sharon's class are mostly English learners, but they are different from one another in many ways. For example, Diana is a student from Burma who is at the beginning level of English proficiency according to California's English Language Development Test (CELDT). She has had limited access to public education in her home country and struggles with academic content.

Rafael was born in the United States, but his parents do not speak English. Although he is making good progress in school, his proficiency in English is at an intermediate level. Carlos is a gifted student whose English skills are advanced. His parents are bilingual and speak to him in both English and Spanish at home. These three students are examples of the range of experiences, backgrounds, and levels of proficiency that Sharon must consider when she plans and teaches her science lessons.

Challenges Language Learners Face During Inquiry Science

When engaged in inquiry science, children must use language to make a prediction or a hypothesis. They use language when talking to a friend about how they'll set up an experiment. And they use language when they are reading about batteries, reflecting on the outcome of an investigation, writing about the conclusions they draw, or pondering new questions they have.

Language can be a powerful learning tool during inquiry, promoting the understanding of science concepts (Rosebery, Warren, and Conant 1992). But when the language of instruction is unfamiliar to a student, English language learners can experience challenges that may create roadblocks to learning. These challenges are reflected in their scores on science achievement tests, which are well below that of their native English-speaking counterparts (Next Generation Science Standards Writing Team 2012).

English language learners face a triple challenge during science instruction. They must learn everyday vocabulary, content-specific vocabulary, and the language structures that are used when engaged in inquiry, such as formulating hypotheses, drawing conclusions, making inferences, and asking questions.

The language of science can be confusing for English language learners because it uses many words from everyday life that have different meanings. For example, students may know that they eat off of a plate, but in science, plate tectonics has quite a different meaning. The same is true of the words cell (as in cell phone), tissue (something to use when you sneeze), and organ (an instrument). All of these words have meanings in everyday life that are different from the way they are used in science (Wright 2010).

To create an equitable learning environment for English language learners during inquiry, teachers must be aware of their students' proficiency levels in English and determine the language demands of science lessons to plan for appropriate support during instruction. English language learners are entitled to high-quality language and content instruction so that they can use English to learn science and use science as a context for learning English. When we teach science, we are also teaching English, not just teaching in English.

Determining the Academic Language Demands of a Science Lesson

When planning a science lesson, Sharon analyzes the language that students will be reading, writing, listening to, and having to produce. If students have to read from their science textbook or a piece of nonfiction, Sharon reads the text ahead of time, looking for any text features that might pose problems for her English learners. She asks herself many questions as she thinks about the language demands of the reading:

Are there tricky definitions that might need to be discussed or recast in more accessible ways?

Are there grammatical forms that might be challenging to readers, such as the conditional tense: What might happen if an earthquake occurs in a large city?

Are there long, complex sentences that might need to be broken down into shorter sentences for the students?

Are there idiomatic phrases that may be unfamiliar? Are there captions in the text that students might need to pay particular attention to?

Are there transition words used (unless, although, finally, because, consequently, therefore), and will students need to learn what they indicate (Cloud, Genesee, and Hamayan 2009)?

Sharon also thinks about key vocabulary that her students might need to understand and use during inquiry. For example, when planning a unit on energy, Sharon determines what:

everyday words students will need to know and use (such as rubber band, wire, flashlight, Styrofoam, paper, battery)

content-specific vocabulary they will need to learn (such as electricity, conductor, energy, insulator).

As she thinks about when and how she will teach the terms, Sharon draws from a variety of strategies that make the vocabulary accessible and easier to learn. These include:

making use of realia or concrete materials to demonstrate usage (for example, using a real flashlight when introducing the word)

creating an illustrated vocabulary chart to help students visualize the words

using familiar synonyms for academic terms (for example, see-through for transparent)

making students aware of cognates, which are words in English that sound similar in a student's native language (for example, the word atomos is Spanish for atoms).

In addition to using these strategies to explicitly teach vocabulary, Sharon models using the words in context and has her students repeat them for practice.

The academic language that students must learn and use during inquiry science is not restricted to vocabulary. Students must also use the vocabulary in complete sentences to say something about their learning. So if a student is learning about minerals and wants to compare two different ones, she will need to know some describing words ( black, white, rough, smooth) and be able to use them to compare the minerals (mineral A is white and smooth, whereas mineral B is black and rough).

In other words, the student is using the vocabulary for a purpose: to compare minerals. In science, students use language during inquiry for a variety of purposes: to describe, compare, hypothesize, predict, sequence, categorize or classify, explain, analyze, draw conclusions, ask and answer questions, estimate, persuade, and identify. Whenever we ask children to read something, say something, write something, or listen to our directions or a procedure during inquiry science, we are placing a language demand on them for which they may need extra support, depending upon their level of proficiency in English.

Setting Content and Language Objectives

When planning a science lesson, Sharon thinks about content and language as interconnected, because we use language to learn about science concepts, and we use science contexts to develop language. "Just as language (development) cannot occur if we only focus on subject matter, content knowledge cannot grow if we only focus on learning the English language" (Hill and Flynn 2006, 22).

When students use communication to make sense of the world, and when they talk or write about their learning, it gives the teacher a window into their thinking. Are their ideas correct? Do they hold naïve conceptions about a concept? Do their ideas hold merit? Language is an important learning tool and a key assessment tool. When Sharon thinks about the science content she will teach, she considers the language that students will use to show that they have learned the content. To help her provide the right support for students, she first sets a science-content objective (guided by the overall science standard or goal for the lesson), and then she thinks of a language objective that supports the content objective.

Example: Energy lesson

For example, for one of the lessons in a unit on energy, Sharon knew that students would be learning about different sources of energy (the science-content objective). She also knew that students would be thinking about, talking about, and then writing about what they think energy is. Because Sharon knew that her students would need to describe where energy comes from and what it is, she set a language objective: "Students will orally and in writing describe energy and where it comes from."

Setting a language objective focuses Sharon's attention on the purpose for using language in a lesson (in this case, the purpose was describing). Setting a language objective also guides Sharon when she thinks about the support students will need when using language. In the lesson on energy, Sharon offered her students a simple writing prompt- Energy is ...-to help them get started on their writing. The idea for the prompt flowed directly from the language objective.

Example: Pendulum lesson

In another lesson, on pendulums, Sharon's content objective was "Students will conduct multiple trials to test a prediction in a pendulum experiment." Her language objective, which supported the content objective, was "Students will make predictions about the pendulums orally and in writing." Writing a language objective helped Sharon focus on the purpose for using language in the lesson (making predictions), thereby helping her plan for linguistic support.

Example: Mineral lesson

For a lesson on minerals, Sharon had to teach the following big idea or science standard over the course of a week: "Students know how to compare the physical properties of different kinds of rocks and know that a rock is composed of different combinations of minerals." The lesson she was going to teach that day from the rocks and minerals unit engaged students in performing tests.

Sharon's content objective was "Students will perform a variety of tests to learn about the properties of minerals." Her language objective, which supported the content objective, was "Students will use key vocabulary to describe and compare the properties of minerals orally and in writing." The language objective for the lesson helped Sharon focus on what she wanted students to talk and write about during the lesson so that they would meet the content objective. It also helped guide her in creating the support students would need to describe and compare the minerals.

Native English speakers are able to perform the language functions of describing, predicting, and comparing when prompted with questions such as, Can you describe what energy is and where it comes from? What do you predict will happen when you perform the experiment with the pendulum? How does mineral A compare with mineral B? English language learners may understand the content of the lesson, but their inexperience with the language can keep them from articulating what they know.

It is also possible that their struggles with the language of instruction lead them to partial or inaccurate understandings of the content. Until they verbalize their understandings, what they have learned or not learned remains a mystery to the teacher and may even be unclear to the students themselves. Choosing a language objective or language function that matches the science-content objective makes the learning more observable to the teacher and the student (Bresser, Melanese, and Sphar 2009).

Setting a content objective helps the teacher think about the science content she needs to focus on. Setting an accompanying language objective serves to highlight the language students will use during the lesson to indicate whether they are learning the science. Setting a language objective also guides the teacher in planning strategies that will support students when they communicate during inquiry.

This article continues in Part 2, Communication and Language Strategies for the Science Inquiry Classroom.

Citations

Bresser, R. and Fargason, S. (2013)."Supporting English Language Learners in the Diverse Classroom." Becoming Scientists: Inquiry-Based Teaching in Diverse Classrooms, Grades 3-5. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers. Pgs. 61-74. Reprinted with permission.

References

Bresser, Rusty, Melanese, Kathy, and Sphar, Christine. 2009. Supporting English Language Learners in Math Class. Sausalito, CA: Math Solutions.

Cloud, Nancy, Genesee, Fred, and Hamayan, Else. 2009. Literacy Instruction for English Language Learners: A Teacher's Guide to Research-Based Practices. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Delpit, Lisa. 1999. Other People's Children: Cultural Conflict in the Classroom. New York: The New Press.

Hill, Jane, and Flynn, Kathleen M. 2006. Classroom Instruction That Works with English Language Learners. Alexandria, VA: Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Next Generation Science Standards Writing Team. 2012. Next Generation Science Standards. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. www.nextgenscience.org.

Rosebery, Ann S., Warren, Beth, and Conant, Faith R. 1992. "Appropriating Scientific Discourse: Findings from Language Minority Classrooms." Journal of Research in Science Teaching 33: 569-600.

Wright, Wayne E. 2010. Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice. Philadelphia: Caslon.

Reprints

For any reprint requests, please contact the author or publisher listed.

More by this author

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Opportunities and Challenges for ELLs in the Science Inquiry Classroom (Part 1)

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Good science starts with a question. Using inquiry science, children discover answers to their questions in the same way that scientists do - with experiments, predictions, observations, and conjectures.

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This is a provided guide for parents and teachers of these students and how to get them placed and tested on proficiency.

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This site provides information on IEPS, what they are, how to get one, and how to enforce one. IEPS are extremely important to the education and accommodations of EBs, ELs, and SPED students.

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This website lists activities involving technology for our English language learners. It is important for our students to be engaged in their learning and technology is extremely helpful for engagement.

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Whether you're teaching in a classroom or teaching online, these tech tools can help you organize more engaging and effective class experiences with your ELs.
In this article, you'll learn about some of the best educational technology available to you.

Seesaw - You can complete assignments assigned in Seesaw by recording audio or video, drawing, labeling, or writing. (The link is for an article I wrote with some ideas about how to use Seesaw.)

Pear Deck - This is another tool built on Google Sheets. You can create interactive content for your slides including giving formative assessments, inserting interactive question types, adding audio, etc.

Nearpod - This is a little more complex, but you can make your own interactive videos including virtual reality, simulations, and gamified quizzes.

Flippity - Turn Google Spreadsheets into interactive flash cards and games.

Flipgrid - This is like a forum, but with videos. Create a topic and students respond by recording a video.

Kahoot - This is an article I wrote on Kahoot which has some videos and links for ideas. Carol Salva is the person to go to when it comes to Kahoot.

Quizlet - Very popular tool for creating interactive content beyond just quizzes for students to complete and get immediate feedback.

Jamboard - Create a board where students can share pictures, text, sticky notes and move everything around easily for a collage like collaboration. This is an article about how to use Jamboard and 10 activity ideas.

Wakelet - Create blog-post like pages for your students that pull in content from around the web.

Course Content for Classroom or Distance Learning

If you need resources to assign online or in the classroom, join the Kid-Inspired ESL Curriculum Membership or the Interactive Online ESL Curriculum Membership.

Our materials were built with the goal of making asynchronous learning easy. If you are doing distance learning, the Interactive Online ESL Curriculum Membership includes PPT files as well as interactive online lessons you can use with your students.

The speaking sheets for example provide pictures for students to make sentences about and a built-in challenge to see how many sentences they can make in a minute. You can create a video or audio of example sentences in an app like Flipgrid or Youtube and students can respond with video or audio of themselves making their own sentences about the pictures.

The discussion pages work perfectly in a forum. You can set up the questions in a group meeting or a pre-recorded video and then, in a forum, students can choose which question they'd like to respond to, using the example sentence starters provided if they need. Then students can respond to each other's responses inside the forum.

The Literacy Lessons can be used in a variety of ways in a distance learning format. Students can record themselves reading the passages or they can respond to the text using one or more of the included graphic organizers.

There are 1000s of resources inside the membership and 1000s of ways they could be used in combination with the above free tools to create engaging and effective lessons with your ELLs.

What is your favorite tech tool for class? Leave me a note in the comments!

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Whether you're teaching in a classroom or teaching online, these ESL tech tools can help you organize more engaging and effective class experiences with your ELs.

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This article discusses how much of a help artificial intelligence can be for English language learning students. I think AI is one of the best ways to support language development because it can do so much.

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Artificial intelligence tools can help multilingual students better understand complex texts in English.

Fly View Productions/ iStock

When I first learned about incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) in instruction, I felt like I was standing at the entrance to a forest. I didn't know where to go, and not entering it felt like a comforting option. Fortunately, I had colleagues who were exuberant fans of AI, and they guided me on this journey of integrating AI into my instruction.

Though I am still just at the edge of the forest, I am already seeing how useful AI is as a tool, especially for establishing comprehensible input for multilingual learners. I am using AI to support these students in learning new content, producing mentor texts, and producing accessible texts.

Learning New Content

When students have to learn new content, the content can be rather dense and incomprehensible. I need to show them the key details of that topic, and AI is an excellent tool that meets this goal.

For example, when my students needed to know about the difference between a dictatorship and a democracy, we used Perplexity to produce a simple definition of each form of government. We went further by prompting Perplexity to provide a list of advantages and disadvantages of each form of government.

This Perplexity-generated text was produced from a synthesis of various articles and videos online. Instead of processing all of them, we used Perplexity to provide a brief introductory text so that students would have a basic understanding of these government types.

While a Google search will produce the most viewed links, Perplexity efficiently synthesizes the most viewed resources on the topic. This significantly reduces the time it takes to process all the various resources. Instead, students simply read a few paragraphs on the topic.

Many of my multilingual learners, who are highly fluent in another language, translate the AI-generated text. This helps them learn the content even more efficiently by using their more proficient language.

Producing Mentor Texts

A mentor text brings clarity in the kind of writing students are supposed to produce. Analyzing a mentor text helps teachers identify the content and the academic language required to communicate the content. Previously, I would spend hours crafting an appropriate mentor text. Fortunately with AI, that time is reduced to mere seconds.

I often use MagicSchool to generate a mentor text. I simply identify the content and the type of text (e.g., poem, news article, short story, review, op-ed, biography). In seconds, MagicSchool produces a satisfactory mentor text aligned with the criteria I identified.

I often make minor modifications to the AI-generated text, such as adding contextual details, taking out unnecessary details, and adding synonyms in parentheses behind possibly unfamiliar vocabulary words. After analyzing the text, I have clearly identified the words, sentence structure, and organization of the writing I have to teach. These become my guideposts for developing my lessons.

Producing Accessible Texts

Multilingual learners are frequently expected to learn content through reading articles. However, these articles are often significantly above their reading levels. Fortunately, AI platforms such as Poe can come to their aid.

For example, my eighth graders were expected to read a magazine article about the Willow project that was written at the 11th-grade level. I simply took the URL link for the article and gave it to Poe. I set the reading level to grade 5, and in a few seconds, Poe produced a much more accessible article about the project.

The only downside to Poe is that the length is significantly reduced to a few paragraphs because many of the less essential details are left out intentionally in the AI-generated text.

A Word of Caution

As in all things tech, there are pros and cons. We are just realizing how social media companies are using their platforms to market to the users. We are unaware of any hidden nefarious agenda of the people who are creating AI platforms for teachers and students. Therefore, as we enter this space, move with caution and refrain from jumping at every AI offering. Watch, observe, take note, and move in tiny steps.

After intentionally teaching students how to use various AI learning tools, I noticed that students have gravitated to them more than to Google searches. To see students adopt a new tool so quickly suggests that they feel successful using these tools to support and enrich their learning.

If AI continues to highlight what multilingual learners can do, and it fosters greater academic achievement, then it has rightfully earned a place in my instruction. I hope AI can find a place in your instruction as well.

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Using AI to Support Multilingual Students

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Using AI to support multilingual students in middle and high school helps them better understand complex texts in English.

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This article discusses in-depth strategies for teachers to use to connect to their student's families. This is extremely important for our students because encouragement and practice at home can make all the difference.

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The following strategies offer tips for building relationships with the families of English language learners (ELLs), getting to know their strengths and stories, and creating a welcoming environment.

Supporting immigrant families

For related ideas, see the following:

1. Learn about your ELL population

A. What you need to know

Learning about your ELL families provides an important foundation for everything else you do at the school. Even basic information about students' ethnic and linguistic backgrounds, or the situations from which they have come, can help you match students with the appropriate services and programs.

B. Reflection

Answer the following questions about your ELL families using a KWL chart:

What do you know about your ELL students and families?

What do you want to learn?

Who on the staff works most closely with your ELL families?

What would be valuable for your school-wide staff to know?

C. Strategies

If you do not yet know this information about your ELLs, find out:

What countries your families come from

How many of your ELLs were born in the U.S.

What languages they speak (which may be at least two or three!)

If families who speak the same language, such as Spanish, come from different countries or different regions within the same country

The educational background of families and the school system of their countries

If any of your ELLs are refugees or students with interrupted formal education

If your families have experienced war or another traumatic event such as a natural disaster.

In order to learn more about your ELL families:

Start with your ELL/bilingual educators. These individuals are an important resource whose experience working with ELL students and families can benefit the entire school community - and they will appreciate the opportunity to share their expertise!

Find out what resources are available from the district and community. This may include helpful background information as well as a network of interpreters.

Enlist a knowledgeable staff member, community member, or parent. If you find such a person, examine his/her background as it relates to what you need. For example, you may know a Somali young adult who is bilingual but doesn't remember Somalia. He may be more helpful as an interpreter than as a liaison for Somali families who have just arrived in the U.S.

Ask the families. You may want to include some questions in your home language survey or a very basic questionnaire that ELL parents fill out with an interpreter during student enrollment.

Note: Remember that your ELL population is not homogeneous. The child of a migrant worker from Mexico and the child of a teacher from Mexico probably won't have the same educational and economic needs. Learn what you can about each child's unique circumstances to the extent possible.

D. Example

An administrator from Minnesota wanted to better understand the needs of the children who were arriving at her school directly from Kenyan refugee camps. She wrote a grant that enabled her to travel to Kenya and visit the camps from which they were coming. What she learned at the camps was not only helpful for her; it was helpful for the entire staff. Based on her experience, she was also able to prevent some major misunderstandings around discipline issues. (Related video: Understanding Student Background, Dr. Cynthia Lundgren)

Resources

2. Integrate cultural traditions of your ELL families throughout the school

A. What you need to know

Becoming familiar with and including the cultural traditions of your ELL families within the larger school community not only enhances your ability to create a welcoming and respectful school environment - it has practical considerations as well. These include:

Scheduling: Scheduling around important cultural or religious holidays will help prevent large numbers of students from missing important instruction time, exams, and school events.

Classroom opportunities: Familiarity with ELL families' cultural traditions will provide teachers a base from which to build upon ELLs' background knowledge, create educational opportunities for other students, and foster a sense of respect among students for their peers.

Improved communication: Learning about your ELL families' traditions may help avoid miscommunication or cultural blunders that can damage a budding relationship.

B. Reflection

What are your ELLs' cultural behaviors and values? Which celebrations and holidays do they observe? How does your staff feel about the changes in your school population? How do they feel about working with ELLs?

C. Strategies

Avoid scheduling important events such as conferences or tests on major holidays and celebrations that large numbers of students are likely to miss.

Share these dates with the entire staff.

Share information about cultural celebrations with teachers so that they are able to positively support them and incorporate them into lessons. Even a simple memo that explains why students will be out and offers some ideas for follow-up activities will be helpful. (Encourage teachers to start with children's books, which often have background information and activities, such as these titles about Ramadan, Chinese New Year, and Día de los muertos.)

Learn about, recognize, and celebrate special events or holidays throughout the school.

Invite parents to share food, activities, and music at school events and in the classroom.

Encourage students to share traditions in school assemblies, talent shows, potlucks, and fairs.

Offer food that reflects the cultural influences of your families on the cafeteria menu.

Be mindful that students who are fasting may be less energetic in the afternoon. If possible, avoid school-wide parties or food-centered activities during these times.

Notes: Staff may resist the changes happening around them, and they may be uncomfortable discussing those changes. Such was the case of a school custodian in Minnesota who asked a receptionist "why they (the Muslim students) get special days off and we can't even celebrate Christmas." Dr. Lundgren explains the importance of having an open, non-threatening conversation with the entire staff that acknowledges the challenges of serving a new ELL population and explores steps the school can take to address those challenges. (Related video: Cultural shifts, Dr. Lundgren)

You may find it helpful to bring in a neutral, outside party who specializes in cross-cultural education and communication in order to help moderate these conversations if they seem particularly fraught with tension. An open dialogue with a professional will give your staff the tools they need to adjust to the new reality and create a more positive, welcoming environment for everyone in the school.

D. Examples

Storyteller Lucía González remembers a storyteller-in-residence program she led at a Colorado elementary school. The program was going to culminate with a Spanish-language story hour for the Latino families at the school. On the night of the event, the weather was bad, and few people had arrived as she was getting ready to start. Seeing the small crowd, the principal turned to her and said, "Don't worry if they don't come, because usually they don't come." At 7:00 p.m., however, the parents began to arrive, led by the excited children who had heard her stories. (Related video: A dream come true - The Storyteller's Candle, Lucía González)

A group of Muslim students at Forest Heights Collegiate Institute in Ontario approached principal Jim Woolley about finding a place to pray within the school. After working with an immigration settlement worker and local imam, the school reserved a classroom in which students pray on Friday afternoon after the school is closed. They use the classroom and then lock the door when they finish. According to Mr. Woolley, it doesn't cost the school anything and it doesn't require supervision. "We trust them," he said (D'Amato, 2011).

3. Create a welcoming environment for families

A. What you need to know

A welcoming environment can make a tremendous difference for all families, including ELL families. Entering a friendly, vibrant atmosphere lets families know that the school is "an integral part of the community" (Houk, 63) and that they are valued members of that community. This is especially important for immigrant families who may be intimidated by the formal school environment and the English language needed to participate.

Another way to think of this is to keep your ELLs visible. ELLs are often treated as an invisible minority, but ELLs and their families should "see themselves" throughout the school:

On the walls, through student work and photos

In the classroom, with books and lessons that incorporate their experiences and traditions

In school-wide cultural activities

In the faces of staff and volunteers who come from similar backgrounds.

B. Reflection

Imagine that you have arrived in a new country where you don't speak the language and where you will be enrolling your child in a local school. Think about arriving at the school for the first time, only to discover that no one at the school speaks English. Imagine the feeling of leaving your child in the hands of people with whom you can't communicate. Now envision, instead, that someone who speaks English greets you at the door, and you see a picture of an American flag in the front hallway. What might you be able to accomplish as a parent in the second situation that you wouldn't in the first?

C. Strategies

Make sure parents know how to get into the building, especially if doors are usually locked during the school day.

Post signs in multiple languages.

Display student work on the walls.

Display student and family photos on the walls.

Display the maps and flags of your students' native countries.

Display a large map in the front lobby where parents can mark their native countries with a pin.

Enlist a bilingual morning greeter to welcome students and families.

Ensure that your bilingual staff and volunteers are visible throughout the building.

Create a parent room (such as a lounge or classroom) with bilingual information and magazine subscriptions, a bulletin board, a lending library, and a computer (Houk, 58, 63).

Include bilingual books in the school library and classrooms.

Consider playing music in the front entryway or lobby.

Encourage teachers to create a welcoming environment within the classroom.

D. Example

At Lincoln Options School, in Olympia, Washington, there are photos of the entire school community - students, staff, and families - to greet guests in the front lobby. Each year, the school hires a photographer to attend its annual back-to-school barbeque and take informal photos (Houk, 9). In addition, student work is posted throughout the building (16).

Resources

4. Make a personal connection with families

A. What you need to know

Getting to know ELL families helps build an important relationship based on trust, which in turn can pave the way to student success. This approach is most effective when the communication is personal and face-to-face (Hori, 40; Alford 85). While it will require additional time and effort, building a more personal relationship with ELL families early in the year will yield big dividends throughout the rest of the year (Hori, 40). It will also provide opportunities for the staff to see just how deeply ELL parents care about their children's education.

Indeed, as Dr. Lundgren notes, many ELL families have come to this country with the hopes of offering their children a better future, and they are eager to talk with their children's teachers about what they can do to help their child be successful. (Related video: A better life, Dr. Lundgren)

B. Reflection

What are the challenges in meeting your ELL families personally? What are some ways to facilitate more personal interaction?

C. Strategies

Hold a special back-to-school event or picnic for ELL families in which they have time to meet you, other school leaders, their children's teachers, and school staff.

Create a welcome DVD in multiple languages. This may even be a great student project!

Provide staff the opportunity to learn some common phrases in your families' languages, as well as cultural gestures.

Visit local neighborhoods to meet families.

Connect new families with a contact person who speaks their language as soon as they enroll in the school for guidance and information (Houk, 66).

Create an "ambassador" program in which students and parents are trained to give tours.

D. Examples

Educator Maricela Rincon in Las Cruces, NM calls a different parent every day to share something positive about his/her child. According to Rincon, some parents say, "This is the first time I've had a positive phone call about my child." While Rincon is enthusiastic about the calls, they weren't her idea - they were required by the school principal (Flannery, NEA.org). (Related video: Parent outreach in high school, Bobbi Ciriza Houtchens)

A group of school educators asked experts from a local university to help them learn more about their ELL community. After the initial conversation, it was clear that the school leaders assumed that the parents' lack of input, communication, and attendance reflected a lack of interest in their child's education. After getting some parent input, however, the educators discovered that the parents weren't enthusiastic about the school letters inviting them to events. They didn't feel that the events were planned with them in mind, and the letters seemed very impersonal. The parents didn't see the letters as the invitations they were intended to be. They expressed preference for more personal contact and invitations from the school, at least in the beginning of the year, in order to establish a strong relationship (Alford and Niño, 81-82).

This is an excerpt from a parent letter to the principal about her first visit to her child's school:
I was very surprised when we were not able to speak to Lupe's teacher, Mrs. Gibbons, individually. In Guatemala we all knew the teachers and the teachers knew the parents...We do not know anyone here nor does anyone know us...we would have liked to tell Mrs. Gibbons how much we value education (Amaya, 53).

5. Show that you value families' native languages

A. What you need to know

As the school leader, one of your most important roles is defining the terms of engagement when it comes to ELLs' native languages. Do you see those languages as a barrier or an asset? Do you see native language literacy and instruction as a crutch or a tool?

Unfortunately, the political climate often dictates district or state policy regarding native language support (Wright, 51), and important information regarding the value of native language literacy is often left out of the debate. Frequently, ELL parents themselves are the party most resistant to promoting their native language at home or in school because they believe it will hinder their child's ability to learn English. While this belief is entirely understandable, the research is clear that strong native language skills contribute to ELLs' academic success throughout their education - in their native language and in English.

What can you do to navigate this tricky terrain and encourage the continued development of students' native language skills, as well as biliteracy and bilingualism for all students?

Respect parents' intentions: It is critical to assure parents that you respect their wishes and goals for their children; you can do so by explaining that strong native language skills will help their children learn English. This reassures parents that you have their children's best interests at heart and that you view their native language as an asset, not an obstacle.

Encourage native language use at home: Don't miss any opportunity to encourage parents to use their native language, whether it's through reading (which will help their children's reading skills in English) or taking the time to talk to each other at home. Look for ways that the school can support this interaction by offering bilingual books, educational materials, and activities.

Professional development: Provide training to all staff on the importance of maintaining students' native language and ways in which they can support students' bilingual development. Understandably, many teachers still feel that the best way to help ELLs is to forbid native language use in the classroom. Often, in this case, the teachers have good intentions - they just need more information. There may also be some anxiety about not being able to understand what students are saying. The best way to address this issue is through good professional development with an expert in second language or dual-language acquisition. Not only will the staff learn strategies that will help them and their students, they will learn how to answer parent questions about this topic with confidence as well!

B. Reflection

What is the current attitude towards ELLs' native languages in your school? Is a student's use of his/her native language encouraged or discouraged in the classroom? Do parents know where to get information in their language? How do teachers approach this issue?

C. Strategies

Post information in multiple languages.

Discuss with parents the value of strong native language skills and being bilingual.

Encourage parents to read or tell stories to their children in their native language.

Offer parent sessions, workshops, and classes in parents' native languages (Meyers, 44).

Include books in students' native languages in the school and classroom libraries (Freeman, 42).

Make resources available to students in their native languages to support content learning.

Consider the possibility of adding academic coursework (such as Spanish Literature for Spanish speakers) or AP courses in students' native languages.

Hire bilingual staff and recruit bilingual volunteers to the extent possible.

Inform parents that they are welcome to bring their own interpreter to a school meeting.

Provide training to all staff on why maintaining students' native language is important and how to support students' bilingual development.

Offer staff guidance on how to respond to parents' questions and comments.

D. Examples

In Illinois' Evanston/Skokie School District 65, parents are continually encouraged to use their native language at home and read to their children in their native languages daily. Washington School, a two-way immersion school, offers a family literacy program funded with a state grant in which parents participate in afternoon and evening literacy activities at the school and public libraries. Parents also learn how to help their children with homework - all in their native language (Yturriago, 51-52).

At Webster Elementary School in Long Beach, California, the school library has a large collection of books in Spanish and Samoan, the two dominant languages of the school's ELLs. Parents are encouraged to borrow books and bring younger siblings to the library (Houk, 45-56).

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Connecting with ELL Families: Strategies for Success

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The following strategies offer tips for building relationships with the families of English language learners (ELLs), getting to know their strengths and stories, and creating a welcoming environment. Supporting immigrant families For related ideas, see the following: A. What you need to know Learning about your ELL families provides an important foundation for everything else you do at the school.

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A lot of our ELL students have families who do not speak English. Translating important documents as well as papers sent home with students is important so their families can help and be involved in their child's education.

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Hiring individual translators to cover every language and dialect that your students speak at home can quickly become cost prohibitive, and the administrative time to organize those resources can drain valuable resources. Vetting freelancers to ensure they are qualified and eligible to work with students is another key step that also requires staff time.

While translation is a federal requirement, there are many schools that need translation for over 50 languages and dialects spoken, meaning providing services for thousands of students and families within the constraints of the district's budget.

Where do administrators start with a task like that?
Here are a few examples of ways schools and school districts can support students and families who are facing language barriers:

Use direct language (instead of jargon, colloquialisms, or expressions that don't easily translate)

Use visual cues, icons, videos, and pictures to help convey meaning alongside words

Use color-coded notices

Record video lessons when possible, and provide captions, subtitles, and/or transcripts for video elearning materials

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Ultimate Guide to K-12 Document Translation | Dynamic Language

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Translation services for schools and school districts can make or break K-12 success. Here's how to find the right fit for your students and parents.