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I chose to have this resource because I think using this in my classroom would be beneficial. It would help the students with their oral language while they are having fun!

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Reader's Theater Scripts and Plays

Readers Theater is a dramatic presentation of a written work in a script form. Readers read from a "script" and reading parts are divided among the readers. No memorization, costumes, blocking, or special lighting is needed. Presentations can easily be done in a k-3 classroom. Scripts are held by the readers. Lines are not memorized. The focus is on reading the text with expressive voices and gestures. Making comprehending the text meaningful and fun for the student! Once you start Reader's Theater in your classroom you and your students will be loving it!!!

"Reader's Theater proved to be almost a magic solution for Griffith: In just 10 weeks of using RT, every child in her class had gained a full grade level in reading. After a year, the children's gains had jumped to three years of growth. Griffith calls the transformation in their reading fluency totally remarkable." Quote taken from The Power of Reader's Theater, Scholastic Instructor

Update - July 08

Plays and Scripts To Print and Read

Reader's Theater Resources!!

Click the books to learn more...

Look what THOUSANDS of Teachers Use and Love!!!
Teaching Heart - 2001-2008

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Reader's Theater Scripts and Plays for the Classroom

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Reader's Theater Scripts and Plays Readers Theater is a dramatic presentation of a written work in a script form. Readers read from a "script" and reading parts are divided among the readers. No memorization, costumes, blocking, or special lighting is needed. Presentations can easily be done in a k-3 classroom.

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https://tankhuynh.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/supporting_english_language_learners_in_reading_workshop_portrait_2.pdf

I chose this for my resource because I think it would help my students with their readings in many ways. There are so many different things they can do with the readers workshop that would keep them interested and excited!

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I chose these for my resources because the first one explains the levels of proficiency in rating from the TELPAS samples. The second one is a guide to assess the progress of ELL students and the requirements for each grade level in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

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This article offers guidance for selecting vocabulary words when teaching ELLs and explains the difference between Tier 1, 2, and 3 words.

A student's maximum level of reading comprehension is determined by his or her knowledge of words. This word knowledge allows students to comprehend text. As the teacher, you can explicitly teach word meanings to improve comprehension. However, to know a word means knowing it in all of the following dimensions:

The ability to define a word

The ability to recognize when to use that word

Knowledge of its multiple meanings

The ability to decode and spell that word

Therefore, it is vitally important to teach key words that children will need to comprehend texts, learn the content in those texts, and pass tests. Words are taught through direct instruction of word meanings as well as through discussions about words (including prefixes, suffixes, and roots) - all combined with a lot of reading.

For English language learners (ELLs), vocabulary development is especially critical for their ability to read and comprehend texts. The selection of vocabulary words to teach ELLs can be grouped into three tiers.

Tier 1 words

Tier 1 words are words that ELLs typically know the concept of in their primary language, but not the label in English. For example, a Tier 1 word might be butterfly. This is a word that English language learners may not know, but it can be easily taught by pointing to a picture of a butterfly during text discussion.

Another Tier 1 word might be march (move like a soldier). A word like march can be easily instructed during text discussion by marching in place. But because this word has multiple meanings, it also merits further instruction. This can be accomplished through oral language activities that follow the text discussion.

Teaching Tier 1 words

We take it for granted that native English-speakers know most Tier 1 words, but this is not the case for ELLs. Many Tier 1 words may be unknown to ELLs and key to the comprehension of a passage. Different types of Tier 1 words require different teaching strategies:

Some Tier 1 words cannot be demonstrated and do not have multiple meanings, but students will need to know them. An example of this is the word uncle. A simple explanation of the word's meaning during the story reading will suffice. Or, if the teacher and students are bilingual, a quick translation is sufficient.

Idioms and everyday expressions (like "make up your mind," "let's hit the books," and "once upon a time") are also in the Tier 1 category. Teachers will need to explain the meanings of these phrases to students.

Some Tier 1 words are simple cognates (like family/familia or preparation/preparación). The cognates in this category consist of words that are high-frequency words in Spanish and English. They may not require substantial instruction because students may know the word meanings in Spanish. The teacher can merely state the English cognate and have students provide the Spanish cognate. Or, the teacher can provide the English cognate and students can say both the English word and Spanish cognate.

It is also important to point out false cognates and give the correct translation. Examples of false cognates are: rope/ropa (clothing) and embarrassed/embarazada (pregnant). There are also some false cognates that have multiple meanings in one language, and one or some of those meanings do not coincide with the meaning of the other language.

Here is a list of helpful Spanish-English cognates.

Tier 2 words

Tier 2 words are more complex than Tier 1 words. They may also be more abstract. These include:

1. Words that are important and useful to understanding the text, such as: character, setting, plot, even numbers, and country.

2. Words that have connections to other words and concepts, such as: between, among, by, combine, and estimate.

3. Words for which students understand the general concept, but need greater precision and specificity in describing a concept or a person, such as: sets, tables (for math or science, or for a table of contents), shy, ashamed, and stubborn.

Teaching Tier 2 words

Tier 2 words appear in grade-level texts. They can be worked with in a variety of ways so that ELLs build rich representations of them and connect them to other words and concepts. Different types of Tier 2 words require different teaching strategies:

Some Tier 2 words will not require elaborate discussion, because they can be demonstrated. These include words with multiple meanings, such as trunk, which can be taught by using gestures to show that it is part of an elephant, part of a tree, part of our body, and the back of a car.

In addition, many Tier 2 words are cognates. In this tier, they are high frequency words in Spanish and low frequency words in English. This means that Spanish-speaking ELLs will have a head start with these words (such as coincidence/coincidencia, industrious/industrioso, and fortunate/afortunado) because they will know both the concept and an approximation of the label in English.

The Tier 2 words that should be targeted for pre-teaching include words that cannot be demonstrated and are not cognates.

ELLs should be expected to master Tier 2 words in order to do well on comprehension and on tests.

Tier 3 words

These are low-frequency words that are found mostly in content books in the upper grades. Examples include witticism, isotope, procrastinate, amoeba, or words that are not demonstrable or cognates. These words are rarely encountered in the early grades, but if they do appear, you can translate them or briefly explain them in either English or in the ELLs' first language.

Note: It is advisable at all grade levels to have bilingual dictionaries available in the classroom. If you do not know the translation for a vocabulary word into students' native language, it is an easy reference and clarification tool. Also, when reading texts on their own, students can look up unknown words and ensure their own comprehension.

References

Beck, I., McKeown, M. & Kucan, L (2002). Bringing words to life: Robust vocabulary instruction. New York: The Gilford Press.

Calderón, M., August, D., Durán, D., Madden, N., R. Slavin & M. Gil (2003 and in press). Spanish to English Transitional Reading: Teacher's Manual. Baltimore, MD: The Success for All Foundation.

Calderón, M. & L. Minaya-Rowe (2004). Expediting Comprehension to English Language Learners (ExC-ELL) Teachers Manual. Center for Data-Driven Reform in Education, Johns Hopkins University.

Calderón, M. & L. Minaya-Rowe (in press). Teaching Reading, Oral Language and Content to English Language Learners - How ELLs Keep Pace With Mainstream Students. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Reprints

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

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Selecting Vocabulary Words to Teach English Language Learners

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This article offers guidance for selecting vocabulary words when teaching ELLs and explains the difference between Tier 1, 2, and 3 words. A student's maximum level of reading comprehension is determined by his or her knowledge of words. This word knowledge allows students to comprehend text.

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I chose the first one as a resource because learning the different vocabulary tiers will be helpful to a students speaking by helping them learn more words they can use when speaking about something or to someone. I chose the SOLOM because it can help me learn where my students are at with their oral language and what more I could do for them to help.

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LO 2 Guidelines for writing a language objective

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Did you know that not all vocabulary words are created equally? This is especially true when it comes to classroom instruction. The type of words we focus on can make a big impact on students' vocabulary progress. Within this blog post, we'll chat about the three tiers of vocabulary. We'll also discuss what each vocabulary tier consists of, examples of words for each tier, and how we can use this information as teachers. Let's get started!

What are the Three Tiers of Vocabulary?

For instructional purposes, vocabulary words are sorted into three tiers: Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3. The illustration below shows the three tiers of vocabulary. As you can see, we move from Tier 1 on the bottom of the triangle up to Tier 3 at the top of the triangle.

What is the difference between each vocabulary tier? The image below gives a quick, concise explanation of each tier. I will break down each tier for you and give examples of words for each tier.

As you can see in the image above, each tier consists of a very different type of word list. Let's break down each vocabulary tier and discuss what it means for us as classroom teachers and the focus for our instruction.

Tier 1 Vocabulary

Tier 1 vocabulary words consist of basic, familiar words. These words are commonly used by most students in everyday conversation. Students have the highest exposure with Tier 1 words. In fact, children are exposed to Tier 1 words from an early age, and as a result, they become easily familiar with this set of words. Perhaps the easiest way to think about Tier 1 words is to remember that the words are often used in oral conversations and familiar in speech. Examples of Tier 1 words are shown in the image below.

Tier 1 word examples in the image above include: sad, walk, elephant, baby, red, bus, clock, phone, and rain. Tier 1 vocabulary words are words students come to school knowing and using the most. In fact, Beck, McKeown, and Kucan explain in their book, Bringing Words to Life, that students are likely able to learn Tier 1 words naturally and independently!

Tier 2 Vocabulary

Tier 2 vocabulary words are robust, high-frequency words that students encounter across the content areas. They are not widely used in speech and daily conversation. Unlike Tier 1 words, Tier 2 words are not usually learned naturally or independently because students do not hear or use them in conversation. A key point to understand is that Tier 2 words are often used and found in books and written text. Tier 2 vocabulary words often have multiple meanings. This tier can also be referred to as academic vocabulary words. Examples of Tier 2 vocabulary words are listed in the image below.

Examples of Tier 2 vocabulary words are bolt, fine, amiable, rare, harmony, blush, astute, and valuable. As you can see, these words have multiple meanings and are not typically used in everyday, causal conversation. However, it is Tier 2 words that students will encounter frequently in written texts. Tier 2 words will have an important impact on your students' comprehension skills.
(Pssst! Guess what?! If you use any of my Vocabulary Curriculum Sets already in your kindergarten, first grade, or second grade classroom, you are already a ROCKSTAR at explicitly teaching Tier 2 words! Go you!)
Tier 3 Vocabulary

Tier 3 vocabulary words are low-frequency words. These words are content specific and have distinct meanings and purposes. Examples of Tier 3 words are listed in the image below.

Tier 3 words like pterodactyl, aorta, thesis, isosceles, osmosis, electrolyte, photosynthesis, and igneous are not words we often use in everyday conversations. These words have a distinct purpose and we use them only when they relate to a specific topic or domain. When we use a Tier 3 word, there is a specific reason to do so, such as when we are learning about plants in a science unit or triangles during math class.

Which Tier Should We Focus Instruction On?

Let's recap what we learned about the three tiers of vocabulary. We learned that Tier 1 vocabulary words are words students come to school knowing and using the most. Therefore, as teachers, we naturally do not (and should not) spend the bulk of our time explicitly teaching the meanings of Tier 1 words. Remember, most students can naturally and independently learn Tier 1 words. For example, if the word "dinosaur" is part of your district's reading curriculum, I think it's safe to say that most first graders have heard of the word dinosaur before. They know what a dinosaur is and what it looks like! A quick review or picture card would probably be all they need to remind them of what a dinosaur is. Spending a week on the word dinosaur is not an effective use of instructional time!

Students will need to know Tier 3 words, however, Tier 3 words will not make up the bulk of the words they encounter in written text. For example, if your students are reading a chapter series, the frequency of the word "mitosis" in each book is going to be really low! Furthermore, Tier 3 words typically do not have synonyms and antonyms, so learning the definition to a Tier 3 word is usually pretty "cut and dry". Students only need to learn Tier 3 words when a specific need is present.

So, did a lightbulb go off for you yet?! Do you know which vocabulary tier we want to spent the most time on each week? If you answered Tier 2, you are correct!

As teachers, we will get the most "bang for our buck" if we spend the bulk of our vocabulary instruction on Tier 2 words. These are words that are found and used across variety of topics, domains, areas, and content. Since MANY Tier 2 words have multiple meanings, they are more difficult to learn because students need to understand the word within multiple contexts, as well as understand the connection between the words' synonyms and antonyms.

Having a robust vocabulary and knowledge of Tier 2 words directly impacts our students' reading comprehension skills.

Ways To Focus on Tier 2 Vocabulary

Now that we know the importance of Tier 2 vocabulary words, let's chat about ways to incorporate these words into our daily routine! Several years ago, I created an engaging and easy-to-follow vocabulary routine for kindergarten, first-grade, and second-grade teachers! I often get asked, "Where did the words in each set come from?" The words I chose for my curriculum are Tier 2 words that often have multiple meanings and can be seen in written text, across multiple contents, topics, and domains! Sounds pretty spot-on to what we just learned about in this post, right?! Take a look at some of the word lists below. These Tier 2 words are words that students will not typically learn independently. It's important we have a routine and a plan for explicitly teaching Tier 2 vocabulary in our classrooms.

Synonyms and Shades of Meaning

We can expose students to multiple Tier 2 words by spending time on the synonyms and antonyms for Tier 2 words. When we teach our students even three to five Tier 2 words, we can actually expose them to up to TWENTY Tier 2 words throughout the week by discussing the synonyms associated with these words, and their shades of meaning. The image below shows you an easy routine for teaching and exposing your students to a variety of Tier 2 words:

Multiple Meanings and Multiple Contexts

As we learned in this post, many Tier 2 words have multiple meanings. It's important to explicitly point out these multiple meanings and help students understand how they are used in various contexts. Each week's vocabulary lessons in my curriculum includes a passage AND a read aloud! The read aloud (often presented on Day 2 each week) uses the Tier 2 words in a different context than the passage on Day 1. Exposing our students to various contexts and situations helps them to better understand the word and see it used in various ways! ( Bonus: Each read aloud comes in a printable version AND a digital version!)

Tier 2 Vocabulary Word Play

Pointing Tier 2 words out in the books you read and allowing students to "play" with words is also an important part of vocabulary instruction. We want our students to have a lot of opportunities for word play and practice using the words in their daily discussions. Examples of word play games include:

One of the best parts of my vocabulary sets are the included word play games for each week's Tier 2 words! You can see the table of contents in image above, and a page out of the word play section called Sing-Along Antonyms! Each word play activity has a teacher direction page and if required, the printable materials that are needed. You can read more about Vocabulary Word Play ideas in another blog post I wrote by clicking HERE.

Learn More About Vocabulary Instruction

That was ALOT of information on the three tiers of vocabulary, and some various activities and ideas for teaching Tier 2 words within your classroom! If you'd like to learn more about my simple, already-done-for-you vocabulary routine click HERE to check out my vocabulary curriculum blog post! In this post, I go into depth on even more vocabulary research and why it is so important to have an explicit plan in place for your vocabulary instruction.

You can check out my vocabulary curriculum bundles by clicking on your grade level below. The vocabulary bundles are also sold as individual sets, too!

If you'd like to refer back to this post, or share it with a colleague, feel free to pin the image below to your Pinterest page! Thank you so much for hanging out with me and learning about the three tiers of vocabulary and how they impact our classroom instruction. Don't forget to make sure you are following me on Instagram @missdecarbo for weekly tips, ideas, activities, resources, and freebies!

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The 3 Tiers of Vocabulary for Classroom Instruction - Miss DeCarbo

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Learn about the 3 tiers of vocabulary for the classroom and lesson planning. Discover how to choose your vocabulary words, and which ones matter!

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I chose the first link to use for a resource because having a guideline for writing language objectives would be nice to look at to make sure I am doing it correctly so I can make sure I am doing my best work for my students. I chose the second link because I think tier vocabulary is super important for students to learn. You can teach tier vocabulary in any class. Tier vocabulary is what builds the students vocabulary for their whole life and is important for every subject in school.

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These glossaries are to provide permitted testing accommodations of ELL/MLL students. They should also be used for instruction during the school year. These glossaries may be downloaded, printed and disseminated to educators, parents and ELLs/MLLs.

Bilingual glossaries are an essential and expected test accommodation for ELLs/MLLs in the State of New York. The languages of these glossaries cover the top 10 languages at the state level, with new languages added based on changing language populations in the NY State student demographic data.

Schools should provide testing accommodations to ELLs/MLLs, as needed, on all NYS ELA and content-area assessments (i.e., Mathematics, Science and Social Studies). Districts/schools must make all necessary arrangements to make these accommodations available for ELLs/MLLs who need them. Please click here for the New York State Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages Webpage on "Assessment and Testing Accommodations".

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These glossaries are to provide permitted testing accommodations of ELL/MLL students. They should also be used for instruction during the school year.

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The comprehensive grade-by-grade science vocabulary lists below are based on state and national science standards. They cover the key science content areas for each grade from kindergarten through high school. The lists can be used with all of VocabularySpellingCity's 35+ learning activities and science vocabulary games. Read More Read Less

For each grade and science content area, there are both detailed lists and summary scientific term lists. For example, in the kindergarten science section, motion is one of the key areas. For kindergarten science, there are 85 motion vocabulary words organized in 9 lists. There is also a summary list that includes only the eight most significant scientific wordss relating to motion at the kindergarten level. Offering both detailed lists and summary lists provides teachers the right vocabulary tools they need regardless of how much detail their lessons require at any given time - whether introducing a new science topic, reviewing an already studied science category, or delving deeply into a particular scientific area, it's all just a click away!

Sentences and definitions for the words on the Science Vocabulary lists have been customized to reflect their usages within the context of science. So when terms have multiple meanings or when they can be defined in both a general or scientific manner, the scientific definition or sentence is used. When a term is used at several different grade levels, grade-appropriate definitions and examples are used. A word may also appear in different categories. For example, the word "sun", when studied within the context of Energy will have a different meaning than the word "sun" in Space Science. Below is an example of VocabularySpellingCity's differentiated treatment of science words and vocabulary:

K - 2

the Earth's source of heat and light

The sun is bright on a cloudless day.

3 - 5

the star at the center of our planetary system

The sun is highest in the sky at noon.

6 - 8

a medium-sized, main -sequence star orbited by planets and emitting light and heat

As the basis of our solar system, the sun sustains life on Earth.

9 - 12

a gaseous body emitting heat and visible light by thermonuclear reactions and around which a planetary system revolves

Energy is produced at the sun's core via a nuclear fusion reaction called the proton-proton chain.

The writing and editing of these lists, sentences, and definitions was performed under contract by science teachers and curriculum specialists from around the country to whom we are very grateful.

The lists can be imported into teacher or parent accounts. Once imported, the lists, sentences, and definitions can be customized to the member's needs ( Click for information on how to customize sentences and definitions).

Science Vocabulary In the Classroom

VocabularySpellingCity's science words lists and learning activities can be integrated into a science curriculum in a number of ways.

Reinforcement of key concepts and/or assessment - For example, Mrs. George taught an investigative science unit to her third graders on energy. A week later, for reinforcement, she had students work in groups of four and play MatchIt online with the third grade energy lists. The students who needed extra reinforcement were given printable versions of MatchIt to practice at home. The following week, the students took the vocabulary tests on VocabularySpellingCity. Since the teacher is a Premium Member, the students' test results, including incorrect answers, were automatically recorded.

Vocabulary introduction prior to studying a unit - Mr. Cabrera's 7th grade class was about to begin a science unit on matter. Before teaching his students about the laws and properties of matter, he wanted to make sure they were familiar with the key scientific terms they would encounter. Mr. Cabrera loaded VocabularySpellingCity's interactive FlashCards activity for the 7th Grade Matter Summary List on the whiteboard so that the whole class could review the definitions for each word and hear each word used in context. He then divided the students into two teams for a fun round of WhichWord? Definitions The students now had a firm understanding of the concepts that would be presented in the matter unit and were able to understand concepts more readily.

Starting in kindergarten and continuing through 12th grade, students are exposed to and expected to learn an extensive amount of information in science, from facts and data to concepts and misconceptions. VocabularySpellingCity's Science Vocabulary lists offer teachers a convenient way to build their students' science knowledge and our interactive science vocabulary games and activities make learning the concepts fun for students, which can lead to better understanding and retention.

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The comprehensive grade-by-grade science vocabulary lists below are based on state and national science standards. They cover the key science content areas for each grade from kindergarten through hig

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I chose these because they give great resources on different vocabulary words that can be presented in the classroom for Math. Since it is its own subject, it will have more vocabulary words pertaining to it and will give teachers a great resource for the specific math vocabulary words.

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I chose these because using the old STAAR tests to review is resourceful for the teachers so they can see where they are in their lesson and what the student should be learning. I chose the vocabulary resource as well because like math, science has their own vocabulary words that students need to learn as well and can be very resourceful for teachers when viewing what are coming up soon.

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3 Strategies to Support English Language Learners in Social Studies

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Scaffolding such as visual guides and templates can make it easier for ELLs to grasp material in courses with complicated vocabulary.

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These methods are what I think would be helpful in my classroom for social studies with eb/el students. The reason I think this is because one of my resources helps me with how to introduce role playing into the classroom, like a fake election, for my students to be able to get a better understanding. The other resource that I have I chose because it gives me different strategies on how I can support my students while they are learning social studies. Support for eb/el students is important and having some extra tips on how to do so is never a bad idea.

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In most educational contexts, summative assessment - to evaluate student learning by comparing it against course objectives at the end of a period of study - is firmly entrenched.

In elementary and high schools, very few argue with the concept that grading students with summative assessment is important and necessary. Academic accomplishment is the primary method through which society determines a student's future potential.

This continues in tertiary education, where you need to achieve passing grades in a course in order to get your certificate, diploma or degree to be considered for employment.

But English language schools often don't have the same expectations around summative assessment.

One key reason why is because they have non-standardised curriculums, course objectives and testing. Unlike the educational institutions mentioned above, each school can do things their own way - they deliver 'non-accredited courses.'

This has led to the development of a school of thought amongst some English Language Teaching professionals who work in English language schools that summative assessment isn't that important when it comes to ESL students.

'If a course isn't accredited, why go to the trouble of giving tests and exams?' is the argument given. 'It's just a lot of unnecessary work for the teacher and unnecessary stress for the students.'

However, I believe this view to be severely flawed. There are several compelling reasons why summative assessment is important for ESL students.

Reasons Why Summative Assessment is Important

1. Students need to know where they stand

It's a good thing when students receive feedback through summative assessment on their achievement and rate of progress.

Feedback empowers them - after seeing where they currently are when it comes to learning English, they are able to make an informed decision (or their parents can, in the case of children) about how they want to respond.

2. Teaching Life Skills

An ESL course that includes summative assessment doesn't just teach English. It also teaches important life skills. When students know they will be graded, they are more likely to try harder in the classroom, thereby developing the following skills:

Decision making: choosing an answer or how to explain an opinion.

Problem solving: how to improve in a particular area of study

Time management: finding time to complete homework and studying outside the classroom.

Working as a team: in pair or small group exercises and activities.

3. Better job prospects

Even if a potential employer knows that a promising job candidate has completed an ESL course that isn't accredited, they are still likely to be interested in seeing a certificate or transcript that shows the candidate's current level of English if one's available.

How to Record Summative Assessment

It's important for a teacher to provide a clear and comprehensive record of a student's summative assessment when they complete their studies. This should be done in the form of a transcript. It can be added to a certificate or given as a stand-alone document.

Below, I've added a transcript template that includes all of the important elements. Student test scores (or an average of scores) are recorded on the transcript, along with a participation grade, attendance percentage and comments from the teacher.

The level descriptors on the second page of the transcript are linked to Common European Framework of Reference Global Scale Common Reference Levels ( Council of Europe English Language Portfolio, 2011).

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Importance of Summative Assessment For ESL Students | Templates

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Summative assessment is important in any course. BUT...this view is not universally held in the ESL community, but this view is severely flawed.

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I chose the first resource to include because it gives some more background information into summative assessments for English learners and why it is important for them. It lists out many different reasons why it is important and also includes how to record summative assessments. I chose the second resource because it is and interpretive guide for score reports that ELL students can view themselves and get a better understanding. It goes into detail about all the scores and the proficiency level and scale score and it helps students understand where they need to be on those scales.

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A few years ago, I came across "10 assessments you can perform in 90 seconds" by TeachThought and really enjoyed the formative assessment strategies they outlined. Using formative assessment strategies in class during instruction-or "simple assessments," as they call them-is easy and provides the instant feedback teachers need to identify which learners need more help and adjust their instruction and lesson plans accordingly. Visit the blog above to get more detail on the following techniques:

1. New Clothes

2. Dos and Don'ts

3. Three Common Misunderstandings

4. Yes/No Chart

5. Three Questions

6. Explain What Matters

7. Big Picture

8. Venn Diagram

9. Draw It

10. Self-Directed Response

Combining these 10 with 10 others we've blogged about in the past gives teachers 20 great formative assessment strategies for checking on student learning. Be sure to click through to learn more about these formative assessment strategies.

Want more? Here are seven more strategies you can use to elicit evidence of student learning.

1. Entrance Tickets. We've blogged about and explained the Exit Ticket, so why not have an Entrance Ticket? Here, the teacher asks a question at the start of a lesson, and students write their responses on index cards or strips of paper. Answers are used to assess initial understanding of something to be discussed in that day's lesson or as a short summary of understanding of the previous day's lesson. The teacher designs the lesson around the fact that information on student learning will be coming in at the start of the lesson and can be used to improve the teaching and learning in that lesson. Be sure to write the question so it is easily interpreted and analyzed, allows time for you and/or the students to analyze the responses, and leaves space for you to adjust the lesson, if needed.

2. Keep the Question Going. With this formative assessment strategy, you'll ask one student a question and then ask another student if that answer seems reasonable or correct. Then, ask a third student for an explanation of why there is an agreement or not. This helps keep all the students engaged because they must be prepared to either agree or disagree with the answers given and provide explanations.

3. 30-Second Share. With this strategy, students take a turn to report something learned in a lesson for up to 30 seconds each. Connections to the learning targets or success criteria are what you'll be looking for in the language used by the student. Make this a routine at the end of a lesson so all students have the opportunity to participate, share insights, and clarify what was learned.

4. Parking Lot. This is an underused strategy for students and one that can surface questions before learning, as well as during and after. This tool also offers an anonymous place for questions that may be directly related to the content or tangential to the current topic and provide insight into student thinking. Simply save a spot on your whiteboard to write down ideas or questions that aren't completely relevant in the moment but should be revisited later.

5. One-Minute Paper. This might be considered a type of exit ticket as it is typically done near the end of the day. Ask your students, either individually or with a partner, to respond in writing to a single prompt. Typical prompts include:

Most important learning from the day and why

Most surprising concept and why

Most confusing topic and why

Something I think might appear on a test or quiz and why

3-2-1. At the end of the learning, this strategy provides students a way to summarize or even question what they just learned. Three prompts are provided for students to respond to:

3 things you didn't know before

2 things that surprised you about the topic

1 thing you want to start doing with what you've learned

Assessment Reflection. This strategy is a post-assessment reflection completed individually first and then shared in a small group. After an assessment, the teacher provides a list of questions so learners can reflect on their assessment experience. During group discussion, ideas are collected as new information to support students to better prepare for and engage in future assessments. Consider the following or similar questions. You might also use strategies such as Plus, Minus, Interesting, or Plus/Delta.

How engaged were you with this assessment? Why?

What did you feel most confident about? Why?

What did you do that led to your success or confidence?

What was the most difficult part of this assessment? Why?

What would you do differently next time?

What was the most confusing? Why?

What do you know about the topic that the assessment didn't allow you to show?

Dig in

All 27 of these formative assessment strategies are simple to administer and free or inexpensive to use. They'll provide you with the evidence of student learning you need to make lesson plan adjustments and keep learning on target and moving forward. They'll also give your students valuable information so they can adjust their learning tactics and know where to focus their energies.

If you're not quite sure where to get started, the following discussion questions can help.

Questions for teachers

How do you use formative assessment data to inform instructional decisions?

How can formative assessment strategies foster a learning environment of collaboration and engagement?

How do formative assessment strategies elicit evidence of student learning?

What is one strategy you could try tomorrow and why?

How do you use formative assessment data to drive school-wide instructional academic decisions?

How can you model formative assessment strategies in staff meetings, PLCs, and meetings with teachers?

What are three formative assessment strategies you could bring to your teachers and staff? Why do you feel these would be most effective at your school?

Get more formative assessment tips and tricks in our e-book "Making it work: How formative assessment can supercharge your practice."

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27 Easy Formative Assessment Strategies for Gathering Evidence of Student Learning

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All 27 of these formative assessment strategies are simple to administer and free or inexpensive to use. They provide the teacher with the evidence of student learning needed to make lesson plan adjustments and keep learning on target and moving forward.

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I chose the first resource because it gives some more intel on how you can use formative assessment in your classroom to help your English language learners. It also includes how to assess their language development and their academic achievement. I chose the second resource because it gives different ideas for teachers to use in their classrooms for formative assessment strategies they they can use such as exit tickets, abcd cards, venn diagram, entrance tickets, and so many more while also giving information on how to use each of them in your classroom.

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Identifying Special Education Needs in English Language Learners | Continental Educational Publisher

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In this blog, we’ll discuss how teachers can improve upon identifying special education needs in English language learners.

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English language learners (ELLs) with disabilities represent an increasingly larger segment of the K-12 student population in the U.S. Because of the interaction of their disability and second-language learning processes these students may have unique learning needs that affect teaching and also affect the way students show what they have learned. This article will explore what is known about the prevalence of disabilities among ELLs and the characteristics of ELLs with disabilities. It will conclude with recommendations for schools and organizations serving these students.

Definition of an ELL with a Disability

Generally speaking, an ELL with a disability is a student who is eligible for both special education and English as a second language (ESL) or bilingual education services. There are different identification issues associated with each service, creating variability in the definition of an ELL with a disability across the country. Educators in different locales must be aware that they may not always be considering the same students when they refer to ELLs with disabilities.

Students who are identified for special education may receive services for any one of the 14 federally recognized disability categories. Some variation in the primary disability categories occurs across states. Federal legislation requires that ELLs with suspected disabilities be assessed in both their native language and English to ensure that any difficulties with learning are evident in both languages and are not solely the result of natural second-language learning processes. Educators and schools report that providing appropriate assessments in two languages and differentiating language learning from language-related disabilities is extremely challenging. For this reason, there is a national concern with the accuracy of special education identification rates for ELLs. This concerned is heightened for ELLs in some racial or ethnic groups.

Students who are ELLs are not proficient in English and are eligible for English language support services.1 Schools commonly provide ESL and/or bilingual education to identified ELLs. ESL prioritizes language instruction while bilingual programs include content instruction in the native language as well as instruction in English. The goal of both types of programs is to increase students' English proficiency so that they can succeed in English-only content classrooms. Typically, children are identified as ELLs through a multi-step process that includes a home language questionnaire parents complete when children are enrolled in school. If parents report that another language is used in the home, students are then given an English language proficiency screening test to determine whether or not they are eligible for ESL or bilingual education. Parent consent for language screening is not required, but parents have the right to refuse ELL services.

While the ELL identification process may appear straightforward, the accuracy of the information gathered may be compromised at several points (Bailey & Kelly, 2010). For example, parents may provide different answers to the home language questionnaire if a child moves to a new district or language use patterns in the home change. Individual states and school districts may ask different questions on the questionnaire, use a different screening assessment, and set different score ranges to be identified as an ELL. There may also be inconsistencies in administering the home language questionnaire to parents whose children have known disabilities.

Variations in the special education or ELL identification process may result in different groups of students being included in the group of ELLs with disabilities in different places. An educator in California and a disability advocacy organization in West Virginia may not be talking about exactly the same type of student when they refer to an ELL with a disability.

Numbers Nationwide

Determining the exact number of ELLs with disabilities nationwide is a challenge because there is a limited amount of publicly-available information on students who are both ELLs and have an identified disability. Estimates may differ depending on the purpose for which the information was collected, and the way in which the information was collected. For example, the Office of Special Education Programs reports on the number of students in special education for ages birth through 21 who were also limited English proficient (LEP).2 This information is included in federally mandated child count data provided annually by schools. However, it is reported by school special education staff and not by ESL or bilingual education departments, and thus may not reflect the total number of enrolled ELLs. In addition, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) data identify the number of students of various racial/ethnic groups in each disability category, but do not break out the data for ELLs. It is possible to find national data on the number of Hispanic students with Autism Spectrum Disorders, for example, but not on the number of Hispanic ELLs in this disability category.

We get the most comprehensive picture of the population by piecing together information from multiple sources and making some general inferences about ELLs with disabilities based on what we know about ELLs and about students with disabilities overall. However, this type of approach must be interpreted with some caution. Some estimates of the population size are provided below based on a combination of information from multiple U.S. Department of Education sources for the 2009-2010 school year:

About 9.3% of K-12 students in U.S. schools were identified as ELLs (roughly 4,647,016 out of 49,788,000).3

According to IDEA child count data for the 2009-10 school year, 518,088 students with disabilities were classified as limited English proficient (LEP). This represents approximately 8.5% of all students with disabilities (Data Accountability Center, 2013a).

Of the 518,088 LEP students reported as receiving special education services, 200,347 were in California, representing 39% of the national total. Only 2% of all ELLs in the state are identified as having disabilities, however, compared with 4.8% of English proficient students. Among all states, California identified the highest percentage of ELLs with disabilities. More than half of all states report that they provide special education services to less than 0.5% of the ELL population.

ELLs with disabilities have a number of characteristics that vary across students. By definition they are all limited in their English proficiency, but students may vary greatly in the amount of time they have spent in the country, their previous educational experiences, their actual levels of English proficiency, the other languages that they speak, and the type of primary disability that they have.

Nationwide, the majority of ELLs speak, or have exposure in the home, to some form of Spanish. However, there may be as many as 400 different language groups represented in the ELL population across the country (Boyle, Taylor, Hurlburt, & Soga, 2010). Common language groups for ELLs with disabilities most likely reflect the common languages spoken by ELLs overall. For the 2009-2010 school year, the largest language groups reported by states included speakers of Arabic (29 states), Chinese (32 states), Hmong (7 states), Russian (7 states), Somali (10 states), and Vietnamese (31 states).4 Different areas of the country had concentrations of different language groups represented in that year. For example, Somali was among the largest language groups in the ELL populations of 10 states. Schools and advocacy organizations in these states could expect to serve Somali ELLs with disabilities and could anticipate the need for Somali-speaking staff, as well as the need for materials in Somali. However, Somali was not one of the largest language groups in the other states, perhaps due to different patterns of Somali refugee resettlement and migration. Global events are also a factor in predicting what groups will require services as a result of trends in immigration and refugee resettlement.

National data on students in special education do provide data on primary disabilities for all students (Data Accountability Center, 2013b). From the data on all students with disabilities we can make some inferences about ELLs with disabilities. In 2009-2010 approximately two-thirds of all students with disabilities ages 3-21 were identified with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD), Speech/Language Impairments (SLI), Mental Retardation (MR), and Emotional Disturbance (ED). The largest group of students had specific learning disabilities, followed by those with speech or language impairments. It is likely, then, that the largest groups of ELLs with disabilities could have these same primary disabilities. Evidence provided in 2001-2002 by ESL departments in K-12 schools (Zehler et al., 2003) and by a 2006 Office for Civil Rights data collection (Office for Civil Rights, 2013) verified that these disability categories were, in fact, common among ELLs.

Services Received

In 2006, the Office for Civil Rights reported that, nationwide, only about 88% of students with disabilities who were in need of ESL or bilingual instruction actually received it (Office for Civil Rights, 2013). State level data can show variations among ELLs with disabilities who received language support services across racial and ethnic groups. For example, in one Midwestern state 60% of students with disabilities in the Hispanic ethnic group reported that their home language was Spanish. However, only 58% of these Spanish-speaking students were classified as ELLs and the remaining 42% were classified as English proficient. Of the students who were classified as being eligible for ELL services, 7% did not receive them. This information raises questions regarding the accuracy of the disability identification, the accuracy of procedures to determine English proficiency, and whether students were being denied services for which they were eligible.

Program and Service Considerations

The information presented in this article shows the diversity of ELLs with disabilities and some of the variation in this student population across states and across types of organizations serving the students and their families. It is important for educators and others who work with ELLs with disabilities to ensure they understand the characteristics of students in general and specifically of the population in the area they serve. Several recommendations are provided here to consider in developing programs and services for ELLs with disabilities and their families:

Understand that if you serve ELLs or students with disabilities, you most likely serve ELLs with disabilities. These students are a part of both groups, but may have needs that are different from either due to the interaction of students' disabilities and second-language learning processes.

Keep in mind that the labels applied to students are not sufficient to describe students' characteristics. Because there is a great deal of variability in the population of ELLs with disabilities, educators and service providers must look beyond the group name and develop appropriate ways to understand the complex characteristics of the students they serve. They should be sensitive to within-group variation and to changes in group characteristics due to acculturation that occurs over time.

Recognize that descriptions of populations of ELLs with disabilities vary across states and programs, depending on who is identifying the size of the group and for what purpose. No one source of information captures all of the relevant information on students. Each state is unique in the size and make-up of the population of ELLs with disabilities, the prevalence of particular home languages, and other factors relevant to providing appropriate supports and services for students and families. It may be necessary to piece together a knowledge base from multiple sources of information, but this must be done cautiously.

Plan for student and family supports and services that meet the needs of the particular population in your area. Having targeted services and supports that meet the needs of a particular language group, for example, will require staff who are knowledgeable about the characteristics and needs of students and families from that group. Developing this type of knowledge in staff will require specialized staff recruitment and training efforts within a school or organization serving individuals with disabilities. Outreach materials will be needed in both the languages and preferred media of the local population. For example, some groups may be more likely to access information via DVDs or local television while others prefer print information. Organizations should also be prepared for periodic shifts in the language and cultural groups requiring services, due to changes that occur at the local, national and international level.

Know that there will be ongoing issues and challenges in appropriately identifying and serving ELLs with disabilities in schools. The needs of ELL families will fluctuate over time, particularly with newly arriving groups. Research in the field of ELL special education is also evolving rapidly. Educators and policymakers must be flexible and willing to rethink decisions based upon changing circumstances and emerging information.

2 See https://www.ideadata.org/PartBData.asp , Part B Data and Notes, Child Count Data.

3 To calculate the percentage of ELLs we divided the total number of ELLs that states reported in 2009-2010 Consolidated State Performance Reports (available at http://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/consolidated/ sy09-10part1/index.html ) by their projected total enrollment using projected growth rates for Fall 2009 published in the Digest of Education Statistics (Table 34 available at http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d09/tables/dt09_034.asp ).

4 Based on data compiled from 2009-2010 Consolidated State Performance Reports (available at http://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/consolidated/sy09-10part1/index.html ).

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Impact | Volume 26, Number 1 | Who Are English Language Learners with Disabilities?

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English language learners (ELLs) with disabilities represent an increasingly larger segment of the K-12 student population in the U.S. Because of the interaction of their disability and second-language learning processes these students may have unique learning needs that affect teaching and also affect the way students show what they have learned.

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I chose the first resource because it can give teachers some information on how to identify if your ESL student might be special education. It gives information on how to know and some factors that you need to consider when the students are being tested for special education services. I chose the second resource because it can give some background information on who ELL's with special needs are. It gives a definition along with programs and services that could be considered for your sped ELL.

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Wondering what kinds of questions your child will be asked on the NNAT (Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test) and NNAT3 (Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test, Second Edition)? Here are five examples below. For additional practice, sign up for our 100 free practice questions.

IMPORTANT: While the NNAT sample questions shown on this page are representative of what your child will see on the exam, they aren't taken directly from the actual test that's being administered this year.

Sections on the NNAT test

The NNAT consists of four sections: Pattern Completion, Serial Reasoning, Reasoning by Analogy, and Spatial Visualization. Here is a description of each section to help parents better understand the test:

Pattern Completion

In the Pattern Completion section, students are presented with a geometric design or pattern with a missing piece. They must analyze the pattern and choose the correct piece from a set of options to complete it. This section measures a child's ability to recognize patterns and identify missing elements. It evaluates their attention to detail and visual discrimination skills.

Serial Reasoning

The Serial Reasoning section requires students to identify the logical sequence or pattern in a series of geometric shapes. They must determine the next shape in the sequence from a set of given options. This section tests a child's ability to understand the principles of change and continuity in a series of visual elements. It measures their sequential reasoning and inductive reasoning skills.

Reasoning by Analogy

specific relationship. They must identify the relationship between the shapes and apply the same relationship to another set of shapes to select the correct answer. This section assesses a child's ability to recognize and apply relationships and analogies between different visual elements. It evaluates their abstract reasoning and critical thinking skills.

Spatial Visualization

The Spatial Visualization section presents students with images of three-dimensional objects that have been rotated, folded, or otherwise manipulated. Students must visualize how these objects would look from different perspectives or after certain transformations and select the correct answer from a set of options. This section measures a child's spatial reasoning skills, including mental rotation, spatial manipulation and visualization abilities.

To help your child prepare for the NNAT, encourage them to practice solving nonverbal problems, puzzles and brain teasers. Familiarize them with different types of patterns and analogies, and provide opportunities for them to practice spatial visualization skills through activities like building with blocks, solving jigsaw puzzles or drawing geometric shapes. Of course practice on Testing Mom and start with the free questions below.

NNAT Sample Question #1 - Pattern Completion 1

Parent tip to tell your child: Think of this section as a game of "Spot the Difference". Have you ever seen a puzzle in your storybooks where one part of a picture is missing? It's just like that. You'll see a picture with a piece missing, and your job is to find the missing piece that completes the picture perfectly. It's like fitting the last piece into a jigsaw puzzle!

Parent, say to your child: "Look at this puzzle." Point to the empty box and say, "Something is missing." Then point to the answer choices and say, "Which of these answer choices goes here?" (Be sure to point back to the empty box when you say"here.")

NNAT Sample Question #2 - Pattern Completion 2

Parent tip to tell your child: Do you like doodling or coloring in a coloring book? You know how sometimes you start a drawing and it's not finished until you've added all the details? Well, the Pattern Completion section is a lot like that. Imagine this: you're coloring a zebra but you've only finished half of it. What does the other half look like? It would have the same stripes, right? That's exactly what you need to do in this part of the test. They show you a picture, but uh-oh, a piece of it is missing. Your job is to figure out what that missing piece looks like so that the whole picture makes sense. So it's like finishing a drawing in your coloring book. You just need to fill in the missing piece to complete the picture! Always remember, every piece has its place, just like every stripe on the zebra!

Parent, say to your child: "Look at this puzzle." Point to the empty box and say, "Something is missing." Then point to the answer choices and say, "Which of these answer choices goes here?" (Be sure to point back to the empty box when you say"here.")

NNAT Sample Question #3 - Serial Reasoning 1

Parent tip to tell your child: You know how in cartoons, each scene comes after the next in a certain order? That's what you'll be doing in this part of the test. You'll be given a series of pictures that are connected to each other in a special way, like a story. Your job is to find the next picture in the series. So it's like predicting what the next scene in a cartoon episode would be!

Parent, say to your child: "Look at this puzzle." Point to the empty box and say, "Something is missing." Then point to the answer choices and say, "Which of these answer choices goes here?" (Be sure to point back to the empty box when you say"here.")

NNAT Sample Question #4 - Reasoning by Analogy 1

Parent tip to tell your child: This section is similar to a game of "Match the Pairs". Imagine you have a pair of socks that are the same color and pattern. In this part of the test, you'll have to find a pair that's the same, just in a different way. So, if they give you two pictures and they relate to each other in a certain way, you have to find another pair of pictures that have the same relationship. It's like you're a detective finding connections!

Parent, say to your child: "Look at this puzzle." Point to the empty box and say, "Something is missing." Then point to the answer choices and say, "Which of these answer choices goes here?" (Be sure to point back to the empty box when you say "here.")

NNAT Sample Question #5 - Spatial Visualization

Parent tip to tell your child: Remember when you play with your blocks or LEGO sets and you have to imagine what it would look like if you turned it around, flipped it over, or added more pieces? That's spatial visualization. In this part of the test, you might see pictures of blocks or shapes and you'll have to imagine what they would look like if they were moved around or put together. So, it's just like playing a mental game of blocks or LEGO!

Parent, say to your child: "Look at this puzzle." Point to the empty box and say, "Something is missing." Then point to the answer choices and say, "Which of these answer choices goes here?" (Be sure to point back to the empty box when you say "here.")

Answers: 5, 3, 1, 1, 3

For additional NNAT practice questions, click the links below.
NNAT Practice Test NNAT3 Practice Questions for the Naglieri Nonverbal Abilities Test

See if TestingMom.com supports your child's test by your school district. If you don't see your child's school district listed, check with us! We have practice for other tests as well.

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NNAT Practice Test: Free Sample Questions

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Sample NNAT practice test questions to familiarize your child with the test and help them succeed on the NNAT2 or NNAT3 test.

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English Language Learners

An inclusive framework for finding gifted and talented students can ensure that English language learners don't slip through the cracks.

English language learners (ELLs) have historically been underrepresented and underserved in U.S. gifted and talented (GT) programs. To move the needle in a more promising direction, we can begin by asking ourselves how we can increase the visibility of diverse learners in GT screening. What does equity look like in identifying language learners for gifted services? And how can we actively improve culturally responsive supports for exceptional ELLs in our classrooms?

Traditional concepts of giftedness cast a narrow net-narrow enough, in fact, to silo giftedness into nearly homogeneous compartments. Outside of far-East Asian subsets, most of those boxes are reserved for white, English-speaking students.

Gifted screening protocols can reinforce these perceptions. Conventional markers for giftedness are rooted in assessment data and previous high academic achievement. This can be especially inequitable for ELLs, whose language output and cultural orientation may mask exceptional promise.

Reframing Conceptions of Giftedness to Support Inclusivity

A comprehensive definition of exceptional ability that encompasses a spectrum of cognitive, social and emotional, artistic, linguistic, and logical-reasoning capabilities,

Multiple avenues and entry points-such as student interviews, performance-based evaluations, or nonverbal instruments-that reach beyond standardized assessment data for GT identification, and

A system for mindfully growing the exceptional talents and gifts of all learners, including ELLs.

To change this, we've got to be uncomfortably honest about what our collective picture of giftedness looks like. What are our perceptions and expectations of exceptional students? Do we-as teachers and as schools-lean in to certain student types, ethnicities, or socioeconomic groups, or to one gender? How are we influenced by a child's parents or other educators?

Acquire the new language at a faster than typical rate,

Demonstrate an ability to code switch or translate at an advanced level,

Show aptitude for negotiating between cultures,

Display inventive leadership and/or imaginative qualities,

Read significantly beyond grade level in the heritage language,

Effectively assume adult responsibilities at a young age,

Exhibit notable street smarts and/or rapid integration into American culture, or

Problem-solve in creative, nonconforming ways.

At a minimum, a more inclusive framework should include three vital components:

Now we can critically evaluate the degree to which our definition is also culturally responsive. Map a full learning day for a new-to-English student. Where can we find expressions of gifted characteristics? Language learners can-and do!-demonstrate exceptional content-specific talents. Additionally or alternatively, the promising gifted ELL may:

A Culturally Responsive Process of GT Identification

Nominations or referrals from parents and school staff,

Summative data, including English language evaluations and nonverbal GT assessments,

Formative data, such as student work samples and problem- or project-based portfolios, and

Anecdotal data, including behavior and acculturation scales, classroom observations, home visits, and interviews with parents, teachers, and peers.

Even high-flying ELLs are not likely to be detected through traditional GT screening, as I mention above, because our screening protocols are not designed to detect them. Widening our net and moving toward a realistic representation of marginalized populations in gifted programming requires that we break with our dependence on convention.

One reasonable solution is to move beyond isolated quantitative data points and toward qualitative portfolios of potential. Inclusive GT portfolios of potential may include:

Ensure that curriculum is culturally responsive: Culturally responsive practice seeks to recognize, value, and authentically represent students' heritage virtues in the school setting. Wondering how to connect this pedagogy to GT programming? Begin learning units with background knowledge surveys or embed multicultural connections and community engagement as a means of enrichment.

Provide opportunities for self-directed learning: Self-directed learning is an effective tool for student engagement that supports higher-level thinking. By introducing the element of choice, we draw out a learner's natural curiosity through creative problem solving and experiential learning.

Start slowly as you navigate this territory. Begin with a maximum of three choices. Hold students accountable for rotating through stations, centers, or learning tasks, but place the onus of control on the student to choose the order in which the learning goals are completed.

Capitalize on student interest surveys, flexible seating, and kinesthetic learning. These are all low-prep, low-cost, high-yield means of promoting self-directed, student-invested learning.

And consider exploring multiple pathways of discovery. Try embedding social and emotional learning skills practice into a social studies lesson, or incorporate STEAM learning into a literature experience. These types of activities foster low-risk opportunities for expression and encourage students to demonstrate abilities in innovative ways.

Use assessments that allow for diverse expressions of understanding: Offer choice in how students demonstrate knowledge, skills and understanding. Project-based learning (PBL) works exceptionally well in this context. PBL "is a dynamic classroom approach in which students actively explore real-world problems and challenges and acquire a deeper knowledge." This type of open-ended learning allows ELLs to show what they know in ways that are less language dependent, such as tactile design, sketching, computer programming, or art.

Consistently work toward the elimination of educator bias: Teachers and parents play a critical role in the gifted identification process-they are most likely to nominate students for consideration and are directly involved in a child's day-to-day endeavors. We can better prepare both groups to advocate for ELLs who demonstrate exceptional gifts and talents.

Parents are often the first to note a child's gifted potential, even if it has not presented at school. This may be especially true of students who have not yet gained linguistic confidence or students from collectivist cultures, who typically avoid standing out in the classroom. Caretakers-especially those whose cultural experience with school involvement differs from Western norms-can be explicitly encouraged to recommend their child for GT screening and review. Educators, meanwhile, can benefit from training to reduce bias and spot latent talents in underrepresented populations.

Like all successful school programming, achieving effective and equitable GT services is a collaborative effort.

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An inclusive framework for finding gifted and talented students can ensure that English language learners don't slip through the cracks.

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I chose to include the first resource because it provides sample questions that you can use that your child could potentially be asked while taking the NNAT. It also gives a break down of the different sections that will be included on the NNAT so the parents have a better understanding of the test. I chose to include the second resource because it provides information on how to identify if your ELL student is gifted and how to support them.

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TED-Ed celebrates the ideas of teachers and students around the world. Discover hundreds of animated lessons, create customized lessons, and share your big ideas.

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Getting Started With Game-Based Language Learning

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Introducing English-language learners to game-based learning brings the added benefits of conversation about their interests, discussion of in-class rules, and peer collaboration.

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I chose the first resource because it is one of the current online resources that are useful for language development. It is a video-based interactive website that is educational for the core subjects in the classroom. I chose the second resource because it includes how to start using game-based language learning in your classroom while also giving you some ideas

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What are content and language objectives?

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LO 1 Steps for Developing Language Objectives

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I chose the first resource because it can help me get a better and deeper understanding of what content and language objectives are and why they are important in my classroom. I chose the second resource because it can help me understand the different steps for developing language objectives in my classroom and guide me along the way to make sure I am doing it correctly.