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English Language Proficiency Standards - these are important to include in the language objectives when lesson planning and for determining which language domains are begin addressed with the lesson.

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Proficiency Level Descriptors - these are important to refer to when monitoring the progress of the English learners. They also serve as reminders of what students can do at each level of proficiency within each domain of language.

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This video shows the silent way, a constructive approach. I liked this method as it minimal input from the teachers and more student activity and participation.

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ITTT International TEFL & TESOL Training

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Theories, Methods & Techniques of Teaching - The Silent Way

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This is the suggestopedia method. I liked this method as lessons take place against a background of soothing music in an emotionally comforting environment, with the teacher actively planting and un planting thoughts in and from the learners' minds

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This slide stuck out to me as I find it extremely important to remember that speaking is not natural for some EBs/ELs. It is important to remember the challenges they face with oral language.

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This slide was an important one for me to hold on to as it puts into perspective what a beginner listener comprehends in their brain. We will never be able to understand it on their level, but this slide does a good job at putting it into a visual perspective.

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This blog shows how to adapt guided reading practices to better support English Language Learners. It tells you how you can help students build literacy skills while developing confidence and language proficiency.

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SVG Image Map Example

Guided reading is an important component of a balanced literacy program. It is when individualized reading instruction is provided to a small group of students. The group size is typically between four to six students, and each lesson is approximately 20 minutes. The teacher meets with each group several times a week and provides targeted instruction on reading skills and comprehension strategies.

Are Guided Reading Lessons the Same for ELLs?

Aren't guided reading lessons the same for ELLs (English language learners) as with native English speakers? Yes and no. The same effective strategies used with native English speakers are used with ELLs, but additional strategies are necessary in order to help ELLs navigate through their new language. Let's face it: Our ELLs are learning content and the English language at the same time. In order for them to fully understand and interact with the text, certain instructional strategies require more attention, and scaffolds need to be added to support the language. Let's take a look at how we can modify guided reading instruction to best support our English language learners.

Choosing the Right Text

When we choose a guided reading text for our ELLs, it's important to keep some questions in mind. Does the book topic provide cultural relevance? Will students have prior knowledge of the topic? What background knowledge will you need to provide the students? Choosing texts that students can relate to will add to their level of comprehension.

Additionally, as with any guided reading group, we want to choose books, or texts, that are at the students' instructional reading levels. For ELLs we also want to choose books that don't have a heavy language load. If I find a book at my students' reading level, but the language is heavy with a lot of new vocabulary or grammatically complex sentences, I may choose to find a different book.

Age-Appropriate Books

It's also important to choose age-appropriate books for our ELLs. Avoid "baby" books, especially for the older students. Students may be reading at a primary level in English, but providing "babyish" books can have a negative impact on a student's self-esteem. It can also be a source of embarrassment for them. It may be more challenging to find emergent leveled books for older ELLs, but they are out there.

Identifying Areas of Confusion

When choosing a text, also note areas that might be confusing. Some areas that can hinder comprehension are the use of figurative language, homophones, multiple-meaning words, and new vocabulary, as well as grammatically complex sentences. Addressing these before reading will greatly support students' understanding.

Lastly, whenever we are able to integrate reading with other content areas, the better it is for our ELLs. This provides multiple exposures to a topic, allowing students to gain a deeper understanding of the content. I love finding books or passages that tie into the Science and Social Studies curriculum, because this additional exposure also sets them up for further success in those classes.

Introducing the Text

As the text is introduced, clear and concise objectives should be provided. I post both content and language objectives at the beginning of each lesson. The content objective is "what" I want them to learn, and the language objective is "how" they will show their understanding. Setting clear objectives gives students a purpose for reading, as well as a goal that is clear and attainable.

Activating Background Knowledge

Next, and one of the most important components of modified guided reading, is activating or building background knowledge as a pre-reading activity. ELLs often lack the background knowledge needed to fully understand a text. In order to bring cultural relevance to a topic, we need to activate the knowledge they already have, or when there is none, we need to build it for them.

Build Background Knowlege

We can build this by using real-world items (realia), videos, pictures, or shared readings. This component is crucial for setting ELLs up for success. Imagine your new student is from a tropical country, and the book you are reading with him/her is about a snowy winter. The student may not have background knowledge of what snow looks like, feels like, tastes likes, sounds like, or smells like. Using pictures, video clips, and realia can provide the background knowledge the student needs to gain a deeper understanding of the text.

Frontloading Vocabulary

As the text is introduced, we also want to frontload new vocabulary before reading. This includes both academic vocabulary, as well as any tricky everyday vocabulary. I always try to look at vocabulary through the eyes of an English language learner. A word that may not seem tricky to me could be for my ELLs.

Introducing the text, building background knowledge, and frontloading new vocabulary are critical to scaffolding the guided reading text. Spending extra time on this component will be extremely beneficial.

Checking for Understanding

Next, monitoring student understanding as they read is done with quick comprehension checks. I listen to each individual child read, and then I will ask him/her open-ended questions or have him/her make a connection, a prediction, or an inference. The student then "turns off their volume" and continues to read silently while I listen to the next student. This continues as I get to each student in the group. We can't assume our ELLs understand; it's necessary to provide those comprehension checks to either help them navigate the text further or confirm that they are indeed understanding.

Responding to Reading

This is the "language objective." It's the "how" they will show what they know. You may choose to incorporate a guided writing activity, fill in a graphic organizer, use drama, participate in a discussion, or answer questions about their reading. This component will help solidify understanding and afford the use of language output in a low-anxiety setting.

Incorporating Word Work

Word work is also an important part of reading instruction, and your guided reading lesson is a great time to incorporate it. Our ELLs need word work. Instructional time devoted to phonics, spelling patterns, and sight words will help build a foundation for learning English. I typically find areas of focus within the guided reading text. I also look for sounds in English that are different in my students' native language and focus on building awareness and pronunciation of these new sounds. Spending just a few minutes each lesson on word work will have a great impact on your ELLs' progress in both their reading and writing skills.

Integrating Skills for Comprehensive Literacy Development

Integrating listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in a guided reading lesson helps students grow in literacy. The goal is to provide ELLs with the necessary skills and support. This ensures they can understand and interact with the grade-level content and curriculum. By doing this, we can better close the achievement gap.

Make Guided Reading for ELLs Happen! You can do it!

Modified guided reading instruction enables the reading and language skills of students to be developed. It targets the specific needs of ELLs and provides them with a deeper and broader understanding of the text. Through this practice, the literacy skills, language development, and self-confidence of your English language learners will flourish.

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Guided reading is an excellent instructional tool, but guided reading for ELLs is equally as effective--and maybe even more important!

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This article is a key one to keep handy as it lists many reading comprehension strategies for ELs.

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Reading Comprehension Strategies for English Language Learners

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Note: This article originally appeared in ASCD Express: Vol. 5, Issue 11, “Reading to Learn.” Comprehension is the reason for reading, but it can be the most difficult skill to master — especially for English language learners (ELLs). ELLs often have problems learning science, math, or social studies concepts, for example, because they cannot comprehend the textbooks for these subjects.ELLs at all levels of English proficiency and literacy development will benefit from improved comprehension skills, which allow them to:read more accuratelyfollow a text or story more closelyidentify important events and concepts in a textmaster new concepts in their content-area classescomplete assignments and assessmentsfeel motivated to read in school and for pleasureThere are a number of ways to build ELLs’ comprehension skills. Often standard strategies that are used in mainstream classrooms are a good starting point — they just need to be tweaked with ELLs’ language and academic needs in mind! This article focuses on strategies that are part of three main approaches: building background knowledge, teaching vocabulary explicitly, and checking comprehension frequently.I. Build background knowledgeDraw on students’ existing knowledgeStudents may already possess content knowledge that they cannot yet demonstrate in English. Look for opportunities to make associations between students’ experiences and new content. Allow students to use their native language with peers for a quick brainstorm about what they know about a topic before presenting their ideas to the whole class.Related Videos Video bonus: See classroom videos and interviews about reading comprehension in our related resource section and classroom video library!Build students’ background knowledgeStudents with limited or interrupted schooling may not have that same level of knowledge as their peers, especially when it comes to historical or cultural topics. When starting a new lesson, look for references that may need to be explicitly explained.Take students on a “tour of the text”At the beginning of the year and each time you hand out a new textbook, take students on a “virtual tour.” Show them different elements of the text, such as the table of contents and the glossary, and discuss how these sections can be helpful. Explain how the text is organized, pointing out bold print, chapter headings, and chapter summaries. Once students learn how to recognize these elements, they will be able to preview the text independently. Remember that students need to know how to use a tool in order for it to be useful. Learn more about this strategy in Teaching ELLs to Navigate Textbooks Effectively.Use a “picture-walk”This strategy can be used for fiction or non-fiction books. “Walk through” the book with the students, pointing out pictures, illustrations, and other graphic elements. Ask them what they notice about the pictures and how they think those details may be related to the story or content.Use outlines to scaffold comprehensionProvide a brief, simple outline of a reading assignment or an oral discussion in advance of a new lesson. This will help ELLs pick out the important information as they listen or read.II. Teach vocabulary explicitlyFocus on key vocabularyChoose vocabulary that your students need to know in order to support their reading development and content-area learning. Provide student-friendly definitions for key vocabulary.Include signal and directional wordsRemember that students may also need explicit instruction in signal or directional words (“because” and “explain”), in addition to key content vocabulary (“photosynthesis” and “revolution”).Use a “picture-walk” for vocabularyOnce students know a new word’s definition, ask them connect those new words to the pictures they see in the text.Teach students to actively engage with vocabularyTeach students to underline, highlight, make notes, and list unknown vocabulary words as they read.Give student practice with new wordsEnsure that your students can:Define a wordRecognize when to use that wordUnderstand multiple meanings (such as the word “party”)Decode and spell that wordIncorporate new words into discussions and activitiesFor students to really know a word, they must use it — or they will lose it. Use new words in class discussions or outside of class in other contexts if appropriate, such as on field trips. Give the students as many opportunities to use and master the new vocabulary as possible.III. Check comprehension frequentlyUse informal comprehension checksTo test students’ ability to sequence material, for example, print sentences from a section of the text on paper strips, mix the strips, and have students put them in order.Test comprehension with student-friendly questionsAfter reading, test students’ comprehension with carefully crafted questions, using simple sentences and key vocabulary from the text. These questions can be at the:Literal level (Why do the leaves turn red and yellow in the fall?)Interpretive level (Why do you think it needs water?)Applied level (How much water are you going to give it? Why?)No matter what the proficiency level of the student, ask questions that require higher-level thinkingTo probe for true comprehension, ask questions that require students to analyze, interpret, or explain what they have read, such as:What ideas can you add to…?Do you agree? Why or why not?What might happen if…?How do you think she felt…?Use graphic organizersGraphic organizers allow ELLs to organize information and ideas efficiently without using a lot of language. Different types include Venn diagrams, K-W-L charts, story maps, cause-and-effect charts, and timelines.Provide students lots of different ways to “show what they know”Drawings, graphs, oral interviews, posters, and portfolios are just a few ways that students can demonstrate understanding as they are beginning to develop their reading and writing skills in English.SummarizeAsk students to use the following strategies to summarize what they have read (orally or in writing):Retell what you read, but keep it short.Include only important information.Leave out less important details.Use key words from the text.It may be challenging to get ELLs’ comprehension skills where you want them to be, but the extra effort it takes will be well worth it as you put them on the path to becoming successful readers.

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This is a great website that offers multiple different approaches of teaching math to English learners.

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This is a great example of a math question from a STAAR test. This can be used to assess students before the big test.

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This is a good example to show students and test their knowledge from a STAAR assessment.

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This video shows the teacher using the pre teaching vocabulary method in a science method. This is a very effective strategy.

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This video introduces English learners to the early English settlers of New England. This is a good way to introduce English learners o unknown topics.

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This question from the STAAR test can be used as practice when learning and assessing social studies with English leaners.

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This is a great photo breaking down summative assessment, and its components.

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This can be a good video to show kids using visuals breaking down the difference between summative and formal assessment.

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These are good questions to keep in mind as a teacher getting ready to conduct a formative assessment.

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These recommendations really stuck with me and I would love to have them handy when approaching formative assessments as a reminder for what works best with ELs.

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It is important as a teacher to familiarize ourselves with these accommodations so we know how to help our students who need it.

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Texas Education Agency (TEA) accessibility policies may apply to any student taking State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR ®) or Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) depending on his or her needs and whether or not the student meets the eligibility criteria, if applicable. These policies are divided into three main categories. Within each category are links to policy documents that provide more specific information.

Accessibility Policy documents listed on the Accommodation Resources webpage are currently located in the District and Campus Coordinator Resources online.

1. Accessibility Features: These are procedures and materials that are allowed for any student who needs them.

2. Designated Supports: These are locally-approved supports for students who meet eligibility criteria.

3. Designated Supports Requiring TEA Approval: These supports require the submission and approval using the Accommodation Request Process below.

Accommodation Request Process

For designated supports requiring TEA approval, the appropriate team of people at the campus level determines whether the student meets all of the specific eligibility criteria and, if so, submits an Accommodation Request Form to TEA. Educators must read and understand the information in the links below prior to submitting an Accommodation Request Form to TEA.

The 2022-2023 Accommodation Request Process (PDF) guides district and campus personnel in the process for requesting designated supports.

The 2022-2023 Training Document (PDF) outlines the steps to take when completing an Accommodation Request Form in the online system. It is recommended that all educators completing the online Accommodation Request Form review this document prior to submitting the form to TEA.

The Administration and Security Forms section in TIDE (external link) leads to the Accommodations Request Form (ARF) that educators must fill out to request a designated support that requires TEA approval. For a special administration of an online test (i.e., STAAR with content and language supports, TELPAS grades 2-12 reading and listening and speaking), do NOT submit an Accommodation Request Form.

The 2022-2023 Online Accommodation Request Submission Deadlines document lists the deadlines for submitting online accommodation requests for each test administration through June 30, 2023.

Training and Presentations

The following resources provide training opportunities (e.g., PowerPoint presentations, link to future training, training manuals) for educators needing information on accommodation resources.

Related Resources

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Texas Education Agency (TEA) accessibility policies may apply to any student taking State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR ®) or Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) depending on his or her needs and whether or not the student meets the eligibility criteria, if applicable.

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This is a key thing to have in my teacher tool kit. It is the process for identifying a learning disability of an EL. This will most definitely be something I run into in my career.

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This is a great article to rely on as a future teacher when in need of identifying a gifted and talented English learner.

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A MiddleWeb Blog

Last summer when Tan Huynh and I asked Twitter followers to suggest topics for on our shared MiddleWeb column, several readers (including Emily Golightly, an ESL teacher in North Carolina) voiced interest in reading about under-representation of ELs in gifted programs. I'm so happy you did!

If you're a glass-half-full person like I am, you might consider all of your students as gifts and gifted in some way. I have always taken that approach with my own children and each of my students as well.

All our students come to us with strengths and skills that they are highly capable of applying. And it's also true that some may come with an extra helping.

Many times it's parents that first realize that their child may be "gifted." Think about that for a moment. Imagine a family that notices a child may have unusual gifts. Family members may not speak English well yet. Perhaps they recently arrived.

Maybe in their home country the norm was not to approach the school or teacher about instruction. Or maybe they had their own bad experiences with school. How likely is this family to come to school and let us know that they think their child might qualify for the gifted program?

NPR reports that across the USA only 2% of ELs are in gifted programs, as opposed to 7.3% of non-ELs. The cause of such a gap? While a number of reasons exist for the under-representation of ELs in gifted programs, it has been determined that identification procedures and policies are two of them.

Additionally, a survey by the Education Week Research Center reported that gifted and talented programs are failing to reach many populations, including ELs.
As a whole, we aren't all on the same page when it comes to the term gifted or the criteria and programs. Although there is a federal definition of gifted and talented -
"Students, children, or youth who give evidence of high achievement capability in areas such as intellectual, creative, artistic, or leadership capacity, or in specific academic fields, and who need services and activities not ordinarily provided by the school in order to fully develop those capabilities." [Title IX, Part A, Definition 22. (2002)]
- many states follow their own definition. Furthermore, each state has its own screening criteria and programs for students that qualify. Some states are highly supportive of identifying and serving ELs while others are just not there yet.

I visited a number of other city and state education webpages and found varying levels of support for teachers and families of ELs. NYCDOE nicely placed links to Pre-Registration Checklists in nine different languages on their site for families. Florida Department of Education offers a well detailed, eight-page document that aids teachers in assessing ELs for eligibility for gifted programs.

I encourage you to take a look at what your state has to offer. This link will take you to The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) where you will find a list of all the states and numerous other resources.

In her article on the Seidlitz Education Blog, Macry Voss shares that though it may be difficult to identify ELs as gifted, it's not impossible. She says that as educators we only need to do two things: create conditions and observe! Sounds easy enough. Let's take a closer look.

Creating Conditions

Knowing that students will show their gifts in various ways and that the evidence may not come through in graded classroom work, local or state assessments or other typical means will help with identifying ELs who may qualify for gifted and talented services. If a student is working in isolation, working on watered down curriculum, or working on tasks that require little thought, you are not creating the conditions that will reveal the gifted potential your EL holds.

Here are a few ways teachers can increase engagement and motivation and thereby gain insight into what your EL may be capable of achieving:

▢ Choice in free reading

▢ Choice in writing topics

▢ Product oriented work

▢ Artistic representations

▢ Collaborative learning

▢ Portfolio samples

Observing

Knowing what to look for when trying to determine if an EL may qualify for gifted services is key to possible entry. One of the biggest challenges for educators in this situation is a possible communication barrier. If you are not able to speak the same language as your EL, it can be difficult to know what they are thinking or understanding.

It may be a struggle to assess their comprehension. It's hard to tell if an EL is curious, has a keen sense of humor, or has a heightened sense of justice if we aren't able to speak the same language yet. Here are a few indicators to look for as you try to determine if an EL may benefit from being screened for gifted services (including in their current primary language):

▢ Successful academic history in student's primary language

▢ Advanced developmental history according to family interview/screening

▢ Rapidity of learning new language and/or content

▢ Ability to problem solve

▢ Reading above grade level in primary language

▢ High proficiency in mathematics

▢ Interest in honoring his/her culture

▢ Respect for cultural differences

▢ Code switching

▢ Desire to teach classmates words from his/her primary language

According to the Texas Education Agency (TEA), "access to assessment and, if needed, G/T services must be made available to all populations of the district." But we have to remember that screening only happens when a teacher or parent notices patterns of exceptional performance in an EL and advocates for the child. This calls for educators to be closely attuned to students' abilities. "Formal channels of communication between gifted/talented and ELL teachers and coordinators are vital to gifted/talented ELL success." ( Belin & Blank, 2008, p. 29)

In addition, TEA says that, "Students must be assessed in languages they understand or with nonverbal assessments." It is common in many states to provide a nonverbal assessment to ELs. However many argue that this type of assessment actually works to limit or exclude ELs who excel in other areas ( Belin & Blank, 2008, p.15).

Keep in Mind
English proficiency is not a prerequisite to giftedness.
A student's ability to express themselves in English should not be a prerequisite for gifted and talented services. Do not wait until your student can communicate in English before you initiate testing. If you suspect a child may qualify, begin your state's or district's referral process for screening.
Looking Back & Moving Forward
It makes me sad to think back on the English learners I taught over the years who may have qualified for gifted and talented services but were not afforded the chance because of my lack of knowledge about identifying their gifts. I'm well aware now that there were a few I let slip by me.

Moving forward we can change the present and future landscape for gifted and talented ELs by helping all stakeholders know how to create conditions that allow ELs to shine and know what characteristics to look for in ELs who may qualify for gifted programs. Spend some time investigating the published work in this arena and start conversations with G&T experts in your district and community!

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Identifying Gifted and Talented English Learners

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A MiddleWeb Blog Last summer when Tan Huynh and I asked Twitter followers to suggest topics for on our shared MiddleWeb column, several readers (including Emily Golightly, an ESL teacher in North Carolina) voiced interest in reading about under-representation of ELs in gifted programs. I'm so happy you did!

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I loved this photo as it shows the specific characteristics of gifted and talented students.

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This image stuck out to me as it shows how the arts can aid comprehension in English learners.

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This photo shows many ways of integrating the arts that can help promote visual representation other than written or spoken language.

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This article shows how digital storytelling can enhance ELs communication skills and learning in a fun, relevant way.

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Last year, I took a big risk by including blogging as part of the curriculum for my first-year college English course. Around half of my students were English language learners (ELLs), and I wasn't sure that they would be comfortable with this medium. (Read about blogging in my ELL classroom here). I started to think of ways they could contribute to their blogs that did not necessarily require an overwhelming amount of writing. A conversation with our college's librarian led me to digital storytelling. Students would still write, but by using another medium too, I aimed to keep them motivated and engaged in writing blogs.
What Is Digital Storytelling?
Digital storytelling is the concept of using digital media (photos, audio, video) to create a story. It's a tool that can be used for a variety of communication purposes, from marketing and advertising to documentary videos. In the classroom, digital storytelling allows students to apply tools that are relevant to 21st-century learning and to extend their communication and interaction to another level.
Benefits of Digital Storytelling for ELLs
Digital storytelling has profound benefits for students' communication, critical thinking, creative and writing skills. For ELLs, those are three particularly important areas to focus on since learning a new language adds a layer of difficulty to overcome.

Communication:For many ELLs, communicating an idea, a narrative or a story is the most difficult aspect of learning English. Digital storytelling allows students to communicate an experience or an idea-and the meaning and feelings behind it-in a short timeframe and to express themselves in ways they might not be able to while writing an essay or report. For example, a digital story can be three minutes long, but the tools used to tell it help convey a deeper meaning and builds a connection with the audience. Images, music, audio recordings and family photos are just a few of the possible tools.

Critical Thinking and Creativity:Often, ELLs get so caught up with learning and trying to speak and write English that critical thinking and creativity become lost in translation. The process of creating a digital story guides students to think about why an idea, an experience or a story is important to them. This allows students to practice analyzing their own narratives, which fosters reflection and critical thinking.

In addition to critical thinking, students will be able to learn in a way that supports and encourages creativity. Many students, if asked, would tell me they're not creative. However, students use their creativity throughout the process of developing digital stories, even when they're using technical or other skills (e.g., digital media tools) that don't conjure up "creativity" in their minds.

Writing:Writing is a pretty daunting task for most ELLs, but I found that, after being introduced to digital storytelling, my students became more comfortable with sharing their thoughts and experiences. Digital stories allow them to express themselves with fewer words. Still, creating a digital story takes students through a process that is very similar to the writing process. Students have to brainstorm, plan, outline, draft, edit and share. If you use digital storytelling with your students, periodically remind students to make connections between the two processes. This will help familiarize them with the writing process and help them see that writing is a doable task.

Here is an eight-step digital storytelling process, as explained byeducator and ed-tech expertSamantha Morra:

1. Generate an idea and go from there.

2. Research to learn about the topic.

3. Write out a script.

4. Create a storyboard.

5. Compile or create digital media (images, audio, video, etc.).

6. Assemble all the parts into a digital story.

7. Share with others.

8. Reflect on the experience and give feedback.

Digital Storytelling and Classroom Culture
As a class, we went through the process of creating digital stories together, but students also worked independently. I thought it would be great for them to share with each other their final products. Many students were reluctant at first, so I only chose volunteers. But as they saw their peers' work, many students changed their minds and shared their own stories.

Digital storytelling not only contributed to a safe environment for students to share their cultural experiences and personal stories, but it also created a classroom where students gained confidence. They realized that it's valuable for all of us to be proud of who we are.
One Student's Digital Story
Oleksii, an ELL student from Ukraine, had come to Canada a year before he attended my class. He was very self-conscious about writing and speaking in English and sought out extra help from me whenever he had the chance. When I introduced digital storytelling, he was very hesitant because of his accent-he even mentions it in the beginning of his video. However, after experimenting with digital storytelling, he saw it as an opportunity to share with his classmates a bit about Ukraine and his cultural background. After seeing his classmates' reactions to his story, Oleksii beamed with pride: He made a powerful digital story that he can share with others.
Resources How to Incorporate Digital Storytelling to Empower Student Voice
Digital Storytelling on Seneca College's Sandbox
A Guide to Producing Student Digital Storytellers
Alrubail is a writer on education, teaching and learning. She is also the editor of Medium's The Synapse publication on learning, teaching and education.

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Expressing themselves clearly in English can be challenging for English language learners, but digital storytelling can enhance their communication skills and learning in a fun, relevant way.

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This is a great visual to have that reminds teachers of the digital storytelling process.

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This is a perfect video that explains the content and language objectives to teachers.

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What are content and language objectives?

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I loved this video as it showed how to write a language objective and it perfect for teachers to understand why the steps are important.

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LO 2 Guidelines for writing a language objective

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This is a great summary reminder to look back on if having confusion on scaffolding.

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As a teacher, it is important to look back and remind ourselves of the ways to scaffold to help out EBs and ELs language development.

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This article does a great job breaking down the strategies for teaching academic language to English learners. This is a key thing to have in my tool kit.

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English Language Learners (ELLs) 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.

What Does the Science of Reading Say About Vocabulary?

The Science of Reading underscores the importance of vocabulary as a key component of literacy development and reading comprehension.

A strong vocabulary is necessary for understanding texts. If students don't know the meanings of key terms in a passage, their reading comprehension will suffer, even if they can decode the text.

Vocabulary is closely tied to background knowledge. The more words and concepts a student knows, the easier it is for them to understand and learn new content.

The following strategies will help students expand their vocabulary.

Morphology: In linguistics, morphology refers to the study of meaningful units of language (morphemes) and how they are combined to form words. Teaching morphology involves showing students how to break down words into roots, prefixes, and suffixes to deduce meanings of new words.

Context clues: Teaching students to infer word meanings based on context can help them tackle unfamiliar words as they read.

Cognates: For emergent bilinguals, recognizing cognates (words that share similar forms across languages) can be an effective strategy for developing vocabulary.

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 PreK-12 students.
This blog was originally published on September 13, 2017. It was updated on September 10, 2024.

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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 video does an excellent job relaying the message of academic language to teachers, as well as why it is important.

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Building Academic Language in your students. From conversation to academic language in the classroom