https://padlet.com/natalieprus/c1oig1i2r93wcfvt This topic fascinated me as English was technically not my L1... I wonder if teachers used these methods on me when I was younger to assist me in my learning en-us 2021-02-24 19:09:34 UTC 2026-02-05 11:03:20 UTC hello@padlet.com natalieprus https://padlet.com/natalieprus/c1oig1i2r93wcfvt/wish/1238040978 - Canadian-born ELLs are students who primary language is not English at home
- these students are comfortable in social settings (e.g. making friends, interacting); which may make it hard to identify a student like this that may need additional assistance

TWO SURPRISING FINDINGS:
(1) most ELLs in Ontario classrooms are Canadian-born
(2) Canadian-born ELLs are underperforming academically not only in comparison with their English-speaking counterparts but also with more recently arrived immigrant students (Coelho, 2007; Jang, Dunlop, Wagner, Youn-Hee Kim, Zhimei Gu, in press; Ontario Ministry of Education, 2008).

Canadian-born ELLs may be ...
•  First Nations, Métis and Inuit students whose first language is other than
English
•  Children born in Canadian communities where a distinct cultural and linguistic
tradition has been maintained
•  Children born in immigrant communities where languages other than English are primarily spoken at home (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2007)

- Important to remember that there is a difference between Academic English and Everyday English (Canadian-born ELLs may be successful in everyday conversations, but struggle in the academics)
- Jim Cummins (1981) suggested the importance of the Cognitive
Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) - “CALP reflects an individual’s access to and command of the specialized vocabulary, functions and registers of language that are characteristic of the social institution of schooling.” - important to develop for Canadian ELLs

TO SUPPORT THESE LEARNERS:
- Create an environment that promotes English Language Practice
- Provide challenging tasks (cognitive) ; some teaching strategies include presenting the message in multiple ways; simplify structure
- Keeping bringing the world into the classroom (incorporate student experiences and voices/perspectives into the classroom to make it more culturally relevant, inclusive and engaging)
- Keep talking! Engage in conversation everyday! (e.g. have students share thoughts and ideas in first language to encourage participation; check frequently for comprehension, etc.)

ASSESSMENT:
- learn what students are reading at home (this may impact how students see and understand the English language; this can help make connections with text you see in class and connect to L1)
- interpret miscues carefully (e.g. I were walking down the street)
- put assessments into context
SUGGESTED METHODS:
- incorporate students in assessment criteria (learning goals and success criteria)
- include students in process (revision of their own work and others)


EFFECTIVE PRACTICES FOR DEVELOPING SKILLS:
- Carefully chosen written text 
- provide students with exposure to and opportunities for using academic language in ways that oral interaction cannot
- explicitly teach words and how they work
- decode words (practice recognizing words)
- "Text Walk" strategy - The teacher strategically uses key vocabulary/terms/constructions while students “scan” for them and record their use for later discussion and deconstruction 
- read and write frequently]]> 2021-02-24 19:09:47 UTC https://padlet.com/natalieprus/c1oig1i2r93wcfvt/wish/1238040978