EL Program in a Nutshell

EL Program Flow Chart

WIDA Standards Measure English language development for EL students for listening, speaking, reading, and writing Outline the progression of English language development and exemplify how to teach academic language within the context of content area instruction

Can Do Descriptors What students can do based on their ACCESS or MODEL scores.

EL Core Program SDAIE - Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English LCS uses CCRS, WIDA standards, and SDAIE approach (Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English) to ensure English Learners acquire academic language as a part of the core EL program.

SDAIE: Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English Set of specific strategies designed to make instruction comprehensible and to make grade level academic content accessible for English learners. Especially supports intermediate levels proficiency Four critical elements of SDAIE are content, connections, comprehensibility, and interaction.

Four critical elements of SDAIE -“3 C’s and an I”: Content Connections Comprehensibility Interaction SDAIE: Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English

10 SDAIE: Content 1.Determine key concepts and skills from state frameworks and standards 2.Design lesson objectives that focus on specific concepts and language 3.Use district/state adopted grade level curriculum 4.Choose ancillary text and other materials that help clarify the content

11 SDAIE: Connections 1.Build connections between what is to be learned and what students already know. Take into consideration: - Previous content learning - Processes and skills learned (e.g., Think- Pair-Share, outlines) - Personal experiences (e.g., selecting culturally responsive examples from the student’s life to illustrate a key concept) 2.Organize lessons that build on previous knowledge

12 SDAIE: Comprehensibility 1.Combine visual clues such as pictures, diagrams with verbal and written communication 2.Make a one to one correspondence between spoken and written concept and the visual clue 3.Control range and diversity of vocabulary (e.g., idiomatic expressions) 4.Repeat new key words in different context and chart them 5.Check frequently for comprehension

13 SDAIE: Interaction 1.Use a variety of groupings 2.Use modeling and sentence frames to scaffold academic language development 3.Make sure students use targeted academic language 4.Ask many and varied questions

ACCESS and MODEL Scores If score 3.9 or below on MODEL placement test, must be identified as LEP If score 4.0, students may or may not be identified as LEP. If not identified as LEP, coded NOMPHLOTE - no further action needed Student scores 4.8 on ACCESS for ELLs – can exit EL and be monitored for 2 years

BICS and CALP – It’s All Greek to Me BICS - Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills, aka “Playground Language” Takes 1-2 years to acquire CALP - Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency, aka “Academic Language” Takes 5-7 years to acquire

BICS and CALP

Assessing EL Students: State Assessments During their first 12 months of enrollment in U.S. school, EL students are not required to participate in: ACT Aspire Reading ACT Explore Reading and English ACT Plan Reading and English ELs participate in ACCESS and other state tests, regardless of the number of years of enrollment in U.S. school

Assessing EL Students: Classroom Assessment Performance-based Assessment Performance-based Assessment Oral reports, presentations, demonstrations, written assignments, and portfolios Can include processes (e.g., several drafts of a writing sample) and products (e.g., team projects) Can concentrate on oral communication and/or reading (e.g. retelling stories, role playing, giving descriptions or instructions using visual or written prompts, oral reporting to the whole class, telling a story by using a sequence of three or more pictures, completing dialogue or conversation through written prompts, debating, either one-on-one or taking turns in small groups, brainstorming, completing incomplete stories, playing games)

Portfolio Assessment Practical way of assessing student work throughout the entire year Practical way of assessing student work throughout the entire year Examples: Examples: Samples of written student work, such as stories, completed forms, exercise sheets, and descriptions Drawings representing student content knowledge and proficiencies Tapes of oral work, such as role-playing, presentations, or an oral account of a trip Teacher descriptions of student accomplishments, such as performance on oral tasks Formal test data, checklists, and rating sheets Assessing EL Students: Classroom Assessment

Assessing Content Knowledge Adapt assessments to reduce English language difficulties The following techniques can be used separately or simultaneously as needed to assess content: The following techniques can be used separately or simultaneously as needed to assess content: Scaffolding assessments (allows ELs to demonstrate their content knowledge through exhibits or projects, drawings, and graphic organizers. Consider giving ELs extra time to complete these tasks, or to give short responses.) Differentiated scoring (scores content knowledge separately from language proficiency. To score content knowledge, look at how well ELs understand key concepts, how accurate their responses are, and how well they demonstrate the processes they use to come up with responses.)

EL Accommodations ELs must receive accommodations for content work when needed Accommodations must be documented to ensure ELs are provided full access to the content area Grading for ELs should be based on accommodated work ELs should not fail because of lack of English proficiency. Alternative grading can be an option for students scoring below 2.0 on MODEL or ACCESS

Communicating with Your EL Teacher Ensure continuous communication with the EL teacher assigned to your school Student progress Student language development Resources and guidance Share your lesson plans with the EL teacher to align classroom and EL instruction Accommodations

Role of the EL Instructional Assistants Assist EL and classroom teachers in providing services to EL students and support to the EL program. Reinforce subject matter and content to students under the direction and guidance of teachers EL assistants should work with EL students only in the presence of a certified teacher

Translation Services TransACT (sponsored by ALSDE) A number of documents available in multiple languages Free and unlimited access to all LCS employees at Enables educators to comply with the parental communication requirements Interpreters and document translations available upon request through Foreign Language Services Inc. (contact EL Coordinator/Natalia Dooley at CO)

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