EQ: How do English Learners’ Acquire Academic Language to Obtain Reading Comprehension Skills? Mishka Veira Barnes, Ed. D. Local School ESOL Lead Teacher Bryant Elementary School

WIDA’s Performance Definitions Use this rubric to: Set goals and conference with ELs Create ELs’ learning groups

Rich descriptive discourse with complex sentences WIDA Performance Definitions - Listening and Reading Grades K-12 (This rubric has 5 ELP Levels.) Level 5: Bridging Rich descriptive discourse with complex sentences Organized related ideas Compound, complex grammatical constructions (e.g., multiple phrases and clauses) A broad range of sentence patterns characteristic of particular content areas Technical and abstract content-area language Words and expressions with shades of meaning across content areas

WIDA Performance Definitions – Speaking and Writing Level 5: Bridging Multiple, complex sentences Organized, cohesive, and coherent expression of ideas A variety of grammatical structures matched to purpose A broad range of sentence patterns characteristic of particular content area Technical and abstract content-area language, including content-specific collocations Words and expressions with shades of meaning across content areas

My Goal To provide instructional strategies to successfully teach English Learners (ELs) how to read text and learn academic language.

What is Academic Language? Academic Language consists of three components. Academic Vocabulary Discourse-Forms of Communication Grammar and Conventions (Egbert& Ernst-Slavit, 2010)

How do we learn language? Discourse-forms of communication Example - A play, magazine article Language Function-The purpose in which we use language to communicate. Examples- Compare and Contrast, Asking Questions, Agreeing/Disagreeing, Greeting People/Introductions Academic vocabulary- Content area vocabulary Example- fossils Grammar- Conventions Example- I am going to the park.- correct I go to park.-incorrect

Academic Language and Reading Students who do not acquire academic language will most likely not achieve academic success because they will not understand the skills and the vocabulary related to the curriculum.

How do YOU think ELs Learn? Think about it for a second… Discussion… Model Strategies First Visuals- Display visuals all over the room or in little handbooks at the students’ desk Comprehensible Input- Making speech comprehensible (Rephrasing or by slowing your speech down) Context Clues Use Scaffolding Tools (a template, guide, resources) Create a safe environment Social Interaction (Converse with each other) Listening and Speaking Common Core Standards

Epiphany ELs must learn and use academic language (discourse, academic vocabulary and conventions. DAC) to become successful readers. How do ELs become successful readers?

Instructional Strategy # 1-Thoroughly UNPACK the CCGS (Model First) Focus on the Common Core State Standards Highlight the task and the important academic vocabulary Create Synonyms for the Verbs, Tasks, or Academic Vocabulary *****Think of the tasks***

Example ELACC2RL1 Ask and answer such questions as what, when, where, why, to demonstrate and show understanding of key details in a text. What is the reading comprehension skill (Asking Questions to show understanding of key details)? What is the task ( To demonstrate and show understanding)? What are the academic words (Key details)?

Another Standard ELACC3RL6. Distinguish(Determine) their own point of view (your thinking)from that of the narrator or those of the characters (animals or people in the story). Distinguish- Determine the difference Point of view- Your thinking

Unpacking the Standards

Instructional Strategy # 2 Create a Synonym Wall displaying Academic Vocabulary (Visual Cues) Encourage ELs to use the vocabulary while communicating.

Small Group Instruction Learning Environment

Instructional Strategy # 3 Small Group Instruction- Reading Text ( Tip- Converse with teacher and peers. Make speech comprehensible by rephrasing.) Review, Unpack, and Explain Standards (Provide synonyms. The standard is usually pre-written on a folder.) Warm up- Students read the section in a soft voice. The teacher documents miscues. (Document miscues using running record format.) Example: sam/some Previewing New Text- Focus on confusing words, meaning, sentence structure, text structure, visuals, and the uses of illustrations. Rephrase concepts and use synonyms to explain unknown words (Make speech comprehensible.)

Instructional Strategy # 3 Use Small Group Instruction- Reading Text (Tip-Comprehensible Input) Reading- Each student reads the selection in a soft voice. The teacher listens providing support and documenting miscues. Conversation is prompted and encouraged. (ELs may not know how to recognize miscues and they may not know how to correct them.) Language Study- Students engage in word study and evaluation of miscues. The focus is on words and parts that have proven difficult for the students. Create a language objective. Lang. Objective- TSW distinguish between a proper noun and a common noun.

Instructional Strategy # 3 Small Group Instruction- Reading Text (Make Speech Comprehensible) Teach for Processing Strategies – Teacher instructs students on a strategy that will move them along as readers Monitoring- Something is not right… Searching-Look at the picture. Think about the story… Self Correcting-Does my reading make sense? Maintaining Fluency-Read so it sounds like you’re talking. Making Connections-That reminds me of… Visualizing- The picture in my mind looks like… Predicting/Inference- This probably means… I predict… Determining Importance- This text is mostly about… Text Features- Headings, Table of context, Captions, Labels Synthesizing-In your own words, retell the story. I learned that..

Small Group Instruction Learning Environment

Small Group Instruction Learning Environment (Stations)

Instructional Strategy # 4 Rate Academic Vocabulary, Use Context Clues to determine meaning of unknown words. (Small Group or Whole Group) Rating 1- Never heard it. Rating 2- Heard it. Rating 3-Use it. Then, use Context Clues to determine the meaning of the word.

Instructional Strategy # 5 Create Scaffolding Tools or Resources (Bookmarks, Graphic Organizers, etc.) Model First… Reading Comprehension Strategies for primary students (K-2). Skill-Finding Key Details and Text Evidence UNPAC Underline the title. Now predict the passage. Patiently read the passage and number the paragraphs. Are you reading the questions? Are the important words circled? Correctly answer the questions by finding the answer in the passage and by putting the paragraph numbers next to the question.

Instructional Strategy # 5 Create Scaffolding Tools or resources (Bookmarks, Graphic Organizers, etc.) UNRAVEL (Larry Bell): Skill- Finding Key Details and Text Evidence  (3-5) Underline the title Now predict passage Run through and number the paragraphs Are you reading the questions? Are the important words circled Venture (Read) through the passage Eliminate the obviously wrong answers by crossing them out Let the questions be answered and write the paragraph # where you found the answers

More Scaffolding Tools What should I do when I do not understand what I am reading? Use Context Clues – Read sentences before and after. Ask questions ???? Make Connections –What does this remind me of? TEXT TO TEXT TEXT TO SELF TEXT TO WORLD Skim and Scan – Look at headings and bold words. Blend words – Look for little words in the big words. Look at glossary – Mini-dictionary at the back of the book. This bookmark belongs to ______________________. 

Closing: How do English Learners’ Acquire Academic Language to Obtain Reading Comprehension Skills? Teachers Must: Thoroughly Review, Unpack and Explain the Standards (Use Synonyms). Create a Synonym Wall displaying Academic Vocabulary. Use Small Group Instruction- Reading Text (Tip- Make speech comprehensible) Rate Academic Vocabulary. Use Context Clues to determine the meaning of unknown words. Create Scaffolding Tools or Resources (Bookmarks, Graphic Organizers, etc.). Encourage ELs to converse with other students. They must use the academic vocabulary.

Questions… One last note… I am also happy to report that 93% of my third grade ESOL students met expectations on the CRCT! Very Important… You have to have faith and believe ELs can succeed… no matter the task!