DEMOGRAPHICS Funded by U.S. Department of Education

Numbers of ELL Students KEY POINT: This map shows the distribution of the greatest numbers of students formally designated as LEP. DISCUSSION: Ask participants to locate their (our) state. Where do we fit? (U.S. Department of Education, NCELA, 2007) Funded by U.S. Department of Education

Density of ELL Populations KEY POINTS: This map shows the greatest concentrations of LEP students by state. The earlier map simply showed numbers; this one compares numbers of LEP students to non-LEP students. DISCUSSION: What is the percentage density for our state? What implication might that figure have for our state’s educational system? (Take three or four answers from the group.) (U.S. Department of Education, NCELA, 2007) Funded by U.S. Department of Education

Growth of ELL Populations SAY: Here we see where the greatest growth in numbers of LEP students has taken place. States that have not historically had large LEP populations, such as those in the Midwest and Southeast, are seeing the greatest growth in LEP student numbers. DISCUSSION: Where does our state fall in terms of growth? What are the implications of this growth for our state’s educational system? (U.S. Department of Education, NCELA, 2007) Funded by U.S. Department of Education

The Most Common Languages of English Language Learners KEY POINTS: More than 460 different home languages are represented nationally. Spanish, at 79%, is the most commonly spoken second language, followed by Vietnamese and Hmong (2%), and Cantonese and Korean (1%). All other languages make up about 15% of the total. The number of languages spoken in schools represents a challenge for state agencies in terms of assessment and instruction. Spanish is the most common language spoken by ELLs in the United States. ACTIVITY #1: Differences Among ELL Groups In preparation for the next slide, prompt the audience to name differences within the ELL population before showing the slide. SAY: Please turn to the person sitting next to you and share what you think are differences among ELL groups. Can we name a few? Now, let’s look at this list This activity should take no more than 3 minutes. Funded by U.S. Department of Education

LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT Funded by U.S. Department of Education

What is Language? A written or oral system of communication that uses symbols and has rules for their use. The gateway for learning A primary way we communicate KEY POINTS: Language is a unique human capability. It plays an important role in representing our knowledge and experience, goals and aspirations, feelings and emotions (Francis & Rivera, 2007). It facilitates the acquisition of new knowledge. NOTE: Part 2 should take about 30 minutes to present. Funded by U.S. Department of Education

Language Components Phonology - the patterns of basic speech units and the accepted rules of pronunciation Morphology - the study of the smallest meaningful units of speech (morphemes) Syntax - how individual words and basic meaningful units are combined to create sentences Semantics - the ways in which a language conveys meaning Pragmatics - the contextually appropriate use of language KEY POINT: With practice and experience, children develop skills in each of these components as they develop language. NOTE: These terms are included in the Facilitator’s Guide glossary. Funded by U.S. Department of Education

Language Development Milestones Milestones are a guide to normal development. Language development is cumulative: we master simple skills before more complex ones. KEY POINTS: There are many theories of how we develop language. Children vary in their language and speech development. Children’s speech and language development is the result of many interacting factors; however, there is a natural progression from the simplest to more complex skills. Some significant skills, which we call milestones, serve as a guide to a normal language development. Funded by U.S. Department of Education

Note Some languages are easier to learn than others, depending on the complexity of their symbol system and their degree of transferability. KEY POINT: Obstacles for second-language learners include the symbol system and the transferability of literacy skills from a native language to the second language. Funded by U.S. Department of Education

English: An Opaque Orthography English may use many combinations of symbols for a given sound. For example, “f” and “ph” in fantasy and pharmacy “ee,” “ei,” and “ea” in need, receive, and read “u” for umbrella or Utah SAY: Examples of this dichotomy are the English and Spanish languages. Funded by U.S. Department of Education

Spanish: A Transparent Orthography There is generally a 1:1 correspondence between letters and sounds. For example: /p/ /a/ /s/ /e/ /o/ paseo /a/ s/ i/ /a/ Asia The Spanish orthography has more frequent 1:1 correspondence, eliminating the need to learn sound patterns. Funded by U.S. Department of Education

Second Language Acquisition Factors: Age of first contact with new language (L2) Proficiency in first language (L1) Language-learning ability Intensity of instruction and opportunities to learn KEY POINTS: Second language acquisition is the process of learning another language in addition to one’s native or first language. Estimates of time required to acquire proficiency in a second language vary considerably, with little empirical data to inform a definitive answer to this question. As in many other aspects of learning, becoming proficient in a second language is affected by numerous factors that interact and change constantly for the learner. It is hard to control these factors in order to study them and determine the time required to be considered proficient. Furthermore, it’s hard to agree on what “proficient” means. Funded by U.S. Department of Education

VOCABULARY NOTE: Part 4 should take about 25 minutes to present. Funded by U.S. Department of Education

Principles of Vocabulary Instruction Teach high utility words that appear often across content areas and are key to comprehension. Present definitions and examples of use in context. Provide multiple exposures to meaningful information about the word (Stahl & Nagy, 2006). Use cognate knowledge (Dressler, 2000). Teach word analysis and other word-learning skills. Engage students in learning words through talking about, comparing, analyzing, and using target words. KEY POINTS: Here, we will examine the principles of vocabulary instruction. Effective vocabulary instruction requires a balance of explicit teaching of individual words and teaching word-learning strategies. Based on existing research, the techniques presented here have been demonstrated to be effective with ELLs. Cognates can help ELLs figure out the meaning of new words if they learned to read in their native language (e.g., Spanish). Students may connect cognate pairs on the basis of sound alone. Students who are literate in Spanish as well as those who are not literate, but are orally proficient, in Spanish may benefit from instruction in cognate awareness. Word analyses can actively engage students in discussing how to break down words by focusing on different roots, prefixes, suffixes, and other parts of the word. These skills can help students not just learn the vocabulary words in the lesson, but also develop tools to understand novel words when they encounter them in a variety of contexts. Funded by U.S. Department of Education

Vocabulary-Building Instructional Strategies High frequency English words General purpose academic words Content-area vocabulary English-Spanish cognates (for Spanish-speaking ELLs) Words conveying key concepts High-utility words Relevant to content under study Words that are meaningful to students (Gersten, Baker, & Unok Marks, 1998; Stahl & Nagy, 2006) KEY POINTS: Frequently used words (there, would, part, ever, etc.) may be difficult for ELLs, or ELLs may not know all of their meanings. Research has shown that teaching these categories of words has been successful in building ELLs’ vocabulary, and can be a useful instructional strategy for working with ELL students. Many techniques and multiple exposures are needed to teach all of these kinds of words. Academic words in English are often cognates with common vocabulary words in Spanish (e.g., insect and insectivore are relatives of the Spanish insecto). Spanish more often retains the Latin root in ordinary speech, while English often uses the Anglo-Saxon (e.g., bug) in ordinary speech, retaining words of Latin origin for academic and literary vocabulary. This gives Spanish-speaking ELLs an enormous resource for learning academic English. For example, researchers have estimated that English-Spanish cognates account for 30% to 50% of English academic language (Hiebert & Kamil, 2005; Nash, 1997). Teaching Spanish-speaking biliterate ELLs to look for and recognize cognates can be an effective step in increasing their academic vocabularies. Teachers’ word list selections should be guided by these criteria: Words that convey key concepts that link to other new vocabulary. High utility words that appear across the curriculum in content areas. Words that are relevant to the content Words that hold meaning for students Funded by U.S. Department of Education

ACADEMIC LANGUAGE KEY POINTS: We now turn to a discussion of one type of vocabulary development important for students as they develop the reading skills necessary for success in school. Academic language, or the language of school, is the language used in textbooks, in classrooms, on tests in different content areas, and on standardized achievement tests. NOTE: Part 5 should take about an hour to present. ACTIVITY #4: Knowledge of Academic Language (True-False Quiz) SAY: As part of this section I am going to give you a true-false quiz to self-assess your knowledge of academic language. Take a few minutes to take the quiz and then as we review the next slides, check your answers. Allow three minutes. Funded by U.S. Department of Education

Dimensions of Language Conversational language Used daily to communicate with others Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills (BICS) (Cummins, 1979) Academic language The language of text and content areas Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) (Cummins, 1979) KEY POINTS: Conversational language—the skills and vocabulary one retrieves and uses every day—becomes natural through practice and experience in a comfortable environment. Academic language evolves with time and experience and has a direct relationship with the level and quality of instruction one receives. The acronyms BICS and CALP are distinctions that researcher Jim Cummins made in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s to call attention to the different amounts of time that ELL students typically need to develop fluency in conversational English compared with the time necessary to develop academic English for school success. Thus, while ELLs generally develop conversational fluency in English within about two years of exposure to English, academic language fluency can take several years longer (Collier, 1987; Cummins, 1981, 1984; Klesmer, 1994; Hakuta, 2001). However, we must be cautious about assuming that conversational language is less sophisticated or cognitively demanding than academic language, because both have different levels of complexity and sophistication. Funded by U.S. Department of Education

Students Need Academic Language to understand teacher explanations, to discuss what is being learned, to read for different purposes, and to write about their learning. KEY POINTS: Mastery of academic language is arguably the most important determinant of academic success for individual student (Francis, Rivera, Lesaux, Kieffer, & Rivera, 2006). Funded by U.S. Department of Education

Academic Language Functions Lower-Order Skills Recalling facts Identifying vocabulary Creating definitions Higher-Order Skills Using language to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate KEY POINTS: Students need to be able to use these functions separately, as well as in conjunction with each other across various content areas. Students are asked to use both lower and higher order thinking skills, both of which require an ability to manipulate language. This indicates that there is a close relationship between academic language and thinking skills. Academic language, then, is identified by describing the type of language function students are required to use, and then the level of thinking skills needed to engage in content activities that require that language. Funded by U.S. Department of Education

EVALUATION Funded by U.S. Department of Education