Help Me Communicate By Lidia Sedano

 Level 1: Beginning/Pre-production  Level 2: Beginning Production  Level 3: Intermediate  Level 4: Advanced Intermediate

 Level 5: Advanced  Level 6: Fully English proficient  Level 7: Fully English proficient- Never Limited-English Proficient

 Pre-production  Early Production  Speech Emergence  Intermediate Fluency

 ESL: English as a Second Language  ELL: English Language Learner  Alternative Assessment: Any test that is altered in any way for an English Language Learner  BICS: Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills, or social/conversational English

 CALPS: Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency, or academic English  L1: First language or native language  L2: Second language  LEP: limited English Proficient

 Use the ESL staff as a resource. As a team you can help the ELL student with their learning needs.  It is not necessary to talk louder, but it sometimes helps to speak slower.  Incorporate the culture and language of the ELL students, both they and the other students will benefit.

 Be aware of cultural differences.  Use gestures and visual aids when you teach.  Use graphic organizers and Venn diagrams.  Locate yourself close to the ELL student when teaching.

 Be concise with the information you give to the ELL student to avoid “information overload”.  Check for comprehension. ESL students may be able to decode words but not understand what they have read.  Use bilingual labels when possible.

 Phonemic awareness may be challenging for ESL students who have not acquired the English sound system.  Integrate reading, writing, speaking and listening in real life contexts.  Make a sheet of important vocabulary related to what you are teaching.

 Label important content words in your classroom.  Pair ELL students with a mentor who will help them.  Speak conversationally to the student as much as possible.

 Diaz-Rico, L. (2004) Strategies for Teaching English Learners. New York: Pearson Education Inc.  Stages of Second Language Acquisition   Language Translators   Google site-limited translations-includes Spanish   ESL Lesson Plans and Activities   Office of English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement for Limited English Proficient Students (OELA) 