ELL Awareness Training Accommodating Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Laurie McKay, Pat Apfel & Wendy Musselman January 9, 2008

Objectives Awareness of inherent difficulties faced by English Language Learners in the school environment Appropriately accommodate for English Language Learners in content area classrooms in the areas of: –Curriculum –Instruction –Assessment

Who are your English Language Learners? Group Brainstorm

No Child Left Behind Title III Requires annual testing of English Language Learners in: –English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA) –Content area (MEAP, MME & other high stakes testing)

Federal Mandates Federal mandate, derived in part from 1974 Lau v. Nichols, establishes the right of language minority students to a meaningful education. English Language Learners (ELLs) must be provided with equal opportunities; that is, equal access to the core curriculum. Plyler v Doe, 1982, states that the Constitution prohibits denying undocumented immigrants an education.

BICS & CALP Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills –Playground and survival language –1 – 3 years Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency –Classroom and academic language –7+ years

Comprehensible Input Understandable linguistic input –Strategies to be more understandable

Language Proficiency English Language proficiency is assessed in four domains: –Listening –Speaking –Reading –Writing

Levels of Proficiency Basic (Level 1A or 1B) Low Intermediate (Level 2) High Intermediate (Level 3) Proficient (Level 4) Advanced Proficiency (Level 4/5)

English Language Proficiency Standards Covers all four language domains Five levels Outlines what English Language Learners should know and be able to do at each level of proficiency

Language Level Activity Place the descriptors of the student into the appropriate level Consider the four domains: –Listening –Speaking –Reading –Writing

Content, Process & Product CONTENT: –What a teacher wants students to learn (GLCE & HSCE PROCESS: –Activities designed to make sense out of essential ideas and information PRODUCT: –Vehicles through which students demonstrate what they learned (Have students met the GLCE and HSCE)

Elementary Example Social Studies –Glossed Text –Tiered lesson design –Graphic organizers –Cloze passage

Planning A Tiered Activity Grade ________ Unit _________ Lesson _________________ Standard/Benchmark: ________________________________ The Big Idea: What is the essential knowledge? Levels 1 / 2Level 3Level 4 /5

Planning A Tiered Activity Grade __6__ Unit __The Thirteen Colonies_ Lesson _Intro to Reading Selection with Graphic Organizer___ Standard/Benchmark: _USHG 2.1 European Struggle for Control of North America___________________________ The Big Idea: What is the essential knowledge? English people came to North America for wealth, religious freedom, and a better way of life. Many parts of American life today began in the 13 colonies. Levels 1 / 2 Student will read the graphic organizer version of the text. (Content) The teacher will “read” the graphic organizer with a small group of students. (Process) Complete vocabulary chart. Draw a picture of a colonist. (Product) Culminating activity: The whole class will contribute by participating in a Colonists vs. King role play activity. Level 3 Student will read the glossed version of the text. (Content) They will partner with a native English speaker or read in small group with teacher support. (Process) Complete a cloze passage outline of the chapter and make a diorama of a colony. (Product) Culminating activity: The whole class will contribute by participating in a Colonists vs. King role play activity. Level 4 /5 Students will read the standard textbook version of the reading. (Content) Students will partner with a native English speaker. (Process) Make a poster illustrating why freedom is important to the Colonists. OR write a letter to the King stating why they want freedom. (Product) Culminating activity: The whole class will contribute by participating in a Colonists vs. King role play activity.

The Thirteen Colonies The colonies were ruled by England. The colonists wanted freedom from England.

The Thirteen Colonies The colonists wanted religious freedom. The Pilgrims worked with the Native Americans

The Thirteen Colonies Vocabulary Chart Word: In my language: Part of speech:Definition: Sentence:Drawing:

Secondary Example Science –Tiered Lesson Design –Varied texts –Visual support –Technology

Planning A Tiered Activity Grade ___9_____ Unit ___Elements and Atoms______ Lesson _Inside the Atom________________ Standard/Benchmark: ___Classify substances as elements, compounds, or mixtures and justify classifications in terms of atoms and molecules_____________________________ The Big Idea: What is the essential knowledge? The periodic table of elements is made of metals, nonmetals, and metalloids Levels 1 / 2 Read the graphic organizer with teacher support. (Content) Fill in vocabulary charts with unfamiliar words. (Process) Create a model of the atom. (Product) Level 3 Read the textbook with audio support. (Content) Fill in a cloze note-taking worksheet providing a word bank: work with a partner. (Process) Create a model of the atom: use written notes to present the atom to the class. (Product) Level 4 /5 Read the standard version of the text with or without a partner. (Content) Fill in a cloze note taking worksheet without word bank. (Process) Create a PowerPoint model of the atom including slides with written information on the atom to be presented to the class. (Product)

Topic __________________________________________ Name _____________________________ Date _______________ WORD TRANSLATION OR PICTURE DEFINITIONSENTENCE

Cloze Note-taking Outline Lecture Notes –Teacher delivers lecture –Students take notes with note-taking outline –Ideas for accommodations Lesson Notes –Teacher assigns reading –Students take notes with note-taking outline –Ideas for accommodations

Who are your English Language Learners? Picture an English Language Learner that you have worked with Think about what he or she could do in all four language domains Use the English Language Proficiency Checklist and fill it out for that student

How to Access Resources and Support After filling out the English Language Proficiency Level Checklist and the Content, Process and Product: –Contact Pat Apfel, General Education Instructional Consultant via web, or telephone –By using the information you have provided, Pat will direct you appropriate resources and support for your English Language Learner