Differentiated Instruction for English Language Learners (ELLs) Christopher Bell, Hong Duong, Sheryl Hoilette EDUC 4800 Action Research Project Georgia Gwinnet College School of Education Spring 2013

Introduction Need: How implementing differentiated instruction can benefit English Language Learners (ELLs) Causes: Exercise precision in identifying student needs and provide for the individualized instructional needs of all students, Mill Creek High School. All students at Ferguson Elementary will increase their academic performance through differentiated and guided math instruction, Ferguson Elementary School. Trip Elementary school will continue to increase student academic achievement in math to meet or exceed targets through continued best instructional practices including targeted instruction and lesson study in math, Trip Elementary School Solution: To help implement differentiated instruction first teachers need to identify what differentiated instruction is and is not, teachers need to identify the best way for differentiating instruction for ELLs.

School Improvement Plans: Mill Creek High School, Ferguson Elementary School, and Trip Elementary School Analysis of School Improvement Plan: Based on the plans from our schools they all seemed to focus on making sure that all learners are able to learn by using individualized instruction or differentiated instruction. These plans indicated that it was important for all learners to be able to learn. Topic Selection: We selected differentiated instruction because all of our school improvement plans identified that individualized instruction or best practices should be used to help meet student needs. We also thought it was important to focus on ELLs because Gwinnett County is known for its large population of minority students. Benefit: This would beneficial to our schools because it would assist our schools to implement differentiated instruction that benefits ELLs as well as all learners. This action research plan analyzes how differentiated instruction is useful with all grade levels.

Description of Action Plan First off we choice a topic by finding matching goals from our LSPI goals from Mill Creek High School, Trip Elementary, and Ferguson Elementary. We researched and found four peer reviewed articles and two articles on differentiated instruction for English Language Learners (ELL) We listed strategies of differentiated instruction in the classroom that can be used from elementary to high school.

Relevant Literature Bauwens, J., & Simonelli, S. (2003). Differentiating instruction. Student Support, 4(2), Stanford, B., & Reeves, S. (2009). Making It Happen: Using Differentiated Instruction, Retrofit Framework, and Universal Design for Learning. TEACHING Exceptional Children Plus, 5(6), Ford, Karen, (2011). Differentiated Instruction for English Language Learners. Retrieved from Brighton, C., Brimijoin, K., Callahan, C. M., Conover, L. A.,Hertberg, H.,Moon, T. R.,…Tomlinson, C. A. (2003). Differentiating instruction in response to student readiness, interest, and learning profile in academically diverse classrooms: A review of literature. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 27 (2-3), Patton, J. & Hoover, J. (2005). Differentiating curriculum and instruction for english- language learners with special needs. Intervention in School and Clinic, 40 (4), Buteau, G., & True, M (2009). Differentiating instructional strategies to support English language learners. New England Reading Association Journal, 44 (2), 23-25

Presentation of Findings/Artifacts What did you find out as a result of research? Differentiated is all about changing either the content, the process, or the product. What did you choose to display and why? We choose to display strategies for implementing differentiated instruction for ELL’s in the classroom.

Feedback and Conclusions

We Learned THESE Lessons Lessons Learned: (What lessons did you learn? How can you use this? Or did other things happen that altered your final outcomes?) Meaning to Us as Educators: (How has this experience been meaningful to you as a developing professional teacher leader?) Things We Would Do Differently Next Time: (Include next steps as well as what you would add or modify in the process.)

Executive Summary Need Identified: (Include a brief summation of the goals of LSPIs) Artifacts Developed: (What did you present to your schools ?) Feedback: (Summarize the reactions of other Educators) End Result / Impact: (Explain the impact or result of the work done)

Credit; Appreciation; Thanks