ESL, Now What? ESL Teaching Simple and Effective Practices Georgia Arruda PP110 Lincoln County Department of Education September 13, 2010

What does the research say?  Minority students do not have to be fluent in oral English before they engage in reading practices  The affective filter must be lowered in order to effectively learn as second language  Comprehension precedes production  Important benefits of supporting the English language learner is applied when integration of students culture is evident  High-Quality instructional strategies are needed to meet the needs of diverse learners  Learning and instructional considerations must be applied when teaching an English language learner  Strategies applied within the classroom are crucial for educational success for the English language learner

Keys to Success  Maintain accurate student portfolios to monitor student progress  Align curriculum to meet both ESL and State academic standards  Modify curriculum as needed to promote student success  Apply acceptable accommodations for testing  Student culture should be reflected within the classroom

Myths and Misconceptions  Immigrant students are not entitled to ESL services – False, actually all students regardless of their immigrant status are entitle to a free public education  Funding for ESL services must be supplied by each school individually – False, at the state level there is Basic Education Program (BEP) funding designed for districts with identified ELL students  Any teacher or teachers aide may provide the services needed for ELL students – False, in Tennessee a teacher must have and ESL endorsement or on an approved waiver to provide instruction  Parents and students can waive ESL services at any time – False, no student or parent can deny ESL services until the student is the age of 18  You can place a ELL student in Special Education until they have gained fluency in English – False, students can not be place in Special Education classes unless they have been in a traditional classroom for a minimum of two consecutive years and have been tested and met Special Education requirements.

Strategies for Teachers  Interactive lessons with hands- on activities and cooperative learning  Encouragement of creativity and discovery  Versatility and flexibility  Enhancement and support of the mainstream curriculum  Opportunities for all students to feel successful  Integration of language skills, thinking skills, and content knowledge

Strategies for Students  Sit in the front of the classroom  Frontload vocabulary  Cooperative learning activities  Peer tutors  Extended time  Modification of curriculum outcomes outlined  Access to students particular learning style  Provide illustrations when needed  Supplementary books (translation dictionary)  Use graphic organizers  Textbooks on tape

Parents of ESL Students  Parents of ELL students need help to:  Understand how U.S. school systems work in general  Understand how their local school district and schools operate  Know what is expected of them by school and district personnel  participate

Resources  National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE)  National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition & Language Instruction Educational Programs (NCELA)  Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)  National Center for ESL Literacy Education (NCLE)  Great ESL Links  Resources for Language Teacher and Learners  ESL Lesson Plans and Resources