1. EQ: How do English Learners’ Acquire Academic Language to Obtain Reading Comprehension Skills?
Mishka Veira Barnes, Ed. D.
Local School ESOL Lead Teacher
Bryant Elementary School

2. WIDA’s Performance Definitions
Use this rubric to:
Set goals and conference with ELs
Create ELs’ learning groups

3. Rich descriptive discourse with complex sentences
WIDA Performance Definitions - Listening and Reading Grades K-12 (This rubric has 5 ELP Levels.) Level 5: Bridging
Rich descriptive discourse with complex sentences
Organized related ideas
Compound, complex grammatical constructions (e.g., multiple phrases and clauses)
A broad range of sentence patterns characteristic of particular content areas
Technical and abstract content-area language
Words and expressions with shades of meaning across content areas

4. WIDA Performance Definitions – Speaking and Writing
Level 5: Bridging
Multiple, complex sentences
Organized, cohesive, and coherent expression of ideas
A variety of grammatical structures matched to purpose
A broad range of sentence patterns characteristic of particular content area
Technical and abstract content-area language, including content-specific collocations
Words and expressions with shades of meaning across content areas

5. My Goal
To provide instructional strategies to successfully teach English Learners (ELs) how to read text and learn academic language.

6. What is Academic Language?
Academic Language consists of three components.
Academic Vocabulary
Discourse-Forms of Communication
Grammar and Conventions
(Egbert& Ernst-Slavit, 2010)

7. How do we learn language?
Discourse-forms of communication
Example - A play, magazine article
Language Function-The purpose in which we use language to communicate.
Examples- Compare and Contrast, Asking Questions, Agreeing/Disagreeing, Greeting People/Introductions
Academic vocabulary- Content area vocabulary
Example- fossils
Grammar- Conventions
Example- I am going to the park.- correct
I go to park.-incorrect

8. Academic Language and Reading
Students who do not acquire academic language will most likely not achieve academic success because they will not understand the skills and the vocabulary related to the curriculum.

9. How do YOU think ELs Learn? Think about it for a second… Discussion…
Model Strategies First
Visuals- Display visuals all over the room or in little handbooks at the students’ desk
Comprehensible Input- Making speech comprehensible (Rephrasing or by slowing your speech down)
Context Clues
Use Scaffolding Tools (a template, guide, resources)
Create a safe environment
Social Interaction (Converse with each other)
Listening and Speaking Common Core Standards

10. Epiphany
ELs must learn and use academic language (discourse, academic vocabulary and conventions. DAC) to become successful readers. How do ELs become successful readers?

11. Instructional Strategy # 1-Thoroughly UNPACK the CCGS (Model First)
Focus on the Common Core State Standards
Highlight the task and the important academic vocabulary
Create Synonyms for the Verbs, Tasks, or Academic Vocabulary
*****Think of the tasks***

12. Example
ELACC2RL1
Ask and answer such questions as what, when, where, why, to demonstrate and show understanding of key details in a text.
What is the reading comprehension skill (Asking Questions to show understanding of key details)? What is the task ( To demonstrate and show understanding)? What are the academic words (Key details)?

13. Another Standard ELACC3RL6.
Distinguish(Determine) their own point of view (your thinking)from that of the narrator or those of the characters (animals or people in the story).
Distinguish- Determine the difference
Point of view- Your thinking

14. Unpacking the Standards

15. Instructional Strategy # 2 Create a Synonym Wall displaying Academic Vocabulary (Visual Cues) Encourage ELs to use the vocabulary while communicating.

16. Small Group Instruction Learning Environment

17. Instructional Strategy # 3 Small Group Instruction- Reading Text ( Tip- Converse with teacher and peers. Make speech comprehensible by rephrasing.)
Review, Unpack, and Explain Standards (Provide synonyms. The standard is usually pre-written on a folder.)
Warm up- Students read the section in a soft voice. The teacher documents miscues. (Document miscues using running record format.) Example: sam/some
Previewing New Text- Focus on confusing words, meaning, sentence structure, text structure, visuals, and the uses of illustrations. Rephrase concepts and use synonyms to explain unknown words (Make speech comprehensible.)

18. Instructional Strategy # 3 Use Small Group Instruction- Reading Text (Tip-Comprehensible Input)
Reading- Each student reads the selection in a soft voice. The teacher listens providing support and documenting miscues. Conversation is prompted and encouraged. (ELs may not know how to recognize miscues and they may not know how to correct them.)
Language Study- Students engage in word study and evaluation of miscues. The focus is on words and parts that have proven difficult for the students. Create a language objective. Lang. Objective- TSW distinguish between a proper noun and a common noun.

19. Instructional Strategy # 3 Small Group Instruction- Reading Text (Make Speech Comprehensible)
Teach for Processing Strategies – Teacher instructs students on a strategy that will move them along as readers
Monitoring- Something is not right…
Searching-Look at the picture. Think about the story…
Self Correcting-Does my reading make sense?
Maintaining Fluency-Read so it sounds like you’re talking.
Making Connections-That reminds me of…
Visualizing- The picture in my mind looks like…
Predicting/Inference- This probably means… I predict…
Determining Importance- This text is mostly about…
Text Features- Headings, Table of context, Captions, Labels
Synthesizing-In your own words, retell the story. I learned that..

20. Small Group Instruction Learning Environment

21. Small Group Instruction Learning Environment (Stations)

22. Instructional Strategy # 4 Rate Academic Vocabulary, Use Context Clues to determine meaning of unknown words. (Small Group or Whole Group)
Rating 1- Never heard it. Rating 2- Heard it. Rating 3-Use it. Then, use Context Clues to determine the meaning of the word.

23. Instructional Strategy # 5 Create Scaffolding Tools or Resources (Bookmarks, Graphic Organizers, etc.) Model First…
Reading Comprehension Strategies for primary students (K-2).
Skill-Finding Key Details and Text Evidence
UNPAC
Underline the title.
Now predict the passage.
Patiently read the passage and number the paragraphs.
Are you reading the questions? Are the important words circled?
Correctly answer the questions by finding the answer in the passage and by putting the paragraph numbers next to the question.

24. Instructional Strategy # 5 Create Scaffolding Tools or resources (Bookmarks, Graphic Organizers, etc.)
UNRAVEL (Larry Bell): Skill- Finding Key Details and Text Evidence  (3-5)
Underline the title
Now predict passage
Run through and number the paragraphs
Are you reading the questions? Are the important words circled
Venture (Read) through the passage
Eliminate the obviously wrong answers by crossing them out
Let the questions be answered and write the paragraph # where you found the answers

25. More Scaffolding Tools
What should I do when I do not understand what I am reading?
Use Context Clues – Read sentences before and after.
Ask questions ????
Make Connections –What does this remind me of?
TEXT TO TEXT
TEXT TO SELF
TEXT TO WORLD
Skim and Scan – Look at headings and bold words.
Blend words – Look for little words in the big words.
Look at glossary – Mini-dictionary at the back of the book.
This bookmark belongs to ______________________. 

26. Closing: How do English Learners’ Acquire Academic Language to Obtain Reading Comprehension Skills? Teachers Must:
Thoroughly Review, Unpack and Explain the Standards (Use Synonyms).
Create a Synonym Wall displaying Academic Vocabulary.
Use Small Group Instruction- Reading Text (Tip- Make speech comprehensible)
Rate Academic Vocabulary. Use Context Clues to determine the meaning of unknown words.
Create Scaffolding Tools or Resources (Bookmarks, Graphic Organizers, etc.).
Encourage ELs to converse with other students. They must use the academic vocabulary.

27. Questions…
One last note…
I am also happy to report that 93% of my third grade ESOL students met expectations on the CRCT!
Very Important… You have to have faith and believe ELs can succeed… no matter the task!