1. Scaffolds for English Language Learners in the NYS ELA and Mathematics Curriculum Modules
February 4th, 2014
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2. Agenda Overview Of English Language Learners in New York State
Identify Scaffolds for ELLs
Understand the approach NYSED is taking with scaffolding the ELA and Mathematics modules to support ELLs
Examine curricular scaffolds in the modules
Discuss the classroom implementation strategies for ELLs
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3. New York State Demographics
Large geographic distribution, with ELLs concentrated in a handful of large urban districts (NYC, Brentwood, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Yonkers), but many small rural and suburban districts that also have ELLs and have many LOTE programs.
Top ELL Districts
# of ELLs
New York City
151,558
Brentwood
5,139
Buffalo
4,103
Rochester
3,478
Yonkers
3,085
Syracuse
2,809
Spring Valley
2,125
Hempstead
1,853
Newburgh
1,555
Central Islip
1,790
Utica
1,543
Buffalo (4103)
Rochester (3478)
Syracuse (2809)
Brentwood (5139)
Hempstead (1853)
Yonkers (3085)
New York City (151,558)
Utica (1543)
Central Islip (1790)
Newburgh (1555)
Spring Valley (East Ramapo) (2125)
225,823 total ELLs, plus an additional 73,661 ELLs in non-public schools.
Source: Public School LEP Counts as of May 31, 2013
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4. New York State Demographics
Top 10 ELL Home Languages
Linguistically diverse state with over 140 languages spoken by our students.
Two thirds of ELLs speak Spanish as their home language.
Chinese is the next largest language group, followed by Arabic, Bengali, Haitian Creole, Urdu, Russian, French, Korean and Karen.
The remaining 17% of ELLs speak over 190 languages, with each language representing less than 1% of the total ELL population.
Note re Chinese: working with NYC to resolve some differences in data, and as indicated in Regents item ELLs who were reported to SED as “undetermined” are actually mostly Chinese speakers raising the percent of Chinese-speaking ELLs in the state from 3% to 7%.
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5. Who are our ELLs Subgroups?
DEFINITION
CHARACTERISTICS
Newcomers
ELLs with 4 to 6 Years of Service
Long-term ELLs
Special Education ELLs
Students with Interrupted Formal Education (SIFE)
Former ELLs

6. ELL Subgroups FORMER ELL EVER ELLs 0-3 years 4-6 years 7 + years
Newcomers
Long-term
EVER ELLs
3+ Years
Students with Interrupted Formal Education
Students with Disabilities
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7. Students with Interrupted Formal Education ELLs with Disabilities
ELLs served by an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). An IEP team determines a student’s eligibility for special education services and the language in which special education services are delivered.
Immigrant students who come from a home in which a language other than English is spoken and:
enter a United States school after the second grade;
have had at least two years less schooling than their peers;
function at least two years below expected grade level in reading and mathematics;
and may be pre-literate in their home language
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8. Language Programs Program Type GOAL STUDENTS TRANSITIONAL BILINGUAL
Providing grade-level academic work in the student’s native language so that the student maintains academic progress while developing English proficiency.
Providing instruction in two languages: the language spoken at home and English.
ELLs of a shared home language
MAINTENANCE BILINGUAL
(Two-Way Bilingual/Dual Language; One-Way Bilingual/Developmental)
Students in both language groups are expected to comprehend, speak, read and write in English and the other language. The students are expected to:
Meet or exceed New York State Common Core Standards;
Develop proficiency in their second language;
Attain a higher level of self-esteem; and
Develop an appreciation for cultural diversity.
ELLs and English proficient students
FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Students are expected to comprehend, speak, read and write in a Language Other Than English.
All students
ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE
Students are expected to comprehend, speak, read and write in English.
ELLs
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9. June 2012-2013 ELL Graduation Rates
Our Challenge
June ELL Graduation Rates
2013
2012
Some context for why major initiatives are needed to improve outcomes for ELLs. Gap is disturbing and even more so when you consider college and career ready.

10. ELA Outcomes ELLs vs. Non-ELLs 2009-2013
3.2 percent of English Language Learners met or exceeded the ELA proficiency standard (NYS Levels 3 or 4) in grades 3-8
While the percentage of non-ELLs proficient on the 2013 ELA assessments dropped by 43%, there was a 73% drop in proficiency for ELLs. The gap between ELLs and non-ELLs is growing.
*Note: 2013 performance is measured against the more rigorous NYS Common Core Learning Standards.

11. Math Outcomes ELLs vs Non-ELLs 2009-2013
9.8 percent of English language learners met or exceeded the math proficiency standard (NYS Levels 3 or 4) in grades 3-8
*Note: 2013 performance is measured against the more rigorous NYS Common Core Learning Standards.

12. New Data Collection Ever ELLs and Former ELLs
Ever ELLs: students who at some point in the New York State public school system were ELLs.
Beginning in the Department will begin to report data on Ever ELLs. This data will allow for longitudinal studies to track how students do over time after existing from ELL status.
Former ELLs: students who were ELLs at some point in the past two academic school years.
The Department began to report data on Former ELLs in for the first time. Once data is reported, the Department can begin to track how well students who recently exited ELL status do as they transition out of ELL services.
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13. What is scaffolding?
Both a structure and a process, scaffolding refers to dynamic and responsive supports that enable learners to develop their full potential and eventually become autonomous learners. With appropriate scaffolding for academic practices, students are able to simultaneously build conceptual understandings, academic skills, and the language needed to enact them.
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14. Scaffolding is both structure and process
Scaffolding has two elements:
The structure of scaffolding refers to the constant, but flexible, supports that teachers build into lessons.
These structures enable the process of scaffolding, which unfolds in moment-to-moment classroom interactions as teachers support students’ participation and construction of understanding. Constant evaluation of the in-the-moment process of scaffolding helps teachers assess and modify their built-in scaffolding structures to move as students progress.
For example, a teacher might plan ahead to divide a text into “chunks” of meaning, label them with sub-titles that clue readers to the main topic, and provide accompanying “focus” questions that help the reader determine key ideas.
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15. Types of scaffolds
Modeling: finished products of prior students’ work, teacher-created samples, sentence starters, writing frameworks, shared writing. Activating and bridging prior knowledge and/or experiences: using graphic organizers, such as anticipatory guides, extended anticipatory guide, semantic maps, interviews, picture walk discussion protocols, think-pair-share, KWL. Text representation: transforming a piece of writing into a pictorial representation, changing one genre into another.
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16. Types of scaffolds
Metacognitive development: self assessment, think aloud, asking clarifying questions, using a rubric for self evaluation.
Contextualization: metaphors, realia, pictures, audio and video clips, newspapers, magazines.
Building Schema: bridging prior knowledge and experience to new concepts and ideas.
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17. Native Language Support
Full proficiency in the native language leads to higher academic gains in English. Because general structural and functional characteristics of language transfer, allowing second language learners access to content in the native language provides them with a way to construct meaning in English.
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18. Native Language Support
In order to assist ELLs, the strategic use of the native language can be incorporated into:
English instruction as a support structure to clarify,
build prior knowledge
extend comprehension
bridge experiences
This can be integrated into a teacher’s instructional practice through the following: technology, human resources (e.g., paraprofessionals, peers, and parents), native language materials, and flexible grouping.
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19. Example from ELA Curriculum
St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves
Making lessons accessible
As you read, think about the challenges that the students and teachers face with a successful implementation of this lesson. Think about a specific subgroup, and the potential scaffolds that would support learning.

20. What Scaffolds can look like in the ELA curriculum:
Schema Development and Background Knowledge
Contextual Vocabulary
Close Reading, Guiding and Comprehension Questions
Structured Organization around writing (Graphic Organizers, models, prompts, sentence starters)
Guiding questions to frame a purpose for reading
Graphic organizers including sentence frames and word banks
Academic word lists, but also cognates and tiered vocabulary – content specific
Background, which to do correctly involves recognizing prior knowledge, which implies knowing something about them and where they come from.
(including identifying vocabulary and suggested vocab-building activities for all students and ELLs with more advanced language development)
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21. Background Knowledge What the Common Core State Standards Say
"ELLs with high levels of schooling can often bring to bear conceptual knowledge developed in their first language when reading in English. However, ELLs with limited or interrupted schooling will need to acquire background knowledge prerequisite to educational tasks at hand." (CCSS)
Activating prior knowledge and building background knowledge are critical to the success of ELLs

22. Background Knowledge: Questions to Consider Before Providing it…
Q Do non-ELLs have background knowledge on the topic?
A If non-ELLs are approaching a text with a certain background knowledge, ELLs should be provided with the same information
Q Is the background knowledge about big issues that will help students make sense of the text?
A Teachers only need to focus instruction on the background knowledge that is critical to ELLs comprehending the text. This includes key vocabulary.
Determining How Much Background Knowledge to Provide for ELLs, Diane Staehr Fenner, December 12, 2013

23. Contextual Vocabulary
ELL students may need additional structures to support their understanding and acquisition vocabulary. This may include:
Explicit instruction, including preteaching
Meaningful context
Oral pronunciation
Use of visuals and
Review and repetition
New vocabulary needs to be explicitly taught, and each new word should be directly linked to an appropriate strategy. Words should not be taught out of context.
Pronounce each word for students, and have them repeat after you. Introduce the vocabulary in a familiar and meaningful context and then again in a content-specific setting.
Review relevant vocabulary that was already introduced, and highlight familiar words that have a new meaning.
Use visuals when introducing new words. Write key words on the board, and add gestures to help students interpret meaning. Have students create their own visuals to aid their learning.
Provide a variety of activities to practice new vocabulary.
Include visual images if necessary. A wide variety of free images can be found on the Internet at such sites as and
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24. Sample Graphic Organizer: Hamlet
Excerpted Text Selection
Scaffolded Questions
Grade 11
With the recognition that one may have to define “alternative” and further scaffold questions to support some ELLs.
Vocabulary
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25. Reviewing Scaffolds in St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves
In Table groups, review the scaffolds provided in the lesson for ELLs
Consider how the scaffolds compare to those your group discussed earlier
Recommend additional scaffolds and discuss opportunities for improvement
Elect a group member to share with the seminar additional options for differentiation

26. Scaffolding EngageNY Mathematics for English Learners
Anita Bright, Ph.D.
Portland State University
Portland, Oregon
February 4, 2014
Visit to access the electronic version of this document.

27. Classroom Support for Scaffolds
Know the student’s strength and weakness based on high quality assessments, not just apparent oral proficiency
Be clear about objectives and understandings for the lesson, and then adjust the linguistic demands of the materials ELLs should produce. The objective can be reached in different ways
Set common lesson objectives for all students and figure out ways to make it manageable for all students
Avoid\ pairing high and low proficiency students
Use flexible, not fixed, groups, and let students do some differentiating by offering a choice of activities
Allow the same time period for a set of differentiated tasks

28. In Closing Applying this to the Modules Applying this to the Classroom
The Home-School Connection at all Ages
Questions

29. New York State Education Department Initiatives for English Language Learners
Commissioner’s Regulation Part 154
Blueprint for ELL Success
Seal of Biliteracy
ELL Curriculum
Students with Interrupted Formal Education
Native Language Arts (NLA)
ELL Scaffolds
Math Translations (5 languages)\
Bilingual Common Core Progressions
ELL Leadership Council
Students with Interrupted Formal Education Initiatives
Bridges
Identification material
Resources
Assessments
NLA assessment
NYSITELL
NYSESLAT
Videos
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