1. Aligning Instruction to Standards and Assessments for English Language Learners Lani Seikaly Technical Advisor, CCSSO Iowa SEC-ELL State Consortium

2. This presentation is a compilation of presentations by the SEC ELL Grant leaders. Rolf Blank, Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) John Smithson, Wisconsin Center for Educational Research (WCER) Edynn Sato, WestEd

3. 3 Iowa SEC-ELL Consortium Overall Purpose: Improve academic achievement of ELL students Participating States: Iowa, Florida, Idaho, Maine, Minnesota, Ohio, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin Participating Organizations: CCSSO WCER WestEd

4. 4 Why is Iowa interested in this grant? Iowa’s immigrant population is the fastest growing student group Over 85% of Iowa’s English Language Learners are concentrated in 40 districts 20 % of Iowa’s ELL students are in Des Moines As John Scott says, “Everyone can learn. We need to teach everyone.”

5. 5 Grant Study Questions 1.To what extent do English language learners have opportunity to learn the subject content specified in state academic standards and assessed on state assessments? 2.What is the relationship of academic English language development standards and assessments to state academic standards? 3.What is the nature of the language that students need to meaningfully engage with and achieve academic content? 4.What instructional practices and strategies are used to teach academic English language skills across different subject areas or courses?

6. Surveys of Enacted Curriculum Data can be used to answer three of the questions. SEC is a valid and reliable process which collects and reports in-depth data on content of instruction to analyze teaching content in relation to standards, assessments, and achievement compares methods of teaching content across classrooms, schools, districts, and states reports enacted curriculum data in visual presentations designed to encourage use by teachers to improve instruction

7. The Two Dimensions Of Content What students should know [Topics] And… Be Able to Do [Expectations for student performance]

8. Describing Instructional Content SEC utilizes a two-dimensional taxonomy based on: Topic by Cognitive Demand 1 2 3 4 5 BCDEF

9. Cognitive Demand (or Expectations for Student Performance) Skill/ConceptRecall Strategic Thinking Extended Thinking AcquireUseExtend Memorize Perform Procedures Demonstrate Understanding Conjecture, Generalize Prove Solve non- routine/ make connections Memorize Conduct Investigations Communicate Understanding Analyze Information Apply concepts /make connections Recall Perform Procedures Analyze/ Investigate Evaluate Generate /Demonstrate

10. The Content Matrix

12. … adding levels of relative emphasis yields a 3-D construct

13. K-12 Mathematics Content

16. A very smart Iowan psychometrician said … “There’s more to content than content.” Tom Deeter

17. Content and Academic Language What is the relationship? ContentAcademic Language ContentAcademic Language Content

18. What is the nature of the language that students need to meaningfully engage with and achieve academic content?

19. That is… Given the expected student outcome (content, learning), how do we expect students to use (receive, produce) language to acquire and demonstrate understanding of the content?

20. 20 Interacting Dimensions of Content and Language Content/Topics Cognitive Demands Language Demands—Academic English Language Functions Language Complexity

21. Components to be analyzed Focus Mode –Mode category Language demand Language complexity –Density –Construction –Overall complexity

22. Example Which sentence best sums up the selection? A.Two Presidents gave Jesse Owens important awards for his achievements. B.Jesse Owens set a new Olympic record in the long jump. C.Talent and hard work helped Jesse Owens become a great runner.

23. Focus Is the language in this standard/item academic or social/functional? Which sentence best sums up the selection? A.Two Presidents gave Jesse Owens important awards for his achievements. B.Jesse Owens set a new Olympic record in the long jump. C.Talent and hard work helped Jesse Owens become a great runner.

24. Mode Is the language required of the student in this standard/item receptive or productive? Or both? Which sentence best sums up the selection? A.Two Presidents gave Jesse Owens important awards for his achievements. B.Jesse Owens set a new Olympic record in the long jump. C.Talent and hard work helped Jesse Owens become a great runner.

25. Mode Category Specifically, does the standard/item require the student to listen or read? Speak or write? Which sentence best sums up the selection? A.Two Presidents gave Jesse Owens important awards for his achievements. B.Jesse Owens set a new Olympic record in the long jump. C.Talent and hard work helped Jesse Owens become a great runner.

26. Language Demand What function(s) does academic language in each mode serve in this standard/item? Which sentence best sums up the selection? A.Two Presidents gave Jesse Owens important awards for his achievements. B.Jesse Owens set a new Olympic record in the long jump. C.Talent and hard work helped Jesse Owens become a great runner.

27. Language Demands  2008

28. Example Content Main idea(s), key concepts Language Inquiring Description Summarization Which sentence best sums up the selection? A.Two Presidents gave Jesse Owens important awards for his achievements. B.Jesse Owens set a new Olympic record in the long jump. C.Talent and hard work helped Jesse Owens become a great runner.

29. Language Complexity— Density Is the density of the minimum amount of academic language required to achieve this standard/item low or high? Which sentence best sums up the selection? A.Two Presidents gave Jesse Owens important awards for his achievements. B.Jesse Owens set a new Olympic record in the long jump. C.Talent and hard work helped Jesse Owens become a great runner.

30. Language Complexity—Density LowHigh Length ranges from a word to paragraphs · No/little variation in words and/or phrases in sentences/paragraphs; consistent use of language · Repetition of key words/phrases/sentences reinforces information · Language is used to present critical/central details · No/little abstraction; language reflects more literal/concrete information; illustrative language is used; language is used to define/explain abstract information · Graphics and/or relevant text features reinforce critical information/details Length ranges from a word to paragraphs · Some variation in words and/or phrases in sentences/paragraphs · Repetition of key words/phrases/sentences introduces new or extends information · Language is used to present critical/central details, but non-essential detail also is presented · Some abstraction; language may or may not be used to define/explain abstract information; illustrative language may or may not be used; technical words/phrases are used · Graphics and/or relevant text features may or may not reinforce critical information/details

31. Language Complexity— Construction Is the construction of the minimum amount of academic language required to achieve this standard/item simple or complex? Which sentence best sums up the selection? A.Two Presidents gave Jesse Owens important awards for his achievements. B.Jesse Owens set a new Olympic record in the long jump. C.Talent and hard work helped Jesse Owens become a great runner.

32. Language Complexity—Construction SimpleComplex Mostly common/familiar words/phrases; no/few uncommon words/phrases, compound words, gerunds, figurative language, and/or idioms · Language is organized/structured · Mostly simple sentence construction · No/little passive voice · Little variation in tense · Mostly one idea/detail per sentence · Mostly familiar construction (e.g., ’s for possessive; s and es for plural) · Mostly familiar text features (e.g., bulleted lists, bold face) Some common/familiar words/phrases; some uncommon words/phrases, compound words, gerunds, figurative language, and/or idioms · Language may or may not be organized/structured · Varied sentence construction, including complex sentence construction · Some passive voice · Variation in tense · Multiple ideas/details per sentence · Some less familiar/irregular construction · Some less familiar text features (e.g., pronunciation keys, text boxes)

33. Analysis: Overview Distribution of language demands Distribution of language demands by mode Language complexity distribution Language demands distribution across language complexity Language demands distribution across language complexity and by mode

34. What language demands (academic language functions) are reflected in [content] standards for grade X?

35. What language demands (academic language functions) are reflected in the receptive and productive modes in the standards?

36. What percentage of the language in the standards is low density versus high density?

37. What percentage of the language in the standards is simple versus complex construction?

38. In the standards, what language demands are reflected, and what is the range of complexity of the demands?

39. Reading standards ELP standards What questions do your data raise? Similarities/differences Intentional? Appropriate?

40. What questions do your data raise? Where are the gaps in alignment? Why might there be gaps in alignment? Which gaps are intentional? Which gaps should/can be addressed? How can the gaps be addressed? Is more information needed to determine next steps? If so, what information is needed?

41. What Questions Can the Data Answer? Does the range/breadth and emphasis of language demands and language complexity in the state’s ELP standards seem to align with those in the state’s academic content standards and assessments for each grade or grade range? Let’s take a look at Iowa language demands.

45. Discuss with your neighbors the following questions: What are the similarities and differences of language demand between the math and reading ELP standards? What are the similarities and differences of language demand between the reading ELP standards and the ELDA? What are the implications of the differences?

46. What Questions Can the Data Answer? Across grade levels, are there similarities and differences in the range/breadth of language demands and language complexity in the standards? –Is there discontinuity that needs to be addressed? Is there a progression of language demands across grades? How does the range/breadth and emphasis align with the language demands in curriculum and instructional practices? In assessment?

47. Critical Question Are there existing instructional practices that address the language needs of our ELL students? –For the range/breadth of language demands and language complexity –For the relative emphasis of language demands and language complexity

48. Implications If we want to appropriately provide our ELL students opportunities to learn and use language (receptive, productive) needed to engage meaningfully with our standards-based curricula we need to plan instruction in the following areas: –Language demands and language complexity Range/breadth Emphasis –Language scaffolding –Cognitive demand(s) of content as reflected in state standards and assessments

49. Analyzing Alignment Assessment Standards Curriculum

50. The intended curriculum: State content standards— What students should learn The enacted curriculum: What teachers teach The learned curriculum: Student outcomes based on school learning The assessed curriculum: State (and other) assessments— tested learning Analyzing Alignment Linquistic Complexity by Language Demands A neutral linguistic taxonomyA neutral content language Topics by Cognitive Demand

54. English Language Arts & Reading The SEC Data-set SUMMARY MEASURES ContentPracticeClimateProf. Dev./// Science Instructional Content Instr. Activities Tchr. Char./Opinions/Beliefs Professional Development Mathematics Social Studies

55. School & Class Description Instructional Activities General Problem Solving Activities Pairs & Small Group Work Use of Hands-on Materials Use of Calculators/Computers & other Ed. Tech. Assessment Use Instructional Influences Instructional Readiness Teacher Opinions Professional Development Types, Frequency Content, Active, Collegial, Coherence Instructional Content Topic x Cog. Demand Survey Sections

56. Collect Data or Information When students in the target class collect data or information about science from books, magazines, computers, or other sources (other than laboratory activities), how much of that time do they:

57. Analyze and interpret the information or data orally or in writing

58. Have class discussions about the data

60. Instructional Activities in Science How much of the science instructional time in the target class do students use to engage in the following tasks?

61. Maintain and reflect on a portfolio of their own work

62. Instructional Activities in English, Language Arts and Reading How much of the English, language arts, and reading instructional time in the target class do students use to engage in the following tasks?

63. Read aloud (e.g., pair sharing)

65. (ELAR)

66. Inquiry Practices by Pct. ELLs (ELAR)

67. (ELAR)

69. (p-value non-significant)

71. What are Iowa’s next steps for the SEC ELL Contract? Increase participation of teachers taking the SEC ELL survey Disseminate study findings as the research is completed