Foundations of Programs for English Learners Content Instruction

Elizabeth Jimnez, CEO GEMAS Consulting and Advocacy

Introduction
The focus of this session is on the importance of differentiating instruction for English learners at differing proficiency levels. Elizabeth Jimnez will demonstrate and provide tools for planning ways to check for understanding by proficiency level throughout a lesson. Participants will examine one of their own textbooks in math, science or social studies to determine which concepts are abstract and may require additional background building. Participants will learn to differentiate vocabulary development for English learners.

Terminology to Know
Tier I, II, and III Words L-1, L-2 Initial Identification Reclassification Realia Differentiation

Differentiating Instruction
Any woman knows that one size does NOT fit all. In order to differentiate, we need to know how our students needs differ LAU vs. NICHOLS Levels of English language proficiency

Equality or Equity?
Equality means every student is treated the same way, given the same thing Equity means every student is treated in a way that meets their needs; they do not necessarily receive the same thing Pause the video What do you think? Do these two notions conflict? Jot a few thoughts on the pros and cons of each concept, then continue.

(1974) LAU vs. Nichols

There is no equality of treatment merely by providing students with the same facilities, textbooks, teachers and curriculumfor students who do not understand English are effectively foreclosed from any meaningful education US Supreme Court

What Do You Think?

In the last few years, a new argument against differentiation for English learners has emerged, phrased thusly:
If you differentiate, you dumb down and expect less from English learners. Differentiating might lead to segregation.

Pause the video Think about these ideas and jot down some notes about whether you agree or disagree and why.

How Do Your EL Students Differ?

By language By academic experience level By background cultural factors By proficiency level Other?

States Differ.
In EL terminology ELL or EL? Sheltered Instruction or SDAIE? ESL or ELD? In number of levels of English Proficiency
California New York Texas

5 Levels
Beginning Early Intermediate Intermediate Early Advanced Advanced

3 Levels
Beginning Intermediate Advanced

4 Levels
Beginning Intermediate Advanced Advanced High

Stages of L-2 Language Acquisition

Stage
Silent/Receptive or Preproduction Stage

Duration
6-8 months up to 500 "receptive" words

Description
Responds by pointing to an object, picture, or person; performing an act, such as standing up or closing a door; gesturing/ nodding; "yes"/"no."

Example
Point to the country on the map that is north of the United States.

Early Production Stage

6 months (1,000 words receptive)

Uses one- or two-word phrases, short answers to simple yes/no, either/or, or who/what/where questions.

Do you prefer to drink milk or water? What is your brothers name? I need my book. Can I go to the bathroom?

Speech Emergence Stage

1 year (about 3000 words)

short phrases and simple sentences; asks and answers simple questions.

Intermediate Language Proficiency Stage

1 year (6,000 words)

Longer sentences, state opinions, ask for clarification

I agree with Marco. I need to wash my hands, may I go to the bathroom?

States Agree
Language development is a continuum There are predictable stages of first and second language acquisition There are many factors that influence the rate of language acquisition

Stages of L-2 Language Acquisition

Stage
Silent/Receptive or Preproduction Stage BEGINNING

Duration
6-8 months up to 500 "receptive" words

Description
Responds by pointing to an object, picture, or person; performing an act, such as standing up or closing a door; gesturing/ nodding; "yes"/"no."

Example
Point to the country on the map that is north of the United States.

Early Production Stage

6 months (1,000 words receptive)

Uses one- or two-word phrases, short answers to simple yes/no, either/or, or who/what/where questions.

Do you prefer to drink milk or water? What is your brothers name? I need my book. Can I go to the bathroom?

Speech Emergence Stage

1 year (about 3000 words)

short phrases and simple sentences; asks and answers simple questions.

Intermediate Language Proficiency Stage

1 year (6,000 words)

Longer sentences, state opinions, ask for clarification

I agree with Marco. I need to wash my hands, may I go to the bathroom?

Differentiating When Checking for Understanding

Beginning
Thumbs up/thumbs down Nod your head yes/no

Early Intermediate
Either_____or_____ Is this a ___ or a _____?

Intermediate
Either_____or_____, Why?

Explain to your team in your language ______ Demonstrate, Show me Point to the Sort these objects Illustrate Create a model of ____ Draw an

One word answer/short answer Make a list Steps in a sequence Complete a sentence frame or template Complete a graphic organizer

Compare/contrast Sequence Describe

icon to symbolize or represent______

Who, what, where, when, why, how?

Targeted Teaching of English Learners

1. Know each students English proficiency level 2. Examine the textbook and standards to be taught 3. Determine the vocabulary, language functions, and abstract concepts that might perplex English learners 4. Plan for how to teach key vocabulary

Checking for Understanding with All English Learners

Pause the video: Select a topic from your subject area that lends itself to comparison/contrast and complete the graphic organizer below. Explain how limited English proficient students could answer if they dont know the words in English.

Characteristics of Instincts

Similarities

Characteristics of Learned Behavior

Developing Vocabulary
to know a word means knowing it in all of the following dimensions: The ability to define a word The ability to recognize when to use that word Knowledge of its multiple meanings The ability to decode and spell that word

Source: Colorin, Colorado 2007

Developing Vocabulary
Research describes three tiers of vocabulary. Tier I words = common, everyday words usually learned through listening and interacting with peers and adults along with lots of non-verbal clues. These words are not usually taught. Native speakers may not need explicit instruction in tier I words, but English learners do, especially beginners. Examples of tier I words lunch, tree, running, butterfly, sandwich, sleep
Source: Beck, McKeown, & Kucan (2002)

Developing Vocabulary
Tier I Words EL Strategies: 1. Provide visual clues through role-play or pictures 2. Provide quick L-1 translation 3. Explain common idioms, as in hold your horses, class, no running 4. Point out cognates familia, family 5. Point out false cognates pariente in Spanish not the same as parent in English
Source: Colorin, Colorado

Developing Vocabulary
Tier II words = academic words. They are that rich vocabulary usually encountered in written text. Students may not have heard them very often in speech around them, so tier II words need to be taught. Beck, McKeown, and Kucan (2002) suggest student friendly explanations rather than copying dictionary definitions. A student friendly example of a tier II word This backpack is cumbersome, it keeps slipping off my arm and it weighs a ton. If you took that big, bulky lunchbox out of there, it wouldnt be so cumbersome.

Developing Vocabulary
Tier II Words EL Strategies: 1. Use gestures, demonstration, pictures, and realia for words that can be modeled and have multiple meanings 2. Point out cognates so students can draw on their L-1 concept knowledge 3. Pre-teach tier II words that are not cognates and cannot be demonstrated
Source: Colorin, Colorado

Developing Vocabulary
Tier III words = academic words. They are the nomenclature of a specific content area. These are encountered infrequently in conversation and are integral to the instruction of a content area. Examples of Tier III Words Medical terms, legal terms, mathematical vocabulary, scientific terminology Examples: cardiac, lawsuit, operation, experiment
Source: Colorin, Colorado

Developing Vocabulary
Tier III Words

EL Strategies:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Cognates are often useful in teaching tier III vocabulary because of shared Greek and Latin roots in these terminologies. Caution against false cognates. E.g., experiment in science class is not the same as common Spanish meaning of experimentar (to experience) L-1 explanations by teacher or peers Bilingual dictionaries can be a resource Students keep a word-book with brief student explanations and sketches or icons to remember a words meaning
Source: Colorin, Colorado

Thank you From the Bottom of my Heart

Pause the video: Describe the meaning of each of these heart idioms. Explain how you would figure out their meanings if you were an English learner. GEMAS Consulting, 2008 heart of gold/heart of stone the heart of the matter know something by heart sweetheart wear your heart on your sleeve stole my heart his heart isnt in it someone after my own heart pour out your heart have your heart set on something half-hearted cross your heart a change of heart break my heart heart-to-heart in your heart of hearts win the hearts and minds heartache heartthrob heartsick

Idioms Activity
Select a textbook in math, science, or social studies to preview. Select a twopage spread, and read through all text on those two pages, including captions, questions and headings. Highlight any idiomatic expressions, double meaning words or plays on words. Select five and write them on a sheet of paper like the example below. Be sure to include the page number on which it appears and in the last column a brief explanation you would use to clarify this phrase.

IDIOMATIC PHRASE blew its top Villages sprang up

PAGE NUMBER pg. 115 Pg. 22

MEANING Erupted, Exploded

Were built more quickly than usual

Using Loop Games to Practice

IDIOMS Download the idioms loop game common, American English idioms from the resources tab. Step 1 Distribute one square per student. If there are more squares than students, give some students an additional square Step 2 Review the idioms and meanings with the class. Step 3 Teacher begins with Who has...? and the student who has the square with the partner response, answers, I have. Next, students read their idiom, their I have statement. This call and response continues until returning back to the teacher.

Where to Find Cognate Resources

Some languages such as Spanish share many cognate patterns with English. Some other languages do not have as many. If you dont speak all the languages of the English community in your school, you can search the Internet by typing in cognates. For a list of Spanish/English cognates by pattern, download from the resources tab.

Read These Words. What Do They Say? How Do You Know?

-ive > -ivo Positivo Negativo Ofensivo Efectivo Expressivo Final Animal Metal Terminal Capital -al > -al Dentista Artista Protagonista Novelista Optimista -ist > -ista

copyright GEMAS Consulting, 2008

Checking for Understanding

ACTIVITY Using a content area textbook for math, science or social studies, open to any two-page lesson. Find 8-10 tier II words. Select three and write out a student friendly explanation of what the word means. Use two more EL strategies such as cognates or drawing a picture to try to convey the meaning of one of your words.

Possible Answers
Your response should list 8 to 10 tier II words. Tier II words are academic words. They are that rich vocabulary usually encountered in written text. Students may not have heard them very often in speech, so tier II words need to be taught. EL Strategies: 1. Use gestures, demonstration, pictures, and realia for words that can be modeled and have multiple meanings 2. Point out cognates, so students can draw on their L-1 concept knowledge 3. Pre-teach tier II words that are not cognates and cannot be demonstrated

References
Buehl, D. (2005) Fully Grasping Tier 2 Words. On WEAC: In Print. Wisconsin Education Association Council. Vol. 5, No. 7, April, 13 Beck, I.L., McKeown, M.G., & Kucan,L. (2002). Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction. New York: Guilford Press http://www.michiganreading.org/conferences/2007/ Buehl_Doug_Vocabulary_Development.pdf http://www.colorincolorado.org/educators/content/vocabulary Caldern, M., August, D., Durn, D., Madden, N., R. Slavin & M. Gil (2003 and in press). Spanish to English Transitional Reading: Teacher's Manual. Baltimore, MD: The Success for All Foundation. Caldern, M. & L. Minaya-Rowe (2004). Expediting Comprehension to English Language Learners (ExC-ELL) Teachers Manual. Center for Data-Driven Reform in Education, Johns Hopkins University. Caldern, M. & L. Minaya-Rowe (in press). Teaching Reading, Oral Language and Content to English Language Learners - How ELLs Keep Pace With Mainstream Students. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Samplers containing examples of the types of questions on the NYSESLAT are provided on the New York State Education Departments web site at http://emsc.nysed.gov/osa/ nyseslat/samplers.htm .

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