Alexandra Altier

1. What techniques/methods/strategies do you see being used with the ELL

student(s)? Are they effective? Why or why not? (Either specifically for the ELL
student(s) or in whole class/small group instruction)

 The main technique I see being used with the ELL student is using a highlighter.
The ELL student is able to highlight any words that he is unfamiliar with and does
not know the definition to. Then, the teacher will sit with him and go over the
meaning of each word to make sure he understands everything. This seems to be
very effective because the student is doing well in the class and seems to
understand the concepts being taught.
 There is also another technique in place to help the ELL student with classwork
and translation. The student has a computer where he can type words out
sometimes. The student’s handwriting is very bad, so this helps the teacher(s) to
be able to decipher what he is writing.
 There was also one method the teacher used with the ELL student. This method
was repeating the key concepts of the lesson over and over. It does not become
overbearing, but it is done enough so that it reinforces the material being taught.
This is effective too because it just exposes all the students to the information even
more and they are then more likely to learn it.

2. Do you notice any student behaviors that you would consider “out of the ordinary”?
Please describe in detail. (This applies to both the ELL student(s) and other classroom
students)

 During my time observing this class, I did not notice any student behaviors that I
would consider “out of the ordinary.” All the students actively participated and
seemed to interact with each other very well.

3. What type of interactions do you see between the ELL student(s), other classroom
students, and the teacher(s)? Please describe in detail.

 While the teacher was instructing and teaching the class, the students stayed silent
unless they were called on. However, when the students are allowed to work on
their schoolwork individually or with a partner, the children began communicating
with one another. I mainly noticed that other students would attempt to help the
ELL student and clarify the meaning of certain words. They would also discuss
answers and compare their methods of solving the problems. This allowed them to
engage in discourse on certain topics that they are learning and appears to be
beneficial for everyone involved. By the time the teacher was ready to call on
 someone, all the students who had discussed the work had an answer along with
an explanation of how they got it.

4. Identify resources/materials that are being used with the ELL student(s). Please
describe in detail how the ELL student is using them. Do they appear to be effective?
Explain.

 One resource that is used with the ELL student is online vocabulary cards for the
difficult words. This way, the student can actually hear the word in English, and in
their native language. There is also a definition on the cards that can be read to the
student. If anything is still unclear, he is able to highlight it and ask his teacher
about it in school. These flashcards are mainly used at home and when he returns
to school, him and his teacher take the time to discuss any issues he might have
had with the vocabulary cards. However, most of the time the ELL student does
not have any issues to address with the teacher. His father is very involved and
dedicated to helping his son understand the English language. These flashcards do
seem to be effective because the ELL student is able to use the words in sentences
correctly. This means he has a full understanding of these aspects of the language.

5. Does the classroom environment seem to be comfortable for the ELL student(s)?
Please describe the environment and explain how you made your decision.

 Yes, the classroom environment seems to be very comfortable for the ELL
student. He has many friends and all the students interact with one another. There
are also many different resources in the classroom that are available for all the
students to use. On top of this, there are also posters and welcoming colors in the
classroom. All of this contributes to making the classroom environment
comfortable for all students, including the ELL student. Finally, the teacher is also
friendly and welcoming. She invites the students to come to her with questions or
issues constantly. This also makes the students feel more comfortable in their
environment.

6. What’s the “comfort” level of the ELL student(s) in regards to the English language?
What observations help you arrive at your decision? At what stage would you place
the ELL student? How did you decide on that level?

 The student is very comfortable with the English language. For a majority of the
time he is able to engage in conversation with ease. He also feels comfortable
asking for help when he needs it. In being able to do this, he must be confident in
his abilities. If he wasn’t, he most likely wouldn’t ask for help and wouldn’t go out
of his way to initiate a conversation with a peer. However, based on my
observations, he appears to enjoy talking with his peers and friends. He is most
likely in the final stage of understanding the English language. Although he still
 has supports in place, he is mostly able to complete everything individually. This
includes his schoolwork and the conversations he has with different individuals.

7. Ask the cooperating teacher (or ESL teacher) what type of

accommodations/modifications they have to make for the ELL student(s). Please
describe the types of accommodations/modifications that were discussed. Do they
appear on the checklist? Why/why not do you think they are present/not present on
the checklist?

 The cooperating teacher informed me there are no modifications or

accommodations in place for this student. I believe this is because he no longer
requires them to succeed in school and life.