English Language Learners

By: Anna Oliveri

What does ELL mean?

- ELL stands for English Language Learner, which is a person who is
learning the English language in addition to his or her native language.

What is the main goal of teaching ELL students?

- provide professional development
- promote parental development
- improve resources
- create target solutions

The Five Stages of Second Activities You Can Do:

Language are: 1. Stage 1: Listen, point, move,
select.
2. Stage 2: name, label, group,
1. Pre-production- minimal
respond.
comprehension, no verbal
3. Stage 3: recall, retell, define,
production
compare.
2. Early production- limited
4. Stage 4: analyze, create defend,
comprehension, one/ two-word
debate
responses
5. Stage 5: read aloud, converse,
3. Speech emergence- increased
comprehension, simple paired reading.
sentences
4. Intermediate fluency- stronger
comprehension, more complex
sentences, fewer errors in
speech
5. Advanced fluency- produce
highly accurate language and
high levels of comprehension.
 5 Helpful Strategies
1. Scaffold Understanding: This strategy is when teachers try to increase
autonomy. Some ways to do this is use graphic organizers, peer help, visual
aids, home language help and eventually removing the assistance as the
students’ progress.
2. Purposeful Grouping: Heterogenous types of classrooms are crucial
environments to have for ELL students to better understand everything
throughout the year. The goal of this is to provide ample opportunities for
the students to use or interact with the new information with ELL
students.
3. Background Knowledge: It is important to explain background knowledge
on the topic and provide them with knowledge that allows them to
comprehend the information that they are going to be taught.
4. Extended Discussion: Opposed to only teaching the new difficult
vocabulary in the beginning of the lesson before reading the passage, they
want to allow for discussion after the reading and between readings with
their classmates for better understanding of what they have just read.
5. Valuing Linguistic Differences: It is known now students are more likely to
learn and better understand what is being taught when they are in a safe
environment (peer/teacher). The teacher learning about the students’
culture, home life and language, sometimes even incorporating it into the
lesson, does this.

Welcoming ELL Parents into The
Classroom:
 Just because parents aren’t
involved in the beginning does
not mean they
 2/3 of Latino teens say their
parents play a huge role in their
education
 8/10 explain that their parents
urge them to go to college.
 Call them every day to tell them
how their child is doing in class
and maybe write notes home.
 Mail letters home and explain
how they are excited to have
their child in their class.
 Ask for them to meet in person
to discuss plans for their child’s
future and what plans the
teacher has for the class overall
and for each individual student.
Be conscious of:
- Do the parents attend parent
teacher conferences?
- Do your parents contribute in
other meaningful ways?
- Do you think your parents don’t
know how to help?