ELL

Report Template


1. Description

a. The setting of the field experience (e.g., in a classroom, at a community organization location,
etc.).

The field experience takes place in a fourth-grade general education classroom during the
science/literacy block.

b. The student(s)—use a pseudonym to maintain confidentiality—with whom you are working (e.g.
age, grade level, level of English Proficiency, personal characteristics based on
observations/interactions, other information that may give the reader a more in-depth description
of the student)

Matthew is ten years old and is currently in fourth grade. His immediate family is from Korea.
Matthew was born in the United States and is a sequential bilingual. His preferred language at
home is Korean and he learned English as a second language at school. He communicates with
his parents and family at home in Korean. He has attended the same elementary school since
Kindergarten with a consistent curriculum. He is comfortable speaking with adults and peers in
English. His language proficiency is intermediate. Based on classroom observations, he can
formulate long sentences and offer his ideas to the class. Matthew is comfortable partaking in
conversations with peers and friends. He struggles with content-area or academic vocabulary and
this hinders his ability to fully participate with his peers in discussions. His receptive language is
stronger than his expressive language. His parents are strong advocates for education and support
him in school.

Matthew is a creative and curious student. He is motivated to do well in school but can get
frustrated if he cannot accomplish or complete a task to his standards. He is a perfectionist at
heart and will work hard to make the adults around him proud. He loves to read fictional books
about adventure and fantasy. He also enjoys reading comic books. In his free time, he likes to
draw in his journal or play video games with his younger brother. Before COVID-19, he
participated in soccer and karate.

c. The days and times that you met with the student.

Date Time Duration

10/6/2020 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM 45 minutes
10/7/2020 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM 45 minutes
10/19/2020 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM 45 minutes
10/20/2020 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM 45 minutes
11/4/2020 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM 45 minutes
11/5/2020 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM 45 minutes
11/6/2020 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM 45 minutes
Total Minutes = 315 minutes
Total Hours = 5 hours, 15 minutes
d. Ways in which you interacted/engaged with the student (including pedagogical strategies)

I met with Matthew during small groups in the science/literacy block. To support Matthew’s
growth with content area vocabulary, he will engage in a literacy mini task with his group
members to build connections with vocabulary words and apply the academic language.

10/6 and 10/7 - Force and Effects of Gravity

• In this mini task, students gathered evidence and constructed an argument to support the
claim that gravitational force affects the motion of an object.
• To stimulate interest in the subject matter, I showed the students in the small group (as
well as Matthew) a scientific phenomenon. It is a video of astronauts playing soccer in
space. We will revisit this phenomenon to discover new questions or review new
findings. Using the “I notice/I wonder” strategy, students jot down what they noticed and
what they wondered about the image. Students made connections to previously learned
concepts. We used a t-chart to show connections between experiences and thoughts of all
students in the group as they shared to each other.
• In order to scaffold the learning, students listened to a story and wrote/drew information
they noticed throughout the book to gather evidence in their journals. I read aloud a book
called “Motion: Push and Pull, Fast and Slow.” After every few pages, we summarized
and shared our findings. At the end, we discussed the following questions as a group:
o What do you notice about this book?
o What was it about?
o How do objects move?
o How does gravity affect them?
o What are some ways to investigate our thinking?
• To review content from previous day, we analyzed the phenomenon video to find new
connections between the book and the video. I showed students cards with vocabulary
words (force, gravitational force, balanced force , unbalanced force). I described each
vocabulary word and gave students two illustrated examples of each term. The students
worked as a group to determine another example to add to our chart. Each student got a
copy of the chart to include in their journal to refer to during this learning task. Then, we
went back to our notes from the previous day and labeled any examples that
corresponded with our new vocabulary words. This work helped many students build
connections to new vocabulary using terms they felt comfortable with previously.
• Students were given an “Engaging in Argument from Evidence” graphic organizer with
three categories: (1) Make a claim, (2) Provide evidence, and (3) Link claim and evidence
with reasoning. I guided students through the graphic organizer by making a claim,
determining something they know to be true by asking “What is something you know to
be true about gravity and its role in motion?” Students worked go through their noticings
from the story and use them as evidence to prove the claim true. In partnerships, they
wrote these observations or facts down in the evidence side of the graphic organizer. I
modeled how to turn the claim statement into an introductory sentence and model how to
turn evidence into an argument paragraph to prove their claim correct.
• Students worked in partnerships on their writing making their claim, providing evidence
and then summarizing their thinking in paragraph form. Students made illustrations of
their argument by adding evidence by pictures.
 • To sum it up, students created a FlipGrid to showcase new knowledge learned. They
showed examples of how gravitational force affects the motion of an object.

10/19 – 10/20: Water Cycle

• To stimulate interest in the subject matter, students (as well as Matthew) observed a
video of the glaciers melting. Glacier National Park used to have 150 glaciers and it now
has 25. Photographic evidence in this video shows how drastically the glaciers are being
shaped by a warming planet. Students talked about how this could take place and share
their experiences.
• Student participated in an investigation to observe the flow of energy as it changed states
of matter. Each student in the class was given an ice pop. They investigated the factors
that caused their ice to melt. The vocabulary terms were posted with an image to
represent each one (temperature, solid, liquid, gas, flow of energy, condense, evaporate,
water vapor, water cycle, condensation, evaporation, precipitation, freezing point, boiling
point, melting point,) Students participated in inquiry learning. I encouraged the students
to explore different methods to melt their ice pop. Students worked in small groups to
share their findings. They drew in their journals and labeled their diagrams.
• We reviewed as a class the terms that they witnessed in class today. Students broke into
learning stations to practice using terms, watched video, participated in digital
simulations, and read articles about the glaciers.
• In this mini task, students created a comic strip to explain the changes in states of matter
of water.
• During the brainstorming stage, we shared about the different states of matter and how
water is able to change from solid to liquid to gas.
• Students will be making a comic strip to illustrate this process.
o Here’s how I presented the idea to the students: “First, you must come up with a
superhero! Your superhero will be made of water and his superhuman power will
be the ability to transform from one state to another. Your superhero’s name,
traits, and other characteristics are up to you! Think about what you want your
superhero to look like and design an adventure for him or her. How will your
superhero’s ability to change from ice to liquid be useful on a quest? You can
send your superhero on any adventure as long as you include all three states and
details such as the boiling and freezing point of water in degrees Celsius.”
• During the planning/sketch stage, students brought their ideas to life! They illustrated the
idea of their superheroes by drawing a quick sketch on a piece of paper. Students added
elements such as gadgets and costumes and wrote about how these elements change when
their superhero changes states.
• Students were given a comic strip (digital or paper copy) to create their story. Students
used vocabulary terms to illustrate the scenes. The title of their comics summarized the
scenes. Students shared their creations to their peers and celebrated their superheroes.

11/4 – 11/6: Weather and Data

• In this learning task, students will ask questions and use observations of cloud types (i.e.,
cirrus, stratus, and cumulus) and data of weather conditions to predict weather events and
patterns throughout the year.
• To spark interest in the topic, I showed students a video of clouds that look like other
objects in the sky. We chatted about the information we learned about water cycle and the
definitions of precipitation and condensation. We looked at images and shared examples
 of this part of the water cycle in our lives. There are multiple types of clouds and they
help us predict the weather. This was relevant to students because of the tropical storm
that recently passed in Georgia.
• We reviewed the phenomenon video of the clouds and students brainstormed with a
partner what they noticed and wondered. This moment allowed students to pay close
attention to the shape and composition of the clouds in the video. Each student was given
a set of cloud photos. They grouped clouds based on categories they developed
themselves. They used sticky notes to label the categories and describe how they came to
that conclusion. Students took ownership of their learning. To conclude, we shared our
observations as a class and discussed ways to group clouds.
• In the next session, we explored clouds by reading a STEMscopedia article about clouds.
The article explains how clouds form, what they mean and goes further into explaining
how other conditions help predict the weather. Before students working in groups, we
previewed the vocabulary terms in the passage. Students brainstormed using a KWL
chart. For each paragraph, students jotted main idea, highlighted new words, wrote notes
next to text features, and asked questions. We gathered as a group to share new ideas and
created a class chart of our findings.
• Each child received a cloud chart with vocabulary, images, and examples of the three
cloud types. To extend learning, we took a trip outside and identified cloud types and
what type of weather conditions it would yield. Students worked with family members to
take pictures of draw clouds they saw for a week. They recorded weather and temperature
for each of those days. The chart had a column for illustration, prediction, actual weather
and temperature.
• To summarize, students created a semantic map about the types of clouds with
descriptions and examples.
2. Objectives and Assessments

Write 2-3 learning objectives and state how you will assess each. Provide evidence for meeting the objectives.

Objective Assessment Was the objective met?
Evidence of student learning.

Example
(Content) The student will (Formative). I will observe and ask Yes. Maria was able to look at the
investigate the questions while the student is working. quadrilateral manipulatives and identify
characteristics of (show and explain) all the
quadrilaterals. characteristics of each.

The student will gather (Formative) I will review the student’s Yes. Matthew was able to use content
evidence and construct an graphic organizer and ask questions as vocabulary to explain the effects of
argument to support the the student is gathering evidence to gravity on an object. He accurately used
claim that gravitational support their claim. (Summative) The force, gravitational force, balanced
force affects the motion of student will create a video to showcase force, unbalanced force in complete
an object. their abilities to apply academic sentences to describe objects around
language. I will watch the student’s him. He illustrated examples of how
FlipGrid video to evaluate their ability to gravity plays a role in the motion of an
use vocabulary terms to describe to peers object.
the effects of gravity on objects in their
surroundings.

The student will explain the (Formative) The student will create a Yes. Matthew’s comic strip included all
changes in states of matter comic strip to explain the changes in three states of matter. He described
of water using content area states of matter of water using content how the weapons and tools used by his
 vocabulary. area vocabulary. The student will show hero will change the temperature and
how temperature changes states of cause it to melt/boil. He loved using
matter. illustrations and comics to showcase
his learning. He was invested!
The student will ask (Formative) The student will group Yes. Matthew used content vocabulary
questions and use clouds based on observations and create to group clouds and describe the
observations of cloud types categories and explain their conclusions. weather conditions for a week. He
(i.e., cirrus, stratus, and The student will use vocabulary words to wrote about each cloud and gave
cumulus) and data of describe the weather conditions and characteristics for each.
weather conditions to clouds observed in their own world. I will
predict weather events and observe student’s description of clouds as
patterns throughout the they are working with cloud cards.
year. (Summative) Students will create a
semantic map about the types of clouds
with descriptions and examples.

3. Resources

You are required to use 2-3 ELL-specific resources to help inform your understanding of ELLs and
increase your pedagogical strategies to assist students who are English Language Learners (ELLs). You
may use the resources listed within the module or other resources available to you. Briefly describe how
the resources were used to assist in your experience.

Resources

Dell'Angelo, T. (2015, August 31). Literacy through photography for English-language learners.
https://www.edutopia.org/blog/literacy-through-photography-for-ells-tabitha-dellangelo

The IRIS Center. (2011). Teaching English language learners: Effective instructional practices.
Retrieved from https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/ell/

Witt, D. (2020, July 13). 5 effective modeling strategies for English learners.
https://www.edutopia.org/article/5-effective-modeling-strategies-english-learners

1. This resource emphasizes the importance of using photography to support literacy in the classroom.
Dell'Angelo states that photography supports literacy in several ways: provides differentiation for
English-language learners, relieves pressure from striving readers and writers by providing the
opportunity to read and analyze photographs instead of traditional print texts, and represents a culturally
responsive teaching method as it demonstrates a way to welcome all voices in the classroom to be heard
and valued. In each learning task, I included an activating strategy centered around a scientific
phenomenon. For gravity, we watched a video of scientists playing soccer in space. For water cycle, we
observed a video of the glaciers melting. For weather and data, we watched a video of clouds that look
like other objects in the sky. All of these choices allowed students to focus on the details within the
videos and describe what they noticed and wondered. This created discussion and tapped into their prior
knowledge. We used their inferences and organized into a graphic organizer. Then students used
articles, books, and videos as evidence to support their initial thoughts. This solidified their
understandings and strengthened their vocabulary knowledge.
Dell'Angelo, T. (2015, August 31). Literacy through photography for English-language learners.
https://www.edutopia.org/blog/literacy-through-photography-for-ells-tabitha-dellangelo

2. There are many instructional practices that are beneficial to students who are learning to speak
English. From the IRIS Center’s Teaching English Language Learners: Effective Practices module, I
implemented many instructional strategies listed in the module to “activate background knowledge,
teach vocabulary, teach comprehension strategies, differentiate instruction, and provide opportunities for
students to practice.” The Sheltered Instruction Observational Protocol is a research based instructional
model that supports the needs of English language learners. Language skills such as listening, speaking,
reading, and writing are interconnected and must by taught within the content areas. In my literacy mini-
tasks, I used labeled pictures, diagrams, videos, real objects, and photographs to support vocabulary.
Instruction was culturally responsive because student interests, previous experiences, and knowledge
were shared and valued. My focal student enjoys soccer, enjoys games, and prefers to illustrate his ideas.
I used these aspects to boost motivation and fuel interest in the subject area of science. For example, I
used a video of astronauts playing soccer in space to show the lack of gravitational forces on objects in
motion in outer space. This allowed students to build connections and build meaning as they shared their
thoughts. I also used other scientific phenomenons to illustrate new topics. Learning tasks were
collaborative and student centered. I guided students by using graphic organizers (notice/wonder and
KWL chart) to organize, connect, and build new ideas. I used many of the given reading comprehension
strategies to support students during each lesson. Students were given many options to demonstrate their
learn in written paragraphs, oral presentations using FlipGrid, and artistically by creating a comic strip.

The IRIS Center. (2011). Teaching English language learners: Effective instructional practices.
Retrieved from https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/ell/

3. Witt states that modeling and provides clear examples of expectations for a given assignment and
reduces the verbiage a teacher needs to explain a task. I used the effective modeling strategies listed in
this article to support ELL in my classroom. I worked with students in the first task and modeled how to
form a claim and use text to gather evidence using a graphic organizer. Students worked with peers to
complete the task. Then supporting students as they formed cohesive thoughts and sentences with their
findings. We used language frames to support conversations such as “I notice…” and “I wonder…” In
order to scaffold learning, I broke activities into manageable parts and built lessons up to the products.
In the water cycle lesson, we inquired with a video, participated in an experiment, worked in learning
stations, then summarized our learning by creating a comic strip product to share with peers.

Witt, D. (2020, July 13). 5 effective modeling strategies for English learners.
https://www.edutopia.org/article/5-effective-modeling-strategies-english-learners