Strategies to Improve English Language Learner (ELL) Engagement

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Strategies to Improve English Language Learner
(ELL) Engagement
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Who are the ELLs?

• Students whose primary/native language is one
  other than English
• They can be born in the U.S. or another country.
• Membership is expected temporary.

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Have you seen these acronyms?

• ESL English as a Second Language
• ELL English Language Learners
• LEP Limited English Proficient
• ELDA English Language Development Assessment
• NES Non English Speaker

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What Is the Number?
LA 2010 LEP Population 13,093

• Top languages in the state
• Spanish 69
• Vietnamese 12
• Arabic 6
• Chinese 3
• French 2
• Other 8

LEPs in EBR are approx. 3 of the total district
population. Thats approx. 11 of the state total
of LEPs.
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Fastest Growing ELL Populations

• U.S.-born children of immigrant (native-born)
• 76 of ELLs in grade K-8
• 56 of ELLs in grade 9-12 (Batalova, Fix, and
  Murray, 2007)
• ELLs comprise one of the fastest-growing groups
  among the school-aged population.

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Factors- Differences among ELLs

• Native language(s)
• Level of native language/literacy skills
• Level of English language/literacy skills
• Length of time family has lived in US
• Previous schooling experience
• Familiarity with school routines
• Content-area knowledge
• Parental education

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How do I speak to the ELLs?

• Use clear, normal speech.
• You may have to slow down, repeat yourself, or
  rephrase what you said.
• NEVER use baby talk, shout, or talk excessively
  slow with ELLs.
• Try not to use a lot of idioms or slang.
• Smile!!

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How do I teach ELLs?

• Use of visuals and realia
• Gestures (body language)
• Build on prior knowledge.
• Peer assistance
• Graphic organizers
• Model everything.
• Put it in writing.
• Keep it simple.
• More to come this year!!

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Planning Classroom Instruction

• Simply change some of the ways that instruction
  is presented, not a new lesson.
• Examples teach to varied learning styles, high
  expectations, more wait time, repeat/rephrase.
• Explicit vocabulary instructionfocusing on a few
  key words utilize word walls.

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What are accommodations and why do we need
them?

• The content of the standard remains the same, but
  how a student accesses information and
  demonstrates mastery of that content may be
  adjusted.
• Made in order to provide a student with equal
  access to learning and equal opportunity to show
  what he or she knows and can do.

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The Assignments are inNow what?

• Grading should be a fair assessment of what the
  student has completed.
• Should focus on the process and the end product.
• Use of alternative assessments
• Recognize effort and improvement
• Like assignments, assessments can be
  differentiated, too.

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Things to remember

• Treat ELLs like the rest of your students.
• Get to know your students.
• Use the different cultures to educate yourself
  and the other students.
• Dont hesitate to ask the ESL Instructional
  Specialists for help. We are always available!

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D for Devastation

• I still recall the excitement I felt as a child
  when the teacher handed out report cards each
  quarter. I felt a sense of satisfaction that my
  hard work had paid off. It took only one report
  card to forever change my perspective. I
  remember vividly the moment I saw my grade in
  matha D. I had never received any grade lower
  than a C. I was devastated. My homework and
  assignments had indicated I was doing OK. The
  next day, I asked my teacher to double-check
  because I was sure he had made a mistake. He
  responded, No, it is correctyou bombed the last
  test. That event shaped my assessment practices
  as a teacher.
• Throughout my 18 years in the classroom, I
  always ensured accurate assessment of student
  learning based on multiple measures, not a single
  test.
• --Lori Mora, assistant principal
• Dear Valley Middle, Arizona