Teaching English Language Learners (ELLs)

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Teaching English Language Learners (ELLs)

• What We Know About ELLs
• ELLs, especially adults, have a cognitive
  competence that cannot usually be fully expressed
  in English, but this does not mean that ELLs are
  not bright, motivated learners with a diversity
  of education levels, professional experiences,
  and life successes in their language of origin.
• The linguistically and culturally diverse not
  only have much to gain from US tertiary education
  but have much to offer as well.
• While ELLs enter US educational systems with
  varied levels of learning in their native
  language and in English, research shows that the
  average ELL needs between 5 and 7 years to become
  academically proficient in English language and
  literacy.
• This is about a third of the time it takes a
  native English speaker to do the same, so try to
  understand that language and literacy learning is
  a long and complex process for us all.
• What ELLs Need
• I. Comprehensible Input Making adjustments to
  speech so that the message to students is
  understandable
• Use speech that is appropriate for students
  proficiency levels.
• Avoid jargon and idiomatic speech as much as
  possible.
• Model processes.
• Use multiple modalities.
• Do hands-on activities.
• Explain academic tasks.
• Check for understanding.
• Use a variety of techniques that make content
  understandable.
• Be aware that ELL students often report that
  teachers talk too fast and do not explain things
  well.

• What We Need to Know about ELLs
• Dont assume ELLs know how the American Education
  system works.
• Talk about the steps you are taking and why.
• Remember these students may be used to rote
  learning.
• ESL/ELL students might find the activity level in
  the American classroom confusing.
• Remember that these students may feel overwhelmed
  by the freedom to make their own decisions in the
  classroom .
• Note that students may always say yes when asked
  if they understand. 
• Ask questions using choices, rather than yes/no
  so students are forced to make a decision and
  also have language practice in understanding your
  questions.
• Learn to ask the same questions in many different
  ways.
• Be patient when the students dont respond to
  you, even though you really want to help.  In
  many cultures, a teacher is a person far removed
  from the students, in some cases a person to
  fear.
• Your smile at the student may be confusing and
  may not have the same effect it has on the
  American student.  The student may have to
  relearn his perceptions about the role of the
  teacher.
• Check your own attitude.        
• An ELL student is an asset, not a problem.  Take
  advantage of the richness of his/her experiences
  and culture to provide growth opportunities for
  your other students.
• Put ELL students in groups with Americans, so
  that they can learn from each other.

• Sheltered Instruction
• Effective sheltered instruction involves the use
  of many supplementary materials to support the
  core curriculum and contextualize learning.
• Some examples are
• Hands-on manipulatives
• Realia
• Pictures
• Visuals
• Multimedia
• Demonstrations
• Related literature
• Adapted
• III. Meaningful Activities
• To the extent possible, lesson activities should
  be planned to promote language development in all
  skills while ELLs are mastering content
  objectives.
• Authentic activities represent a reality for
  students, something thats a part of their lives.
• Learning is situated rather than abstract when
  students are provided with the opportunity to
  actually experience what there are learning
  about.

• Effective Instruction versus Sheltered
  Instruction
• Individual, independent Vocabulary done in
  small groups
• vocabulary work
• Wrote definitions Report definitions aloud,
  paraphrasing
• Read silently to themselves Read aloud in
  groups with support
• Class Discussions Class discussion with
  visuals
• 
  (realia,
  writing on board)
• Completed worksheet Hands-on activity
• Reviewed vocabulary orally Reviewed orally with
  words
• 
  
  written for reference
• Teacher-centered text and Student-centered,
• paper-and-pencil tasks hands-on
  activity