Working with English language learners:

1
Working with English language learners

• An overview of policy and practice for educating
  ESL students

2
Important Terminology

• ESL English as a second language program
  designed to instruct students whos first
  language is not English in reading, writing,
  speaking and listening.
• ELL English language learner (the student who is
  learning English)
• LEP Limited English proficient student

3
English language learners in Pennsylvania

• Approximately 43,000 students throughout the
  Commonwealth of Pennsylvania have a language
  other than English as their first language
• These students speak about 175 different
  languages
• Most commonly spoken language other than English
  is Spanish

4
Legal obligations of school districts

• No Child Left Behind
• Title VI and Title IX
• Pennsylvania School Code of 1949
• Chapter 4 Curriculum Requirements
• Basic Education Circular of 2001
• Local school district policy

5
Types of Programs

• Bilingual Education Seeks to educate students in
  core content areas using native language
  instruction and support with an English component
• ESL or ESOL Uses specific teaching techniques to
  instruct the English language learners in
  reading, writing listening and speaking English

6
Considerations when working with English language
learners

• Culture
• Language
• Instructional background
• Assessment
• Communication with parents/caregivers
• Parent and student rights

7
Cultural Considerations

• Get to know about the culture of the ELL students
  in the classroom
• Understand the perspective that is driving their
  reaction to the school experience
• Encourage the ELL students to share information
  about their culture
• Create an atmosphere of acceptance of differing
  cultures in the classroom

8
Linguistic Considerations

• Learn about the language of the ESL students in
  your classroom
• Learn about the pitfalls that they may exhibit in
  English based on the structure of their native
  language
• Develop an understanding of the stages of
  language acquisition
• Encourage the students to keep their native
  language alive while they are acquiring English

9
Instructional Considerations

• Gather as much information about the students
  previous school experiences
• Using a language assessment tool, the ESL teacher
  will evaluate the students skills in English and
  assign the student to one of the levels of
  English proficiency
• Entering, Beginning, Developing, Expanding,
  Bridging and Reaching

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Instructional Considerations

• Work alongside the ESL teacher to learn about
  some appropriate and general educational
  expectations of the student based on the level of
  English proficiency
• Become familiar with the ESL curriculum for
  students in your district and how it aligns with
  the general education curriculum

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Instructional Considerations

• Instruction with students at the lowest levels of
  English proficiency must be explicit and direct
  with a great deal of background scaffolding,
  picture support and simplified vocabulary
• Instructional materials and assessments will need
  to be modified to meet the instructional and
  language needs of the students

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Instructional Considerations

• Use instructional techniques that support all
  areas of language development
• Guided Reading/Choral Reading/Taped Reading
• Label items in the classroom and throughout the
  school with the word written in English
• Graphic organizers
• Simplified study guides
• Buddy system/partnering
• Differentiated instruction practices
• Vocabulary instruction with picture support

• Adjusting the amount of language needed to
  complete assignments
• Reducing the amount of language by modifying
  texts
• Use different shades of highlighters to focus on
  main ideas and supporting details
• Focus directly on skills of particular lessons
• Find a text that is linguistically less
  challenging, but not insulting to the student

13
Assessment Considerations

• Consider alternative methods of assessing
  students
• Allow graphic organizers to demonstrate
  understanding of key concepts
• Allow students to draw pictures
• Allow the student to orally answer questions in
  lieu of providing a lengthy written response
• Allow students to complete a project

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Assessment Considerations

• Students will always need to complete the PSSA
  Math assessment
• Students are permitted a one time exemption for
  the PSSA Reading assessment if they are in their
  first year of school in the U.S.
• School districts generally follow these same
  guidelines for local assessments
• ESL students are allowed accommodations during
  testing

15
Communication with Parents

• Schools are required by numerous federal
  legislative pieces to communicate with the
  parents in the language and mode that is most
  accessible to them
• Pennsylvania Department of Education provides
  each district free access to TransAct document
  services
• Oral interpretation is the responsibility of the
  school district
• Only in cases of emergency should children be
  used as translators between the school and home

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Parent and Student Rights

• ESL instruction must be provided to students if
  it is indicated that they are not fluent in
  English
• ESL services may not be refused by the parent
• A designation of English language learner does
  not indicate that the student also qualifies for
  special education
• An ESL student does not have an IEP
• Students must continue to attend content classes
  while they are acquiring English
• Students may not be placed in a lower grade level
  due to lack of English proficiency

17
Help for the classroom teacher

• There are thousands of websites that are
  available for the classroom teacher to assist
  with instruction
• Many school districts throughout the nation with
  large ESL populations have many interesting links
  to assist classroom teachers
• Contact school district ESL personnel or I.U. ESL
  personnel for specific questions

18
GOOD LUCK!!!

• You will do a great job with ESL students and
  find that you will learn as much from them as
  they will from you!