What teachers CAN DO with the “CAN-DO”

Descriptors

Parkway ELL InstituteJune 27, 2013

Michelle Davis-Robinson & Kristi Denner

Myth Busters!

Myth #1: Many ELLs have disabilities, which is why they are often over- represented in special education.

Myth Busters!

Reality: While it is true that a disproportionate number of ELLs are represented in special education, placement rates vary with the size of the ELL population in each state and access to ELL programs. Studies find that current assessments that do not differentiate between disabilities and linguistic differences can lead to misdiagnosis of ELLs. Unfortunately, inappropriate placements in special education can limit the growth of ELLs without disabilities. Research suggests that ELLs with disabilities can learn, and early intervention can prevent academic failure. Inclusive environments that provide challenging rather than remedial instruction will be most effective.

Myth Busters!

Myth #2: Children learn a second language quickly and easily.

Myth Busters!

Reality: A variety of socio-cultural factors can affect language learning. ELL students might face additional challenges such as acclimating to a new culture and status that interfere with learning English. Culture can affect how long it takes children learn English. Do students come from a modern industrialized countries or rural agricultural societies? Do your students come from language backgrounds using a different writing system? Previous schooling and school expectations will also affect language learning. Students should be encouraged to use native language strategically, and will be motivated by student-centered activities. Because English language learning is a recursive process, educators should integrate listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills into instruction from the start, teaching language through content.

Myth Busters!

Myth #3: When an ELL student is able to speak English fluently, he or she has mastered it.

Myth Busters!

Reality: Some teachers may assume that students who have good oral English need no further support to succeed academically, but everyday oral language uses different rhetoric, structure, and vocabulary. Furthermore, research indicates that oral language should be systematically assessed with instruments that are academically oriented.

Myth Busters!

Myth #4: All ELL students learn English in the same way.

Myth Busters!

Reality: ELLs’ prior schooling, socioeconomic position, content knowledge, and immigration status create variety in their learning processes. Some ELLs speak languages with English cognates, while others speak languages with little lexical similarity to English; this changes the nature of how students learn content-specific language.

Myth Busters!

Myth #5: Providing accommodations for ELL students only benefits those students.

Myth Busters!

Reality: Research suggests that making mainstream classrooms more ELL-responsive will also make them more responsive to under-served learners generally. Many cognitive aspects of reading are common to both native speakers of English and ESL learners, though research shows that teachers should pay additional attention to background knowledge, interaction, and word use with ELLs.

Myth Busters!

Myth #6: Teaching ELLs means only focusing on vocabulary.

Myth Busters!

Reality: Students need to learn forms and structures of academic language, they need to understand the relationship between forms and meaning in written language, and they need opportunities to express complex meanings, even when their English language proficiency is limited.

Myth Busters!

Myth #7: Second language learners will acquire academic English faster if their parents speak English at home.

Myth Busters!

Reality: Research shows that it is much better for parents to speak in native language to their children. This language will be richer and more complex. It doesn’t matter in what language basic concepts are developed. Children will eventually translate that learning to English. If a child is being read to in his or her native language, parents will spend more time discussing the story and asking questions. Encourage parents to read in both languages if they can. Never instruct a parent to speak only English at home.

Myth Busters!

Myth #8: Once students can speak English, they are ready to undertake the academic tasks of the mainstream classroom.

Myth Busters!

Reality: Children can speak and socialize way before they can use language for academic purposes. BICS (Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills) are acquired first. This is social language such as the language needed to interact on the playground and in the classroom. It usually takes students from 1-3 years to completely develop this social language. Then children will develop CALP (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency) skills. This is the language needed to undertake academic tasks in the mainstream classroom. It includes content-specific vocabulary. It usually takes students from 3 to 7 years or longer to develop CALP.

Learning Targets

Gain an understanding of the English language proficiency levels and how they are assessed.

Understand what the Can-Do Descriptors are and how they can be used to inform instruction.

Identify various types of supports that can be used to make content comprehensible for ELLs.

Integrate language objectives in lesson planning and delivery.

English Language Proficiency (ELP)

6 Levels of Proficiency– 1: no English, 6: fluent speaker

All proficiency levels are seen across grade levels

Social Language vs. Academic Language

Developing

Rea

chin

g

Level

1Level

2Level

3Level

4Level

5

Expanding BridgingBeginning

Level

6

Entering

ELL AssessmentsW-APT

(WIDA - ACCESS Placement Test)

ACCESS for ELLs(Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners)

W-APT ELP “screening” test Given to new students who speak

another language Assists in the identification and

placement of ELLs Indicator of a student’s language

proficiency level (1-6) Assists in determining appropriate

levels and amounts of instructional services

WIDA’s five English Language Proficiency Standards:– Social & Instructional Language– Language of Language Arts– Language of Mathematics– Language of Science– Language of Social Studies

Each form of the test assesses the four domains of language:– Listening, Speaking, Reading,

Writing

W-APT: Proficiency Levels

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ACCESS for ELLs

A large-scale ELP assessment given to K-12 ELLs Given annually (Feb-Mar) Meets No Child Left Behind Act Identifies the ELP levels of students (1-6) Provides information that can be used to

enhance instruction and learning for ELLs Helps to determine when ELLs have attained the

language proficiency needed to participate in content area classrooms without program support, and on state academic content tests without accommodations

ACCESS: Proficiency Levels

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Proficiency Levels

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- Both “Level 3” Overall ELP- Varying ELP Levels in specific Language Domains

CAN-DO Descriptors

For grades PreK-12Organized by grade level clustersLevels 1-6, in R/W/L/STells what students CAN do (with

supports) in R/W/L/S

CAN-DO Descriptors

View “Immersion” video at:

http://www.mediathatmattersfest.org/watch/9/immersion

What supports did the teacher What supports did the teacher use?use?

What supports could she have What supports could she have used?used?

What supports did Moises use?What supports did Moises use?30

Scaffold or Support?

1. Think about the difference between scaffolding and support.

2. Explain the difference to a partner.

3. Share with the group.

Scaffolding or Support?

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Scaffolding the intentional act of building upon students’ acquired skills and knowledge in order to teach new skills

Supports the use of instructionalStrategies/tools to assist students in accessing content necessary for understanding or communication, and to help them construct meaning from language

Using Supports to Differentiate Instruction

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Activity: Assessment through the Lens of an ELL

Assessment #1 Assessment #2

– Compare/Contrast– What does each assessment measure?– How do they help make the content

accessible to ELLs?

Modifications Modifying instruction is critical to ELL success

– Not a second lesson plan, but changing some of the ways you do things

– Also benefits native English speakers

Modifying class work and assessments to fit ELLs capabilities doesn’t mean expecting less from them

– It means giving them realistic tasks to complete that increase their chances for success

– Making the content comprehensible for ELLs

Allows ELLs to show what they CAN DO

Level 1 – Entering

Level 4 – Expanding

Level 5 – Bridging

DIFFERENTIATION TEMPLATEDIFFERENTIATION TEMPLATE

Language-Based Expectations:

Standards-Based Content:

Scaffolding and Support:

DIFFERENTIATION TEMPLATEDIFFERENTIATION TEMPLATE

Language-Based Expectations:• Written for each ELP Level• Based on CAN-DO Descriptors• Build on what students already know and can do• Provide a foundation for generating language objectives and authentic assessments

Standards-Based Content:• Derived from curriculum• Expressed in terms of a big idea or enduring understanding• Used to generate content objectives that are essentially the same for all students

Scaffolding and Support:• Tailored to the task and proficiency level of students• Provide support needed for each student to meaningfully engage with the language and content• Differentiated based on the particular language, literacy, and learning strengths of each student

Language Objectives Focus on:

- Reading, writing, listening, and speaking for academic purposes

- Key content vocabulary, grammar, and complexity

- Specific academic language functions: describe, compare, contrast, and persuade

Students will produce expanded sentences using clauses in order to make a hypothesis about change in states of matter.

Students will use “when”, “therefore”, “in order to” to make a hypothesis about change in states of matter.

I can use the words “when”, “therefore”, “in order to” to make a hypothesis about science.

Sample Language Objectives

Students will use the future tense in order to make a hypothesis about change in states of matter.

Students will use “will melt” or “will ______” in order to make a hypothesis about change in states of matter.

I can use the word “will” in order to make a hypothesis in science.

Sample Language Objectives

The Basics ofLanguage Objectives

• Language Function - What do you want them to do?

• Example Topic - What content do you want them to know about?

• Support - How can they access the information?

• Examples

[Content Objective: Students will be able to identify the steps in the life cycle of a plant.]

Language Objective: Students will be able to write a sentence describing each step in the life cycle of a plant, using picture cards.

Language FunctionLanguage FunctionContent StemContent Stem

Support(s)Support(s)

DIFFERENTIATION TEMPLATEDIFFERENTIATION TEMPLATE

Language-Based Expectations: Students determine the meaning of words and phrases in figurative language, such as idioms and similes.

Standards-Based Content: RL.6.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.

Scaffolding and Support:

•Leveled figurative language chart

•Word and picture cards

•Total physical response (TPR)

•Native language

•Mentors

Student Profiles

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Student’s Student’s English English Proficiency Proficiency LevelLevel

Student’sStudent’sStrengthsStrengths

Turn and Talk: 1 - Something I learned and would like to implementin my classroom

2 - Something I’m still wondering or have questions about

EXIT SLIP

Questions?

Sources

www.wida.us http://www.ncte.org/library/nctefiles/resourc

es/policyresearch/ellresearchbrief.pdf

http://www.everythingesl.net/downloads/myths_SLA02.pdf

Cole, Debra & Hanna, Lorie. WIDA ELD Standards In Action Differentiation. April 16, 2013.