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www.ncliteracyresources.comNC Literacy Resources - Serving the Literacy Needs of NC since 1987

Supporting the English Language Learner

in the Mainstream Classroom

Johnston County August 8, 2007

Presenter: Marian Shuttlesworth


Agenda• Identify the challenges that ELL’s face

• Identify the language and literacy needs of ELLs

• Examine instructional practices that best support ELLs

• Determine ways to select appropriate texts to meet the needs of ELLs


Projections indicate that by 2015, more than 15% of all students in K–12 public schools across the United States will not speak English as their first language.Gray, Tracy and Steve Fleischman. “Research Matters/Strategies for English Language Learners.” Educational Leadership: Dec 2004/Jan 2005.

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Did You Know?


ELL Growth in NC

60149

70912

78395

83627

92316

60000

65000

70000

75000

80000

85000

90000

95000

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

LEP Growth

Source: NC DPI, ESL Department Annual LEP Headcount Data


ELL Growth in Johnston County


What Does an ELL look like?Stages of Language Acquisition

Activity:1. Skim the Stages of Language

Acquisition2. Talk with a partner about what new

information you learned from this document. How does this information

help you to better understand the needs of the English Language

Learners in your classroom?


Language Transfer IssuesWhat is Language Transfer?

Language transfer typically refers to the learner trying to apply rules and forms of the first language into the second language.

What is POSITIVE Language Transfer?

When the relevant unit or structure of both languages is the same, it most often results in correct language production called positive

transfer.

What is NEGATIVE Language Transfer?

Negative transfer occurs when speakers and writers transfer items and structures that are not the same in both languages.


Language Transfer Issues Examples

• Definite articles can be omitted Do you have book? = Do you have the book? (Hmong, Spanish)

• No plural form for nouns I have many good idea. = I have many good ideas. (Chinese, Hmong, Korean, Vietnamese)

• No distinction between subject and object pronouns I gave the forms to she. = I gave the forms to her. (Chinese, Haitian Creole, Hmong, Spanish, Vietnamese)

• Present tense is used in place of future tense I finish it tomorrow. = I will finish it tomorrow. (Spanish, Hmong, Haitian Creole)

• Adjectives can reflect number and gender I have kinds parents. = I have kind parents. (Spanish)


Talk with a PartnerTalk with a partner about what have

observed with your own students. What kind of negative and positive transfers do you hear your students

making?

What languages would you expect to have fewer transfer issues? What

languages would you expect to have more?


BICS vs. CALPBICS (Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills) refers to the basic

communicative fluency achieved by all normal native speakers of a language.

It typically takes language learners 1-3 years to develop BICS if they have sufficient exposure to the second language.

CALP (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency) refers to the ability to manipulate language using abstractions in a sophisticated manner. CALP is used while performing in an academic setting. CALP is the ability to think in and use a language as a tool for learning.

Research suggests that K-12 students need 5 to 7 years to acquire CALP in the second language if the learner has native language literacy. Learners who do not have strong native language literacy often need 7-10 years to acquire CALP in the second language.

Source: Jim Cummins and Virginia Collier


Text Challenges for ELL’s• Vocabulary• Connections• Sentence length• Verb tense• Pronouns• Prepositional

phrases• Punctuation

• Possessives• Contractions• Passive voice• Idioms• Multiple meaning

words• Abbreviations


Text Challenges ExamplesPronouns:

The horse went in the barn. It was brown.

Idioms:“Kick the bucket”

Multiple Meaning Words: Discuss with a partner!

What does the word “Power” mean in each of the following classes? Math, Social Studies, Science, Language Arts.


Text Challenges for ELL’s• Vocabulary• Connections• Sentence length• Verb tense• Pronouns• Prepositional

phrases• Punctuation

• Possessives• Contractions• Passive voice• Idioms• Multiple meaning

words• Abbreviations


How to Evaluate Texts for ELL’s?

Repetitive Sentence Structures

1-4 sentences per page

Up to 6 glossary words

Up to 6 words per sentence

Direct Photo Support

Simple to Compound Sentence Structures

5-6 sentences per page

Up to 10 glossary words

Up to 8 words per sentence

Moderate Photo Support

Novice Advanced


ELL’s vs. Native Speakers• What would you do differently to

support an ELL?– Frontload academic vocabulary– Build background– Introduce academic concepts– Ask tiered questions associated with the

students level of language proficiency– Provide stage-appropriate adaptations

of instructional strategies


How do ELL’s acquire academic vocabulary?

• Repeated reading of the same book (Reader’s Theater is a great way to do repeated reading with a purpose!)

• Chants and Songs• Word Walls• Picture/text correspondence• Realia• Listening Opportunities! CD’s, music,

discussion


What the classroom teacher must keep in mind for ELL

learning:• Linking past learning to the new concept• Using slower speech, visuals, real objects,

manipulatives, etc. to clarify meaning• Using scaffolding techniques beginning with

students’ current levels of understanding • Providing more wait time for an ELL’s response,

as well as more opportunities for student talk rather than teacher talk

• Pacing the lesson delivery to match the students’ ability level

• Providing many avenues of assessing knowledge


Let’s Take a Look


Explore!1. Look through materials

2. Talk with a partner about what features of the materials are supportive of ELL’s.

3. Go forth and apply!


English Explorers Text Reading LevelsEmergent / Early Levels(D-E/5-8)

Early Level (F-I/9-16)

Early / Fluent (J-M/18-28)

Fluent (N-P/30-38)

Fluent (Q-X/40-60)

TESOL Level 1

TESOL Level 2

TESOL Level 3

TESOL Level 4

TESOL Level 5

Bridge to Intermediate Leveled Texts


Level 1 – Starting Up

Characteristics of the ELL

Literacy Needs

• Communicates nonverbally• Observes during instruction• Relies on pictures

• Repetitive sentence structures• 1–4 sentences per page• Up to 6 words in most sentences• Direct photo support


Discover GlaciersLevel 1–Starting Up


Level 2 – Beginning


Literacy Needs

• Manipulates objects to communicate

• Uses basic words and phrases

• Relies on pictures

• Some repetitive sentences

• 1–4 sentences per page

• Up to 6 words in most sentences

• High photo support


Level 2–BeginningEarthquake!


Level 3 – Developing


Literacy Needs

• Occasionally joins in conversations

• Uses phrases and sentences

• Relies on high-frequency words, known patterns

• Simple sentence structures



• Moderate photo support


Erosion Level 3–Developing


Level 4 – Expanding

Characteristics of the ELL Literacy Needs• Engages in discussions

• Uses complete sentences

• Begins to use multiple strategies

• Mostly simple sentence structures



• Moderate photo support


Adaptation Level 4–Expanding


Level 5 – Bridging Over

• Produces language comparable to that of a native speaker

• Actively uses academic language to negotiate meaning

• Uses multiple strategies to construct meaning from print

• Actively participates in all areas of balanced literacy, both reading and writing components


Nonfiction Text Features

Fonts and Special Effects (Locate)•Titles and headings•Boldfaced and color print•Italics•Bullets•Captions•LabelsText Organizers (Locate)•Index•Preface•Table of contents•Glossary•Appendix

Graphics (Interpret)•Diagrams•Cutaways•Cross sections•Overlays•Distribution maps•Word bubbles•Charts, tables, graphs•Framed text•Illustrations and photographs

Content Area Reading: Literacy and Learning across the

Curriculum by Richard T. and Jo Anne L. Vacca. Longman, 1999.


GO FORTH AND EVALUATE!


Supporting the English Language Learner

in the Mainstream Classroom

Johnston County August 8, 2007

Presenter: Marian ShuttlesworthVisit us online at www.ncliteracyresources.com

Www.ncliteracyresources.com NC Literacy Resources - Serving the Literacy Needs of NC since 1987...

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