Title: Increasing Comprehensibility: Effective Instruction for ELLs
1Increasing ComprehensibilityEffective
Instruction for ELLs
- Minda Lopez
- minda_at_satx.rr.com
2Some terms
- For the learner
- ELLEnglish Language Learner
- LEPLimited English Proficient
- LESLimited English Speaker
- SLLSecond Language Learner
- For the programs
- ESLEnglish as a Second Language
- ESOLEnglish to Speakers of a Second Language
- SI or SIOPSheltered Instruction or SI
observation protocol - SDAIESpecifically Designed Academic Instruction
in English
3Demographics of US ELLs
- 12 of entire population in 2004 is foreign born
(more than doubled since 1970) - 1 in 5 children under the age of 18 are the
children of immigrants - ELLs represent 6 of total student population
nationwide
Source OELA, 2001
4Demographics of US ELLs
- 55 of foreign born children are from Latin
America - 25 were born in Asia
- 4 were born in Africa
- 17 in Oceania, Europe or Canada
Source OELA, 2001
5Demographics of US ELLs
- 74 of ELLs speak Spanish as their L1
- No other language is represented by over 3
- Order of languages spoken by ELLs in US Schools
- Spanish
- Chinese
- Vietnamese
- Korean
- Hmong
- French
- German
- Russian
- French/Haitian Creole
- Arabic
Source OELA, 2001
6Demographics of our ELLs
- Latinos in the US
- The population is younger than average
- 35 of Latinos are under 18 vs. 22 of NHW
- 40 of Latinos are foreign born
- 52.1 entered U.S. between 1990 and 2000
- Less likely to have graduated from high school
- 57 of those 25 and older have high school
diplomas vs. 88.7 N-HW - Language spoken at home (U.S. Latino population 5
yrs. old and over) - English only 82.1
- Spanish only 10. 7 ( dont have the
bilingual statistic)
7Demographics in TX
- 94 of ELLs in Texas Speak Spanish
- All other groups are 2 or less
- Spanish
- Vietnamese
- Cantonese
- Urdu
- Korean
- Arabic
- Mandarin
- Khmer
- Lao
- German
Source OELA, 2001
8Texas Latinos
- Texas population (2000 Census)
- Total 20,851,820
- Hispanic/Latino 32
- 27 speak Spanish
- Bexar County population (2000 Census)
- Total 1,392,931
- Hispanic/Latino 54.3
- 41 speak Spanish
9Bexar County ELLs
- Languages represented
- (dont know the specific order)
- Spanish
- Mandarin
- Cantonese
- Urdu
- Vietnamese
- Korean
- German
- French
- Japanese
- Bantu (Somalia)
- Russian
Source Region 20, NEISD, NISD
10The research ELLs
- Vygotsky (1978) Sociocultural approach--view that
learning and literacy are social, cultural and
linguistic acts situated in a sociohistorical
context - Krashen (1987) Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis,
Input Hypothesis (i 1) and Affective Filter
Hypothesis - Cummins (1984) 2 dimensions of languagesocial
(BICS) and academic (CALP)
11Types of Language ProficiencyAccording to Jim
Cummins
- BICS (Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills)
- 1-3 years to develop
- CALP (Cognitive Academic Language
Proficiency) - 4-10 years to develop
What are the implications of this for our
classrooms? How does this help us to be better
advocates for English Language Learners?
12Social vs. Academic Language
- Social Language (BICS)
- Simpler Language
- Usually face-to-face
- Informal settings
- Precise understanding is seldom required
- Familiar topics
- Clues from expressions, gestures, context
- Many opportunities to clarify
- Academic Language (CALP)
- Technical Vocabulary (written has longer
sentences more complex grammar) - Lecture-style communication or textbook
style--few context clues - Precise understanding required
- Abstract topics cognitively complex new
information - Fewer clues
- More difficult to clarify
13According to Cummins...
- English Language Learners must make 15 months
gain for mainstream students 10 months gains - Constantly trying to catch up to their English
speaking peers
14Social and Academic Language Proficiency
Native English Speakers English Language Learners
Proficiency
Proficiency
Typically 5-7 years if ELLs have had 2-3 years
of first language schooling in home country7-10
years if not
5-7 years (up to 10)
2 years
Social Language (BICS)
Academic Language (CALP)
15BICS and the Language of the Content Areas
- 1. In your group, fill out the matrix--using
vocabulary from the specific content areas.
- 2. Be prepared to share some of your answers
with the whole group.
There may be more than one correct answer per box!
16The Language of the Content Areas
17BICS and CALP in the classroom Word Maps
18What is Language Proficiency?
- Level of skill student demonstrates in a language
- Ability to understand messages
- Ability to express meaning effectively
- Ability to use language fluently across a variety
of contexts - Ability to self-correct
A. Ortiz, Learning Disabilities Occurring
Concomitantly with Linguistic Differences, 1997
19Language Proficiency Levels
- Pre-production
- Early Production
- Speech Emergency
- Intermediate Fluency
- Fluency
PEPSI
20(No Transcript)
21Additional Challenges
- ELLs are 3 times more likely to be considered low
achievers - In Texas, all ELLs are automatically considered
at risk - 30 of ELLs were retained in at least one grade
(compared to 17 of native speakers) - 1/3 of Hispanics and 2/3 of immigrant students
drop out of school - Sources ECS Clearinghouse (1997)
- When Students Get Behind Flores, J. L, Ed (1996)
- Children of La Frontera Binational efforts to
serve Mexican Migrant and Immigrant Students ERIC
22What are some effective ways to help ELLS
overcome these challenges?
23Effective teaching strategies
- What is effective for ELLs?
Create a t-chart brainstorm
24What is Sheltered Instruction?
Sheltered instruction is a total English approach
to instruction and classroom management that
teachers can use to help English language
learners acquire English and content area
knowledge and skills.
From Region IV State Supported Sheltered
Instruction Training
25What is Sheltered Instruction? continued
Draws from and complements methods and
strategies advocated for both second language
learners and mainstream classrooms. S.I. is
beneficial for ELLs because the more familiar
they are with academic tasks, routines, etc., the
easier it will be for them to focus on the new
content in mainstream classes.
Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol by
Echevarria, et. al
26When do we use Sheltered Instruction?
- Sheltered Instruction can be a part of many
program designs, ESL, bilingual education, dual
language immersion, etc.
p. 12 Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol
by Echevarria, et. al
In Texas, Sheltered Instruction is commonly used
to refer to ESL instruction by a non-ESL
certified teacher to ESL students along with
English speaking students in the mainstream
classroom (Secondary) or to mixed population
classes (ESL and mainstream) in a classroom
(Elementary).
27What is the SIOP?
- Overall approach to working with ELLs
- SIOP stands for Sheltered Instruction Observation
Protocol - SIOP is an observation tool designed for use with
teachers and administrators working with ELLs - SIOP also provides guidelines for working with
ELLs and strategies for planning and implementing
lessons
Echevarria, et. al (2003)
28What is SIOP?
29What is the SIOP?
- Overall approach to working with ELLs
- SIOP stands for Sheltered Instruction Observation
Protocol - SIOP is an observation tool designed for use with
teachers and administrators working with ELLs - SIOP also provides guidelines for working with
ELLs and strategies for planning and implementing
lessons
Echevarria, et. al (2003)
30Sheltered Instruction Analogy
- In your group, complete and illustrate the
following analogy statement - Sheltered Instruction is like _________________be
cause _________________________. - Be prepared to present your analogy
31SIOP Components
- Preparation
- Building Background
- Comprehensible Input
- Strategies
- Interaction
- Practice/Application
- Delivery
- Review/Assessment
Preparation
Instruction
Assessment
323. Comprehensible Input
Comprehensible Input
Explain Academic Tasks
Modify Speech
Include Visuals
33Comprehensible Input Features
- Speech appropriate for students proficiency
level - Clear explanation of academic tasks
- Use of visuals, gestures, etc. to scaffold speech
- A variety of techniques to make content concepts
clear
34How do I increase comprehensible input?
- Speak slowly, enunciate clearly and explain
idioms and pragmatic concepts. - Make connections between concepts and words,
social and technical vocabulary. - Teach students valuable study skills and thinking
strategies so they may use them across all
content areas. - Modify lessons and texts as needed.
35Modify Texts According to Language Proficiency
and Reading Levels
Teachers can make content more comprehensible for
their students by
- Using graphics
- Using outlines
- Rewriting the text
- Using audio recordings
- Providing demonstrations
- Using alternate books or materials
36Teach students how to use textbook chapters by
- Engaging them in a picture walk of the
textbook. - Pointing out important aspects of the chapter,
titles, headings, margins, maps, keys, etc. - Create a textbook scavenger hunt or textbook
outline to get students to notice aspects of the
chapter. - Use From Text to Graphics and Back Again
technique
37From Text to Graphics and back again
- Sequence of steps to help ELLs understand content
area information - The major concepts in the text are put into
graphic form, then the graphic form is used to
organize student talk and writing
38Process for text-graphics-text
Integrating Language and Content
Teacher Input
Student Tasks
Graphic organizers to show major concepts and
organization
Planning
Explicit attention to language and organization
of textbook
Construct graphic from text
Construct text from graphic
39Knowledge StructuresChapter 1Other Places,
Other Times
Teacher summary of chapter
40What kind of GO fits best with the information?
41Graphic Representation of Homo Habilis to
accompany Other Places, Other Times
42Chapter Review
43By this time students have...
- Read text
- Filled in webs, graphic organizers
- Talked about the content
- Completed a Matrix on the content
- All these activities have reinforced both
language and content!
44Four rules of thumb for this strategy
- We should use a few, well-chosen graphic
organizers (GO) repeatedly. (Some are better for
certain content areas than others.) - The GO needs to accurately reflect the
relationship it is depicting. - The GO must contain key vocabulary students will
need to express their learning. Students should
have opportunities to practice talking about the
content through their GOs can be done
individually, in pairs, in small groups and whole
class. - We should teach students to be progressively
independent in their use of GOs (scaffolding).
45Student-generated timeline
This was student-initiated for a later unit.
46Final Stepstudents generating text
47Practice From text to graphics and back again
- Preview a chapter/literature book and determine
how it is organized and what its key concepts
are. - Choose and draw a GO that will help students
understand the organization and/or relationships
in the chapter. - Write several, simple sentences that express the
content and relationships illustrated in the
organizer. - Describe a student writing task which would use
the content, language, and relationships in the
organizer.
48Authors Chair
49References
- Cummins, J. (1990) The Acquisition of English
as a Second Language - ECS Clearinghouse (1997) Children of La
Frontera Binational efforts to serve Mexican
Migrant and Immigrant Students - Flores, J. L, Ed (1996) When Students Get
Behind - Grognet, Jameson, Franco Derrick-Mescua.
(2000) Enhancing English Language Learning in
Elementary Classrooms - Gunderson, L. (1991) ESL Literacy Instruction
- Marzano, R. J. (2004) Building Background
Knowledge for Academic Achievement Research on
what works in Schools. - Nagy, W. (1988) Teaching Vocabulary to Improve
Reading Comprehension. ERIC Clearinghouse. - Optiz, M. (1998) Flexible Grouping in Reading
Practical Ways to Help All Students Become Better
Readers.
50References continued...
- Ortiz, A. (1996) Bilingual Special Education
- Ortiz, A. (1997) Learning Disabilities
Occurring Concomitantly with Linguistic
Differences - Rasinski, et al (Eds). Teaching Word
Recognition, Spelling, and Vocabulary (2000)
International Reading Association. - Strickland, D., Ganske, K., Monroe, J. (2002)
Supporting Struggling Readers and Writers
Strategies for Classroom Intervention, grades 3-6 - Texas Education Agency Second Grade Teacher
Reading Academy. - Texas Education Agency SIOP (Sheltered
Instruction Observation Protocol) Training - Texas Education Agency Third Grade Teacher
Reading Academy. - Tomlinson, Carol A. (1999) The Differentiated
Classroom Responding to the Needs of All
Learners.