Transitional Program of Instruction

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TPI

• Transitional Program of Instruction
• 2006-2007

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ED RUCK 1949-2006

• Calming
• Caring
• Compassionate
• TPIs Scientist Extraordinaire
• Dedicated to ELL students

Mr. Ruck will always be kept in our hearts!
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What is TPI?The Mission

• To assist international students who have limited
  English skills ELLs-English Language Learners
  
• To provide academic and social support
• To help students adjust to the American culture
• To assist in the transition into the mainstream
  of the school community.

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Who is in TPI?

• STUDENTS 65
• 19 countries
• 17 languages
• 50 new to HC in 2005-06
• 10 incoming frosh
• Major populations
• Lithuanian Chinese

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TPI Director Suzy Ruder

• \

Languages French Russian Resource Periods
1, 2, 3, 4, 9 and 10

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English as a Second Language

• Rebecca OConnor
• ESL teacher
• ESL1, period 2
• ESL 2, period 3
• Language Spanish

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Welcome to new TPI Assistants
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Changes in 2006-2007

• Credit .25 semester
• Resource Periods 1, 2, 3, 9 and 10
• Students scheduled, 5 days a week
• Flex Time Periods 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
• Assistance available especially for testing
• Allows for testing when the class is testing
• Students and teachers arrange in advance so staff
  is available

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Flex Time Responsibilities

• Suzy Ruder will direct appropriate support
  according to Learning Clusters system
  
• In general,
• Suzy RuderEnglish 2 junior and senior level
  English
  
• Vicki StamatoukosEnglish 1 World Cultures
  US History and Math
  
• Nicky Dargissciences and Health

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Flex Time Caveats

• Each staff member has one full period per day to
  devote to support to flex time
  
• Period of support will vary upon student need
• Students take responsibility by signing up in
  advance
  
• Staff has lunch, breaks and meetings during Flex
  Time
  

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Flex Time Example

• Tuesday, September 5, 2006
• Period 4/5 English 1 testVicki
• Period 4 lunch Nicky
• Period 4/5 administrationSuzy
• Period 5 clericalNicky
• Period 6 staff meeting
• Period 7/8 Bio testNicky
• Period 7 lunchVicki and Suzy
• Period 8 writing assistance Vicki and Suzy

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Support Identification-Placement

• Language Assessment Tools
• ACCESSnew in 2006 from Illinois State Board
• IPT (Idea Proficiency Test)English language
  reading, writing, speaking and listening
  
• Nelson-Denny Reading Test vocabulary and
  comprehension
  

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TPI Student General Profile

• Social Language
• Mastered in two or three years
• Students think in native language to translate
• Listening is first skill students learn
• Speaking is next
• yes/no questions and answers
• either/or questions and answers
• Continued progression until students reach oral
  fluency (sometimes with no accent) in English

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TPI Student General Profile

• Academic Language
• Mastered in five to seven years
• Influenced by academic experience in first
  language
  
• Caveat Teachers often believe if students have
  mastered oral language that they have academic
  language proficiency.this is not so
  
• Idioms, multiple meanings and slang are
  challenging.
  
• Students continue to translate

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TPI Student General Profile

• Reading
• Some students try to translate each word
• Time consuming process
• Many words have multiple meanings
• Many idioms are used in schools
• Other students feel incapable and give up before
  they start

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TPI Student General Profile

• Writing
• Most difficult language skill
• Entry students
• dictate ideas to staff who record in simple
  English.
  
• Intermediate students
• draft independently IF they are familiar with
  assignment
  
• ALL students need phrasing and polishing
  assistance
  
• Challenge papers are all due on same day,
  limits student access to staff assistance
  

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TPI Student General Profile

• Testing Issues
• Some students have never taken scantron or
  objective tests
  
• During testing wording needs to be explained
• Example require/must
• Essay writing is very difficult without an
  organizer

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TPI Student General Profile

• Testing Support
• Make specific, write-in study guides
• Test students in TPI
• Work with TPI director to challenge students to
  use higher order thinking skills without
  overextending their use of the language

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TPI Proficiency Categories

• Level 3 (ANNA) Entry Level
• IPT test non-speaker or very limited
• Newcomer to USA
• Reads below third grade
• Placed in ESL1 and TPI Resource block

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TPI Proficiency Categories

• Level 2 (BASEL) Entry Level
• IPT Limited reader and writer but
• fluent in oral language
• Reads between grade 3 and 6
• Academic skills are weak
• ESL2 and TPI Resource Block

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TPI Proficiency Categories

• Level 1 (CASEY) Intermediate
• IPT competent reader/writer and orally fluent
  BUT test tops out at fifth grade level
  
• Nelson-Denny Reading Test 2-3 years below grade
  level
  
• Limited writing according to high school
  standards
  

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Three Fictitious Student Samples

• Anna, Level 3

Basel, Level 2
Casey, Level 1
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Summary of Proficiency Categories
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Modification Needs by Levels
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ANNA Profile

• Level 3 learner, very little English
• new to the USA
• lives with father who speaks first language only
• mother is in original country
• appears shy at first
• no friends at HC
• smiles and nods but does not speak (polite)
• doesnt understand social language
• frequent headaches from hearing so much English

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ANNA What do you do?

• SMILE Make her feel welcome and comfortable
• Say hello each day and encourage her to repeat
• Invite other students to teach her social
  language
  
• Ask her to write a few words for class in her
  language
  
• Ask students to lunch with her if she is alone

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ANNA What about course content?Or how do I
modify for Anna, Level 3?

• Identify the key concepts in simple English.
• Use pictures or concrete nouns Google Images.
• Use overheads and print a copy for her.
• Ask her to highlight in class as you speak.and
  translate at home.
  
• Place her in groups and give her a task she can
  do.
  
• She can practice reading key words but not in
  front of the whole class!
  
• Ask her to write your key words and translate
  them into her first language.

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ANNA Teacher Examples

• Ms. Cook, (SS) uses maps and power points.
  Checks key concepts on student copy. Study
  guides and tests are drastically modified.
  
• Ms. Bujan, (Eng) uses modified version of
  required texts. Links Anna with a partner.
  
• Ms. Potokar, (Art) demonstrates by steps, asks
  student to follow each step. Slowly teaches
  basic words.

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BASEL Profile

• Level 2 learner, reads some English but below
  sixth grade level
  
• in the USA for two years but is just beginning at
  HC
  
• single parent who is OTR truck driver
• does not attend school regularly
• surprised about teachers caring about his
  learning
  
• understands speaks social language with few
  errors
  
• academic background in his first language has
  major gaps
  
• written language, many errors
• does not do homework
• makes friends easily with his fellow countrymen
  but avoids Americans.

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BASEL What do you do?

• Pair him up with a social American
• Encourage him to come to school each day
• Call his home to report good work
• Communicate with TPI director about his
  successes, challenges and work patterns
  
• Modify work so he can complete most in school
• Give study guides that require him to WRITE key
  words

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BASEL What about course content?OR how do I
modify for Level 2?

• Set expectations and key concepts at beginning of
  unit
  
• Expect student to read headlines, bold words and
  first sentences in text
  
• Narrow work to reading level 4-6
• Use calendars and check planner
• Check homework often

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BASEL Teacher Examples

• Mr. Naisbitt (SS) and Mr. Melone (Sci)
• Send power point packets to TPI
• Underline key concepts for ELL student
• Expect the student to translate into first
  language
  
• Mr. Feldman (SS) and Ms. Saunders (Eng)
• e-mail copies of calendars and assignments
• highlight key concepts for TPI staff
• inform TPI about missing assignments
• Celebrate little steps

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CASEY Profile

• Level 1, reads English at 7th grade level,
  writing is in simple paragraphs
  
• in the USA for three years
• lives with both parents who dont speak English
• likes school
• highly motivated to learn English
• shy around Americans
• In her country, students NEVER speak in class

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CASEY What do you do?Or how do you modify for
Level 1?

• Give her two basic questions to answer orally for
  the next day.let her know you will call on her.
  Tell her to practice in TPI period.
  
• Give modified writing assignments before novel or
  chapter is started so Casey can prepare as she
  goes along.
  
• Simplify major projects because support at home
  is very limited.
  

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CASEY Teacher Examples

• Ms. Ioli (FACS) pairs Casey with social American
  students.
  
• Mr. Miller (Bus) works on class participation
  using yes/no questions at first, then either/or
  next. Tests are modified, essays are included
  but graded according to language ability.
• Math Department Members allow on-line dictionary
  during testing.

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Teacher Assignment 1 Read the Chapter and
Answer the Questions!

• Anna will cry and talk about going back to her
  native country
  
• Basel will leave book in locker and tell TPI
  staff all his work is done
  
• Casey will stay up half the night trying to
  translate each and every word, miss the key ideas
  and sleep in classes the next day
  
• Teacher TIP Look on server for modifications or
  simpler text.

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Teacher Assignment 2 Study for
the Test

• Teacher provides a study guide with list of key
  words for test for the entire class
  
• Thomas Jefferson
• - Constitution
• ELLs need key concepts in sentence form.
• Teacher Tip MANY modifications are on server
  I-drive

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How do WE Work Together?

• TPI Director will
• collaborate with teachers about modification
  levels
  
• show teachers where to find previous
  modifications
  
• Share Parent Portal information with student
  and review next steps for success
  
• give feedback to you about support
• through e-mail
• through testing support forms
• and in person!

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How do WE Work Together?

• You can.
• drop in to Room 154, always welcome!
• send calendars/assignments
• identify key concepts
• create write-in study guides
• send observations,concerns and successes

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THANK YOU!

• Your efforts will be rewarded!
• Have a super year!