Working with Students who are English Language Learners

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Working with Students who are English Language
Learners
Volunteer / VISTA Training June 16, 2004
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Who must be assessed for ESL services?

• Any student who speaks another language
• Any student who has had another language spoken
  in their home
• OR
• A child who has spent a significant amount of
  time growing up hearing another language

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• DPI LEVELS
• Level 1 Beginning/Preproduction
• Level 2 Beginning/Production
• Level 3 Intermediate
• Level 4 Advanced Intermediate
• Level 5 Advanced
• Level 6 Full English Proficiency

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BICS vs. CALP

• BICS - Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills
  (social or conversational English)
• One to three years to acquire
• CALP - Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency
  (academic English)
• Five to seven years to acquire (or longer)
• Cummins 1981, 1989

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Student Labels

• LEP - Limited English Proficient
• ELL - English Language Learner
• ESL - English as a Second Language

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General Principles for Instructing English
Language Learners

• Increase Comprehensibility
• Increase Interaction
• Increase Thinking/Study Skills

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Strategies for Tutoring English Language Learners

• Read directions w/students paraphrase if needed
  have students explain back to you what they need
  to do
• Model w/students how to get started break
  directions into step-by-step procedures
• Use visuals when explaining

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Strategies for Tutoring English Language
Learners(continued)

• Explain concrete concepts first, then abstract
• Encourage students to do the following when
  solving a word problem a.)understand the
  problem, b.)find the needed information, c.)
  choose a plan, d.)solve the problem

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Strategies for Tutoring English Language
Learners(continued)

• Help students find meanings to vocabulary they
  dont know
• Model using study strategies (bold-face words,
  headings, main ideas)
• Apply problems to real life situations
• Encourage students to think aloud and explain
  their answers

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Strategies for Tutoring English Language
Learners(continued)

• Clarify and explain culture-specific language
  (ie. Walk-a-thon) used in problems
• Use cooperative learning - utilize other students
  to help explain a problem

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Additional thoughts...

• Speak slowly
• Avoid idioms and slang words
• Use facial and body gestures to help communicate
  message
• Ask students about their backgrounds/countries/fam
  ilies
• SMILE! )

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Questions???