ELLs:

Strategies and Resources for the

Classroom Teacher

ELL= English Language Learners

•ESOL

•ESL

•TESOL

•LEP

The English For Speakers of Other Languages Program in Wicomico County

Purpose: - English Language Immersion

Staffing - 10 teachers and 5 assistants serving 276 students. The ESOL teacher to student ratio is 1 teacher 25-30

students

Elementary- Support provided in the classroom with pullout as needed

Secondary- Students are serviced at Bennett Middle and James M. Bennett High Schools. Separate courses are provided with coaching as much as possible in the classroom.

Wicomico County Data on LEP Students (as of Oct. 31, 2003)

Total enrollment of LEP students: 276

LEP students with an IEP: 7

Students with interrupted schooling: 7

Students illiterate in native language: 1

LEP students who dropped out: 1

LEP students refusing services: 3

Top Five Languages Spoken by LEP Students in Wicomico County

Spanish: 100Korean: 83

Haitian-Creole 37Urdu (Pakistan) 17

Chinese 6

There are 18 languages spoken in the county.The total population of LEP students is 276 out of

14,276 students.

English Language Learners in the Classroom

Benefits Hardships

Brainstorm strategies you already use in your classroom that could benefit ELL students.

ELL Proficiency LevelsNEP: Non-English Proficient / Beginners

• Students have very few oral skills – little or no English proficiency

• They may go through a “silent period” where they attempt to make no English sounds.

• The English sound system is new to them, and they comprehend little of what is said in English.

• Beginners may demonstrate various levels of oral and literacy skills in their primary language.

PointNodding/Shaking HeadDrawMatchSelectCircleStateChooseAct OutLabelNameListAnswer yes/no ?s

“I have no English proficiency.”

Beginner Students Can:

© 2000, Intercultural Development Research Association South Central Collaborative for Equity

Beginning Level Strategies and Activities

Label classroom Use Manipulatives/RealiaTotal Physical Response (TPR)Non-verbal role playRhymes, chants, songs, gamesPre-recorded storiesReading aloudChoral/echo reading

Language Experience Approach (LEA) Hands-on projectsAuthor’s chairFlannel board storiesEnvironmental labelsWord banks/Word WallsThink-Pair-ShareModel Skills

ELL Proficiency LevelsLEP: Limited English Proficient / Intermediate• Can converse at length and comprehend almost anything

that is said to them; however, reading and writing can continue to be a challenge.

• Students can understand written English that includes pictures, objects, actions, and sounds.

• May be literate at or above level in their primary language.

• Literate students quickly transfer reading and writing skills into English

RecallRetellDefineDescribeCompareContrastSummarizeRestateAnswer QuestionsState OpinionsShare ThoughtsConverse at LengthComprehend Orally

“I have good oral skills in English, but minimal reading and composition skills in English.”

Intermediate Students Can:

© 2000, Intercultural Development Research Association South Central Collaborative for Equity

Intermediate Level Strategies and Activities

Role playing (verbal)Reading, reciting poetry, writingGroup discussionsRetelling storiesProcess writing, quick writes and dialogue journalsGraphic organizersSummarizingCompare and contrast stories and authorsUse real life objects or modelsProvide Prompts

ELL Proficiency LevelsFEP: Fluent English Proficient / Advanced

• Students are able to use English comparable to native speakers.

• May still have difficulties with higher-order thinking skills which may hinder performance on standardized and norm referenced tests.

• Testing and classroom performance will determine monitor/exit status in the ESOL program

AnalyzeCreateDefendDebateEvaluateJustifySupportExplainUse Extensive

Vocabulary

Advanced Students Can:

“I am fluent in oral English and have some reading and writing skills, but need help to pass tests.”

© 2000, Intercultural Development Research Association South Central Collaborative for Equity

Advanced Level Strategies and Activities

Age appropriate reading and writingAnalyzing charts, graphs, and storiesPredicting outcomesSupporting and defending positions/opinionsEvaluating and judging processesUse the “ABCs” (Activity Before Content) of

teaching. This will allow students to discover new concepts on their own which can make them more meaningful

Incorporate all learning modalities, including visual, aural, and tactile

Four friends went to a restaurant. They ordered a pizza. It was divided into eight slices. How many slices will each friend get? Will there be any left over?

If there were only three friends, how many slices will each friend get? Will there be any left over?

Resources• The ESOL teacher• McGraw-Hill Mathematics ELL Handbook• The internet

– www.mhschool.com/math (has Span. and Eng.)

– www.tolearnenglish.com

– http://www.ezschool.com

– www.education.com

– http://bogglesworld.com/

– www.eslcafe.com

– http://www.ccboe.com/adulted/resources/math.htm (lists math and ESL web-sites)