Including English Language Learners in

Social Studies

Bárbara C. Cruz & Stephen J. ThorntonUniversity of South Florida

FCSS, October 2008

Some U.S. statistics…

Between the 1990-1991 and the 2000-2001 school years, the overall national school population grew 12%; the ELL population grew 105%Today 1 in 9 K-12 public school students is an ELL; in 20 years it is estimated to be 1 in 4Between13% and 30% of teachers have received ELL training (although almost 50% have ELLs in their classrooms)Less than 3% of teachers have earned a degree in ESL

In Florida…

Stages of Second Language Acquisition

Preproduction: ELLs are able to comprehend more English than they can produce; focus is on developing everyday “survival” English

Early Production: ELLs are taking more risks with English, often resulting in grammar and pronunciation errors; important to create a safe, low-anxiety classroom environment

Speech Emergence: ELLs typically have 1-3 years exposure to English; awareness of English language structure is growing; may

have a receptive understanding of academic English Intermediate Fluency: ELLs exhibit almost native-like like fluency in everyday social English, but not in academic English; still difficult to understand and verbalize cognitively demanding, abstract concepts

PreproductionELLs are able to comprehend more English than they can produce; focus is on developing everyday “survival” English

Early ProductionELLs are taking more risks with English, often resulting in grammar and pronunciation errors; important to create a safe, low-anxiety classroom environment

Speech EmergenceELLs typically have 1-3 years exposure to English; awareness of English language structure is growing; may have a receptive understanding of academic English

Intermediate FluencyELLs exhibit almost native-like like fluency in everyday social English, but not in academic English; still difficult to understand and verbalize cognitively demanding, abstract concepts

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ABILITY

“Silent” periodPointRespond with movementFollow commandReceptive vocabulary up to 500 words

One- or two-word responsesLabellingListingReceptive vocabulary up to 1,000 wordsExpressive vocabulary 100-500 words

Short phrases and sentencesComparing and contrastingDescriptionsReceptive vocabulary up to 7,000 wordsExpressive vocabulary 2,000 words

DialogueReading academic textsWritingReceptive vocabulary up to 12,000 wordsExpressive vocabulary 4,000 words

TEACHING STRATEGIES

Yes/No questionsSimplified speechGesturesVisualsPicture booksWord wallsKWL chartsSimple Cloze activitiesRealiaTPR

Questions that require:Yes/No; Either/Or;Two-word responseLists of wordsDefinitionsDescribingReader’s TheaterDramaGraphic organizers

How and why questionsModelingDemonstratingCooperative learningComprehension checksAlternative assessmentsSimulations

BrainstormingJournal writingLiterary analysisProblem solvingRole playingMonologuesStory tellingOral reportsInterviewing and applications

ELL Principles

Vocabulary and Language Skills DevelopmentExamples: linking written & oral lang, listening centers, storytelling

Making Text in English more ComprehensibleExamples: modified text,

graphic organizers, visuals

Promoting Interactive Learning between ELLs and English-speaking StudentsExamples: class discussion, cooperative learning, peer teaching, group projects

Accommodating a Variety of Learning StylesExamples: total physical response, kinesthetic learning, hands-on, visual, auditory

Lewis & Clark: Visual Aids, Cartography, & Critical Thinking

Overhead transparency of LA Purchase:

• http://www.civics-online.org/library/formatted/images/lpurchase.html

• http://encarta.msn.com/media_461517363/Louisiana_Purchase.html

• http://www.sos.louisiana.gov/purchase/purchase-index.htm

Louisiana PurchaseAsk students to consider:

How many modern-day states are part of the Louisiana Purchase?

What sorts of terrain did Lewis and Clark encounter along the Missouri?

How was it different from the settled parts of the U.S. east of the Mississippi River? (Hint: look at natural vegetation and precipitation maps).

What natural resources did the U.S. gain from the Louisiana Purchase?

Pre-ProductionFind the Alleghany Mountains.Where is the Mississippi River?Which areas were settled before 1760?

Early Production Do you think Lewis and Clark will complete their trip safely?Which is longer: the Mississippi or the Illinois River?List all the states shown on the map.

Speech Emergence What kind of people would Lewis and Clark likely find on their trip?Why does it say “Spanish” south of Georgia?If you were on the Lewis and Clark expedition, what would you take?

Intermediate Fluency What do you think Lewis and Clark will find on their journey? How long do you think their trip will take?Do you think it was right for Pres. Jefferson to ask Lewis and Clark to go on such a dangerous journey?

Case Study: Women’s Changing Roles in WWII

Source:

Library of Congress

http://www.loc.gov

Picture Books

Historical

Photograph

Analysis

http://www.archives.gov

Dora Miles and Dorothy JohnsonLong Beach Plant, Douglas AircraftCredit: Library of Congresshttp://www.loc.gov

“Women Learn ‘War Work’”

Volusia County Vocational School. Daytona Beach

Credit: FCIT

http://fcit.usf.edu/florida

Hurricane of 1921, Tampa BayChildren sitting on telephone poles that were knocked down on Fifth Avenue in Ybor City.

Photo credit: Courtesy of the Special Collections Department, University of South Florida. http://fcit.usf.edu/florida

People walking on the street beside some of the damage of the hurricane of 1921 to trolley tracks on Bayshore Blvd in Tampa.

Photo credit: Courtesy of the Special Collections Department, University of South Florida. http://fcit.usf.edu/florida

Photo credit: Courtesy of the Special Collections Department, University of South Florida. http://fcit.usf.edu/florida

Some of the damage of the hurricane of 1921 to trolley tracks on Bayshore Boulevard in Tampa.

“She talks about what people can do, not what they can’t.”John F. Fanselow, Professor Emeritus at Teachers College, Columbia University, speaking about Maxine Greene, noted educator and philosopher

Questions?Comments?