State Standards and Federal Mandates for Literacy Instruction of English Language Learners

State Standards State MandatesLacey Fryberger

South Dakota

Standard 1: Social and Instructional Language (Example Topics: Assignments, Following directions, Personal experiences/information)Standard   2 : The Language of Language Arts (Example Genres: Fairy tales, Informational texts, Mysteries, Myths, Science fiction)Standard 3: The Language of Mathematics (Example Topics: Basic operations including Multiplication and Division, Money, Place Value, Strategies for Problem Solving)Standard   4 : The Language of Science (Example Topics: Body Systems, Ecosystems, Fossils, Natural resources, Solar system, States of matter, Weather patterns)Standard 5: The Language of Social Studies (Example Topics: Communities, Explorers, Immigration/Migration, Prehistoric animals, Trade Routes, U.S. regions) Within each grade cluster and domain, there are five model performance indicators (MPIs), one for each language proficiency level from 1,Entering, to 5, Bridging. All five MPIs focus on the same example topic from a content area reflected in the standard, forming a “strand” that illustrates the language development continuum.Each MPI contains three elements: a language function (e.g., describe, justify), an example topic (e.g., weather, human populations), and a form of support through level 4 (e.g., pictures or illustrations, working in small groups). The components of the ELP standards, from frameworks down to the elements of an MPI, work together to form the standards document, a critical tool for educators of ELLs for curriculum development, instruction and assessment. Retrieved April 13, 2012 from the World Wide Web: http://www.wida.us/

No Child Left Behind requires school districts to publicly report accountability and assessment results for the district and each of its schools. It also requires schools to provide individual student results to parents. Beginning with the 2009 Report Card, there is a new federal requirement to report the state’s National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP, results. The most recently available NAEP results in grades four and eight on reading and math must be reported on district and state annual Report Cards. Districts must report all of the required data. If a subgroup is less than 10 students, the report should indicate that the subgroup is not reported.Retrieved April 13, 2012 from the World Wide Web: http://doe.sd.gov/oess/TitleI.asp

State Standards and Federal Mandates for Literacy Instruction of English Language Learners

Angie Hawthorne

Illinois

English Language Proficiency Standard 1:English language learners communicate in English for SOCIAL AND INSTRUCTIONAL purposes within the school setting.

English Language Proficiency Standard 2:English language learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of LANGUAGE ARTS.

English Language Proficiency Standard 3:English language learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of MATHEMATICS.

English Language Proficiency Standard 4:English language learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of SCIENCE.

English Language Proficiency Standard 5:English language learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of SOCIAL STUDIES.

http://www.isbe.state.il.us/bilingual/pdfs/elps_framework.pdf

“Article 14-C of The School Code of Illinois mandates all public schools to identify students who come from a non-English language background as part of their enrollment process. Once a student is identified as coming from a non-English language background, the student is administered an English language proficiency test. The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has identified the WIDA ACCESS Placement Test™ (W-APT™) as the state-prescribed English language proficiency screener,” (Bilingual Education, 2007, para 2).

“W-APT is designed to measure a student’s English language proficiency in all four language domains – Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing. The student’s English language composite proficiency level determines if the student is identified as an English Language Learner and therefore eligible for services. ISBE has set a cut-off composite proficiency level score of 4.0. Students scoring below this cut-off score on the W-APT are designated as ELLs,” (Bilingual Education, 2007, para3).http://www.olce.org/BL_Programs.html

Amanda Standard 1: English language learners The State Mandates are

State Standards and Federal Mandates for Literacy Instruction of English Language Learners

Barrett

North Carolina

communicate for Social and Instructional purposes within the school setting.Standard 2: English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Language Arts.Standard 3: English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Mathematics.Standard 4: English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Science.Standard 5: English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Social Studies.Retrieved April 13, 2012 from http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/curriculum/esl/scos/

strongly rooted in state and federal legislation. North Carolina is considered one of the more informative states n regards to ELL's. North Carolina along with many other states use World-class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA). The number of member states in the WIDA Consortium has grown substantially inthe last five years and increase input by those using the WIDA standards was necessary in standard development. WIDA is in direct response to the majority of states adopting Common Core Standards for English Language Arts and Mathematics. WIDA has an interactive and informative website that has links to individual grade level English Language Proficency (ELP) and allows educators to search the ELP standards and MPI’s.

standards, a uniform cognitive function across the levels of language proficiency, Topical, grade-level vocabulary related to the content-based example, and a context for language use descriptive of the genre/text type, register, roles and identifies, and tasks in which the strand is situated ("World-Class Instructional Design And Assessment", 2011).=

With the phasing out of the

State Standards and Federal Mandates for Literacy Instruction of English Language Learners

NCLB legislation, the state is currently re-assessing their programs and a proper balance. The MPI’s identified in the WIDA program allow teachers to specifically target needs that are connected to linguistically diverse learners. http://www.wida.us/standards/PreK-5%20Standards%20web.pdf

Stacy Grutza

Michigan

ListeningL.1 Follow simple and complex directions. L.2 Understand spoken English to participate in social contexts L.3 Identify main ideas and supporting details from spoken English L.4 Identify the meaning of vocabulary in the content areas L.5 Identify speaker attitude and point of view L.6 Make inferences and predictions

Speaking S.1 Use spoken language for daily activities within and beyond the school setting S.2 Engage in conversations for personal expression and enjoyment S.3 Use spoken English and nonverbal communication in socially and culturally appropriate ways S.4 Use English to interact in the classroom S.5 Provide and obtain information; express and exchange opinions S.6 Demonstrate comprehensible pronunciation and intonation for clarity in oral communication 1.1; 1.2 3S.7 Present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of listeners on a variety of topics S.8 Use strategies to extend communicative competence

The Michigan English Language Proficiency Standards (Michigan ELP Standards) provide a foundation for English language acquisition and the academic development of students who are identified as ELL. These standards are used to determine what level of support a student needs. English Language Proficiency standards are established to make sure educators align their instruction with the expectations “of the Michigan English Language Arts Standards and further ensures English Language Learners access to the full content area curriculum” (Michigan Department of Education, 2004). The ultimate goal for all English language arts

State Standards and Federal Mandates for Literacy Instruction of English Language Learners

ReadingR.1 Recognize concepts of print literacy R.2 Demonstrate phonological awareness and the relationship of listening/speaking to decoding R.3 Build vocabulary to develop concepts R.4 Understand and use grammatical rules of English to improve comprehension R.5 Read and demonstrate comprehension of main ideas and supporting details R.6 Apply reading skills in social and academic contexts R.7 Read for research purposes R.8 Make inferences, predictions, and conclusions from reading R.9 Analyze style and form of various genre R.10 Identify author’s voice, attitude, and point of view

WritingW.1 Use conventions and formats of written English W.2 Use grammatical conventions of English W.3 Write using appropriate vocabulary choice and variation W.4 Construct sentences and develop paragraphs to organize writing supporting a central idea W.5 Use the writing process to produce written products W.6 Use various types of writing for specific purposes W.7 Use multiple sources to extend writing W.8 Use tone and voice to engage specific audiences ("Michigan Department Of Education", 2004).

learners ”is personal, social, occupational, and civic literacy” (Michigan Department of Education, 2004). English language arts education in Michigan incorporates the teaching and learning of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing and relies on the precept that language is functional, and language processes develop simultaneously and interdependently. The Michigan English Language Proficiency Standards are rooted in the ideas that language acquisition occurs through meaningful use and interaction and ”is a long-term process,” that is effected by native language literacy progress. (Michigan Department of Education, 2004).

State Standards and Federal Mandates for Literacy Instruction of English Language Learners

Analysis

Within this chart there are distinct connections between what concepts are at the core of

English language proficiency and literacy. These concepts are Listening, Speaking, Reading,

and Writing. These concepts are developed simultaneously in order to be successful. Illinois

uses the WIDA ACCESS Placement Test while Michigan uses a similar test that was developed

specifically for Michigan called the MEPT or the Michigan English Placement Test. The other

state’s surveys have similar tests in place that they use to measure proficiency and help

determine placement for ESL or WLL students. Each of the states reviewed express proficiency

that is not only about social language and instructions but that allows students to achieve

academic success in all the major content areas: Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and

Social Studies.

Each of the state’s stress that English language proficiency should be functional in order

to be successful and that students must be able to apply their listening, speaking, reading, and

State Standards and Federal Mandates for Literacy Instruction of English Language Learners

writing skills in both academic and social contexts to be considered successful. In the Michigan

section this is specifically laid out with the statement, “the ultimate goal for all English Language

arts learners is personal, social, occupational, and civic literacy.” (Michigan Department of

Education, 2004). It is clear from review the other resources contained in this chart that this is a

common thread running through all ELL standards and state mandates.

Each state’s mandates are formulated with national laws and mandates in mind. The No Child

Left Behind Act requires public reporting of assessment results which hold schools accountable

for student progress. Court Cases like Castaneda v. Pickard resulted in a three part test that

evaluates ELL programs. Even in North Carolina where the mandates established by the No

Child Left Behind Act are being phased out the reliance on common core standards in all

subjects is clear.

School districts and even the states they operate in don’t operate autonomously. Each

ELL mandate and standard discussed has a common goal. This common goal results in similar

information. This common goal and mentioned previously is more commonly rooted in common

core standards, as more and more states more toward their inclusion in curriculum development..

It may be packaged or organized differently, but it still is a means to the same end.

References

All the graphics are Clip Art. Retrieved April 13, 2012 from Microsoft.

State Standards and Federal Mandates for Literacy Instruction of English Language Learners

Bilingual Education Programs. (2007). Retrieved from http://www.olce.org/BL_Programs.html

Gottlieb, Ph.D, M. (2004). Illinois English Language Proficiency Standards for English

Language Learners K-12. Retrieved from

http://www.isbe.state.il.us/bilingual/pdfs/elps_framework.pdf

Michigan Department of Education. (2004). Retrieved from

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/English_Language_Proficiency_K12_Standards_10

3705_7.pdf

North Carolina State Department of Education, ELL Program (2011). Information retrieved

April 13, 2012 from http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/curriculum/esl/scos/ and retrieved

from http://www.wida.us/standards/PreK-5%20Standards%20web.pdf

South Dakota Department of Education. (2012) Retrieved April 13, 2012 from:

http://doe.sd.gov/oess/TitleIIIela.asp and http://doe.sd.gov/oess/TitleI.asp

Retrieved April 13, 2012 from the Word Wide Web: http://www.wida.us/