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English Language Learner (ELL) Elementary Program

September 22, 2015

+ELL Staff

Kristin Kim Mon-Fri (8:30-5:00)

Katie McDavid Mon-Wed at WM Thursday at LR(8:30-4:00)

Kanako Kashima

Mon-Fri (9:00-3:00)

+Kristin Kim

Occidental College (BA in Psychology, Teacher Certification)

Endorsements: Psychology, Library Media, ELL (in progress)

Taught 4 years in CA

Taught 9 years in WA (Edmonds SD, Mercer Island SD)

Sixth year as ELL teacher/K-12 ELL coordinator

Came to the U.S. at age 10 from Korea (bilingual)

Former IP parent (2 daughters - 17 and 20)

Love to sing, listen to music, and walk with friends

+Katie McDavid

UW (BA in English Language Learning)

University of Texas (MA in English Language Learning)

Taught 10 years in AZ (as ELL teacher)

Taught 5 years in MISD

First year as ELL TOSA

Family: husband, daughter (10 months old)

Love to read cookbooks and swim with my daughter

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UW Seattle (BA in Health Educ./Japanese Language & Lit) UW Seattle (MS in Kinesiology with emphasis on the

elderly) UW Bothell (Teaching Certification 2004) 3rd-generation Japanese-American (bilingual) Worked as geriatric mental health specialist for 8 yrs Substitute teaching in Bellevue and Mercer Island SD Fourth year as ELL paraprofessional Two sons Love to play “koto”, read, cook, walk, listen to music

Kanako Kashima

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Island Park: 48 students

(19 new / 29 continuing students)

West Mercer: 25 students (17 new students / 8 continuing)

Lakeridge: 9 students (3 new students / 6 continuing)

16 languages spoken

(Mandarin, Korean, Japanese, Cantonese,

Russian, Spanish, French, German, Dutch,

Portuguese, Hebrew, Vietnamese,

Tegulu, Tamil, Malayalam, Icelandic)

Elementary ELL Profiles

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Level 1: Beginning/Advanced Beginning Level 2: Intermediate Level 3: Advanced Level 4: Transitional – not qualify for ELL program

Language Proficiency Levels (WELPA Placement Test or

Annual Test)

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Given to new students if their first and/or primary language is not English (foreign born or U.S. born)

Used to determine their general English proficiency level and eligibility for ELL services

Record of testing on the state database

Placement Test

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Last year in use

Grade band (K-1, 2-3, 4-5) tests

Test in 4 domains (listening, speaking, reading, and writing)

Placement Test (WELPA)

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Taken by all ELL students each year to measure progress until they reach exit level

Testing window is Feb. 1 – March 11

Annual Test

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ELPA 21 (English Language Proficiency Assessment) will replace WELPA in 2016

Will be computer-based test

Based on new English Language Proficiency Standards

New Annual Test (ELPA21)

+English Language Proficiency Standards (ELP) – 11 states

+ELPA21 Results

• Exit the ELL Program• No longer receive

support in new school yr

• Be monitored for 2 years

Overall Level of 5

• Will continue receiving ELD support in new school year

• Will take annual test in the following year

Overall Level of 1, 2, 3, or

4

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Mission Statement

(of the state TBIP Program)

English Language Learners will meet state standards and

develop English language proficiency in an environment where language and cultural

assets are recognized as valuable resources to learning.

ELL Program

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Goals

To develop ELL student’s proficiency in English so he/she can participate more fully in the regular classroom setting

Help new students adjust to the new school environment (academically, emotionally, socially)

ELL Program

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Students in mainstream classrooms most of the day

ELL teachers provide supplemental English language support (push-in or pull-out)

Use of specific strategies to foster English language development and making grade-level content meaningfully accessible

ELL teachers collaborate with classroom teachers

Program Model: Supportive Mainstream

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Amount of service and delivery of support are determined by:

Student proficiency level

Grade level

Classroom teacher observations/assessments

ELL teacher observations/assessments

Self assessment by the students

Support Time and Delivery

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Ways support is delivered:

Small group (pull-out)

One-on-one (pull-out)

In-class (push-in)

Check in (push-in)

Delivery of Support

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Motivation and attitude

Age

Access to the language (e.g. immersion, EFL)

Personality

1st language development

Quality of instruction (meaningful and authentic?)

Cognitive ability

Factors that Affect Second Language Acquisition

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Typically, it takes one year to move up one level

Since many of our students come with skills and experiences in their own languages, the progress is often faster

Most students exit the program within 3 years

Length of Time in ELL Program

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Leveled Readers/Non-fiction books on many subjects

Picture dictionaries/Bilingual dictionaries

Educational Games/Manipulatives/Flashcards/

Vocabulary Cards

High Frequency Word Lists/Phonic-Based Word Lists

Translated Books

iPads apps

Online subscriptions

ESome Materials Used

+Common Core State Standards (CCSS) 45 states

+Standards Based Report Card

4 Exceeding Standards:in-depth inferences & applications

3 Meeting Standards at Trimester: simple or complex skills, grade level tasks

2 Progressing Towards Standards:simpler details & processes

1 Below Standards:with help, a partial understanding

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1. The ELL staff knows each student well. We act as the student’s advocate in communication with teachers to provide or suggest appropriate accommodations/modifications in class work and tests.

Benefits of ELL Program Participation

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2. ELL students (3rd-5th) can receive additional accommodations during state testing (SBAC and MSP Science)

3rd grade –Language Arts/Math

4th grade –Language Arts/Math

5th grade – Language Arts/Math +

Science (MSP)

Benefits of ELL Program Participation

+SBAC (Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium) – 22 states

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Those students who have been in the U.S. schools for less than a year can opt out of taking Language Arts sections of the state tests.

All students must take the Math section (all 5th graders must take the MSP Science)

Benefits of ELL Program Participation

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Administration by ELL staff in a small group setting

Frequent breaks

SBAC

- Text-to-Speech for math and ELA items

- Translated test directions (general) in various languages

- Translation of math glossary words)

MSP Science – full translated audio CDs in

Chinese/Korean/Spanish/Russian/Vietnamese

Benefits of ELL Program Participation

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Social

Lang

• Basic interpersonal communication

• Language skills needed to interact socially

Academic Lang

• Formal language (in subject areas) needed for success in school

• Time and support needed to develop

Challenges as ELLs

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Vocabulary deficit (as bilinguals)

Phonics vs. sight words

Multiple meanings

Fluency vs. comprehension

Challenges as Readers

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Writing process (prewriting, draft, revising, editing, and final)

Generating own ideas for writing

Show, not tell

Different types of writing: narrative, expository (informational), persuasive (opinion), how-to

Challenges as Writers

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Math is not a universal language (different symbols, algorithms)

Science – scientific (investigative) method

Social studies – reading of long texts, vocabulary, history + culture

Other Challenges

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Supplemental progress report by the ELL staff for those students we service regularly

Shows progression of skills in following directions, listening/speaking, reading, writing (whether emerging or competent)

Three reporting periods (November, March, June)

ELL Progress Report

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We’ll be attending many of your conferences to gather and/or share info with parents

If you need an interpreter* for the conference, contact Katie or me by email

*The Mercer Island School District provides limited English proficient parents with information in their own language so that they can make informed decisions about their children's education. This includes providing interpretation and translation services for vital meetings and communications. If you need assistance, please email administrative Assistant Mary Newcomer.

Parent Conferences

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Provide students books to read for pleasure at one’s comprehension level (Stephen Krashen)

Explain difficult concepts in one’s own language (Jim Cummins: skills, ideas, and concepts students learned in 1st language will be transferred into 2nd language)

Help with homework/projects

Keep up with the first language (bilingualism is an asset)

How Parents Can Help

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District ELL Webpage

Elementary ELL Website

ELL Websites

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Volunteer Training – required of all volunteers every year

Watch a 15-minute training video Fill out Volunteer Agreement Form

and Background Check form Submit to school office

Volunteer Training

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Volunteers:

Language support at each school (work with students or communicate with parents)

ELL family outreach rep from each school

Clerical help at IP (copying, making materials, organizing, etc)

Needs

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Information to new families on school protocol and events

ELL Parent Coffee Gatherings (ELL updates a few times a year)

ELL Family Support