The Needs of English Language Learners

Media & TechnologySummer 2014

Veronica Aguiñaga, M.Ed. in Bilingual Education

Objectives

• To instill awareness of the needs of English language learners (ELLs)

• To provide appropriate models of support and instruction for L2 learners

• To share meaningful activities in the classroom for ELLs

ELL Statistics/Literacy

• ELLs come from a variety of home language backgrounds. Across the nation in 2008, the five home languages that states most frequently reported for ELLs were: Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Arabic, and Russian. (National Center on Educational Outcomes)

• The US Department of Education reported a 52% increase of ELLs over a 10 year period. (1997/98–2007/08)

• In Oklahoma, the 2010 Census reported an increase since the 2000 Census of more than 62,000 individuals, age 18 and older, who speak a language other than English at home.

• The 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy reported that 43% of Oklahomans functioned at Basic and Below Basic prose literacy skills limiting their ability to perform simple everyday tasks such as reading and understanding a simple document.

Demographics - NWOK

Alfalfa, Beaver, Blaine, Cimarron, Custer, Dewey, Ellis, Garfield, Grant, Harper, Kingfisher, Major, Roger Mills, Texas, Woods, Woodward -- 40003, 40007, 40011, 40025, 40039, 40043, 40045, 40047, 40053, 40059, 40073, 40093, 40129, 40139, 40151, 40153

Name2005

Population

2010 Population Projection

Change in Population

% Change in

Population

% of Population in

2005

White, Non-Hispanic 162,594 159,117 -3,477 -2% 81.99%

White Hispanic 19,260 22,844 3,584 19% 9.71%

Non-White Hispanic 989 1,150 161 16% 0.50%

Black or African American 4,764 4,712 -52 -1% 2.40%

American Indian or Alaska Native 5,900 6,180 280 5% 2.98%

Asian 1,381 1,507 126 9% 0.70%

Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander 384 416 32 8% 0.19%

2 or more races 3,036 3,094 58 2% 1.53%

  

Source: Economic Modeling Specialist Inc.

Recognition of ELLs

• Home Language Survey

• Placement Testing

• Identify levels of proficiency in reading, writing, listening & speaking

• Communicate results of ELP levels

Your Role as a Teacher

or Administrator

• Pronounce and spell the student’s name correctly.• Introduce the student to the class and make them feel

welcomed.• Learn a few words and phrases in the student’s

native language.• Ask for a class volunteer to help the new student.• Stages of Acculturation: Honeymoon, Hostility,

Humor & Home

Cultural Literacy• Acknowledge differences in language

and culture.• Accept diversity and support

multicultural opportunities.• Build a family/community/school

network.

What Your Newcomer Needs to Know

• Classrooms, cafeteria, gym, office, restrooms, etc.

• Names of teachers, coaches, staff

• Mechanics of the school day (arrival & dismissal times, lunch, holidays)

• School policies (absence & tardy procedures)

• Expectations of behavior & consequences of misbehavior

Welcome Book Activity and Emergency Kit for Newcomers

• Welcome Book - Have ELL students create a book for newcomers. The stories can include an introduction ( who, where from, age, etc.), how they felt when they first arrived, what their culture shock was like and how things turned out in the end for them.

• Emergency Kit- Provide a kit filled with magazines, pictures to cut out and color, and items to sort and identify. Older students can copy or create labels of item categories, practice writing their addresses, and label items in the classroom.

Resources (School & Community)

• Assign a willing student who speaks the same language.• Contact the district ELL teacher, bilingual teacher and/or aide.• Find a mentor (college student, parent volunteer, librarian,

counselor)• Government and Public Services (Hispanic Chamber of

Commerce, Catholic Charities)• Volunteer agencies (international institutes, centers)• Emergency interpreters (AT&T Language Line Service)

What To Do for ELLs• Set up a stress free environment.

• Establish a routine and give them something definite to do.

• Develop an overall plan - know their strengths & weaknesses.

• Include the student in activities & use audio-visual materials.

• Find out their favorite activities & interests and encourage them to join extracurricular activities.

• Select themes for teaching units.

• Adapt your lesson plans to the student’s level.

• Attend and/or provide multicultural professional development.

CLASSROOM MATERIALS• Posters/visuals• English labels• Books/music in native language• Picture dictionaries (Oxford)• Manipulatives• Realia (authentic items)• Magazines• Photos

Things To Do• Cooperative learning & classroom centers• Total Physical Response (TPR)• Inclusion• Computers• Modify assignments and make objectives clear.• Use comprehensible input. (avoid idioms and slang,

use gestures and demonstrations, etc)• Be patient and creative!

3 Rs of ELL Instruction

• Recognition - Identify ELLs in your schools, understand the legal requirements for serving ELLs and connect previous experiences with the content they are expected to learn.

• Responsibility - Provide interventions for ELLs beyond the English-only classroom, create a nurturing learning environment, encourage success and continue professional development.

• Respect - Acknowledge differences in language and culture, accept diversity and support multicultural opportunities, and build a family/community/school network.

Questions?/Activity

• Brainstorm/create a mini lesson plan for English language learners.• Choose a subject and topic or theme.

• Be sure to specify age, proficiency level of ELL students, standards & clear objectives.

• List materials needed and procedure of lesson plan.

• How would you incorporate/adapt and/or modify a project for that specific lesson plan?

• How will technology be incorporated in your lesson plan?

• Be ready to share your ideas with the class.

References• Auerbach, S. (2006, May/June). Driving the lesson home:

teaching ELLs in rural and low-incidence regions. The ELL Outlook, Retrieved from http://www.coursecrafters.com/ELL-Outlook/2006/may_june/ELLOutlookITIArticle3.htm

• Bérubé, B. (2002). Three Rs for ESL instruction in U.S. rural schools: a test of commitment. TESOL ﾊﾊ Journal, 12(4), Retrieved from http://www.tesol.org/s_tesol/sec_document.asp?CID=193&DID=955

• Law, Barbara. And May L. Eckes. The More-Than-Just-Surviving Handbook: ESL for Every Classroom. Canada, 2000.