McNeese-Mod 2-Unit 5- Activity 3
This week’s blog covers some strategies to teach English Language Learners (ELL) at four levels of Learners. Our first group is students whose English is Limited receptive and productive English Skills. These students do not feel comfortable interacting with Native English speakers. Under the classifications offered by CA ELD (California Elementary Development) these students are “Emerging” students. These students will need substantial linguistic support. Focus on increasing interaction, these students can be isolated by a language barrier. Use group work as a strategy to help these students feel a part of the class and students will start to pick up English words. Group partners could be students in their same level but more fluent however, the ideal group partners are ELL learners who are in a later stage of proficiency. Use Think Pairs and Circle Chats (Here for more info)
The second ELL student group is also under the “Emerging” category. These students have Basic English communication skills in social and academic contexts. These students can benefit from the strategies used above however start grouping these students with more fluent English speakers. Allow students to connect students’ home language with the English language. Also, this level learner could begin to use symbols and drawings to convey their thoughts, particularly useful for Math content. (Here for more info)
The next level up toward English proficiency is the “Expanding” level according to CA ELD. Within this level students start to learn and communicate about a range of topics and academic content areas. These students will need moderate linguistic support. In this phase encourage students to communicate and reason out loud. Have students explain reasoning processes when solving math problems or writing about topics in social studies. In addition, stress vocabulary. Have students write, read and speak the vocabulary of the content topic.
The next level up is the “Bridging” level. At this level ELL students can communicate effectively in a social and academic setting with various audiences on a wide range of familiar and new topics to meet academic demands in a variety of disciplines. This level is the bridge to English proficiency. At this level students need light linguistic support. Continue to work on vocabulary and word problems explaining the meaning of each word. Focus on reasoning skills not accuracy. Support complexity of math language with these more advanced students and plan interactions between these students and students in the Emerging level.
The most important strategy for all ELL levels is having high expectations for all students in your class and school. Other strategies are inclusion of all ELL students in all events, flexible grouping and using comprehensible content for all students. Get to know as much about your students as possible: their needs, English levels, and their culture. Include the whole school as a tool for developing language skills and inclusion for students. Find strategies that work across proficiency levels and across grade levels to create a starting arsenal of tools to help ELL students.
References
Increase student interaction with “Think-Pair-Shares” and ” Circle Chats”. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/increase-student-interaction-think-pair-shares-and-circle-chats
Math-Instruction on english language learners. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/math-instruction-english-language-learners
mathteacher988 