ESL/ELL Instruction Notes

ELL and ESL Overview

  • ELL (English Language Learner), ESL (English as a Second Language), LEP (Limited English Proficiency).
  • Emergent Bilingual is a more positive term that may replace the others.
  • Teaching ELL/ESL students is challenging.
  • Teachers sometimes feel unprepared or that it's not their responsibility.

Accommodations for ELL Students

  • Teachers must provide equal access to the curriculum.
  • Accommodations help ELLs understand instructions and keep up with the pace of instruction.
  • Examples:
    • Graphic organizers
    • Concrete manipulatives (math)
    • Scaffolding or flashcards (vocabulary)
    • Extended time
    • Peer tutoring
    • Audiobooks
    • Content in native language

Communication Tips for Teachers

  • Avoid idioms and acronyms.
  • Do not raise your voice.
  • Enunciate clearly.
  • Use hand signals and be animated.
  • Summarize with short notes.
  • Check for understanding frequently.
  • Observe facial expressions.
  • Speak slowly.

BICS and CALP (Jim Cummins)

  • BICS: Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (social language).
    • Develops in about 6 months.
    • Everyday slang and basic communication.
  • CALP: Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (content language).
    • Takes about 5 years to learn.
    • Understanding academic language; integrated with higher-order thinking skills (Bloom's Taxonomy).

Five Stages of Second Language Acquisition (Julie Haynes)

1. Pre-Production (Silent Period)

  • Duration: Day to 6 months.
  • Vocabulary: Up to 500 words.
  • Also called the Absorbing Phase.
  • Students may parrot back phrases without understanding.
  • Stressful time for students.
  • Incorporate visuals.

2. Early Production

  • Duration: About 6 months.
  • Vocabulary: About 1,000 words.
  • Meaningful speech begins (one or two-word sentences).
  • Provide semantic graphic organizers.
  • Modify content if necessary.
  • Check for understanding.

3. Speech Emergence

  • Duration: About 1 year.
  • Vocabulary: About 3,000 words.
  • Students speak in short sentences and ask questions.
  • Understand most of what is said in the classroom.

4. Intermediate Fluency

  • Duration: About 2 years.
  • Vocabulary: About 6,000 words.
  • Students question ideas and build upon the content.
  • Begin having conversations in English with other students.
  • Scaffold assignments but decrease assistance.

5. Advanced Fluency

  • Duration: 4-10 years.
  • Extensive and growing vocabulary.
  • English feels like their native language.
  • May still need content support.

Sheltered Instruction

  • Goals:
    • Develop English proficiency.
    • Provide access to grade-level content.
  • Based on equal content; lessons are not