A Professional Journal Dedicated to the Innovative Instruction of English Language Learners
WHAT’S INSIDE -A look at Pittsburgh’s ELL Education -An Introduction to Project Based Learning -Classroom Design to Facilitate Learning And MORE!
VOLUME 1 EDITION 1
Innovation, Creativity, and Understanding These three words mean so much in the world of education today. Hello, reader. My name is Alyssa Southerlin, and I am an Early Childhood educator from Pennsylvania. As a classroom teacher, I was often dissatisfied with the tone and attitude conveyed in educational journals. Often, I felt talked down to or misunderstood. I kept thinking, ‘This is great in theory, but how can I actually make this work in my classroom?’ I decided to publish this journal using my genuine voice as a general education teacher to help aide teachers like myself who may be struggling or are simply looking for refreshing takes on instruction. I geared this journal toward a subject I felt uncomfortable with, to increase not only the competency of our readers, but of myself as well. I feel the experience of a peer who once felt as lost as the reader provides an authenticity , an ability to be relatable, and hopefully, a trust in the methods and philosophies stated here. Teaching English Language Learners can be daunting. Full of compassion and a need to understand my students and make their learning community one of support brought me here. In this journal, I hope you find many creative and innovative ways to educate all students. I hope my quest to understand and make every child in my room feel valued comes across in the included articles, and that it is catching! Please enjoy. Please contribute! Welcome to a community of learners. With Gratitude, Alyssa Southerlin, Editor in Chief
IN THE SPIRIT: PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS STRIVE TO EDUCATE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS n the 2009-2010 school year, there were 27,945 students enrolled in I the public school district. 98.7% of those students spoke English as their first language. (Barrio & Uro, 2013)For the remaining 1.3%, school could be a frustrating, alienating, and silent place. Thankfully, Pittsburgh Public Schools work diligently to provide quality English instruction in a nonjudgmental, nurturing, and knowledgeable environment.
According to a study by The Council of the Great City Schools in 2010, the number of English Language Learners in Pittsburgh (356) is extremely low compared to other city districts around the country-in fact, it’s practically nothing compared to Dallas’ 58,957.
(p. 34) Thankfully, we are talking about children, and the PPS district takes these 356 students very seriously. Comprising only 1.3% of their student body, ELL students can receive individualized English instruction at 12 of PPS’ 54 sites. (2015) Almost a quarter of their schools provide support for students learning English as a second language. Additionally, the schools provide transportation to students who live a certain distance from the building. Students are able to take up to three ESL classes based on their level of proficiency. They are included in the general education classroom, allowing for the important social and emotional growth that all typical students require. Hopefully, as the number of ELL students increases- in part to Pittsburgh’s ever growing refugee population- the number of Pittsburgh Public School sites offering ELL education will grow. Additionally, the drive to gain English proficiency for these students should be done in the spirit of obtaining a skill to succeed in continuing education and the workforce, and not in
‘Americanizing’ or eliminating the students’ home language and culture. While the PPS website does not offer much on the topic of cultural competency, it’s district goals of ‘eliminating racial disparity’ and ‘creating a positive school and district culture’ provide hope for the future of all of their students. Pittsburgh has always been a city of immigrants. A Scottish immigrant, Andrew Carnegie, who worked as a cotton factory bobbin boy created the Bessemer steel making process and became the richest man in the world. Polish Hill, Bloomfield, Squirrel Hill, Braddock- all are neighborhoods formed by immigrant communities. Pittsburgh is a city where anyone can do anything, and culture, history, and pride are embedded in the people that live and work here. Our schools should remain a testament to that- the belief that all students deserve to learn in an environment that provides them with individualized, agile instruction, highlighting their strengths and capitalizing on their innovative spirit.
Here’s to hoping that as long as there is a need, Pittsburgh Public Schools will continue to provide ESL education, and will strive to gain even more skill and expertise. Any Pittsburgher should have the access to world of endless possibilities- it’s at our very core.
References
Barrio, A., and Uro, G.(2013). English Language Learners in America's Great City Schools: Demographics, Achievements, and Staffing. Retrieved June 15, 2015, from http://www.cgcs.org/cms/lib/DC0 0001581/Centricity/Domain/87/E LL Survey Report 2013.pdf Who We Are. (n.d.). Retrieved June 15, 2015, from http://www.pps.k12.pa.us/domain /340
ENHANCING THE ARTS EXPERIENCE FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS Much like music, the arts bridge cultural, religious, and linguistic gaps. Because of the transformative power of the performing and fine arts, it is important that all students have access to self-expression and confidence building projects in the arts classroom. This is especially prevalent for English Language Learners, who are desire multiple ways of expressing their feelings in a tongue their peers can understand. As arts educators, we must constantly be searching for ways to support our ELL students that look different from the ‘traditional’ classroom but possess the same integrity. This article will provide a simple framework for using the ELP Standards to obtain the MPI during a dance activity in the Creative Arts classroom.
For true clarity, let us define some key terms noted above. ELP Standards refer to Pennsylvania English Language Proficient Standards. This framework is designed to ensure that ELL students ‘may attain English proficiency, develop high levels of academic attainment in English, and meet the same challenging commonwealth academic content and student academic achievement standards as all children are expected to meet.’ (2007) There are five content areas of the ELP Standards. They are as follows: English Language Proficiency Standard 1: English language learners communicate in English for SOCIAL ANDINSTRUCTIONAL 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. Within the five content areas, there are four domains: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The level of achievement in these four domains for each standard can be ranked from 1-6: Entering, beginning, developing, expanding, bridging, and reaching when the standard has been met. The Model Performance Indicators are defined as ‘functional,
measurable indices of the language domains (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) and aimed at the targeted age/developmental levels of English Language Learners.’ (2007) In plain terms, the MPI are assessable tasks that students can be expected to know and/or do as they reach the transition to the next level of language proficiency. Each MPI has three components. The first component deals with the function of language; how the student uses language. The second is the content stem, which is the specific information the student is to communicate, and the third is the support or strategy – the manner of assistance the student will use or receive to help them reach their goal. The MPI is measured on a matrix, which can be found – along with more detailed explanations on how to use it- at https://carlow.blackboard.com/bbc swebdav/pid-569296-dt-contentrid-1509659_2/courses/ED-727G12015SU/Pennsylvania_English_L anguage_Proficiency_Standards.pdf. You will find an example MPI as we go through a sample creative arts activity.
PUTTING THE ELP STANDARDS AND MPI INTO MOTION Here, we will walk through a dance activity utilizing the ELP Standards and an MPI to determine proficiency. In this activity, students work in groups of three to choreograph 32 counts of music. Step One: First, we must choose the grade level, standard, and domain we are going to be working with and assessing. For this dance activity, we are going to be working with 4th graders on English Language Proficiency Standard 1: English language learners communicate in English for SOCIAL AND INSTRUCTIONAL purposes within the school setting. We will be working in the domain of speaking, in which this student has a proficiency level of 4. Step Two: Next, we must determine how this standard will be assessed and create the MPI. Students will choreograph a dance in a small group, perform it, and then tell their classmates why they included or invented the moves they did. The measureable performance indicator will be: Verbalize the name of moves to
peers (language function) to explain why they are included in the dance (content stem) in a small group of 2-3 peers (support). Step Three: Then, students will be given their instructions verbally (listening), break into small groups, and work together using words and actions (speaking) to make up a dance. Step Four: After observing the students and encouraging discussion and social interaction, allow the students to perform their dances for each other and listen to the explanations for the moves. Students should write one sentence about each dance (writing) and then share their feelings with the class (reading). Step Five: After your ELL student (s) has completed this activity, fill out your matrix. Rate your student a 1-5 (remember those ranks from above?) to determine proficiency.
Be sure to encourage, cheer on, and pump up all of your students when they are exploring their creativity. As arts educators, we must every child feel valued and heard. It is important in American academia to give critiques and praise and accept them as well. This activity offers an opportunity to gain an understanding of this cultural norm. English language learners should gain proficiency in the words, ‘well done!’ ‘excellent!’ and ‘thank you for sharing!’.
References: The English Language Proficiency Standards. (2007).https://carlow.blackboard.c om/bbcswebdav/pid-569296-dtcontent-rid1509659_2/courses/ED-727G12015SU/Pennsylvania_English_L anguage_Proficiency_Standards.pdf.
The Power of Empowerment Good job! Keep it up! Way to go! These common phrases seem trivial and trite. In truth, they are. However, the meaning behind them is invaluable in the education of students who are learning English. Most classrooms in America today are diverse, including students of different cultural groups who bring many unique and valuable traits to the classroom environment. In order to educate these students in the most efficient and beneficial way possible, we should look to culturally responsive teaching. According to Gloria Ladson−Billings, "It is an approach that empowers students intellectually, socially, emotionally, and politically by using cultural referents to impart knowledge, skills and attitudes,� (1994). There is a link between culture and thinking processes, that make understand culture and including it in the classroom essential to student success (The Knowledge Loom, 2008). There are nine component practices of culturally responsive teaching, and this article will focus on the first,
communication of high expectations.
As stated earlier, it is important to let students know they can and will succeed. Communicating high expectations means there are consistent messages from the teacher and the whole school that the student will succeed, based upon genuine respect for students and belief in student capability. Expectations from students much be high and must earn appropriate praise from educators. But how? What does this mean and look like in a diverse classroom!? Let’s look at a fourth grade language arts class. When you look around the room, you may see: -Teacher actively monitoring and speaking in English -Students sharing their work with peers
-Students demonstrating how they achieved a certain answer or how they made an inference -Teachers praising student work in English and with enthusiasm What may that praise sound like? You may hear: -‘Heidi, excellent job! You could write a novel one day, you understand character’s feelings so well!’ -‘Kyle, I wouldn’t be surprised if you became an editor one day- you have helped your friends’ write their responses so thoroughly!’
These words, phrases, and actions convey to students that you, the
teacher, believe they can achieve anything they set their mind to. This may sound idealistic, but empowerment in the classroom is one of the most valuable tools for education ELL students in a culturally responsive way. There is no limit to how long you should be implementing this strategy. Every day, every lesson, every child. References: Ladson−Billings, G. (1994). The dreamkeepers: Successful teachers of African American children. San Francisco, CA: Josey−Bass. Overview of Spotlight: Culturally Responsive Teaching. (2008, November 3). Retrieved June 29, 2015, from http://www.brown.edu/academics /educationalliance/sites/brown.edu.academic s.educatonalliance/files/uploads/KLOOM_crt_ entire.pdf
SPACIAL SUPPORT FOR ADEQUATE LEARNING As creative and inventive as we educators study, aim, and hope to be, it turns out student learning and retention come from more than just their teacher’s strategic instruction. The classroom environment is incredibly important in the facilitation of learning, and can actually make a classroom teacher’s job smoother. With the proper research, planning, and execution, the classroom can be a teacher and a student’s biggest asset. In a diverse learning environment, it is important that the comfort of all students is recognized. This is especially important in a classroom with English Language Learners. Include bright colors in your classroom to stimulate the mind. Perhaps you could have a bulletin board that each student has a chance to be featured on, highlighting their culture, home life, hobbies, favorite foods, stories, or movies, and more. This could help to make every child feel welcome and special in their learning environment. Additionally, it could serve as a circle time lesson for the class, educating them on the
differences between students and how what makes us unique is what makes us special.
A reading nook or corner is a fabulous way to make literacy fun and enjoyable for students. According to Nair and Fielding, physical comfort is important to learning and brain development. (2007) Invest in multiple comfortable seating options that invite students to read. For English language learners, include books that will increase their comprehension in their first language and English. Your nook could include a multicultural section that includes books about the cultures represented in your classroom. Additionally, organize your books in the fashion that makes the most sense for your level of learners, and decorate the nook in soothing, calming colors. It would
be fun to have a ‘Book Club of the Month’ shelf that highlights a few books every month based on other core curriculum.
In the early childhood and elementary classroom, play is essential for development. (Bergen, 1988) In order to help all students with active learning, play centers can be utilized to encourage gross and fine motor skills, social skills, imagination, and cooperation skills. This is important in a classroom with ELLs because play provides multiple areas for interaction with peers. By playing games with rules, engaging in dramatic play, or constructing something with their peers, ELL students gain practice in effective communication and the
social norms of the school, community, and country they live. Games can be included in many different physical and content areas in the classroom. Additionally, dramatic play can be utilized across the curriculum. By masking learning as playing, all students feel free of the pressures of the day. This is important for ELL students who may be skeptical of the ‘traditional’ learning structure.
The noise level of a classroom should be considered as well. Kimberly Kopko, a PhD. from Cornell found that children exposed to chronic loud noise also experience a rise in blood pressure
and stress hormones. When a classroom is abnormally loud, students may withdraw from learning situations. As you can infer, this would be especially detrimental in a classroom with ELLs, who may already feel isolated due to the language gap. Setting clear expectations of the appropriate voice levels in your classroom may help all students succeed. Another important aspect in a conducive learning environment is not structural- it is the teacher’s modeled behavior. By modeling appropriate voice tone, communication strategies, and respect for students and peers, students gain an understanding of the important of the ways we speak to others. This is another skill important to English Language Learners. Students will see the adults in the building/room speaking to their students and peers in a respectful manner, and come to understand this school wide norm. In conclusion, this is not a comprehensive list of the extensive possibilities for providing an ideal learning location for a diverse
classroom population. It should, however, provide for a firm foundation to build upon, and give your instruction the support it needs to be effective for all learners.
Resources: Active Learning in the Classroom. (n.d.). Retrieved July 8, 2015. Kopko, K. (n.d.). The Effects of the Physical Environment on Children’s Development. Retrieved July 8, 2015. Nair, P., & Fielding, R. (2007, March 28). A Comfortable Truth: WellPlanned Classrooms Make a Difference. Retrieved July 8, 2015
PROJECT BASED LEARNING: EXPLORATION AND INNOVATION AT WORK Before I became a teacher, my only reference point for what a teacher did and for what learning looked like was based upon my own experience in public school. To sum it up, a teacher would lecture, I would take notes, and I would memorize those notes, take a test, and then move on. Occasionally, I would be given a rubric on how to make a bird’s nest, make the birds nest, get a grade, and then again, on to the next subject or unit. ‘Projects’ consisted of activities we were well prepared for by the older students on the bus – everyone knew all of fourth grade was about making a volcano, and sure enough, a rubric was handed out, and a week later, 24 identical volcanoes were marched into class. My educational experience consisted of worksheets, reading chapters and answering questions, and lots and lots of quizzes and tests. There was an immense lack of creativity, excitement, problem solving, and hands on learning happening. Fortunately, Project Based Learning encompasses all of these things, as
well as offering multiple experiences for English Language Learners to learn, practice, and perfect multiple language skills and standards. Project Based Learning, or PBL, is a method that suggests students learn best by investigating and solving real world problems. (Vega, 2012) According to researchers Barron & DarlingHammond, 2008; and Thomas, 2000 (as cited by Vega, 2012), teachers serve as facilitators to small groups in the PBL model. Students take control of their own learning and tackle realistic problems through inquiry and exploration. PBL provides the end product of a project that demonstrates student learning. Are you getting excited yet?! We are talking about learning that is not only hands on, but RELISTIC and APPLICABLE! No high-stakes, stress inducing tests here! There is no need- research suggests that students who take part in PBL have higher retention rates, improved attitudes towards learning, score just as high as learners in a ‘traditional’ classroom on standardized tests, and have
increased problem solving skills. (Strobel & van Barneveld, 2009; Walker & Leary, 2009; as cited by Vega, 2012) Are you sold yet? Great. Let us look at the essential components of PBL and view a sample outline of a PBL instructional strategy. First, there must be a driving question that ignites the spark of curiosity in students. In the model below, the question is: What can we plant in our school garden? It is important to note that the skills needed to answer this question are in the students’ developmental range. For the bulk of the assignment, students work in small, collaborative groups, completing tasks or activities to answer the question. There should be numerous opportunities for students to revise, edit, receive feedback, and reflect on their work. (Barron & Darling-Hammond, 2008; as cited by Vega, 2012) Projects can take anywhere from a week to an entire school year. This should be clearly defined at the start of the project. While PBL takes careful planning on the part of the teacher,
the benefit to students and their learning outcomes is well worth it. As mentioned above, students gain incredible skills throughout the project. At the conclusion of the project, there is opportunity for assessment; students present their projects in any number of creative ways. Multiple videos and ideas for creative project presentations can be found here. Again, giving students the chance to edit, revise, practice, and perfect their presentations is important. It mimics the ‘real world’ assessments of portfolios, presentations, and the like, and the skills that performing them to receive an appropriate reward (like a job) require. Summative assessment criteria can be decided with the students’ help. Here is what some researchers believe should be included: Hung (2008) recommends these six items: necessary knowledge acquisition (for example, "need to knows," or content objectives); depth of study; effectiveness and efficiency of research methods; logical and effective reasoning; conceptual integration of knowledge; effective problem-
solving strategies. Barron and Darling-Hammond (2008) recommend assessing these six items: use of evidence; accuracy of information; evaluation of competing views; development of a clear argument; attention to writing conventions; collaboration. (As cited by Vega, 2012) As you can see the beauty of PBL lies in its ability to be suitable for all students. In teaching English Language Learners, this is invaluable. All students should feel comfortable, engaged, and challenged in their learning environment. For ELL students, PBL gives them not only opportunities to practice their English language skills, but to practice the incredibly important social norms required for academic and professional success. Providing and receiving feedback, participating in group conversations and brainstorming sessions, and presenting one’s findings are all essential in higher education and the work force. Giving ELL students the chance to practice these skills in a safe, warm, and familiar environment can help eliminate the stigma or nervousness or fear that come
along with these trials. As an added bonus, PBL addresses these issues for ALL students, which makes it even more influential in the classroom. Now that you have a basic framework for PBL, let us look at the sample project outline below to understand how PBL may actually look and function in a classroom.
GARDENING GURUS
1 www.letitgrowhydro.co.uk
by Maura German and Alyssa Southerlin PROJECT TITLE: Gardening Gurus GRADE LEVEL: Second Grade 1
INTRODUCTION: In this unit, students will decide what to plant in our classroom garden. Making decisions based on popular opinion, research, and student driven exploration, students will serve as mini horticulturalists; the culmination of which will be a creative presentation of their findings. DURATION: One Week OUTLINE: DAY 1: Seeing Where We StandStudents will write a one-sentence reasoning as to why they would like to plant a vegetable garden or a flower garden; the SMARTBoard will be utilized to take a poll. The ELL Experience: The ELL student will practice writing and oral speaking skills by voicing their opinion on this topic; the ELL student can write in their native language as well as English. DAY 2: Research Renegades- In five groups of four, utilizing iPads, books, and any other resource the teacher deems appropriate, students will research a specific vegetable/flower (based on first day’s findings) and make a list of what it needs to survive. The ELL
Experience: The ELL student may do research utilizing search engines in their native language as well as English. The ELL student will practice conversational norms as modeled by fellow students. DAY 3: Light, Timing, ActionStudents will gather information to determine if plants chosen can be sustained in the available garden space. Throughout the whole day – in a whole class- students will measure the light and water intake in the plot. Students will crossreference their findings with their plant research from the following day to determine if their group’s plant will survive in our class garden and if we will see it germinate by the time summer comes. The ELL Experience: The ELL student can be supported with pictures next to the vocabulary words on board/recording sheets. They can track their findings in their native language and English. DAY 4: Pick Your Crop-Using a Venn diagram, in small groups, students will decide which plant will grow in both the light and time available. Groups will choose a plant to present to class. As a whole, the class will create a rubric for
presenting the group’s information (Example of information-I used sentences, capitols and periods. I stated 3 reasons why this is a good plant for our garden. I have compared it to another plant...). Individually, each student is to write a draft of both elements of the rubric and design an illustration for a “Seed Packet Poster” The ELL Experience: The ELL student has the rubric to follow and can utilize provided sentence starters.
area. English language speakers should practice giving their information supported by notes but not reading from them. The ELL Experience: The ELL student will be supported in a low anxiety environment, with repeated practice (Gucciore, 2012). The ELL student is able to read the information they are responsible for from their paper, in addition they are to prepare to orally deliver information without reading in their home language.
References:
DAY 5: FINAL PROJECT PRESENTATIONS: Time to GrowIn small groups, use individual drafts and a word processor to compile information into one document. Use a printed copy to add “Why choose this plant? on the front and “How to grow? on the back of the “Seed Packet Poster”. With copies available group members will practice presenting their information. Members decide who is to offer information for each
Gucciore,L.(2012) Oral language development and ELLs:5 challenges and solutions. Colorin, Colorado. Retrieved from USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2012) Retrieved from http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/ PHZMWeb/ Teachers Pay Teachers., (n.d.) Reading, response sentence starters. Retrieved from https://www.teacherspayteachers. com/Product/Reading-ResponseSentence-Starters-654814
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2012) Retrieved from http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/ PHZMWeb/ Vega, V. (2012, December 3). Project-Based Learning Research Review. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
SCAFFOLDING: A BUILDING BLOCK TO LEARNING
As the classroom environment is filled with students from unique backgrounds and at different levels of understanding, being able to efficiently educate the students in your classroom can be difficult. By utilizing the direct cognitive strategy of scaffolding, teachers can guide their students into learning new concepts, while modeling the process students can use on their own to acquire knowledge in the future. Direct strategies are operations used during the learning process to gain information. Direct cognitive strategies are the strategies a student uses to complete a task. They enhance the way a student
thinks about their learning and are valuable psychological tools. Scaffolding breaks the learning up into smaller, more manageable pieces and provides a tool, or structure, for each piece. (Alber, 2011) Scaffolding can be especially important for ELLs as they gain confidence in the classroom, fluency, and comprehension skills. There is nothing more daunting than being giving a huge assignment with no guidance. By utilizing scaffolding, teachers show students that they acknowledge the difficulty of the concept or task, and verify that they are here to guide the student as they explore the concept. According to Rosenshine & Meister, “Scaffolding is a process in which students are given support until they can apply new skills and strategies independently.” (1992) So, you may be asking yourself, what does this look like in my room? How do I effectively scaffold for my students? Let’s look into the key aspects of scaffolding, using a personal example of scaffolding in a preschool classroom to illustrate the ideas.
To scaffold, you want to make sure you have the curriculum in mind. Make sure the task is something your students can developmentally work toward. In my preschool classroom, we were being scientists, and learning about chemical reactions- changes that occur when things are mixed together. We had explored this just with water in the week before, and I knew from the PA Keys state standards that this was a concept my students should be able to understand. Next, introduce a goal for the lesson. In preschool, we wanted to make a baking soda rainbow, and predict what would happen when we added vinegar. Next, be sure to think about your students’ backgrounds and needs. I had a preschool friend who had a difficult time with fine motor skills. I knew that if he lost control of the vinegar dropper, he would not be able to clearly see the reaction happen. I had to plan how I would
address this with him when it was his turn. If you have ELL students, think about some challenges they may face and how you can accommodate them. Science experiments are great for scaffolding and understanding needs because the sense can be used often. Finally, as you participate in the activity, provide tailored assistance - this may include cueing or prompting, questioning, modeling, telling, or discussing. (Hogan and Pressley, 1997) As we mixed food coloring and baking soda, I called on students’ prior knowledge from our previous experiments to prompt them into predicting what would happen. Some things you may have heard if you were walking by my classroom: “Can you tell me what you smell and see?” “What color comes next in a rainbow?” and “Let’s look at this science book to see if we can find some clues as to what will happen next?” I also mixed some of the colors myself, to demonstrate for them how to do it. As you are talking and modeling for your students, they are directly learning the strategies needed to solve problems and gain insight and information on their own. You are
teaching their brains how to acquire knowledge. When it was my student with fine motor challenges’ turn, I again modeled how to squeeze the dropper and gave him multiple chances to try before we placed it on our baking soda rainbow. It is important to give students praise and guidance throughout step as well. ELL students benefit from the positive feedback as they gain necessary academic skills. Encourage them to talk and write about their findings in their native language as well as English. Additionally, by engaging in conversation with students as they work – asking questions, praising, etc.- peers are modeling conversation norms for ELL students. It is like learning two concepts for the price of one! As students begin to master concepts, scaffold for each other, and eventually, rely on the strategies they have learned, withdraw support. This contributes to all students’ autonomy in their learning. As you can see, scaffolding is a fabulous way to interact with your students, provide effective support, and help your students acquire
learning strategies to arrive at solutions and answers on their own. This is important in classroom where students are speaking different native languages, are at varying developmental levels, and where students are differently abled. For more on scaffolding, including great tips for teachers, check out Edutopia.
References: Alber, R. (2011, May 24). 6 Scaffolding Strategies to Use With Your Students. Retrieved July 27, 2015. Rosenshine, B. & Meister, C. (1992). The use of scaffolds for teaching higher-level cognitive strategies. Educational Leadership, 49(7), 2633.
TECHNOLOGY: AN ELL’S BEST FRIEND In the world we live in, technology is readily accessible at most times of our daily lives. People on the bus can be seen on their phones, headphones in, engrossed in their favorite album while checking their email and letting their wife know they’ll be late for dinner. As educators, one of overreaching goals is to prepare our students for an ever changing global society. By utilizing technology in our classroom with our English Language Learners, we can help them learn English in a capacity most American’s can’t live without. Most classrooms are equipped with forms of basic technology, and if not, the school may have a roving computer cart or a stationary lab. There are a ton of websites that are suitable for children learning English that are readily accessible. One site that I find perfect for younger students and ELL of all ages is Starfall. This website uses bright colors, pictures, videos and songs to teach phonemic awareness and language exploration. Being a former performer, I especially love
the way the site uses music to teach sounds. For example, for learning the short ‘u’ sound, as in ‘bus,’ there is a video and short song set to the tune of ‘The Wheels On the Bus.’ The cartoon characters not only sing the song, modeling the appropriate sound, but also then invite the student to sing along with them. Knowing what we know about music and memory/recall, this is an excellent study tool for students. Music is especially important in children’s lives and development; the way this site marries learning English, technology, and music is an extraordinary cocktail.
Starfall also allows for continued growth after learning the sounds of the alphabet. Students can continue on to ‘Learn to Read’, build stories about their own life on the ‘It’s Fun to Read’ page, and read stories on
the ‘I’m Reading’ page. This stepping stone approach allows for practice and confidence building along the exciting path to reading To introduce Starfall to your students and begin to implement it into your classroom culture, it can be used during centers, free time, ELA lessons, and for private pull out lessons. Additionally, including the web address in your take home folder at the beginning of the year is a great way to introduce parents to the site, and encourage them to spend time with their students.
Apps on mobile devices are becoming as, if not more, accessible as computers. Duolingo is an amazing app that be downloaded for free on the App or Android store to help students learn English- or any other language of their choosing.
A study suggests that Duolingo is more effective than a first semester course at a university for learning a language. Additionally, the program is available on the web as well as in App form- making it even more accessible. Teachers can create a dashboard where they can track their students’ progress, and Duolingo is even piloting a classroom version this year! So, how does it work? First, students choose the language they want to learn. For our purposes, our students will be choosing English. A fabulous component in the selection process is the choice of English is presented in multiple ways, based
on the students’ home languages. Right off the bat, this can show ELL students that the process will be understanding and inviting. Next, students choose their level of intensity, from 5-20 minutes a day. In the classroom, this can be a standard set for all students or for students based on their level of understanding- which is also the next step. Students can take a pretest to see if they test out of any skills or levels, and the app sets up their learning map for them based on this pre-test. Finally, it is time to dive in. Each lesson is on a specific topic and vocabulary words that are building blocks for the specific language. I decided to give it a try before writing this article, and I chose to learn Spanish. The first few lessons go over the pronouns ‘he,’ ‘she,’ ‘them,’ and ‘I’; the vocabulary words ‘boy,’ ‘girl,’ ‘woman,’ ‘man,’ ‘apple,’ bread,’ and ‘water,’ and the verbs ‘eat,’ and ‘drink.’ The app shows pictures, speaks in Spanish and asks you to type in English and the reverse, and, in my third lesson, played a sentence in Spanish and had me repeat it and tested my fluency. After ten minutes, I was
hooked, and actually exceeded my weekly practice goals in one sitting! The app is fun, and exciting, yet also routine enough that I felt I was being drilled. Accounts can also be linked, allowing students to ‘compete’ against their friends.
To implement Duolingo in the classroom, multiple approaches can be taken. Like Starfall, this app can be utilized during push in or pull out instruction, during free time, for private tutoring, or at home. When the classroom version becomes available, it is my belief it can change the way we educate our English Language Learners, allowing for faster acquisition and higher levels of retention.
These two resources are just a sampling of what the world of technology can provide for English Language Learners. A quick Google search displays multiple additional resources. My advice? Try as many as you can, and recommend them to your students as you see fit- you know them best, and each student deserves a personalized, thoughtful approach to their learning. Resources: Duolingo | Learn Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian and English for free. (n.d.). Retrieved August 2, 2015. Join and enjoy MORE Starfall! (n.d.). Retrieved August 2, 2015 Lewis Brown, L. (n.d.). The Benefits of Music Education. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
IN HER OWN WORDS: THOUGHTS FROM A K-8 ESL TEACHER Throughout this journal, we have explored multiple factions in the field of ESL education. As an educator, the voice I value most is that of my peers, those that have ‘been there’ and ‘done that.’ Printed below is an interview with Rylee Rhodes, a kindergarten through eighth grade English as a Second Language teacher at ACB Charter School in western Pennsylvania. May it provide a first person account of the day to day idiosyncrasies encompassed in working with English as a Second Language students. AS: How would you best describe the program model this district uses? RR: We primarily employ a pull-out model; however, with students that need 10 hours of ESL instruction each week, we try to make half of those hours push-in. AS: What does that pull out instruction look like?
RR: During the ESL pull-out classes, we use a curriculum called National Geographic Reach for K-5 and for 68 we use National Geographic Inside. These curricula are aligned with the regular edu. standards and heavily focus on the acquisition and use of academic language. For example, students will practice reading, writing, and speaking about the Sun’s power and solar energy (5th Grade) or what adaptations animals use to survive in the wild (2nd Grade) (not all of the units are on science topics, but you get the idea). This academic language instruction helps the students develop the CALP (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency) that they need in order to be successful in the regular edu. classroom. In addition to this, each unit has a grammar focus. I love that these curricula are reflect the goals of PA Core; they require that the students use language arts’ skills as they write, read, speak, and listen in non-fiction areas with rigorous academic language. After school, the ESL department offers tutoring to the ELLs.
AS: What type of supports do you provide when you are utilizing push in lessons? RR: Push-in is a challenge, as the day’s lesson can really determine what supports are given. During a direct instruction lesson, it can be difficult to provide in-class support. Sometimes, during centers, we are able to work with our students on improving their reading fluency or their writing. We have also provided students with small group testing, so that they will not fall behind as they try to process oral directives. We can read with the students in a small group and discuss the meaning of the text. We do many other things, but these are just some examples. AS: Would you say that push in instruction is one of your biggest challenges? RR: Push-in is definitely my biggest challenge as an ESL teacher. It is
often difficult to support all of the ELLs in each classroom during push-in. Often, the ELLs are on different levels and are spread throughout the room. Sometimes, we are able to pull the students to a table to provide support, but the lesson is not always conducive to that. Also, it is difficult to feel entirely productive during a pushin lesson, as the ESL teacher is providing support, not instruction, at that time and it is difficult to gage the effectiveness of support. AS: How do children best learn English in your experience? RR: In my experience, ELLs need pull-out support to give them intensive academic language enrichment. It takes much longer for students to acquire CALP than it does for them to acquire BICS (Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills), and if a student is struggling with CALP he/she will often feel lost in the regular edu. classroom. Providing students with definitions or translations of academic language isn’t enough; they need to be able to practice employing the language (reading, writing, speaking and listening) in a safe, comfortable
setting. The, generally, small class sizes of a pull-out ESL class also ensures that students are regularly called on to practice these skills. In the regular edu. classroom, students are not called on to speak or to read as frequently, and thus ELLs are not given as much of an opportunity to practice. The small pull-out classes also allow for a lot of writing workshopping and peerediting. Last, I have had many of my ELLs for going on 3 years, and I teach their siblings and know their parents. Every year, I try to visit their homes and even celebrate Eid with some of them (many of my students are Muslim, and I go to their homes on Eid to celebrate with them). I can say with certainty that my students feel comfortable in my classroom, and that they feel that I at least somewhat understand their customs and traditions. This relationship is invaluable when a student is trying to adjust to a foreign world, and it really helps them thrive academically.
AS: In your experience, what age is the easiest for students to learn and retain English (coming in with very little previous exposure)? RR: I think that it is different for each age group, not necessarily better for one or the other. Young children (11 years old or younger) can learn to speak a language with almost no accent; however, older individuals often have a better sense of the grammatical structure of a language. It is difficult for me to decide which is a better skill to have. AS: Describe a typical lesson with English language learners in your class. RR: This is very difficult, as I teach classes from kindergarteners through 8th graders. As you can imagine, the kindergarten lessons are very different from my 8th grade lessons. With
kindergarteners I often use manipulatives (like farm animals made from cardboard or fruit and vegetables that can be velcroed to a board that shows where they grow), songs, and movements to help them learn. With 5th grade and higher I do a lot of writing workshopping/peer editing, reading and discussing texts, interactive games or videos on the Chromebooks (there are some great interactive games that illustrate how volcanoes or hurricanes work, I use these during my natural disasters unit with 6th grade), and making posters/slide presentations for presentations. So, I guess there is very little about my classroom that is “typical.�
it is sometimes difficult to meet these needs. Many of my kindergarteners have never been to daycare or to preschool, and going to a new school is hard for them especially since they cannot understand most of the people around them. I try my best to make the first few weeks of school fun for them, and I use their language when I can (or I call one of the Turkish teachers [almost all of my students are Turkish or Russian/Turkish]), but I still have had children flee the classroom (or building) or cry constantly for the first few weeks. This is heartbreaking for me and the only solution seems to be to give them time and try to comfort them as best I can. One boy cried on the bus to school every day for the first three months even though he went to school with two older siblings and at least three cousins, one of which was in his class (then, he came to really look forward to tutoring and would often smile or laugh in class).
AS: What emotional or affective needs do you commonly see in your ELLs?
AS: Have you noticed any cultural/values/beliefs barriers in working with your ELLs?
RR: With my kindergarteners I notice a lot of emotional needs, and
RR: In the Turkish/Russian culture of many of my students, it is typical
for the girls to marry at 18, 19, or sometimes younger, and they then are expected to raise a family. Sometimes, it is difficult for me to accept that many of my students will be married at such a young age, especially when I am trying to motivate them to seek higher education or to pursue a career that interests them. Some of them want to have a career and a family or go to college while raising a family, but I know that this will be very challenging for them at the age of 18 or 19 while they raise little children. Others, don’t necessarily want a career or to go to college, and I fear that they will face financial adversity and not have the money, work experience, or education to overcome that financial adversity. I try my hardest to respect their wishes, and their culture, but sometimes I worry for them and for their futures. As you can see, being an ESL teacher is so much more than strategies and technology. Ms. Rhodes strives to educate the whole student – a challenge that all educators should embrace. Utilizing the relationship between teacher and student can build the
confidence and trust necessary for students to take risks and rise above the everyday challenges of being a foreign language speaker in an English speaking classroom