Early Childhood Project Success

The English Language Learner

In the

P-3 Classroom

This training site will provide you with the background information you need for working with the ELLs [English Language Learners] in your classroom. We will explore the following topics to help you familiarize yourself with both theory and effective practices for working with second language learners.

Ø Terminology: “The Alphabet Soup” of Second Language Acquisition

§ BICS

§CALP

§L1

§L2

§LEP

§ELL

§ESL

§ESOL

§BE

§Silent Period

§Culture Shock

§Comprehensible Input

§TPR

Ø Stages of Second Language Acquisition

§ Characteristics at each stage

§ Behavior at each stage

§ Effective strategies at each stage

Ø Stages of Adaptation for English Language Learners

§ Initial Stage

§ Uprooting Stage

§ Culture Shock

§ Assimilation or Acculturation

§ Mainstream Stage

Ø Research: Standards of Effective Pedagogy

§ http://www.crede.ucsc.edu/standards/standards.html

§ C.R.E.D.E. Standards

§ CALLA

§ SIOP

§ Four Keys to Learning

Ø Jim Cummins Technology Research Project

§ Weblink: http://thornwood.peelschools.org/Dual/htm

§ Promoting literacy development

§ Parental Involvement

§ Creating dual language book bags

§ Developing dual language and monolingual student written books

Ø Research websites

§ http://www.iteachilearn.com/cummins/

§ http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/JWCRAWFORD/

§ http://www.sdkrashen.com/main.php3

§ http://faculty.ucmerced.edu/khakuta/research/publications.html

§ http://coe.sdsu.edu/people/jmora/MoraModules/effectiveL2classrooms.htm

§ http://www.cal.org/resources/update.html

Ø Terminology: “The Alphabet Soup” of Second Language Acquisition

Ø BICS: Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills: The social language that an English Language Learner first learns. It is the language that helps ELLS communicate with their peers, teachers, and others in school settings. This language develops in one-three years of exposure.

Ø CALP: Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency: This is the academic language of school. Children learn this language through comprehensible input in the classroom, usually introduced through sheltered instruction, the use of teacher strategies and through teachers modeling and teaching students strategies .

Ø L1: First or native language: The language that the child has learned to speak from birth. It is the language of the home and the home culture the students uses when he/she enters American school.

Ø L2: Second Language: The language that the child learns through instruction or exposure.

Ø LEP: Limited English Proficient: The term used for English Language Learners in legislation and state or federal documents. It has been suggested, by researchers and practitioners in the field, that the term “LEP” is negative and contains the connotation that the child is “limited,” when, in fact, he/she is developing new language skills. In literature and research this term has been replaced by English Language Learner or “Potentially English Proficient.”

Ø ELL: English Language Learner: A term used to describe students who are learning English as a second or additional language.

Ø ESL: English as a Second Language: A term used to describe a program of instruction for ELLs, in which students learn English language skills and strategies and, in some cases, English in sheltered classes for content instruction in the areas of language arts, science, social studies, and mathematics.

Ø ESOL: English to Speakers of Other Languages: Another term, used in some states to describe an ESL Program.

Ø BE: Bilingual Education: An instructional program in which students receive instruction in both English and their native language. Instruction given in L1 and L2 may be divided by subject area [e.g. language arts, social studies, science, or math] or by a time schedule [e.g. mornings in L2 and afternoons in L2].

Ø Silent Period: A period of from one day to one or two years in which the new ELL may not speak. The child is listening to and absorbing the second language before attempting to speak.

Ø Culture Shock: A period of time in which the child feels the loss of familiar routines, signs, and symbols and feels uprooted from his/her native culture. The child may withdraw from communicative contact in the classroom, act out, cry, mistrust others, or feel afraid of new situations.

Ø Comprehensible Input: English Language Learners will acquire language presented in comprehensible way, through such methods as modified speech, use of visuals, manipulatives, hands on activities, demonstrations, gestures, and other forms of structured instruction, etc

Ø TPR: Total Physical Response: A method of teaching language to beginning students, using mime, gestures, commands, and other types of physical activity.

Ø Stages of Second Language Acquisition

§ Characteristics at each stage

§ Behavior at each stage

§ Effective strategies at each stage

Ø Stages of Adaptation for English Language Learners

Initial Stage: For many children, this is the exciting and fascinating stage of entering a new life in the U.S. The child, although in a pre-productive language stage, is cooperative, is trying to please the teacher and classmates, and is curious about all new things. During this phase, the child may also experience a “silent period,” in which he/she does not attempt to use the new language, but is an observant receptive learner of the language.

Uprooting Stage: The child experiences mixed emotions as he/she begins to realize differences between his/her own culture, routines, etc. and the new culture. The child may exhibit fear, a sense of loneliness, and some frustration.

Culture Shock: Elements of the uprooting stage [e.g. loss of the familiar lifestyle from the home culture] may manifest themselves in a heightened sense of insecurity, fear, withdrawal, and sometimes anger or acting out. As the child becomes more familiar with and accustomed to his new culture and surroundings and begins to build language, culture shock will dissipate.

Assimilation or Acculturation: When the child begins to adapt to his new culture one of two types of adaptation will occur:

(1) Assimilation: The child adopts the new cultural values and discards his native language culture, values, and beliefs.

(2) Acculturation: The child balances his own customs and values with that of the current mainstream culture.

Mainstream Stage: The child will choose one of two courses of action:

(1) Culture Split: The child may choose domains for each culture. At home, he/she participates in his original culture and first language and outside his/her home, he/she adopts the new mainstream culture and language.

(2) Complete Acculturation: The child accepts both cultures and integrates parts of each into his/her own life.

Ø Research: Standards of Effective Pedagogy

§ C.R.E.D.E. Standards http://www.crede.ucsc.edu/standards/standards.html

§ CALLA

§ SIOP

Four Keys to Learning: Dr. Yvonne and Dr. David Freeman, of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the School of Education, University of Texas, Pan Am, have developed a list of “four keys help to make an ELL a successful learner They believe that. If teachers successfully implement these four research-based practices, student, particularly ELLs with limited formal schooling will learn. These keys are:

1. Teachers have to engage ELLs in challenging, them-based curriculum to facilitate the development of academic concepts. The focus of instruction must be on meaningful activities with curriculum that is organized around themes.

2. Draw on students’ background, their experiences, culture, and language.

3. Organize collaborative activities and scaffold instruction to build students’ academic language proficiency. [see C.R.E.D.E Standards]

4. Create confident students who value school and themselves as learners, by:

i. Creating a community of learners in your classroom

ii. Present new ideas and tasks in contextualized settings

iii. Teach specific strategies to accomplish academic tasks

iv. Create flexible forms of collaborative learning opportunities

v. Develop relevant, meaningful, engaging tasks that address the academic content

For Further Information:

1. Read: Closing the Achievement Gap: How to Reach Limited-Formal-Schooling and Long-Term English Learners, by Yvonne S. Freeman & David E. Freeman, with Sandra Mercuri, Heinemann 2002 [ISBN 0-325-00273-8]