working with ells an overview of policy and practice the rhode island department of education...

Working With ELLsAn Overview of Policy and Practice

The Rhode Island Department of Education

Presented by

Bob MeaselELL Specialist

Office of Instruction, Assessment, and

Curriculum

Emily Klein ELL Specialist

Office of Student, Community, and

Academic Supports

We’re going to cover…

Federal Policy (NCLB, Title III, Federal Case Law)

State policy (Title 16, Chapter 16-54)

Identification and Placement of ELLs

Program Models

Assessment/accountability systems

The WIDA English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) and assessment framework

Interpreting assessment data

Planning instruction and making accommodations

Federal Policy

• NCLB hold schools accountable for the success of all students.

• Title I requires the annual assessment of ELLs

• Title III of NCLB provides funding for supplemental programs to serve ELLs

• Title III lays out separate accountability requirements for districts receiving funds (Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives – AMAOs)

Three AMAOs:1. Making progress (measure of growth)2. Attaining proficiency3. Making AYP

Federal Policy

• Civil Rights Act of 1964 – Title VI – Makes federal funding contingent upon compliance with non-discriminatory practices

• Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974 – Prohibits states from denying equal educational opportunities to ELL because of failure to take appropriate actions to overcome language barriers

• Lau v. Nichols (1974) – Supreme Court ruled that equality of education was qualitative

• Castañeda v. Pickard (1982) – Developed a three pronged test for compliance with EEOA and Lau

State Policy

• Definitions of program models• Identification requirements• Placement standards• Requirements for personnel • Assessment requirements• Reporting requirements• Exit criteria• Standards for parental involvement

Rules and Regulations Authorized by R.I.G.L. 16-54-2

ESL accommodations in all classrooms

Opt-out: NO

Distinct ESL/bilingual education program

Opt-out: YES

Title III Supplemental

Services

Opt-out: YES

How it all fitstogether

Program Models

ESL

Bilingual Ed

• Direct ESL Instruction (Pull-Out)• Push-In ESL Instruction• Collaborative ESLo Co-planningo Co-teaching

•Sheltered Content

• Transitional Bilingual• Dual Language

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Look ahead at the next 4 slides in your handout. Work with a partner to identify each statement as

TRUE or FALSE.

What’s your ELL IQ?A student speaks well so she/he should perform well in class.

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There is a difference between social and academic language.

Basic Interpersonal Communications Skills (BICS)

Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP)

FALSE

ConversationalLanguage

What’s your ELL IQ?English language learners (ELLs) will learn English easily and quickly by being exposed to and surrounded by English.

FALSEWhile students may develop sociallanguage skills for interpersonalcommunication, students will notdevelop academic language skills forsuccess in school without explicitinstruction focused on the ELPS andAcademic Standards. Content andESL teachers must collaborate.

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What’s your ELL IQ?ELLs do not have to attain English language proficiency to be successful

in mainstream content classes.

TRUEStudents will achieve academically and attain English language proficiency when educators incorporate ELPS and Academic Standards into curriculum and instruction.

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What’s your ELL IQ?ESL teachers are responsible for providing the content instruction in the ESL classroom.

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ESL teachers do not plan the lessons for the content teacher nor teach the content teacher’s lesson. HOWEVER, the ESL teacher should collaborate with content teachers on development of instruction.

ESL teachers are responsible for delivering targeted ESL instruction.

Content teachers are responsible for planning and instruction in the content area using the ELPS.

FALSE

1. Break into groups of three

2. Take out the article entitled Contextual Factors in Second Language Acquisition.

3. The article is divided into three major sections – • Language, • The Learner, and • The Learning Process

4. Each member of the group reads one of three sections. Once complete, each member will summarize their section for the other two members.

Factors Affecting Second Language Acquisition

• Motivation and Attitude

• First Language Development

• Language Distance

• Age

• Personality and Learning Style

• Peers and Role Models

• Quality of Instruction

• Cultural Background

• Socioeconomic Status

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Identification and Placement

Student enrolls in LEA

Home Language

Survey

- A home language survey must be completed for all enrolling students - HLS forms can be found at

http://www.ride.ri.gov/applications/ell/who-are-ells/

Identification and Placement

Student enrolls in LEA

Home Language

Survey

ELP Screening(W-APT)

Language other than English?

Not an ELL

Met cutoff? Determine Program

ELP Level?

Schedule StudentNO

YES

NO

YES

Not more than 30 days

The difference between CLD and ELL

Culturally and Linguistically Diverse

Student Body

English Language Learners

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The Levels of English Language Proficiency

ENTERING

BEGINNING

DEVELOPING

EXPANDING

1

2

3

4

5

6 REACHING

BRIDGING

The WIDA ELPS Framework

5 English Language Proficiency Standards– 5 grade level clusters– 6 English language proficiency levels– 4 Domains: Listening, Reading, Speaking and

Writing.– 20 Model Performance Indicators (MPIs) per

standard per grade cluster

All of these are contained in each of two distinct documents

Formative/Classroom -- Summative/Large Scale

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The WIDA ELPS

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Standard Abbreviation

English Language Proficiency Standard 1

English language learners communicate for Social and Instructional purposes within the school setting

Social andInstructionallanguage

English Language Proficiency Standard 2

English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Language Arts

The language 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

The language 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

The language 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

The language of Social Studies

The WIDA ELPS

ELPS22

Formative

Social and Instructional

Language Arts

Mathematics

Science

Social Studies

Summative

Social and Instructional

Language Arts

Mathematics

Science

Social Studies

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5 grade spans5 standards for each grade span

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Formative/Classroom

ELPS 2-5 do not replace their respective content standards. They are a dynamic overlay for those content standards and serve as a guide for ALL teachers in making contentinstruction comp-rehensible andplanningassessmentsthat are valid for ELLs.

ELPS

The WIDA ELPS

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English Language Proficiency Levels

Model performance indicator

The BreakdownStandard title, content area, and framework

Domains

A strand of model performance indicators

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The big picture

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The Performance Definitions

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The Performance Definitions

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The Performance Definitions (cont.)

The Performance Definitions encompass three criteria:

Linguistic complexity — the amount and quality of speech or writing for a given situation;

Vocabulary usage — the specificity of words or phrases for a given context; and

Language control — the comprehensibilityof the communication based on the amount and types of errors.

Look at the two writing samples that follow.

1. Give each a proficiency score for:• Linguistic Complexity• Vocabulary usage• Language Control

2. Give each sample an overall proficiency level score

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Some examples…

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Evaluate these two writing samples in terms of:

• Linguistic Complexity• Vocabulary Usage• Language Control

WIDA score:

Emile’s writing - 2Maxine’s writing - 6

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The MPIs give expectations for what students should be able to process and produce at a given proficiency level.

The Performance Definitions describe how well the student can or should be expected to do so.

The Performance Definitions

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The Can-Do Descriptors

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The Can-Do Descriptors:

• expand the Performance Definitions by giving suggested indicators in each language domain

• are more targeted than the Performance Definitions (have greater instructional implications)

• may assist in interpreting the meaning of ACCESS score reports

• may help explain the WIDA Speaking and Writing Rubrics

• contain sensory, graphic or interactive support through ELP Level 4

The Can-Do Descriptors

With a partner, try to sequence the CAN-DO Descriptors correctly onto the blank matrix provided.

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An Overview

Components of WIDA’s Standards-based System

Standards-based Component Distinguishing Feature

Strand of Model Performance Indicators of the WIDA ELPS

Illustrate how English language learners process and use language for each English language proficiency standard, language domain, and language proficiency level by grade level cluster

Performance Definitions Outline how English language learners process and use language for each level of language proficiency in grades K-12

CAN DO Descriptors Describe how English language learners process and use language for each language domain and level of language proficiency by grade level cluster

How do the ELPS fit in?

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LP Adaptations

LanguageObjective

Content Objective

Academic Standard

Instruction

Lesson Plan

ELPS

ELPS

Resources Materials

Assessment

Assessment Adaptations

Know your ELLs’ proficiency levels - (ACCESS results)

Consider what your ELLs can do in relationship to the materials for your lesson (texts, worksheets, manipulatives, etc.), your lesson delivery, and the lesson activities.

• Can your ELLs read and comprehend the text?

• How will your ELLs participate in the instruction and activities?

• What scaffolds can you use and/or what accommodations can you make to help your ELLs access the content?

When planning instruction

At your table discuss some possible modifications/accommodations, based on your ELLs’ proficiency, levels that you could make:

1. during instruction2. for your assignments/worksheets3. for the assessments

Use the ELPS

When planning instruction

Can-Do Descriptors Evaluate your materials, lesson plan, and assessment(s)

Standards (MPIs) Define a language objective(s) for your lesson (ZPD)

Performance Definitions • Use the same as the Can-Do Descriptors• Use to assess language learning after the lesson

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Now it’s your turn!

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Ruslan

Russian speaking (semi-literate in L1) ACCESS Scores: Listening – 4.4Speaking – 3.9Reading – 3.0Writing – 2.7

Fatima Russian speaking (literate in L1 to grade level) ACCESS Scores: Listening – 4.8Speaking – 4.4Reading – 3.4Writing – 2.9

Eduardo

Spanish speaking (semi-literate in L1)

ACCESS Scores: Listening – 3.4Speaking – 3.4Reading – 2.1Writing – 2.0

Use the lesson planning outline from the handout or use your own to create a lesson in your content area for these students or students you teach now. If you’re unsure of their proficiency level information, assume a score of each of the domains for this activity.

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Bob MeaselELL Specialist

Office of Instruction, Assessment, and AccountabilityRhode Island Department of Education

255 Westminster StreetProvidence, RI 02903

robert.measel@ride.ri.gov Voice: 222-401-8480Fax: 401-222-3605

Additional professional development on this topic, as well as others related to ESL, may be arranged by contacting:

THANK YOU!