What are the main differences in the levels of ELL students?
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​        There are five stages of ELL students when they first enter a new classroom in the United States. The first is known as the “Preproduction,” “Newcomer,” “Emergent Speaker,” or “Silent Period” Stage, and typically takes place during the first six months of enrollment. The ELL student is still adjusting to the new culture found in the US, and they are not ready to actively communicate- which is understandable due to the culture shock the student probably feels. Although they are not ready to speak, they are able to listen and use nonverbal communication to show understanding of what is being asked/told. The student typically only understands 0-500 receptive vocabulary. For this stage, it is best if the teacher uses hands-on activities and allows the student to draw their responses to show understanding. These students would also benefit from physical activity to check comprehension, peer supporters, and basic yes/no questions.
        The “Early Production,” “Emergent,” or “One-Two Word” Stage happens when the ELL student has been in a US school from six months to one year. ELL students can have up to 1,000 words in their receptive vocabulary, and they are beginning to initiate conversation by pointing or using single words rather than drawing unlike the first stage. The ELL students have many grammar errors in their speaking. Teachers should incorporate lessons that encourage the ELL students to engage in conversation more.
        The third stage is the “Low Intermediate” or “Simple Sentences”, and this is when the ELL student begins speaking short sentences with many grammatical errors. This stage occurs the first one to three years of being in a US school. These students have gained up to 7,000 receptive and active words in their vocabulary. Rather than using zero to one or two words to show comprehension, these students use whole sentences while using vocabulary. They are able to use graphs and diagrams in oral and written format. Teachers should still do all of the recommended activities from the first two stages, and they should build on their background knowledge by incorporating more reading and writing into everyday activities. They should also list and review instructions in a step-by-step format.
        The fourth is the “High Intermediate Fluency” or “Bridging” stage and happens in within three to five years of entering school. This is when ELL students are able to actively participate in daily conversations in the classroom with little support. Students have up to 12,000 words in their receptive vocabulary and are beginning to function on an academic level. During instruction, these students greatly benefit from graphic organizers, be introduced to figurative language, and explain responses to why and how questions in greater detail.
        The “Advanced Fluency,” “Exitable,” or “Fluency” stage occurs when the student has been in a US school 5-7 years. During this stage, students have acquired beyond 12,000 receptive/active words in their vocabulary and are at an advanced cognitive/academic language level. ELL students function on the same academic level as their non-ELL peers and are able to maintain a two-way conversation. Teachers should begin to incorporate note-taking, study, and testing skills in their instruction.

Choose and write about 4 "Essential Tips" that you will definitely use in your classroom.
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I will definitely be able to recall and pronounce the students name with ease and precision. The ELL student is already going through culture shock when entering my classroom, and nothing is worse or more detrimental to one’s ego when someone does not know how to pronounce their name. Not only would the ELL student feel out of place, but they would not feel cared for if I, as their teacher, did not pronounce their name correctly. The first day I find out they have been placed in my classroom, I will ask either the student or the parent how their name is pronounced. I will continually practice their name on their own, and will write the pronunciation on my roster for further reminder (chunking it into an English context). The first couple of times I say their name, I will look at the student for their approval- showing them that I care and want to make them feel comfortable. All other students in my classroom will also practice saying the student’s name.

I will increase my own knowledge about the ELL student’s culture. I will be able to initiate conversation with the student if I know about where they came from. I will try to learn as many words from their L1 as possible in order to get more on their level. When the student sees that I know something about them or their language, they will have trust and the willingness to learn. Once the student has settled into my classroom, I will incorporate their culture and country into my Social Studies lesson. The class will read and research a country, and the ELL student will be asked to share about their own.

I will incorporate modeling into all subject matter and content. ELL students can then try to infer what I am saying through my gestures, pictures, and objects. In my ESOL class, my instructor once asked me to come to their board so that he could demonstrate this. He spoke to me in Spanish and asked me to draw a green circle. I knew what the color green was in Spanish, but did not know circle. I was only able to infer based on his gesture (making a circle in the air). ELL students should not be pushed to the side based on the present language barrier. Instead, they should be involved in the instruction by watching gestures, pictures, and objects that the teacher uses. I will also use a variety of these in my lesson so that the student is able to fully grasp the content. The student may not know what I am trying to get across from one picture or gesture. In a way, this is comparable to differentiated instruction. Not every student sees the same picture, for example, in the same way, but need a variety of ways in order to fully understand what the message is.

Cooperative groups will be used greatly with ELL students. However, I will have to ensure that the “buddies” are ones that my ELL student gravitates towards. The first few days, I will watch the students at specials, during group work, and on the P.E field to see which peer the ELL student goes to. When a pattern has been established, I will ask the peer permission before pairing the two up during instruction and small group work. The peer, a patient and high-achieving student, will be able to explain and help the ELL student along in the work in a way that I have not thought about before. Peers are great mentors to each other and are “on each other’s level” when it comes to explaining things in way that makes sense.  

 

What 3 suggestions for supporting newcomer ELL students do you think are most important and why?

        I think it is important to put my current students in the shoes of the ELL student- they will be sensitized to the ELL student’s challenges. We will do group activities by brainstorming how each student would feel if they moved to a different country. I will show an instructional video in a different language to my class, and they will take notes on what was said. We will compare notes and finally come to the conclusion that it is hard to learn content when there is a language barrier. This will hopefully make my current students more understanding of the new student’s challenges and more willing to help the ELL student throughout the school day.
        It is important to create a nurturing environment for incoming ELL students. These students need to feel welcomed and accepted into the classroom in order to succeed to the greatest extent possible. The ELL student will be praised for work they attempt and can do. They will also be given tasks that are on their ability level to create a sense of accomplishment. When they feel welcomed and feel as though they can succeed in the classroom, they are able to learn to the fullest extent possible. If they do not feel welcomed, they will shut down and will suffer greatly.
        I am a firm believer that routines create an organized and well-thought out environment. Routines will play a large role in my classroom. When students know what is happening throughout the school day, they feel more involved and ready to learn- they will feel less overwhelmed and anxious. When students feel more comfortable, they are generally more likely to participate and become a part of the classroom community. I will also provide the parents with a daily schedule so that they also know what is happening throughout the day (talking the student through the day so that they know what is to come).

Choose and write about 4 of the 13 things for teachers to consider when teaching newcomer ELL students to read.  Think about how you might incorporate these in your classroom.

       Reading to students every day is very important for modeling and learning. When I read books that have repetitive phrases, I can model the correct way the English language is supposed to sound. Reading aloud also shows the ELL student what fluency sounds like. I will use books with pictures so that the students can gain an understanding of story plots and common vocabulary. I will read aloud to my students either in small groups or as a whole. I will pick texts that are action based (to increase interest) and texts that are culturally diverse.
            Modeling reading strategies is crucial for a student’s comprehension on the text. When using big picture books, I will point to the picture that the paragraph is referring to that the students can keep up and compare their imagination to reality. For example, I may have the students close their eyes during parts with high amounts of imagery so that the students can “see” what is being explained. Then, I will have the students open their eyes and I will reread the page/paragraph and show the students the actual drawing. When reading, I will pause after each page/paragraph so that the students do not become overwhelmed and so that we can talk about/digest the current information. I will read slowly and with an expressive tone during my read aloud so that the students can begin to see the correct way to read so that comprehension takes place. As I read, I will point to the individual words so that the students can keep up and begin to identify sight words.

Students need to begin understanding meaning early. Students may be able to decode words, yet be unable to understand the meaning behind it. While reading, we will pause and reflect on what we just read. For example, I will give each student a copy of a book and during small group I will read aloud to them and they will follow along, or they will each take turns reading. After each paragraph/sentence/page (whatever I see fit based on ability) they will be asked questions so that I can better gage their comprehension. This will be accomplished through a variety of sequencing activities. For example, I will pull a sentence from the book, type it in large print, and cut out each individual word. The student(s) will have to put the words in a logical order so that the sentence makes sense.

Newcomers to the classroom should not feel isolated and should not miss out on valuable learning due to a language barrier. I will use Starter Packs in my classroom and will distribute them to new ELL students. When the student feel like they can no longer keep up with the material, they can pull out their pack and work on assignments fit to their ability. Based on the intensity of the language barrier, the work may be done in their L1 with the English version of the words under the L1 words.