[1] Alberta Education. (2009). Supporting English as a second language students: Promising ESL strategies in Alberta. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: The Crown in Right of Alberta. Retrieved from: http://education.alberta.ca/media/1076318/support_esl.pdf
Student who is in the process of acquiring the English Language and whose 1st language is not English
Codes (2) - Mild/Moderate
301 - ELL Foreign Born
303 - ELL Canadian Born
Characteristics &/or Observable Behaviours
5 different divisions of ELL students for K-12:
- Level 1: Beginning
- Level 2: Developing
- Level 3: Expanding
- Level 4: Bridging
- Level 5: Extending
Level 1: self conscious, confused, require “buddies”, rely on first language, rely on visuals & diagrams to understand and communicate, one or two word responses, use memorized expression responses
Level 2: begin to understand social norms (ie. eye contact, personal space), increase confidence in classroom routines and situations, observe others before attempting a task, rely on visuals, diagrams, pictures, and know phrases to understand and communicate, participate in most social interactions with peers
Level 3: typically progressing, high oral, low literacy, competent in most everyday social interactions, reluctant to take risks, import new words into language, need repetition & practice before adopting new classroom routines, support newly arriving first language peers, listen to first language, respond to parents and peers in English
Level 4: competent in most academic & social situations, may not speak first language or are literate in first language, observe & rehearse prior to speaking
Level 5: confident & competent in all social and academic situations with peers and teachers, use new words in context, use a variety of strategies to close language or cultural gaps, have native-like English fluency or have accented speech
Teaching Strategies & Resources
1) Graphic Organizers - such as KWL charts or mind maps used for structured note taking to provide more direction. It will allow ELLs to draw on past experiences & knowledge, form connections, while limiting the amount of text they will have to deal with. It provides them with a visual reference so they can focus on comprehension & language development rather than memory.
2) Reading Support - will have partner reading, guided reading in small groups, recordings, and software translation tools for students. This will help them clarify and interpret written content; hopefully lead them in becoming more independent readers.
3) Modified Presentations - present new concepts so all students can gain knowledge. Ex: Give clear/simple instructions, break directions into smaller steps, speak slowly, provide additional time, use multiple mediums (visuals), teach important vocabulary. As a teacher you need to modify your instruction to suit the needs of ELLs.
4) Nonlinguistic Representation - students create meaning through other channels of communication other than spoken/written words. Ex: hands-on experiences, body language, manipulatives, physical models. Use base-ten blocks in math, drawing the setting of a story. This allows ELLs to form mental images related to their learning & elaborate on their knowledge. Also allows students to be artistic.
Other Strategies - Low-stress environment, learn to pronounce student names correctly, use consistent classroom routines, intensive literacy focus approach, understand their cultural/linguistic backgrounds
Links
http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/eslapb/documents/characteristics_of_english_language_learners.pdf
http://www.supportrealteachers.org/strategies-for-english-language-learners.html
http://education.alberta.ca/media/1093791/earlylearning.pdf
http://education.alberta.ca/media/1076318/support_esl.pdf
http://education.alberta.ca/media/1234005/12_ch9%20esl.pdf
http://education.alberta.ca/aisi/cycle4pdfs/40025.pdf
http://www.educ.ualberta.ca/staff/olenka.bilash/best%20of%20bilash/ELLstudents.html
http://education.alberta.ca/media/1234005/12_ch9%20esl.pdf (Making a Difference - Chapter 9)