Effective Strategies for Teaching English Language Learners Panther Creek High School November 14, 2008 Suzanne Hughes Steve West
Dec 23, 2015
Effective Strategies for Teaching
English Language Learners
Panther Creek High SchoolNovember 14, 2008
Suzanne Hughes
Steve West
Agenda
Introductions Presentation
Basics of 2nd Language Acquisition Effective Strategies/Techniques Points of Emphasis
Q & A
Stages of Language Acquisition
Pre-Production Students produce little or no English.
Early Production Students respond with one or two word phrases.
Speech Emergence Students respond in complete sentences.
Intermediate Fluency Students engage in conversation and produce
connected narrative. Advanced Fluency
Students refine ability to use oral and written English that more nearly approximates the language of native speakers.
Krashen and Terrell, 1983
BICS and CALP
Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills (BICS)
Student is able to: Make requests Identify Needs Answer general
questions Read and write
basic sentences Mastery in 2-5
Years
BICS AND CALP
Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency
Student is able to: Have an academic,
analytical conversation
Independently acquire factual information
Find relationships, make inferences and draw conclusions
Mastery in 5-7 Years
Reaching and Teaching ESL Students
Examine your own biases and prejudices. Fat/skinny, old/young, black/white,
immigrant/citizen Build Trust
Basis for your working relationship with ESL students
Provide “Comprehensible Input” Definition: The use of understandable and
meaningful language. Instruction that is:
Embedded in a meaningful context Modified Collaborative Multimodal
Effective Strategies for Teaching ESL Students
Instruction and Communication with ESL students must both be “comprehensible.”
Provide Clues to Meaning Drawings Dramatic gestures and changes in voice Photographs Realia Repeat actions by using the same simple
structures and actions.
Effective Strategies for Teaching ESL Students
Provide Clues to Meaning Simplify message, breaking down into smaller,
manageable parts. Don’t insist on eye contact – It is not
acceptable in some cultures.
Effective Strategies for Teaching ESL Students
Modify Your Speech Use a pleasant tone. Talk at a slow to normal pace. Use more pauses between phrases. Use shorter sentences. Avoid using the passive voice and complex
sentences. Use fewer pronouns. Use very few idioms and slang terms. Ask simple yes/no questions. Accept one-word answers.
Effective Strategies for Teaching ESL Students
Modify Your Speech If you have something important to convey,
speak to the student individually rather than in front of the class.
The anxiety of being in the spotlight interferes with comprehension.
Effective Strategies for Teaching ESL Students
Be an Active Listener Smile Talk in a calm, quiet manner. Raising your voice does not help
comprehension. Demonstrate patience through your facial
expressions and body language. Don’t jump in immediately to supply the words
for the student. Give full attention to your newcomer – make
every effort to understand his/her attempts to communicate.
Effective Strategies for Teaching ESL Students
Be an Active Listener Encourage students to act out or draw
pictures to communicate. Resist the urge to over correct. Allow students to use a bilingual dictionary. Maintain a warm, supportive affect. Encourage participatory learning but do not
require it.
Effective Strategies for Teaching ESL Students
Check Comprehension Frequently Be ready to restate and clarify meaning. Don’t ask “Do you understand?”
Many students will nod “yes” when they don’t really understand.
Teach the phrases: “I don’t understand.” “Slowly please” “Please repeat”
Write down messages so students have a visual as well as auditory input.
Make a list of phrases you would like your students to learn and understand.
Collaboration is the Key
“It Takes a Village” Use your
resources: ESL Teachers ESL Students Colleagues Counselors Administration
No Failures Without Proven Modifications
We will let you know what those are through LEP plans.
Please remember that they have to be used throughout the year to be used at EOC time.
We are covered under the Office of Civil Rights for violations.
Procedure For Giving Us Tests
Put the test in our mailbox or deliver it yourself. Please include any special instructions (may use book, notes, etc).
We will return it to your box as soon as possible. With many absences, sometimes the turn around time is longer than we would like. Let us know if the time factor is crucial to you.
If you want a student to come to your room during resource (to take or retrieve a test), please send a note with the student.
Trust Us
…to guide you and to do what is ethically and academically right for each student on an individual basis.
Helpful Resources - Print
The More-Than-Just-Surviving Handbook: ESL for Every Classroom Teacher Barbara Law and Mary Eckes Portage and Main Press (2000)
Fifty Strategies for Teaching English Language Learners – Second Edition Adrienne Herrrell and Michael Jordan Pearson Education, Inc. (2004)
Helpful Resources - Print
The Handbook for Educators Who Work with Children of Mexican Origin – Third Edition UNC-Chapel Hill School of Education
Research Triangle Schools Partnership
School of EducationUniversity of North Carolina – Chapel HillCB #3500Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3500(919) 966-8000
Helpful Resources - Translation
A Bilingual Dictionary of School Terminology Barbara Thuro Ammie Enterprises (2000)
School Letters in English and Spanish Ammie Enterprises (2000)
Hola! Communicating with Spanish-Speaking Parents Joni Britt Good Apple: A Division of Frank Shaffer
Publications, Inc. (1997)
Helpful Resources - Websites
Teaching Tips: Source of information for both ESL and classroom teachers on language acquisition and teaching techniques. www.teachingtips.com/articles/Pesl1
A Guide to Learning English: Information for mainstream teachers of ESL students. www.everythingesl.net
Educator’s Reference Desk: Provides high quality resources and services to educators. 2000+ lesson plans; 3000 links. www.eduref.org
Learn NC: On-line teaching and learning tools for educators including bilingual and ESL resources. www.learnnc.org
TransACT: Translation library of educational forms and letters. Contains letters specific to Wake County Public Schools. www.mynclb.com
Helpful Resources - Websites
National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition and Language Education Programs: Provides information relating to effective education of linguistically and culturally diverse students in the U.S. www.nclea.gwu.edu
University of Southern California Center for Multilingual and Multicultural Research: Provides a base for those interested in multilingual education, ESL and foreign language instruction. usc.edu/dept/education/CMMR
Dave’s ESL Café: One of the most popular sites for ESL teachers. www.eslcafe.com
Bogglesworld: Activities and materials for teaching ESL students. www.bogglesworld.com
Discovery School Puzzlemaker: Easy to use tools for making crossword puzzles, word searches and other word games. www.puzzlemaker.com
Helpful Resources - Websites
North Carolina Society of Hispanic Professionals: A state-wide non-profit organization whose mission is to promote education among Hispanic youth in North Carolina. www.thenchsp.org
El Pueblo: Non-profit advocacy group committed to strengthening the Latino community in North Carolina.
www.elpueblo.org