Name: Melanie Formaneck
Self-Assessment
Universal Access: Equity for All Students a) English Learners (2.6a)
Directions: With your support provider review and discuss the standards below referencing any information gained through Conversation Guides.
To ensure academic achievement and
language proficiency for English Learners,
participating teachers adhere to legal and
ethical obligations for teaching English
Learners including the identification, referral
and re-designation processes. Participating
teachers implement district policies
regarding primary language support
services for students. Participating teachers
plan instruction for English Learners based
on the students’ levels of proficiency and
literacy in English and primary language as
assessed by multiple measures such as the
California English Language Development
Test (CELDT), the California Standards
Test (CST), and local assessments.
Based on teaching assignment and the
adopted language program instructional
model(s), participating teachers implement
one or more of the components of English
Language Development (ELD): grade-level
academic language instruction, ELD by
proficiency level, and/or content-based
ELD.
Participating teachers instruct English
learners using adopted standards-aligned
instructional materials. Participating
teachers differentiate instruction based
upon their students’ primary language and
proficiency levels in English considering the
students’ culture, level of acculturation, and
Reflection Planning Prompts:

Language Supports:
How I use measures of English
language proficiency to make
instructional decisions
Evidence:
Use CELDT and CST data,
have awareness of who EL
students are, work with other
teachers on campus who
work with EL students to use
various reading and language
strategies, during NEST use
tiered
workbooks
for
remediation

ELD Instruction:
How I support my students’
development of academic
language and English
language development
Evidence:
Think-pair-share,
having
students use the language,
creating a vocabulary focus
as a part of the science
notebooks, strategic seating
arrangements (support from
more proficient peers)

Differentiated
Instruction:
How I differentiate instruction
based on my students’ culture,
levels of acculturation,
proficiency in English and/or
prior schooling
Describe your strengths and challenges related to assessment.
Initial Self-Assessment Date/Comments:
One of my strengths is using CELDT data and their levels to identify students to provide targeted
interventions. Another strength, I collaborate with various teachers in other subject areas to identify
and provide support to students across content areas. A challenge is finding EL curriculum that
correlates to district adopted textbooks in structure and pacing to support the learning of all students.
11/1/12
Final Self Assessment Date/Comments:
4/10/13- Data driven instruction has become a hallmark of my instruction this year, particularly in
regards to instruction and intervention for English Language Learners. At the beginning of the year I
used CELDT and CST data to help with student placement in the classroom and in small groups. As
the year has progressed, I continue to use testing data, but also evaluate students informally on an
individual basis for proficiency in academic/scientific language. One strategy that has proven successful
for my ELL students (whose primary language is Spanish) is the use of cognates to emphasize and
reinforce vocabulary. The adopted textbook has an English/Spanish glossary that includes cognates, as
well as definitions in Spanish. In addition, becoming more familiar with student language proficiency
has enabled me to target ELL student that need additional support through intervention. The use of
leveled workbooks (A and B levels) has been a useful differentiation strategy because both workbooks
address the same standards, but the B level workbook is written in a more student-friendly language,
which is helpful for students who are not proficient or fluent in English. I work closely with the teachers
of the “Gateways” program, which is the ELA/reading core for students at the lowest levels of English
language proficiency and we collaborate to identify strategies to help this subgroup of students be more
successful with academic language.
Describe your strengths and challenges related to ELD instruction.
Initial Self-Assessment Date/Comments:
Strengths include use of manipulatives and gestures to help make learning more visual and
experiential, using partner and group learning instead of having students work/struggle on their own,
and using visuals throughout instruction (diagrams, graphs, maps, etc.) and in their own notebooks. A
challenge is feeling that my current strategies are not sufficient for reaching all students. 11/1/12
Final Self Assessment Date/Comments:
4/10/13- Through collaboration with ELD instructors on campus, I have identified several SDAIE
strategies that have been successful in bridging the academic language gap for many of my students.
One strategy that has been particularly helpful is Visual Vocabulary, where students either draw
pictures or find pictures to represent vocabulary words. Another strategy that has been helpful is using
gestures and body motions to represent processes (convection, states of matter, transfer of energy). By
giving students a kinesthetic motion to accompany a concept, they are better able to conceptualize
concepts and can revisit the gestures during class and exams to help them recall and explain concepts
better.
Describe your strengths and challenges related to differentiated instruction.
Initial Self-Assessment Date/Comments:
My strengths in this area include using district adopted materials available at my school site for
differentiating instruction, using tiered expectations based on student language proficiency, and
providing opportunities for students to use academic language with a peer. My challenge would be
providing differentiated instruction that truly supports student’s individual needs. 11/1/12
prior schooling.
Final Self Assessment Date/Comments:
Evidence:
Emphasis
on
academic
vocabulary, word wall, tiered
workbooks
and
writing
expectations,
strategic
student pairing
Possible sources of evidence to review when addressing these prompts: Class Profile; School and District Information/ Resources; Ongoing Parent/Student Communication; Student Work;
Classroom Observations
Copyright © Commission on Teacher Credentialing and the California Department of Education
Formative Assessment for California Teachers (FACT) – 2011
Reflections on Teaching and Learning - Induction Standard 6a Self-Assessment