English as a Second Language
Desktop Reference
Contents:
It’s the Law!
Proficiency Levels
General Accommodations
Math Accommodations
Science Accommodations
Social Studies Accommodations
Assessing ELLS
Modification of Assessments
Helping ELLs Succeed
Presenter: Holly Niemi, PhD
hniemi@bwschools.net
Pittsburgh, PA
English as a Second Language
Desktop Reference
Contents:
It’s the Law!
Proficiency Levels
General Accommodations
Math Accommodations
Science Accommodations
Social Studies Accommodations
Assessing ELLS
Modification of Assessments
Helping ELLs Succeed
Presenter: Holly Niemi, PhD
hniemi@bwschools.net
Pittsburgh, PA
IT’S THE LAW!
IT’S THE LAW!
PA Basic Education Circular (see www.state.pa.us/k12): Educating Students with
Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and English Language Learners (ELL)
 Every school district shall provide a program for each student whose
dominant language is not English for facilitating the student’s achievement
of English proficiency.
 All programs must include ESL classes and be based on sound educational
and second language acquisition theory. Placing students in remedial
reading and speech therapy classes does not constitute a program. Neither
does placing them in all English classrooms without ESL instruction and
modification of classroom content. Students must have meaningful access
to the content classes. Therefore, ESL replaces L.A/English instruction.
 Although age appropriate placement will require many accommodations,
it is generally best for them to be scheduled with their peers when possible.
 During the initial periods of language acquisition, schools may opt to
PA Basic Education Circular (see www.state.pa.us/k12): Educating Students with
Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and English Language Learners (ELL)
 Every school district shall provide a program for each student whose
dominant language is not English for facilitating the student’s achievement
of English proficiency.
 All programs must include ESL classes and be based on sound educational
and second language acquisition theory. Placing students in remedial
reading and speech therapy classes does not constitute a program. Neither
does placing them in all English classrooms without ESL instruction and
modification of classroom content. Students must have meaningful access
to the content classes. Therefore, ESL replaces L.A/English instruction.
 Although age appropriate placement will require many accommodations,
it is generally best for them to be scheduled with their peers when possible.
 During the initial periods of language acquisition, schools may opt to
Students must be scheduled in content area classes with the understanding
that they may not comprehend all the instruction. Teachers must adapt
courses of study to meet student needs. Adapting coursework does not
mean diluting or placing in lower grades for instruction.
It is the district’s responsibility to provide translation and interpretation
services.
Students must be scheduled in content area classes with the understanding
that they may not comprehend all the instruction. Teachers must adapt
courses of study to meet student needs. Adapting coursework does not
mean diluting or placing in lower grades for instruction.
It is the district’s responsibility to provide translation and interpretation
services.
grade English language learners on a pass/fail basis (not in new BECs).


grade English language learners on a pass/fail basis (not in new BECs).

Title VI (http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/cor/coord/titlevi.htm)
 In Lau v. Nichols, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the Department of
Education memorandum of May 25, 1970, directing school districts to
help limited-English proficient (LEP) students overcome language barriers
and to ensure that they participate meaningfully in the district's programs.
 Vital documents must be translated when a significant number of the
population eligible to be served. Oral communication is a necessary part
of the exchange of information.
Title VI (http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/cor/coord/titlevi.htm)
 In Lau v. Nichols, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the Department of
Education memorandum of May 25, 1970, directing school districts to
help limited-English proficient (LEP) students overcome language barriers
and to ensure that they participate meaningfully in the district's programs.
 Vital documents must be translated when a significant number of the
population eligible to be served. Oral communication is a necessary part
of the exchange of information.
PART A—English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic
Achievement Act (from Title III No Child Left Behind)
 To help ensure that children who are limited English proficient, develop
high levels of academic attainment in English, and meet the same
challenging standards as all children are expected to meet.
 To assist all limited English proficient children to achieve at high levels in
the core academic subjects.
 To hold State educational agencies, local educational agencies, and schools
accountable for increases in English proficiency and core academic content
knowledge of limited English proficient children.
PART A—English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic
Achievement Act (from Title III No Child Left Behind)
 To help ensure that children who are limited English proficient, develop
high levels of academic attainment in English, and meet the same
challenging standards as all children are expected to meet.
 To assist all limited English proficient children to achieve at high levels in
the core academic subjects.
 To hold State educational agencies, local educational agencies, and schools
accountable for increases in English proficiency and core academic content
knowledge of limited English proficient children.
ACCOMMODATING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
GENERAL CONTENT AREA
ACCOMMODATING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
GENERAL CONTENT AREA
Instructional Strategies:
 Activate prior knowledge
 Provide extra time for processing
 Provide students with an outline and hard copies
 Introduce key vocabulary as needed for the unit
 Provide visual supports
 Ask concrete questions
 Encourage careful, thoughtful reading of short selections
 Encourage students to underline or highlight key words
 Teach learning strategies
 Research using encyclopedia, internet, glossary, index, etc.
 Maintain a culturally sensitive and supportive environment
 Use bilingual dictionaries, glossaries, and word lists
 Model instructions and examples
 Use a variety of sources
Instructional Strategies:
 Activate prior knowledge
 Provide extra time for processing
 Provide students with an outline and hard copies
 Introduce key vocabulary as needed for the unit
 Provide visual supports
 Ask concrete questions
 Encourage careful, thoughtful reading of short selections
 Encourage students to underline or highlight key words
 Teach learning strategies
 Research using encyclopedia, internet, glossary, index, etc.
 Maintain a culturally sensitive and supportive environment
 Use bilingual dictionaries, glossaries, and word lists
 Model instructions and examples
 Use a variety of sources
Providing activities for the English language learner:
 Encourage collaborative group work
 Encourage discussion
 Have students listen to a tape recording of a lesson or
directions for an assignment
 Extend time for projects, assignments, and assessments.
 Use a word bank
 Have students complete charts and diagrams
 Have students use key vocabulary and simple
sentences– orally and in writing
 Allow the students to make choices in tasks
 Give real-world opportunities (or simulations) to apply
new knowledge
Providing activities for the English language learner:
 Encourage collaborative group work
 Encourage discussion
 Have students listen to a tape recording of a lesson or
directions for an assignment
 Extend time for projects, assignments, and assessments.
 Use a word bank
 Have students complete charts and diagrams
 Have students use key vocabulary and simple
sentences– orally and in writing
 Allow the students to make choices in tasks
 Give real-world opportunities (or simulations) to apply
new knowledge
ACCOMMODATING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
MATH CONTENT AREA
ACCOMMODATING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
MATH CONTENT AREA
Instructional strategies:
 Activate prior knowledge
 Provide extra time for processing
 Provide students with an outline and hard copies
 Introduce key vocabulary as needed for the unit
 Provide visual supports
 Ask concrete questions
 Encourage careful, thoughtful reading of short selections
 Encourage students to underline or highlight key words
 Teach learning strategies
 Research using encyclopedia, internet, glossary, index, etc.
 Maintain a culturally sensitive and supportive environment.
 Use bilingual dictionaries, glossaries, and word lists
 Model instructions and examples
 Teach special vocabulary
 Minimize formal lectures and recitations
 Use symbolic representations
 Pose open-ended problems rather than single-correct answer
problems
 Minimize word problems or help set them up
Instructional strategies:
 Activate prior knowledge
 Provide extra time for processing
 Provide students with an outline and hard copies
 Introduce key vocabulary as needed for the unit
 Provide visual supports
 Ask concrete questions
 Encourage careful, thoughtful reading of short selections
 Encourage students to underline or highlight key words
 Teach learning strategies
 Research using encyclopedia, internet, glossary, index, etc.
 Maintain a culturally sensitive and supportive environment.
 Use bilingual dictionaries, glossaries, and word lists
 Model instructions and examples
 Teach special vocabulary
 Minimize formal lectures and recitations
 Use symbolic representations
 Pose open-ended problems rather than single-correct answer
problems
 Minimize word problems or help set them up
Providing activities for the English language learner:
 Encourage collaborative group work
 Encourage discussion
 Have students listen to a tape recording of a lesson or
directions for an assignment
 Extend time for projects, assignments, and assessments
 Use a word bank
 Have students complete charts and diagrams
 Have students use key vocabulary and simple sentences–
orally and in writing
 Allow the students to make choices in tasks
 Give real-world opportunities (or simulations) to apply new
knowledge
Providing activities for the English language learner:
 Encourage collaborative group work
 Encourage discussion
 Have students listen to a tape recording of a lesson or
directions for an assignment
 Extend time for projects, assignments, and assessments
 Use a word bank
 Have students complete charts and diagrams
 Have students use key vocabulary and simple sentences–
orally and in writing
 Allow the students to make choices in tasks
 Give real-world opportunities (or simulations) to apply new
knowledge
ACCOMMODATING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
SCIENCE CONTENT AREA
ACCOMMODATING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
SCIENCE CONTENT AREA
Instructional strategies:
 Activate prior knowledge
 Provide extra time for processing
 Provide students with an outline and hard copies
 Introduce key vocabulary as needed for the unit
 Provide visual supports
 Ask concrete questions
 Encourage careful, thoughtful reading of short selections
 Encourage students to underline or highlight key words
 Teach learning strategies
 Research using encyclopedia, internet, glossary, index, etc.
 Maintain a culturally sensitive and supportive environment.
 Use bilingual dictionaries, glossaries, and word lists
 Model instructions and examples
 Teach special vocabulary
 Stress definitions of terms based on students’ observations
 Limit the number of variables in a science experiment
 Read a variety of sources to highlight contributions of scientists,
inventors, and researchers
Instructional strategies:
 Activate prior knowledge
 Provide extra time for processing
 Provide students with an outline and hard copies
 Introduce key vocabulary as needed for the unit
 Provide visual supports
 Ask concrete questions
 Encourage careful, thoughtful reading of short selections
 Encourage students to underline or highlight key words
 Teach learning strategies
 Research using encyclopedia, internet, glossary, index, etc.
 Maintain a culturally sensitive and supportive environment.
 Use bilingual dictionaries, glossaries, and word lists
 Model instructions and examples
 Teach special vocabulary
 Stress definitions of terms based on students’ observations
 Limit the number of variables in a science experiment
 Read a variety of sources to highlight contributions of scientists,
inventors, and researchers
Providing activities for the English language learner:
 Encourage collaborative group work
 Encourage discussion
 Have students listen to a tape recording of a lesson or
directions for an assignment
 Extend time for projects, assignments, and assessments.
 Use a word bank
 Have students complete charts and diagrams
 Have students use key vocabulary and simple sentences–
orally and in writing
 Allow the students to make choices in tasks
 Give real-world opportunities (or simulations) to apply new
knowledge
Providing activities for the English language learner:
 Encourage collaborative group work
 Encourage discussion
 Have students listen to a tape recording of a lesson or
directions for an assignment
 Extend time for projects, assignments, and assessments.
 Use a word bank
 Have students complete charts and diagrams
 Have students use key vocabulary and simple sentences–
orally and in writing
 Allow the students to make choices in tasks
 Give real-world opportunities (or simulations) to apply new
knowledge
ACCOMMODATING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
SOCIAL STUDIES CONTENT AREA
ACCOMMODATING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
SOCIAL STUDIES CONTENT AREA
Instructional strategies:
 Activate prior knowledge
 Provide extra time for processing
 Provide students with an outline and hard copies
 Introduce key vocabulary as needed for the unit
 Provide visual supports
 Ask concrete questions
 Encourage careful, thoughtful reading of short selections
 Encourage students to underline or highlight key words
 Teach learning strategies
 Research using encyclopedia, internet, glossary, index, etc.
 Maintain a culturally sensitive and supportive environment
 Use bilingual dictionaries, glossaries, and word lists
 Model instructions and examples
 Use a variety of sources
Instructional strategies:
 Activate prior knowledge
 Provide extra time for processing
 Provide students with an outline and hard copies
 Introduce key vocabulary as needed for the unit
 Provide visual supports
 Ask concrete questions
 Encourage careful, thoughtful reading of short selections
 Encourage students to underline or highlight key words
 Teach learning strategies
 Research using encyclopedia, internet, glossary, index, etc.
 Maintain a culturally sensitive and supportive environment
 Use bilingual dictionaries, glossaries, and word lists
 Model instructions and examples
 Use a variety of sources
Providing activities for the English language learner:
 Encourage collaborative group work
 Encourage discussion
 Discuss special days
 Use parents and others guest speakers
 Have students listen to a tape recording of a lesson or
directions for an assignment
 Extend time for projects, assignments, and assessments
 Use a word bank
 Have students complete charts and diagrams
 Have students use key vocabulary and simple
sentences– orally and in writing
 Allow the students to make choices in tasks
 Give real-world opportunities (or simulations) to apply
new knowledge
Providing activities for the English language learner:
 Encourage collaborative group work
 Encourage discussion
 Discuss special days
 Use parents and others guest speakers
 Have students listen to a tape recording of a lesson or
directions for an assignment
 Extend time for projects, assignments, and assessments
 Use a word bank
 Have students complete charts and diagrams
 Have students use key vocabulary and simple
sentences– orally and in writing
 Allow the students to make choices in tasks
 Give real-world opportunities (or simulations) to apply
new knowledge
Assessing ELLs
Assessing ELLs
Assessments should:
 Reflect appropriate adaptations
 Take into account the student’s developing understanding of English,
as well as the cultural background
 Incorporate critical thinking skills – compare, generalize, predict,
hypothesize, etc.
Assessments should:
 Reflect appropriate adaptations
 Take into account the student’s developing understanding of English,
as well as the cultural background
 Incorporate critical thinking skills – compare, generalize, predict,
hypothesize, etc.
Assessment strategies:
 Focus on content, not language.
 Read test aloud
 Provide:
 Pictures to illustrate the meaning
 Word banks
 Simple language
 Shorten length of tests
 Sentence completion instead of true/false
 Allow for
 Reduced choices on multiple-choice test
 Use of notes or graphic organizers
 More time for completion
 Students to do an oral presentation in front of the teacher
rather than the whole class
 Oral responses rather than written ones
Assessment strategies:
 Focus on content, not language
 Read test aloud
 Provide:
 Pictures to illustrate the meaning
 Word banks
 Simple language
 Shorten length of tests
 Sentence completion instead of true/false
 Allow for
 Reduced choices on multiple-choice test
 Use of notes or graphic organizers
 More time for completion
 Students to do an oral presentation in front of the teacher
rather than the whole class
 Oral responses rather than written ones
Alternative assessment activities:
 Oral or written retelling
 Graphic representation: Semantic maps, Venn diagram, etc.
 Writing sample: Journal entry, Student log
 Technology Use: Audio, Video, PowerPoint
 Role play/simulations
 Portfolio
 Demonstrations/experiments
 Cloze activities
 Small group activities
 Illustrations or drawings to show understanding
Alternative assessment activities:
 Oral or written retelling
 Graphic representation: Semantic maps, Venn diagram, etc.
 Writing sample: Journal entry, Student log
 Technology Use: Audio, Video, PowerPoint
 Role play/simulations
 Portfolio
 Demonstrations/experiments
 Cloze activities
 Small group activities
 Illustrations or drawings to show understanding
Helping ELLs Succeed
Three Principles
Increase Comprehensibility
Increase Interaction
Increase
Thinking/Study Skills
Helping ELLs Succeed
Three Principles
Increase Comprehensibility
Increase Interaction
Increase
Thinking/Study Skills