Differentiation Guide for Listening (PreK - K)
ACCESS 1 -Entering
ACCESS 2- Beginning
ACCESS 3-Developing
ACCESS 4-Expanding
ACCESS -5
Bridging
CAN –DO
(Listening)
• Match oral language to
classroom and everyday
objects
• Point to stated pictures in
context
• Respond non-verbally to
oral commands or
statements (e.g., through
physical movement)
• Find familiar people and
places named orally
• Sort pictures or objects
according to oral
instructions
• Match pictures, objects
or movements to oral
descriptions
• Follow one-step oral
directions (e.g., “stand
up”; “sit down”)
• Identify simple patterns
described orally
• Respond with gestures to
songs, chants, or stories
modeled by teachers
• Follow two-step oral
directions, one step at a
time
• Draw pictures in response
to oral instructions
• Respond non-verbally to
confirm or deny facts (e.g.,
thumbs up, thumbs down)
• Act out songs and stories
using gestures
• Find pictures that match
oral descriptions
• Follow oral directions and
compare with visual or
nonverbal models (e.g.,
“Draw a circle under the
line.”)
• Distinguish between what
happens first and next in
oral activities or readings
• Role play in response to
stories read aloud
Student
Behaviors
Starts to process new language
(common words and phrases)
supported visually and/or
contextually; demonstrates
understanding through gestures
or actions; requires repetition
Recognizes and responds to
language heard often
Comprehends simple and
compound sentences,
particularly in social contexts;
ascertains main ideas of
conversations; attends to basic
grammatical features (e.g.,
plurals, tenses)
Understands most social/general
language and increasing amounts
of academic language that is
supported visually or contextually
Across all
Levels for
English
Language
Instruction
Create a welcoming classroom environment including artifacts, posters, alphabets, words, or pictures from the culture represented by each student.
Explicitly share content objectives and language objectives (how students will use language to achieve content objectives) with students daily in both oral and written form.
Differentiate instruction according to students’ language proficiency levels (matching differentiated assessment).
Teach students to the academic content standards set for all students.
Connect students’ prior knowledge, interests, and life experiences to instruction.
Bring the student’s home culture and language into the classroom, providing multicultural and take-home books in the students’ first languages.
Increase interaction through cooperative activities and heterogeneous grouping.
Encourage the development of literacy skills and proficiency in the student’s first language in order to facilitate English language acquisition.
Shorten and modify assignments without sacrificing higher order thinking
Use visual aids, pictures, clear and large print, realia, videos, computer-assisted instruction, gestures, modeling, and graphic organizers.
Demonstrate abstract concepts by first demonstrating application (e.g, experiment, manipulatives).
Provide explicit vocabulary instruction (general, academic, and content-specific words) for all ELLs.
Accompany oral directions with written directions for student reference.
Provide peer or cross-age tutoring.
Post models, word and concept walls (with pictorial support), and rubrics for student reference.
• Order pictures of m
events according to
sequential language
• Arrange objects or
pictures according to
descriptive oral
discourse
• Identify pictures/
realia associated
with grade-level
academic concepts
from oral
descriptions
• Make patterns from
real objects or
pictures based on
detailed oral
descriptions
Comparable to gradelevel peers
Instructional Strategies
Use manipulatives, realia, and other
visual aids for every lesson.
Use commands to teach receptive
language (Total Physical
Response).
Require physical response to check
comprehension.
Ask students to show/draw answers
to questions.
Ask “yes/no” questions.
Show/write key words after oral
presentation.
Accompany oral presentations with
print and other visual support.
Allow students to participate in
discussions by communicating
non-verbally and with single
words or memorized utterances.
Incorporate plenty of visual support
and scaffolding for readingrelated activities
Allow drawing and copying to serve
as writing.
Engage student in higher-order
thinking skills.
Focus on the student’s message
rather than on grammar, syntax,
or pronunciation.
Simplify language, paraphrase and
restate often, and model correct
usage.
Ensure that directions are
understood.
Increase wait time; do not force
reticent students to speak.
Provide age-appropriate, interesting
supplementary reading materials
with strong pictorial support.
Use manipulatives, realia, and
other visual aids for every
lesson.
Continue to expand receptive
language (Total Physical
Response).
Encourage all attempts to
respond.
Ask students questions that
require one/two words to
answer: Who? What?
Where? When? Which one?
Accompany oral presentations
with print and other visual
support.
Allow students to participate in
discussions by
communicating with single
words, phrases, or
memorized utterances.
Incorporate plenty of visual
support and scaffolding for
reading-related
Accept words or phrases for
writing assignments.
Engage student in higher-order
thinking skills.
Focus on the student’s message
rather than on grammar,
syntax, or pronunciation.
Simplify language, paraphrase
and restate often, and model
correct usage.
Ensure that directions are
understood.
Increase wait time; do not force
reticent students to speak.
Provide age-appropriate,
interesting supplementary
reading materials with strong
pictorial support.
Use manipulatives, realia, and
other visual aids for every
lesson.
Expand receptive language
through comprehensible
input (visual support is key).
Engage student in producing
language such as describing,
re-telling, comparing,
contrasting, defining,
summarizing, reporting.
Ask application questions: e.g.,
What do you do when…?
How do you react when…?
Elicit sentence-level speech.
Support students’ reading of
simplified text with visual
support and scaffolding.
Incorporate sentence-level
writing.
Engage student in higher-order
thinking skills.
Focus on the student’s message
rather than on grammar,
syntax, or pronunciation.
Simplify language, paraphrase
often and make sure
directions are understood.
Provide age-appropriate,
interesting supplementary
reading materials with strong
pictorial support.
Use manipulatives, realia, and
other visual aids for abstract or
unfamiliar content.
Develop cognitive academic
language: oral and written.
Introduce figurative language.
Ask “why” questions soliciting
opinion, judgment, prediction,
hypothesis, inference, creation.
Elicit extended speech.
Support students’ reading of
complex and grade-level text
with visual support and
scaffolding (students may still
struggle with grade-level text).
Assign grade-level writing tasks
but make allowances for level
of language proficiency (e.g.,
allow for language-related
errors/issues).
Engage student in higher-order
thinking skills.
Provide age-appropriate,
interesting supplementary reading
materials with strong pictorial
support.
Assign grade-level tasks.
Continue to develop
cognitive academic
language, both oral
and written.
Provide templates to
scaffold language to
appropriate academic
register.
Continue to ask “why”
questions soliciting
opinion, judgment,
prediction,
hypothesis, inference,
creation.
Engage student in
higher-order thinking
skills.
Adapted from Differentiation Guide for ELLS by Shelley Fairbairn, Ph.D. and Stephaney Jones-Vo, M.A. and The English Language Learner CAN DO Booklet by The WIDA Consortium
Differentiation Guide for Speaking (PreK - K)
ACCESS 1 -Entering
ACCESS 2- Beginning
ACCESS 3-Developing
ACCESS 4-Expanding
ACCESS -5
Bridging
CAN –DO
(Speaking)
• Identify people or objects
in illustrated short stories
• Repeat words, simple
phases
• Answer yes/no questions
about personal information
• Name classroom and
everyday objects
• Restate some facts from
illustrated short stories
• Describe pictures,
classroom objects or
familiar people using
simple phrases
• Answer questions with
one or two words (e.g.,
“Where is Sonia?”)
• Complete phrases in
rhymes, songs, and
chants
• Retell short narrative
stories through pictures
• Repeat sentences from
rhymes and patterned
stories
• Make predictions (e.g.
“What will happen next?”)
• Answer explicit questions
from stories read aloud
(e.g., who, what, or where)
• Retell narrative stories
through pictures with
emerging detail
• Sing repetitive songs and
chants independently
• Compare attributes of real
objects (e.g., size, shape,
color)
• Indicate spatial relations
of real-life objects using
phrases or short sentences
• Tell original stories
with emerging detail
• Explain situations
(e.g., involving
feelings)
• Offer personal
opinions
• Express likes,
dislikes, or
preferences with
reasons
Student
Behaviors
Mostly silent; speaks or repeats
only individual words or
memorized utterances; relies
upon gestures to communicate
Uses short phrases,
memorized utterances, and
telegraphic speech
(incomplete sentences that
communicate complete
thoughts)
Begins to produce original
sentences, though errors are
likely to be frequent
Produces speech to meet both
social and academic needs; errors
do not generally impede
understanding
Comparable to gradelevel peers
Across all
Levels for
English
Language
Instruction
Create a welcoming classroom environment including artifacts, posters, alphabets, words, or pictures from the culture represented by each student.
Explicitly share content objectives and language objectives (how students will use language to achieve content objectives) with students daily in both oral and written form.
Differentiate instruction according to students’ language proficiency levels (matching differentiated assessment).
Teach students to the academic content standards set for all students.
Connect students’ prior knowledge, interests, and life experiences to instruction.
Bring the student’s home culture and language into the classroom, providing multicultural and take-home books in the students’ first languages.
Increase interaction through cooperative activities and heterogeneous grouping.
Encourage the development of literacy skills and proficiency in the student’s first language in order to facilitate English language acquisition.
Shorten and modify assignments without sacrificing higher order thinking
Use visual aids, pictures, clear and large print, realia, videos, computer-assisted instruction, gestures, modeling, and graphic organizers.
Demonstrate abstract concepts by first demonstrating application (e.g, experiment, manipulatives).
Provide explicit vocabulary instruction (general, academic, and content-specific words) for all ELLs.
Accompany oral directions with written directions for student reference.
Provide peer or cross-age tutoring.
Post models, word and concept walls (with pictorial support), and rubrics for student reference.
Adapted from Differentiation Guide for ELLS by Shelley Fairbairn, Ph.D. and Stephaney Jones-Vo, M.A. and The English Language Learner CAN DO Booklet by The WIDA Consortium
Instructional Strategies
Use manipulatives, realia, and other
visual aids for every lesson.
Use commands to teach receptive
language (Total Physical
Response).
Require physical response to check
comprehension.
Ask students to show/draw answers
to questions.
Ask “yes/no” questions.
Show/write key words after oral
presentation.
Accompany oral presentations with
print and other visual support.
Allow students to participate in
discussions by communicating
non-verbally and with single
words or memorized utterances.
Incorporate plenty of visual support
and scaffolding for readingrelated activities
Allow drawing and copying to serve
as writing.
Engage student in higher-order
thinking skills.
Focus on the student’s message
rather than on grammar, syntax,
or pronunciation.
Simplify language, paraphrase and
restate often, and model correct
usage.
Ensure that directions are
understood.
Increase wait time; do not force
reticent students to speak.
Provide age-appropriate, interesting
supplementary reading materials
with strong pictorial support.
Use manipulatives, realia, and
other visual aids for every
lesson.
Continue to expand receptive
language (Total Physical
Response).
Encourage all attempts to
respond.
Ask students questions that
require one/two words to
answer: Who? What?
Where? When? Which one?
Accompany oral presentations
with print and other visual
support.
Allow students to participate in
discussions by
communicating with single
words, phrases, or
memorized utterances.
Incorporate plenty of visual
support and scaffolding for
reading-related
Accept words or phrases for
writing assignments.
Engage student in higher-order
thinking skills.
Focus on the student’s message
rather than on grammar,
syntax, or pronunciation.
Simplify language, paraphrase
and restate often, and model
correct usage.
Ensure that directions are
understood.
Increase wait time; do not force
reticent students to speak.
Provide age-appropriate,
interesting supplementary
reading materials with strong
pictorial support.
Use manipulatives, realia, and
other visual aids for every
lesson.
Expand receptive language
through comprehensible
input (visual support is key).
Engage student in producing
language such as describing,
re-telling, comparing,
contrasting, defining,
summarizing, reporting.
Ask application questions: e.g.,
What do you do when…?
How do you react when…?
Elicit sentence-level speech.
Support students’ reading of
simplified text with visual
support and scaffolding.
Incorporate sentence-level
writing.
Engage student in higher-order
thinking skills.
Focus on the student’s message
rather than on grammar,
syntax, or pronunciation.
Simplify language, paraphrase
often and make sure
directions are understood.
Provide age-appropriate,
interesting supplementary
reading materials with strong
pictorial support.
Use manipulatives, realia, and
other visual aids for abstract or
unfamiliar content.
Develop cognitive academic
language: oral and written.
Introduce figurative language.
Ask “why” questions soliciting
opinion, judgment, prediction,
hypothesis, inference, creation.
Elicit extended speech.
Support students’ reading of
complex and grade-level text
with visual support and
scaffolding (students may still
struggle with grade-level text).
Assign grade-level writing tasks
but make allowances for level
of language proficiency (e.g.,
allow for language-related
errors/issues).
Engage student in higher-order
thinking skills.
Provide age-appropriate,
interesting supplementary reading
materials with strong pictorial
support.
Assign grade-level tasks.
Continue to develop
cognitive academic
language, both oral
and written.
Provide templates to
scaffold language to
appropriate academic
register.
Continue to ask “why”
questions soliciting
opinion, judgment,
prediction,
hypothesis, inference,
creation.
Engage student in
higher-order thinking
skills.
Adapted from Differentiation Guide for ELLS by Shelley Fairbairn, Ph.D. and Stephaney Jones-Vo, M.A. and The English Language Learner CAN DO Booklet by The WIDA Consortium
Differentiation Guide for Reading (PreK - K)
ACCESS 1 -Entering
ACCESS 2- Beginning
ACCESS 3-Developing
ACCESS 4-Expanding
ACCESS -5
Bridging
CAN –DO
(Reading)
• Match icons and symbols
to corresponding pictures
• Identify name in print
• Find matching words or
pictures
• Find labeled real-life
classroom objects
Student
Behaviors
Derives meaning from pictures
only; may begin to transfer first
language literacy skills if
supported with explicit
instruction (if not literate in the
first language, may begin to
recognize print)
• Match examples of the
same form of print
• Distinguish between
same and different forms
of print (e.g., single
letters and symbols)
• Demonstrate concepts of
print (e.g., left to right
movement, beginning/
end, or top/bottom of
page)
• Match labeled pictures to
those in illustrated
scenes
Derives meaning primarily
from pictures; begins to
recognize letter/sound
correspondence; may
recognize words seen
often
• Use pictures to identify
words
• Classify visuals according
to labels or icons (e.g.,
animals v. plants)
• Demonstrate concepts of
print (e.g., title, author,
illustrator)
• Sort labeled pictures by
attribute (e.g., number,
initial sound)
• Identify some high frequency
words in context
• Order a series of labeled
pictures described orally to
tell stories
• Match pictures to phrases/
short sentences
• Classify labeled pictures
by two attributes (e.g., size
and color)
• Find school-related
vocabulary items
• Differentiate
Between letters,
words, and sentences
• String words
together to make
short sentences
• Indicate features of
words, phrases, or
sentences that are
the same and
different
Comprehends individual words
and simple sentences with
teacher/visual support; connects
text with prior knowledge
Successfully reads text on familiar
topics; continues to need
visual/contextual support to read
text on unfamiliar topics
Comparable to gradelevel peers
Across all
Levels for
English
Language
Instruction
Create a welcoming classroom environment including artifacts, posters, alphabets, words, or pictures from the culture represented by each student.
Explicitly share content objectives and language objectives (how students will use language to achieve content objectives) with students daily in both oral and written form.
Differentiate instruction according to students’ language proficiency levels (matching differentiated assessment).
Teach students to the academic content standards set for all students.
Connect students’ prior knowledge, interests, and life experiences to instruction.
Bring the student’s home culture and language into the classroom, providing multicultural and take-home books in the students’ first languages.
Increase interaction through cooperative activities and heterogeneous grouping.
Encourage the development of literacy skills and proficiency in the student’s first language in order to facilitate English language acquisition.
Shorten and modify assignments without sacrificing higher order thinking
Use visual aids, pictures, clear and large print, realia, videos, computer-assisted instruction, gestures, modeling, and graphic organizers.
Demonstrate abstract concepts by first demonstrating application (e.g, experiment, manipulatives).
Provide explicit vocabulary instruction (general, academic, and content-specific words) for all ELLs.
Accompany oral directions with written directions for student reference.
Provide peer or cross-age tutoring.
Adapted from Differentiation Guide for ELLS by Shelley Fairbairn, Ph.D. and Stephaney Jones-Vo, M.A. and The English Language Learner CAN DO Booklet by The WIDA Consortium
Instructional Strategies
Post models, word and concept walls (with pictorial support), and rubrics for student reference.
Use manipulatives, realia, and other
visual aids for every lesson.
Use commands to teach receptive
language (Total Physical
Response).
Require physical response to check
comprehension.
Ask students to show/draw answers
to questions.
Ask “yes/no” questions.
Show/write key words after oral
presentation.
Accompany oral presentations with
print and other visual support.
Allow students to participate in
discussions by communicating
non-verbally and with single
words or memorized utterances.
Incorporate plenty of visual support
and scaffolding for readingrelated activities
Allow drawing and copying to serve
as writing.
Engage student in higher-order
thinking skills.
Focus on the student’s message
rather than on grammar, syntax,
or pronunciation.
Simplify language, paraphrase and
restate often, and model correct
usage.
Ensure that directions are
understood.
Increase wait time; do not force
reticent students to speak.
Provide age-appropriate, interesting
supplementary reading materials
with strong pictorial support.
Use manipulatives, realia, and
other visual aids for every
lesson.
Continue to expand receptive
language (Total Physical
Response).
Encourage all attempts to
respond.
Ask students questions that
require one/two words to
answer: Who? What?
Where? When? Which one?
Accompany oral presentations
with print and other visual
support.
Allow students to participate in
discussions by
communicating with single
words, phrases, or
memorized utterances.
Incorporate plenty of visual
support and scaffolding for
reading-related
Accept words or phrases for
writing assignments.
Engage student in higher-order
thinking skills.
Focus on the student’s message
rather than on grammar,
syntax, or pronunciation.
Simplify language, paraphrase
and restate often, and model
correct usage.
Ensure that directions are
understood.
Increase wait time; do not force
reticent students to speak.
Provide age-appropriate,
interesting supplementary
reading materials with strong
pictorial support.
Use manipulatives, realia, and
other visual aids for every
lesson.
Expand receptive language
through comprehensible
input (visual support is key).
Engage student in producing
language such as describing,
re-telling, comparing,
contrasting, defining,
summarizing, reporting.
Ask application questions: e.g.,
What do you do when…?
How do you react when…?
Elicit sentence-level speech.
Support students’ reading of
simplified text with visual
support and scaffolding.
Incorporate sentence-level
writing.
Engage student in higher-order
thinking skills.
Focus on the student’s message
rather than on grammar,
syntax, or pronunciation.
Simplify language, paraphrase
often and make sure
directions are understood.
Provide age-appropriate,
interesting supplementary
reading materials with strong
pictorial support.
Use manipulatives, realia, and
other visual aids for abstract or
unfamiliar content.
Develop cognitive academic
language: oral and written.
Introduce figurative language.
Ask “why” questions soliciting
opinion, judgment, prediction,
hypothesis, inference, creation.
Elicit extended speech.
Support students’ reading of
complex and grade-level text
with visual support and
scaffolding (students may still
struggle with grade-level text).
Assign grade-level writing tasks
but make allowances for level
of language proficiency (e.g.,
allow for language-related
errors/issues).
Engage student in higher-order
thinking skills.
Provide age-appropriate,
interesting supplementary reading
materials with strong pictorial
support.
Assign grade-level tasks.
Continue to develop
cognitive academic
language, both oral
and written.
Provide templates to
scaffold language to
appropriate academic
register.
Continue to ask “why”
questions soliciting
opinion, judgment,
prediction,
hypothesis, inference,
creation.
Engage student in
higher-order thinking
skills.
Adapted from Differentiation Guide for ELLS by Shelley Fairbairn, Ph.D. and Stephaney Jones-Vo, M.A. and The English Language Learner CAN DO Booklet by The WIDA Consortium
Differentiation Guide for Writing (PreK - K)
ACCESS 1 -Entering
ACCESS 2- Beginning
ACCESS 3-Developing
ACCESS 4-Expanding
ACCESS -5
Bridging
CAN –DO
(Writing)
• Draw pictures and scribble
• Circle or underline
pictures, symbols, and
numbers
• Trace figures and letters
• Make symbols, figures or
letters from models and
realia (e.g., straws, clay)
• Connect oral language
to print (e.g., language
experience)
• Reproduce letters,
symbols, and numbers
from models in context
• Copy icons of familiar
environmental print
• Draw objects from
models and label with
letters
• Communicate using letters,
symbols, and numbers in
context
• Make illustrated “notes”
and cards with distinct
letter combinations
• Make connections between
speech and writing
• Reproduce familiar words
from labeled models or
illustrations
• Produce symbols and
strings of letters associated
with pictures
• Draw pictures and use
words to tell a story
• Label familiar people and
objects from models
• Produce familiar words/
phrases from
environmental print and
illustrated text
• Create content-based
Representations
through pictures and
words
• Make “story books”
with drawings and
words
• Produce words/
phrases
independently
• Relate everyday
experiences
using phrases/short
sentences
Comparable to gradelevel peers
Student
Behaviors
Labels, draws, and copies to
demonstrate understanding
and express ideas of content
area standard.
Some use of native language
in writing.
Draws, copies, and begins
to write words and phrases
to demonstrate
understanding and express
ideas of content area
standard.
Engages in sentence-level
production, relying on
developed BICS vocabulary
and explicitly taught CALP
vocabulary of content area
standard.
Writes paragraph-level text for
both social and academic
purposes; errors do not
generally impede meaning of
content area standard.
Across all
Levels for
English
Language
Instruction
Create a welcoming classroom environment including artifacts, posters, alphabets, words, or pictures from the culture represented by each student.
Explicitly share content objectives and language objectives (how students will use language to achieve content objectives) with students daily in both oral and written form.
Differentiate instruction according to students’ language proficiency levels (matching differentiated assessment).
Teach students to the academic content standards set for all students.
Connect students’ prior knowledge, interests, and life experiences to instruction.
Bring the student’s home culture and language into the classroom, providing multicultural and take-home books in the students’ first languages.
Increase interaction through cooperative activities and heterogeneous grouping.
Encourage the development of literacy skills and proficiency in the student’s first language in order to facilitate English language acquisition.
Shorten and modify assignments without sacrificing higher order thinking
Use visual aids, pictures, clear and large print, realia, videos, computer-assisted instruction, gestures, modeling, and graphic organizers.
Demonstrate abstract concepts by first demonstrating application (e.g, experiment, manipulatives).
Provide explicit vocabulary instruction (general, academic, and content-specific words) for all ELLs.
Accompany oral directions with written directions for student reference.
Provide peer or cross-age tutoring.
Post models, word and concept walls (with pictorial support), and rubrics for student reference.
Adapted from Differentiation Guide for ELLS by Shelley Fairbairn, Ph.D. and Stephaney Jones-Vo, M.A. and The English Language Learner CAN DO Booklet by The WIDA Consortium
Adapted from Differentiation Guide for ELLS by Shelley Fairbairn, Ph.D. and Stephaney Jones-Vo, M.A. and The English Language Learner CAN DO Booklet by The WIDA Consortium
Instructional Strategies
Use manipulatives, realia, and other
visual aids for every lesson.
Use commands to teach receptive
language (Total Physical
Response).
Require physical response to check
comprehension.
Ask students to show/draw answers
to questions.
Ask “yes/no” questions.
Show/write key words after oral
presentation.
Accompany oral presentations with
print and other visual support.
Allow students to participate in
discussions by communicating
non-verbally and with single
words or memorized utterances.
Incorporate plenty of visual support
and scaffolding for readingrelated activities
Allow drawing and copying to serve
as writing.
Engage student in higher-order
thinking skills.
Focus on the student’s message
rather than on grammar, syntax,
or pronunciation.
Simplify language, paraphrase and
restate often, and model correct
usage.
Ensure that directions are
understood.
Increase wait time; do not force
reticent students to speak.
Provide age-appropriate, interesting
supplementary reading materials
with strong pictorial support.
Use manipulatives, realia, and
other visual aids for every
lesson.
Continue to expand receptive
language (Total Physical
Response).
Encourage all attempts to
respond.
Ask students questions that
require one/two words to
answer: Who? What?
Where? When? Which one?
Accompany oral presentations
with print and other visual
support.
Allow students to participate in
discussions by
communicating with single
words, phrases, or
memorized utterances.
Incorporate plenty of visual
support and scaffolding for
reading-related
Accept words or phrases for
writing assignments.
Engage student in higher-order
thinking skills.
Focus on the student’s message
rather than on grammar,
syntax, or pronunciation.
Simplify language, paraphrase
and restate often, and model
correct usage.
Ensure that directions are
understood.
Increase wait time; do not force
reticent students to speak.
Provide age-appropriate,
interesting supplementary
reading materials with strong
pictorial support.
Use manipulatives, realia, and
other visual aids for every
lesson.
Expand receptive language
through comprehensible
input (visual support is key).
Engage student in producing
language such as describing,
re-telling, comparing,
contrasting, defining,
summarizing, reporting.
Ask application questions: e.g.,
What do you do when…?
How do you react when…?
Elicit sentence-level speech.
Support students’ reading of
simplified text with visual
support and scaffolding.
Incorporate sentence-level
writing.
Engage student in higher-order
thinking skills.
Focus on the student’s message
rather than on grammar,
syntax, or pronunciation.
Simplify language, paraphrase
often and make sure
directions are understood.
Provide age-appropriate,
interesting supplementary
reading materials with strong
pictorial support.
Use manipulatives, realia, and
other visual aids for abstract or
unfamiliar content.
Develop cognitive academic
language: oral and written.
Introduce figurative language.
Ask “why” questions soliciting
opinion, judgment, prediction,
hypothesis, inference, creation.
Elicit extended speech.
Support students’ reading of
complex and grade-level text
with visual support and
scaffolding (students may still
struggle with grade-level text).
Assign grade-level writing tasks
but make allowances for level
of language proficiency (e.g.,
allow for language-related
errors/issues).
Engage student in higher-order
thinking skills.
Provide age-appropriate,
interesting supplementary reading
materials with strong pictorial
support.
Assign grade-level tasks.
Continue to develop
cognitive academic
language, both oral
and written.
Provide templates to
scaffold language to
appropriate academic
register.
Continue to ask “why”
questions soliciting
opinion, judgment,
prediction,
hypothesis, inference,
creation.
Engage student in
higher-order thinking
skills.
Adapted from Differentiation Guide for ELLS by Shelley Fairbairn, Ph.D. and Stephaney Jones-Vo, M.A. and The English Language Learner CAN DO Booklet by The WIDA Consortium