INFORMATION FOR CONTENT TEACHERS
ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE
120 Franklin Blvd.
370-8982
Guilford County Schools
2008-2009
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Page number(s)
Subject
Helpful Information00
3-4
What Can I do to help my ELL
5
Stages of Second Language Acquisition
6
Reading Strategies
7
Many Ways to Modify Instruction for ESL Students
8-9
Checklist for Effective Practice
10
ESL Program Models
11
Language Development Stages
12-13
Instructional Accommodations for ELLs
14
English Language Proficiency Levels
15
Form –Recommended Modifications
16
How to Adapt Instruction
17-18
Specific Classroom Assessment Techniques for ELLs
19-20
Guide for Grading ELLs
21
Translated Documents
22
Important Web sites
23
WIDA ELP Standards
24
Glossary
25-26
2
Helpful ESL Information
What is ESL? Or (ESOL – English to Speakers of Other Language) ESL is an acronym for English as a
Second Language students. Our district has students from a variety of countries. Some of these
students will be novices, speaking little or no English.
What are ELLs? English Language Learners
What is LEP? Limited English Proficient-Term used by DPI
What do I need to know about my students?
When communicating with the family you will need to use translated documents when possible
(from TransAct). If you need a translator, contact the ESL department and an appointment will be
set up with prior notification.
The Novice Student
1. Cultural Shock
 The novice students will be experiencing culture shock and be moving through several
stages.
 Stage 1: This is the period of excitement and euphoria over the newness of the surrounds.
 Stage 2: The student seeks out the support of things familiar, like other students from his
own culture/language background. The student might be so overwhelmed with cultural
traumas that cause him/her to be defensive.
 Stage 3: This is a period of gradual, and at first tentative recovery. Some students may
again to dislike their first culture and/ or language and not feel a part of one culture.
General progress is made as the student begins to accept the differences in thinking and
feeling that surround him.
 Stage 4: This stage represents acceptance of the new culture and self-confidence.
2. The Silent Period
During this Initial phase which can last from 6 months or more, the students will listen and
perhaps respond with gestures. During this period, students need exposure to language that they
can understand. Study should also be centered on topics that have meaning for the students. Do
not force the student to talk. Be aware of the cognitive processes underlying the skill of listening.
Listening is NOT a passive process; it is an active skill of interpreting the verbal and non-verbal
output of the speaker in order to understand the message.
If students are to be expected to listen to long texts or lectures, it is usually desirable to activate
their existing knowledge of the topic by asking questions and making connections with existing
knowledge, discussing opinions, making predictions and sometimes by pre-teaching key words. It
is also helpful if students are told what they will have to do after they have finished listening so they
can focus on the forthcoming task.
3. Use Concrete Referents: In order to make language meaningful, develop activities so that what
is described can be seen, heard, felt, and smelled. The use of visual aids and experiments are very
effective activities.
3
4. Create a Positive Climate
 Student should not be embarrassed by errors,
 Be warm and welcoming with your body language – smile!
 Provide a nurturing environment for the ELLs. Be patient. Provide lots of opportunities for
success.
 Label objects in the room.
 Assign English-speaking and /or similar language-speaking buddies and peer tutors.
 Encourage the student to share his language and culture with the class.
 Do not focus on student errors during communication. Try to respond to the content of
students’ speech and not to error. Modeling the correct response is the best approach.
 Pronounce newcomer’s name correctly. Determine which part is the given name and which
is the family name. Two-part first names are common in many cultures, and may appear to
be a first name and a middle name. Ask. Use both parts of a two-part name. Hispanic family
names may also be two-part. Saying the name right isn’t always easy, but it’s important.
 Learn a few words in the student’s language
 Learn as much as you can about the students’ culture
 Do not assume that all students have the same background knowledge or prior experience
5. Other Points to Consider
 Effective listening presupposes that students can hear what is being said and are not being
distracted. The teacher can wait for silence before speaking and ensure that students listen
to each other. Teacher repetition of a student’s question or comment is often necessary or
helpful.
 Listening comprehension is easier if supported by visual material. As well as the obvious
advantage of students being able to see pictures or diagram of what is being talked about, it
is often helpful for them to have key words written on the board.
 Consider increasing “wait time” to give students a chance to process what they have heard
and formulate answers in their mind. Simply repeating or rephrasing what you have said
will give students extra time and help to process your message.
 It is often helpful to give a brief summary at beginning of lesson on what you’re going to
cover in the lesson, and then to clearly signpost each section. For example: “Now we’ve
talked about some of the effects of acid rain. I want to ask you what we can do to reduce the
problem.”
 A summary at the end of the lesson by the students (based on the E.Q.)will help ELLs finally
make sense of some of what they heard during the lesson
ADVANCED PREPARATION IS ESSENTIAL
Before a mainstream teacher stands in front of the classroom, advance preparation is essential in
order to provide necessary adaptations in content area instruction and materials for second
language learners. Teachers must consider what they should do to make the content information
accessible to their English language learners. They need to determine the language level of
instruction appropriate for the English language learner in their class. Teachers should:
o
Evaluate your second language learners' listening comprehension skills. How much do they
understand?
o
Simplify the language of instruction, not the concept being taught.
4
o
Work toward depth, not breadth of information, presenting materials in a clear, concise,
comprehensible manner and eliminating all peripheral, nonessential information.
o
Impart information through oral, visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning modalities.
o
Use graphic organizers, such as webs, Venn diagrams, and charts, to make information more
accessible to second language learners. Content materials present text, which is too dense
for second language learners.
o
Present content area vocabulary and concepts using realia, picture files, and hands-on
activities.
o
Examine your students' backgrounds and learn how their past experiences will affect
learning. The impact of students' backgrounds on learning will depend on their previous
schooling, home languages and cultures, and the concepts important to those cultures.
o
Understand that ESL students may not have experience with all of the concepts being taught
in American schools. For example, concepts such as freedom and democracy, perceptions of
time, and right to privacy may be different or non-existent in many cultures.
o
Build background knowledge before teaching a lesson.
What Can I do to Help ELLs?


Paraphrasing- restating a student’s response in order to model correct English.
Slow down your rate of speech, pause between phrases, and give students wait time to
process all the information in a new language.
 “Think –alouds” point out to students when using a think-aloud and how it can be helpful.
 Avoid unclear pronoun referents – ex. The boy picked up the pencil. He put it here. Then it
was time to leave. Point to what it is you are talking about whenever possible.
 Watch multiple meaning words – It was a fair test. The weather was fair. She has fair skin. It
was a fair ball. He went to the state fair.
 Be careful with homophones – passed/past.
 Avoid or be ready explaining figurative language/culture referents/idiomatic expressions –
Paul ran past at breakneck speed. He let the cat out of the bag.
5
Stages of Second Language Acquisition
Silent Period/preproduction
The studentIs verbally unresponsive
May often feel uncertain and confused
May respond nonverbally
Develops listening skills
Sound meaning associations
Early Production
The studentMakes connections between sounds and the
environment
Understands main ideas
Learns keywords and sight words
Can use context clues
Can answer orally using one-,two-, or threeword responses
Speech Emergence
The studentcan produce words that have been heard and
understood many times
may mispronounce words
may omit words in speaking or writing
can produce words that are heard, such as
nouns, verbs, and adjectives
Intermediate/Advanced Fluency
The studentMakes more errors as speech becomes more
complex
Has not mastered grammar because focusing on
grammar is not productive at this stage
Displays extensive vocabulary development
Listen
Point
Move
Mime
Match
The students is able todraw
choose
dramatize
circle
underline
The Student is able toName
list
Label
categorize
Group
tell or say
Respond
answer
Use a dictionary
Recall
Retell
Compare
Use phonics
The student is able todescribe
role play
contrast
restate
The student is able toAnalyze
evaluate
Create
justify
Defend
support
Debate
examine
Complete
describe
Define
summarize
Explain
use word analysis
Sources; Colorado of Department of Education, 1997: Main Department of Education, 1991
6
Two Kinds of Reading Strategies for English Language Learners
Unsuccessful Strategies
Thinking about something else while you are
reading
Skipping parts you do not understand and
not coming back to make sense of them later.
Successful Strategies
Setting purpose for your reading
Reading as rapidly as possible.
Thinking about what you do not know about
the topic
Concentrating on getting the meaning
Concentrating on figuring out what the
words are.
Making a list of every word you do not know.
Looking up all of the words that you do not
know in a dictionary
Repeating the main idea over and over again.
Thinking about what you already know
about the topic
Underlining important parts.
Asking questions about the parts you do not
understand.
Using other information to figure out what
you do not understand.
Taking notes
Picturing information in your head.
Checking back through the text to see
whether you remember it.
Sources: Vacca, Vacca, & Gove, 1987; Waxman & Padron, 1987, as cited in Padron, 1992.
7
Many Ways to Modify Instruction for English Language Learners
Instructional Modifications:
 break assignments into segments or shorter tasks
 relate information to student’s experiences. Activate prior knowledge
 reduce the number of concepts introduced at any one time
 monitor the level of language you use to communicate idea
 check for comprehension throughout the lesson by asking the students to retell, explain,
describe
 provide outlines or study guides
 monitor the rate at which you present material
 use graphic organizers consistently
 use English/Native language dictionary for secondary level students
 avoid idiomatic language
 follow predictable routines
 have students sit near the front
 assign a buddy.
 use collaborative groups
 increase amount of time allowed completing assignments and test or reducing the amount
of work.
 avoid large amounts of written work, both in class and homework.
 provide visual explanation of concepts
 Total Physical Response
 provide “realia” or real life examples of things
 use rubric to preteach each and model expectations
 use visuals/”hands-on” manipulatives
 use gestures to convey meaning non-verbally
 build on the prior knowledge of students (make connections with students’ cultures,
experiences, interests and skills)
 highlight/review/repeat key points and vocabulary frequently
 establish consistent classroom routines/list steps for completing assignments
 use yes/no, either/or, wh- questions and why/how
 create story and semantic maps
 use “Language Experience Approach”
 plan ways for ELLs to participate in class and in cooperative learning groups
 use audio tapes to reinforce learning
 use simplified books/texts that cover content-area concepts
 display Word Walls and charts (updated)
For literate ELLs (in their native language):
 encourage older ELLs to use bilingual dictionary as a learning tool
 have student write essays/journal entries in the native language
 instruct student to write what he or she has learned in the native language when they
initially arrive
8
Teach Ells to ask the following:
 What do the title, special kinds of print, and illustrations tell me?
 What are the most important words?
 Why am I reading this? What do I need to achieve?
 Do I understand what I am reading?
 What reading strategies am I using, and how well am I using them?
Vocabulary Instruction
“Dependence on a single vocabulary instruction method will not result in optimal learning. Various
methods were used effectively with an emphasis on multimedia aspects of learning, richness of
context in which words are to be learned, and the number of exposures to words that learners
receive”: (National Reading Panel, 2000, p.4)
 Vocabulary learning is effective when it entails active engagement in learning tasks.
 Maintaining word walls with words and their pictures on display
 Having students complete sentence stems that will show their mastery of the meaning (“The
students were exuberant when their teachers told them…”)
 Students can keep track of vocabulary words in various ways, including vocabulary
notebooks or on index cards that they hold together with ring clips.
Novice -Low Writers:
 allow the students to touch, point, show, draw, match, select, check circle, underline, list
yes/no, circle, categorize, group (as opposed to writing a sophisticated response)
 allow the students to draw the sequence of events. Students can later write words under
their drawings
 allow the student to label using words from word banks/pictionaries
 allow the student to write using single-words, simple phrases, simple sentences, simple
paragraphs (as opposed to expecting sophisticated sentences, grammar, and/or spelling)
 provide a pattern or sentence frame
 use cloze sentences with a word bank
How to Develop Questioning Strategies:

Let ELLs know which questions they will be responsible for answering in advance.
Allow for think time and preparation of answers.
Hierarchy of Questions
 Ask newcomers to point to a picture or word to demonstrate basic knowledge
“Point to the penguin.”
 Using visual cues, ask simple yes/no questions. “Is a penguin a fish?’
 Ask either/or questions in which the answer is embedded. “Is a penguin a mammal
or a bird?”
 Break complex questions into several steps. “Look at the mammals. Find the bear,
the dog and the cat. Why are these animals all mammals? How are they the same?”
9


Ask simple “how” and “where” questions that can be answered with a phrase or a
short sentence. “Where do penguins live?” “How do bats hear?”
Do not expect your novice ELLs to answer broad open-ended questions. “How do
fish breathe underwater?”
Checklist for Effective Practice
The following list is taken from the Checklist for Effective Practice with English Learners (Freeman &
Freeman, 1999), with minor adaptations.
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Is curriculum organized around "big" questions?
Are students involved in authentic reading and writing experiences?
Is there an attempt to draw on students' background knowledge and interests? Are students
given choices?
Is the content meaningful? Does it serve a purpose for the learners?
Do students have opportunities to work collaboratively?
Do students read and write as well as speak and listen during their learning experiences?
Are students' primary languages and cultures valued, supported, and developed?
Are we reaching all students? Are students involved in activities that build their self-esteem and
provide them with opportunities to succeed?
(TESOL Matters, December/January 1999)
10
ESL Program Models
Guilford County School district provides an alternative program for its limited English proficient
students, or English Language Learners. The program model is English as a Second Language
model. In the ESL model, the language of instruction is English. The native language of the child is
used only for clarification and not for instruction. Since there is a variety of languages represented
in the district, this model is more appropriate than a bilingual model. However, the district always
remains open to exploring other program models to serve its English Language Learners. Annual
program review and evaluation provide an opportunity to revisit the present program model and
its effectiveness and to make changes when needed.
Description of Services
The ESL classes for grades K-12 are organized into five possible language proficiency levels: Level I
(Entering), Level II (Beginning), Level III (Developing), Level IV (Expanding), Level V (Bridging),
Level VI (Reaching). By organizing ESL classes in this way the curriculum in ESL classes addresses
the particular language needs for students at each level of language proficiency.
Elementary Pull -Out Program
In grades kindergarten through fifth, students are pulled from regular classes for ESL instruction.
ELLs are pulled into ESL classes by their English language proficiency level. When it is necessary to
combine grade levels, students from lower grade levels are grouped together. Similarly, ELLs in
higher grade levels are grouped together for ESL instruction. The length of time for ESL instruction
is dependent on the English language proficiency level of the student. Students who are more
proficient may need less time in ESL class.
ESL Class Period
It is generally used in middle and high school settings. Students receive ESL instruction during a
regular class period and usually receive an elective course credit. They may be grouped for
instructing according to their level of English proficiency.
SIOP Sheltered Instructional Protocol
This model groups language minority students from different language background together in
classes where teachers use English as the medium for providing content area instruction, adapting
their language to the proficiency level of the students. They may also use gestures and visual aids
to help students understand. Content through language is the goal of this model.
11
Language Development Stages
Classroom Modifications
Student Name_____________________
ESL Teacher Name_____________
Classroom Teacher Name_______________
Grade Level______________
Stages
Sample Student
Behaviors
Pre-Production
- Points to or provides
ESL I –Level 1other nonverbal
Students are totally
responses
new to English
- Actively listens
- Generally lasts 1-3
- Responds to
months
commands
- May be reluctant to
speak
-Understands more
than can produce
Early production
- One or two word
ESL I –Level 2
utterances
- Students are “low”
- Short phrases
- “Beginners”
Generally lasts several
weeks
Speech Emergence
ESL II –level 3
- Students are
“beginners”
- May last several
weeks or months
- Participate in small
group activities
- Demonstrates
comprehension in a
variety of ways
- Speaks in short
phrases and sentences
- Begins to use
Scores___________________
Years in ESL__________________
Sample Teacher
Questioning
Behaviors
Techniques
- Gestures
- Point to . . .
- Language focuses on - Find the . . .
conveying meanings
- Put the . . . next to
and vocabulary
- Do you have the . . .
- Repetition
- Is this a . . .?
- Does not force
- Who has the . . . ?
student to speak
- Who wants the . . . ?
- Asks questions that
can b answered by
yes/no and either/or
responses
- Models correct
responses
- Ensures a
supportive, low
anxiety environment
- Does not overtly call
attention to grammar
errors
- Asks short answer
WH-questions
- Focuses on content
on key concepts
- provides frequent
comprehension
checks
- Uses performancebased assessment
- Uses expanded
- Yes/No (Is the trouble
light on?)
- Either/Or (Is this a
screwdriver or a
hammer?)
-One word response
(what utensil am I
holding in my hand?)
- General questions
which encourage lists
of words (what do you
see on the board?)
-Two-word response
(Where did he go? To
work.)
- Why?
- How?
- How is this like that?
- Tell me about . . .
- Think about . . .
- Describe
- How would you
change this part?
12
language more freely
Intermediate Fluency
ESL III Level 4
- Students are “high
beginners,
intermediate or
advanced”
- May require several
years to achieve
native-like fluency in
academic settings
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
- participate in reading
and writing activities
to acquire new
information
- may experience
difficulties in abstract,
cognitively demanding
subjects at schools,
especially when a high
degree of literacy is
required
vocabulary
- Asks open-ended
questions that
stimulate language
production
- Fosters conceptual
development and
expanded literacy
through content
- Continues to make
lessons
comprehensible and
interactive
- Continues to be alert
to individual
differences
- What would you
recommend/suggest?
How do you think this
story will end?
- What is the story
mainly about?
- What is your opinion
on this matter?
- Describe/compare
- How are these similar,
different?
- What would happen if
...?
- Which do you prefer?
Why?
Check Appropriate Box:
EOG Reading w/accommodations
EOG Math w/accommodations
Reading NCCLAS
Math NCCLAS
Writing NCCLAS
EOC Algebra I
EOC Algebra II
EOC Geometry
EOC Chemistry
EOC Biology
EOC Physical Science
EOC Physics
EOC U.S. History
EOC English
13
14
English Language Proficiency Levels
Student’s Name_________________________
Student’s Proficiency level_____________________
__Level 1- Entering: Students at this proficiency have virtually no functional ability in listening,
speaking, reading, and writing English. They are often new arrivals.
__ Level 2 -Beginning: Students at this proficiency are beginning to understand language and use it
in a limited capacity. Typically, they memorize words and phrases and can comprehend and utilize
language that they have been taught.
__Level 3- Developing: Students at this proficiency are able to understand most oral language
pertaining to familiar topics but have difficulty comprehending and using academic vocabulary.
Their speech and writing are basic and contain frequent errors.
__Level 4 -Expanding: Students at this proficiency are able to function well in most everyday
situations but still have difficulty with academic language. They may have difficulty understanding
text beyond the literal level. They often make errors in structure and idiomatic language.
__Level 5 -Bridging: Students at this level of proficiency can handle most personal, social, and
academic language though they still may make occasional errors in idiom and structure. They may
have difficulty with complicated literary and academic texts and may still need to use a dictionary
when the language and context are unfamiliar.
__Level 6 -Reaching: Students at this level are no longer limited English proficient and in most
cases function like a native speaker. However, they may still have interference from their first
language and may have difficulty understanding nuance and tailoring writing to a variety of
audiences
15
Recommended Modifications
Student Name_______________________
Classroom Teacher __________________
ESL Teacher _______________________
Date ____________
o
o
o
o
o
Appropriate for Level 1 and 11 ELLs
Take-home tests
Open book tests in alternative locations
Reduced or extended time on homework
Extended time
Oral assessment
o
o
o
o
o
Reteach
Review key concepts and vocabulary
Comprehensive Review of Key Content concepts using outcome concepts
Thumbs up/thumbs down
Response boards
Strategies for Level I
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Teacher uses language objective in lesson
planning
Teacher modifies speech
Use of helper for note-taking/classroom buddy
Elimination of questions requiring advanced
writing ability word problems, essay questions
Alternative tests (hands on demonstration)
Portfolio Assessment
Reduced number of test questions
Strategies for All Levels
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Use of visuals
Demonstrations
Simplified written language
Cooperative Learning
Role Playing
Graphic organizers
Thinking maps
Manipulatives
Think-pair-share
Teacher comments:
16
How to Adapt Instruction
Graphic Organizer: These visual displays of information and vocabulary help students recognize
key concepts and their relationships.
 Used before reading, they help students build the necessary background information to
read the text.
 Used during reading, they can help students take notes, see relationships among ideas, and
recognize how the text is organized.
 Used after reading, they can be used by students to note what they understand and their
own responses to the meaning (Buehl, 2001; Macon, Buehl, & Vogt, 1991, cited in
Echevarria, Vogt, &Short, 2004).
Examples graphic organizers include story maps, Venn Diagrams, timelines, semantic webs, and
charts. (See Crandall, Jaramilo, Olsen, & Peyton, 2001.)
Study Guides: Teacher-prepared study guides are designed with students’ needs in mind.
 Used before reading, they can give students a brief summary of the text and provide a guide
for the reading task.
 Used during reading, they can provide needed information so students can understand new
vocabulary and concepts.
 Used after reading, they can offer challenges and opportunities for students to deepen their
understanding.
Outlines: Teacher-prepared outlines are designed with the students’ needs and the main points of
the content in mind.
 Used before reading, they provide a guide for what students will read.
 Used during reading, they help students take notes.
 Used after reading, they can serve as a review of the information.
Outlines that have some of the information on them serve as scaffolding to which students can
attach additional information.
Highlighted Text: Teachers preview the material to be read and highlight key terms, concepts, and
summaries or other important information.
 Used before reading, only the highlighted text is read. This reduces the amount of reading
students are required to do.
 Used during reading, the highlighted text provides reminders of what is important.
 Used after reading, the text provides a review of the key information.
Scaffolding Technique: Scaffolding occurs when teachers assist students in learning new
concepts. This assistance, used before, during, or after instruction, may be delivered through the
use of paraphrasing, modeling of “think-alouds,” and carefully framed explanations that enable
students to make connections with the new concept.
17
Scaffolding may also be provided through the use of a variety of grouping strategies. This may
include whole-group instruction in which the teacher teaches, models, and structures student
practice with others and then has students use the procedure independently. Or, it may refer to
small-group or one-on-one instruction. In these latter instances, students practice applying the
new strategy with another, more experienced student (Echevarria, Vogt, & Short, 2004, pp. 26-29).
Jigsaw Reading: This cooperative learning activity helps students by reducing the amount of text
that must be read. It also limits the amount of information students must understand.
 Used before reading, jigsaw reading can provide students with an overview of the text.
 Used during reading, it helps make the reading task more manageable for them, because
they do not need to attend to all of the information in the text.
 Used after reading, it can provide a review of the information.
(Echevarria, Vogt, & Short, 2004). The adaptations, listed below, may be used before,
during, and after reading.
18
Regular teachers are required by law to make classroom modifications to ensure that their
instruction and evaluation is comprehensible to ELLs. Every teacher must have knowledge of the
language proficiency of the ESL student in his or her class in order to modify instruction and
assessments. The ESL teacher will provide classroom teachers with each student’s proficiency level.
Testing accommodations will be provided on ALL assessments, both in the classroom as well as
benchmarks and standardized state tests.
Lau vs. Nichols: Equity of Educational Opportunity is not achieved by merely providing all students
with “the same facilities, textbooks, teachers and curriculum; (because) students who do not
understand English are effectively foreclosed from any meaningful education”. All English Language
Learners (ELLs) are entitled to equal access to the core curriculum and the curriculum must be
made comprehensible to ELLs. 1983 Office of Civil Rights “It is our policy to find a violation of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964 if Limited English Proficient (LEP) students are retained in grade for failure
to demonstrate basic skills in English.”
Specific Classroom Assessment Techniques for ELLs
o Evaluation can be done through observation.
o A checklist can be used to record behaviors and responses.
o If paper and pencil tests are given, multiple choice or fill-in-the blank questions
(with a word-bank) can be used.
o Effective evaluations can be done through interviews and questionnaires.
o Total Physical Response (TPR) can be used for testing. Ask students to touch, circle,
pick up, point to, nod, or respond in some physical way to
cues/commands/directions.
o Ask students to demonstrate their understanding of procedures.
o Ask students to put a “strip story” into proper sequence.
o Ask students to reproduce the steps in an experiment or a sequence.
o Require students to keep a reading log.
o Evaluate comprehension as students contribute to “Language Experiences”.
o Ask students to choose characters to focus on and deep diaries of their character as
the unit unfolds.
o Ask students to dramatize or role-play specific situations.
o Ask students to complete a graphic organizer to demonstrate proficiency on a topic.
o Observe students as they participate in games and learning activities.
o Ask students to MATCH pictures with words and/or phrases.
o Ask students to complete sentences or give short answers. Provide a word-bank
when possible.
o Ask students to draw or illustrate their comprehension.
o Ask students to respond orally—rather than in writing.
o Give students paragraphs/articles. Ask them to write headlines.
o Ask pairs or small groups of students to prepare bulletin boards or displays on a
given topic.
o Have students do group projects such as report writing or dioramas.
o Give open book tests.
o Have students write essays, to demonstrate understanding, not grammatical
competence.
o Allow students to write a summary in their native language, if they are literate in
their first language.
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o
o
o
o
Have student point to the picture of a correct answer (limit choices)
Have student circle a correct answer (limit choices)
Ask a student to retell/restate orally and in writing
Numbered Heads or Think-Pair-Share or other cooperative group work
Examples of Test Modifications
o reduce the number of responses
o make an alternative test with simplified language
o assess on key or main ideas
o simplify test directions
o read questions aloud
o supply word banks for tests
o use matching activities
o provide extended time for test completion
o use portfolios to assess student progress
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Guide for Grading
• ESL students should not receive grades of D or F unless their lack of performance on modified
instruction warrants such grades, for example…not completing modified assignments/homework,
not turning in modified assignments/homework, not making satisfactory progress on modified
work.
• ESL students will receive report card grades based on their work (modified as necessary in the
regular classroom). These grades will be given by the classroom teacher and will not necessarily
reflect grade-level expectations. Classroom teachers should modify instruction, assignments,
and tests based on students’ English language proficiencies. Report card grades should reflect
these modifications. The use of instructional accommodations and modifications does not indicate
that a student cannot receive the highest grade in the content area.
• LEP students may receive language accommodations in the classroom while being instructed
with the NCSCOS on grade level. These students have the ability to receive the highest grade
attainable in the content area with use of language accommodations based on the student’s
proficiency level.
• Level 1 Novice Low ELLs who have been in the United States less than six months often do not
have enough English proficiency to be fairly graded, even on modified work. For these students, it is
acceptable for the classroom teacher not to give grades in the content areas for the first grading
period. Use the S, N, U scale instead of traditional letter grades.
• ESL teachers are expected to maintain open communication with classroom teachers regarding
appropriate expectations and assessment of English language learners.
• Grading scales are available for parents in Spanish, Vietnamese, Arabic, and Urdu. Translated
report cards and progress reports for elementary level are on the ESL Web site. Progress reports
for middle and high school ELLs are also located on the GCS/ESL Web site.
 Regular teachers are required by law to make classroom modifications to ensure that their
instruction and evaluation is comprehensible to the English language learner. Every teacher
must have knowledge of the language proficiency of the ELLs in his or her class in order to
modify instruction and assessments.
 The ESL teacher will provide classroom teachers with a student’s proficiency level to
determine eligibility for accommodations based on each English language learner. Testing
accommodations will be provided on ALL assessments (if eligible), both in the classroom as
well as benchmarks and standardized state tests. (Includes extended time, separate
room, multiple sessions, read aloud, reads to self and word-to-word dictionary).
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Translated Documents
We are legally obligated to provide parents with translated information whenever possible. You
will find many translated forms on the GCS/ESL Web site. In addition, the GCS Web site is now in
Vietnamese and Spanish. If you need help with translating, please contact our interpreters: Lily
Cendoya and Milly Barreto at 370-8982.
It is advisable to print English on the front; translated document on the reverse so parents may
choose which language to complete.
Translated materials are available at www.TransAct.com and at
This is a resource paid for by Guilford County Schools.
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Important Web Sites

GCS/ESL Web page
http://www.gcsnc.com/depts/esl/index.htm
 GCS /ESL Program Description
http://www.gcsnc.com/depts/esl/esl_documents.htm

Translated report cards
http://www.gcsnc.com/depts/esl/teachers_resources.htm
Other Recourses:
 Help! They Don’t Speak English Starter Kit/ The Center for Applied Linguistics
http://employees.oneonta.edu/thomasrl/introcontents.pdf
 Help Online Web site for teachers and parents of ELLs
Colorin Colorado info@colorincolorado.org
¡Colorín Colorado! Reaching out to Hispanic students and families.docx
 Fast Math Tutorial Program for ELLs developed by ESL teachers
http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/resabout/curriculum/fastmath/
 Challenging Common Myths About Young English Language Learners
http://www.fcd-us.org/usr_doc/MythsOfTeachingELLsEspinosa.pdf

Useful information for content classroom teachers
http://tapestry.usf.edu/Crandall/data/frameset/04_01.htm
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www.wida.us
The WIDA Consortium is a non-profit cooperative of sixteen states working together to meet the
requirements of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) for English Language Learners (ELLs) with innovative
standards and assessments. It is housed at the Wisconsin Center for Education Research in
Madison, Wisconsin. WIDA was founded in 2003 when it received a federal enhanced assessment
grant. Those funds have been used to develop:
A) The WIDA English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards that were recently adopted by
Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), the national ESL organization, to form
the basis of the next national NCLB-compliant model standards for ELP proficiency. These
standards are aligned to the academic standards of all WIDA member states.
C) The ACCESS for ELLs® English language proficiency test based on the five WIDA standards and
aligned to the academic standards of member states. ACCESS for ELLs® was developed by Dr. Margo
Gottlieb, The University of Illinois, and the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL), and meets all
requirements of NCLB for testing and reporting of English proficiency. WIDA revises its operational
form of ACCESS for ELLs® annually with a complete item turn over every three years (33% change
per year). ACCESS for ELLs® comes in five grade clusters (K, 1-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12) and three tiers
(A, B, C). Tiering the test allows students to avoid responding to questions that are inappropriately
difficult or easy. WIDA followed State of Wisconsin procurement regulations in seeking a
commercial vendor to print, distribute, score and report the ACCESS for ELLs®. The award was
granted to MetriTech, Inc. in Urbana, Illinois.
D) A screener test known as the WIDA ACCESS Placement Test (W-APT)™ which is based upon the
ACCESS for ELLs® and is used to identify students in need of ESL program support and place them
in tiers for the ACCESS for ELLs® assessment.
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Glossary of ESL Terms
The world of second language acquisition has many acronyms. Several of these are included below.
In addition, a number of key events and educational terms and that are used with ESL/LEP students
and their academic development is important for you to know.
ESL = English as a Second Language; English learned in an environment where English is the
predominant language of communication.
EFL = English as a Foreign Language; English learned in an environment where a language other
than English is the predominant language of communication.
SLA = Second Language Acquisition; the study of how second and subsequent languages are
learned.
L1 = First Language, mother tongue; language used first and most often by a speaker.
L2 = Second Language; any language learned after the mother tongue; could become dominant
language.
LEP = Limited English Proficient; term used denote English language learners where English is the
L2 LEP: Limited English Proficient, A student who is not fully English proficient, speaks a language
other than English at home, and does not demonstrate English language skills of comprehension,
speaking, reading, and writing at a level that would place him/her in a mainstream, English only
class setting.
FEP = Fluent English Proficient; educational/governmental term used to designate those English
language learners that have reached a specific proficiency in the L2.
Bilingual Education (BE): An educational program in which two languages are used during
instruction in order to 1) continue primary language (Ll) development, 2) provide instruction in
content in both Ll and L2, and 3) English acquisition.
BICS: Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills: Skills necessary for functioning in everyday life,
face-to-face interactions. These skills usually take about two years to develop in most second
language learners.
CALP: Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency: The aspects of language linked to literacy and
academic achievement. These skills usually take five to seven years to fully develop in second
language learners.
Comprehensible Input (CI): Language that is understood by the learner. Focuses on meaning first
and uses simplified speech.
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) The basis for educating students with disabilities in
classrooms comes from the concept of least restrictive environment (LRE), a provision in the
federal laws that have governed special education since 1975 with the passage of PL 94-142. LRE is
a student's right to be educated in the setting most like the educational setting for nondisabled
peers in which the student can be successful, with appropriate supports provided. Mainstreaming
and Inclusion are interpretations of LRE.
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Mainstreaming: Mainstreaming is the term for placing students with disabilities or special needs
in general education setting only when they can meet traditional academic expectations with
minimal assistance, or when those expectations are not relevant, for example, participation in
school assemblies, art, music, health, and physical education in order to have social interactions
with the other students. There is no separation of students based on need or ability. All students are
placed in classrooms designed for native English speakers that function at the perceived "normal"
level.
Inclusion: Inclusion represents the belief that students with disabilities should be integrated into
general education classrooms, community activities and resources, and home settings as students
who do not have disabilities. Within classrooms, students work toward their IEP goals. The term
inclusion has been broadened in order to create what is known as inclusive learning communities
where all children belong, those with and without disabilities and those with linguistic, ethnic,
cultural, and socioeconomic differences, such as ELL/LEP students.
Code Switching: The alternate use of two languages. Speaking one language and using words from
another, their native language.
Pull Out: Classes in which students are withdrawn from the mainstream regular subject classes for
one or more periods a week, for English language instruction classes in smaller groups.
Silent Period: A time, during which ESL students observe, gather and absorb information without
speaking while developing listening comprehension skills and sorting out structures in the language
such as the sound system (phonetics) and vocabulary. Students also take in aspects of deep culture
that are not taught such as the "common sense" aspects of everyday functioning. This period varies
in length depending on the student.
Affective Filter: The psychological barrier that allows input to be filtered through to a language
processing mechanism. A high filter is full of anxiety and stress while a low filter has little anxiety
increasing comprehension and attention.
Lau vs. Nichols: (1974) The United States Supreme Court decision which found the San Francisco
Board of Education failing in the duty of providing equal access to education of Chinese speaking
students who were enrolled in mainstream, English only classes. Providing ESL students with the
same materials as native speakers does not satisfy the requirement of equal access to education.
Sheltered English: Also referred to as transition or bridge classes, students cover the same content
areas as mainstream, English only classes but they do so in a manner that adapts the language
components of the classes to meet the needs of the language minority students' English proficiency
levels. Adaptations include simplified speech, contextualization, task-function orientation, and
interactional activities.
ESP: English for Special Purposes, Classes are designed to give students instruction in specific
content areas.
TESOL: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages. This is a national and professional
association. http://www.cortland.edu/flteach/esl/ESL-Terminology.html
TESOL Matters (April, 1999)
Thanks to: R. Saenz & J. Kimsey
learnnc.org
Resource Handbook from BER
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