Promising Practices
For Secondary
English Language
Learners
Published as part of the
LEP Student Success Initiative Grant
Office of Education Initiatives
Texas Education Agency
In collaboration with
The Office for the Improvement of
Second Language Achievement (ISLA)
Texas A & M University – Corpus Christi
August, 2009
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Copyright © 2006 Texas Education Agency (TEA)
Photocopy/ Reprint Permission Statement
Permission is hereby granted to professors and teachers to reprint or photocopy any
article in the Promising Practices for Secondary English Language Learners document for
use in their classrooms, provided each copy made shows the copyright notice. Such
copies may not be sold, and further distribution is expressly prohibited. Except as
authorized above, prior written permission must be obtained from the Texas Education
Agency to reproduce or transmit this work or portions thereof in any other form or by
another electronic or mechanical means, including any information storage or retrieval
system, unless expressly permitted by federal copyright law. Address inquires to Dr.
Frank Lucido, Office of the Institute for Second Language Achievement (ISLA), Texas A
& M University- Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean Drive Unit #5818, Corpus Christi, Texas,
78412-5818.
Printed at Texas A & M University – Corpus Christi
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PROJECT STAFF
Mr. Robert Scott, Commissioner of Education
Lizzette Reynolds, Deputy Commissioner of Statewide Policy and Programs
Norma Torres-Martinez, Deputy Associate Commissioner, Standards and Alignment
Lilie Elizondo-Limas, Director, Office of State Initiatives
Roberto C. Manzo, Program Specialist, Office of State Initiatives
Georgina Gonzalez, Director, Bilingual/ESL
Susie Coultress, Assistant Director, Bilingual/ESL
Office of the Institute for Second Language Achievement
(ISLA)
Texas A & M University – Corpus Christi
Authors
Dr. Frank Lucido, Director, ISLA
Carmen Ramirez Boatright, Assistant Director, ISLA
Dr. Pushpa Attal, Faculty
University of Houston
Dr. Gustavo Gonzalez, Professor Emeritus
Texas A & M University – Kingsville
Dr. Guadalupe Thompson, Professor Emeritus
University of Oklahoma
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents ………………………………………………………………. V
Section I
Introduction and background ………………………………… 1
Section II
Promising practice – Vocabulary and language development
9
Use of word walls ………………………………………………
Cognate awareness …………………………………………….
Word analysis ………………………………………………….
Concept definition maps ………………………………………
Semantic maps …………………………………………………
10
12
14
16
18
Promising practice –Use of graphic organizers and visuals
20
Venn diagrams ………………………………………………...
Story maps ……………………………………………………..
Double-entry journals …………………………………………
Semantic attribute matrices …………………………………..
Word banks …………………………………………………….
Writing frames …………………………………………………
21
27
29
31
33
36
Promising practice – Teaching for Meaning
39
Quick writes ……………………………………………………
Thematic prompts ……………………………………………..
Use of role – play ………………………………………………
40
42
45
Promising practice – Cognitive/ metacognitive strategies
47
Note-taking ……………………………………………………..
Pre-reading guides ….………………………………………….
Preview/review………………………………………………….
Reciprocal teaching ……………………………………………
Summarization …………………………………………………
Think-alouds …………………………………………………….
Visualization ……………………………………………………
48
50
53
55
57
59
61
Bibliography ……………………………………………………
63
Section III
Section IV
Section V
Section VI
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INTRODUCTION
Secondary school adolescents are the most diverse English language learners in
our schools. Although some of these students are newcomers/new arrivals within five
years, others have always called the U.S. their home (Rance-Roney, 2009).
Batalova,
Fix, & Murray (2007) found that 57 percent of adolescent learners classified as limited
English proficient were born within the U.S. borders and thus are second or thirdgeneration residents. These students have often achieved oral proficiency but are lagging
behind in their ability to use English for literacy and content learning for reasons that
may be only partly related to their second language status (Short & Fitzsimmons, 2007).
Lucas (1997) found that life experiences and circumstances will influence the individual
needs of these secondary learners. Among the factors cited were quality of prior
educational experiences, level of native language development, level of acculturation and
assimilation into the mainstream American culture, and expectation of re-entering the
country of origin and/or expectation of permanent return to their country of origin.
Adolescent secondary ELL’s benefit most from reforms that improve learning for all
students, such as curriculum improvement, professional development, and school
reorganization (Ruiz de Velasco & Fix, 2000). However, there are specific strategies that
can be implemented which contribute to ELL academic and linguistic improvement.
These strategies are the focus of the present publication.
The LEP Student Success Initiative was initiated by the Texas Education Agency
in 2004. Since that time, over one hundred school districts in the state of Texas have
received educational grants aimed at improving the education of English language
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learners. As the number of English language learners continues to increase, the need to
identify research based promising practices to educate these students grows as well. In
2009 of a total of 800,671 ELLs, the largest number of English language learners were
Spanish speakers numbering 732, 196 students, Vietnamese speakers numbering 15, 230
students, and Urdu at 3,783 students (PIEMS, 2009).
The Office for Improvement of Second Language Achievement (ISLA) at Texas
A&M University-Corpus Christi was awarded a contract to provide professional
development, technical assistance to the grant awardees, and to develop this document on
promising practices focusing on second language learners. The state’s emphasis on
Closing the Gap among the different ethnic groups adds urgency to providing a quality
education for English language learners.
The first step in the development of this document was an identification of studies
conducted in secondary classrooms that used specific strategies that were effective in the
education of English language learners. The strategy was deemed effective when it
showed improvement in language development as defined by the particular study. There
were thirteen studies including panel reports that identified effective strategies in
instructing English language learners at the secondary level. Instructional similarities
among the strategies led to four major categories. The four categories identified were
vocabulary and language development strategies; teaching for meaning strategies;
strategies involving the use of graphic organizers; and cognitive and meta-cognitive
strategies.
In order to verify that these strategies were among those being used in Texas
classrooms, interviews were conducted with secondary ESL teachers that were deemed
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effective in educating English language learners. A panel of ESL educators was
assembled to develop a description of classroom strategies and how they interface with
standards. Of course, many of the strategies can be used to address a wide array of
standards, depending on the particular situation in the classroom.
In December of 2007, the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) were
developed by the Texas Education Agency to assist Texas teachers in addressing the
language development needs of English language learners as they interact with the Texas
Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). Since English learners are expected to master
the Texas curriculum outside of the regular ESL class, educators must recognize that all
teachers, ESL and content are as well, contribute to language development, intentionally
or unintentionally. All teachers are teachers of language regardless of content area
taught. The English language proficiency standards define specific standards in listening,
speaking, reading, and writing that must be developed in all areas of instruction. Special
attention is given to assuring that English language learners are provided differentiated
instruction according to their level of language development (Beginner, Intermediate,
Advanced, and Advanced High). With the development of content objectives and
language objectives at the linguistic level of the students, educators across the curriculum
can help all students, and specifically English learners to develop their linguistic and
literacy abilities, resulting in enhanced academic achievement and career success.
This document was developed to identify research-based strategies found to be
effective in teaching English language learners across the curriculum. The document
identifies the specific strategy and defines the strategy as it applies to teaching and
learning. The research studies for verifying the effectiveness of the strategy are listed as
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well as additional resources for implementing the strategy. The document also identifies
the specific English Language Proficiency Standard that can be addressed when
incorporating the strategy. The implementation of the strategy with a classroom example
of the strategy is then described. The importance of integration of all four language skills
(listening, speaking, reading, and writing) is stressed throughout the examples to insure
that all aspects of language development are enhanced. Although many of these
strategies are considered best practices for all learners, educators must be conscious of
the language development level of the English language learners so as to tailor instruction
in the classroom to the student’s linguistic ability level.
This document is meant to serve as a resource to all teachers as we continue to
work together to improve the education of English language learners in the state of
Texas.
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Vocabulary and Language Development
Vocabulary knowledge is a critical component of reading proficiency across the
K-12 spectrum. Achieving comprehension through setting reading goals, interacting with
texts, and accessing background knowledge is especially challenging for ELL students.
Unfamiliar cultural assumptions and academic demands in content courses place a
tremendous burden on learners who are simultaneously developing their language skills
and learning content information. ELL students continually encounter words in their
readings that they don’t fully understand. Examples of this include academic vocabulary
in literature, science, history, social studies, and mathematics. This is vocabulary that is
best developed through direct instruction, practice, and use in and appropriate contexts.
Vocabulary development should be taught both directly and indirectly with
activities that link and reinforce words and their meanings. Vocabulary can be
introduced in isolation as well as in the context of the content.
Vocabulary and language instruction should include activities for students
involving word walls, cognates awareness, word analysis, concept definition maps, and
semantic maps. These and other activities will help in developing their language skills.
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Word walls
Targeted Proficiency Levels: Beginning to Advanced
Description: The word wall consists of the Research/Resources:
key words, concepts, or ideas contained in Abedi et al (2001)
the lesson or unit. These are printed on
Cunningham, (2004)
poster board or butcher paper and
Gibbons (2009)
prominently displayed so that all students
have a clear view of them. The content of
the word wall will vary not only by content
area but by grade level. It is to be
expected that a word wall for 12th graders
will be more advanced than one for 7th
graders.
Alignment with English Language Proficiency Standards
Listening
Speaking
2C: Learn new language structures,
3B: Expand and internalize initial English
expressions, and basic and academic
vocabulary by learning and using highvocabulary heard during classroom
frequency English words necessary for
instruction and interactions.
identifying and describing people, places,
2E: Use visual, contextual, and linguistic
and objects, by retelling simple stories and
support to enhance and confirm
basic information represented or supported
understanding of increasingly complex and by pictures, and by learning and using
elaborated spoken language.
routine language needed for classroom
communication.
3D: Speak using grade-level content area
vocabulary in context to internalize new
English words and build academic language
proficiency.
Reading
4D: Use pre-reading supports such as
graphic organizers, illustrations, and pretaught topic-related vocabulary and other
pre-reading activities to enhance
comprehension of written text.
4F: Use visual and contextual support and
support from peers and teachers to read
grade-appropriate content area text,
enhance and confirm understanding, and
develop vocabulary, grasp of language
structures, and background knowledge
needed to comprehend increasingly
challenging language.
Writing
5B: Write using newly acquired basic
vocabulary and content-based grade-level
vocabulary.
5C: Spell familiar English words with
increasing accuracy, and employ English
spelling patterns and rules with increasing
accuracy as more English is acquired.
5G: Narrate, describe, and explain with
increasing specificity and detail to fulfill
content area writing needs as more English
is acquired.
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Using Word walls in Content Area Classrooms: What does it look like?
1. Create a word wall chart. (laminate)
2. Print key words and clip to chart (monarchy, democracy, dictatorship, oligarchy).
3. Pronounce the words and ask students if they can give a definition and an
example of each. If students cannot provide a definition, the teacher should
provide one.
4. Have students develop their own dictionary where they can write their own
definition of each type of government and add more vocabulary as they research
each type.
5. Divide the class into four groups to study the characteristics of each type, such as
its structure, its constitution, elections, freedoms, powers, free speech, right to
bear arms, and other areas which they would like to discuss.
6. Each group will then develop an oral presentation on their assigned type of
government. The presentation will be structured in such a way as to provide each
student an opportunity to contribute to the actual presentation (not just its
planning and/or development).
7. At the conclusion of all the presentations, each group has to turn in a semantic
map of its type of government.
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Cognate awareness
Targeted Proficiency Levels: Beginning to Advanced
Description: Cognates are words that exist Research/Resources:
in different languages but share semantic
Nagy & Garcia (1993)
and physical (orthographic) characteristics. Genesee & Riches (2006)
Many students are timid or hesitant to
guess at meanings of new words, even
obvious cognates.
Using texts that identify true
cognates allows students to gain
confidence in perceiving the meaning of
the basic word. It further enables them to
recognize related words when they appear.
Alignment with English Language Proficiency Standards
Listening
Speaking
2B: Recognize elements of the English
3D: Speak using grade-level content area
sound system in newly acquired
vocabulary in context to internalize new
vocabulary such as long and short vowels, English words and build academic language
silent letters, and consonant clusters.
proficiency.
2C: Learn new language structures,
3E: Share information in cooperative
expressions, and basic and academic
learning interactions.
vocabulary heard during classroom
instruction and interactions.
2E: Use visual, contextual, and linguistic
support to enhance and confirm
understanding of increasingly complex and
elaborated spoken language.
Reading
4A: Learn relationships between sounds
and letters of the English language and
decode (sound out) words using a
combination of skills such as recognizing
sound-letter relationships and identifying
cognates, affixes, roots, and base words.
4G: Demonstrate comprehension of
increasingly complex English by
participating in shared reading, retelling or
summarizing material, responding to
questions, and taking notes commensurate
with content area and grade-level needs.
Writing
5G: Narrate, describe, and explain with
increasing specificity and detail to fulfill
content area writing needs as more English
is acquired.
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Using cognate awareness in Content Area Classrooms: What does it look like?
Encourage students to find English words that have cognates in their native language.
Geography and history texts include many words based on Latin and Greek which may
already be familiar to them. The teacher may start the discussion by providing a list of
some of the cognates that they will be encountering in the lesson. An activity that could
be used for developing cognate awareness use is as follows:
1. Make word strips of identical cognates and others that include some differences in
spelling between cognates.
2. Write enough words so that everyone in the class can be involved.
3. Distribute the words among the students.
4. Ask the students to find the classmate that has the corresponding cognate.
5. Ask students who have identical cognate words to raise their hand. Next, ask the
students with similar but not identical cognates to stand up. Ask the students as a
group to talk about differences in the pairs that are similar cognates, such as extra
vowels, suffix tion/ción, and the ending y.
Examples of word strips:
1. identical: abdomen, animal, central, chocolate, horror, vision, idea, etc. (2 strips
for each word)
2. similar: acid/ácido, absurd/absurdo, model/modelo, clinic/clínica, insect/insecto,
credit/ crédito, ambition/ambición, circulation/circulación, education/educación,
petition/petición, agony/agonía, anatomy/anatomía, biology/biología,
colony/colonia, democracy/democracia, history/historia, salary/salario, etc.
Another activity that could be used in your course is to identify the key words in each
lesson and distribute them to the students.
1. Have the students review the list and provide a cognate for words that have one in
their native language.
2. At the end of a unit or lesson, review their list to see how many cognates they
have discovered.
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Word analysis
Targeted Proficiency Levels: Beginning to Advanced
Description: Word analysis, focused
Research/Resources:
instruction on the parts of a word,
Goldenberg (2008)
improves spelling and aids in acquiring
Beck, McKeown & Kucan (2002)
academic vocabulary. The ability to break Genesee & Riches (2006)
down new words will allow students to
decipher the meaning of new words they
encounter throughout their academic
careers.
A decoding skill that is very useful
is the ability to recognize word families.
Knowing the meaning of prefixes,
common base words, Greek and Latin
roots, and suffixes aids the students in
decoding the meaning of new words.
Teachers can find lists of prefixes, suffixes
and word families in books on teaching
reading. Classifying words based on
structure also improves student
orthography.
Alignment with English Language Proficiency Standards
Listening
Speaking
2C: Learn new language structures,
3D: Speak using grade-level content area
expressions, and basic and academic
vocabulary in context to internalize new
vocabulary heard during classroom
English words and build academic language
instruction and interactions.
proficiency.
2D: Monitor understanding of spoken
3F: Ask and give information ranging from
language during classroom instruction and using a very limited bank of highinteractions and seek clarification as
frequency, high-need, concrete vocabulary,
needed.
including key words and expressions
2I: Demonstrate listening comprehension
needed for basic communication in
of increasingly complex spoken English by academic and social contexts, to using
following directions, retelling or
abstract and content-based vocabulary
summarizing spoken messages, responding during extended speaking assignments.
to questions and requests, collaborating
with peers, and taking notes commensurate
with content and grade-level needs.
Reading
Writing
4D: Use pre-reading supports such as
5E: Employ increasingly complex
graphic organizers, illustrations, and pregrammatical structures in content area
taught topic-related vocabulary and other
writing commensurate with grade-level
pre-reading activities to enhance
expectations.
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comprehension of written text.
5F: Write using a variety of grade4G: Demonstrate comprehension of
appropriate sentence lengths, patterns, and
increasingly complex English by
connecting words to combine phrases,
participating in shared reading, retelling or clauses, and sentences in increasingly
summarizing material, responding to
accurate ways as more English is acquired.
questions, and taking notes commensurate
with content area and grade-level needs.
Using Word analysis in Content Area Classrooms: What does it look like?
1. Before you start the activity, define the words prefix and suffix. Give examples
on the board.
2. Provide students with a list of prefixes and suffixes and their meaning. Example:
Prefix
antiexim-, innonpostprerereunSuffix
-able, -ible
-ar, -er, -or
-ess
-est
Meaning
against
former
not
not
after
before
again
back
not
Meaning
is, can, be
one who
one who (female)
most
Word
Word
Meaning
Meaning
3. Have students think of words that contain each prefix or suffix. Ask them to write
the words and their meaning on the sheet with the list of affixes.
4. Have the students share the words and their meanings with the class.
5. Ask the students if they know additional prefixes and suffixes. List them on the
board.
6. Ask students to do a quick write on the importance of prefixes and suffixes and
how knowing them would help them in analyzing a new word.
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Concept definition map
Targeted Proficiency Levels: Beginning to Advanced
Description: A concept definition map is a Research/Resources:
visual organizer that enables students to
Goldenberg (2008)
process a concept, a term, or an idea.
Echevarria & Graves (2005)
Concept maps begin with a single concept
which is written in a square or circle. New
concepts are represented by and included
in new shapes and connected with lines to
the other shapes, creating a web showing
relationships among the ideas presented.
A concept organizer can also be used for
each new word. The organizer may
include sentences, synonyms, definitions,
examples, and antonyms.
Alignment with English Language Proficiency Standards
Listening
Speaking
2E: Use visual, contextual, and linguistic
3E: Share information in cooperative
support to enhance and confirm
learning interactions.
understanding of increasingly complex and 3G: Express opinions, ideas, and feelings
elaborated spoken language.
ranging from communicating single words
2H: Understand implicit ideas and
and short phrases to participating in
information in increasingly complex
extended discussions on a variety of social
spoken language commensurate with
and grade-appropriate academic topics.
grade-level learning expectations.
3H: Narrate, describe, and explain with
2I: Demonstrate listening comprehension
increasing specificity and detail as more
of increasingly complex spoken English by English is acquired.
following directions, retelling or
summarizing spoken messages, responding
to questions and requests, collaborating
with peers, and taking notes commensurate
with content and grade-level needs.
Reading
Writing
4D: Use pre-reading supports such as
5B: Write using newly acquired basic
graphic organizers, illustrations, and prevocabulary and content-based grade-level
taught topic-related vocabulary and other
vocabulary.
pre-reading activities to enhance
5F: Write using a variety of gradecomprehension of written text.
appropriate sentence lengths, patterns, and
4G: Demonstrate comprehension of
connecting words to combine phrases,
increasingly complex English by
clauses, and sentences in increasingly
participating in shared reading, retelling or accurate ways as more English is acquired.
summarizing material, responding to
5G: Narrate, describe, and explain with
questions, and taking notes commensurate increasing specificity and detail to fulfill
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with content area and grade-level needs.
content area writing needs as more English
is acquired.
Using Concept definition maps in Content Area Classrooms: What does it look like?
1. Have students fill in the concept map with words and phrases from a story, essay,
or topic they are studying.
2. Next, ask individual students to share their ideas about the concept or topic with a
partner.
3. Now, ask students to write an essay on a separate sheet of paper expressing their
impressions of and reactions to the concept or topic. Have the students review the
concept map “Poverty in the United States” that they have brainstormed on
earlier.
Where
people live
Identify
people
How
people live
Poverty
In the
United States
Why
people live
this way
Effects of
poverty on
people
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Semantic maps
Targeted Proficiency Levels: Beginning to Advanced
Description: Semantic maps are an
Research/Resources:
excellent means for organizing new
Goldenberg (2008)
information introduced in class. They
Johnson, Pittelman, Toms-Bronowski &
provide direction and organization while
Levin (1984)
narrowing the content to the most
important information of the lesson. This
allows the student to focus on the main
theme, concept, topic, or word.
Alignment with English Language Proficiency Standards
Listening
Speaking
2C: Learn new language structures,
3B: Expand and internalize initial English
expressions, and basic and academic
vocabulary by learning and using highvocabulary heard during classroom
frequency English words necessary for
instruction and interactions.
identifying and describing people, places,
2E: Use visual, contextual, and linguistic
and objects, by retelling simple stories and
support to enhance and confirm
basic information represented or supported
understanding of increasingly complex and by pictures, and by learning and using
elaborated spoken language.
routine language needed for classroom
2I: Demonstrate listening comprehension
communication.
of increasingly complex spoken English by 3D: Speak using grade-level content area
following directions, retelling or
vocabulary in context to internalize new
summarizing spoken messages, responding English words and build academic language
to questions and requests, collaborating
proficiency.
with peers, and taking notes commensurate 3E: Share information in cooperative
with content and grade-level needs.
learning interactions.
Reading
4D: Use pre-reading supports such as
graphic organizers, illustrations, and pretaught topic-related vocabulary and other
pre-reading activities to enhance
comprehension of written text.
4F: Use visual and contextual support and
support from peers and teachers to read
grade-appropriate content area text,
enhance and confirm understanding, and
develop vocabulary, grasp of language
structures, and background knowledge
needed to comprehend increasingly
Writing
5B: Write using newly acquired basic
vocabulary and content-based grade-level
vocabulary.
5F: Write using a variety of gradeappropriate sentence lengths, patterns, and
connecting words to combine phrases,
clauses, and sentences in increasingly
accurate ways as more English is acquired.
5G: Narrate, describe, and explain with
increasing specificity and detail to fulfill
content area writing needs as more English
is acquired.
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challenging language.
4G: Demonstrate comprehension of
increasingly complex English by
participating in shared reading, retelling or
summarizing material, responding to
questions, and taking notes commensurate
with content area and grade-level needs.
Using Semantic maps in Content Area Classrooms: What does it look like?
1. The teacher introduces the topic “Five Senses” through pictures and asks the
students what they know about it (prior knowledge).
2. Teacher uses a KWL chart to write the students’ comments. After discussion, a
semantic map is developed as follows:
Smell
Sight
Hearing
Five
Senses
Touch
Taste
3. Have students write sentences that evoke a sensory response. Have the students
write these sentences on the map.
4. Have students read their sentences to a partner without saying which sense(s) they
are describing. Ask the partner to guess the senses being referred to.
5. Have different volunteers present one of their sentences to the class and see if the
class can guess the sense.
6. Teacher introduces the literature selection on the five senses to the class.
A semantic map brainstormed in a social studies class studying conditions of life in the
colonies from Jamestown to 1783 may include in the center circle of the map “Life in the
Colonies.” Other circles connecting with the center circle would include such topics as
Housing, Food, Clothing, Work, Education, Religion, Government, Money Exchange,
Role of Women, etc.
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Use of graphic organizers and visuals
The use of graphic organizers and visuals is an effective means of building
schema for English Language Learners (ELLs). Graphic organizers and visuals are
particularly important for ELLs that are not yet proficient in English because they allow
ELLs to organize information and demonstrate their understanding of content.
Additionally, graphic organizers and visuals help students see relationships among and
between ideas. Through the use of graphic organizers and visuals, students are able to
express their understanding without the use of complex language or increased grammar
demands.
Examples of graphic organizers and visuals that are beneficial for English
language learners include: Venn diagrams, story maps, double-entry journals, semantic
attribute matrices, word banks, and writing frames.
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Venn diagrams
Targeted Proficiency Levels: Beginning to Advanced
Description: Venn diagrams allow ELLs to
Research/Resources:
focus on the content by reducing the language
Iwai (2007)
demand to single words or phrases. Venn
Dickson, et al (1995)
diagrams are often used in mathematics, but
they actually can be used in all subjects, grades
K to 12. Venn diagrams allow for the
comparison of two different topics, words, or
concepts through the use of enclosed
(overlapping) circles. Characteristics shared
by the concepts or topics are listed in the area
of overlap, while those features that are unique
are listed in the remaining area of the
respective circles, as illustrated below.
Alignment with English Language Proficiency Standards
Listening
Speaking
2E: Use visual, contextual, and linguistic
3E: Share information in cooperative learning
support to enhance and confirm understanding interactions.
of increasingly complex and elaborated spoken 3F: Ask and give information ranging from
language.
using a very limited bank of high-frequency,
2G: Understand the general meaning, main
high-need, concrete vocabulary, including key
points, and important details of spoken
words and expressions needed for basic
language ranging from situations in which
communication in academic and social
topics, language, and contexts are familiar to
contexts, to using abstract and content-based
unfamiliar.
vocabulary during extended speaking
2I: Demonstrate listening comprehension of
assignments.
increasingly complex spoken English by
3H: Narrate, describe, and explain with
following directions, retelling or summarizing increasing specificity and detail as more
spoken messages, responding to questions and English is acquired.
requests, collaborating with peers, and taking
notes commensurate with content and gradelevel needs.
Reading
4D: Use pre-reading supports such as graphic
organizers, illustrations, and pre-taught topicrelated vocabulary and other pre-reading
activities to enhance comprehension of written
text.
4E: Read linguistically accommodated content
area material with a decreasing need for
linguistic accommodations as more English is
learned.
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Writing
5B: Write using newly acquired basic
vocabulary and content-based grade-level
vocabulary.
5F: Write using a variety of grade-appropriate
sentence lengths, patterns, and connecting
words to combine phrases, clauses, and
sentences in increasingly accurate ways as
more English is acquired.
5G: Narrate, describe, and explain with
4G: Demonstrate comprehension of
increasing specificity and detail to fulfill
increasingly complex English by participating content area writing needs as more English is
in shared reading, retelling or summarizing
acquired.
material, responding to questions, and taking
notes commensurate with content area and
grade-level needs.
Using Venn diagrams in Content Area Classrooms: What does it look like?
Different
Same
Different
1. Have the students draw a pair of overlapping circles. These circles must be large enough
to allow students to write in them.
2. Have the students select an idea, concept, word, or set of characters in a story that they
would like to compare and contrast.
3. If the students are studying the characters in a story they have read, have them select two
characters and list in the larger, non-overlapping areas of the circles, those descriptors
that make them different or unique.
- 22 -
4. Next, have the students list in the space where the circles intersect those qualities that the
two characters have in common.
5. Have the students write a paragraph comparing/contrasting the two characters. Ask them
to select a partner and read the paragraph to him/her.
A Venn diagram is used for showing the similarities and differences between two genres (see
Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, Literature: The Reader’s Choice, 2004).
1. Engage the students in a class discussion on essays and short stories. Have the
students answer the following questions: In what ways are essays and short stories
similar? In what ways are they different?
2. Have the students list their ideas in a Venn diagram.
3. Next, have the students use their Venn diagram to explain the differences and
similarities between essays and short stories to a classmate.
4. Have the students write a paragraph on the differences and similarities between the
two genres.
- 23 -
Nonfiction
Essay
Expresses
Author’s
Personal
Views
Fiction
Short
pieces
of
literatur
e point
of view
- 24 -
Plot leading
to
conclusion
Characters
and
dialogue
Short
Story
Nonfiction
Essay
Expresses
Author’s
Personal
Views
Fiction
Short
pieces of
literature
point of
view
Plot leading
to
conclusion
Characters
and
dialogue
Short
Story
Venn diagrams usually compare and contrast two elements, but the strategy can be used
in comparing three items (see Reis, 2005, p. 79).
- 25 -
B
Different
Same
A+B
Same
B+C
Same
A+B
+C
A
Different
Same
A+C
- 26 -
C
Different
Story maps
Targeted Proficiency Levels: Beginning to Advanced
Description: Story maps are visual
Research/Resources:
representations of the characters and events Dickson (1985)
of a story. The entire class constructs the
Idol & Croll (1987)
map – either by adding to it gradually as
they read the story or by creating it all at
once after they have completed reading the
story. In addition, students can draw their
own map before retelling the story or
writing a summary. A sample framework
is given below.
Alignment with English Language Proficiency Standards
Listening
Speaking
2E: Use visual, contextual, and linguistic
3D: Speak using grade-level content area
support to enhance and confirm
vocabulary in context to internalize new
understanding of increasingly complex and English words and build academic language
elaborated spoken language.
proficiency.
2G: Understand the general meaning, main 3E: Share information in cooperative
points, and important details of spoken
learning interactions.
language ranging from situations in which 3H: Narrate, describe, and explain with
topics, language, and contexts are familiar increasing specificity and detail as more
to unfamiliar.
English is acquired.
2I: Demonstrate listening comprehension
of increasingly complex spoken English by
following directions, retelling or
summarizing spoken messages, responding
to questions and requests, collaborating
with peers, and taking notes commensurate
with content and grade-level needs.
Reading
4D: Use pre-reading supports such as
graphic organizers, illustrations, and pretaught topic-related vocabulary and other
pre-reading activities to enhance
comprehension of written text.
4F: Use visual and contextual support and
support from peers and teachers to read
grade-appropriate content area text,
enhance and confirm understanding, and
develop vocabulary, grasp of language
structures, and background knowledge
needed to comprehend increasingly
challenging language.
Writing
5B: Write using newly acquired basic
vocabulary and content-based grade-level
vocabulary.
5F: Write using a variety of gradeappropriate sentence lengths, patterns, and
connecting words to combine phrases,
clauses, and sentences in increasingly
accurate ways as more English is acquired.
5G: Narrate, describe, and explain with
increasing specificity and detail to fulfill
content area writing needs as more English
is acquired.
- 27 -
4G: Demonstrate comprehension of
increasingly complex English by
participating in shared reading, retelling or
summarizing material, responding to
questions, and taking notes commensurate
with content area and grade-level needs.
Using Story maps in Content Area Classrooms: What does it look like?
1. Have students fill out their story map individually.
2. Have the students choose a partner and retell the story to the partner. The student
pairs then switch roles, allowing both partners oral English practice.
3. Have the students write a summary of the story and turn it in to you (teacher) to
check for comprehension and evaluate writing skills.
Main
Characters
Setting
Title
Author
Problems
Solution
Event 1
Event 2
Event 3
Another format for a story map is given below.
Story map
Story setting/s
Main characters
Other characters
Conflicts/problems
Climax
Resolution of conflict
- 28 -
Double-entry Journals
Targeted Proficiency Levels: Beginning to Advanced
Description: A double-entry journal is a
Research/Resources:
two-column journal used for reflective writing
Beck, McKeown & Kucan (2002)
about topics covered in the class. In one column,
students write words, phrases, quotes, ideas,
content concepts, experiments in the laboratory,
notable men and women, movements in history,
etc. The second column is used for the students’
reflective responses to what or who is listed in
Column I.
In some classes, the teacher creates openended tables in notebooks which have a light line
dividing the page vertically, as shown below.
Column I
Column II
Words/quotes/ideas/concepts -Student’s
Experiments/Notable People/ Response
Historical movements
-Why
Important
Alignment with English Language Proficiency Standards
Listening
Speaking
2C: Learn new language structures, expressions, 3D: Speak using grade-level content area
and basic and academic vocabulary heard during vocabulary in context to internalize new English
classroom instruction and interactions.
words and build academic language proficiency.
2D: Monitor understanding of spoken language
3E: Share information in cooperative learning
during classroom instruction and interactions and interactions.
seek clarification as needed.
3G: Express opinions, ideas, and feelings
ranging from communicating single words and
short phrases to participating in extended
discussions on a variety of social and gradeappropriate academic topics.
3H: Narrate, describe, and explain with
increasing specificity and detail as more English
is acquired.
Reading
4D: Use pre-reading supports such as graphic
organizers, illustrations, and pre-taught topicrelated vocabulary and other pre-reading
activities to enhance comprehension of written
text.
- 29 -
Writing
5F: Write using a variety of grade-appropriate
sentence lengths, patterns, and connecting words
to combine phrases, clauses, and sentences in
increasingly accurate ways as more English is
acquired.
5G: Narrate, describe, and explain with
increasing specificity and detail to fulfill content
area writing needs as more English is acquired.
Using Double-entry Journals in Content Area Classrooms: What does it look like?
1. Have each student start a double-entry journal beginning with the first week of class.
Describe the purpose of the journal and provide an example of the format to be followed.
2. Have the students volunteer to share their entries with the class after completing the unit.
Make sure that all students are given the opportunity to participate in this activity throughout
the year. This activity can be used as a review for the unit.
Another graphic organizer similar to the format of the double-entry journal is T-notes (see
Reiss, 2005, p. 59). In this approach, the left column represents a main idea and the right column
shows examples or details. The sample below illustrates the use of the T-notes with the topic of
water quality.
Factors affecting water quality
Main ideas
Details/examples
1. appearance and taste
1. cloudiness
2. odor
3. color
4. minerals and chemicals
Under the left column, other main ideas such as acidity, hardness, disease-causing agents,
and standards of quality are listed. Details/examples are listed on the right-hand column describing
each main idea. The T-notes format serves as an aid to learning and also as an excellent review.
- 30 -
Semantic attribute matrices
Targeted Proficiency Levels: Beginning to Advanced
Description: A matrix is a chart that
Research/Resources:
compares a number of items across a
Goldenberg (2008)
number of distinctions or attributes (see
Anders et al (1984)
Reiss, 205). This chart lists traits or
features that define members, a particular
category or a concept.
Alignment with English Language Proficiency Standards
Listening
Speaking
2C: Learn new language structures,
3E: Share information in cooperative
expressions, and basic and academic
learning interactions.
vocabulary heard during classroom
3F: Ask and give information ranging from
instruction and interactions.
using a very limited bank of high2G: Understand the general meaning, main frequency, high-need, concrete vocabulary,
points, and important details of spoken
including key words and expressions
language ranging from situations in which needed for basic communication in
topics, language, and contexts are familiar academic and social contexts, to using
to unfamiliar.
abstract and content-based vocabulary
2I: Demonstrate listening comprehension
during extended speaking assignments.
of increasingly complex spoken English by 3H: Narrate, describe, and explain with
following directions, retelling or
increasing specificity and detail as more
summarizing spoken messages, responding English is acquired.
to questions and requests, collaborating
with peers, and taking notes commensurate
with content and grade-level needs.
Reading
4D: Use pre-reading supports such as
graphic organizers, illustrations, and pretaught topic-related vocabulary and other
pre-reading activities to enhance
comprehension of written text.
4E: Read linguistically accommodated
content area material with a decreasing
need for linguistic accommodations as
more English is learned.
4F: Use visual and contextual support and
support from peers and teachers to read
grade-appropriate content area text,
enhance and confirm understanding, and
develop vocabulary, grasp of language
structures, and background knowledge
Writing
5B: Write using newly acquired basic
vocabulary and content-based grade-level
vocabulary.
5F: Write using a variety of gradeappropriate sentence lengths, patterns, and
connecting words to combine phrases,
clauses, and sentences in increasingly
accurate ways as more English is acquired.
5G: Narrate, describe, and explain with
increasing specificity and detail to fulfill
content area writing needs as more English
is acquired.
- 31 -
needed to comprehend increasingly
challenging language.
Using Semantic attributes matrices in Content Area Classrooms: What does it look like?
Matrix grids present information in different ways. Some of the grids require only a
plus or minus sign to denote the presence or absence of quality or item listed on the grid.
In some matrices the students can provide a descriptive word, a short phrase, or a
drawing.
Formation
Rock Types
Remains of
living
organisms
1. Igneous
2. Sedimentary
3. Metamorphic
Exposure
to heat
From
cooling
molten
rock
√
√
Deposition
of pieces
of other
rocks
Pressure
for
extended
time
√
√
√
In a social studies class studying Africa South of the Sahara, for instance, students
can develop a chart/matrix summarizing the major points of the countries in Africa
included in this geographic area.
Country
Pop/Density
Africa South of the Sahara
Landmass
Major
Export
Major
Import
Government
Activity:
1. After presenting and explaining the above format to the class, have each student
choose a different African country and conduct research on the characteristics
listed in the columns (the teacher and students can add to or change the columns).
2. Have the students discuss the findings on his chosen country with a partner. The
partner then shares information on his/her country.
3. Have the student write a summary comparing his country to another African
country (his partner’s country or another country from the list).
- 32 -
Word banks
Targeted Proficiency Levels: Beginning to Advanced
Description: Teachers use word banks,
Research/Resources:
lists of content-related words or phrases,
Bongolan & Moir (2005)
on assignments that require short answers.
Students select items from the list provided
to answer the assigned questions. Word
banks display words that are relevant to a
particular topic and which will enhance the
participation of all students in the learning
process.
Word banks are used in activities
which check for comprehension of
readings, diagrams in science, or
maps/charts in social studies. In classes
where assignments will consist of
discussion or narrative writing, teachers
post in the classroom connective words or
phrases which will assist in completing the
assignment. Examples for use in
discussion writing include: First, Second,
Also, In addition, On the other hand,
However, Nevertheless, and Therefore.
For narrative writing the students may use
a word bank that lists One day, after,
afterwards, later on, The following
morning, In the end, Finally, and At last.
Alignment with English Language Proficiency Standards
Listening
Speaking
2C: Learn new language structures,
3E: Share information in cooperative
expressions, and basic and academic
learning interactions.
vocabulary heard during classroom
3G: Express opinions, ideas, and feelings
instruction and interactions.
ranging from communicating single words
and short phrases to participating in
extended discussions on a variety of social
and grade-appropriate academic topics.
3H: Narrate, describe, and explain with
increasing specificity and detail as more
English is acquired.
3J: Respond orally to information presented
in a wide variety of print, electronic, audio,
and visual media to build and reinforce
concept and language attainment.
- 33 -
Reading
4D: Use pre-reading supports such as
graphic organizers, illustrations, and pretaught topic-related vocabulary and other
pre-reading activities to enhance
comprehension of written text.
Writing
5B: Write using newly acquired basic
vocabulary and content-based grade-level
vocabulary.
5F: Write using a variety of gradeappropriate sentence lengths, patterns, and
connecting words to combine phrases,
clauses, and sentences in increasingly
accurate ways as more English is acquired.
5G: Narrate, describe, and explain with
increasing specificity and detail to fulfill
content area writing needs as more English
is acquired.
Using Word banks in Content Area Classrooms: What does it look like?
In a history class studying the U.S. in the 1930s, photographs may be used in the unit
on the causes and social consequences of homelessness (see Brenton, Donna M. &
Master, Peter, Editors, 1997).
1. Form groups of four to five students
2. Distribute 6-8 photographs of homeless people to each group and a vocabulary
development worksheet.
Word Bank
Faces of Homeless
__affection
__anger
__courage
__defiance
__depression
__determination
__fear
__greed
__terror
__guilt
__hatred
__hope
__humiliation
__love
__need
__outrage
__pity
__pride
__rejection
Word Bank
Emotions of Students
__admiration
__anger
__awe
__care
__curiosity
__depression
__disgust
__fascination
__fear
__frustration
__guilt
__hope
__outrage
__pain
__pity
__repulsion
__respect
__sympathy
__terror
3. Ask students to look at the pictures and check the words on the list that express
the emotions they see on the faces of the homeless.
4. Have students compare answers with other members of their group and explain
their answers.
5. Have the students look at the pictures again and check the words on the list that
express their own feelings in looking at the faces in the pictures.
6. Have each group select the pictures that move them the most.
- 34 -
7. Have the students write a brief “day-in-the-life” journal entry, assuming the
persona in their favorite picture.
8. Have the students turn in their journal entries. Shuffle the entries and distribute
them to different students, making sure no student winds up with his own entry.
9. Have students read silently their peer’s entry.
10. Ask for volunteers to read a journal entry and have other students identify the
picture of the individual whose experience is being described.
11. Have students brainstorm the main issues and connect to the source materials
studied in the unit.
- 35 -
Writing frames
Targeted Proficiency Levels: Beginning to Advanced
Description: Teachers use writing
Research/Resources:
frames to provide ELLs with an
Gibbons (2005)
explicit framework for the type of
writing the class is doing. This kind
of explicit scaffolding means the
ELL students are able to take part in
the same tasks as the rest of the
students in class.
Content area classes use
writing frames to provide structure
for writing assignments on
experiments, demonstrations, or other
activities. At times the frames
consist of specific questions or
statements that the students have to
answer or complete. The frame
model for a science demonstration
consists of the name of the
experiment and statements that show
what they wanted to do, what
materials they used, what steps they
took to do it, what happened, and
what the results showed (Reiss,
2005).
Alignment with English Language Proficiency Standards
Listening
Speaking
2C: Learn new language structures,
3C: Speak using a variety of grammatical
expressions, and basic and academic structures, sentence lengths sentence types, and
vocabulary heard during classroom
connecting words with increasing accuracy and
instruction and interactions.
ease as more English is acquired.
2G: Understand the general meaning, 3D: Speak using grade-level content area
main points, and important details of vocabulary in context to internalize new English
spoken language ranging from
words and build academic language proficiency.
situations in which topics, language,
3E: Share information in cooperative learning
and contexts are familiar to
interactions.
unfamiliar.
3G: Express opinions, ideas, and feelings ranging
2I: Demonstrate listening
from communicating single words and short
comprehension of increasingly
phrases to participating in extended discussions
complex spoken English by
on a variety of social and grade-appropriate
following directions, retelling or
academic topics.
summarizing spoken messages,
- 36 -
responding to questions and requests,
collaborating with peers, and taking
notes commensurate with content and
grade-level needs.
Reading
4D: Use pre-reading supports such as
graphic organizers, illustrations, and
pre-taught topic-related vocabulary
and other pre-reading activities to
enhance comprehension of written
text.
4E: Read linguistically
accommodated content area material
with a decreasing need for linguistic
accommodations as more English is
learned.
4G: Demonstrate comprehension of
increasingly complex English by
participating in shared reading,
retelling or summarizing material,
responding to questions, and taking
notes commensurate with content
area and grade-level needs.
Writing
5E: Employ increasingly complex grammatical
structures in content area writing commensurate
with grade-level expectations, such as:
(i)
using correct verbs, tenses, and
pronouns/antecedents;
(ii)
using possessive case (apostrophe
s) correctly; and
(iii)
using negatives and contractions
correctly.
5F: Write using a variety of grade-appropriate
sentence lengths, patterns, and connecting words
to combine phrases, clauses, and sentences in
increasingly accurate ways as more English is
acquired.
5G: Narrate, describe, and explain with
increasing specificity and detail to fulfill content
area writing needs as more English is acquired.
Using Writing frames in Content Area Classrooms: What does it look like?
Writing frames provide English learners with correct models. By structuring the
language and pattern of these reports and writing assignments, the teachers allow the
ELLs to concentrate on what they are learning instead of having to focus on creating the
language needed to generate an appropriate response.
Activity
1. Present the format below and have the students complete the writing frames
provided based on topics introduced earlier.
2. Discuss the students’ responses in class making sure to call on all students.
3. Ask students to write a summary of the topic using the framework provided and
turn it in.
Arguments for
Reasons why I believe this…..
1. First____________________________________________________________
___
2. In addition
_________________________________________________________
- 37 -
3. Finally
____________________________________________________________
Counterarguments
1. On the other hand, some people argue that
________________________________
2. In addition
_________________________________________________________
3. They also say
_______________________________________________________
Conclusion
However, my view (opinion) is that
___________________________________________
Because
_________________________________________________________________
(see Gibbons, 2002, p. 71).
- 38 -
Teaching for meaning
Teaching for meaning is an essential component of instruction for English
language learners and requires teachers to be knowledgeable about a variety of strategies
that provide English language learners with meaningful opportunities to acquire language
proficiency as they learn academic content. Teaching for meaning invites teachers and
students to focus on the “big ideas” or “key issues” in the learning segment and engages
learners in authentic contexts for developing academic knowledge related to the specific
content area.
The following strategies have been identified as beneficial in working with
English Language Learners: quick writes, use of real life models, thematic prompts, use
of role-play and identifying and analyzing different perspectives. These and other
strategies are useful in teaching academic concepts in a manner that facilitates authentic
and relevant learning experiences for students.
- 39 -
Quick writes
Targeted Proficiency Levels: Beginning to Advanced
Description: The students write nonstop
Research/Resources:
on a word, topic, or concept for a period of Ogle (1986)
time set by the teacher. The teacher also
provides a list of words or concepts from
which the students may choose.
Alignment with English Language Proficiency Standards
Listening
Speaking
2C: Learn new language structures,
3E: Share information in cooperative
expressions, and basic and academic
learning interactions.
vocabulary heard during classroom
instruction and interactions.
2G: Understand the general meaning, main
points, and important details of spoken
language ranging from situations in which
topics, language, and contexts are familiar
to unfamiliar.
2I: Demonstrate listening comprehension
of increasingly complex spoken English by
following directions, retelling or
summarizing spoken messages, responding
to questions and requests, collaborating
with peers, and taking notes commensurate
with content and grade-level needs.
Reading
4C: Develop basic sight vocabulary, derive
meaning of environmental print, and
comprehend English vocabulary and
language structures used routinely in
written classroom materials.
4G: Demonstrate comprehension of
increasingly complex English by
participating in shared reading, retelling or
summarizing material, responding to
questions, and taking notes commensurate
with content area and grade-level needs.
Writing
5B: Write using newly acquired basic
vocabulary and content-based grade-level
vocabulary.
5F: Write using a variety of gradeappropriate sentence lengths, patterns, and
connecting words to combine phrases,
clauses, and sentences in increasingly
accurate ways as more English is acquired.
5G: Narrate, describe, and explain with
increasing specificity and detail to fulfill
content area writing needs as more English
is acquired.
Using Quick writes in Content Area Classrooms: What does it look like?
Students may state that they are unable to write in English. In such cases, some teachers
allow students to sketch or draw or write in the native language. Quick writes can be
assigned after the teacher has presented a new topic, new word, or an idea. The activity
- 40 -
can be assigned after class discussion has taken place on the gist of the word, topic,
concept, or idea.
Read a short selection and model a word map of a familiar word to show the kinds of
information that go into a definition.
1. Have the students do a quick write on the word ecology. Tell the class to include
in the quick write answers to three questions: What is it? What is it like? What
is an example?
2. Have the students share their quick write with a partner.
3. Ask for volunteers in sharing their quick write with the class.
- 41 -
Thematic prompts
Targeted Proficiency Levels: Beginning to Advanced
Description: Thematic prompts are cues or Research/Resources:
strategies that teachers use to prepare
Christen & Murphy (1991)
students to learn through a thematic unit
Echevarria, (1995)
approach. Thematic prompts may consist
of KWL + charts, visuals such as pictures,
letters, films, songs, graphic organizers,
think alouds, verbal or written questions
and formats for conducting or reporting
research.
Alignment with English Language Proficiency Standards
Listening
Speaking
2F: Listen to and derive meaning from a
3D: Speak using grade-level content area
variety of media such as audio tape, video, vocabulary in context to internalize new
DVD, and CD ROM to build and reinforce English words and build academic language
concept and language attainment.
proficiency.
2G: Understand the general meaning, main 3E: Share information in cooperative
points, and important details of spoken
learning interactions.
language ranging from situations in which 3G: Express opinions, ideas, and feelings
topics, language, and contexts are familiar ranging from communicating single words
to unfamiliar.
and short phrases to participating in
2H: Understand implicit ideas and
extended discussions on a variety of social
information in increasingly complex
and grade-appropriate academic topics.
spoken language commensurate with
3J: Respond orally to information presented
grade-level learning expectations.
in a wide variety of print, electronic, audio,
2I: Demonstrate listening comprehension
and visual media to build and reinforce
of increasingly complex spoken English by concept and language attainment.
following directions, retelling or
summarizing spoken messages, responding
to questions and requests, collaborating
with peers, and taking notes commensurate
with content and grade-level needs.
Reading
Writing
4E: Read linguistically accommodated
content area material with a decreasing
need for linguistic accommodations as
more English is learned.
4G: Demonstrate comprehension of
increasingly complex English by
participating in shared reading, retelling or
summarizing material, responding to
questions, and taking notes commensurate
with content area and grade-level needs.
- 42 -
Using Thematic prompts in Content Area Classrooms: What does it look like?
The social studies class has been working on a thematic unit on cultural diversity in the
United States. Today’s lesson is on the subtopic African Americans.
1. The teacher starts the lesson by showing a picture of Langston Hughes and asking
the class if they know who he is. After students answer the teacher shows a short
film on the author.
2. The teacher writes the title of the poem on the board and asks: What do you think
the poem might be about? What are some common ways that mothers relate to
sons and sons to mother? (Short discussion)
3. The teacher distributes a copy of the poem to the class and reads it aloud as the
students follow along. She then selects a student to read it.
Mother to Son
Well, son, I’ll tell you:
Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.
It’s had tacks in it,
And splinters.
And boards torn up
And places with no carpet on the floor—
Bare.
But all the time I’se been a climbin’ on,
And reachin’ landin’s,
And turnin’corners,
And sometimes goin’ in the dark
Where there ain’t been no light.
So boy, don’t you turn back.
Don’t you set down on the steps
’Cause you finds it’s kinder hard.
Don’t you fall now—
For I’se still goin’ honey,
I’se still climbin’,
And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.
4. The class is divided into groups of four to five students. The students are asked to
read the poem silently and then discuss these points in their group: what the
poem is about, what the mother is trying to get across, why is the mother saying
this, what do we know about her son, what might the son have been saying or
acting like, and how might the son react.
5. After the groups have completed their discussion, call a volunteer from each
group to present their group discussion on one of the points. Continue the group
presentations on the rest of the points.
6. The teacher concludes by saying “Class, for tomorrow make note of the language
- 43 -
and syntax used in the poem, the metaphors used, what we can tell about the
woman from the way she talks, why did the author choose to use this type of
language, would the poem have been different if the language had sounded
educated. Tomorrow we have a visitor Ms./Mr. __________ (English teacher)
will be helping us look more closely at the language used in the poem.”
- 44 -
Role-play
Targeted Proficiency Levels: Intermediate to Advanced
Description: Role-play is a strategy used
Research/Resources:
to enhance students’ communicative
Muth & Alvermann (1999)
language skills. Role-play offers a range
Bongolan & Moir (2005)
of opportunities. Some role-plays are
simple, based on prepared scripts or
exchanges provided by the teacher. For
advanced students, role-plays provide
opportunities to assume another’s persona,
perspective, or set of beliefs.
Alignment with English Language Proficiency Standards
Listening
Speaking
2C: Learn new language structures,
3C: Speak using a variety of grammatical
expressions, and basic and academic
structures, sentence lengths sentence types,
vocabulary heard during classroom
and connecting words with increasing
instruction and interactions.
accuracy and ease as more English is
2D: Monitor understanding of spoken
acquired.
language during classroom instruction and 3D: Speak using grade-level content area
interactions and seek clarification as
vocabulary in context to internalize new
needed.
English words and build academic language
2I: Demonstrate listening comprehension
proficiency.
of increasingly complex spoken English by 3G: Express opinions, ideas, and feelings
following directions, retelling or
ranging from communicating single words
summarizing spoken messages, responding and short phrases to participating in
to questions and requests, collaborating
extended discussions on a variety of social
with peers, and taking notes commensurate and grade-appropriate academic topics.
with content and grade-level needs.
Reading
4D: Use pre-reading supports such as
graphic organizers, illustrations, and pretaught topic-related vocabulary and other
pre-reading activities to enhance
comprehension of written text.
4G: Demonstrate comprehension of
increasingly complex English by
participating in shared reading, retelling or
summarizing material, responding to
questions, and taking notes commensurate
with content area and grade-level needs.
Writing
5D: Edit writing for standard grammar and
usage, including subject-verb agreement,
pronoun agreement, and appropriate verb
tenses commensurate with grade-level
expectations as more English is acquired.
5F: Write using a variety of gradeappropriate sentence lengths, patterns, and
connecting words to combine phrases,
clauses, and sentences in increasingly
accurate ways as more English is acquired.
5G: Narrate, describe, and explain with
increasing specificity and detail to fulfill
content area writing needs as more English
is acquired.
- 45 -
5E: Employ increasingly complex
grammatical structures in content area
writing commensurate with grade-level
expectations, such as:
(iv)
using correct verbs, tenses,
and pronouns/antecedents;
(v)
using possessive case
(apostrophe s) correctly; and
(vi)
using negatives and
contractions correctly.
Using role-play in Content Area Classrooms: What does it look like?
Pre-task activities used in role-plays include brainstorming activities, question and
answer techniques, vocabulary classification tasks, and creating the type of dialogue that
is needed in the role-play.
In a social studies class that has completed a unit on cultural diversity in the United
States, the teacher assigns students the task of developing a role-play dialogue between
themselves and the Native American, African American, Latino American, Asian
American, or any other member of an ethnic group. The teacher will be guiding the
students at each point of the task.
1. Divide the class in five groups and have them choose the ethnic group they will
dialogue with.
2. Have each group brainstorm a list and web on what they would want to talk about
with the person of selected ethnic group.
3. Have them brainstorm a possible script for the dialogue.
4. Have each group practice their role-play dialogue, exchanging roles among their
group.
5. Have each group select the best role-play presentation and explain their selection
in their double-entry journal.
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Cognitive/metacognitive strategies
Cognitive and metacognitive strategies provide tools for learning that help
students develop an awareness of tasks necessary in approaching academic content and
how these tasks can be monitored to gauge effective learning. As such they are important
to consider in educating English language learners who are still in the process of
developing proficiency in the English language. The strategies assist students by
providing them the “know how” to approach academic tasks in a meaningful manner so
goals of learning can be met.
The following strategies have been identified as beneficial in working with
English language learners: Note-taking, summarizing, visualization, preview/review,
think alouds, reciprocal teaching and pre-reading guides.
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Note-taking
Targeted Proficiency Levels: Intermediate to Advanced
Description: Teachers may be required to
Research/Resources:
use textbooks and other reading materials
Genesee & Riches, (2006)
that are too difficult for ELLs to read and
understand on their own. The challenge is
to make these materials accessible to
students without watering down the
content. Teachers can teach and model
taking notes throughout the lessons as prereading strategy, during reading strategy or
post-reading strategy. During pre-reading,
students can discuss the topic and take
simple notes to demonstrate prior
knowledge. During reading, students can
use notes to organize the new information.
As a post-reading strategy, student
understanding of the new concept can be
assessed. Students can take notes
individually as well as in pairs or small
groups.
Alignment with English Language Proficiency Standards
Listening
Speaking
2I: Demonstrate listening comprehension
3G: Express ideas, opinions and feelings
of increasingly complex spoken English by ranging from communicating single words
following directions and taking notes.
and short phrases to participating in
extended discussions on a variety of
academic topics.
Reading
4F: Use visual and contextual support and
support from peers and teachers to read
grade-appropriate text.
4G: Demonstrate comprehension of
increasingly complex English by taking
notes.
Writing
5F: Write using a variety of gradeappropriate words and sentences in
increasingly accurate ways as more English
is acquired.
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Note-taking in Content Area Classrooms: What does it look like?
1. T-chart and Double T-chart: Students can fold their paper vertically to create a TChart. Two columns can be used for classification of information about a topic in
two categories. Brainstorm what students know about a topic. List their ideas.
Have them classify information in the two columns. Have them explain their
rationale for classifying information about the topic in that particular category.
Double T-charts can be created by folding the paper in a three-fold (“Accordian
Style”). Information can be recorded in three categories in a similar manner.
2. Two-column notes: Used as a strategy during reading teachers may provide
important vocabulary words or important phrases in the first column and students
may fill the second column with definitions, explanations, or other pertinent
information. Use the two columns for main ideas and details as a post-reading
strategy.
3. Concept webs: Create a simple web with the target concept word in the middle.
Students can extend the concept by writing words that correspond with the target
word. For example:
monopoly
monologue
monocle
mono
monotheism
monolingual
Concept web can be used for character traits, as a literary terms map, as a story map, etc.
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Pre-reading guides
Targeted Proficiency Levels: Intermediate to Advanced
Description: Learning content is more
Research/Resources:
than reading the assigned text and
McLaughlin & Allen (2002)
answering a set of questions. Prior to
the reading of the assigned text, students
need to be prepared to read the text and
need teacher guidance in reading for
specially targeted concepts. Each
student enters the classroom with prior
knowledge. The challenge for the
teacher lies in guiding to use that prior
knowledge. Students need to be made
aware that using prior knowledge and
having a purpose behind the reading of
text helps understand the text.
Integrating the new material and
anchoring it to prior knowledge will be
facilitated when the teacher acts as a role
model. The teacher needs to use and
encourage the use of pre-reading guides
for this process. These guides can come
various forms and can act as informal
diagnostic tools.
Alignment with English Language Proficiency Standards
Listening
Speaking
2D: Monitor understanding of spoken
3J: Respond orally to information presented in
language during classroom instruction,
a variety of print, electronic, audio and visual
interaction and seek clarification as
media to build and reinforce concept and
needed.
language attainment.
Reading
4D: Use pre-reading activities to
enhance comprehension of written text.
4H: Read silently with increasing ease
and comprehension for longer periods.
Writing
5B: Write using newly acquired basic
vocabulary and content-based grade-level
vocabulary.
Using Pre-reading Guides in Content Area Classrooms: What does it look like?
1. Anticipation Guides
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This is a great way to activate students’ thoughts and opinions about a topic. They
not only assist the teacher in gauging the students’ prior knowledge about a specific
topic, but they can aid in rooting out misconceptions about the topic. The teacher can
address the misconceptions through proper instruction. These guides can also act as
springboards for small group or whole class discussions and work well with print as
well as other media.
The following steps can be taken to create an anticipation guide:
 Identify the major concepts and important details.
 Identify students’ experiences and beliefs that can be supported, and those that
can be challenged by the learning material.
 Create statements that will support or challenge those beliefs and experiences.
Add statements that will be consistent with students’ backgrounds. For
secondary ELLs, three to five statements usually work well.
 Ask individual students to respond positively or negatively to these
statements. Have them provide a brief justification for each response (a few
words or phrases) in writing so they can use these as a reference point during
the discussion that will follow.
 Engage students in a pre-reading discussion encouraging justification for both
positive and negative responses.
 Remind students that these statements are a springboard for ideas and not true
or false statements to be memorized!
2. Text Preview
The purpose of this strategy is to divide the text into chunks which can more easily be
understood. Teacher prepared outlines of the assignment work well as a text preview.
When students’ attention is directed to specific information they will be responsible
for learning in the lesson, they can prepare for the information that is coming. The
teacher builds interest by providing a brief introductory paragraph which highlights
the important points or the key people or characters, etc. This introductory paragraph
may consist of statements or questions. It may be a short poem on the main topic to
be read. It may be involve calling attention to the title, pictures or the text structure
(such as the use of boldface words, size of font, color of font, use of tables, graphs,
etc.) in the main text to be read. The teacher should initially model the use of Text
Preview and later guide their students to create their own Text Preview.
3. KWL Chart
This chart works well for all content areas well is a great diagnostic and quick
assessment tool. The first two columns work as a pre-reading guide. The information
in the third column reflects what has been learned. ELLs need to be specifically
reminded that the objective in filling the chart needs to be on providing information,
and not usage nor the mechanics of writing. Beginners and Intermediates also need to
be assured that it is OK not to complete the entire chart.
Students can make their own KWL charts easily by folding a horizontal piece of plain
notebook paper “accordian style” in three columns.
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K
What do I know?



……………
………………
……………
W
What do I want to know?






……………..
………………
……………..
…………………
……………….
…………..
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L
What have I learned?








………………….
………………
………………..
………………….
……………………
……………….
………………….
…………………..
Preview/Review
Targeted Proficiency Levels: Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced
Description: Brief presentations of abstract
concepts given before a lesson assist in
students’ schema-building. With this
strategy students can make connections
between their prior knowledge and the new
information presented. Preview-Review
bridges the gap between what is already
known and the new material to be learned.
Reviewing this new material assists in the
contextualization of the content while
developing the academic language.
Research/Resources:
Goldenberg (2008)
Snow, Griffin & Burns (2005)
Alignment with English Language Proficiency Standards
Listening
Speaking
2I: Demonstrate listening comprehension
3B: Expand and internalize English
of increasingly complex spoken English by vocabulary by retelling simple stories and
responding to questions and retelling
basic information.
spoken messages.
3F: Ask and give information ranging from
2C: Learn new expressions and basic and
using concrete vocabulary to using abstract
academic vocabulary heard during
and content based vocabulary.
classroom instruction and interactions.
Reading
4D: Use pre-reading supports such as pretaught topic-related vocabulary and other
pre-reading activities to enhance
comprehension of written text.
Writing
5B: Write using newly acquired contentbased grade-level vocabulary.
Using Preview/Review in Content Area Classrooms: What does it look like?
The following steps may be taken in Preview-Review strategy. Students need to have
ample opportunities to utilize this strategy in specific content areas.
 Plan and gather materials: While planning a lesson, identify key vocabulary and
concepts. Gather visuals and supporting materials that can assist student
comprehension.
- 53 -

Introduce key vocabulary and concepts: During the preview section of the lesson
introduce key words and concepts using the support materials gathered. Do NOT
actually teach the lesson, but familiarize students with key words and concepts.
 Teach the lesson
 Review vocabulary and concepts: Encourage students to refer to the support
materials to demonstrate comprehension. Provide additional practice by creating
work-stations that will allow students to practice key concepts through the use of
support materials.
For example: To prepare students for an author’s visit, the teacher brings various books
written by this author. She then discusses the books briefly in class, listing key
information. She further teaches students a lesson on asking questions to an unfamiliar
adult. The class brainstorms questions they may ask the author. As a review, the
students refer to various books and share their notes with class. The day of the author’s
visit, students participate in asking questions to the author and taking notes on the
responses.
- 54 -
Reciprocal Teaching
Targeted Proficiency Levels: Beginning to Advanced
Description: This is a strategic approach to
reading that is very effective with ELLs.
Since this is done in small groups, it works
especially well even with beginners and
intermediates. Reciprocal teaching is a
student-student interaction and
collaboration which assists in the
comprehension of text. The following
strategies are used in this technique:
cooperation, summarization, question
generation, clarification, prediction,
making inferences etc. Teacher modeling
in the initial practices is a must.
Research/Resources:
Muth & Alvermann (1999)
Alignment with English Language Proficiency Standards
Listening
Speaking
2C: Learn new language structures,
3E: Share information in cooperative
expressions and vocabulary heard during
learning interactions.
classroom interaction.
3G: Express ideas and opinions from
2D: Monitor understanding of spoken
communicating single words and short
language during classroom interactions
phrases to participating in extended
and seek clarification as needed.
discussions on a variety of social and gradeappropriate academic topics.
Reading
4G: Demonstrate comprehension of
increasingly complex English by
participating in shared reading, retelling
and summarizing material, and responding
to questions commensurate with content
and grade-level needs.
Writing
Reciprocal Teaching in Content Area Classrooms: What does it look like?
- 55 -
Students work in small groups to read and discuss text. After reading a section, students
take turns leading a discussion. The student leader first gives a short summary of the
section read and then poses questions to the other group members. The teacher monitors
the group discussions to assure that a mix of simple questions and higher order critical
inferential questions are included in the discussions. Next the leader identifies any
difficulties encountered in the text. The group cooperatively engages in a discussion and
attempts to resolve those difficulties. Finally, the leader predicts what will happen in the
text next and the group continues to read the next section. Following the same procedure,
another member leads the discussion etc.
Initially this strategy may be adapted through using pictures, teacher-provided
vocabulary, and teacher modeling of language to be used during the discussion.
- 56 -
Summarization
Targeted Proficiency Levels: Intermediate to Advanced
Description: Summarizing is a complex
Research/Resources:
process and initially must be modified to
Herrell & Jordan (2008)
accommodate specific content and topics.
Teacher provided and partially filled
outlines or other organizers work best for
ELLs. The use of organizers allows the
students to focus on extracting the critical
information from written or spoken
language.
Alignment with English Language Proficiency Standards
Listening
Speaking
2G: Understand general meaning, main
3H: Narrate, describe, and explain with
points and important details of spoken
increasing specificity as more English is
language ranging from situations in which acquired.
topics, language and contexts are familiar
to unfamiliar.
Reading
4G: Demonstrate comprehension of
increasingly complex English by
summarizing material commensurate with
content area and grade-level needs.
Writing
5G: Narrate, describe, and explain with
increasing specificity and detail to fulfill
content area writing needs as more English
is acquired.
Summarization in Content Area Classrooms: What does it look like?
1. GIST: This procedure assists students in getting the overall meaning of the text or
spoken language. With the teacher the class reads a small section of text. The
teacher guides students in underlining ten to fifteen of the most important words
or phrases for understanding the text. The students make a list of these important
words or phrases. As a group they use them to write a sentence that summarizes
the section. Repeat the process for the rest of the text. Later, with the addition of
an introductory sentence, these sentences can be edited into a summary of the
entire text.
2. Somebody Wanted But So: Students can work independently or in pairs. After
reading a story or a historical account, students can use the sentence stems to fill
- 57 -
in the summary chart.
Somebody –what he or she wanted
But –what happened that created a problem
So -how was the problem solved
3. Process Frame:
Event 1
Event 2
Event…..
Summary
Here is how__________ is made. First,
_____________________________ . Next _______________________.
Then _________________________. Finally,
________________________________________________________.
4. Outline:
The Circulatory System
I.
Major Organs
A. Heart
1. Size ______________
2. Function ___________
B. __________________________
1. ___________________
2. ___________________
II.
Major Vessels
A. Artery
1. ___________________
2. ___________________
B. __________________________
1. ___________________
2. ___________________
III.
Types of Blood Cells
A. __________________________
1. ____________________
B. ___________________________
1. _____________________
C. ___________________________
1. _____________________
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Think Alouds
Targeted Proficiency Levels: Beginning to Intermediate
Description: This is a great metacognitive
Research/Resources:
strategy which facilitates students’
Baumann, Jones & Seifert-Kessell (1993)
thinking and builds content concepts.
Teachers can scaffold students’ cognitive
and metacognitive thinking by saying
aloud the thought processes involved in
reading, solving problems, and making
decisions. In this technique the teacher
reads a short segment of the text and
verbalizes whatever thoughts come to
mind to show students how to understand
the text. These openly verbalized thoughts
may include paraphrases, questions,
predictions, evaluative statements,
surprises, etc.
Alignment with English Language Proficiency Standards
Listening
Speaking
2H: Understand implicit ideas and
3I: Adapt spoken language appropriately
information in increasingly complex
for formal and informal purposes.
spoken language commensurate with
grade-level learning expectations.
Reading
4D: Use pre-reading supports such as prereading activities to enhance
comprehension of written text.
4E: Read linguistically accommodated
content area material with decreasing need
for linguistic accommodations as more
English is learned.
Writing
Using Think-alouds in Content Area Classrooms: What does it look like?
This is a carefully planned and structured model of thinking. Explain to students exactly
what you are doing while reading, e.g., “ I am going to show you how I think when I
read.” For example:
 “If look at the title, that tells me the main topic of this chapter. I need to
remember that.”
 “When I see a bold-faced word, I remember from the last time that bold-faced
words are important words that talk about important ideas in the chapter.”
 “I wonder why this sentence is written in a different color. There must be a
- 59 -





special reason for the change in color.”
“What is this? Is this talking about something coming out of the earth?”
“I remember watching a movie about liquid coming out of a mountain. It sure
was a scary scene. People started to run everywhere.”
“I didn’t know that it is hot. Now it makes sense. I can see why volcanoes cause
disasters.”
“It must have been scary to be on the island of Krakatoa at that time. It was such
a long time ago.”
“I don’t understand what this word “cataclysm” means. I better read further. Oh,
there is a little picture here. Let me see…”
2. Partner Think Aloud
This strategy can be further modified as students practice it in pairs. Pairing an ELL with
a more experienced peer works well. Later, similar-level peers use the processes of
reading, thinking and sharing the thinking processes with each other as the teacher
closely monitors.
- 60 -
Visualization
Targeted Proficiency Levels: Beginning to Advanced
Description: Processing a great deal of
Research/Resources:
auditory information is difficult for ELLs. Lin & Chen (2007)
Use of visual aides can greatly benefit
them in comprehension of content. Such
visual aides may include the use of real
objects, pictures, models, charts, graphs,
timelines, etc. Students need to be taught
to create sensory images during and after
reading. They need to be taught to use the
images to clarify and enhance
comprehension. They need to be taught to
draw conclusions based on images
provided by others. The use of mental
images greatly improves writing. Students
can be taught to use other authors’
(including peers’) images as a way to
improve their own.
Alignment with English Language Proficiency Standards
Listening
Speaking
2E: Use visual support to enhance and
3J: Respond orally to information presented
confirm understanding of increasingly
in a wide variety of print, electronic, and
complex and elaborated spoken language.
visual media to build and reinforce concept
and language attainment.
Reading
4C: Derive meaning of environmental
print.
4D: Use pre-reading supports, such as,
illustrations to enhance comprehension of
written text.
4F: Use visual support to read gradeappropriate content area text, enhance and
confirm understanding and develop
vocabulary.
Writing
5B: Write using newly acquired basic
vocabulary and content-based grade-level
vocabulary.
Visualization in Content Area Classrooms: What does it look like?
1. Analogies: Analogies are thinking exercises. Students can be exposed to subtle
word associations and learn to draw inferences. They are great for enhancing
writing too. For example:
- 61 -
A dime is to a penny, as a dollar is to a ___________
Nickel, quarter, dime, penny
Verbalization: A dime is made of ten pennies, so a dollar must be made of
something that is ten. What is it? A dime
Next, provide several blank analogies from the content and a word bank. Ask student to
compare the analogies in pairs or independently.
For example:
1. Physical is to mixture, as ______________ is to compound
2. Proton is to positive, as electron is to ________________
3. Atom is to elements, as _____________ is to compound
Etc.
Word bank: solid, energy, molecule, atomic, chemical, etc.
************************
2. Poems: Explain to students that writers learn from images created in their minds
while reading. They also study other authors’ use of images to improve their
own. Read aloud some poems and think aloud about each poem as you share the
images created in your mind. Allow students to practice writing their own poem.
In a small group, students can share their poem. Peers will share their mental
images in the group.
A similar process can be used with text later.
**************************
3. Verbal and Visual Word Association
Draw a square with four boxes in it. Write the target word in the top left hand square and
its “working” definition in the bottom left hand square. In the top right hand corner write
a personal association for the word or use the word in a sentence. In the bottom right
hand corner write a non-example.
Diplomat
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Skilled in international relations
Adolf Hitler
- 62 -
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