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Competency 001
THE ESL TEACHER UNDERSTANDS FUNDAMENTAL LANGUAGE
CONCEPTS AND KNOWS THE STRUCTURE AND CONVENTIONS
OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
Nature and Basics of Language
Learning a second language comprises learning of words, pieces of words, sounds, how words are
brought together into a sentence, how sentences create a paragraph, the meaning of words, both
literal and figurative, and intonation patterns. The speaker also needs to know the rules for using
social language such as body language and when or how to take turns in speaking. The study of
these rules is called pragmatics.
Sound systems can be tricky for various reasons including the presence or absence of certain
sounds from one language to another. Phonology looks at sounds or patterns of sounds that are
particular to a language. It is important for an ESL teacher to notice what problems the students
encounter with their new sound system because there may be sounds that they have never had to
pronounce or heard. Showing students the placement of the tongue for a sound is an example of
how to teach articulation. In some languages, such as Russian, the tongue frequently and naturally
hits the palate and creates certain sounds that are the result of that contact. In other languages
palatal sounds may be less frequent.
English and many other languages have prefixes and suffixes that are added to a root of a word.
This is a similarity in the morphology of these languages. A teacher can show students how this
works and how word families are formed. Larger vocabularies, or a larger lexicon, are the result.
Syntax is the word order used in sentences. There are usually some words that appear in a certain
order such as subject or noun followed by the verb or action. There are also words that do not have
a permanent placement, such as if a person could “quickly respond” or could “respond quickly”.
In addition to word order, there are the meanings of words or phrases to be learned, and some
words have multiple meanings depending on the context in which they are used. Other words have
similar meanings and can be used interchangeably. For a language learner it is also important to
learn the slang that is used in everyday speech and to learn the meanings and alternate ways of
expressing those same thoughts. Semantics, therefore, is a huge area of focus for the development
of a large and effective vocabulary in the second language.
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Languages have unique discourse styles because ways of thinking are not the same from one
language and culture to another. Some discourse styles are more inferential in which “getting to the
point” is not the speaker’s responsibility, but they simply lay out the facts and the listener comes to
the conclusion. So if the speaker says that the roof is leaking, the floor is wet, and another storm
will cause great damage inside, then the listener is responsible for understanding that a new roof is
needed. Other discourse styles are very direct, others are circular, others are deductive or
inductive. These are examples of how language thought and discourse can vary from language to
language.
Interrelatedness of Language
Reaching an advanced language proficiency in any language requires time and effort. The learner
needs to develop proficiency in all the language skills even if in the end she is not as proficient as a
writer as she is a reader. The ESL teacher needs to create opportunities in the classroom for the
students to listen attentively with the intention of sometimes responding orally and other times to
gather information. The receptive skills, listening and reading, allow the student the chance to
internalize information, and if there is no requirement to respond, they can focus on
comprehension alone. The listening skill is more difficult for students who need time to process
what was said, get the word, catch the phrasing of the words, or remember the intonation of the
voice. There are so many things to be sorted out, sometimes even word boundaries merge and the
listener may think they hear one thing when they have really heard two distinct words. Reading
does allow for re-reading which helps the learner to revisit the language used. Reading is also
considered a receptive skill, but just as with listening, it is a skill in which the student is actively
involved even without external indicators.
The productive skills of writing and speaking require the learner to put together pieces of words
with their own thoughts. This takes time and effort and recall. It is not uncommon for a learner to
have a large receptive vocabulary in which they can follow along well with more complicated text
but when it comes to writing on that same subject, they may struggle to find the needed word.
Returning to a text, resorting to the use of a dictionary, or asking a classmate are ways of identifying
the particular lexical item to use.
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Listening and speaking go hand in hand so that the oral language can be developed. The teacher
needs to create opportunities for these verbal exchanges. Clarity of pronunciation and correct
word choice along with accurate grammatical structure will help the speaker be understood.
Feedback from the listener will give the speaker an opportunity to make better adjustments. This
oral work in turn helps the written language develop, especially when the teacher points out the
similarities and differences between oral social language and written academic language. The other
variables are the actual presence of an audience while speaking, and the fact that audiences give
feedback to indicate comprehension, agreement, or even confusion. When a student is writing, it is
important to identify the audience. Is it a letter to a principal, or is it to a grandmother? Likewise,
in preparing for an oral assignment, the learner needs to know if it is a news broadcast for the radio
or if it is an update for classmates?
Basic Functions of Language
Language can be used for many purposes. An advertisement has the function to persuade us to
purchase a product. A comedy has the intent of entertaining us. We use language to communicate
for various reasons including to reprimand, tell, inform, or persuade. In addition to function, there
are also settings that influence our choice of language. If the person is speaking in an informal
situation, less formal interaction is expected of them and thus, sentence fragments with more
common or even slang words can be appropriate. However, in preparing a write up or report the
student will need to select other words and use complete sentences.
Teachers keep all these factors in mind as they select materials that will help the students grow in
the capacity to understand their second language under new circumstances. They may choose a
book with more dialogue that will likely integrate colloquial language used by the characters of the
story. Another book will be expository text that will have sequence words and other transition
words that lead to a generalization or to a conclusion.
Utilizing the students' basic interpersonal communicative skills (BICS) to help connect to the more
challenging cognitive academic language proficiency skills (CALPS) is an important step that
teachers facilitate in the classroom.
An excellent way to process dense text is to have the students write down “what the book states”
and next to it “what this means in my own words.” This exercise helps to connect academic
vocabulary with everyday speech by challenging the student to use his own vocabulary to articulate
ideas, some which will be new ones. This double entry log can serve as a point of departure for
small group discussion in which they read, justify their entries, and determine if they were accurate
with their interpretations. Negotiating meaning is a forceful learning activity that helps grow
proficiency.
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During a science lesson for writing up an experiment, it would be natural to have a language
objective for the use of sequencing words. Pairing the scientific method with the writing of the
steps in an assignment gives the teacher evidence of the content learned and of the related language
that leads the reader through the steps that were followed from hypotheses to conclusion.
Structure of the English Language
An ESL teacher needs to be aware of the components of the English language. In studying the sound
system of English, it is easy to determine that there are many ways to say one letter (vowels), and
that there are sounds that can be written in many ways such as the final “f” sound in “deaf” which is
not written like “enough.” This complexity of sound-symbol correspondences leads to concerns in
spelling. Although the beginning English Learner (EL) does not need to be focused on the
mechanics of language such as spelling, he does need to begin to hear and produce some of the
sounds that may be new to him.
Grammar in the English language is relatively easy as compared to the grammar of other languages.
The verb system is simpler without requiring a conjugation ending for each subject. For instance,
“walk” is the form for I, we, you, and they. Only he/she “walks”. Because nouns do not carry gender
markers, the adjectives that go with the nouns do not have gender markers either. However, in
English there are modals like should, may, and could. These can be challenging for a student of
English whose language does not have modals as independent words. Another aspect of English is
the use of the word “did” as a marker for past tense in questions. This can be problematic for
learners because the word “did” on its own has a meaning as in “I did it”, but it has a different
function in a sentence such as “Did you go?”
Besides knowing about the structure of the English language (syntax), the other important
component is vocabulary. In order to develop a working lexicon of words that are frequently used,
social language is helpful. However, to develop a more complete vocabulary the student must work
in academic texts. Semantics is the study of meaning and involves not only the dictionary
definition of a word but also the connotations that come with that word choice. A study of
pragmatics gives a teacher insight into another dimension of communication based on body
language and other social rules that one needs to learn to use. For example, turn-taking without
talking over another person is a rule to be used when speaking in English in the United States. The
wait time between people is considered polite. In other cultures and languages, overlapping speech
is the norm more so that turn-taking.
Knowing about morphology helps the teacher show students how to make and break words and
form new combinations. This is a way to enlarge vocabulary by using known pieces in new
combinations and predicting the meaning of words that the student encounters in reading.
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When working on writing, the teacher will need to provide instruction on conventions such as the
use of capitalization, quotation marks, exclamation points, etc. Each language has conventions to be
learned, and they vary from language to language. There is no logic that should be applied. For
instance, in writing the title of a composition in English, it is necessary to capitalize many words
like the first and last word of the title. Additionally, the words in between are
also capitalized unless they are prepositions (of, from, to, for, etc.), short connecting words, or the
articles a, an, the. When writing the title of a composition in Spanish, only the first word is
capitalized.
Finally, knowing that American English discourse is very linear is important. Not all languages lay
out an idea in the same way; some are circular or more tangential. In American English, a thought
tends to be developed by following a pattern similar to that of an outline. For instance, you present
a thought and follow it by points A, B, and C with sub-points under each one. It is crucial that a
teacher explicitly give instruction on this aspect of language otherwise students will use the
patterns that are common to them in their own language, and the writing in English will not flow
appropriately.
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PRACTICE QUESTIONS
The following are 240Tutoring Life Science practice questions. These and
many others can be found in our TExES EC-6 Generalist Study Guide. Please
find the answers and explanations after the practice questions.
1. Mrs. Johnson has been working with an English Language Learner to develop his
English language skills. The student has shown frustration in his progress because
he feels many words are easier to say than to spell. She encourages the students to
continue trying to pronounce words and write them correctly. Mrs. Johnson’s
encouragement most accurately reflects the knowledge that:
a) If a student cannot say a word, they will not be able to spell it.
b) Language skills are interrelated and do not develop sequentially.
c) A student must have a positive attitude to learn a new language.
d) The phonetics of some words are reflected in their spelling.
2. Mr. Levitt notices that one of his English Language Learner students is adapting their speech
depending on the social situation. The student best demonstrates an awareness of:
a)
b)
c)
d)
language register
language function
morphology
phonology
3. Mrs. Lewis is planning a social studies unit for her ESL class. After reviewing the unit
chapter, she notices the chapter is long and many words will be difficult for her students to
understand. What is the best strategy for Mrs. Lewis to use in presenting the information to
her students?
a) Present only half of the information and assign the other half to be completed at
home
b) Only assign a few homework problems for the students to complete
c) Provide a glossary of terms and highlight specific sections of importance for the
students
d) Present the lesson without adjustment
4. A sixth grade ESL student routinely approaches the teacher’s desk to ask questions and
maintains a close proximity to the teacher while asking the question. The teacher becomes
uncomfortable with the close proximity. What is the best explanation for the student’s close
proximity to the student?
a) The student’s native culture uses a close proximity in personal conversation
b) The student is not speaking loud enough for the teacher to hear
c) The student is worried her speaking skills will be a source of ridicule for among her
peers
d) The teacher is huddling close to the student
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5. A teacher is perplexed by a recurring syllable appearing within words that the ESL student
has included in her composition. The student explains that in her language there are ways
to express affect by adding in this syllable. This is an example of:
a)
b)
c)
d)
cognates
semantic drift
language interference
syntax
6. Students with home languages that derive from Latin will have an easier time learning the
English counterparts of Science vocabulary than students with Germanic home languages
because:
a) the syntactic elements are similar.
b) the lexical items are similar.
c) the discourse features are similar.
d) the sound systems are similar.
7. A teacher is perplexed by a recurring syllable appearing within words that the ESL student
has included in her composition. The student explains that in her language there are ways
to express affect by adding in this syllable. This is an example of:
a)
b)
c)
d)
lexical drift
semantic drift
language interference
syntax
8. Juan, an English Language Learner, is struggling with his writing because he is not
able to move away from his first language habits. The teacher encourages him to
read more in English. What is the best explanation for the teacher's encouragement
to read more English?
a) The teacher must have meant to say to write more in English.
b) The teacher knows that reading of good writing will give the student a good
model of English sentence structures.
c) She does not want to take the time to make so many corrections.
d) The teacher is aware student's effort is directly correllated to student
achievement.
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Answer and Explanations
1. B- Correct Answer B: (B) This is true. Language skills are interrelated and the
development in one area may prompt development in another. (A) This is not true.
Some students may find it easier to read and write words than to say them. Some
word examples can include: through, knew, enough, etc. (C) A positive attitude
helps, but it is not a prerequisite in learning a language. (D) Although this is true,
Mrs. Johnson enthusiasm better reflects answer option B.
2. A- Correct Answer A: (A) A language register is the adapting of one’s speech to fit
certain social situations. (C) Morphology means the patterns of word formation. (D)
Phonology means the study of the distribution and patterning of speech sounds in a
language and of the tacit rules governing pronunciation.
3. C- Correct Answer C: (C) This is the best option as students will have provided
resources to make student studying more efficient and will help them retain all the
information they need to know. It is best to amplify instruction to best suit the
needs of the students. (A) This is not a good option as students will struggle
teaching themselves the second half of the lesson. (B) Requiring less of students is
not an appropriate adjustment as the students will be harmed because they are
receiving less than the appropriate amount of instruction. (D) This is not an
adequate option as the ESL students will need adjustments to help them process the
long instructional unit.
4. A- Correct Answer A: (A) This is the best explanation. Many cultures encourage a
close proximity for communication. (B) If this were the instance, the teacher would
be the one instigating the close proximity. (C) This would not cause her to get close
to the teacher, but speak in a softer tone. The softer tone would require the teacher
instigate the close proximity. (D) The question prompt is clear the student is the one
instigating the close proximity.
5. C- Correct Answer C: (C) This is the correct answer. Information that a student uses
from his first language that does not exist in the second language is an example of
interference; when the information does exist and is helpful to the student to use it,
then it is called 'transfer.' (A) This is not the correct response because cognates are
words in different languages that look or sound similar and have similar meaning.
For example: baseball and beisbol. (B) Semantic drift describes the evolution of a
word’s usage again within one language. (D) Syntax is merely the study of rules for
the construction of sentences in natural language.
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6. B- Correct Answer B: (B) This is the only answer choice that relates to the meaning
or definition of words. Lexical pertains to the subject of vocabulary given in the
question. (A) Syntax is the study of the rules where words or other elements of
sentence structure are combined to form grammatical sentences. This does not
relate to vocabulary. (C) Discourse refers specifically to communication of thoughts
in speech or writing not with vocabulary. (D) Sound itself does not relate to the
vocabulary.
7. C- Correct Answer C: Information that a student uses from his first language that
does not exist in the second language is an example of interference; when the
information does exist and is helpful to the student to use it, then it is called
'transfer.'
8. A- Correct Answer A: (A) More writing will give him practice with word choice but
he may continue to make the same types of mistakes. Therefore this is not the best
answer choice. (B) Although more writing will give him practice with word choice,
he may continue to make the same types of mistakes. Thus, more reading helps
influence his writing because he sees more of what he needs to do. (C) This should
never be a teacher's motivation to do anything. A teacher should always encourage
the students to do things that will further their learning. (D) It is not always true
that effort is a good indicator of how well a student will achieve.
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