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September 22, 2015
English Language Learner (ELL)
Elementary Program
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ELL Staff
Kristin Kim
Katie McDavid
Mon-Fri (8:30-5:00)
Mon-Wed at WM
Thursday at LR
(8:30-4:00)
Kanako Kashima Mon-Fri (9:00-3:00)
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Kristin Kim
 Occidental
College (BA in Psychology, Teacher Certification)
 Endorsements:
Psychology, Library Media, ELL (in progress)
 Taught
4 years in CA
 Taught
9 years in WA (Edmonds SD, Mercer Island SD)
 Sixth
year as ELL teacher/K-12 ELL coordinator
 Came
to the U.S. at age 10 from Korea (bilingual)
 Former
 Love
IP parent (2 daughters - 17 and 20)
to sing, listen to music, and walk with friends
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Katie McDavid
 UW
(BA in English Language Learning)
 University
of Texas (MA in English Language Learning)
 Taught
10 years in AZ (as ELL teacher)
 Taught
5 years in MISD
 First
year as ELL TOSA
 Family:
 Love
husband, daughter (10 months old)
to read cookbooks and swim with my daughter
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Kanako Kashima
 UW
Seattle (BA in Health Educ./Japanese Language & Lit)
 UW
Seattle (MS in Kinesiology with emphasis on the elderly)
 UW
Bothell (Teaching Certification 2004)
 3rd-generation
 Worked
as geriatric mental health specialist for 8 yrs
 Substitute
 Fourth
 Two
Japanese-American (bilingual)
teaching in Bellevue and Mercer Island SD
year as ELL paraprofessional
sons
 Love
to play “koto”, read, cook, walk, listen to music
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Elementary sELL Profiles
Island Park: 48 students
(19 new / 29 continuing students)
West Mercer: 25 students (17 new students / 8 continuing)
Lakeridge: 9 students (3 new students / 6 continuing)
16 languages spoken
(Mandarin, Korean, Japanese, Cantonese,
Russian, Spanish, French, German, Dutch,
Portuguese, Hebrew, Vietnamese,
Tegulu, Tamil, Malayalam, Icelandic)
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Language Proficiency Levels
(WELPA Placement Test or Annual Test)
Level 1: Beginning/Advanced Beginning
 Level 2: Intermediate
 Level 3: Advanced
 Level 4: Transitional – not qualify for
ELL program

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Placement Test

Given to new students if their first and/or
primary language is not English (foreign
born or U.S. born)

Used to determine their general English
proficiency level and eligibility for ELL
services

Record of testing on the state database
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Placement Test (WELPA)

Last year in use

Grade band (K-1, 2-3, 4-5) tests
Test in 4 domains (listening, speaking,
reading, and writing)

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Annual Test

Taken by all ELL students each year to
measure progress until they reach exit
level

Testing window is Feb. 1 – March 11
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New Annual Test (ELPA21)
ELPA 21 (English Language
Proficiency Assessment) will
replace WELPA in 2016

 Will
be computer-based test
Based on new English Language
Proficiency Standards

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English Language Proficiency
Standards (ELP) – 11 states
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ELPA21 Results
Overall
Level of 5
Overall
Level of
1, 2, 3, or 4
• Exit the ELL Program
• No longer receive
support in new school yr
• Be monitored for 2 years
• Will continue receiving
ELD support in new
school year
• Will take annual test in
the following year
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ELL Program
Mission Statement
(of the state TBIP Program)
English Language Learners will
meet state standards and develop
English language proficiency in
an environment where language
and cultural assets are
recognized as valuable resources
to learning.
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ELL Program
Goals

To develop ELL student’s proficiency
in English so he/she can participate
more fully in the regular classroom
setting

Help new students adjust to the new
school environment (academically,
emotionally, socially)
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Program Model:
Supportive Mainstream
 Students in mainstream classrooms most of
the day

ELL teachers provide supplemental English
language support (push-in or pull-out)
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Use of specific strategies to foster English
language development and making gradelevel content meaningfully accessible
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ELL teachers collaborate with classroom
teachers
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Support Time and Delivery
Amount of service and delivery of support are
determined by:
 Student proficiency level
 Grade level
 Classroom teacher observations/assessments
 ELL teacher observations/assessments
 Self assessment by the students
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Delivery of Support
Ways support is delivered:

Small group (pull-out)

One-on-one (pull-out)

In-class (push-in)

Check in (push-in)
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Factors that Affect
Second Language Acquisition
 Motivation
and attitude
 Age
 Access
to the language (e.g. immersion, EFL)
 Personality
 1st
language development
 Quality
of instruction (meaningful and authentic?)
 Cognitive
ability
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Length of Time in ELL Program

Typically, it takes one year to move up
one level

Since many of our students come with
skills and experiences in their own
languages, the progress is often faster

Most students exit the program
within 3 years
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E
Some Materials
Used
 Leveled Readers/Non-fiction books on many subjects

Picture dictionaries/Bilingual dictionaries
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Educational Games/Manipulatives/Flashcards/
Vocabulary Cards
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High Frequency Word Lists/Phonic-Based Word Lists
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Translated Books
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iPads apps
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Online subscriptions
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Common Core State Standards (CCSS)
45 states
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Standards Based Report
Card
4
Exceeding Standards:
in-depth inferences & applications
3
Meeting Standards at Trimester:
simple or complex skills, grade level tasks
2
Progressing Towards Standards:
simpler details & processes
1
Below Standards:
with help, a partial understanding
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Benefits of ELL Program Participation
1. The ELL staff knows each student
well. We act as the student’s
advocate in communication with
teachers to provide or suggest
appropriate
accommodations/modifications in
class work and tests.
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Benefits of ELL Program Participation
2. ELL students (3rd-5th) can receive
additional accommodations during state
testing (SBAC and MSP Science)

3rd grade –Language Arts/Math

4th grade –Language Arts/Math

5th grade – Language Arts/Math +
Science (MSP)
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SBAC (Smarter Balanced
Assessment Consortium) – 22 states
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Benefits of ELL Program Participation


Those students who have been in the U.S.
schools for less than a year can opt out of
taking Language Arts sections of the state
tests.
All students must take the Math section
(all 5th graders must take the MSP Science)
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Benefits of ELL Program Participation
 Administration
by ELL staff in a small group setting

Frequent breaks

SBAC
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Text-to-Speech for math and ELA items
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Translated test directions (general) in various languages
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Translation of math glossary words)
 MSP
Science – full translated audio CDs in
Chinese/Korean/Spanish/Russian/Vietnamese
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Challenges as ELLs
• Basic interpersonal communication
• Language skills needed to interact
Social Lang socially
• Formal language (in subject areas)
needed for success in school
Academic • Time and support needed to
develop
Lang
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Challenges as Readers

Vocabulary deficit (as bilinguals)

Phonics vs. sight words
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Multiple meanings
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Fluency vs. comprehension
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Challenges as Writers
 Writing process (prewriting, draft,
revising, editing, and final)
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Generating own ideas for writing
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Show, not tell
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Different types of writing: narrative,
expository (informational),
persuasive (opinion), how-to
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Other Challenges
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Math is not a universal language
(different symbols, algorithms)
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Science – scientific (investigative)
method
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Social studies – reading of long
texts, vocabulary, history + culture
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ELL Progress Report
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Supplemental progress report by the ELL staff for
those students we service regularly

Shows progression of skills in following
directions, listening/speaking, reading, writing
(whether emerging or competent)
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Three reporting periods (November, March, June)
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Parent Conferences

We’ll be attending many of your conferences to
gather and/or share info with parents
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If you need an interpreter* for the conference, contact
Katie or me by email
*The Mercer Island School District provides limited English proficient
parents with information in their own language so that they can make
informed decisions about their children's education. This includes
providing interpretation and translation services for vital
meetings and communications. If you need assistance,
please email administrative Assistant Mary Newcomer.
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How Parents Can Help
 Provide
students books to read for pleasure at one’s
comprehension level (Stephen Krashen)
 Explain
difficult concepts in one’s own language (Jim
Cummins: skills, ideas, and concepts students learned
in 1st language will be transferred into 2nd language)
 Help
 Keep
with homework/projects
up with the first language
(bilingualism is an asset)
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ELL Websites

District ELL Webpage
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Elementary ELL Website
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Volunteer Training
Volunteer Training – required of all
volunteers every year

Watch a 15-minute training video
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Fill out Volunteer Agreement Form
and Background Check form
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Submit to school office
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Needs
Volunteers:
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Language support at each school (work
with students or communicate with parents)
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ELL family outreach rep from each school
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Clerical help at IP (copying, making
materials, organizing, etc)
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ELL Family Support
Information to new families on school
protocol and events
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ELL Parent Coffee Gatherings
(ELL updates a few times a year)