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October 1, 2013
English Language Learner (ELL)
Program at Island Park
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ELL Staff
Kristin Kim
Anne Cameron
Mon-Fri (8:30-5:30)
Mon-Thurs
Kanako Kashima Mon/Tues/Wed/Fri
Room 26
236-3426
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Kristin Kim
 Occidental
College (BA in Psychology, Teacher Certification)
 Endorsements:
Psychology, Library Media
 Taught
4 years in CA
 Taught
7 years in WA (Edmonds SD, MISD)
 Fourth
year as IP ELL teacher/K-12 ELL coordinator
 Came
to the U.S. at age 10 (bilingual)
 Former
 Love
IP parent (2 daughters)
to sing, listen to music, and read
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Anne Cameron
 Brigham
 UW
7
Bothell (Masters in Policy Studies)
½ years working with ELL students at IP
 Went
3
Young University (BA in Chemistry)
to school in Germany during 5th & 6th grade
children (2 daughters and 1 son)
 Love
to read, sew, paint, and garden
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Kanako Kashima
 UW
Seattle (BA in Health Educ. and Japanese Language & Lit)
 UW
Seattle (MS in Kinesiology with emphasis on the elderly)
 UW
Bothell (Teaching certification 2004)
 Substitute
teaching in Bellevue and MISD
 3rd-generation
 Worked
Japanese-American (bilingual)
as geriatric mental health specialist for 8 yrs
 Two
sons
 Love
to play “koto”, read, cook, walk, listen to music
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IP ELL Student Profile
52 students (32 primary/20 intermediate)
30 new/22 continuing students
17 languages/dialects spoken
Korean (15)
Mandarin (11)
Japanese (4)
Spanish, French, Hebrew, Russian (3)
German, Danish, Finnish, Cantonese, Taiwanese
Farsi, Marathi, Tamil, Malayalam, Tigrinya (1)
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Language Proficiency
Levels
Level 1: Beginning/Advanced Beginning
 Level 2: Intermediate
 Level 3: Advanced
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Level 4: Transitional – exit level
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Numbers by Grade & Language
Level
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Placement Test

Given to new students if their first
and/or primary language was not
English (foreign born or U.S. born)
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Used to determine their general English
proficiency level and eligibility for ELL
services
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Record of testing on the state database
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WELPA
- WA English Language
Proficiency Assessment
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Third year in use
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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 eligible students each year
to measure progress until they reach
exit level (Level 4)


Testing window (February - March)
2014 test window: Feb. 3 – March 14
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WELPA Annual Test
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Much more academic than placement test

Longer than placement test (one subtest per day)
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Only “speaking” subtest is scored by ELL staff
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Then the tests are sent for scoring
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Results come out in June (score/level for each area and
composite score/level)
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Additional info provided:
 Comprehension (reading + listening)
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Annual Test Results

Those students who score at Level 4 will exit
the ELL Program at the end of the current
school year and will no longer qualify for
ELL services in the new school year.

Those students scoring at Levels 1-3 will
continue receiving ELL services in the
new school year.
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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 school success
Academic • Time and support needed to
develop
Lang
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Challenges as Readers
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Vocabulary deficit
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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
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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),
descriptive, persuasive
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Other Challenges
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Math is not an universal language
(different symbols, algorithms)
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Science – scientific (investigative)
method
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Social studies – language and
culture embedded
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ELL Program
Mission Statement
(of the state TBIP Program)
English Language Learners
(ELL) 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
Goal
To develop ELL student’s
proficiency in English so he/she
can participate more fully in the
regular classroom setting.
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Service Delivery
Amount of service and type of support are
determined by:


student’s proficiency level
classroom teacher
observations/assessments
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ELL teacher observations/assessments
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self assessment by the students
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Service Delivery
Ways support is delivered:
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Small group (pull-out)
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In-class (pull-in)
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One-on-one (pull-out)
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Check in
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Length of Time in ELL Program
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Typically, it takes one year to move up
one level
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Since many of our students come with
skills and experiences in their own
languages, the progress is often faster
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Most students exit the program
within 3 years
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Some Materials Used
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Leveled Readers/Books on many subjects
 Picture
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dictionaries/Bilingual dictionaries
Educational games/Manipulatives/Flashcards/
Vocabulary Cards
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High Frequency Word Lists
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iPads/iPods/Kindles
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Online subscriptions : Raz-Kids (4th/5th)
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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 can receive additional
accommodations during state testing
(MSP for 3rd – 5th grades)
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3rd grade – Reading/Math
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4th grade – Reading/Math/Writing
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5th grade – Reading/Math/Science
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Benefits of ELL Program Participation
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Administration by ELL staff in a small group
setting
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Frequent breaks
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Read aloud of directions and/or questions
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Translated audio CDs in math and science
(in
Korean/Chinese/Spanish/Russian/Vietnamese)
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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 reading and writing sections of the
state tests.
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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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ELL Progress Report
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Supplemental progress report by the ELL staff for
those students we service regularly
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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
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I’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
me by email or phone
*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 Learning Services Coordinator Jan Kentnor.
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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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Needs
Volunteers:
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copying, making materials
converting cassette tapes into MP3
files
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ELL Websites
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District ELL Webpage
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IP ELL Website
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Look Ahead

ELL Parent Coffee Gatherings
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Thanksgiving celebration in Nov
(for 2nd-5th graders)