The English Language Proficiency
Standards (ELPS)
MODULE 3:
ELPS and Language Proficiency
Presented by the Brownsville Independent School District
Bilingual Department
Reference: Texas Education Agency and Region One
Education Service Center
What does it look like?
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Five E.L.P.S. Domains
Learning Strategies
Writing
Listening
ELPS
Reading
Speaking
3
Language Acquisition
Language
Development
Social and
Cultural Processes
Cognitive
Development
Academic
Development
(Collier, 1995)
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Social vs. Academic Language
Social Language
Simpler language (shorter
sentences, simpler
vocabulary and grammar)
Usually face-to-face, small
number of people, informal
settings
Precise understanding is
seldom required
Usually simpler, familiar topics
(movies, friends, daily life)
Get many clues from expressions, gestures
social context
Many opportunities to clarify (look puzzled,
ask questions, etc.)
Academic Language
Technical vocabulary; written material has
longer sentences and more complex
grammar
Often lecture-style communication
or reading a textbook; little situational
context
Precise understanding and
description/explanation is required;
higher-order thinking
New and more difficult to understand
topics, knowledge is often abstract;
cognitively complex; student often has
less background knowledge to build on
Fewer clues, most clues are language clues
such as further explanation
More difficult to clarify
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What Teachers Need to Know
About Second Language Learning
Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis
The Affective Filter Hypothesis
The Input Hypothesis
The Natural Order Hypothesis
The Monitor Hypothesis
S. D. Krashen
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Needs of English Language Learners


Effective teachers providing:
 Affective support
 Cognitive support
 Linguistic support based on
language acquisition research
Focused instruction
 Modified texts
 Modified and differentiated
instruction
 Opportunities to demonstrate
mastery of knowledge and
skills
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Affective Domain
Confidence
Self-assurance
Instruction
Provided
in Spanish/ESL
to ensure...
Positive home
cultural identity
Positive English
cultural identity
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Cognitive Domain
Instruction provided
in Spanish/ESL to
Ensure mastery in...
Science
Math
Health
Social Studies
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Linguistic Domain
comprehension
speaking
Instruction provided in
Spanish/ESL to
ensure
mastery in...
composition
reading
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What Teachers Need to Know
About Second Language Learning (cont.)
Cognitively Undemanding
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2
Developing survival vocabulary
Engaging in telephone conversations
Following demonstrated
directions
Reading and writing for personal
purposes: notes, lists, sketches, etc.
Context Embedded
(Concrete)
Context Reduced
(Abstract)
Participating in hands-on science
and mathematics activities
Understanding academic presentations
without visuals or demonstrations: lectures
Making maps, models, charts, and
graphs
Solving math word problems without
illustrations
Solving math computational
problems
Taking standardized achievement tests
3
Cognitively Demanding
4
11
What Teachers Need to Know
About Second Language Learning (cont.)
BICS
CALP
12
Activities for Beginning ESL Students
Listen to Oral Directions
Play Simple Games
Language Drills
Small Group Art and
Music Activities
Reading Simple
Directions
Developing Word Banks
13
Activities for Intermediate ESL Students
Lessons with demonstrations
Higher level questioning activities
and illustrations
Making models, charts, and
maps in Social Studies in small
groups
Math word problems
with concrete references
Read heavily illustrated
textbooks
Writing short paragraphs
using wordbanks
Filling simple forms
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Activities for Advanced ESL Students
Discussions using higher
level questioning
Oral presentation activities
Discussions using higher
level questioning
Hands-on Science Activities
Reading for comprehension
activities
Content explanations with
Multi-purpose composition
activities
Writing for publication
illustrations
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Key Features of Each Proficiency Level
Listening Speaking Reading
Writing
Beginning Level: Little or no ability, uses high frequency, routine
words; in writing, typically lists, labels, copies.
Intermediate Level: Limited ability, understands and uses short,
simple sentences. Uses present tense.
Advanced Level: Typically have grasp of basic verbs, tenses,
grammar features and sentence patterns/ partial grasp of more
complex verbs, tenses, grammar features and sentence patterns,
needs support
Advanced High Level: Ability, with minimal support very close to
native English speaking peers
Source: TEA Assessment Division
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Academic Listening Sample
Good morning, class. Today we are going to study
something brand new. It’s difficult, so I’m going to need
everyone’s undivided attention. Open your books to
page one hundred seventy-two. At the top of the page is
the word “net.” Today’s lesson is about net. As it says in
the definition in your book, in math, net is a twodimensional model. The net of a cylinder is shown in
your textbook. Does everyone see the rectangle and two
circles? That’s the net of the cylinder.
What Might a Beginning Listener Understand?
TEA Assessment Division
17
Academic Listening Sample
Good morning … Today … Open your books
to page one … top … page … Today’s …
book … math … two … book … rectangle …
two circles …
Beginning level
TEA Assessment Division
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Academic Listening Sample
Good morning, class. Today we are going to study … It’s
difficult … going to need everyone’s … Open your books
to page one hundred … top of the page … Today’s lesson
… your book, in math … two … cylinder … book …
rectangle and two circles … cylinder.
Intermediate level
TEA Assessment Division
19
Academic Listening Sample
Good morning, class. Today we are going to
study something … new. It’s difficult, so I’m
going to need everyone’s … Open your books
to page one hundred seventy-two. At the top
of the page is the word … Today’s lesson is …
definition in your book, in math, net is a two
… a cylinder is … in your textbook. Does
everyone see the rectangle and two circles?
… cylinder.
TEA Assessment Division
Advanced level
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Academic Listening Sample
Good morning, class. Today we are going to study
something brand new. It’s difficult, so I’m going to
need everyone’s undivided attention. Open your books
to page one hundred seventy-two. At the top of the
page is the word “net.” Today’s lesson is about net.
As it says in the definition in your book, in math, net
is a two-dimensional model. The net of a cylinder is
shown in your textbook. Does everyone see the
rectangle and two circles? That’s the net of the
cylinder.
Advanced High level
TEA Assessment Division
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Questions?
http://www.bisd.us/Bilingual_Education/
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Bilingual Director:
Alma Cardenas Rubio 548-8271
Lead Teachers
Maricela Camarillo
698-3195
Norma Lopez
698-1326
Pat Segura
698-0083
Dr. Paty Quesada
698-0081
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