Vocabulary & Language Development

for English Language Learners

Supporting EAL Students in GSSDTracy Huckell

Student Services CoordinatorJanuary 2011

EAL, ESL, ELL Learners Developing Vocabulary Decreasing the Language Load Academic Language Frequently Used Word & Phrases to Teach High Quality Literature & Reading Strategies Sentence Structure & Writing Strategies Strategies for Home & School Fun Activities that Build Language Useful Websites

Overview of Session

ESL - English as a Second Language EAL - English as an Additional Language ELL - English Language Learners

Who are they? ◦ They are students who come from language

backgrounds other than English and whose proficiency is not yet developed to the point where they can profit fully from English-only instruction without adaptations and interventions.

Various Terms

Receptive:◦ Listening – Words we understand when others talk

to us◦ Reading – Words we know when we see them in

print

Expressive:◦ Speaking – Words we use when we talk to others◦ Writing – Words we use when we write

Types of Vocabulary

Good literature has a wealth of vocabulary....use picture books as tools to teach more than just reading

Don’t limit vocabulary to words they can spell or read....focus on developing a rich vocabulary

Teach vocabulary by talking about words and practice using them in sentences and conversational language (rather than copying them, looking them up in the dictionary, or doing worksheets).

Developing Vocabulary

Vocabulary Knowledge◦ Is strongly linked to academic success◦ Is the BEST predictor of reading comprehension

English is more loyal to meaning, than to sound or spelling, so teach connected words together to support both reading and spelling◦ Sign/signature◦ Condemn/condemnation◦ Wild/wilderness

Developing Vocabulary

Introduce:◦ Write and say the word - reluctant◦ Have students repeat it

Explain:◦ Give a student friendly explanation◦ Show pictures and/or demonstrate◦ Provide sample sentences and examples/non-examples for concept

attainment (when you would be reluctant and when you wouldn’t) – they can give thumbs up or down as to whether you’re using it correctly

Practice:◦ Engage the students in activities or elaboration◦ Help students connect the meaning to self – what are they reluctant to

do?◦ Demonstrate use of word in other forms – reluctance, reluctantly

(demonstrate as a noun and verb if applicable)◦ Monitor student understanding◦ Revisit words over time

Developing Vocabulary

Things to consider when using the dictionary:◦ Students must already have some knowledge of the

word for the definition to make sense◦ The definition may contain words the student is not

familiar with...often contain vague language with insufficient information

◦ Use as a tool to confirm or expand your knowledge◦ Words in the explanation should be simpler than the

word you are looking up Dictionaries with Student Friendly Definitions:

◦ Oxford Elementary Learner’s Dictionary◦ Collin’s Cobuild Student’s Dictionary ◦ Or use an online student friendly version

DictionariesProceed With Caution

All words are ‘pegs to hang ideas on’....share new words and information for them to hang onto their pegs and develop new pegs.◦ Enrich them with new experiences...if they

haven’t had a similar experience, they may have no prior knowledge to connect new words to (help them develop more pegs).

Use real objects or pictures to generate conversation. Ask student, “What is this?” Student responds ‘cat’. Then build this word into a sentence together....”This a cat curled up on a chair.”

Developing Vocabulary

May be familiar with the concept, just need to learn the new word – eg. mirror/reflection

Laptop, freedom, government – may be a new concept and label. Spend less time on labels and more time on concepts.

Develop concept picture boards for multi-meaning words (check, light, trip, show, watch)

http://reading.pppst.com/multiplemeaning.html Model examples to teach concepts:

◦ show examples and non-examples – ie yellow in pictures and actual items that are yellow – variety is key to developing understanding of the concept

◦ present random examples/non examples – students can show thumbs up or down

Concept vs. Label

Empower parents of EAL students to understand the value of conversations at home in their first language. ◦ If students understand concepts, then it’s just the language/label that

needs to be taught. Easier than teaching both concepts and language. Have them reinforce concepts in their native language to deepen the EAL learner’s understanding.

Story of 3 moms – one ignores, one labels and one explains the concept – share as much information as you can – we should do this in school as well◦ “That’s a pear” vs. “A pear is a fruit that needs to ripen before we eat it.

When it turns from green to yellow, we know it’s ripe enough to eat. Fruits are good for us...they have vitamins that our body’s need...etc.”

Reading and talking in their native language is VERY important...this will further develop concepts and connections in the brain, so that we just have to teach and reinforce the labels.

Strategies for Home

Happen when students don’t have a word for our English word in their native language...eg. they may use the same word for ceiling and roof

Emphasize the characteristics of similar labels:◦ Roof is outside, ceiling is inside. ◦ If it has a back it’s a chair, not back is a stool◦ Clock hangs on a wall, but a watch is worn on the wrist

It’s 11 o’watch is an error of transfer ....for 11 o’clock◦ Positive transfer – m says the same sound in both

languages◦ Negative transfer – h is silent in Spanish and has a sound in

English◦ Zero transfer – no ‘sh’ in Spanish so nothing to compare it

to

Errors of Transfer

Decrease language load when focusing on content and skills.

Find a way for them to ‘show what they know’ (reduce language load during evaluation) – eg. ‘thumbs up’ or ‘thumbs down’ to show correct/incorrect for math or factual questions...helps you get a sense of what they’re understanding

Offer other options for showing what they know – instead of writing an essay, use multiple choice or demonstration though a diagram or picture.

Decrease the Language Load

Reduce difficulty of content when focusing on language development

Appropriate wait time – they are doing double the processing as they are translating into their native language

“Don’t give your answer until I raise my hand” for choral answers...allows processing time/wait time

Have students show answers on individual white boards so you can see how everyone is doing quickly

Remind peers when they answer for a peer, they are ‘stealing their thinking time’

Decrease the Language Load

Teach different intonation with some words when noun or verb – ie. object and object

Put a dot over syllable to be stressed Clap out the syllables of a word together

clapping loudest on the stressed syllable. Teach how intonation affects sentence

meaning: Do you want to go to dinner with me tonight?

Pronunciation

Elkonin Boxes with scrambled words◦ coklb – b/l/o/ck◦ Tgiatshr – s/t/r/aigh/t – 4 letters make one sound

Word Sorts ◦ Sort ‘long a’ words into patterns◦ Ai, a_e, ay, rule breakers◦ Sort words such as...pain, rail, maid, make, sale, tame, say,

day, pay, said, eight, plaid Be A Mind Reader/Detective

◦ use word wall words and give clues as to the word of the day (has an ‘a’, ends with ‘e’, has seven letters...the answer is because)

Teach ‘Sound Reductions’◦ Commonly used in everyday conversation...we often use

these without even knowing it.◦ I’d’ve, Didja, I wanna, I’m gonna, I’ve godda, It’s on the tippa

my tongue.”

Sounds and Patterns

Discuss meaning and use of terms that express relationships in terms of:◦ Time – seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks,

months, years etc.◦ Quantity – more, less, most, least, greater, none,

all ◦ Direction – north, south, west, east, left, right,

further, closer, nearest etc.◦ Order – first, last, ordinal numbers◦ Size – bigger, biggest, smaller, larger, largest,

tinier◦ Age – older, younger, oldest, youngest

Academic Language

Demonstrate prepositions to teach◦ above, over, from, to, near, until, toward, beside etc.

Teach adjective and adverb forms such as:◦ hardly, scarcely, rarely, next, last, older, younger,

most, many, less, longer, least, higher etc. Teach words that express logical relationships:

◦ if, because, therefore, however, unless, same, alike, different from, opposite of, whether, since, unless, almost, probably, exactly, not quite, always, never etc.

There are not rules to memorize these types of words...just use them as much as possible as they are the little words that connect big ideas.

Academic Language

Sara came over ___ play ___ Lucia’s house. She was coming over ___ see Lucia’s new kittens. When she arrived, they quickly ran up ___ Lucia’s room. There, ___ her closet, were five white kittens, all ___ a cardboard box. After a few minutes, they heard knocking ___ the door. It was Sara’s grandmother ___ a tray ___ milk and cookies ___ the girls. She said, “I’ll just leave these ___ your desk so you can eat while you visit.” Sara and Lucia played and talked ___ the kittens all afternoon.

Prepositions

Model how to pull out the important information from a sentence:◦ The dog that lives at the fire station makes weekly

demonstrations for school children on the stop, drop and roll method.

Analyze text with students:◦ Step 1 – Read aloud a short passage so they hear proper

pronunciation and begin to build understanding.◦ Step 2 – Read aloud and discuss the meaning of the text.◦ Step 3 – Take apart the language in the passage. Choose one or two sentences to discuss construction of.◦ Step 4 – Read the passage aloud once more to deepen

critical understanding of the passage.

Academic Language

Instead of ‘say’:◦ report, speak, tell, articulate, conclude, utter,

state, declare, convey, describe, claim, verbalize Instead of ‘look’:

◦ gaze, stare, glance, glare, glimpse, peep, peek, watch, view, examine, observe, notice

Thinking Maps:◦ Fish can: swim, breathe, eat, get caught◦ Fish have: fins, gills, scales, a tail

Teach & Model Precise Language

the of and a to in is you that it he was for on are as with his they I

at be this have from or one had by word but not what all were we when your can said

there use an each which she do how their if will up other about out many then them these so

some her would make like him into time has look two more write go see number no way could people

my than first water been call who oil its now find long down day did get come made may part

100 Most Frequently Used Words

Have to go It was newThey did not Work on itThen you give Can come hereWas to come They will goHe has been Are so longWhat we know Before this oneThat old man But not meIn and out Be here againNot up here Have been goodAre so long

Most Frequent PhrasesFrom 100 Most Commonly Occurring Phrases

act up, act like, add up, add up to, ask out, get across, get along, get along with, get around to, get by, get off, get out of, get over, give up, go out with, go with, goof off, grow up, make fun of, make up with, mark down, mix up, back down, blow up, break down, break in, break up, bring back, take back, bring up, call on, calm down, care for, not care for, catch on, catch up with, check into, check off, check out, cheer up, chew out, clam up, come across, come down with, count on, crack down on, cross out, cut back on, iron out, pan out, pass away, pass out, pick out, pick up, pick on, pitch in, pull off, pull over, put away, put off, put on, put out, put up, put up with, put back, do in, do over, drag on, draw up

Phrasal Verbs to Teach

knock out, know oneself out, set up, set back, slip up, stand out, stand up, show up, stand for, face up to, fall through, feel up to, figure out, run into, run out of, eat out, egg on, fill in, fill in for, find out, lay off, leave out, let down, let up, look back on, look down on, look forward to, look into, look like, look over, look up to, luck out, take after, take/bring back, through out, throw up, try on, try out, try out for, turn around, turn in, turn down, turn off, hang up, have to do with, hold up, nod off, call off, keep on, kick out, drop out, draw out, jump all over, rip off, round off, run into, build up, burn down, burn up, butt in, butter up, hand in, hand out, drop off, drop in, drop by, brush up on, take off, take up, tell someone off, tick off, throw away, take care of

Phrasal Verbs to Teach

One Smart Cookie

Bite-Size Lessons for the School Years & Beyond

By Amy Krouse RosenthalIllustration by Jane Dyer & Brooke Dyer

High Quality Literature

Don’t just teach reading, teach the ‘language’ Language and reading must develop together, not

one before the other Demonstrate what good readers do and the strategies

they use (sound out, predictions, use of titles for information etc.)

Demonstrate intonation in sentences...then have students repeat the sentences following your intonation and pauses.

Model for them how to get the ‘jist’ of a story. Model it, do it together, and then have the student(s) summarize the ‘jist’ in 10 word or less....Who or what is the story/paragraph mainly about?

Reading

Build a sight word vocabulary....the more sight words we know, the better we read.

Pull sight words to learn from subject topics, novels and picture books

Put sight words on flash cards with the word used in a sentence on the back. Students can use these card with a peer or EA/teacher during transition time to practice sight words and understand their use in context.

Flashcards can also contain phonetic pronunciation – ‘said’ as ‘sed’ – or put these words on either:◦ post it notes inside a folder and remove once mastered ◦ a ‘rule breaker’ jail bulletin board

Reading

Independent Reading◦ be sure it’s at the students’ independent level...no more

than one error in every 20 words Students can figure out the meaning of about 60% of

new words they encounter by analyzing word parts. Therefore, it’s important to teach word parts:

◦ Divide the unknown word into meaningful parts telegraph – ‘tele’ means far, ‘graph’ means writing

◦ Think about what each part means – or think of other words that contain that part. From those words, formulate a meaning for the unknown part (telephone)

◦ Combine the meanings of the word◦ Try the possible meaning in a sentence◦ Always ask yourself, “Does it make sense?”

Reading

Strategies For Using Context Clues to Confirm or Negate your Knowledge/Prediction:◦ Cover the unknown word with your finger. Reread the

sentence without the word. Think about what would make sense. Ask yourself, “Does this make sense?”

◦ Read the sentence before and after looking for clues and remind yourself what the text is about. Think about a meaning that would make sense. Ask yourself, “Does this make sense?”

◦ Divide the unknown word into meaningful parts. Think about what each part means OR think about other words that contain that part. Now make a guess as to the meaning of the word and try the possible meaning in the sentence. Ask yourself, “Does this make sense?”

◦ Reread the sentences. Look for key words. Ask yourself, “Does this make sense?”

◦ Look the work up in a dictionary if needed.

Learning from Context

Right There ◦ Can be answered by looking in the text◦ Answers are located in one place in the story◦ Can be answered in one sentence

Putting it Together◦ Can be answered by looking in the text◦ Answers are in more than one place in the text and then

put together◦ Answers require one or more sentences

Making Connections◦ Cannot be answered by looking in the text◦ Think about the information in the text◦ Think about what you already know◦ Put these together to answer the questions

Types of Questions

Teach students how to recognize the type of questions being asked by modelling for them.

Having students produce the three types of questions demonstrates the highest level of mastery.

Help them organize information from stories on timelines, diagrams, concept webs etc.

Types of Questions

When writing is difficult, begin with cloze procedures where EAL students can fill in parts of the story rather than writing the whole story. ◦ Can provide words to use or have them decide

what words to add...depending on support needed For more advanced learners, copy text book

pages and white out important vocabulary. ◦ Student has to use context clues to decide what

word will best fit the blank space...can provide a word bank

Writing

Examples:◦ She liky how she play ball.◦ Me talkee Spanish because English more hard.

Refine the grammar and pronunciation:◦ She likes how he plays ball.◦ I talk Spanish because English is harder.

Expand the meaning/vocabulary:◦ She admires how well he plays basketball.◦ I often speak Spanish because I find it difficult to

speak English.

Writing

A peer or EA can scribe the dictated story, then reread and edit it together.

Use scaffolded story frames: ◦ Banff is wonderful! Yesterday we ___________.

Today we ________________. Tomorrow we will ____________. We’ll be home on ____________.

Use story starters to encourage writing:◦ I really like...◦ My friend is special because...◦ My dad and I are alike because...

Writing

Discuss sentence structure and rework sentences to grasp meaning:◦ The longer this presentation goes on, the more

likely I am to fall asleep. What are other ways we can express the meaning in

this sentence?◦ Teach meaning of words as well as the structure

of sentences – break them down without using additional language/terms like adjectives etc. Help them frame sentences in simple structure.

Sentence Structure

Sentence Frames - Compare two shapes in math, two animals in science, two types of homes in social etc.◦ “Our shape is a triangle. One similarity between the

octagon and the triangle is that they both have straight sides. However, the triangle has 3 sides, while the octagon has 8 sides.

Delayed copying – trains short term visual memory and improves spelling skills. ◦ Write a short familiar sentence on the board and give

a few seconds to look at it. Erase it and have students attempt to write the sentence from memory.

Writing

Sentence Frames – post on SMART board as a visual cue to answer questions in complete sentences and use correct grammar:◦ I believe/imagine/predict...◦ In my opinion, the most impressive part of the story is...◦ I conclude/suspect/speculate...◦ As ____already pointed out, I think that...◦ I want to find out more about...◦ I am beginning to wonder if...◦ I found out that...◦ I noticed that...◦ I learned/discovered/heard...◦ I was surprised that...◦ In my opinion...◦ I concluded that...◦ It seems to me that...◦ I agree with ____ that...◦ I had a different/approach/idea/answer/solution...

Sentence Structure – Written and Spoken

Provide multiple opportunities for practice Maximize student engagement – active learners learn best Establish a set routine of activities so that students can

make sense of what is happening Use visuals as supports (visual schedule etc.) Model skills and strategies during lessons Ask questions to ensure comprehension – check

in/frequent monitoring Encourage questions – example of EA reading to student Draw on students prior knowledge when explaining new

concepts/ideas – connect it to what they already know something about

High Quality Instruction

Exaggerate the sounds you are having students listen for (ie. ‘mmm’)

Break words and tasks down, model, and have them repeat back/paraphrase

To model effectively, make the entire process visible to the student◦ Model letter writing for the students, then do it

together, then provide scaffolded prompts if needed, then finally independently (I do, we do, you do)

Think out loud in front of students when demonstrating a task or solving a problem

Be Explicit

Ensure students know the pictures on phonics pages..make sure they know the ‘ay’ sheet has pictures of ray, jay and hay.

Teach the names of the pictures in the alphabet strip displayed in the classroom – don’t assume they know what the objects are. If you teach a student how to use a tool, they’ll use it as a cue effectively

Ensure students know the lesson objective or purpose

Don’t Assume...

Correct students by continually modelling for them....use it as a teachable moment. Correct/model sentences they say ...it’s everyone’s role in the school...RTI

Think, Pair, Share - allows everyone the opportunity to participate, practice language and share in a less threatening environment

Pair visual with auditory and actions to support EAL students

Systematically teach skills in sequence from easy to difficult◦ Initial consonant, end consonant, medial consonant

Good Strategies

Use consistent prompts and cues ie. put on your thinking caps – use same prompt in same way daily to increase understanding of concept.◦ Using consistent language and prompts will also make

transitions quicker and smoother Have a vocabulary ring with words students are

learning and definitions/examples on the other side to review during transition times or a few minutes of down time – make the most of each moment of the day

Give them conversational sentence starters to finish when they have a few minutes between activities, “In the morning, I typically....” or “Something that I am wondering about is...”

Good Strategies

When students are in a classroom with high quality instruction, routines and tasks are predictable, and the teacher first models how to do something, student don’t necessarily have to be pulled out for further instruction.

If they are removed from class, be sure that it’s not for ‘busy work’, but for high quality instruction. Be sure this instruction is more beneficial to the student than what they’re missing in the classroom.

Inclusion vs. Pull-out

Listen & Do – use common school phrases – sharpen your pencil, close the door, put this chair beside the garbage can etc. ◦ Partner to take turns giving directions and

following them through. ◦ Use prepositions – on, over, under, between etc.

Use real tasks to teach vocabulary◦ Winter clothing activity – give directions such as

‘wrap the scarf around your neck’, ‘put your toque on your head’, ‘put your other mitten on your right hand’

Activities that Build Language – Combining Learning & Fun

Charades – provide a phrase or context to student and help them decide what actions to do if needed for the group to guess ◦ Student demonstrates limping and other students

must guess the action. ◦ Then discuss what would cause this (allows for

rich vocabulary discussion). ◦ Write simple instructions on paper for charades if

learners are more advanced and they can draw situation at random from a container.

Activities that Build Language – Combining Learning & Fun

Role-playing dialogues ◦ Have students act out simple written scripts. ie.

Buying an ice cream at the ice cream shop, ordering a burger in a restaurant, paying for groceries at the store etc. Then have students do another similar dialogue

substituting something to change their situation or what they are purchasing. – use cue cards for support.

◦ For more advanced learners, cue cards could contain less info... ”Customer Cue Card: you go into a store to buy a

chocolate bar, a can of pop and a bag of chips. Remember to be polite.”

Activities that Build Language – Combining Learning & Fun

Information Gaps ◦ Two students sit back to back or with a barrier

blocking view. Each has part of a family calendar with different information. They have to communicate to add information from each other’s calendars to both end up with family calendar complete with all members activities. Encourage them to ask each other questions, “Does anyone have an activity on June 10th? “Yes, Sara has guitar lessons at 4:00 p.m.”

Similar Barrier Activity ◦ one builds with Lego following the instructions from

another...see if the creations turn out similar

Activities that Build Language – Combining Learning & Fun

Have all students bring a word they would like to teach their class about once a week.

Make flash cards using photos, pictures from flyers/magazines. Put the picture on one side and the word on the other.

Use picture books to practice language – after reading the book, use the book’s pictures as a prompt to have the student retell the story to you.

After reading a story, put events on sequence strips for the student to arrange in order.

Activities that Build Language – Combining Learning & Fun

Following Directions:◦ In the middle of your page, draw a happy face.◦ On top of the happy face, draw a triangle.◦ Above the triangle, draw a sun.◦ Below the happy face, draw a table.◦ Under the table, draw a heart.◦ In the triangle, draw a square.◦ Draw a moon on the right side of your paper (close to the

edge), parallel to the sun.◦ Draw a line connecting the sun to the moon.◦ Draw a glass of water on the right side of the table.◦ Draw a star behind the left leg of the table.◦ On the top left hand corner of your paper, draw a cloud.

Activities that Build Language – Combining Learning & Fun

Play Scrabble with peers Play Hangman together with simple words

they are familiar with Memory – match a picture card to a word

card Bingo – use to reinforce word recognition,

sound recognition or to build vocab. - students have to search their Bingo card for certain sight words, words with a certain sound, or a picture to match the vocabulary word called out.

Activities that Build Language – Combining Learning & Fun

Guessing Game ◦ Students take a card with an item of clothing

listed on it. Pantomime putting this item on, while the other students guess what it is. Enjoyable as it is silly at times, but makes learning memorable and fun.

Word Families◦ Use whiteboards to work on word families (_at)◦ Add various initial consonants and decide

together if it makes a word – thumbs up or down if needed

◦ Explain the word/draw a picture etc.

Activities that Build Language – Combining Learning & Fun

War/Speed◦ Put sight words on cards and play with partner – first to

read the word as the cards are overturned from the stack gets the card. Most cards wins.

Group Vocabulary Game◦ I have the word _____. Who has the word defined as

_____? (each student gets a card with a word on one side and a not matching definition on the other)

Play Taboo - Get them talking a mile a minute!◦ get your team to say the word you chose without using

the word or others linked to it on the card. Begin with them focusing on not saying the main word, but allow them to use the other words as cues if needed

Activities that Build Language – Combining Learning & Fun

Which takes more effort...to urge, ask or beg your parents for something? – think, pair, share

Describe a time when you felt dread/scared/danger

Discuss 3 things that can be ‘confined’. Teach what suffixes and prefixes mean – ‘co’

means together, ‘ab’ means separate◦ Cooperate, coincidence, abduct, absent◦ Look up other words beginning this way in the

dictionary for more examples

Activities that Build Language – Combining Learning & Fun

Word Scaling◦ Put in order of intensity:

Crying, wailing, weeping, bawling, tearing up, sobbing Running, walking, jogging, strolling, marching, sprinting

Word Detective Book◦ Include words they don’t know, need to know, or want to

know◦ Write the word in the book and then have them ask 3

adults about the word and to sign◦ Gives the student a chance to experience the word in 3

different ways◦ Aim for more than familiarity...we want them to use/own

the word

Activities that Build Language – Combining Learning & Fun

www.justvocabulary.com (various podcasts teaching about context of words – when & how to use – high school level)

http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/ (Grammar Girl – middle & high school – affect/effect, who/whom, using plural with family names)

www.princetonreview.com/podcasts - songs that teach vocabulary (Christmas Carols, Somebody’s Looking for Me)

http://word-games.pogo.com/ - free online games like Scrabble and Boggle

http://www.onestopenglish.com/games/free-games - various free games

Websites

Various Grammar activities and downloadable worksheets:http://www.englishbanana.com/big-grammar-book-english-worksheets.html

Family Words Worksheet from English Banana.pdf

http://esl.about.com/ - variety of useful tools and tips

for teaching ESL students... eg. how to make introductions (under ‘vocab’ and ‘beginner’ tabs

http://www.eslcafe.com/grammar.html - hundreds of lessons on grammar, confusing vocabulary, figurative language etc.

Websites

Inclusion and interacting with peers in the classroom is key to learning

Language can be taught in everything you are teaching and reinforcing

Teach language and vocabulary through conversation and discussion

Encourage questions and monitor understanding Demonstrate, think out loud, and use visuals to

support understanding Expose EAL students to all activities, but explain

and model..don’t assume they understand Encourage reading at home and school

Points to Remember

Questions