Using the Common Core to Reach English Language Learners:

Kay Almy ESL Coordinator

PSI Associates

Practical CCSS Strategies To Support Our ELLs!

Welcome!

Kay Almy, MAT

• Educational Specialist, TESOL

• A Spanish and ESL Teacher – and an ESL Mom!

• Ohio licensed in Spanish and TESOL

PSI • Over 30 years supporting schools & education in Ohio

• We do ESL!

Session Topics… • The Common Core and ESL

• Principals of UDL

• Common Core Challenges for ELLs and Teachers

• Supporting our ELLs: Practical Strategies to apply to CCSS

Using Common Core to Reach ELLS: Practical Support Strategies

The Common Core and

Special Populations

The CCS do not describe specific teaching

methods for special populations.

The CCS do encourage educators to support special populations by maintaining high standards while accommodating special needs.

The Common Core and

English Language Learners

CCS Policy Paper on ELLs says: Teachers must consider each ELL individually.

All teachers must be trained to instruct ELLs.

Supported immersion is preferable to pull-out.

Lessons are deliberately designed to support

English language acquisition—social AND academic.

Vocabulary should be developed via Language-rich environments; NOT memorization and drills.

From: http://www.corestandards.org/assets/application-for-english-learners.pdf

The Common Core and English Language Learners • Appropriate instructional supports to make grade-level course

work comprehensible

• Modified assessments that allow ELLs to demonstrate their content knowledge

• Additional time for ELLs to complete tasks and assessments

• Opportunities for classroom interactions (both listening and speaking) that develop concepts and academic language in the disciplines

• Opportunities for ELLs to interact with proficient English speakers

• Opportunities for ELLs to build on their strengths, prior experiences, and background knowledge

• Qualified teachers who use practices found to be effective in improving student achievement

www.corestandards.org

What are the CCS

recommendations for meeting

the needs of all learners?

Universal Design for Learning

From the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 ... The term UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING means a scientifically

valid framework for guiding educational practice that:

(A) provides flexibility in the ways information is presented, in the

ways students respond or demonstrate knowledge and skills, and in

the ways students are engaged; and (B) reduces barriers in instruction, provides appropriate accommodations, supports, and challenges, and maintains high

achievement expectations for all students, including students with

disabilities and students who are limited English proficient.

Universal Design for Learning

Origins of Universal Design: • Architectural principals • For example, door handles, sink knobs, outlet

heights, 2nd floor access • Permits access to most users by providing

options For more information, visit http://www.ncsu.edu/project/design-projects/udi/

and http://www.udll.com/media-room/articles/the-seven-principles-of-universal-design/

Universal Design for Learning

Three Key Principals

These principals foster student engagement by presenting

information in multiple ways and allowing for diverse

avenues of action and expression.

From: http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines

Ideas for applying UDL to

English Language Learners:

Representation

Action & Expression

Engagement Pre-teach lessons and key

Graphic or other options

Create social learning vocabulary (with visuals)

for presenting work

opportunities Demonstrate and Model

ELLs work with peers when

Provide choice in activities responding to assignments

Partner up students with

Allow errors as part of the

KWL charts before starting the same native language

English learning process

new classroom topics Make connections

Have ELLs write in native

Help ELLs create goals for between new info and

language, then translate

learning and develop plans

From: http://education.ohio.gov/GD/DocumentManagement/DocumentDownload.aspx?DocumentID=105521

cultural experiences

using technology

for meeting those goals

From: http://educationnorthwest.org/webfm_send/1098

“As a student in my country, I could talk. I could express my ideas and opinions. When I came to this country I became mute.” - A second year ELL

Common Core Has Its

Challenges!

Common Core

Challenges

for ELLs &Teachers • Standards are rigorous • ELLs need an in-depth understanding of content • ELLs need to be able to respond to & do what is

required to demonstrate content • ELLs need to produce evidence of content

knowledge • ESL and Content teacher roles • How to share Academic and ESL objectives to equip

ELLs to be able to both receive instruction & demonstrate knowledge.

New LEP Funding! Core Foundation State Funding HB 59 – introduced February, 2013 In effect FY 2014 For Public and Charter Schools In addition to Title III Funding Reference Page 2 for LEP students

http://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Finance-and-Funding/Finance-Related-Data/Budgetary-Information/FY14-FY15-Budget-Information/Summary-of-HB-59-As-Introduced-FINAL.pdf.aspx

Those Rigorous CCS Standards!

ELLs Need an In-depth

Understanding of Content

ELLs Need to be Able to

Respond to & Do What is Required

to Demonstrate Content Knowledge

ELLs Need to Produce Evidence

of Content Knowledge

ESL & Content teacher roles: Share Academic & ESL Objectives Equip ELLs to be able to both Receive Instruction & Demonstrate Knowledge.

CCS & ESL/Content Teacher Roles: Emerging and Merging

SLOs (Student

Learning Objectives)

ELL’s Point of View - Culture Shock

ELL MUST LEARN

New language

Subject content

Classroom method- ology

New time concept

New customs

New social relationships

Know Your ELLs Proficiency Level

3 English Proficiency Levels:

1. Beginning, 2. Intermediate 3. Advanced

At each Proficiency level: What can the ELL do? What can you expect?

Use to determine expectations &

outcomes

TIP Identify your ELL’s

proficiency level & how

he/she learns best!

Confusing to ELLs Words with several meanings

Word order

Translation from L1 to L2

Idioms

Many languages have NO article or articles have a gender

Native background/knowledge –Material often interpreted through ELLs cultural understanding, NOT ours

Jokes can be hard to understand

Passive voice

Spanish example

English sentence: “He sat on the floor putting on the rough boots.

Literal translation “Sat on the floor himself he was shoeing the rough boots.”

Arabic example

English sentence: “In the heart of London there is a broad square called Kensington Square.”

Literal translation “in here at London she-stands square broad she-is-called Kensington Square.”

Helping the ELL learn in the CCS Classroom: Keys to Success

General Suggestions

Classroom Instructional Strategies

Instructional Accommodations

Modified Assessments

Grading Guidelines

Modification Considerations What is a modification? Interaction of the test and the

student. What about the test construct? When should changes be

made? Diversity within the ELL

population Common Core – how can we

incorporate the UDL model?

From: http://www.nasponline.org

Modifications (Cont.)

Modifications vs. Accommodations

Language and Visual Features

Linguistic Complexity: Vocabulary, Syntax, Discourse

From: http://www.nasponline.org

Modifications for ELLs Modifications potentially help ELLs

without making the test unfair –

or changing the construct

High vocabulary demand is a particular area of concern in math (for all students)

Long reading passages are a challenge

Variability problem when

measuring across diverse groups of students

Why does grade matter?

From: http://www.nasponline.org

Modification Example #1

Change To

[Stem]: The purchase of the

Louisiana Territory, completed in

1803 and considered one of Thomas

Jefferson's greatest accomplishments

as president, primarily grew out of our

need for a. the port of New Orleans*

b. helping Haitians against Napoleon

c. the friendship of Great Britain

d. control over the Indians

*an asterisk indicates the correct answer.

[Stem]: The purchase of the Louisiana

Territory primarily grew out of our need

for

a. the port of New Orleans*

b. helping Haitians against Napoleon

c. the friendship of Great Britain d. control over the Indians

Keep the stem simple, only including relevant information

Example:

From: http://jfmueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/tests/gooditems.htm

Modification Example #2

Change To

When your body adapts to your

exercise load, a. you should decrease the load

slightly.

b. you should increase the load

slightly.*

c. you should change the kind of

exercise you are doing.

d. you should stop exercising.

When your body adapts to your

exercise load, you should a. decrease the load slightly.

b. increase the load slightly.*

c. change the kind of exercise you

are doing.

d. stop exercising.

Keep alternatives simple by adding any common words to the stem rather than including them in each alternative.

Example:

From: http://jfmueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/tests/gooditems.htm

Modification Example #3 Put alternatives in a logical order.

Change To

According to the 1991 census, approximately what percent of the United

States population is of Spanish or Hispanic descent?

a. 25%

b. 39%

c. 2%

d. 9%*

a. 2%

b. 9%*

c. 25%

d. 39%

Example:

jfmueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/tests/gooditems.htm

Modification Example #4

Change To

Which of the following is NOT true

of the Constitution? a. The Constitution sets limits on

how a government can operate

b. The Constitution is open to

different interpretations

c. The Constitution has not been

amended in 50 years*

Which of the following is true of the

Constitution? a. The Constitution has not been

amended in 50 years

b. The Constitution sets limits on

how a government can operate*

c. The Constitution permits only

one possible interpretation

Limit the use of negatives (e.g., NOT, EXCEPT)

Example:

From: http://jfmueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/tests/gooditems.htm

Modification Example #5 Include the same number of alternatives for each item.

Consistency & predictability lighten the cognitive load Students focus on the questions without distractions Less likelihood of error transposing onto a score sheet

From: http://jfmueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/tests/gooditems.htm

Modify tests and quizzes Simplify and break it down

Make expectations brief and clear

Use cognates and existing vocabulary Make sure words have been defined and explained

Use word banks

Modify Assessments

Modify Assessments

(cont.) When writing use summary sentences instead of

essays

cloze activities

word banks

matching exercises (groups of)

allow more time

When giving oral responses allow use of notes

record responses

allow practice time

More Modifications to

Consider

Text Chunking

Words with multiple Meanings

Verb tenses

Sentence Clauses

Visual Supports

Text Chunking (Segmenting)

Lessen the amount of text that needs to be reviewed

bulleted lists short subheadings short sentences with one or two ideas

per sentence short paragraphs, even one-sentence

paragraphs easily scannable text, with bolding of

key phrases graphics to guide the eyes or illustrate

points which would normally require more words

Words With Multiple Meanings

Watch Verb Tense Avoid passive tense.

.

Change to active tense

Embedded (Subordinate)

Clauses

Reduce the use of “that” phrases The juice that Julio brought to the party was sour.

Break a long nominal sentence into two sentences

Julio brought juice to the party. The juice was rotten.

Use of Visual Supports Before Modification After Modification

Which land form is likely to

be formed by water erosion?

a. Coastline

b. Plains

c. Volcano

d. Iceberg

Which land form is likely to be

formed by water erosion?

a. Coastline

b. Plains

c. Volcano

d. Iceberg

From: http://www.nasponline.org

Grading

ELL’s should not fail a grade based on their language skills

Grades should be based on content knowledge

Put passing grades on papers

Grade mastery of content, not grammar/ spelling(unless that is the target) {beg. – int.}

Give as much positive feedback as possible

Acknowledge effort as well as mastery

If the answer appears to be wrong, ask the ELL to explain it

With all these teaching strategies you are

well-equipped to proceed with plans to

develop adapted CCS lessons for the ELL!

Websites for CCSS & ELLs

http://www.colorincolorado.org

http://www.eduweek.org

CCSS Action Plan…

Creating a CCS Action Plan

What can you do in your school or district to support your ELLs?

Help to develop a school culture that supports creative collaboration and communication

Support professional development on using

Universal Design for Learning in all classrooms

Other tasks or ideas?

Thank you for your participation!

Kay Almy, PSI ESL Coordinator

kayalmy@psi-solutions.org 330-425-8474 800-841-4774

Sources Buduleta, Elisabeth, ESL Instructor – Brooklyn City Schools, ESL For Mainstream Teachers

Cawthon, Stephanie W. (2012) Test Item Modifications fro English Language learners: Review of Empirical Literature and Recommendations for Practice.

Colorín Colorado http://www.colorincolorado.org

Iowa Department of Education, Grading Guidelines and Performance Expectations Rubric from (1999) draft of the Policies for Limited English Proficient (LEP) Students in the Areas

of Grading, Assessment, Gifted Education, and Special Education

Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative, Louisville, KY, Supporting English Language Learners in Mainstream and Content Area Classrooms http://www.ovec.org/esl/ESL.pdf

TESOL International Association. (2013, April). Implementing the Common Core State Standards for ELLs: The Changing Role of the ESL Teacher. Alexandria, VA: Author. TESOL International Association. (2013, March). Overview of the Common Core State Standards Initiatives for ELLs. Alexandria, VA: Author.

WIDA – World-class Instructional Design & Assessment Consortium, Wisconsin Center for Education Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Yearwood, Janice. (2007) ESL Manual For Mainstream Teachers; How to Help Limited English Speaking Students. Tate & Publishing & Enterprises.