What Research Tells Us about Effective Instruction for English Language Learners

Transcription

1 What Research Tells Us about Effective Instruction for English Language Learners Theresa Deussen Senior Program Director

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3 What are the challenges? English + everything else at the same time Cultural differences Schools and programs (often) don t know how to help 3

4 Excerpt from a survey of a subset of Washington schools (2009) Our school uses instructional practices that are well-matched to the needs of our ELLs. Our school is doing an excellent job of meeting the needs of our ELLs. 37% 47% 36% 30% Teachers Principals 0% 50% 100%

5 Today s Agenda 1. Briefly examine the research base 2. Outline 5 principles that apply across grades and content areas 3. Consider principles that play out in specific ways in different content areas Literacy Math Science Social Studies 5

6 THE RESEARCH BASE 6

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8 Levels of Evidence Strong: one or more meta-analyses, research summaries or syntheses; or multiple rigorous studies w/similar results Moderate: one or more rigorous studies that test multiple components; or multiple studies that include student outcomes but have limitations; or strong evidence with all students. Suggestive: one or two studies that include student outcomes but lack comparison groups or have other limitations; or expert consensus. 8

9 Organization of the report 14 Principles 5 apply to all teachers 9 are content specific Big ideas Theoretical constructs Challenges ELLs face Instructional Implication Etc. Instructional Implication Strategies What teachers can do Classroom based Level of Level of Strong Evidence Evidence Moderate Suggestive 9

10 THE 5 PRINCIPLES 10

11 Principle 1: ELLs move through different stages as they acquire English proficiency, and at all stages need comprehensible input. Stage Approximate timeframe Pre-production 0-6 months Early production 6-12 months Speech emergence 1-3 years Intermediate fluency 3-5 years Advanced fluency 5-7 years

12 Principle 1: ELLs move through different stages as they acquire English proficiency, and at all stages need comprehensible input. Teachers should: Scaffold their instruction and assignments. (Moderate) Provide multiple representations of concepts. (Strong) Promote student interaction that is structured and supported. (Strong)

13 Circle the larger one: 1/10 1/4 Draw a picture to explain why. Which is larger, one tenth or one fourth? Explain your answer. is larger because.

14 Principle 1: ELLs move through different stages as they acquire English proficiency, and at all stages need comprehensible input. Teachers should: Scaffold their instruction and assignments. (Moderate) Provide multiple representations of concepts. (Strong) Promote student interaction that is structured and supported. (Strong)

15 Im Herbst verfärben sich die Blätter an den Bäumen. Die Blätter fallen zu Boden. 15

16 Im Herbst verfärben sich die Blätter an den Bäumen. 16

17 Die Blätter fallen zu Boden. 17

18 Principle 1: ELLs move through different stages as they acquire English proficiency, and at all stages need comprehensible input. Teachers should: Scaffold their instruction and assignments. (Moderate) Provide multiple representations of concepts. (Strong) Promote student interaction that is structured and supported. (Strong)

19 Principle 2: There is a difference between conversational and academic language; fluency in everyday conversation is not sufficient to ensure access to academic texts and tasks. Conversational language First type acquired Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills Day to day language Social interaction; playground language Face-to-face, contextual clues Academic language Takes longer Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency Context-rich discourse More specific vocabulary Different syntactical forms Fewer contextual clues

20 Principle 2: There is a difference between conversational and academic language; fluency in everyday conversation is not sufficient to ensure access to academic texts and tasks. s Teachers should: Provide explicit instruction in the use of academic language. (Suggestive) Provide multi-faceted and intensive vocabulary instruction with a focus on academically useful words. (Strong)

21 ELL Specialists Use of passive voice Mainstream Teachers How to use quotations Complex verb tenses Main and supporting ideas Subordinate clauses Formal and informal tone in writing 21

22 Principle 2: There is a difference between conversational and academic language; fluency in everyday conversation is not sufficient to ensure access to academic texts and tasks. s Teachers should: Provide explicit instruction in the use of academic language. (Suggestive) Provide multi-faceted and intensive vocabulary instruction with a focus on academically useful words. (Strong)

23 Which words to teach? The 3 tiers (Beck, McKeown, & Kucan): Tier 1: words typically known by native English speakers, labels and common verbs Tier 2: words typically used across a range of topics, expressing concepts students may understand even if they cannot explain them Tier 3: words specific to particular fields, less commonly used table, house, find, come dependent, power, express photosynthesis, peninsula, hyperbole

24 How should vocabulary be taught? Part I Active involvement Multiple exposures Instruction in word analysis Rich language experiences Word learning strategies t Word consciousness

25 How should vocabulary be taught? Part II Multiple l meanings of words Additional repetition Use of visual supports Shared cognates (cautiously)

26 P i i l 3 ELL d i t ti th t ill ll th t Principle 3: ELLs need instruction that will allow them to meet state content standards.

27 What is not an opportunity to learn Allowing newcomers to look at picture books during reading instruction Not calling on ELLs so they won t feel embarrassed to speak English Making easier assignments for ELLs Placement in less rigorous, non-college- bound courses 27

28 What is an opportunity to learn Active involvement from Day 1 Promoting use of primary language to support learning Making it emotionally safe to participate Scaffolding assignments Providing the supports that allow more rigorous course-taking 28

29 Principle 3: ELLs need instruction that will allow them to meet state content standards. Teachers should: Provide bilingual instruction when feasible. (Strong) In English-language instructional settings, permit and promote primary-language supports. (Suggestive) In English-language instructional settings, use sheltered instruction strategies to combine content-area learning with English language development. (Moderate)

30 Principle 4: ELLs have background knowledge and home cultures that sometimes differ from the U.S. mainstream.

31 Principle 4: ELLs have background knowledge and home cultures that sometimes differ from the US mainstream. Teachers should: Use culturally compatible instruction to build a bridge between home and school. (Moderate) Make the norms and expectations of the classroom clear and explicit. (Moderate) Activate existing and build new background knowledge to increase comprehension. (Moderate)

32 Principle 5: Assessments measure language proficiency as well as actual content knowledge.

33 Principle 5: Assessments measure language proficiency as well as actual content knowledge. Sonia tiene seis dólares. Ella compró un libro especial por cinco dólares. Ahora cuanto dinero tiene? Sonia has 6 dollars. She bought a special book for 5 dollars. Now how much money does she have?

34 Principle 5: Assessments measure language proficiency as well as actual content knowledge. Teachers should: Use testing accommodations as appropriate Use testing accommodations as appropriate. (Moderate)

35 More on assessment: monitoring New assessment tools WIDA Model: interim benchmark assessments to monitor growth, grades

36 One way to monitor progress 100% 90% 80% 70% 4% 14% 33% 54% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 96% 86% 67% 46% Not Gaining Gaining 10% 0% Beginning Advanced Beginning Intermediate Early fluent 36

37 Pick a Dot 37

38 Language Arts (pp ) Mathematics (pp ) Social Studies (pp ) Science (pp.40-44) 38

39 A few things to remember 1. Our review does not answer all the questions educators will have about working with ELLs 2. Not all practices apply equally to all ELLs 3. Excellent classroom instruction alone is not enough 4. Our report is not a guide to implementation 39

40 muchas gracias 谢 谢 спасибо Theresa Deussen Education Northwest 101 SW Main St., Suite 500 Portland, OR educationnorthwest.org