Symbaloo of Cultures!

Again, a classmate of mine provides a wonderful resource!  Here's a symbaloo she created of TONS of information of LOTS of different cultures!  Great stuff, especially for a visual learner.

http://www.symbaloo.com/mix/cultures2

Websites and APPs

Thanks to my classmates for finding some great websites!

http://www.readwritethink.org/ - has TONS of lesson plans

http://www.watchknowlearn.org/ - free educational videos!

Free ESL apps:

• EF Vocabulary: A game that allows students to build on topic specific vocabulary 
• English Pronunciation-Otterwave: A free app that allos students to get feedback on how to improve pronunciation and give examples on how to pronounce phonemes
• Frequently Confused Words: More of a dictionary of words but allows students to see the meanings of things that may sound similar or have similar meanings. 
• Idioms for ESLs (Children): This was super helpful with pictures and explanations for things like raining cats and dogs, etc. 

Literature Circles and ELLs

A classmate's post in class:

I read an article today about how and why to use literature circles with ELL students.  I was researching this so I could hopefully give some advice to the ELA teacher of the student I am working with for my projects.  My school is particularly crazy about literature circles and it is about all they do in ELA.  My student has been given no resources to help along this process other than another student in class reads aloud to her.  She is reluctant to participate in discussions.
http://www.gwinnett.k12.ga.us/HopkinsES/Alfonso_Web/ESOL%20Modification%20Research/literature_circles.pdf
After reading this article I think I am going to suggest the following for accomodations for me student.  I would like others opinions/comments on if you think these are good suggestions. If not, please help.
1. Group all Ell students  (3 Spanish speakers) together in class
2. Let them listen to an audio version of the book while followinig along with the text.  I am hoping they will safe in their group to stop the recording and listen over again if they need to.
3. Let them discuss in Spanish or English as a group. When the teacher is involved in the discussion they will use English.
4. Provide the students with journals to complete their assignments so they can see growth through the year.  (assessment)

GREAT IDEA!

Using WIDA's CAN DO Descriptors

A classmate of mine made a youtube video describing how to use the WIDA CAN DO Descriptors to maximize the effectiveness of a lesson for an ELL student - VERY helpful for mainstream teachers!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2facY8J97Lg&feature=youtu.be

Ukrainain Culture and Education

To view cultures and educational values in other countries, visit my teacher's blog and type in the country you are searching for in the "search" box.
 
For class, I'm working with a Ukrainian ESL student, and we had to research the language and culture in order to know how to modify a lesson to meet the student's specific needs.  Here is some of my research (to be posted in more user-friendly format in the near future!)

Here are some interesting links – the last one is ESPECIALLY interesting AND informative about culture in particular (and mostly quite accurate!)!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainian_culture
http://www.ukraine.com/culture/
http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/ukraine.html
http://www.everyculture.com/To-Z/Ukraine.html
http://www.tryukraine.com/society/cultural_differences.shtml

And here is some information about the school system/education in Ukraine:

(The information is about a particular student whose name – and his parents’ names – were changed for confidentiality purposes, but the information can be pretty much generalized for Ukrainian students in America)

Although Tim went to school only in America from the beginning, I think his parents’ cultural experience with education in Ukraine affects the way they help Tim out and their attitude towards school. In Ukraine, education is quite different from our system in America.

First of all, every single school in Ukraine follows the same curriculum and a set program. Regardless of where a student lives or what school he goes to, he will be learning the same thing as a 3rd grader (for example) that every other 3rd grader in the country is learning. Teachers in Ukraine are very strict and demand a lot out of their students—the curriculum they follow is much more advanced than in the U.S., particularly in math. The “regular” curriculum is more advanced than the gifted and talented here in some ways; the types of classes they take, including specials, are the same, though harder as well, with greater expectations set for the students.

Assessments are quite different: homework, though not much, is given daily, and every day, students get graded for their homework randomly. The teacher calls a student (average of 3 times a week) to the board to answer one of the homework problems, and based on the neatness and correctness of the answer, he receives a grade for it. Work is done either as the entire class or individually; there is no small-group instruction. Cumulative tests are very short – math can be just 3 problems on the board that students need to solve; retakes are almost unheard of. Dictation assignments are given every day as well; the Ukrainian language is a phonetic one – how it is spoken is how it is written (in terms of spelling). There are no “silent e’s” or anything of the sort, like in the English language. The higher your grade level, the larger and more difficult the dictations get. Students are also expected to do a lot of memorizing (rules, poetry, etc.), and reading is constantly checked for speed and fluency (every grade level has a number of words students should be reading by the end of the school year) and for comprehension through summaries and retellings.
Neatness of handwriting and belongings is graded as well because teachers believe everyone and everything should be orderly. Cleanliness of the classroom is expected as well; though there are school janitors, 2 children stay after school every day to do a general cleanup of their classroom. Pretty much everything that the student writes is graded and averaged into a final grade. After-school programs are also offered for students to stay and complete their homework. Parents who work or have a lot of kids are the ones who usually take advantage of this program. Parent-teacher conferences are conducted with the entire class, and some teachers announce the grades of each child in front of everyone or call out students for bad behavior, so parents are always expecting their children to do well and behave. Otherwise, they embarrass the entire family at the meeting. Teachers do reward students for good behavior and good grades as well though.
Principals come to observe their teachers on a regular basis, and to see that each teacher is grading her students correctly, there are times even that the principal administers a short test and grades it, comparing the score to the scores the teacher has written down in her grade book. “Open lessons” are another common practice – parents and other teachers can come observe the teacher teaching a lesson.

Although Tim did not have this experience of attending school in Ukraine, his parents did. This influences their attitude towards school and how they raise Tim to react to it as well. Both parents were good students (Alex particularly), and the Ukrainian culture stresses that parents take a large portion of responsibility for their children’s schooling, not just leave it all up to the teacher. Unfortunately, neither is as involved as would be expected with the kind of educational upbringing they had. This is largely due to the language barrier – both parents speak very little English. Tim also does not get to practice his English at home either since all his siblings are younger than him and have not learned any English. Anna tries to help Tim as much as possible, but the help she can offer is not much. Another small part to the parents’ lack of involvement may also be because they have seen that the American school system holds almost no responsibility to the parents for their child’s education. This knowledge could have made them more relaxed about how Tim does in school and not as concerned to make sure Tim does well so they wouldn’t “be embarrassed” in front of the entire class and their parents, as would happen in Ukraine.

The fact that Tim is learning the Ukrainian language at the same time as he learns English may also affect his English skills, more so writing than reading. As mentioned before, the Ukrainian language is a phonetic one – the way the word is said is the way the word is written and read, no tricks and strange sounds. Each letter only makes one sound. Since Tim knows this about the Ukrainian language, reading and writing in English is even more complicated because he may want to write how he does in Ukrainian school – what is heard is what is written. Unfortunately, the English language has a lot more “tricks” to it. Being bilingual is a wonderful thing, and it should not hurt Tim in the long run, but there may be some short-term effects in his schoolwork if he confuses the two languages, through grammar, rules, similar letters, etc. In fact, research has shown that even if young children seem to learn a new language faster, it does not mean they learn it effortlessly.

Watch Know Learn Classroom

TONS of educational videos for kids about content language!

http://ccss1.watchknowlearn.org/

"Equal" Testing

Sound familiar?  The feeling of ESL students when tested in the English language. Yes, it's "equal," but in an ironic, not-so-equal way...

YouTube Resource :)

This group on YouTube, "KidsOnlineEnglish," has some GREAT videos to teach ESL students that are younger, such as emotions, numbers, colors, etc.  Enjoy exploring!

http://www.youtube.com/user/KidsOnlineEnglish?feature=watch

Legal Responsibilities of Schools Regarding ELLs

In our online class, we had to discuss what are schools' legal responsibilities in regards to ESL students.  One of my favorite things to do is create a list of everyone's responses.  As my professor always says, "Work smarter, not harder." :) :)

• On the most basic level, "...legal obligations exist to ensure equal educational opportunity for LEP students. Districts are required to establish, sustain, and improve learning environments which alleviate the barrier caused by not being able to communicate fully and effectively in English, the language used within the classroom. These legal obligations apply even in schools or classes where only one LEP student is present."

• ELL Manual: Kentucky Department of Education [KDE] provides two documents for supporting the implementation of programming for English learners:

• Developing District ELL Program
• Quick Reference Guide: Implementing District Limited English Proficient Programs* (PDF) 
• --> These guides provide descriptive flow charts of the activities that must occur for identifying, assessing, providing programming, and exiting students. 
• Kentucky Department of Education, instructional resources English learners requires all schools to provide programming that is scientifically sound and proven to be effective and is not restrictive. A full listing of the types of programming that is included among the state's schools may be found on page 46 of Kentucky Department of Education District Policy and Procedures 
• What do federal laws require for identifying English learners?  Federal guidelines, as described in a memo by the U.S. Office of Civil Rights about English
• Learners require schools:
• to “have procedures in place for identifying” their English learners
• to complete these procedures within a specific amount of time so that they may notify parents of students that have been identified as English learners.  

•  Landmark Court Cases and English Learners 
• In 1973, Keyes v. Denver was the first de facto segregation case heard in the U.S.
• In 1974, the Lau v. Nichols case argued that the local school district was not providing an adequate education to its English learners because ELs could not sufficiently comprehend English.
• In 1978, Castañeda v. Pickard argued that their local district was segregating students based on race and ethnicity and that the district failed to implement a successful bilingual education program in which children would learn English.

• The official federal definition of an English language instructional program follows:  LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM-

• The term language instruction educational program means an instruction course:
• in which a limited English proficient child is placed for the purpose of developing and attaining English proficiency, while meeting challenging State academic content and student academic achievement standards, as required by section 1111(b) (1); and
• that may make instructional use of both English and a child’s native language to enable the child to develop and attain English proficiency, and may include the participation of English proficient children if such course is designed to enable all participating children to become proficient in English and a second language.  (Title III, Subpart 5, Part C, Section 3301(8))

•  Federal Guidelines require local schools to: 
• Provide a means for identifying their English learners
• Place their English learners in English language development and academic achievement  programming that is research-based, known to be scientifically sound, and,  is  proven to be effective based on state regulations

• Every school district/charter school shall provide a program for each student whose dominant language is not English for the purpose of facilitating the student's achievement of English proficiency and the academic standards. Programs shall include appropriate bilingual-bicultural or English as a second language (ESL) instruction.

• Schools have the responsibility to offer any and all accommodations ESL students need in the classroom and on assessments. These accommodations include: read text in English, scribe responses, bilingual/English dictionary, promoting/cueing, provide visuals/organizers, use spell-check, provide content objectives, engage in academic conversations, teach and model mega-cognitive, oral native language support, read test in primary language, extended time, small group/single test form admin., provide adapted materials/tech, link instruction to prior learning, build background knowledge, scaffold responses (oral/written), bilingual or English glossary, simplified language, assistive technology, adapt pace of instruction, use computer/software, provide language objectives, model language/task completion, provide interaction opportunities

• Parents must be informed in a language they understand, 1. when their child has been identified as an EL, 2. the reasons for the identification, 3. the child's level of English language development, and 4. how the language development program will help their child learn English and meet academic standards.

• In the state of Kentucky, all local school districts are required to administer a home language survey (HLS) to students enrolled in the district. This is the first step in a screening process used to identify students with limited English proficiency (LEP). The home language survey used by schools is based on a required minimum of four questions. Schools may make addendums to these surveys in order to learn more about a student’s personal, educational, and cultural background.  If the answer to any of the four required Home Language Survey questions is a language other than English, students are considered to be from a non-English language background (NELB) and are then required to take the WIDA ACCESS Placement Test or W-APT. WIDA stands for World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment, and is a consortium of teachers, researchers, linguists, and curriculum experts who concentrate on academic language development and academic achievement for linguistically diverse students through high quality standards, assessments, research, and professional development for educator (WIDA, 2011). The Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners or ACCESS test gives schools an overview of a student’s English proficiency, specifically in the realm of academic English.  A student is formally identified as Limited English Proficient (LEP) based on the W-APT results, which measure the four domains of academic language use: listening, speaking, reading and writing. These results, along with a professional judgment (based on interviews, observations, and student educational background) determine the placement, accommodations, services, and resources the school should provide the child, created in an instructional plan called a Program Services Plan or PSP. The results of the W-APT and the resulting PSP must be shared with the parents within the first 30 days of the school year or within two weeks of enrollment during the school year.  Written documentation and/or oral interpretation should be provided to parents/guardians, to the extent practical, in a language that they can understand.  The design of a Program Services Plan is lead by a district or school PSP committee (e.g., ELL and mainstream teachers/ specialists, an instructional leader, counselor, parent, student), who create a PSP for each student identified as LEP.  The PSP includes: the reasons for identification (results of the W-APT and, when appropriate, annual language assessment), level of English proficiency, previous academic background and experience, cultural and language history, service delivery model/s for English language instruction, and all appropriate instructional and assessment accommodations and/or modifications.  The PSP will be shared with all school personnel who have access to and work with students who have services plans. These personnel are often called “stakeholders” and are involved in the placement and/or instruction of English language learners (ELLs) and PSP students. Administrators should ensure that teachers are prepared to, or are being prepared to, implement appropriate accommodations and modifications for students’ PSPs. Individual educators may have professional growth plans that reflect development needs and expected outcomes for language and academic learning of ELLs. Likewise, a school or a district could have continuous improvement plans and expected outcomes, as well as guidelines, in place for these students and those within the school who have contact with them.  In the state of Kentucky, an annual English language proficiency (ELP) assessment, called ACCESS for ELLs™, is used to measure the statewide strengths and weaknesses of students’ English language proficiency skills. The state conducts these tests within a certain time period between January and February of every year, and requires each district to ensure that all ACCESS test administrators are certified. The state uses the results of these tests to assess language proficiency amongst its ELL students, areas of growth, area of concern, and as justification for funding and creation of programs that will further benefit language learners.

• "NCLB requires each state to develop ELP standards and ELP assessments designed to measure LEP students' progress in meeting those standards (NCLB §3102(8)). The standards and assessments must be based on "the four domains of speaking, reading, listening, and writing," and assessments must also include the domain of "comprehension" as exhibited through listening and reading (U.S. Department of Education, 2003a, p. 5). In addition, the standards established for each grade level must identify benchmarks for ELL students at different levels of English proficiency. Each state's ELP standards must have the following components (p. 8):
• "A label for each level (e.g., Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced)"
• "A brief narrative description that suggests the defining characteristics of the level"
• "A description of what students can do in content at this level of English language proficiency"
• "An assessment score that determines the attainment of the level"

•  Most of the language proficiency assessments that states and school districts were using when NCLB went into effect did not meet these requirements, and thus new statewide ELP standards and assessments had to be developed. Many states struggled to fully comply with the requirements by the deadlines."

• Federal money is awarded to schools via Title III in the No Child Left Behind Act.  Schools have to have a minimum number of language learners in attendance to receive the funding.  If students' needs are not being met, i.e. they are not receiving accommodations or the school fails to bridge the gaps to higher level learning, Title III funding can be taken away.  Parents also have the right to sue the school. 

• An ESL teacher is responsible for creating a safe and stimulating environment where the students are able to learn. A variety of manipulatives should be used to teach the students English. Pictures and the use of technology can be very helpful. The teacher also has the responsibility of making sure the culture of his/her students is maintained. I believe keeping the students cultural identity is key to that particular student learning English. The teacher is also responsible for creating a kind and positive environment. Learning a new language can be very difficult and may cause many students to want to give up. That ESL teacher has to make sure he/she is encouraging the student to learn and making sure they know it is OK to make mistakes sometimes. The ESL teacher also needs to collaborate with the other teachers and create a plan for her students that can be observed in the regular classrooms. The ESL teacher also needs to be able to help families adapt to their new homes and new culture. It is the job of the ESL teacher to make sure his/her students are receiving all of the support they need to be successful students and to learn the English language. No child should be robbed of an education just because they are not proficient in English. The ESL teacher needs to see that they become proficient English readers and writers.

• As a school, they have the responsibility of making sure they are hiring and keeping teachers who display these characteristics. They need to make sure they are giving every student the equal opportunity to learn and, employing teachers who best fit the description of what an ESL teacher should be doing in the classroom. If that person is not accurately filling the role they need to take action and make sure they begin doing a correct job or, find someone who will. According to the Civil Rights Act of 1991, an ESL teacher must have been adequately trained and evaluated by someone with similar methods used. Exit must be based on objective standards and (something I found interesting) the school cannot have a policy of "no double services" this means if an ESL student needs additional special education help, they can not be denied. They can also, not be denied from a gifted and talented program. The school needs to make sure they are following all of these guidelines.

• Under civil rights law, schools are obligated to ensure that ELLs have equal access to education.  Approximately 5 million students in U.S. schools have limited English language skills that affect their ability to participate successfully in education programs and achieve high academic standards. It is the responsibility of schools to ensure that all students, including these English language-learning (ELL) students, have equal access to a quality education that enables them to progress academically while learning English. The specific services to be provided are not specified by federal or state law; however, legislation provides the following broad outlines.  In 1970, the federal Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued a memo regarding school districts' responsibilities under civil rights law to provide an equal educational opportunity to ELLs. This memorandum stated: "Where the inability to speak and understand the English language excludes national origin minority group children from effective participation in the educational program offered by a school district, the district must take affirmative steps to rectify the language deficiency in order to open its instructional program to these students."  Although the memo requires school districts to take affirmative steps, it does not prescribe the content of these steps. It does, however, explain that federal law is violated if:
• students are excluded from effective participation in school because of their inability to speak and understand the language of instruction;
• national origin minority students are inappropriately assigned to special education classes because of their lack of English skills;
• programs for students whose English is less than proficient are not designed to teach them English as soon as possible, or if these programs operate as a dead end track; or
• parents whose English is limited do not receive school notices or other information in a language they can understand.

• In its 1974 decision in Lau v. Nichols, the United States Supreme Court upheld OCR's 1970 memo. The basis for the case was the claim that the students could not understand the language in which they were being taught; therefore, they were not being provided with an equal education. The Supreme Court agreed, saying that: "There is no equality of treatment merely by providing students with the same facilities, textbooks, teachers, and curriculum; for students who do not understand English are effectively foreclosed from any meaningful education."  The case reaffirmed that all students in the United States, regardless of native language, have the right to receive a quality education. It also clarified that equality of opportunity does not necessarily mean the same education for every student, but rather the same opportunity to receive an education. An equal education is only possible if students can understand the language of instruction.  Within weeks of the Lau v. Nichols ruling, Congress passed the Equal Educational Opportunity Act (EEOA) mandating that no state shall deny equal education opportunity to any individual, "by the failure by an educational agency to take appropriate action to overcome language barriers that impede equal participation by students in an instructional program." This was an important piece of legislation because it defined what constituted the denial of education opportunities.  The U.S Department of Education's OCR oversees school districts broad discretion concerning how to ensure equal educational opportunity for ELLs. OCR does not prescribe a specific intervention strategy or program model that a district must adopt to serve ELLs.

• The following guidelines have been outlined for school districts to ensure that their programs are serving ELLs effectively. Districts should:
• identify students as potential ELLs;
• assess student's need for ELL services;
• develop a program which, in the view of experts in the field, has a reasonable chance for success;
• ensure that necessary staff, curricular materials, and facilities are in place and used properly;
• develop appropriate evaluation standards, including program exit criteria, for measuring the progress of students; and
• assess the success of the program and modify it where needed.

• Under civil rights law, schools are obligated to ensure that English learners (ELs) have equal access to education. However, the Office of Civil Rights does not explicitly require a school corporation to use a specific intervention or program in order to serve their LEP students. However, the OCR has outlined the following procedures that school corporations should follow in order to ensure that their programs are serving LEP students:
• Identify students who need assistance;
• Develop a program which, in the view of experts in the field, has a reasonable chance for success;
• Ensure that necessary staff, curricular materials, and facilities are in place and used properly;
• Develop appropriate evaluation standards, including program exit criteria, for measuring the progress of students; and
• Access the success of the program and modify it where needed

• AMAO=Annual measurable achievement objectives which measure ELL students development and attainment of language proficiency in English and adequate yearly progress. They inclued 3 requirements and parents must be notified if they are not met by the overall program, not just by the specific student of the parent. These 3 requirements are:
• English language development--progress in language development 
• English language proficiency--increases of the number of students attaining proficiency each year
• English Laguage Arts and Mathematics--meeting grade level standards in their content.

Back to Work!

Hello again, everyone!

I know I've taken a LOOOOOONG break from posting--and I do feel bad about it.  I think we all know how it is at the end of a semester and with the holidays at the end of the year too.  I'm back at it though and will try my VERY best to keep this blog updated and give you all some "goodies" for working with English Language Learners.

Happy Reading! :)