Strategies to work with English language learners, literacy instruction, second language acquisition, CCCS , WIDA Standards,elementary school

1. Making Meaningful
Connections
Writing LAL Curriculum Using
CCCS
Strategies for English language
learners
Monica Schnee
River Edge Public Schools
schneem@riveredgeschools.org
monicaschnee@mac.com

2. ELA CCCS- How do they affect ELLs?
There is greater stress on content rich informational texts not just
fiction. Literature is now 50% and informational text is 50%. This
is beneficial for ELLs who are stronger at informational text.
Students are exposed to high level texts before reading and
writing. This is a great opportunity for ELLs and all students to
work on oral language development. Expose ELLs to variety of
texts on the same topic to build background knowledge.
Standard 9: Reading, writing, and speaking based on evidence
from text, no longer are writing and speaking non-text
dependent or subjective. This is beneficial for ELLs because
they can look for evidence in visuals, captions, headings, etc.

3. Implications for ELLs
 Choice of appropriate text is crucial so they may find
the support needed to engage in the discourse
required in the standards: to persuade or argue,to
critique, to explain and to convey experience.
 However, some ELLs may come from cultures where
these forms of communication are not practiced. So
make sure that they are familiar with these forms of
discourse.

4. Research on ELLs shows that
 Second language literacy is complex : ELLs need to
relate what they are reading and writing about to their
lives so background knowledge is key, it makes learning
and reading meaningful
 Second and first language literacy development are
similar in: letter/sound correspondence & concepts of
print, older ELLs generally come with these skills unless
they are pre-literate or have interrupted schooling

5. Research (cont.)
 Phonological awareness is important in both languages
Older literate ELLs have it, younger ELLs develop it in
school, same with pre-literate ELLs
 Some ELLs have complex language skills in their native
language
 Beginner ELLs develop second language literacy
drawing on their first language skills and experiences so
they have these to transfer and build upon. If they are
pre-literate they still have experiences but no
transferable skills.

6. Things you should know about your ELLs
 Level of proficiency
 First language (if it is a romance language, there is a
similarity so transfer will be easier than Asian, Middle
Eastern or some African languages)
 Level of literacy
 Similarity of culture with ours in order to critique, argue
and engage in different discourse

7. What you should know about second
language acquisition
 ELLs acquire social English first - the language they
need to communicate socially
 Academic language comes later and is harder to
acquire (language of strategies, skills, content or
domain specific and textbooks)
 Syntax and nuances of language come last so do not
expect correct language from ELLs until they reach
proficiency. What you are looking for is
communicative competence so they can engage in
learning,
 Pronunciation and accent are not measures of
language proficiency

8. Strategies for all Strands
 Model your thinking and your writing
 Visuals support speaking, listening, reading and
writing
 Paraphrasing and simplifying language allows for
access to content
 Do not water down content, modify and simplify
 Speak clearly and slowly
 Use gestures, TPR, and more gestures
 Modify text, assignments, assessments
 Support staying on topic with texts that are simpler
and slowly build up to more complex ones (Staying
on Topic p.33)

9.  Allow use of students’ first language to access content and support
learning
 Be aware of student’s culture, he/she may need help in understanding
different genres like storytelling, persuasive or argumentative writing
 Always activate prior knowledge to assess how much student knows
about a subject, then build background knowledge
 Make sure that topics are familiar, otherwise, provide background
knowledge through visuals and realia

10. Writing
 Create a list of websites that have images to support
content or domain specific vocabulary
 For Spanish speakers & romance languages, point out
cognates (words that are the same in two languages:
revolution - revolucion, calendar -calendario)
 Accept cross-linguistic inventive spelling until ELLs have
acquired enough English - you may write the correct
spelling on a separate post-it or T-chart. Allow use of
first language.
 For beginners(L1 & 2), you may consider the language
experience approach (they dictate and you are the
scribe)

11.  Allow students to copy words and simple phrases (they
may write translation as well)
 Create a vocabulary list specific to the text but skip
words that are not necessary for basic communication
 Create an academic vocabulary list specific to the
standard eg: details in text, main idea, explicitly, infer
 Have a “portable word wall” (flaschards, podcast,
wordle) for students to refer to: vocabulary words,
sequencing words, cause and effect, persuasive words

12.  Use visuals from magazines or websites related to
topic for students to label, write captions
 Use graphic organizers at all levels of proficiency to
help students map ideas, organize main ideas,
details, sequencing, compare and contrast
 Have students create posters, pictures with labels or
other visuals as a writing product

13.  Key sentence structures or frames for PL1 &PL2:
”The main character is…” The setting is…” “A detail I see is…’
“This detail tells me that…” “The author uses ….to show …”
“I believe that… because the author say …”
“I agree because…” “I disagree because…” “My opinion is…
based on…”
 Write sentence frames that students can use
interchangeably with different vocabulary
 Word study - prefix, suffix, word families, multiple meaning
words and homophones. As they appear, create a word
wall or word bank of synonyms and antonyms

14. Writing - What ELLs can do:
Draw, label, list, produce words or short
phrases from visuals, create phrases &
sentences from models, describe

15. Reading
 Connect reading instruction to writing instruction
(procedural or how to books or videos, writing about
something they are experts at using sequencing words)
 Use picture books that match topic/strategy (can be
mentor - anchor texts or texts from a lower grade level
with same strategy)
 Use post-its to label, write short phrases on book, ELLs
can write the translation next to it
 Provide access to a computer so student can go online
to research content and translate terms

16. Reading - What ELLs can do:
Identify words, select general themes,
match labels, captions or facts, find
information to show main ideas or
details from visuals, identify features of
text in informational texts -table of
contents, headings, captions, labels,
diagrams, glossary words, glossary,
index

17. Speaking and Listening
 Please remember: new arrivals should not be put
on the spot to use oral language. If they are
silent, do not force them to speak, they can point,
gesture & label.
 Use same language buddies when possible
 Provide opportunities for pair work and small group
instruction so ELLs can feel less threatened
 Allow for plenty of wait time for oral responses
 Do not correct student’s response, you are looking for
communication

18. Speaking & Listening-What ELLs can
do:
 Orally: name, use single words, short phrases,
answer Wh- questions, Yes/No questions, respond,
describe, compare, produce phrases or short
sentences, state,
 Receptively from oral directions: gesture during
reading or speaking to show comprehension, locate,
identify words from word banks, short text, captions,
match, follow directions, find, choose, select,
compare, distinguish, arrange information, determine
character, setting

19. CCCS #1 RL and RI
 The anchor : Read closely to determine what the
text says explicitly and to make logical inferences
from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing
or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the
text.
 RL and RI: Refer to details and examples in a text
when explaining what the text says explicitly and
when drawing inferences from the text.
 Notice bold words are the academic language of
skills and objectives.

20. RL Std.1 - Using visual support- Read text aloud. Point
out detail- specific sentences- label in English and
native language, have student infer. He can use
translation to make inference.
“I want to live there. I I know Erica wants to go to
want to go there Japan because she says it. I
infer she loves the country
when I grow up”.
and wants to learn about it.
Notice amount of text.

21. Another explicit example
 “ She studied
Japanese in middle
and high school and
all the way through
college”. Infer why
Erica would do that
and what the picture
means.

22. RI - Std.1 - For informational texts, students can use a variety of
text levels -gradation- and draw inferences from details. Are all
clouds the same? Which clouds bring rain?

23. How to select texts for L1 –L3
 Use age appropriate picture books
 Identify student’s high interest to utilize background
knowledge, then select an author or series of
informational texts
 Use books that are not text heavy and then gradate
to books that have more text
 Use books with labels, captions, diagrams

24. Some authors to consider
 Gail Gibbons for informational and procedural texts
Weather Words in the example for Std.1 - RI
 Jane Yolen for literature - Owl Moon
 Eve Bunting for literature & realistic fiction – How
Many Days to America, Night Tree
 Allen Say for literature, realistic fiction and
multicultural – Erika -San in the example for Std.1 RL
 Patricia Polacco for literature – Thank you, Mr.Falker
 Example of a high interest books:
 Home Run by Robert Burleigh
 Roller Coaster by Marla Frazee
 Informational texts - National Geographic,
Benchmark Newbridge and other publishers

29. References
 WIDA Standards, 2007 Edition
 WIDA Standards, Draft 2011
 WIDA CAN DO Descriptors, Gr. Cluster 3-5
 Cloud,Genesee,Hamayan,2009,Literacy
Instruction for English Language Learners,
Portsmouth, NH:Heinemann.
 Gibbons, Pauline, 2002, Scaffolding
Language, Scaffolding Learning, Portsmouth,
NH:Heinemann.
 Pimentel, Susan, 2012, Common Core State
Standards for Literacy & Els - Presentation
Kean University, NJ