Research and Practice on Teaching ELLs in Middle and High Schools

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Research and Practice on Teaching ELLs in Middle
and High Schools

• Margarita Calderón
• Johns Hopkins University

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Talking Points

• Why is vocabulary important?
• A science example for
• -- How to select words to teach.
• -- How to teach words before reading, during
  reading and after reading?
• 3. Program implications and keeping track of
  student progress.

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Why is Content Area Literacy Important?

• Without reading instruction on content area
  literacy
• SURFACE COMPREHENSION--Literal comprehension
  students read on their own and answer questions
  questions are low-level.
• With reading instruction integrated into content
  areas
• DEEP COMPREHENSION --Critical comprehension
  students learn new vocabulary continuously
  associate new readings with prior knowledge add
  new knowledge, discuss ideas, interpret facts and
  information, and apply critical thinking skills
  to text.

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Statistical Trends in Secondary Schools

• Nationally, over 6 million American students in
  grades 6 through 12 are at risk of failure
  because they read and comprehend belowoften
  considerably belowthe basic levels needed for
  success in high school, postsecondary education,
  and the workforce.
• About 60 of ELLs in middle and high school were
  born in the United States, that is, they are
  second- or third-generation immigrants - - and
  have been in U. S. schools since kindergarten!
• Newcomers, refugees -- are now mainly SIFE
  (Students with Interrupted Formal Education).

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Why teach vocabulary before, during and after
students read a content text?

• Vocabulary knowledge correlates with reading
  comprehension.
• Reading comprehension correlates with content
  knowledge.
• Content knowledge correlates with academic
  success.
• Comprehension depends on knowing between 90 and
  95 of the words in a text.
• Knowing words means explicit instruction not just
  exposure.

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FOR TRANSITION or ENGLISH-ONLY PROGRAMS Teachers
must balance comprehensible input with rich
challenging vocabulary and reading in math,
science and social studies in English.
ESL Sheltered Instruction Comprehensible input
Content Rich Challenging Vocabulary And Reading
in Science, Social Studies Math
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SCIENCE

• Science can be very exciting or very dull.
• Science texts need to be carefully parsed so that
  standards are met.
• A variety of texts can be used to learn science.
  Students need to become familiar with ways to
  read those texts and write in that genre.
• Science is ideally suited for Cooperative
  Learning.
• Scientific concepts and processes are highly
  dependent on specific vocabulary.

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• Agreement on the following ideas or themes or
  salient features of science that should be
  taught
• Scientific method and critical testing
• Creativity
• Historical development of scientific knowledge
• Science and questioning
• Diversity of scientific thinking
• Analysis and interpretation of data
• Science and certainty
• Hypothesis and prediction
• Cooperation and collaboration

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Importance of Teaching Vocabulary

• Vocabulary knowledge correlates with reading
  comprehension. Reading comprehension correlates
  with content knowledge. Content knowledge
  correlates with academic success.
• Comprehension depends on knowing between 90 and
  95 of the words in a text.
• An ELL needs explicit instruction and at least 12
  production opportunities to own a word.

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Explicit Instruction STEP 1 SELECT VOCABULARY TO
PRE-TEACH BEFORE PRESENTING CONTENT, TEACHER READ
ALOUD, OR STUDENT READING OF ANY TEXT. STEP
2 TEACH VOCABULARY USING 7 STEPS WITH AMPLE
STUDENT INTERACTION. STEP 3 STUDENTS READ,
DISCUSS, AND WRITE USING NEW VOCABULARY
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Vocabulary Tiers for ELLs

• Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3
• Simple More Content Words
• Words Sophisticated
• run sprinted foreshadow (literature)
• fell stumbled monarchy (history)
• mad rage vacuole (sciences)
• good firmly factor (math)
• run (42) run

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Tier 2 words can also include polysemous words
across academic content areas

• ring
• table
• trunk
• prime
• round

• power
• cell
• right
• radical
• leg

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Tier 2 words that nest academic content.
Transition Words, Connectors, Causation, Time
Sequencing, Predictions. Some examples Cause
Effect -- because, due to, as a result, since,
for this reason, therefore, in order to, so that,
thus Contrast -- or, but, although, however, in
contrast, nevertheless, on the other hand, while
Addition or comparison -- and, also, as well
as, in addition, likewise, moreover, by the way
Giving examples -- for example, for instance,
in particular, such as
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Tier 2 words that nest academic content according
to their function. Passive voice -- is found, is
explored, was shown Tentativeness or modals --
would improve, possibly, might be, would likely
be Word-family relationships -- drama,
dramatic, dramatist, dramatize, and
dramatization Embedded clauses or complex
sentences -- A growing number of studies suggest,
however, that such an increase could have a big
impact on life.
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• Some science words shared with math have
  different technical meanings in the two
  disciplines. For instance in math we find
• divide, density, solution, radical, variable,
  prism, degree, image, radian, simulation,
  experiment

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• When teachers are explaining / presenting a
  lesson, look out for words such as
• sum some
• facts fats
• axis exes

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CognatesTier 1 2

• piano
• educación
• familia
• radio
• cámara
• televisión
• sofisticada

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Cognates in ScienceTier 2 and 3

• hypotheses hipótesis
• observations observaciones
• classification clasificación
• predictions predicciones
• tentative conclusions concluciones tentativas
• evaluate - evaluar

• experiment
• experimento
• experimentation experimentación
• investigation investigación
• inferences
• inferencias
• process
• proceso

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SELECTING WORDS TO PRE-TEACH

• Activity -- Read the text
• Select 2 Tier 1 words
• Select 2 Tier 2 words or clauses
• Select 2 Tier 3 words

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Observations? Questions?
IMPLICATIONS for our text books and instruction
3 Key Concepts So Far 1. 2. 3.
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Teaching Tiers 2 and 3 Words
Geologists/Geologos Sediments/Sedimentos
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1.Geologist

• Geologist
• Sentence- These are all clues geologists use to
  figure out how this breathtaking landscape came
  to be.
• Repeat- Geologist, geologist, geologist!
• Dictionary Definition- A scientist who studies
  the solid parts of Earth such as its rocks.
• Student Friendly Definition- A person who can
  understand and know about our planet the Earth.
• Touch your nose if the word applies-
• Volcanoes!
• Classroom!
• Plants, mountains!
• Prefix? Geologist!

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2.Sediments

• Sediments!
• Sentence- The layers look a bit like a pile of
  sandwiches. Each layer was made from sediments-
  bits of sand, mud, clay, and plant and animal
  remains.
• Repeat- Sediments, sediments, sediments!
• Dictionary Definition- Solid material that
  settles to the ocean floor or other surface.
• Kid-friendly Definition- Dirt, mud that falls
  inside of water.
• Please say the word- sediments if the word
  applies-
• Oceans, clay, dirt!
• Sandwiches, lunchroom, milk!
• Lakes, rocks, hard pressure!
• 7. What type of word is Sediments?

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Consolidation Activity
Create a poster size postcard using the new Tier
2 and 3 vocabulary words. Make sure to use the
Rubric to guide you and work in groups!
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Postcard Rubric
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What is Academic Literacy?

• Includes reading, writing, and oral discourse for
  school
• Varies from subject to subject
• Requires knowledge of multiple genres, purposes
  for text use and text media
• Is influenced by students literacies in contexts
  outside school
• Is influenced by students personal, social, and
  cultural experiences (Short Fitzsimmons,
  2007)

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Before Reading

• Hook the Reader
• Build Background
• Connect with Prior Knowledge
• Pre-teach Vocabulary Implicitly
• Preview Text
• Set Purpose for Reading

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Clues to the Past

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Read Aloud
Why Teacher Read-Alouds in Secondary?
Fluency
MODEL
MODEL
Self-correction
Fix it strategies
Extend comprehension
Teach more words
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During Reading

• Read-Aloud Model and build reading strategies
• Partner Reading Students practice and apply
  strategies
• Coach students
• Help students organize and retain information

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Cause and Effect
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After Reading

• Model summarizing and synthesizing information
• Help organize information and develop reading
  memory
• Students apply text
• Reflect and consolidate knowledge

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Complete the graphic to show the relationship
between vocabulary and academic literacy.
Vocabulary Literacy
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Reading for Domain Knowledge
Without reading comprehension, students cannot
learn math, science, social studies and
literature (NRC Commission on Teacher
Preparation). English language learners (ELLs)
are learning English at the same time they are
studying core content through English. They must
perform double the work of native speakers to
keep up, and at the same time be accountable for
AYP (Carnegie Panel on ELL Literacy).
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New York City Schools, Montgomery County, Alaska,
and others are finding that

• Literacy interventions for native English
  speakers will not work for ELLs. Adolescent ELLs
  generally need much more time focused on
  developing vocabulary and background schema than
  native English speakers do.
• Elementary-level programs do not work for
  adolescents.
• Phonics-only programs do not work.
• They commissioned focused comprehensive programs.

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Interventions and Well-Prepared Teachers

• ESL, reading, special education, bilingual
  teachers who can teach phonics, decoding,
  vocabulary, and reading comprehension along with
  academic language and concepts.
• Mainstream teachers who can build on language,
  reading and writing skills in math, science,
  social studies, and language arts.

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INTEGRATION OF APPROACHES
A C A D E M I C S U B J E C T S
Depth Breadth of WORD KNOWLEDGE
GRAMMAR, SYNTAX, DISCOURSE VOICE
WRITING IN THE DIFFERENT SUBJECT AREAS
RICH LANGUAGE Practice
PHONEMIC, PHONOLOGICAL SEMANTIC AWARENESS
READING COMPREHESION
STUDY SKILLS
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Evidence-based programs that help schools
demonstrate that they are achieving AYP with
English-language learners

• ExC-ELL -- Expediting Comprehension for English
  Language Learners (6th - 12th) -- professional
  development program for mainstream teachers on
  how to integrate language and literacy
  development along with subject matter.
• RIGOR -- Reading Instructional Goals for Older
  Readers (4th - 12th) -- Spanish and English
  curriculum -- lessons, leveled readers, ancillary
  materials, and professional development for ESL,
  dual-language, mainstream teachers.

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A MODEL WHERE ESL SPED AND ELA, MATH, SCIENCE, S
OCIAL STUDIES TEACHERS WORK TOGETHER
Social Studies teachers
ExC-ELL
ExC-ELL
RIGOR
Science teachers
Emerging Literacy and Language teachers
Math teachers
ExC-ELL
ExC-ELL
Language Arts teachers
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Settings for Implementation
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ASSESSING QUALITY INSTRUCTION - VOCABULARY
INDICATORS

• TRAINING EXAMPLE
• Workshops on vocabulary
• Reading and discussing research in TLCs
• Modeling / demos and observations on teaching
  vocabulary to ELLs

• TEACHER TRANSFER EXAMPLE
• Increases own use of vocabulary
• Uses 5-10 strategies to teach daily vocabulary
• Mentors other teachers on the strategies

• STUDENT IMPACT EXAMPLES
• Masters 5-10 Tier 1, 2, 3 words daily
• Uses new words in daily speech, in retells
• Increased reading fluency comprehension
• Uses new words in writing

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Coming in Spring Logitech Digital Pen
Pen Docking Station To store recorded data on
the computer
Camera To record data as the user writes on the
digital paper
Ink Pen To write observations on the digital
paper
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(No Transcript)
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Observation Detail Report
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Teacher and Student Profile Summary Report
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ExC-ELL Observation Protocol (EOP) is used

• By teachers for designing / developing their
  lessons.
• By teachers for self-reflection.
• By teachers for observing and documenting student
  performance.
• By principals and supervisors for observing and
  coaching teachers.
• By coaches to give concrete feedback to teachers.
• By researchers to collect data on teacher and
  student growth and quality of implementation.

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IN SUMMARY Newcomers and Long-Term ELLs Need

• ESL, reading, special education, bilingual
  teachers who can teach phonics, decoding,
  vocabulary, and reading comprehension along with
  academic topics.
• ExC-ELL teachers to build on reading and writing
  skills in math, science, social studies, and
  language arts by integrating oracy and literacy
  into the content areas.
• With tools such as the ExC-ELL OP we can help
  expedite teacher and student success!

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CONTACT INFORMATION Margarita
Calderón Mecalde_at_aol.com [phone]