English Language Learners (ELLs) are the fastest growing sub-population in U.S. schools. This trend is also happening here in Willard as our ESL program has more than doubled in size since the fall of 2008. Whether you currently have ELLs in your classroom or not, we hope these strategies for Instruction, Homework, Assignments, Quizzes, Tests, and Grading will be helpful to you as you strive to meet the needs of diverse learners in your current or future classrooms.
Instruction, Homework, and Assignments
On the Teachers page of our website, you can find two documents:
Essential Tips for K-12 Mainstream Teachers
and
A Few Myths About ELL Students
This is a good starting place for differentiating for ELLs in your classroom. You can access the teachers page by clicking on the Teachers tab above or by clicking here.
Another resource that may be useful to you is our ELL Individual Language Plan.
The plan lists modifications and accommodations that are useful for the instruction of ELLs. Every ESL student has one of these plans filled out specifically for them. A blank copy of the plan is available below.
Instruction, Homework, and Assignments
On the Teachers page of our website, you can find two documents:
Essential Tips for K-12 Mainstream Teachers
and
A Few Myths About ELL Students
This is a good starting place for differentiating for ELLs in your classroom. You can access the teachers page by clicking on the Teachers tab above or by clicking here.
Another resource that may be useful to you is our ELL Individual Language Plan.
The plan lists modifications and accommodations that are useful for the instruction of ELLs. Every ESL student has one of these plans filled out specifically for them. A blank copy of the plan is available below.
ell_individual_language_plan.docx |
Note: If you have ESL students in your classroom this year, please take some time to go through the ESL Training Course that has been created from last year's district professional development presentations. There are separate sections for Elementary and Secondary teachers. You can access the training course here.
Quizzes and Tests
There are two main ways to differentiate for ELLs on quizzes and tests:
Change the way the student takes the test
or
Change the test itself for the student
There are two main ways to differentiate for ELLs on quizzes and tests:
Change the way the student takes the test
or
Change the test itself for the student
Changing the way the student takes the test can include any of the following: -Allow students to use electronic translators and/or picture dictionaries -Have students answer fewer test questions (2/3, 1/2, or 1/3 of the questions, depending on proficiency level of the student) -Read directions aloud to the student and check for comprehension -Allow student to respond orally to questions or provide a scribe for writing tasks -Have student test individually or in a small group -Give the student extra time to complete the test and consider testing over multiple days or breaking the test into more manageable chunks -Read test aloud to student -Allow student to use their textbook and/or notes/study guides on the test | Changing the test itself for the student can include any of the following: -Eliminate one or more answer choices on multiple choice questions -Let students draw and label diagrams and pictures, or write a shorter response (based on their proficiency level) on short answer and essay questions -Provide a word bank and/or graphic organizer with sentence starters for writing tasks -Reduce the number of matching options, give an equal number of possibilities in each column, and eliminate "trick" language matches for matching questions -Accept one word answers and phrases in place of complete sentences, or less sentences on short answer questions (depending on proficiency level) -Eliminate or clarify "tricky" language on true/false questions -Provide two or three options for fill in the blank questions (make the answer multiple choice), or provide a word bank -Change the way questions are worded so it's clearer and less complex (the focus is on assessing content knowledge, not language, so make the language easier to understand) |
Grading
In general, students should be graded on what they can do at their proficiency level. It is not acceptable to penalize an ESL student for their limited language abilities on content area assessments. Here are some suggestions for modifying grades for ELLs:
-Grade only the items completed by the ELL (don't count off points for answers left blank)
-Grade only half the number of items that would be completed by the mainstream students
-Accept a picture or description rather than a specific word as an answer for fill in the blank
-Count and grade the process rather than only the product (especially in math, science, and
communication arts)
-Grade homework and include it as part of the final assessment grade
-Grade labs and include them in determining an assessment (science, foreign languages)
-Use rubrics based on their proficiency level (ESL teachers have a writing rubric from WIDA you
can use)
In general, students should be graded on what they can do at their proficiency level. It is not acceptable to penalize an ESL student for their limited language abilities on content area assessments. Here are some suggestions for modifying grades for ELLs:
-Grade only the items completed by the ELL (don't count off points for answers left blank)
-Grade only half the number of items that would be completed by the mainstream students
-Accept a picture or description rather than a specific word as an answer for fill in the blank
-Count and grade the process rather than only the product (especially in math, science, and
communication arts)
-Grade homework and include it as part of the final assessment grade
-Grade labs and include them in determining an assessment (science, foreign languages)
-Use rubrics based on their proficiency level (ESL teachers have a writing rubric from WIDA you
can use)
ESL Teachers
As always, feel free to contact your building's ESL teacher if you have further questions. We want to be a resource for you, and we would be glad to provide input or brainstorm with you about your specific classroom situations.
(Many of these suggestions come from our own professional development and ESL training and the Internet TESL Journal, Volume XIV, No.2. You can access the entire journal article at
http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Fregeau-AssessingELLs.html)
As always, feel free to contact your building's ESL teacher if you have further questions. We want to be a resource for you, and we would be glad to provide input or brainstorm with you about your specific classroom situations.
(Many of these suggestions come from our own professional development and ESL training and the Internet TESL Journal, Volume XIV, No.2. You can access the entire journal article at
http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Fregeau-AssessingELLs.html)