The California ELD Standards

The following informational video by Sandra Orozco gives an overview of the California English Language Deveopment (ELD) Standards that were adopted in November 2012. It's a great introduction into how the standards are layed out and what the meaning of all of the new proficiency descriptors and color coding means.

Why it Pays to Be Bilingual

Here's an interesting infographic from Voxy.com that shows why being bilingual is an advantage in more ways than giving one an economic edge.


Via: Voxy Blog

Here are some ways that Voxy suggests using this graphic in your class!

Warm-Up Activity

Before handing out the infographic, discuss the following question with your students: What are the advantages of being bilingual?

Speaking & Critical Thinking Practice

Questions to ask your students after presenting the infographic:

1. What is the most surprising fact that you discovered from this infographic?
2. Is the information in this infographic applicable in your own country or society? Give examples.
3. Since beginning your English studies, what perspective have you gained on the advantages of being bilingual? Do you agree with the statement that there are cognitive, monetary and cultural benefits to being bilingual? Why or why not?
4. Today, many people would say that English is the most important language in the world; if English is not your first language, then you should become bilingual in your L1 and English. Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?
5. If you agree with the statement in #4, do you think that another language will ever become more important than English?

Writing Challenge

After reviewing this infographic with your students, have them write an essay or blog post based on the facts from the infographic as well as their own findings. Encourage them to do their own research using the sources listed at the bottom of the infographic.

The California Seal of Biliteracy

Part of motivating our Long-Term English Learner (LTEL) population is helping them to see the value and importance of their primary language. Often times, due to subtractive schooling and other societal pressures, LTELs begin to devalue their primary language, shunning it for English. This can happen at any age, but most often happens in the primary grades, when students begin to realize that they are different and are wanting to fit in.

If we begin to put a higher value on biliteracy - fluent, academic reading, writing, and speaking of another language, in addition to English - students will in turn place a higher value on their primary language. This has multiple benefits. "Academic skills, literacy development, concept
formation, subject knowledge, and learning strategies developed in the first language will
all transfer to the second language" (Collier, 2005). In addition, changing the perception of the primary language for a student can help foster positive associations with their primary language, resulting in a desire to maintain and further their cognitive development in their primary language.

In 2009, Californians Together introduced the Seal of Biliteracy. The following is from their website:

"The Seal of Biliteracy is an award given by a school, school district or county office of education in recognition of students who have studied and attained proficiency in two or more languages by high school graduation. Appearing on the transcript of the graduating senior, the Seal of Biliteracy is a statement of accomplishment for future employers and for college admissions."

The Seal of Biliteracy can help to motivate students to maintain their primary language, to learn a second language, other than English, and can help prepare our students to be competitive in the global economy. In a world where students in most other countries know two or more languages, American students are at a distinct disadvantage. The Seal of Biliteracy not only promotes fluency in two or more languages, but adds prestige and intrinsic value to an English Learner's primary language.

To learn more about the Seal of Biliteracy:

Seal of Biliteracy Information and Implementation Booklet Download - Californians Together

State Seal of Biliteracy - California Department of Education

Long Term English Learners

Long Term English Learners (LTELs)

What is an LTEL?

California Assembly Bill 2193, passed in 2012, defines LTELs as:

• A student in grades 6-12
• Enrolled in U.S. schools for 6+ years
• At the same proficiency level (as determined by the CELDT) for 2 or more years
• Scores at Far Below Basic or Below Basic on the CST, or the Smarter Balanced Assessment

In addition, AB 2193 also defines students "at risk" of becoming LTELs:

• In grades 5-11
• At the Beginning, Early Intermediate, or Intermediate proficiency level (as determined by the CELDT)
• Scores in their 4th year of U.S. schooling at the Far Below Basic or Below Basic on the CST, or the Smarter Balanced Assessment

Unfortunately, AB 2193 does have its flaws. For example, a student that has been in U.S. schools for 5 or more years, but scores at the Below Basic level on state proficiency exams one year, then at the Far Below Basic level the following year cannot be considered an LTEL, according to this definition. We at MUSD do, however, still consider this student to be an LTEL, and they should receive services and interventions appropriate to their needs.

What are the characteristics of an LTEL student?

Reparable Harm, by Laurie Olsen, PhD, gives us a clearly defined set of characteristics that many LTELs exhibit. Not every descriptor applies to each LTEL, but usually, it is more than one descriptor that matches to each student:

• Struggles academically, poor grades, possible grade retention in the past
• Has distinct language learning needs
• High-functioning social language skills
• Weak academic language and gaps in reading and writing, leading them to struggle in all content areas
• "Stuck" at the intermediate level of proficiency
• Non-engagement - learned habits of passivity and invisibility in school
• Wants to go to college - but unrealistic views of academic preparation
• Significant gaps in academic background knowledge
• Discouraged learners, at high risk of dropping out

How does a student go from being an English Learner to an LTEL?

There are a variety of reasons that a student may not have been able to reclassify within 5 years. Again, Reparable Harm gives us several reasons why this may have occurred:

• Received no language development program
• Elementary curriculum and materials were not designed for English Language Learners
• Weak language development program models
• Inconsistent programs, migrant family, the "Ping Pong Syndrome"
• A narrowed curriculum and partial access to the curriculum
• Social segregation, linguistic isolation
• Transnational schooling

What can we do to help LTELs in our classrooms?

This question has many answers, but none of them encompass a "one size fits all" approach (in education, there rarely is one). Depending on the distinct academic and social-emotional needs of each of our LTELs, we can find appropriate interventions and strategies to help them find success.

Use appropriate and effective curriculum designed for LTEL students

• English 3D
• EL Achieve's Systematic ELD and Constructing Meaning (CM)
• LAUSD's LTEL Course Framework and Resources

Foster Resiliency - Grit - Growth Mindset

• Building Resiliency in Students - Richard Sagor (1996)
• Resilience and Grit: Resource Roundup - Edutopia
• TED Talk: The key to success? Grit - Angela Lee Duckworth
• What is Mindset? - Carol Dweck

Build Positive Relationships and Community

• Building Classroom Community and Respect For Others, Pinterest Board - Carol Camp
• Hearts and Minds, Educational Leadership - Steven Wolk
• 10 Team Building Games for the First Day of Class - TeachThought

From the April MUSD EL Newsletter

Integrating ELD Standards, Common Core Standards for Literacy  

Mathematics, and Science

Using the STEAM Building Background Knowledge

Lesson Framework

The goal of STEAM is to promote high-quality, integrated Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics instruction in Santa Clara County by supporting teachers and administrators. The STEAM team provides professional development in science, mathematics, literacy, engineering and the arts. On-site assistance is available focusing on program implementation, teaching strategies and support with the integration of STEAM content areas and the infusion of technology to bring context and real-world to the classroom.

Using the Building Background Knowledge lesson framework provides engaging, integrated experiences with any subject. These lessons are content rich and support academic language development for all students, addressing ELD Standards, Science Standards, and Common Core Standards for Literacy and Mathematics. They also provide students with more content knowledge so they can comprehend information written at a high Lexile Level. knowledge in real-world settings and builds 21st Century Skills such as:

o Critical Thinking

o Communication

o Collaboration

o Creativity

     Building Background Knowledge  (BBK)

Instructional Routine

                     

Step 1: Mystery Text or Other Hook

Choose a relevant brief text, poem, political cartoon, mystery graph, photograph, or song. Students look and discuss together. What do they think this is about? What do they notice? Etc. Ask at the end for guesses. Tell students the topic. They share in small groups what they already know. Brief report out to whole group.

Step 2: Silent Gallery
Artfully arrange a variety of artifacts such as photographs, timelines, quotes, titles, brief pieces of text, graphs and  charts, cartoons, etc. for the gallery walk. Students walk and take notes on what they notice and wonder. All silent. Then, back at the group, discuss their notes, ideas and questions.

Step 3: Common Texts
Everyone reads the same text that is provocative or provides important background information at this point in the process. The text may answer questions that have arisen from the previous steps and their small group discussions. Ask students to text code for important information. Remind them of the Guiding Questions and Learning Targets for the BBK.

Step 4: Expert Texts
Present articles or texts (still brief). Each member of the group reads a different text and becomes “expert” on it (Jigsaw). The texts may be a rich narrative that offers multiple perspectives, such as brief biographies, and could also be different formats or media. Again, students should text code and prepare what they are going to report to their group.

Step 5: Carousel/Group Charts/Summarize Learning Each group hangs their chart and everyone carousels around to read. Possible questions to ask: Did groups have similar  or different perspectives or gather different information? Each small group ends by adding any additional information and questions. Individuals then have a chance to record their own learning and questions. Finish with review of Learning Targets or debrief process.

Functional Language

English Learner students have two jobs in your class. First of all, they need to learn your content. Simultaneously, they also need to acquire the language and vocabulary needed to express their thoughts, ideas, and new content knowledge. We can't expect students to be able to delve deeper into the content, as is expected in the Common Core State Standards, until they can access the content at this most basic level.

How are you helping make your content more accessible through language supports?

One strategy for making content more accessible is by offering the functional language students need in order to process your content, through sentence frames.

Here's an example from EL Achieve's Student Flipbook. The flipbooks have language frames for Cause and Effect, Compare and Contrast, Explain and Describe, Proposition and Support, and for Sequence.

This is portable, generic academic language that can be used for all content areas. By providing and using supports like this in your content area class, students will gain practice with high leverage, functional language that can be used across the content areas. Providing these frames can help students to clearly express their ideas, both in written form, but perhaps even more importantly for ELs, orally!

There are many places in your lesson plan that these frames can come in handy. Information can be presented through the use of the frames. The teacher can model the frame in use.

Students can use the frames during oral language practice and structured peer interactions. Increased student talk time should be a goal for all teachers while transitioning to Common Core.

Sentence frames can be used to facilitate note taking and interactive reading. They can be used to help with comprehension of complex texts. They can be scaffolded to gradually increase student independence.

They can be used extensively when creating academic writing supports for students. You can create genre-specific writing templates to assist students in writing in the language of your discipline with confidence and support.

Can you think of other ways that functional language sentence frames can assist you in the classroom? Share in the comments!

LTELs and California Assembly Bill 2193

AB 2193 was passed in 2012. This bill defines our Long Term English Learners (LTELs). However, this criteria is not all-inclusive. Here's a breakdown of the basic criteria in this bill which defines an LTEL:

• In grades 6-12 
• 6+ years in US 
• At the same proficiency level for two or more consecutive years 
• At Far Below Basic or Below Basic on the CST, or any successor test 

Students "At Risk" of becoming LTELs are defined as:

• In grades 5-11 
• At the Beginning, Early Intermediate or Intermediate level on CELDT 
• Scores in the 4th year at Far Below Basic or Below Basic on the CST, or any successor test 

Some of our students, though defined as our district as LTELs, are not defined by this bill as such. For example, a student that is at Intermediate one year and the next year goes to Below Basic, then the next year goes back up to Intermediate, is are not defined at an LTEL by this bill, although they have been in U.S. schools for more than 5 years.

What does being an LTEL mean for your students? LTEL students have needs that are very different from your other EL students. According to Dr. Kate Kinsella on the English 3D Website, LTELs:

• Have lived most or all of their lives in the United States 
• Are often orally bilingual and sound like native English speakers do not have well-developed academic literacy skills in English 
• Often have developed habits of non-engagement, learned passivity, and invisibility in school 
• Perform below grade level in reading and writing and, as a result, struggle in all content areas 
• Have overall school performance is low, with poor grades and grade retention commonplace, making this population at high risk for dropping out 

How are we serving the unique and pressing needs of our LTEL population? When designing your lessons, are you ensuring that you have included a language objective that helps all students, especially your LTELs, move towards language proficiency? Do you know who the LTELs in your classroom are?

Assembly Bill No. 2193 

CHAPTER 427 

An act to add Sections 313.1 and 313.2 to the Education Code, relating to English learners.

[ Approved by Governor September 21, 2012. Filed with Secretary of State September 21, 2012. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2193, Lara. Long-term English learners.

Existing law requires each school district that has one or more pupils who are English learners, and, to the extent required by federal law, a county office of education and a charter school, to assess the English language development of each of those pupils in order to determine the pupil’s level of proficiency. Existing law requires the State Department of Education, with the approval of the State Board of Education, to establish procedures for conducting the assessment and for the reclassification of a pupil from English learner to English proficient.

This bill would define “long-term English learner” and “English learner at risk of becoming a long-term English learner” and would require the department to annually ascertain and provide to school districts and schools the number of pupils in each school district and school, as specified, who are, or are at risk of becoming, long-term English learners.

BILL TEXT

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1.

Section 313.1 is added to the Education Code, to read:

313.1.

For purposes of this article, the following terms have the following meanings:

(a) “Long-term English learner” means an English learner who is enrolled in any of grades 6 to 12, inclusive, has been enrolled in schools in the United States for more than six years, has remained at the same English language proficiency level for two or more consecutive years as determined by the English language development test identified or developed pursuant to Section 60810, or any successor test, and scores far below basic or below basic on the English language arts standards-based achievement test administered pursuant to Section 60640, or any successor test.

(b) “English learner at risk of becoming a long-term English learner” means an English learner who is enrolled in any of grades 5 to 11, inclusive, in schools in the United States for four years, scores at the intermediate level or below on the English language development test identified or developed pursuant to Section 60810, or any successor test, and scores in the fourth year at the below basic or far below basic level on the English language arts standards-based achievement test administered pursuant to Section 60640, or any successor test.

SEC. 2.

Section 313.2 is added to the Education Code, to read:

313.2.

(a) The department shall annually ascertain the number of pupils in each school district and school, including a school that is within the jurisdiction of a county office of education and a charter school, who are, or are at risk of becoming, long-term English learners, as those terms are defined in Section 313.1.

(b) The department shall annually provide the information described in subdivision (a) to school districts and schools.