Can Do Descriptors

It is essential to understand English language learners’ needs because ELL students face the combined challenge of learning all the academic content as other students, while also learning the language of instruction. With the rapid growth in the size of the ELL student population in the U.S., teachers who are effective recognizes ELL students unique academic needs, unique background experience, culture, language, personality, interests and attitudes toward learning for the purpose to adjust, or differentiate, their instruction to meet students’ needs.

The authors of the article explained how important it is to meet the needs of the students with limited English ability in the education system. One of the main point expresses about how frustrating it could be for these students, especially if they were never expose to this sort of environment or language before. Another point that was made in the article, explains how the educational system was not prepared for changes in this sort of population. In most cases, some of the curriculum that is being offered in school cannot be changed to accommodate English Limited Learners, also known as ELLs. Budget is also another issue, as schools are limited to hiring more ELL teachers.

Hence, it is implied that the common core is just as effective as the teacher that is teaching it to their students. And, “preparing ELs to meet the Common Core standards must become a shared responsibility among all educators, including teachers of “mainstream” English language arts, as well as those in other content areas” (Bunch, G. C., Kibler, A., & Pimentel, S. (2012). Some educators, are “insufficiently equipped to teach ELs effectively could be that developing ELs’ language skills have traditionally been viewed as the responsibility of ESL teachers” (Bunch, G. C., Kibler, A., & Pimentel, S. (2012)). Because there has been an influx of ELL students in the main stream classroom, teachers are finding it more difficult to find an alternative and effective instruction for the ELL students in the classroom. Therefore, schools should provide, “teacher preparation and professional development programs that will be designed to support the deeper content, performance and language demands expected of students” (Santos, Darling-Hammond, Cheuk (2012)). By providing teachers with this CCS preparation, teachers will have a better understanding on how to approach ELL students in improving their oral language. And providing ELL students with “the language demands

1.4 Identify when and how to combine and merge information from other software and documents.

• Test scores comparing ELL students and native speakers of English as well as number of ELL students identified as requiring special education services

All these strategies gives all students an equal opportunity to practice English, participation and involvement. ELLs students when it’s time to read or participate in class they may be reluctant to speak because of their lack of proficiency in English or feel uncomfortable in an environment where they have to share their ideas. ESL teachers must provide a positive and supportive environment that offers significant influence on student comfort level, success and participation that requiring ELLs to use the language in front of class without force them

Selecting materials relevant to ELL’s experience or culture; strategically using students’ first languages to make the content delivered in a second language more comprehensible teaching word learning strategies that build on first language knowledge such as using cognates; and frequently using partner talk to give low-English-proficient students more opportunities to talk with more English-proficient

ELL continue to rise year after year. In EDUC 628, the class delved into the rise of ELL in America and how the best teaching methods to approach each learner with. Every ELL student is unique and has different learning process. Although the semester covered a wide variety of topics ranging from dialects to teaching methods, every module served its purpose in providing a framework for future ELL teachers. Learning about how to teach ELL was significant to me because when I first entered the school system in America, I was placed into ESL and I have gone through the process of many of these teaching methods. EDUC 628 main focus was preparing students whose goal in the future was to educate ELL. The articles and readings assigned in the class provided a funds of knowledge going into each new lesson. Coupled with the readings, hands on activities such as the mini lessons and designing lesson plans provided each student with experience that will reflect on their teaching abilities in the classroom. In my paper, I will be provided a step by step synthesis of what was learned and accomplished every week along with a brief summary of the readings. I will probe deeper into the modules and lessons that piqued my interest the most and that also challenge my mindset.

3). Some ELL students may start school without any English language skills, while others may have “limited language proficiency or dual language deficiency in both their native language and English” (p. 3). Just as native English speakers, ELL students also have different levels of intellectual abilities; however, their struggle with school in English may be related to background knowledge and not solely on intellectual abilities (Short & Echevarria, 2004). Samson and Collins (2012), purposes if school districts, administrations, and teachers want to see improvements in achievement for ELLs, “greater continuity in how general education teachers are prepared by teacher-education programs, certified by states and evaluated by local education agencies, or LEAs, is essential. By making sure that the special needs of ELLs are addressed at multiple stages of the teacher preparation process, schools may gain higher quality

This is a good starting point to help teachers distinguish between a true learning disability and learning English as a second language. If an ELL has a real learning disability then early detection is essential. However, if an ELL does have a learning disorder and does not receive special education for many years, because teachers were waiting for he or she to learn the language, serious consequences could happen (Haung, Clarke, Milczarski, Raby, 2011). Students could be grade levels behind their peers and could suffer emotionally and socially in and out of school. Some ELLs may be able to speak in their native language, but they may not be able to read and write in it. Finally, teachers also have to pay very close attention to ELLs. Each ELL has had a different set of experiences and ranges of educational exposure (Haung, Clarke, Milczarski, Raby, 2011). Teachers must push for appropriate professional development for teachers working with ELLs. Teachers are more prepared to deliver appropriate assessment and instructional modifications to ELLs with disabilities when they have been given appropriate professional development (Haung, Clarke, Milczarski, Raby, 2011).

The fact that ELL student’s are given the exact same educational services provided to native English speaker, seem to be very unfair for the ELL student’s and instead of helping the ELL students to succeed academically we are preventing them from succeeding in their classes. When I was reading this section I couldn’t stop thinking about the video that we saw in class, the student was very smart but the fact that he couldn’t understand the material being taught, this was preventing him from showing how brilliant and smart he is. Just imagine how many brilliant ELL students can’t succeed in class because they don’t understand the language of the instruction.

The way sheltered instruction is being taught is by teachers is by using clear, direct, simple English and a wide range of scaffolding strategies to communicate meaningful input in the content area to students. Including learning activities that content new content with prior knowledge among students, an example can be ELL students working with native English speakers in groups while adapting to suit their English learning proficiency level. Sheltered Instruction can be found in classes such as dual language programs, new comers program, transitional bilingual education, developmental bilingual education and English as a second language (ESL). Sheltered Instruction classes includes ELLs only or a class where both native English speakers

The mere reference to the label given to students acquiring the English language potentially sparks debate amongst educators, policy makers and researchers. The federal government refers to these students as Limited English Proficient (LEP) students. This identification references the deficiencies the student may have rather than to identify the diversity and gifts that the student may possess. Such labels set premature limitations of the student and predisposes the student to limited rigor in instruction. Educators and researchers reference the same subgroup of students as ELLs, establishing the understanding that with sufficient support, increased rigor and cultural understanding, students will succeed.

One easily identified feature in the Sikh temple was the way alter was set up with special lights and decoration. I have seen this sort of set up in many Indian movies, and also in Hindu temples. The Hindu temples have pretty much the same style for the temple alter but the only difference is instead of Sikh holy book we have statues of Gods instead. The second identifiable feature was the Kara Parshad given at the end of the service. This is very important part to visitors visiting the Sikh temple as very one waited patiently for their turn to get the kara parshad and in Hindu temple the parshad is also offered at the end of prayers as well. The other identifiable feature was the pictures of

ESL students are students that speak English as a second language. Presently, there is many different system to characterize this type of students (qtd in Shi, Steen 63). For example, they can be seen as “English Language Learners (ELL), English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), English Language Development (ELD), English Language Service (ELS), and