ELL+Identification

Proposition 227: outlawed Bilingual Education--says it's illegal to teach in any other language than English.must get a waiver signed by all parents in order to use the other language. SDAIE: Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English SDAIE Strategy-- uses any instruction to bridge the language barrier and get the content across to the students. *learn content despite barrier* The parents will fill out a home language survey and if the survey indicates that any language except English is spoken in the home, a language proficiency assessment it performed. Students who score less than 4 are eligible for English language development instruction as part of the ELL program. All students who are eligible are for instructional services from the English Language Learner program will be assessed each spring. Parents are notified in writing when their child first qualifies for ELL services and each year that they continue in the program. Parents will also be notified when their child is “reclassified” and no longer needs ELL program instruction.

Student Behaviors at Each of the 5 Stages:


 * 1. Beginning Stage (<6 months)**
 * May remain silent/active listening
 * Uses gestures to convey a message
 * Yes/No Responses predominantly
 * Gives 1- to 2-word expressions
 * Follows oral directions when modeled
 * Students can progress as quickly as a few weeks but they can be in this stage for up to 1 1/2 years.
 * Even if a student cannot speak the language DOES NOT mean they don't understand.
 * Sometimes it is necessary to help a student by speaking their native language if the translations do not make sense.
 * 2. Early Intermediate (3 months to 1 year)**
 * Speaks simple sentences (limited to simple present and past tense)
 * Students can use and understand simple vocabulary words
 * Irregular verbs are a problem
 * Students are able to repeat events that have taken place (known as the "tattle tale" phase)
 * Responds to an open-ended question
 * Retells events (from personal experience or in stories)
 * Reads basic vocabulary
 * May read simple sentences
 * Frequent grammatical errors in speech (gender, pronouns, and titles are misapplied)
 * 3. Intermediate (2 to 3 years)**
 * Retells events using descriptive vocabulary
 * Summarizes narrative accounts
 * Identifies main ideas
 * Provides details orally
 * Makes comparisons
 * Identifies and defines new vocabulary orally
 * Relies on illustrations for reading context clues
 * Writes simple sentences using high-frequency words
 * 4. Early Advanced (3 to 4 years)**
 * Appears to be orally fluent
 * Begins to use discipline-specific, academic terminology (e.g. math: numerator/denominator)
 * Near grade lever proficiency in academic areas
 * Comprehends grade level texts with assistance
 * Writes fluently with spelling and grammatical errors
 * 5. Advanced (>3 years)**
 * Paraphrases/synthesizes content material
 * Generates discussions
 * Socially comfortable
 * Understands and makes plays on words
 * Reads/writes at grade level
 * Poses higher-order questions
 * Formulates wordplay

This can be tested by having a student read grade level text and asking them to write a synopsis of the text.

Limitations of the Stages
 * students can jump stages
 * students may or may not be at each stage during the time span
 * parents might not be honest on the take home

SDAIE Strategies for the ELL Level 2 Students:

 * Speak slowly and repetition
 * Lots of visuals and realia
 * Context embedded
 * Manipulatives and hands on
 * Limit use of idiom
 * Activate prior knowledge
 * Limit teacher-centered lectures
 * Focus on the meaning, not the form
 * Cooperative learning
 * Graphic organizer
 * Games
 * Media
 * Preview-review
 * Comprehensible input
 * Art
 * Drama
 * Alternative assessment
 * Use gestures and facial expressions
 * TPR (Total physical response)
 * Multicultural activities

Problems with testing ELL students:
1)unequal resources available to ELL students 2)different starting points 3)changing composition of the ELL group 4)inconsistent LEP classification 5) Irrational sanctions under NCLB

Flaws in achievement tests used with ELL students: 1)Norm-references tests (NRT) are typically not normed with ELL students in the norming group 2)lower reliability of items for LEP students 3)language complexity 4)mismatches in native language, language instruction, and language assessment

An alternate assessment approach: 1)use multiple measures, including standardized tests but also classroom-based evidence of student achievement