comp exam 1

Running head: How Classroom Environment and Curriculum Impact 1
How Classroom Environment and Curriculum Impact Intermediate Elementary ESOL Students:
Modifications, Assessments and Resources to Support their Progress
University of South Florida

It’s the first day of school and among your 28 third-graders are five ESOL children, only one of
whom is bilingual. Describe how you would modify the classroom environment and the
curriculum for these students. Where would you look to find resources to support your efforts to
help these ESOL children, and in what ways could you assess their progress?

Abstract
English for Speakers of other Languages (ESOL) is a term used to identify students who speak
another language but lack knowledge of the English language. Washburn (2008) states in his
article: “It is imperative that all teachers think carefully about how they support and supplement
second language development” (p. 250). This paper explores ways for educators to accomplish
this. This paper also provides strategies in which teachers can apply to aide in the struggle
English language learners (ELLs) endure and how educators can modify their learning
environment and instruction to ease some of the struggles. This paper focuses primarily on
intermediate elementary school children. It also includes various ways to accurately assess ESOL
students, since it can be difficult to identify valid results due to language barriers. Additionally,
this paper includes valuable resources for educators of ESOL students to utilize in the classroom.
It includes research-based methods and strategies that can positively impact English language
learners’ education.

How Classroom Environment and Curriculum Impact Intermediate Elementary ESOL Students:
Modifications, Assessments and Resources to Support their Progress
Introduction
Today, educators face many challenges as they attempt to find successful ways to
accommodate and assess the growing diverse population of students immigrating into the school
systems. Many of these students come from other countries where English is not spoken. As a
result, students enter a predominately English-speaking, American classroom with no knowledge
of the English language or American culture. They speak only their first language at home, but
are immediately immersed into the English language at school and forced to cope and
comprehend. These students are identified as “ESOL” (English for Speakers of Other
Languages), or “ELL” (English Language Learners). According to the U.S. Department of
Education (2003), 43% of the teachers in the United States had at least one English Language
Learner in their classroom in 2002, and it is estimated that by the year 2030, 40% of the school
population will speak English as a second language (as cited in Orosco & Klingner, 2010).
Accordingly, it is important for teachers to identify new strategies and methods to support
English language learners. Educators are responsible for attaining increased proficiency in
cultural awareness and planning methods to be certain that students of all ethnic and linguistic
backgrounds can obtain an equal education. How can teachers achieve this goal?
The following research and information develops a possible plan for modifying the
classroom environment, curriculum, and assessment methods for third-grade ESOL children in
the various stages of language acquisition. The plan consists of modifications the teacher can
adjust in order to provide support to the classroom environment and instruction for ESOL
students on the first day of school and following. The adjustments include: “sheltered

instruction” components, interactive strategies, comprehensible input, modeling, speech
adjustment, comprehension checks, and contextualization. The plan for aiding ESOL students
also consists of modifications that the teacher can apply to the intermediate elementary
curriculum, including scaffolding, activating background knowledge, organizing instruction
around thematic units and utilizing cognates. Additionally, the plan includes modifications for
assessment practices that benefit the ESOL students, including the use of pretests, performance
sampling, drawings, discussions, journals and portfolios. Additionally, resources are listed to
support this plan.
Before modifying the curriculum or classroom atmosphere, the teacher must first be
aware and understand the stages of language acquisition in order to fulfill the needs of each
ESOL student. Since there is one student in the given prompt that is bilingual (and assuming the
other ESOL students are not), the educator needs to be aware of all of the stages of language
acquisition, from the preproduction stage to the last two stages where ESOL students are nearly
bilingual. According to Eby, Herrell, and Jordan (2009), “In order to teach effectively, teachers
must understand how language is acquired and know how to adjust their assessment, curriculum,
and planning to take advantage of the multiple language-centered perspectives contained within
almost every classroom” (p. 106).
Stages of Language Acquisition for ESOL Students
Preproduction
The first stage of language acquisition is often called the preproduction stage, or “silent
period” (Hill & Flynn, 2006). ESOL students in this stage rarely speak because they are focusing
on absorbing as many sounds and meanings from the new language as they can. This stage
normally lasts from zero to six months (Hill & Flynn, 2006). In this stage, teachers can
communicate with students by pointing, circling or asking questions that elicit one simple

answer. Students may also answer questions by nodding or shaking their heads. Much of the
time, language learners in this stage feel anxious or nervous when asked to speak (Diaz-Rico &
Weed, 2006), so teachers must be sensitive to this issue.
Early Production
The second stage of language acquisition in which educators of ESOL students should be
aware of is frequently referred to as the early production stage. This stage usually lasts for the
next six months or year. Students at this stage can use names, labels, lists and repetitive language
models (Hill & Flynn, 2006). Teachers may use simple prompts when trying to communicate
with students in this stage, such as yes or no questions, either/or questions, and questions that
elicit one or two word responses. Students at this stage use mainly present-tense verbs to
communicate (Hill & Flynn, 2006).
Speech Emergence
This stage lasts the next one to three years (Hill & Flynn, 2006). Students have gained
good comprehension skills at this stage (Hill & Flynn, 2006) and start to speak more freely (Diaz
& Weed, 2006). Students are also able to use simple phrases and sentences (Hill & Flynn, 2006),
but they still make errors in grammar and pronunciation (Hill & Flynn, 2006). Teachers can
prompt students in this stage by asking students to further explain a concept or ask questions that
elicit short-sentence responses (Hill & Flynn, 2006).
Intermediate Fluency
At this stage, which lasts for the next three to five years, students have excellent
comprehension skills and make few errors (Diaz-Rico & Weed, 2006). They instigate their own
conversations with others and can easily continue the conversation (Diaz-Rico & Weed, 2006).
Much of the time, English language learners in this stage can recognize their own errors and

correct them (Diaz-Rico & Weed, 2006). Teachers can ask questions that elicit longer and more
complex responses at this stage (Hill & Flynn, 2006).
Advanced Fluency
For the last five to seven years of language acquisition, ELLs are in this stage (Hill &
Flynn, 2006). At this point, students are close to sounding like English natives. They have strong
pronunciation, fluency and grammar. Teachers can ask students in this stage to summarize or
retell stories and answer questions that elicit high levels of critical thinking (Hill & Flynn, 2006).
Responding to Each Stage
It is very helpful for educators to understand the five stages of acquisition, so they can
modify the way they communicate and prompt their students correctly during instruction. These
types of prompts or questions during the different stages of language acquisition based on the
ELL are called “leveled questions” (Eby, Herrell & Jordan, 2009) and would be beneficial to use
with the five ESOL students described. Eby et al. (2009) suggests that “the teacher asks the
questions in a way that encourages each student to answer by pointing to a visual or giving a
one-word response, complete sentence, or explanation depending on the level of language
acquisition” (p. 109). In order to use “leveled questions,” the teacher needs to carefully observe
each of the English language learners to determine what stage of language acquisition they are
in, so that they can use the appropriate level of questioning (Eby et al., 2009). Knowing how to
communicate with ESOL students is an important part of creating a supportive learning
environment.
Modifying the Classroom Environment for English Language Learners
Teachers are expected to provide a safe and comfortable learning environment for all
students while at school. This is especially true for elementary children, since they are still very
vulnerable and sensitive to environmental factors. There are many ways a teacher can create a

supportive learning environment for his or her students. When it comes to ESOL students,
educators may need to take extra time to really understand the needs and feelings that need to be
accommodated.
Orosco and Klingner (2010) state, “Educators should become familiar with the beliefs,
values and cultural and linguistic practices of their diverse students so that they can support their
learning in positive ways” (p. 272). By meeting students’ emotional needs, teachers can promote
a safe and loving learning environment where students are liberated to learn.
The First Day of School
An English language learner’s first day of school has the potential to be traumatizing, and
there are many ways to reduce the anxiety that ESOL students might feel in their first days and
weeks in a new environment. According to Washburn (2008) “Students of all ages need to feel
they belong, have a place, and know their environment” (p.249).
Teachers need to attempt to ease the minds of English language learners as they adapt.
According to Washburn (2008), teachers should make sure ELLs know important places
throughout the school (such as the cafeteria, restrooms and the library). They should also make
sure the ESOL students can read and understand their class schedules, how the schedules change
throughout the week, their teachers’ names, and so on (Washburn, 2008). Teachers should make
sure to know their ESOL student’s name and be able to say it correctly (Washburn, 2008). ELL
students should also be assigned a buddy or partner for the first weeks of class, until they are
comfortable and familiar with the procedures of the school day (Washburn, 2008). It is even
better to partner the new student with another student who is also an English language learner,
who perhaps has already experienced the same stress as the new student. Teachers should also
place ESOL students in groups or teams with other students during class activities, so that they
have opportunities to find friends that are well-matched for them (Washburn, 2008).

Sometimes educators forget that English language learners have not only come from a
place where the language is different, but also the culture. The rules and expectations of one
culture may be very different from the American culture, and it is the teacher’s job to
communicate these norms to the ESOL students. According to Dailey (2009) teachers need to
make English language learners are aware of “…cultural elements related to success in the…
English classroom….teachers should help ELLs learn to process, prioritize and organize
information according to the norms and logic of English” (p. 129). By doing this, teachers will
reduce the likelihood of an ELL feeling embarrassed or confused as he or she adapts to the new
culture.
Additionally, ELLs can share an interesting piece of information from their culture with
the class, such as how to say a common greeting in their native language (Washburn, 2008). This
creates a sense of confidence for the ELL student, while also giving the English-speaking peers a
chance to see what it’s like to learn another language (Washburn, 2008).
Provide a Supportive Learning Environment
Specially designed academic instruction in English.
Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE), also known as “Sheltered
Instruction,” creates a comfortable and supportive atmosphere for ELLs. Diaz-Rico and Weed
(2006) define SDAIE as “…an approach used in multilinguistic content classrooms to provide
language support to students while they are learning academic subjects, rather than expecting
them to ‘sink or swim’ in a content class designed for native-English speakers” (p. 103).
According to Weinstein and Mignano (2007) the model of SDAIE contains five components: “…
the teachers’ attitude, content, comprehensibility, connections, and interaction” (p. 409).
A teacher’s attitude is very important to any student’s success in the classroom. The
attitude of a teacher should reflect an openness to cultural differences and empathy for the

students who may be feeling alone and anxious. Diaz-Rico and Weed (2006) state that teachers
should “…believe that all students can learn…they do not assume that because a student does not
speak English he or she is incapable of learning” (p. 105). Teachers should be as accepting of
new cultures and beliefs as are the ELL students who are new to the American culture (Diaz-
Rico & Weed, 2006).
When referring to content, teachers need to be ready to modify instruction and curriculum
with language in mind (Weinstein & Mignano, 2007). Instruction must also help ESOL students
to comprehend the materials successfully (Weinstein & Mignano, 2007). Creating connections in
the classroom are extremely important for helping students to link prior experiences to the
instructional content (Weinstein & Mignano, 2007). Finally, interaction means that ELLs should
have numerous opportunities to interact with their peers so they can view information from
different perspectives, and so English-speaking peers can help to explain concepts in their native
language (Weinstein & Mignano, 2007). These five important facets of sheltered instruction will
support ESOL students and help them to be successful in the classroom.
Interactive learning and involvement.
Teachers should modify the learning environment and reduce anxiety of ESOL students
by allowing opportunities to verbally interact with their peers and use hands-on materials (Eby et
al., 2009). By using hands-on materials, students are able to interact with the content being
learned about, which leads to increased understanding.
When conversing with peers over the content, ELLs have a chance to hear different
perspectives, practice their English in a non-threatening setting, develop positive self-esteem and
expand their vocabularies. According to Eby et al. (2009):
Activities that provide students with opportunities to work in small groups on a project
that requires use of new skills and problem-solving strategies also require the students to

engage in verbal interactions, contextualize the language they are using, and generally
serve to reduce anxiety. (p. 111)
Interactive peer groups are vital for building a strong social environment for English
language learners. By providing time for interactive peer groups, all students feel a sense of
community (Eby et al., 2009), which leads to feelings of belonging and safety. Johnson and
Johnson (1993) state, “Working together in a group as part of a team causes students to promote
more differentiated, dynamic, and realistic views…of other students…than do competitive and
individualistic learning experiences” (as cited in Eby et al., 2009, p. 111). Additionally, by
becoming familiar with other students in peer groups, stereotypes and misconceptions about their
cultures are reduced or eliminated.
Comprehensible input.
Increasing comprehensible input is one way a teacher can provide a supportive learning
environment for English language learners. Comprehensible input means making classroom
instruction more comprehensible to English language learners by supplementing it with hand
gestures, graphs, charts, real objects, pictures, and so on (Eby et al., 2009). Showing examples
and non-examples can also be very helpful to English language learners. “Showing instead of
telling” (Eby et al., 2009) is a good rule of thumb to think about when modifying instruction so
that it is easily understood by ELLs.
Modeling.
Modeling is another method teachers can use to supplement their instruction and create a
supportive learning environment for English language learners. According to Diaz-Rico and
Weed (2006) modeling involves “…demonstrating new concepts [that provide] hands-on, show-
and-tell explanations in which students follow a careful sequence of steps to understand a

process” (p. 115). The students follow and imitate the steps at their desk, and as a result, gain a
deeper understanding of the material without having to use linguistic skills.
Speech adjustment.
Another way the teacher can modify the environment for ELLs is by adjusting or
reducing verbal instruction. Teachers should be aware of ways to modify the manner in which
they instruct students according to different proficiency levels (Diaz-Rico & Weed, 2006, p.
115). Teachers can modify their speech by slowing it down and clearly articulating each word.
As a result, ESOL students have a chance to process the words they are hearing (Diaz-Rico &
Weed, 2006, p. 115). Teachers should also use simpler, shorter sentences, more concrete
vocabulary, longer pauses between words and sentences, exaggerated intonation and repetition of
important words and phrases (Diaz-Rico & Weed, 2006, p. 115) to improve instruction for
English language learners.
Comprehension checks.
Comprehension checks are a way for teachers to frequently monitor students’ listening
and reading comprehension (Diaz-Rico & Weed, 2006) and is an important method for
modifying the learning environment for ELLs. Comprehension checks let teachers know when
an English language learner is lost in the lesson so he or she can find ways to adjust his or her
teaching methods. Some ways to monitor comprehension while teaching include: asking students
to give thumbs up or down if they understand, raise their hands, use head movements, and point
(Diaz-Rico & Weed, 2006). English language learners who are still in the “silent period” benefit
from knowing nonverbal movements to communicate to the teacher. Students who can speak
English may demonstrate their comprehension by paraphrasing information from the lesson to a
partner. When comprehension is not occurring, teachers need to repeat or rephrase the
information in a different way (Diaz-Rico & Weed, 2006).

Contextualization.
An educator can adjust the learning environment for ESOL students by adding context to
the instruction. According to Eby et al. (2009) “One of the biggest factors in a student’s ability to
comprehend language is how well that language is supported by context” (p. 111). When a
teacher provides directions, instructions or assignments, he or she should be aware of the way
they are explaining what is expected. Adding context to the given instructions by utilizing
gestures, visuals and modeling helps English language learners make sense of the teacher’s
instructions (Eby, et al., 2009). Additionally, teachers can use media, write key words on the
board, pictures, maps, and the overhead projector or computer (Diaz-Rico & Weed, 2006).
Modifying the Curriculum for English Language Learners
In the Lau v. Nichols case (1974), the United States Supreme Court concluded that ESOL
students were not always given an equal or fair opportunity to learn what they needed from the
content areas (Lake & Pappamihiel, 2003). Although English Language Learners were given the
same materials and instructions from teachers, their low levels of proficiency in English inhibited
them from being able to use them (Lake & Pappamihiel, 2003, p. 201). According to Lake and
Pappamihiel (2003) “It is not equal, fair, or developmentally appropriate for teachers to utilize
the same instructional strategies for all the children in their classrooms” (p. 201). ESOL students
require different modifications to the curriculum based on linguistic abilities.
Gyovai, Cartledge, Kourea, Yurick and Gibson (2009) found English Language Learners
“…present special academic risks, including underachievement, grade retention, attrition from
school (Abedi, 2002; Haager & Hakuta, 1997), and poor reading acquisition (Haager &
Windmueller, 2001)” (p. 143). Because of this, it is imperative that teachers reflect on the ways
they can modify lessons so that English language learners can learn the same material as their
monolingual peers.

Entering Third Grade
Olsen (2006) states, “Most language learners who enter U.S. schools in the primary
grades make good academic progress, but many fall behind around 3rd
grade because of the
changing cognitive demands of increasingly print-based instruction” (as cited in Hadaway, 2009,
p. 38). As students enter the third grade, instruction and material becomes longer and more
complex. Imagine what it must be like for English language learners, who are trying to
comprehend difficult materials while also still learning English. Zehler, Fleischman, Hopstock,
Pendzick, and Stephenson (2003) reported that the “…achievement status of limited-English
proficient students suggests that nearly three-quarters of ELLs read below grade level in English
in the third grade, and more than half perform below grade level in math” (as cited in Gyovai et
al., 2009, p. 144). By the fourth grade, researchers saw the struggles of third grade carrying over
into fourth. “On one 2007 national assessment, fourth-grade ELLs scored 36 points below native
speakers in reading and 25 points below them in math” (Nordby & Loertscher, 2009). These
statistics could be attributed to the growing difficulties of comprehending longer and more
complex textbooks and materials that occur in the intermediate elementary grades.
There are several methods and strategies that teachers can use in their classrooms to help
ESOL students attain higher achievement levels in all content areas, and adjust to the growing
expectations as they enter third grade. Teachers must aide English language learners by
developing strategies and modifications to help ELLs successfully navigate through more
abstract texts and instruction as they progress into the intermediate elementary grade levels.
Scaffolding.
Scaffolding is helpful to students of all ages, but in the intermediate elementary grades, it
can be even more useful for ESOL students who need more support in the content areas because
of the more difficult language and abstract ideas. Scaffolding is defined by Eby et al. (2009) as

“…reducing complex tasks to manageable steps” (p. 107). This strategy of teaching is very
important in the elementary grades because young learners need accommodations to their current
vocabularies to learn new skills (Eby et al., 2009). Scaffolding is effective when the teacher has
done his or her research. This includes reflecting on the students’ needs and identifying
techniques that will help students be successful (Eby et al., 2009). A teacher can successfully
scaffold a lesson by modeling academic language, using visuals and gestures, and providing time
for interactive activities (Eby et al., 2009).
Activating prior knowledge.
Activating prior knowledge and experiences is an excellent way to help English
language learners in the intermediate grades make connections and learn new concepts. As stated
by the National Literacy Panel on Language Minority Children and Youth (2006), “…there is
growing evidence that ELL students are often able to perform at or even above the level of their
English-speaking peers in the areas of spelling and word recognition, but…struggle more in the
areas of reading vocabulary and comprehension” (as cited in Dreher & Gray, 2009, p. 133). This
is because ELL students have not gained as much vocabulary in the English language as their
English-speaking peers (Dreher & Gray, 2009) and hence, cannot comprehend words that are not
in their vocabulary.
A method that seems to be consistently helpful in aiding English language learners in
their development of vocabulary is activating prior knowledge and experiences and connecting
them to the content (Dong, 2009). When ESOL students can connect new concepts to what they
already know, they learn much faster and with greater comprehension. According to Dong
(2009):
English language learners’ previous cultural, language and literacy experiences influence
their ways of learning both English and subject-matter knowledge…when teachers invite

English language learners to link new knowledge to what they have already learned,
learning becomes more comprehensible, meaningful, and exciting. (p. 31)
Dreher and Gray (2009) suggest implementing texts that help ELLs make connections
between their prior knowledge and experiences with the content they are reading. They also say
the “…connections are particularly important for ELL students, who may bring different ‘funds
of knowledge’ to school than their native English-speaking peers” (p. 138). By finding books and
materials that appeal to students’ interests and backgrounds, students will increase their
understanding of the content, while also becoming engaged and motivated to read about the
content.
According to Dong (2009) “One way to draw on English language learners’ prior
knowledge is to invite these students to talk and write about their previous literacy experiences”
(p. 30). When teachers show an interest in students’ past experiences, ELLs become more
motivated and excited to share. Students who struggle with writing in English should be
encouraged to write in their native language. A bilingual aide can help to translate their writing
so the class and teacher can learn about the ELL’s prior learning experiences (Dong, 2009).
Dong (2009) states, “These students’ writings offer a window into their previous education and
can help teachers modify instruction according to students’ strengths, weaknesses, and interests”
(p. 30).
Activating prior experiences in ESOL students is helpful for all content areas, but in his
article, Dong (2009) shows ways to use prior knowledge of students to aide social studies
curriculum. He says, “Numerous topics in the world geography and history curriculum provide
social studies teachers with opportunities to connect to their students’ prior historical
knowledge” (p. 30). Discussing history provides a moment where an English language learner
can feel familiar with topics and have the confidence to speak about them. According to Diaz-

Rico and Weed (2006) “The teacher not only gains valuable insights that can help in teaching,
but he or she also gives students an opportunity to see how their experiences fit into the realm of
social studies” (p. 121). Teachers can use this information to decide which topics would be most
relevant and meaningful for ELLs to learn about in Social Studies. This gives the ELL an
opportunity to share his or her views and join in the discussions.
Another excellent way to activate English language learners’ background knowledge is to
find out more about their interests and after-school activities. Mathematics can be very useful
outside of school if it is connected to children’s own everyday experiences (Diaz-Rico & Weed,
2006). For example, students can help calculate how much their family’s groceries cost per
week, or calculate their batting averages on the baseball team (Diaz-Rico & Weed, 2006).
Just like in math, using everyday examples in science is an excellent way to create
connections for English language learners to their prior knowledge and experiences. Relating
science to concepts that students are probably already aware of, such as how running water
comes out of the faucet, or how airplanes lift off into the air. A good strategy for finding out
ELLs’ previous knowledge is to use a K-W-L Chart (Diaz-Rico & Weed, 2006). “K-W-L”
organizes the information referring to what students already know, what they want to learn, and
what they learned from the lesson (Diaz-Rico & Weed, 2006). A K-W-L Chart is helpful to
teachers, because it is a way for them to find out what students already know and what their
interests are, and as a result, are able to focus on these topics during instruction.
Organizing thematic units.
Using broad themes to organize instruction is an excellent way to help English language
learners in the intermediate elementary grades see the “big picture” and make connections
between content, previous experiences, and prior knowledge. Thematic units that are based on
the interests of the English language learners will engage them in enjoyable activities that are

meaningful. Diaz-Rico and Weed (2006) state in their article, “These themes engage students in
meaningful activities that focus on the area of inquiry rather than a specific skill” (p. 121). This
type of learning revolves around the students as opposed to the teacher and there is much more
peer interaction. Freeman and Freeman (1998) describe thematic curricula: “The…format forces
a reconceptualization of the curriculum away from a narrow focus on subject areas to broader
concepts that connect to significant ideas and issues” (as cited in Diaz-Rico & Weed, 2006, p.
121). The thematic curricula concept is an excellent way to modify curriculum in all content
areas because it increases ELLs’ vocabulary base, allows more interaction with different types of
perspectives, and develops their knowledge of certain concepts at deeper levels (Diaz-Rico &
Weed, 2006).
Creating a thematic unit using literature is an excellent way to engage ELLs and
encourage a deep passion for reading. As stated by Krashen (2004) “Language learners acquire
the structures and vocabulary of language through frequent exposure to such structures and new
words in a ‘comprehensible context’” (as cited in Hadaway, 2009, p. 40). A strong example of
“comprehensible context” is children’s books. Because textbooks frequently add to the cognitive
load because of their “…use of abstract, technical vocabulary and unfamiliar text structures”
(Hadaway, 2009, p. 39), children’s books can be an important supplementary tool for children
who are just starting to get used to the complex format of textbooks. This is especially true as
students progress into the intermediate elementary grades. Children’s books can be helpful
because they come with various topics, language levels, and layouts (Hadaway, 2009) that any
ELL student can come to enjoy and comprehend with ease.
One strategy to help third, fourth, and fifth grade English language learners, according to
Hadaway (2009) is to use “narrow reading” with children’s literature. Hadaway (2009) describes
narrow reading as “…the reading of texts focused on one subject of tightly defined theme- or by

one author” (p. 38). Narrow reading can be a strong addition to the language arts curriculum as a
thematic unit. According to Hadaway (2009) “Narrow reading in a theme or single topic
increases readers’ background knowledge and provides more context for new vocabulary-both of
which boost comprehension” (p. 40).
Overall, focusing on simpler children’s books can help to expand English language
learners’ vocabulary and strengthen comprehension skills. ELLs also have the opportunity to
choose children’s books that contain specific themes or information that are of interest to them.
This increases motivation and passion for reading, while also creating a stronger vocabulary in
that subject area.
Utilizing cognates.
When English language learners come across a new word, they immediately attempt to
find resemblance of that word to words in their native language (Cummins, 1979; Short &
Echevarria, 2004/2005; Dong, 2009). In this way, cognates can be very helpful in expanding the
vocabularies of ESOL students (Freeman & Freeman, 2009; Kieffer & Lesaux, 2007;
Rubinstein-Avila, 2006; Dong, 2009). Cognates are defined as the English word’s equivalent in
an English language learner’s native language (Buteau & True, 2009). There are numerous
words that are similar to English words in spelling and meaning, especially Latin-based
languages (Manyak & Bauer). Educators can use this method in the classroom by providing
students with reading passages or textbooks that contain cognates that are similar to words from
the ELL’s native language, and encouraging English language learners to find the similar words.
For example, the word “insects” in English is almost exactly the same in spelling and meaning as
“insectos,” in Spanish (Dong, 2009). Students will easily be able to remember these words
because they have made a connection to their own language.

Assessing English Language Learners and their Progress
It is important for teachers to understand the difficulty of accurately assessing an English
language learner, and as a result, that it is important to identify various forms of valid assessment
to use in the classroom. As stated by American Educational Research Association, American
Psychological Association, and National Council on Measurement in Education (1999) “Students
who are not yet proficient in English may take longer to process the language of the test and
frequently encounter difficulty assessing the content of test items due to unfamiliar language,
cultural references, or format” (as cited in Willner, Rivera & Acosta, 2009, p. 697). English
language learners require modifications that can be applied to the testing environment and
procedures in order for teachers to assess them accurately.
Assessments are very helpful to teachers when they show the students’ strengths and
weaknesses correctly, but many tests do not. According to Abedi et al. (2006) “…research on the
assessment of ELL students…strongly suggests that language factors can threaten the validity
and reliability of content assessments” (as cited in Wolf & Leon, 2009, p. 140). Researched
alternative forms of assessment help teachers to feel certain that they are accurately measuring
students’ abilities. By assessing students’ skills correctly, teachers have a full grasp on what
instruction needs to be modified and reflected on. Rogers and Helman (2009) state, “Through
multiple assessments teachers can get to know their students and create meaningful learning
experiences for each child because even with the same native language one size or type or
instruction does not fit all” (p. 22).
Pretests
The first part of assessment should be the pretest. Pretests are useful for ESOL students
because ESOL students bring different background knowledge and experiences from previous
schooling in other cultures. A pretest is used to test the student prior to learning any given

subject and gain useful information about what they know and don’t know already. Then,
teachers can plan for what they need to teach and what students need to learn (Eby et al., 2009).
Pretests can take many forms, from quizzes to writing a paragraph on a topic.
Performance Sampling
Performance sampling is a type of assessment where students are observed as they
complete a project or task and evaluated based on how they perform during the process of the
task (Eby et al., 2009). For example, students might work a long math problem, or write a speech
and present it. Performance sampling works well as an assessment for ESOL students because
the assessment is based on their abilities and skills related to the task rather than their English
fluency (Eby et al., 2009).
Drawings and Draw Talks
Cox-Peterson and Olson (2007) found their third through fifth grade science students
knew much more than they had shown on the traditional tests after talking to them about
scientific concepts. These students had previously failed many of their traditional tests because
of the language barriers that kept them from showing their progress in science. However,
drawings provided a way for these ELLs to communicate with fewer limits than other types of
assessment (Cox-Peterson & Olson, 2007). Cox-Peterson and Olson (2007) also conducted
“draw talks,” or short interviews, after the students expressed themselves through the drawings.
They were allowed to practice with peers before conversing with the adults; this created a more
relaxed atmosphere where they could feel confident in their abilities to communicate what they
know (Cox-Peterson & Olson, 2007).
After the “draw talks,” students were encouraged to write about the drawings in journals.
Journals are an excellent tool for students to be assessed in any content-area, because journals
give English language learners the freedom to write whatever they want in whatever style they

want. They are even encouraged to write in their native language, which they can later translate
to English when they have accrued more English words in their vocabulary (Cox-Peterson &
Olson, 2007).
Portfolio Assessment
Teachers can involve English language learners in assessment by letting them reflect on
records the teacher has saved over time and documenting their own progress at the end of the
year (Dailey, 2009). For example, Dailey (2009) suggests letting ESOL students revise a piece of
writing that they wrote at the beginning of the year. This is an excellent, interactive way for
ELLs to measure their progress over time. Portfolio assessment helps students and teachers keep
track of assignments and samples of work. As the year progresses, students have a chance to see
how much progress they have made and set goals for the future (Eby et al., 2009). This type of
assessment is highly appropriate for English language learners because it is more hands-on and
easier for them to understand; it is not focused on language abilities (Eby et al., 2009). As Eby et
al. (2009) state in their book: “The focus in this approach to assessment is celebration of progress
rather than focus on weaknesses” (p. 122). In celebrating an ELL’s progress, they feel more
confident and motivated to move further and continue to grow into their English linguistic skills.
Resources to Support ESOL Students
Teachers who have English language learners in their classrooms should be aware of the
resources that are available to them. In her article, Young (1996) refers to various support
systems: reading specialists, school librarians and the library, foreign language teachers,
colleagues, parents and classroom volunteers, and other native speaking students as important
assets to any multilinguistic elementary classroom.
According to Young (1996), the reading specialist is an important source of information
for teachers because teachers can ask him or her for “…knowledge of literacy development to

understand how the reading process facilitates transfer of L1 reading skills to reading in L2” (p.
18). She also suggests the reading specialist be invited into the classroom to observe ESOL
students’ reading and language development (Young, 1996, p. 18).
The librarian and the library are both excellent sources for mainstreamed ESOL teachers.
It is important for a teacher to have access to appropriate reading materials for English language
learners. Christine Sutton (1989) says ESOL students should be exposed to a variety of books
written in different styles (as cited in Young, 1996, p. 18). Also, Young (1996) recommends
asking the librarian to subscribe to ESOL journals, including The Language Teacher, the
Journal of Basic Writing, and TESOL Journal (Young, 1996, p. 18). Also, librarians and the
media specialists in today’s school libraries can provide access to multimedia that are suitable for
ESOL students, such as language learning software, computer games, websites, movies, and so
on.
Young (1996) also suggests asking the other foreign language teachers in the school for
help because they are knowledgeable about the process of language acquisition, they are
empathetic to the difficulty of learning a second language, and they can provide strategies for
second language teaching (Young, 1996, p.18).
Teachers who have and are still learning how to teach second language learners are also
valuable resources. Young (1996) recommends forming a support group of teachers who can
study, ask questions and share advice for how to teach English language learners.
Classroom supporters are an important resource to any type of classroom, but especially
classrooms containing ESOL students. Parents, volunteers, teacher’s aides and other teachers
who speak the native language of the English language learners can act as translators and provide
knowledge about their cultural norms (Young, 1996, p. 19).

Other students in the classroom who speak the native language of the ESOL students are
wonderful resources because they can help the ESOL student adjust (Young, 1996) and act as a
translator. Young (1996) suggests forming a “Newcomers Club” after school that helps
recognize ESOL students and their culture and makes them feel part of the school (Young, 1996,
p. 19).
Conclusion
It is important for teachers to understand the challenges English language learners face,
as well as how they acquire a second language. In response, teachers should make sure they
provide a safe, empathetic environment and modify ways they conduct instruction. The first day
of school is particularly important for teachers to plan for, since this day can be very stressful for
ESOL students. Educators should always be aware of the diverse needs of English language
learners and openly welcome different cultures into the classroom. Third grade is a difficult year
for ESOL students, since materials become more abstract and greater in length, so teachers
should find various ways to modify the curriculum to provide a supportive learning environment.
When it comes to assessing ELLs, various forms should be used for valid results. There are
several resources that educators can access to support English language learners. English
language learners deserve the same level of education as their native peers, and language barriers
should not keep English language learners from obtaining an excellent education. Utilizing the
methods and activities explored in this paper can give ESOL students the opportunity to achieve
success in both academic content and linguistic abilities.

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