The document provides information about strategies for supporting English language learners (ELLs) in the classroom. It discusses building on students' background knowledge, differentiating instruction to make content more accessible, allowing students to practice skills in multiple ways, and ensuring assessments account for students' language proficiency. The key recommendations are to connect new concepts to what students already know, provide multiple ways for students to access and demonstrate understanding of material, and offer supports and accommodations on assessments to allow ELLs to show their content knowledge.

1. ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
Workshop Slides

2. ACTIVITY Fact or Myth?
TASK: In the next slides, determine if the following statement is fact or
myth. Once you decide, hold up either a fact or a myth card.

3. ACTIVITY Fact or Myth?
Fact or Myth: Adults are better at learning a second language than are
young children.
This is a fact. Adolescents and adults are better at second-language learning
than children. Though the opposite might sometimes appear to be the case, this
is often because children's communication typically takes place in social settings
and therefore requires a somewhat less highly developed skill level. Adults, on
the other hand, engage in situations that involve more complex communication
demands (e.g., filling out a tax form or interviewing for a job). Another factor that
makes it appear that young children are better at second language acquisition is
that they generally hear and pronounce the sounds in the new language better
than adults.

4. ACTIVITY Fact or Myth?
Fact or Myth: Immersion is the best way to learn a second language.
This is a myth. ELLs who are immersed in classrooms where only
English is spoken may find the experience (and their learning)
incomprehensible. By allowing students to use their native language in
the classroom, teachers can also enhance their ability to learn English.

5. ACTIVITY Fact or Myth?
Fact or Myth: A student’s first language interferes with his or her
ability to learn a second language.
This is a myth. A student's first language might support his or her
understanding of a second. For example, a student who is first allowed
to read a book in his native language can reread it without having to
focus on basic comprehension and can instead pay attention to other
aspects such as vocabulary and sentence structure.

6. ACTIVITY Fact or Myth?
Fact or Myth: It takes between five to seven years to become
proficient enough in a second language to succeed in an English-only
classroom.
This is a fact. Second language learners need at least five years
under the best learning conditions to succeed in English-only
classrooms with minimal or no support. After only one or two years of
learning a second language, a student can typically communicate in
social settings but will not have sufficient knowledge of the language
to be successful in an academic environment.

7. Terminology

8. TERMS What do ESL, ELL, & ELD Mean?
English Language Learners (ELL) are the students whose first
language is a language other than English, or is a variety of
English that is significantly different from the variety used for
instruction in Ontario schools. These students may be Canadian-
born or newcomers from other countries.
English as a Second Language (ESL) refers to the program
received by ELL students who are literate in their first language.
English Literacy Development (ELD) refers to the program
received by ELL students who are (a) not literate in their first
language, (b) have educational gaps, or (c) speak non-standard
Ontario English.

9. We are all ESL teachers. ESL is
not a separate curriculum subject.

10. students receive different levels of support,
depending on their language needs
Levels of English Language Acquisition

11. English Language Learners
English Recent Immigrant Born in Canada
Little or no
knowledge of
English
Some
knowledge of
English skills
Sequential
bilinguals:
strong first
language and
learning
English as a
second
language
Simultaneous
bilinguals:
learning two
languages at
once

12. Past Schooling Experiences
Inconsistent or
sporadic
education
No formal
education
Regularly
attended one
school with a
consistent
curriculum

13. ACADEMIC VOCABULARY
• Academic English is fundamentally different
from social language (Young & Hadaway,
2006).
– more precise and specific
– more words with Greek and Latin origins
– often more complex structurally and more
abstract

14. Examples of Academic Vocabulary in
Typical Nonfiction Texts
• Appendix
• Bibliography
• Caption
• Column
• Glossary
• Graph
• Index
• Preface
• quotation

15. Dual Word Meanings
• Activity: Math words with everyday meanings

16. Frequently Asked
Questions

17. How can I tell if I have ELLs in
my classroom?

18. • Conduct a Home Language survey with the whole class
• Look in the OSR (Ontario Student Record). Look for birth
certificate, immigration documents, and an English Second
Language assessment
• Access your school’s Trillium Report “Students Whose Mother
Tongue is Not English”
• Talk to the LRT
• Check the student’s Literacy Portfolio for English language
assessments
• If you are unsure, seek guidance from an English Second
Language Support teacher
• NOTE: Many ELLs are Canadian born

19. How much time does it take to
learn English?

20. • As ELL student skills develop, their academic demands increase. ELL
students are constantly trying to catch up with a “moving target”.
• Basic oral communication is developed over 1~2 years.
• It takes at least 5~7 years for ELL students to be working effectively
at grade level, using academic language.
• In cases where students have not had opportunities to develop age-
appropriate literacy in their first language, it can take up to 10 years
to be working effectively at grade level.

21. I have a beginning level ELL in
my classroom. Now what?

22. Set the student up with a buddy. The IDEAL buddy…
• Shares a common first language with the new ELL
• Is always caught up on class and homework
• Is a positive role model
• Is empathetic
• Has a supportive group of friends that will not alienate
the new ELL or the buddy

23. • Sensitize your mainstream students
• Bilingual volunteers
• Contact an ESL support teacher for an assessment
and suggestions for program delivery
• Choose appropriate accommodations

24. First language maintenance
and development is important.

25. Research shows that students with a strong first
language are more likely to acquire English quickly.

26. Parents should be encouraged to use, maintain and
develop the first language with their children to
discuss books, review school work, write to family
members, etc. Schools should encourage the use of
the first language, as it will validate students’
backgrounds, as well as assist in students’ academic
achievement.

27. Why is it so important to be
aware of a student's first
language?

28. • Urdu: why student is holding a book backwards, or not using articles
such as a/an or the
• Low German: not typically a literate language- immediate
disadvantage due to lack of connection with oral language and literacy
• Chinese: why a student doesn’t understand when we say ‘sound it out’
(not phonological)
• Punjabi: why a student is writing in between the spaces on the paper
(Punjabi script hangs from the line)
• Chinese: difficulty organizing a piece of persuasive writing (culturally it
may be considered or opinionated to begin by stating a point of view)
Knowing a student's first language can give us
a lot of background information. For example...

29. Strategies & Supports

30. Build Background Knowledge
• Asking students to brainstorm about what they already know about a topic.
• Making explicit connections between previously learned concepts and new
ones
• Using graphic organizers and other visuals to show the connections between
students' prior experiences and new learning knowledge.
• Developing learning activities that are relevant to students' cultural experiences
• Asking students to think about and write down what they know about a new
topic and then share their ideas with a partner
• Teaching new vocabulary words by making connections to students'
background knowledge

31. Differentiate Instruction
Present information or allow students to access information
• Provide a range of choices to access the content (e.g., books,
audio, video in home language and in English)
• Make instruction more concrete by using pictures, charts,
demonstrations, graphic organizers, or timelines
• Use visual references about concepts
• Provide texts at different reading levels (newsela is a great
resource)

32. Differentiate Instruction
Encourage students to make sense of the information
• Provide a range of choices for students to practise what they
are learning
• Use flexible grouping
• Use hands-on activities
• Set up classrooms with learning centers (e.g., make available
audiotapes and CDs to assist students with their reading)
• Provide materials in different languages.

33. Differentiate Instruction
Encourage students to make sense of the information
• Offer a range of choices to express understanding including
multimodal methods using technology (i.e., create a slide
presentation, create a performance or role play, explain ideas
using Shadow Puppet or another similar app)
• Permit the option to work independently or in a group to
complete an assignment

34. • Allow ELLs to use instructional supports such as translated word
lists. As students' language proficiency increases, the level of
support is reduced.
• Allow ELLs to work in pairs or in small groups
• Encourage students to discuss what they are learning. As often as
possible, these conversations should be student led and interactive
• Focus on and provide feedback on the content of ELLs' responses
in English, rather than on their pronunciation and grammar. It is
normal--and not a sign of confusion--for them to draw from their first
language.
Practising Skills & Concepts

35. Assessing Content Knowledge
• Create test questions that incorporate aspects of the student's background
knowledge when applicable.
• Make sure the student understands how to respond to various test formats
(e.g., short answer, multiple choice, true/false)
• Preview the test with the student to ensure they understand the
terminology in the instructions, test questions, and key vocabulary.
• Permit students to use a bilingual dictionary
• Allow students to take the test with a teacher who speaks the same first
language who can offer translation supports or can explain words the
student does not understand
• Allow extra time to complete the test
• Utilize other options for assessing content knowledge, rather than a
traditional test, exam, or quiz.

36. Modifications &
Adaptations

37. Modifying the Curriculum for
ELLs
ESL Special Education
The focus is on language acquisition
and literacy.
The focus is on language remediation
and skill building.
Language of instruction is not their first
language; need time to acquire it
Language of instruction is generally their
first language.
Require vocabulary; may already know the
concept
Require much reinforcement and
repetition to develop concepts.
May come with high language skills in their
first language
Growth in areas of weakness may be
slow.
The barrier to learning is English. Having
a second language is a benefit!
A learning difficulty is the barrier.
adjust the language to the appropriate level

38. Simple Adaptations: ESL
Eliminate
Substitute/Simplify
Limit scope or depth
Use this "rule of thumb" for adaptations, assessment,
teacher-led instruction, independent tasks.

39. • Questions
• Pages in a text
• Chapters in a novel
• Choices on a multiple choice test
• Short answers questions on a test
• Canadian culture references that are key to
understanding
Eliminate

40. Substitute/Simplify
• Substitute short answer questions for graphic organizers, diagrams, or
cloze activities
• Substitute text based ‘Read and Answer Questions’ activities for key-term
vocabulary building
• Create a personal dictionary to use for all subjects
• Substitute English written responses with responses written in the student’s
first language
• Assess the student’s oral response instead
• Speak more slowly: use longer pauses between sentences and ideas; use
a natural pace rather than a slow, exaggerated one.
• Use multimodal techniques: use objects, pictures, labeled diagrams, and
videos; infuse demonstration throughout lessons; use gestures, body
language movement, and role playing.

41. • Your expectations for comprehension; focus instead on
vocabulary development.
• Extraneous information. Direct the student to the
page/paragraph where the answer can be found.
• Time spent on translation. Avoid translating entire texts
from English to the first language, and choose to only
translate the question and perhaps a few key terms.
• Use of jargon, slang, idiomatic speech, and figurative
language
Limit scope or depth

42. ACTIVITY Applying the ESL Rule
TASK: Consider how the ESL rule, strategies and supports, and other
information presented in class will inform your teaching in the J/I
context? (You can choose the grade level of your future block).
Discuss your ideas with a partner. Be prepared to share out with the
class.

43. • Supporting English Language Learners (1-8)
• Steps to English Proficiency
• English Language Learners ESL and ELD
Programs and Services (K-12)
• Many Roots Many Voices
• Supporting English Language Learners with
Limited Prior Schooling (3-12)
Ontario ESL Resources
RESOURCE
S

44. • www.readingatoz.com
• www.everythingesl.com
• www.storylineonline.com
• www.newsela.com
• Simple English Wikipedia
• iPads; Google- change language in settings/preferences
• Starting Points: Working with Young English Language Learners.
• New Instructional Model helps English Learners Succeed
Digital ESL Resources
RESOURCE
S

45. • Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS)
• In Hamilton, SWISH
Local ESL Resources
RESOURCE
S
• proactively contacts newcomer parents and students to assist them with their settlement needs
• refers the families to more specialized community resources as needed
• provides group information sessions for newcomer youth and parents, often in partnership with
school staff
• provides orientation about the settlement needs of newcomers for school staff
• coordinates the Newcomer Orientation Week (NOW) and Welcome and Information for
Newcomers (WIN) programs, which take place in the last weeks of the summer in most schools

46. TASK: This activity will be done in pairs. Using an audio or video recording tool of your choice, capture your
response to the following question(s). This way you can reflect on it later when preparing for interviews.
ACTIVITY Interview Question
What should teachers know about students who are learning to
speak English? What are some general instructional practices
that are beneficial to English Language Learners? What should
you consider when assessing ELLs?

47. Burnette, J. (1999, November). Critical behaviors and strategies for teaching culturally diverse students. ERIC/ OSEP
Digest E584. ED435147. Retrieved on April 8, 2011, from http://www.eric.ed.gov:80/PDFS/ED435147.pdf
Calderon, M. (2007). Teaching reading to English language learners, grades 6–12: A framework for improving
achievement in the content areas. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
The Center for Public Education. (2006). Preparing English language learners for academic success. Retrieved on
April 20, 2011, from http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/…mic-success.html
Cox, C., & Boyd-Batstone, P. S. (2009). Engaging English learners: Exploring literature, developing literacy, and
differentiating instruction. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
The IRIS Center. (2011). Teaching English language learners: Effective instructional practices. Retrieved from
http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/ell/
Klingner, J. K., Hoover, J. J., & Baca, L. M. (Eds.). (2008). Why do English language learners struggle with reading?:
Distinguishing language acquisition from learning disabilities. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
The National Center for Culturally Responsive Educational Systems (NCCRESt). (2008). Academy 2: Culturally
responsive literacy instruction – What does it look like in the classroom. Module 5: Culturally responsive literacy.
Facilitator’s Manual.
References