This document provides an overview of effective instructional strategies for English language learners (ELLs). It discusses the unique needs of ELLs, including the time it takes to learn academic English. Key strategies presented include increasing academic vocabulary through multiple exposures, developing oral language skills, providing visual and contextual supports, focusing on comprehension, and modifying instruction with scaffolds like small groups and hands-on activities. The document also covers concepts like the natural order of second language acquisition, the affective filter, comprehensible input, and output. Teachers are encouraged to incorporate strategies like sight word instruction, word walls, shared reading, and sheltered English approaches to support ELLs.

1. Effective Instruction for
English Language Learners

2. Agenda
• Dialogue
Demonstration
Application

3. •By the end of the session you will have
more:
•knowledge about the unique needs of
ELL’s
•strategies to implement this fall
•confidence to plan and modify lessons for
ELL’s
•enthusiasm for teaching ELL’s

4. •
•
Dialogue:
•
•
Your own experiences
What do you know about English Language
Learners?
or What you’ve learned

5. •“exploding demographics”
•(Flores, 1994)

6. Issues
home language/school
language
•
•time
required to learn
English
•instructional resources
•classroom segregation
•teacher capacity

7. Instruction!
•“English
learners are
best served when their
teachers provide
instruction-including
corrective feedback-when it is needed.”
• Source:
(Scarcella, 2004, p. 53)

8. •“The
most powerful way
of learning academic
English is through good
instruction.”
• Source:
(Scarcella, 2004, p. 53)

9. Big Ideas
• Increase academic vocabulary:
multiple encounters with words.
Automaticity with sight words
Oral language development:
lots of dialogue

10. Big Ideas
• Safety nets of increased
context: e.g., visuals
Focus on comprehension through
strategic, analytic reading and
think-alouds-explicit instruction!
Don’t make assumptions-check
for understanding often

11. Second Language Acquisition
• Natural
Order (Krashen): preproduction, speech emergence,
intermediate, advanced
• Affective Filter (Krashen)
• Comprehensible Input (Krashen)
• Output (productive speech)
(Swain)

12. • Natural Order (Krashen):
• pre-production
• speech emergence
• intermediate
• advanced

13. • TELPAS
•
•
•
•
Beginner (B)
Intermediate (I)
Advanced (A)
Advanced High (AH)

14. What ELL’s Bring:
• Linguistic Transfer from L1
• Prior knowledge/declarative
knowledge
• Strategic/procedural knowledge
• Motivation to learn English
• Cultural and linguistic
resources
• “Funds
of Knowledge”

15. What ELL’s need:
•Vocabulary/Academic English
• English Grammar
•Increased CONTEXT

16. •
•
•
•
•
•
•
Modifications:
VOCABULARY focus
Visuals/video/multimedia
Hands-on
Real Objects
Preview-TEACH-Review
Small group/partner work

17. • “Unstructured
and
unplanned grammar
instruction is a
disaster for ELL’s.” (p.
100)
• No
on-the-fly
instruction!
•
Source: (Scarcella, 2003)

18. Annenberg Video
•http://www.learner.org/resour
•Clip:
17:00-23:00

19. •Thoughts?
•Shared
reading component

20. More on oral language development
•Singing
•Poetry/chart
•Routines
stories

21. •<Word
Study>

22. Sight Words
•Automaticity
•Word lists
•250 words
•Source:
Bear, D. R., Helman, L., Templeton, S., Invernizzi, M., & Johnston,
F. (2007). Words their way with English learners: Word Study for Phonics,
Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction. Columbus, OH: Merrill/Prentice Hall.

23. • 100 most common words=
• 50% of words in a text
•
Source: (Nation, 2005)

24. Word Walls:
Build Academic Vocabulary
•InteractiveDAILY!
•Students
contribute
synonyms
•Student “own”
the words-they sign
their name.

25. •
•
Word Walls
Visual Scaffolding

26. •<Sheltered
English>

27. •What
is Sheltered
English?
•Content
learning +
language learning
•Importance
of schema
building: front-loading
•Pre-reading
activities

28. Shared Reading
• Advantages of shared reading
• Active reading and engaging
texts.
• Thinking aloud to make
meaning explicit.

29. Application
Consider a classroom reading book you recently
used. What vocabulary or concepts were
presented in the book that could cause
confusion for ELL Learners?
What could you do to scaffold the reading
experience that would benefit ELL learners?

30. Turn and Talk
1. What might this look like in your
classroom?