Rigorous Language Objectives for ELLs in Reading and Writing

Language Objectives for
Elementary ELLs: Rigor in
Reading and Writing
TESOL International Convention
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
March 26, 2015
Linda New Levine
Laura Lukens

Today’s Objectives:
1.  Focus on the major challenges in teaching and
learning for ELLs
2.  Become familiar with the research relating to
the need for instruction in oral academic
language
3.  Learn to transform language arts content
objectives into language objectives by
focusing on the functions and forms of
academic language and appropriate supports for
ELLs

What are the Challenges for ELLs?
1.  Increased reading of informational texts
n  An increase in reading of informational text
related to science, social studies, the arts and
literature

2.  A focus on academic vocabulary
n  Students must constantly build the vocabulary
they need to access grade-level complex texts
n  Focus is on pivotal and commonly found words
(Tier 2 academic terms) in academic text
n  In grades K- 5 50% of student reading is
informational text

3.  An increase in text complexity
n  Students read grade appropriate text
n  Emphasis on close, careful reading
n  Lexile ranges of texts increase
n  Text complexity based on a three part model:
p  qualitative dimensions,
p  quantitative dimensions, and
p  reader and task considerations

4.  Rigorous evidentiary argumentation related
to text
n  Students have rich and rigorous conversations
n  Evidentiary arguments based on textual
citations

5.  An emphasis on text-based writing and
literacy in domain specific texts in history/
social studies, science, and technical
subjects
n  Emphasizes the use of evidence from text to
inform and make an argument
n  Students develop college and career-ready
skills through short research-based projects
K-12

Two Major Challenges for ELLs
p  Rigorous oral evidentiary argumentation
related to text.
p  An emphasis on text-based writing and
literacy in domain specific texts in history/
social studies, science, and technical subjects.

Turn and Talk
p  Orally restate to a shoulder partner the challenge that
is most difficult for your students. Use complete,
grammatically correct sentences with correct subject
verb agreement and the support of a sentence frame
and your PowerPoint handout.
The challenge that is most difficult for my students is
the requirement that ______________________________
______________________________________________.

Oral academic language is necessary
for achievement in content classrooms.
p  A strong relationship was found between oral
English language proficiency development and
English reading comprehension & writing skills.
p  “Extensive oral English development must
be incorporated into successful literacy
instruction.”
August & Shanahan (2006 National Literacy Panel on Language Minority Children
and Youth)

ELLs are not learning in American
schools because of “low levels of oral
engagement [in English].”
(Arreaga-Mayer and Perdomo-
Rivera 1996, p. 251)

But Comprehensible Input is not sufficient
for oral language development.
p Krashen’s notion that comprehensible input
in authentic communicative contexts
advances language proficiency is not borne
out by current practice or experience.
p Comprehensible input alone is not sufficient
to advance learners to high levels of
academic language competency.

Comprehensible input and oral language output are
(also) insufficient for achieving academic language
needed for school success.
n  “…several studies imply that while use and exposure are
necessary conditions for language learning, they may not
be sufficient conditions, especially when it comes to
achieving higher levels of proficiency involving more
academic uses of language.”
Saunders, W. M. & O’Brien, G. (2006). Oral language. In F. Genesee, K. Lindholm-Leary, W. M.
Saunders, & D. Christian (eds.), Educating English Language Learners: A Synthesis of Research
Evidence (pp. 14-63). NK: Cambridge University Press.

What does the research tell us?
Strong evidence for these two guidelines:
p  Providing language instruction is better than not
providing it.
p  Language instruction should include interactive
activities among students, but they must be
carefully planned and carried out.

Guidelines based on hypotheses emerging from
recent research
1.  Emphasize listening and speaking.
2.  Explicitly teach elements of English
(vocabulary, syntax, grammar, functions and
conventions).
3.  Instruction is planned and delivered with
specific language objectives in mind.
4.  Integrate meaning and communication.
5.  Provide students with corrective feedback on form.

So…There is an implementation gap
p  “In spite of the research pointing to effective
practices,…ELLs continue to underperform,
and evidence-based strategies are not
implemented or are implemented poorly in
many schools. The … gap is a mismatch
between what works and what is commonly
done in classrooms across the United States.”
Garcia, Jensen and Scribner, 2009.

Turn and Talk
p  Based on the research presented, state an opinion regarding a
solution to the underachievement of ELL students using modals
in complete, grammatically correct present tense sentences
with the support of your notes, handout, sentence frame, and
word bank.
In my opinion, one solution to the problem of low
academic achievement of ELL students _______
______________________________________
______________________________________
Modals Word Bank
might could would may should

Our Proposal
p Promote the inclusion of language
objectives in every content classroom

Language objectives should…
p Focus on the language functions
and forms required for oral
interaction in content lessons.

Definitions
p  Language functions are the purposes for which
speech or writing are being used
(e.g., describe, analyze, compare, propose, summarize,
determine cause and effect)
p  Language forms are the grammatical structures
of words
(e.g., irregular past tense verbs, comparatives and
superlatives, ordinal numbers, adverbial clauses,
modals, signal words of chronology)

Include appropriate supports for ELLs
p Language objectives should include supports/
scaffolding for ELLs
n  Visual, interactive, graphic:
(e.g., visuals, peer or teacher support, graphic organizers,
word/picture banks, sentence and/or report frames)

Basic frame for language objectives
I can_______________ with ____________
language function language form(s)
using __________________.
support(s)
I can summarize information from a text in writing with
passive voice verbs, listing signal words, and adverbial
phrases using a report frame.

Keep in mind that
p  ELA objectives are really content objectives –
not language objectives.
p  Language objectives expand upon content
objectives by including language functions,
forms, and supports

A language arts objective is a content
objective
p Teachers also need to include language objectives
in every language arts lesson.
p The language objective should align with the
content objective.

Separate language arts objectives from
language objectives
How are they different?
p  Language arts objectives routinely require limited oral
language use.
p  LA objectives mimic language objectives by emphasis on
reading and writing skills.
p  LA objectives rarely mention form – only function
p  LA objectives do not include supports

Sample Language Arts Objectives
p  Listen to the story and make predictions on the outcome.
p  Listen to the debate and determine a position.
p  Listen to the video and take notes on the major points.
p  Read and answer questions in complete sentences.
p  Read and summarize the main ideas of the text.
p  Read the article and complete a graphic organizer.
p  Write a sentence using one or more of the vocabulary words.
p  Write a summary of the article.
p  Write a description of the main character.
p  Give an oral report on the invention of the telephone.

Language objectives in a language arts
lesson
Pre-K – grade 2
p  Content Objective: Read (or listen to) a narrative text of
Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
p  Language Objective: I can participate in a role play of
the story using questions in the continuous past tense
with the support of a sentence frame.
n  Who was eating my porridge?
n  Who was sitting in my chair?
n  Who was sleeping in my bed?

Language objectives in Language Arts
Lesson
Grade 4-5
p  Content Objective: Preview a textbook chapter by
focusing on the text features (headings, graphs, pictures,
charts, glosses)
p  Language Objective: I can make predictions about the
text content using the future tense and adverbials with
the support of a sentence frame and a learning
partner.
n  I predict that the text will be primarily about ____.
n  I predict that the author will mainly focus on the notion of ____.
n  I predict that the major thesis of this chapter will probably
describe _____.

Let’s look at
p  Sample ELA objectives related to grades K – 5

Kindergarten Level: Meeting New
Friends in Stories
p  Sample Focus Standards related to
exploration of narrative text through story
retelling and identification of character,
setting, and plot elements.
p  “Goldilocks and the Three Bears”

Friends in Stories
p  CCS Standard: RL.K.3 With prompting and support,
identify characters, setting, and major events in a story.
p  Language Arts Objective: I can identify the major
events in a story.

What language functions are necessary
to accomplish this objective?
Repeat
Label/name
List
Record
Recount
Define
Identify
Restate
Narrate
Paraphrase
Describe
State
Tell
Report
Express
Explain
Summarize
Dramatize/Role Play
Distinguish
Differentiate
Characterize
Analyze
Conclude
Question
Compare and Contrast
Debate and Defend Refute
Infer
Propose
Compose
Design
Speculate
Judge
Decide
Evaluate
Convince
Persuade
Predict

What language forms are required?
p  Complete present or past
tense sentences
p  Adjectives
p  Present or past tense
verbs
p  Third person singular
subject/verb agreement
p  Complex sentences
p  Regular past tense verbs
p  Irregular past tense verbs
p  Signal words of
chronology
p  Adverbial phrases of time

p  Complete past tense
sentences
p  Adjectives
p  Present or past tense
verbs
chronology

What forms of scaffolding are appropriate
for language objectives?
p  The GO TO Strategies are excellent forms of scaffolding
p  The GO TO Strategies support all 4 skill areas (L, S, R, W),
community building, learning strategies, teaching strategies,
and interactive strategies.
p  Download all 78 strategies from:
http://www.cal.org/what-we-do/projects/project-excell/
the-go-to-strategies
The GO TO Strategies

Selected Examples of GO TO Strategy
Supports
p  Teacher Read Alouds
p  Choral Response
p  Key Sentence Frames
p  Word/Picture Banks
p  Peer practice/support
p  Teacher collaborative
dialogue
p  Word banks with signal
words
p  Graphic organizers for
description and chronology
p  Partner support
p  Structured note taking
p  Word bank of adverbials
p  Note cards
p  Report frames
p  Partner practice

Goldilocks Graphic Organizer with Word Bank
entered
the
Bear’s
house
ate Baby
Bear’s
porridge
broke
Baby
Bear’s
chair
slept
in
Baby
Bear’s
bed
ran
away
home Goldilocks
First
NextThen
Finally

Goldilocks Key Sentence Frames
p Goldilocks _________ the Bear’s house.
p First, she ________ Baby Bear’s porridge.
p Next, she __________ Baby Bear’s _____.
p Then, she ________ in Baby Bear’s ______.
p Finally, she _________________________.
Word Bank
entered
broke
ran away
ate
slept

Friends in Stories
p  CCS Standard: RL.K.3 With prompting and support,
identify characters, settings and major events in a story.
p  Language Arts Objective: Retell the major events in
the story.
p  Language Objective: I can state, in order, the major
events in the story Goldilocks in complete past tense
sentences using signal words of chronology from a
word bank and sentence frames.

Combine language forms, functions, and
scaffolds into one objective
Language
Objective
I can state, in order, the major events in the
story Goldilocks in complete past tense
sentences using signal words of chronology
from a word bank and sentence frames.
Sample
Support
Sentence Frame: Goldilocks ______________.
Word Bank: entered, ate, broke, slept, ran away
Graphic organizer
Sample
Student
Response
•  Goldilocks entered the Bears’ house.
•  First, Goldilocks ate Baby Bear’s porridge.
•  Next, she broke Baby Bear’s chair.

Grade 3: Readers Demonstrate
Understanding of a Text
p  Focus Standard: Craft and Structure of text,
analyze multiple accounts of events or topics
p  Charles Drew: Doctor Who Got the World Pumped
Up to Donate Blood by Mike Venezia

Grade 3: Readers Demonstrate
Understanding of a Text
p  CCS Standard: RI.3.1 Ask and answer questions to
demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly
to the text as the basis for the answers.
p  Language Arts Objective: In different types of
informational texts, I can ask and answer question to
identify and describe events in a biographical text.

What language functions are necessary
to accomplish this objective?
Repeat
Label/name
List
Record
Recount
Define
Identify
Restate
Narrate
Paraphrase
Describe
State
Tell
Report
Express
Explain
Summarize
Dramatize/Role Play
Distinguish
Differentiate
Characterize
Analyze
Conclude
Question
Compare and
Contrast
Debate and Defend
Refute
Infer
Propose
Compose
Design
Speculate
Judge
Decide
Evaluate
Convince
Persuade
Predict

p  Complete present tense
sentences
p  Past tense question forms
(did, was )
p  Adjectives
p  Present tense verbs
chronology

Selected Examples of GO TO Strategy
Supports
p  Teacher Read Alouds
p  Choral Response
p  Key Sentence Frames
p  Word/Picture Banks
p  Peer practice/support
p  Teacher collaborative dialogue
p  Word banks with signal words
p  Graphic organizers
p  Graphic organizers for
description and chronology
p  Partner support
p  Structured note taking
p  Word bank of adverbials
p  Note cards
p  Report frames
p  Partner practice

Biography of Dr. Charles Richard Drew
p  Name: Charles Richard Drew
p  Occupation: doctor, surgeon
p  Birth Date: June 3, 1904
p  Death: April 1, 1950.
p  Education: Amherst College, McGill University, Columbia
University
p  Place of Birth: Washington, DC
p  Place of Death: Burlington, North Carolina
Source: The Biography Channel www.biographychannel.com

Biography of Dr. Charles Drew
p  When was Dr. Drew ___________?
p  Dr. Drew was born in ______________.
p  Where was Dr. Drew ______________?
p  Dr. Drew was __________ in Washington, DC.
p  What was Dr. Drew’s _________?
p  Dr. Drew worked as a _______ and a ________.

Charles Drew was born on June 3, 1904 in
Washington, DC. He was an African-American physician
who developed ways to process and store blood plasma in
“blood banks.” He directed the blood plasma programs of
the United States and Great Britain in World War II, but
resigned after a ruling that the blood of African-Americans
would be segregated. He died in 1950.

Report Frame
_______ was born on ____, in ______. He worked
as a ________. He worked to find ways to ________ and
_________blood plasma in ____________. He directed the
__________________programs for the _______________
and ____________ in World War II. He resigned because
__________________________________________. He
died in _______.

Language
Objective
In a biographical text, I can ask and answer questions
to identify and describe events using past tense
question forms and past tense regular and
irregular verbs with the support of Key Sentence
Frames, Partner Support, and Report Frames.
Sample
Support
Key Sentence Frames, Report Frames, Partner Support
Sample
Student
Response
•  Dr. Drew was born in 1904 in Washington, DC.
•  Dr. Drew worked as a doctor and a surgeon.
•  Dr. Drew developed the first blood banks.

Grade 5: Readers Use Text to Support
their Thinking
p  Focus Standard: Key Ideas and Details
p  Colorful Captivating Coral Reefs
(Dorothy Hinshaw Patent)

Grade 5: Readers Use Text to Support
their Thinking
p CCS Standard: RI.5.2 Determine two or more
main ideas of a text and explain how they are
supported by key details; summarize the text.
p Language Arts Objective: I can summarize the
characteristics of a coral reef.

Coral Reefs
A coral reef is made up mostly of limestone laid
down by tiny invertebrate animals (animals without
backbones) called polyps. The polyps live together in large
groups called colonies. Each polyp is about the size of a
pencil eraser and is protected by its own little limestone
cap. As the colony grows, the polyps manufacture more
limestone, and the reef gets bigger.
Corals that make reefs by laying down limestone are
called hard corals. Coral reefs are found in clear tropical
seas or nearby, where the water temperature stays above
65 degrees Fahrenheit. Reef-building corals thrive only as
far below the surface as light can reach. They gradually
disappear in water deeper than 100 feet.

What Language Functions and Forms are
Required?
What Supports are Needed?
p Use the worksheet in your handout packet to
determine an appropriate Language Objective for
the unit.
p Work with a partner.
p Use the sample text to help you identify
appropriate forms, functions, and scaffolds.

p  Complete present tense
sentences
p  Past tense question forms
(did, was )
p  Adjectives
p  Present tense verbs
p  Passive voice
chronology

Note Taking on a Graphic Organizer
require light and
warmth
are made up of
limestone
are located in tropical
seas
contain colonies of
polyps that
manufacture the
limestone
Coral Reefs

Sample Report Frame: Coral Reefs
Coral reefs are composed of _____________
which is manufactured by _________. These tiny
___________ live in groups called ___________
and are ___________.
Coral reefs are located in _____ where
_________. Coral reefs need both ______ and
____________ in order to thrive and grow.

Language
Objective
I can summarize the major characteristics of coral
reefs in writing using complete present tense
complex sentences with the support of a graphic
organizer and a report frame.
Sample
Support
Graphic organizer (concept map), Report Frame
Sample
Student
Response
Coral reefs are composed of limestone which is
manufactured by tiny invertebrates called polyps.

How Did the Teachers in North Kansas City
Schools Learn to Use Language Objectives?
p  Provided teachers professional
development on language forms,
functions, and The GO TO
Strategies
p  Reviewed CCSS for ELA and NKCS
Elementary ELA Units of Study and
Learning Targets
p  Formed committee of ELL and
ESOL certified classroom teachers
to write language objectives
aligned to Units of Study grades
K-5 over two years
p  Plan for next year:
n  Link language objectives to
curriculum documents
n  Provide PD modules and
training to classroom teachers
on use of Language Objectives

Language Objective Framework
in Action

Language Function: State Facts

Language Forms:
Regular and Irregular Past Tense Verbs

Scaffolding:
Note Cards, Annotated Content Texts

Science Content Objective and
Language Objective

Sample Content and Language Objectives
for Reading
Language function: Orally sequence
Language form: Ordinal words
Support: Word bank

Sample Content and Language Objectives
for Reading
Language
functions:
Compare/
Contrast
Language
forms:
Coordinating
conjunctions
Supports:
Venn
diagrams,
sentence
frames

Sample Language Objectives for Writing
3rd Grade: I can introduce the
narrator, characters, and the event that
starts the story with complete present
tense sentences using key sentence
frames and graphic organizers
4th Grade: I can orient (set the scene
for) the reader by introducing the
narrator, characters, and the event/
situation that starts the story in motion
with adjectives and present tense
verbs using graphic organizers.

Thank you!
Linda New Levine
LNEWLEVINE@aol.com
Laura Lukens
laura.lukens@nkcschools.org

Rigorous Language Objectives for ELLs in Reading and Writing

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