This document outlines modifications made to a 6th grade science lesson on the three phases of water (solid, liquid, gas) for students with different levels of English proficiency. The lesson incorporates visuals, hands-on activities, group work and independent practice. Modifications are described for pre-emergent/emergent, basic proficient, intermediate and fluent English proficient students, including simplified vocabulary, use of students' native language knowledge, and adjustment of activity instructions and expectations. The goal is for all students to understand water's characteristics and roles in natural and human-made environments.

1. PROFICIENCY LEVELS SUMMARY
TEAM A
SEI/300
OCTOBER 12, 2014
PROFESSOR KENNEDY
Lauren Gorman, Kenya Smith-Edge, Jaqueline
White, Shannon Dobbs, Taryn Wood

2. Introduction
 A 6th grade science class is to learn and
recognize the characteristics and roles of
water in a natural environment as well as a
human-made environment in all three phases.
Students will experience demonstrations, act
out a demonstration, work in small groups, and
work independently to learn about water. Four
different proficiency levels (pre-emergent/
emergent, basic proficient,
intermediate, and fluent English proficient) are
taken into account and modifications are
made.

3. Pre-Emergent/Emergent
 Pre-emergent and emergent students may require more visuals and
hands on learning than English proficient readers.
 Pictures will be utilized to assist students with developing
vocabulary.
 Picture/vocabulary charts will be made available for students to use
as a reference during completion of the lesson.
 Many scientific terms are Latin based and have familiar spellings to
students whose first language is derived from Latin, like Spanish,
Italian, or Portuguese (August, Artzi, & Mazrum, 2010).
 Students will use their previous knowledge, associated diagrams,
and pictures to decipher new terms.
 As students develop their new vocabulary, they will become less
dependent on diagrams and pictures. However, the tools will
continue to be made available to the students.
 Background lessons need to be developed in order to introduce
students to the terms of the lessons prior to the actual lesson.
 Pretests, word walls, or word clouds can used to determine how
much students already know about the three states of water and
vocabulary terms associated with them (Echevarria, Vogt, & Short,

4. Basic Proficient
 ELL students who are basic proficient in the lesson of
learning about water in the three phases will distinguish
the likenesses and differences of water in each of the
three phases at the molecular level. Students may
inaccurately use key vocabulary and images for the
phases and their transitions.
 Student’s background may be used to help with
comprehending the vocabulary. Terms such as
evaporation and condensation could be linked to a
familiar climate.
 If a student has obtained basic proficiency in the lesson,
he or she will complete the zip-lock activity with many
errors. Working in groups for the activity will help
students strengthen their communication between each

5. Intermediate
Low Intermediate High Intermediate
 According to "Finalized
English Language Proficiency
(elp) Standards" (2014), “A
student at this level is able to
comprehend information
shared in social and
academic conversations. The
student initiates and responds
to conversations using
expanded vocabulary in
varied sentence structures.
Minimal errors in phonology
and syntax may impede the
production of language.”
 According to "Finalized
English Language Proficiency
(elp) Standards" (2014), “A
student at this level is able to
comprehend information
shared in social and
academic conversations. The
student initiates and responds
to conversations using
expanded vocabulary in
varied sentences structures.
The student demonstrates
control of productive
language. Minimal errors in
phonology and syntax do not
impede communication.”

6. Intermediate
 Intermediate students begin to follow multi-step
instructions, which contain specific academic
vocabulary.
 With guidance they will begin to respond to
questions or statements in an academic
discussion. They will also participate in formal
and informal conversation tasks.
 Intermediate students can demonstrate reading
comprehension by predicting text using prior
knowledge and text features.
 Writing functional text, such as graphs, falls within
the intermediate level.
 ("Finalized English Language Proficiency (elp)
Standards", 2014).

7. Fluent English Proficient
 Students who are Fluent English Proficient are able to understand the
lesson about the three phases of water with no errors or mistakes.
 The student will be able to complete the activity sheet correctly with proper
knowledge of the vocabulary that is being used.
 When prompted to dance slowly to represent the different phases of water,
the student will be able to follow verbal instructions on when to dance and
how to dance to represent his or her given water phase and will complete
the task correctly.
 Vocabulary that is used during the lesson and the activity will be
understandable and comprehendible to the student if he or she is Fluent
English Proficient.
 The student will be able to share and accurately discuss his or her findings
or ideas with the group without errors or mistakes.
 If the student has truly reached the Fluent English Proficient level, then the
student will complete the zip-lock activity without any language assistance
or errors in the assignment. “Completing the zip-lock activity shows the
students are using the English language appropriately and have an
understanding on the phase changes vocabulary” ("Siop Lesson Plan
Template: Science", n.d.).

8. Conclusion
 All of the students who are ELL need different
levels of help throughout the lesson. The pre-emergent
student needs far more help than
the fluent English student. At the end of the
lesson all students should be able to
understand the characteristics of water and the
roles it takes in all environments and phases.

9. References
 August, D., Artzi, L., & Mazrum, J. (2010). Center for Research on the Educational Achievement
and Teaching of English Language Learners. Retrieved from
http://www.cal.org/create/publications/briefs/improving-science-and-vocabulary-learning-of-
english-language-learners.html
 Echevarria, J., Vogt, M., & Short, D. J. (2013). Making content comprehensible for English
learners: The SIOP Model (4th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix ebook
Collection database.
 Finalized English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards. (2014). Retrieved from
http://www.azed.gov/english-language-learners/elps/
 SIOP Lesson Plan Template: Science. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&ved=0CDoQFjAE
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