More Lingo

Here are some more acronyms you might hear in regards to your ESL students. I hope this is helpful in better understanding your resources and your students, as well as your communication about them.

• BICS- Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills- the language ability needed for casual conversation; usually develops within two years
• CALP- Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency- the language ability needed for learning academic skills and concepts in situations in which contextual clues are not present and an abstract use of language is required
• CUP- Common Underlying Proficiency- refers to the conceptual knowledge that acts as the foundation on which new skills are built; both languages, L1 and L2, facilitate development of such fundamental cognitive patterns within individuals
• SUP- Separate Underlying Proficiency- refers to the separate conceptual knowledge bases in L1 and L2, assuming that the two languages operate independently
• i + 1- comprehensible input- new information that an individual receives that is one step beyond his or her current stage of competence

Instructional Methods

• CALLA- cognitive academic language learning approach- a method of instruction that is grounded in the cognitive approach and focuses on the explicit instruction of learning strategies and the development of critical thinking as a means of acquiring deep levels of language proficiency
• ICB- integrated content-based- a communicative method that involves the concurrent teaching of academic subject matter and second language acquisition skills; this method often employs thematic units as well as content and language objectives across subject areas
• SDAIE- specially designed academic instruction in English- a variation of sheltered instruction that emphasizes cognitively demanding, grade-level appropriate core curriculum for ESL students; primarily applies to students who have attained an intermediate or advanced level of proficiency in L2 (English)
• SIOP- sheltered instruction observation protocol- a vehicle for delivering scaffolded instruction of the existing curriculum so that instruction is more comprehensible for individuals who are acquiring English

Source: Herrera, S.G & Murry, K.G. (2011). Mastering esl and bilingual methods. Boston: Pearson. 

Knowing the Lingo

When it comes to the educational world, there is no shortage of lingo. The same is true of English Language Learners. I want to do a series of posts that let you in on some of the lingo/acronyms you might hear when it comes to talking about your ESL students.

• CLD- Culturally and linguistically diverse-Applies to an individual whose culture or language differs from that of the dominant group
• ELD- English language development- used in some states for the programming model most commonly referred to as English as a second language (ESL)
• ELL- English Language Learner- individuals who are in the process of transitioning from a home or native language to English 
• ESL- English as a second language- a programming model in which linguistically diverse students are instructed in the use of English as a means of communication and learning
• ESOL-English for speakers of other languages- instruction that focuses primarily on the development of vocabulary and grammar as a means of learning English
• L1-first language- the first or native language acquired by an individual
• L2- second language- the second language acquired by an individual

Source: Herrera, S.G & Murry, K.G. (2011). Mastering esl and bilingual methods. Boston: Pearson. 

Cultivating Parent Partnerships, Part 2

Yesterday I did a post on cultivating parent partnerships and why this should be our goal as educators. Parents/caregivers of your ESL students may be even more hesitant to come to the school or initiate contact with you, so I wanted to give you some information on home visits to give you even more tools to cultivate those partnerships. Here are some tips to having a quality home visit:

• Allow the family to do the majority of the talking and question asking
• View the home visit as a way to step into your student's world
• Listen attentively
• Let your agenda be nothing else but to learn from the family; don't try to hold a parent/teacher conference
• Gather information that can be used in the curriculum or to make future connections with the student

According to Powell and Rightmyer (2011), "Research shows that there are many positive benefits to conducting home visits. Families tend to change their attitudes towards the educational process, their ability to work successfully with their child improves, and they begin to utilize outside resources more often. Children demonstrate positive behavior changes and their self-esteem improves. Most importantly, the gap between home and school is bridged. Families begin to feel empowered and a real sense of partnership develops. Friendships are formed and mutual trust and respect can be found"(p. 75).

What better incentive could we need to try a home visit soon?!

Source: Powell, R. & Rightmyer, E.C. (2011). Literacy for all students. New York: Routledge.

Cultivating Parent Partnerships, Part 1

"We must appreciate that a child's parent is their primary educator, and as such, they play a critical role in the child's academic success" (Powell & Rightmyer, 2011).

Parent/teacher partnerships increase student achievement, increase student educational aspirations, increase length of time spent attending school overall, and increases ratings/opinions of schools in general (Powell & Rightmyer, 2011).

This is just one example of all the research that shows the benefits of teacher/parent partnerships. So how do we as teachers develop those partnerships? Here are some ideas and things to consider:

Make your school/classroom a welcoming environment
Your classroom should be clean and inviting
Display student work
Look around your classroom--Pictures and literature should convey an appreciation of diversity
Encourage parents to participate/volunteer in a way that they feel comfortable

Communication
All communication should be open, polite, and respectful
Use vocabulary that families can understand (avoid educator lingo)
Use titles (Mr. Mrs. etc)
Be clear and concise
Have written material translated, if possible and/or necessary
Give full attention when the parent is talking

Give Them Time to Talk

One of the best ways to help your ESL students meet content and language goals is by giving them plenty of opportunities to talk. Here are some tips on creating conversation in your classroom:

• Arrange the classroom to accommodate conversation between the teacher and a small group of students on a regular and frequent schedule
• Have a clear academic goal that guides conversation with students
• Ensure that student talk occurs at higher rates than teacher talk
• Guide conversations to include students' views, judgments, and rationales, using text evidence and other substantive support
• Ensure that all students are included in the conversation according to their preferences
• Listen carefully to assess levels of students' understanding
• Assist students' learning throughout the conversation by questioning, restating, praising, encouraging.
• Guide the students to prepare a product that indicates the goal of the instructional conversation was achieved.

Source: Diaz-Rico, L.T & Weed, K.Z. (2010). The crosscultural, language, and academic developmental handbook. Allyn & Bacon: Boston.

Inside Outside Circles

Here's a short video I made (my first one!!) describing one of my favorite cooperative learning activities. I've used it many times in my high school Spanish classroom, and students always love it and it's a great way to formatively assess because you have the chance to hear all students working with the content, as well as practicing listening and speaking skills. I hope you're able to try it soon and that you love it as much as I do!

Best Practices Booklet

At www.tolerance.org, they have put together a great booklet of information on best practices in the following areas:

• Communication
• School Climate
• Student Registration 

Each section shares best practice information regarding your English as a Second Language population of students and parents, as well as practical tips. It is very short but very useful! You can find the booklet here.

Thanks to Dr. Broady's blog for making me aware of this great resource so I can pass it on!