Mainstream teacher ESOL accommodations

Here are some suggestions for accommodating and assisting ESOL students in the classroom from the Portland
Public Schools ESL/Bilingual Resource Guide for Mainstream Teachers.
1. Try to read aloud to newcomers as much as possible. Appropriate reading material for beginning English
Language Learners (ESOL students) should include at least some of these characteristics.

Numerous illustrations that help clarify the text

Story plots that are action-based
Little text on each page
Text that contains repetitive, predictable phrases
High-frequency vocabulary and useful words
Text that employs simple sentence structures

2. Use reading strategies to increase students comprehension. When you read to beginning ESL students, be
sure to make language comprehensible to them.

Point to the corresponding pictures and text as you read the text.
Act out, dramatize, and provide models and manipulatives for students to handle.
Read sentences at a slow-to-normal speed, using an expressive tone.
Allow time after each sentence or paragraph for students to assimilate the material.
Verify comprehension of the story by asking students to point to items in the illustrations and to answer
yes/no and either/or questions.
Read the same story on successive days. Pause at strategic points and invite students to supply the words
or phrases they know.
When students are familiar with the story, invite them to read along with you as you point to the
words.

3. Use authentic literature. Begin with materials that have easily understood plots, high frequency vocabulary
and few idiomatic expressions.
4. Chunk larger text into smaller pieces by paragraph or topic. A large passage will be difficult for ESOL
learners to process.
5. Teach phonics in context. Using authentic literature, you can introduce and reinforce letter recognition,
beginning and ending sounds, blends, rhyming words, silent letters, homonyms, etc. Remember that students are
new to the sounds and words that we may take for granted.
6. Make sure students understand the meaning. Your students may learn to decode accurately but be unable to
construct meaning out of the words they have read. Teach newcomers to reflect on what they have decoded and
to ask questions to be sure they understand.

Think pair share activities

Double entry journals
Give students a stack of sticky notes and ask them to write summary statements for each part of the text.
Highlighters to outline main ideas/points.
Prediction statements. (I think that..will happen next.)

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7. Check comprehension through sequencing activities by writing individual sentences from the text on separate
sheets of paper; then read or have the students read each sentence and put them in time order.
8. Provide for audio review. Set up a tape recorder/ ipod or ipad and record stories as you read. Newcomers then
have the opportunity to listen to a story, and read along, as many times as they wish.
9. Teach reading in the home language first. Whenever feasible, students should have an opportunity to receive
reading instruction in their home language prior to receiving reading instruction in English. If you have a
newcomer with little to no English skills, allow them time to develop some familiarity with English before
beginning reading instruction. Use Google translate or available other language texts.
10. Encourage newcomers to explore creative writing in English. Students will learn to write faster when they
have real reasons to write. Motivate students to write by providing them with meaningful and interesting
reasons to write.
12. Make up individualized Starter Packs for your newcomers. The Starter Pack enables entry-level students to
work independently on activities suited to their specific needs. Packs can include independent lower level
readings, books, and other activities. Encourage students to work on these activities when they cannot follow
the work being done in the classroom. Remember, however, not to isolate the newcomers from their peers with
separate work throughout the whole class.
13. It may seem difficult to balance this at first, but here are some tips for communicating effectively with your
students:

Avoid slang and idiomatic expressions.

Speak clearly and naturally, without going too quickly or slowly.

Encourage students to raise their hand if they don't understand a word.

Via: ESL/Bilingual Resource Guide for Mainstream Teachers Portland Public Schools.

Next, here are some tips for evaluating and assessing ESOL students via Laureen A. Fregeaus Assessing ELLs
in ESL or Mainstream Classrooms

Simple Strategies: Tests and evaluating students

There is no need to create a special test for your ESOL students. A number of adjustments can be made to
already-existing assessments, including tests that will help ESOL students perform better.

Go through the test before hand and highlight important key terms and phrases. Use a highlighter to
indicate important terms and phrases. This will draw the ESOL students attention to those terms or
phrases. Point out to the ESOL students that they should translate the highlighted terms first.
Read the test directions aloud as the students follow along to assure understanding. Literally, have the
students follow along with their fingers.

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Clarify important key words or confusing directions. ESOL students, especially those who are lowlevel in reading English, need step by step directions. If directions have multiple steps, give them the
directions one step at a time, allowing them to accomplish the first step before telling them the second.
Highlighting, defining or pointing out key words in written directions saves time since the ESOL
students may not need to look up every word.
Share your class notes or lesson plans with the students ahead of time, allowing them to do a translation.
It will save you instructional time if ESOL students have had time outside of class to look up the
vocabulary they do not understand.
Provide students alternate definitions of commonly used terms that may be confusing. For example use:
gasoline instead of gas, test instead of assessment, tissue instead of Kleenex.
Explain test taking vocabulary. ESOL students may not know the test-taking meaning of terms such as:
explain, name, think about, compare and contrast, define, or describe. Give them examples or answers from
previous students or from last year's tests.

Simple Strategies: Accommodate Students Taking Tests

Mainstream classroom teachers sometimes do not have much time to make special accommodations for ESOL
students on tests. Here are some strategies that require little teacher time:

Allow ESOL students to use electronic word-to-word translators, picture dictionaries and dictionaries
during tests.

Give the ESOL students more time to complete the test.

Have the ESOL students answer fewer test questions. Depending on the level of proficiency of the
ESOL students, have them answer two thirds or one half of the questions. Rather than creating a separate
test simply cross out some questions or circle the ones you want each student to answer.

Read the questions aloud to the student if they need clarification.

Check periodically as the student takes the test to see if he/she is taking the test correctly. ESOL students
often come from cultures where the teacher is viewed as the ultimate authority. To question a teacher is to
indicate that a teacher's directions are unclear. Thus, students are expected to not ask questions and to say
they understand directions even when they do not. Check frequently to see if the ESOL students did indeed
understand the test procedure, vocabulary, and directions. Also ensure students are correctly following
directions and recording answers.

Provide cognates for important key terms when applicable. When the ESOL student's first language
uses the Roman alphabet (such as a Spanish language student), it is often possible to increase their
comprehension of assessments by using cognates. Cognates are words that look more or less the same in
the ESOL student's first language and English and have the same meaning. Examples of cognates for
Spanish are: for talk use conversation (Sp: conversacion),for test use exam (Sp: examen) and for
purpose use objective (Sp: objectivo).
Teacher-made tests and assessments can be quickly adjusted to accommodate ESOL students. Accommodations
can be selected according the English level of the ESOL students. Here are examples of quick adjustments for
multiple choice, matching, short answer, discussion/essay, fill in the blank, and true/false tests:

Multiple choice: eliminate one or more of the choices also avoid trick questions such as which of the
following is NOT the answer etc..
Discussion and essay: have ESOL students label terms, draw and label diagrams and pictures
Matching: reduce the number of matches required, give an equal number of possibilities in each column,
and eliminate trick language matches
Short-answer: accept one-word answers and phrases in place of complete sentences
True/False: eliminate or clarify tricky language, reduce the number of questions

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Fill in the blank: provide two or three options (make the answer multiple choice)

Simple Strategies: Accommodate in Grading Assessments

Accommodations in grading can be time-saving for teachers and stress-reducing for ESOL students. There are a
number of grading strategies the mainstream teacher can employ in accommodation including:

Grade only those items completed by the ESOL students

Grade only half the number of items that would be completed by the mainstream students.
Accept a picture or a description rather than a specific word as an answer for fill-in the blank.
Count and grade the process rather than only the product.
Grade homework and include it as part of the final assessment grade.
Grade labs and include them in determining an assessment (science, foreign languages)

Via: Assessing ELLs in ESL or Mainstream Classrooms: Quick Fixes for Busy Teachers

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(sample activity or test accommodations)

Monster Novel Questions
Directions: Write an answer to each question on a separate sheet of paper. All answers must
be written in complete sentences. You also must fully explain all of your answers (WHY do you
think that? HOW do you know that?)

Pages 1-19
1. Identify the narrator and tell how old he is. Where is he and how long has he been there?
How does he feel about his life at this point?
2. *Why does he decide to make a movie? What would you do in a similar situation?
3. Why does the narrator name his movie script Monster?
4. Of what crime is Steve accused? What reflects the seriousness of his circumstances?
5. Activity: Write a metaphor or simile poem about FEAR.
Pages 20-23
1. What is the exact nature of the crime and who is accused of participating in the actual
robbery and murder? What is the role Steve allegedly played?
2. Why are cigarettes a key issue for the prosecution?
3. *What is Zinzis reason for informing? How do both Briggs and OBrien cast doubt on his
testimony? If you were a juror, would you believe him?
4. What is the purpose of the flashback on pp. 41-43?
5. Activity: Explain your reaction to the maxim, Innocent until proven guilty in a paragraph
or poem.
Pages 45-58
1. *Summarize Steves feelings about jail. How would you feel if you were Steve?
2. Identify Bolden and tell what you learn about him from the testimony.
3. *What do you learn from the flashback on pp. 49-51? Why do you think this is important
to the plot?
4. *If you were a juror, what impact would Boldens testimony have on you?
Pages 59-88
1. Why does Steve think the prosecution calls on witnesses such as Zinzi and Bolden?
2. *Explain Steves dream. Why do you think this is significant?
3. *Note the commonality of events in the midst of Steves life/death trial (pp. 65-66).
Explain a time in your life when you resented life as usual when you were experiencing
personal trauma.
4. Summarize Detective Karyls testimony.
5. How did the detective trace the crime to Bobo Evans, James King, and Steve Harmon?
6. Why does OBrien say the trial could be going better?
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7. *Identify Osvaldo Cruz and summarize his incriminating testimony. Would you believe
him? Why or why not?

Test accommodations Example with translated directions (using Google translate)

English through music quiz.
The Beatles.
1. Where are the beatles from? Sp: Dnde estn los beatles de?
a. England
b. France
c. America
d. Australia
2. How many members are in the band? Sp: Cuntos miembros hay en la banda?
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
3. What genre of music did the Beatles play? Sp: Qu gnero de la msica tuvieron los Beatles?
a. Pop rock
b. hard rock
c. Reggae
d. Country rock

4. when did the Beatles debut their first album? Sp: cuando hicieron los Beatles debutar su primer lbum?
a. 1979/1980
b.1987/1988
c.1959/1960
d.2012/2013

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Language Development:
Here is a helpful tool for exploring your ESOL students English proficiency level and how to best assist them
in the classroom

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WIDA standards via : http://wida.us

WIDA Can-do descriptors are a useful tool for evaluating what students can be expected to produce at various
English proficiency levels. To find your particular students English level ask your ESOL teacher.
This packet is property of Mrs. Martha Brookley. Please email me at mbleakle@mail.usf.edu for permission to copy.
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Sources:
1) ESL/
Bilin
This packet is property of Mrs. Martha Brookley. Please email me at mbleakle@mail.usf.edu for permission to copy.
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gual Resource Guide for Mainstream Teachers Portland Public Schools,

http://www.pps.k12.or.us/curriculum/PDFs/ESL_Modifications.pdf
2) Supporting ESOL studentss in the Mainstream Classroom: Language Tips By: Kristina Robertson
(2009) http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/33047/
3) Assessing ELLs in ESL or Mainstream Classrooms: Quick Fixes for Busy Teachers By Laureen A.
Fregeau http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Fregeau-AssessingESOL STUDENTSs.html
4) WIDA Consortium website http://wida.us/

This packet is property of Mrs. Martha Brookley. Please email me at mbleakle@mail.usf.edu for permission to copy.
May be reproduced for classroom use with ownership attached.