English Language Learners

Learner Characteristics:
- Level I:
a. Students maybe silent.
b. Students may recognize basic vocabulary and high-frequency
words.
c. Student may begin to speak a few words or imitate others.
- Level II:
a. Students will understand short phrases and short sentences.
b. Students may begin to use general vocabulary and everyday
expression.
- Level III:
a. Students will have increased their comprehension context.
b. Students may be proficient in social language but not academic
language.
c. Students will be inconsistent in their grammatical structures.
- Level IV:
a. Students will have a good grasp on comprehension.
b. Students will have more complex speech patterns with less errors.
c. Students will engage in conversation on a variety of topics and
skills.
d. Students can use their newly acquired language skills to express
their thinking but may have difficulty with abstract academic
concepts.
e. Students will still need support to develop their academic language
development.
- Level V:
a. Students will communicate effectively on a wide range of topics.
b. Students will participate completely in all content areas but may
still require curricular adjustments.
c. Students will comprehend concrete and abstract concept.
d. Students will have extended interactions with a variety of
audiences.

How to include English Language learners in the classroom:

Level I:
- Give students multiple repetitions of language skills.
- Give students many opportunities to practice their new language skills
by practicing with partners.
- Use visual clues whenever possible to make it easier to understand
what you are talking about.
-
Level II:
- Continue to give students multiple repetition of language skills.
- Continue to use visual representation whenever possible for
vocabulary enhancement.
- Pre-teach content vocabulary.
- Make connections to prior knowledge when possible.
 Level III:
- Continue to give students multiple repetition of language skills.
- Help them explore synonyms and antonyms.
- Help them create a word bank to help practice vocabulary words.
- Demonstrate simple sentences and let them practice making their own
simple sentences.
- Continue to use their prior knowledge to help build English language
skills.
-
Level IV:
- Continue to give students multiple repetition of language skills.
- Give students authentic practice opportunities to develop fluency and
automaticity in communication.
- Give students meaningful opportunities to engage in conversation with
their peers.
- Give students explicit instruction in the use of language skills.
- Continue vocabulary development on all content areas by using word
banks and pre-teaching.
Level V:
- Give students multiple opportunities to practice complex grammatical
forms.
- Give students meaningful opportunities to engage in conversation with
their peers.
- Use explicit instruction in the details of English language usage.
Ways to include English Language Learners of all levels:
- Provide students with oral recordings of the textbook.
- Provide textbooks and study guides that have been highlighted.
- When giving instructions use language that is easy to understand and
give them in small distinct steps and have directions written out where
the students can see them.
- Learn phrases in their native language and use a bilingual dictionary so
you can clarify any instructions that they dont understand in their
native language.
- Use direct teaching of concepts for all content areas and pre-teach
vocabulary.
- Use guided instruction where students work together in groups to help
understand what they have read, by listening, speaking, and writing
collaboratively.

References:
Bongolan, R. S., & Moir, E. (2005, December). Six Key Strategies for Teachers of
English-Language Learners. Retrieved April 14, 2017, from
https://uteach.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/files/SixKeyStrategiesELL.pdf
 Koening, Alan, J; Holbrook, Cay, M. Foundations of Education Vol.2, Second
Edition.
2000, AFB Press, 2nd