Scenario:
You currently have five English Language Learners(ELL) in your class or one of your classes.
Two of the ELL students understand most of the things you say but are unable to communicate with you. They are easily frustrated when trying to speak in front of their peers. How would you assist them?
Two more of the ELL students can speak and understand English but can not read and write in English. How would you assist them?
The fifth ELL student amazes you with her reading and writing but when you speak to her she says she does not understand and will not speak to you in English. How would you assist her?
| | Posted by Pura at 8:15 PM - | |
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I have found that it is very common for ESOL students who are first learning the language to be hesitant to speak. They are afraid to make mistakes and need a confidence boost. There is an excellent program called eslreadingsmart.com that helps in the pronunciation of words. This program will point to objects in context to a scene,like a classroom, pronounce the word and allow the student to hear the word as many times as they want to using headphones. The program provides new words that the student can learn at their own pace. I would provide a peer of the students choice to help the student practice speaking on a daily basis. This practice might include naming picture cards.
The eslreadingsmart.com program would also be beneficial for a nonreader and writer as it matches the spoken word with pictures and words. I would also provide a Spanish-English dictionary to the student needing help with their writing. I would model short simple sentences for the student to practice. Matching simple sentences with the pictures that illustrate the sentence would also provide good practice. ESOL students that have a hard time understading English when it is spoke need practice listening to the language. Some suggestions might be listening to stories on tape as the student follows along in the book. Suggesting to the parents that they can help by turning off the Spanish shows on TV and let their children view simple cartoons or children's shows so they will again hear English in their home and not just at school.
I have a ESOL student in my classroom who has only been in this country for one month. She came from Cuba and spoke, wrote and understood no English. She has been learning about 10 words a day. I have all her Spanish speaking friends talking to her in English and helping her in the classrom and during lunch. She watches English speaking programs that interest her on TV at home. She is finding great success with readingsmart. She is very shy and is just beginning to speak. I am thrilled with her progress.
For the next 2 students I would help them by having them break down each sound and then chunking a couple together to express a new sound. Writing the sounds they hear and then going back to the word and correcting would also help in writing and reading. This one would be a long series of practices and you might even have to go back to primary activities. Using the computer to write in a word document would help. Again sounding out what they hear and then using the spell check to find the correct spelling.
The last student I do have in real life and luckily she has a very good attitude towards school but many times she is confused and has a hard time with comprehension. With this student I find it important to use visual aides to demonstrate concrete words. Whether they are in a book or bringing in the object in real life. With this she sees the items along with the word she seems to try to use it more.
In the second scenerio where the students didn't know how to write the words I would give them portable white boards and encourage their peers to write down words for them after they speak them.Maybe it could be a class goal that each student write at least a word a week down and help them learn it.The students learning english could also have a goal of so many new words a day. Then on a day near the end of the week it could be reversed as a kind of test review. The white bords could be given to some english speaking students and the esol students have to write down the new words they learned whenever they are used in conversation with their friends.
When faced with the third scenerio I was going to say I would use a computer program of some type to help them hear the pronounciation of the words. I then read the comment about the eslreadingsmart.com.
It sounds like a great idea that would be very useful to a student in this situation.
I have also used ESLreadingsmart and it is a great program that you can use to assist and encourage students at all levels to increase they abilities and confidence. It takes students from where they are and helps them to improve their skills in a variety of fun and interesting ways.
For the two students who can understand most things but are unable to communicate I would encourage them to draw pictures, and use visual aids such as charts and diagrams. I would have them matched with a peer and encourage them to start speaking when they do not feel that they are on the spot or judged by a group of peers. I would have them use the computer to assist them and start them off with speaking into a microphone and getting feedback from the computer program which would work to build their confidence in themselves.
For the two who can speak and understand English I would have them use READ 180 which would allow them to hear the words in English and read the words on the page at the same time. ESLreading smart would also be very useful and it has sounds connected to words and is great for building skills. I would build on their knowledge of English and would pair them up with a competent reader as a peer tutor for them.
Finally, for the student who can read and write but has problems understanding - I would have her listen to books on DVD as she is reading so she can hear the words out loud. I would have her begin to read to me the answers that she wrote; starting with the short ones. My philosophy would be for her to take baby steps and build her confidence. As is obvious by now, I like to use peer tutors; I would partner her with someone who is a confident speaker and they would work together, she as the writer and her partner as the speaker.
I will continue to encourage the students that can understand English but are unable to communicate by speaking with them one on one and trying to make them as comfortable as possible with the progress they have made. I know they are frustrated when speaking in front of peers, so I would have them slowly work their way up from speaking in front of smaller groups first and then larger as they gain more confidence. I would try to pair them up as much as possible with other students that have gone through the same experiences and speak the same language. I would also see about having another student translate for them, on occasion, just so they can experience speaking in front of others while they are improving upon their English language skills.
The students that can speak and understand English but cannot read or write would be perfect candidates for computer learning programs. They can be set up on programs that can type what they say and see what it looks like in English, they can also do a written assignment in their native language and use the computer to translate their writing. There are also very basic computer programs that they can use to learn to read in English. They would also get as much one on one reading assistance as possible using picture cards and lables to help them learn and recognize words. I would also try to find books that come in both their native languages and English and have them read through the books simultaniously a paragraph or page at a time to help them see how the English words relate to their native words.
For the student that can read and write in English but says she doesn't understand and won't speak in English, I'd praise her for all the things she is capable of doing (reading and writing) and follow similar activities as I would with the students that can understand what I say, but can't communicate. Start off small one on one then work into larger groups. Offer peer tutoring and translating opportunities. Have the students work together with same language speakers and encourage them to help eachother with English. Supply scripts for the student to read and practice speaking, encourage him/her to read the script aloud at home and model what I'd like him/her to try.
With all of the students, I'd try to make the classroom a comfortable place where they will be able to make mistakes and try new things as they learn. I'd try to speak their languages and show them how difficult it would be for me and laugh at myself to show them that it is ok to make mistakes. We'd all learn together from eachother and I'd encourage each student to bring some of their culture into the classroom. We could share favorite stories from the different countries and try our best to tell them in English with computer assistance, community assistance, ESOL teacher assistance and district assistance.
For the 2 students who don’t like to speak, I’d make every effort to help them feel comfortable trying to speak. I’d start out by working with them alone, or have them work with one other student who can communicate with them. Then, I’d slowly increase the size of their group until they were speaking in front of a few students. Hopefully, this would help them feel comfortable. I’d also encourage them to do projects or drawings that they could explain to the class to try to get them used to speaking. I would probably look for rewards to encourage speaking as well.
For the students who can speak, but don’t read or write well, Read 180 is a great program. It can also be set up to use both English and another language to make the transition easier. I’d certainly look into the elsreadingsmart.com program. We’d have labels on things in the room, and I’d encourage them to make decorate labels so they keep writing and looking at the words. The books on CD are also a great help, and the students really like them.
I think that the fifth student would benefit by working in a small group with students who are speaking English but know her language. We would all praise her for speaking English. I’d also try to create a list of regularly used activities, which breaks down assignments into small tasks so that she becomes familiar with the activities through repetition and then will understand what is expected.
If it’s possible, I’d have the students watch videos in English with captions. I think that helps them hear the words and see the spelling at the same time. Plus, they see what’s happening on the screen, so it gives them a picture of the meaning as well. I don’t know if there are computer programs that do this, but if so, I’d have the students use them. If not, I’d ask them to watch television this way at home.
For the students that understand but are frustrated about speaking in front of others I would be patient with the process and encourage and praise any effort. It has been my experience that once they start to volunteer to speak on their own their confidence increases and they try more frequently. I would have them work with a partner using pair and share activities when they first arrive and in small groups before expecting them to speak in front of the whole class.
For the students who can understand English but have difficulties reading and writing, I would have them using computer based programs more frequently. I really like the idea of reciprocal journals. Working with a partner and in small groups on reading and writing assignments would also be beneficial.
The student who reads and writes but has difficulty understanding would also benefit from working with a partner and in small groups for the purpose of comprehension. I would really try to build a rapport with this student so that he or she becomes more comfortable interacting with myself and others.
All of these students would benefit from working together with their peers, using computer based programs, books on tape, and activities that involve pictures, diagrams, and role playing. High interest activities will help motivate them to participate. I also think building strong, positive relationships will be very beneficial.
I'm going to start with the fifth student, the one who can read and write well, but tells me she does not understand and will not speak. Obviously the problem here is not of an academic or language deficiency nature (maybe it's emotional or cultural). This student needs help and support. I would have her see the school counselor and I would place her beside someone I have noticed she feels comfortable with, and smiles a lot with, so they can become study buddies.
Next are the two students who understand most but are unable to communicate with me, they are frustrated when trying to speak in front of their peers. They are obviously lacking confidence in English and possibly are also having problems assimilating, maybe because of cultural reasons. Again, I would pair them up with students who are sociable and helpful, and whom the ELL students seem to be able to get along with.
The ELL students who have trouble reading and writing (but not speaking)I will pair together. They can work together on reading and writing projects I will assign to them that will be tailored to their specific needs.
With the students who can speak and understand English but can not read and write English, I would start with the basics--letter sounds and recognition. How can I expect them to read if they do not know what the letters are or what they sound like? They would have one-on-one help with an aide to go over these items with them. They can also do computer programs such as: English in a Flash, Riverdeep, CCC,Star Fall, Harcourt, etc.
With the 5th student who can read and write but can not communicate, she may be stuck in one of the transition phases. I would try my best to communicate with her through writing, and demonstrating for her what I would like for her to do. I would not stop talkig to her in English, but I would just follow through with the motions as I am speaking to her.
For the students that have trouble reading and writing in English, I do many of the same things that I do with any student who has these problems. We use many picture books, songs, repetitive books, and any other resources I can find. I work with them on the basic phonics sounds, and when they have a decent handle on these, we work on “practicing” the same simple story over and over. A lot of times they memorize the books more than read them, but when they ask to read me a story and are able to quote the entire book, turning the pages at the correct time, they are so proud of themselves.
For the student who reads and writes just fine, but won’t speak, I’m not sure what I would do. . .I will have to read some other posts and get back to you on that one!
With the first two students who can understand but have a hard time communicating back I would use verbal and non verbal cues when having them respond. I would also acknowledge their frustration and that I understand it is hard not to be able communicate your wants and needs. We would continue to practice speaking and speaking skills daily. I would use repetition of things daily such as the same morning, break and transition routines so that those words and phrases become more natural for them. As the year progressed I would add to my normal routines to add more language experiences.
With the second two student who can understand and speak I would again acknowledge that I understand they having difficulty with her reading and writing. I would also make sure to compliment their speaking skills and reminder just as they learned to speak they will learn to read and write. I would again make sure I have lots of routine and reading that I do in my day I would also make sure to provide plenty of opportunities for them to practice reading and writing. I would try to pair them up with students who read and write well on some projects to allow them to model after another students.
Finally with the last student who seems to be completely frustrated with the entire process I would try to be understanding of her frustration while at the same time encouraging her to continue to use what she knows. Again repetition is a great way to learn. I would ask her to speak at times when I know she was confident in what she was saying and gradually increase to times. I would also allow for time where she can speak with me one on one to practice where she is not speaking in front of an entire group.
With all of these students I believe positive reinforcement and repetition of daily skills is essential for them becoming confident in the English language.
For the two who speak and understand English, but cannot read and write, I would be sure to have many things labled in the classroom. We would start by practicing "reading" these labels and writing the names of them.
For the last student I would be sure to keep speaking to him or her in English. I would use a lot of repetition. It might also be helpful to communicate thruogh writing with this student. I could read what I have written so he/she could hear the words and have them practice repeating them.
The next two sudents I would work with them on developing their skill. I would have them try to work with the third student that is able to do read and write in English. This way they will work on developing their skills. Once the other two are ready I would have them all work together. In addition, I will have all of them use which ever reading series the we are using at the time. I will make sure to include them in everything that we are doing as a class. Making them feel part of the class will feel them come out of their shell and hopefully encourage them to open up and talk more English. In the end all the matters is that we help them improve in the English so they will be able to function one day in our society.
Speaking in front of a group is an important skill. I wouldn’t want to excuse these students from speaking from a group, but I would make it a nonthreatening environment. I would have them talk to a small group of peers instead of the whole class. I might also give them a question that I want them to answer ahead of time so they can prepare an answer instead of being put on the spot. Communication is always important. If the students cannot verbally communicate, the teacher needs to find another way for these students’ voices to be heard. I use the BoardMaker program in my ESE classroom; I could see where this program could be effective with ELL students as well. I have a non-verbal student in my room so I needed to find a way to communicate with him. I create communication boards through BoardMaker, explain to him what the pictures stand for and then he can point to pictures to communicate. I have boards that help him ask questions, I have boards that help him tell me what he wants, and I have boards for just about everything else. If an ELL student could point to a picture to help communicate they may be less frustrated.
B. Two more of the ELL students can speak and understand English but cannot read and write in English.
I would do my best to gain access to classroom library books in the students’ home language. I would go to my school’s reading coach and ESOL teachers for advice on strategies that could best serve my students. I would start with the basics of going over the letters of the alphabet and learning the corresponding sounds. I would work with a lot of blending; it would be like learning to read in kindergarten. Programs like LeapTrack and WordMaker are fun and not as obvious that the students are working below level. I would also use these programs with these students
C. The fifth ELL student amazes you with her reading and writing but when you speak to her she says she does not understand and will not speak to you in English.
-One possible reason could be that the student is scared of speaking in front of an adult. I would first observe the student in the classroom setting and see if this ELL student speaks to other students in English. If it turns out that this student is speaking English to the other students, I would try to ease the student into speaking English in front of the class. I would start small by trying to get the student to identify things around the room. I would have the student say what it is in their native language and then repeat after me as I say it in English. I would constantly explain to the student that I am so proud of her reading and writing skills and that I know that they are capable of learning to speak English. I think that this child would best be assisted by a combination of working in peer cooperative groups, labeling the room with the word and articles that precede them. I also think that a computer program like Rosetta Stone could be a nonthreatening way for the student to start speaking English.
Writing the english language could pose difficulty to many ESOL students because there are so many exceptions to the rules of our language. To help the student with this difficulty you could start by writting simple sentences instead of long explaination. Making a wordwall for spelling would also benifit the student.
For the student who speaks well but doesn't understand will allow you to explain and identify key words and though pictorials and self drawing. This would be a method that will enable the student to succeed in breaking the language barrier
For the 2 students who are reluctant to speak in front of their peers, I would pair them with reliable students in the classroom. I would also watch for students they interact with at lunch, on the playground, after school to pair them up with. I would also work with these students in small groups. As someone else mentioned I would definitely get our ESOL teacher involved.
The other 2 students I would work with in small groups also and capitalize on their speaking ability and merge it into writing.
The 5th student sounds like she needs the most encouragement. I would make sure I build a relationship with her so she feels absolutely comfortable. I've a few books this year with both Spanish and English text. My students love to hear me work at speaking another language. My ESOL students love that they can help me pronounce the words and to tell their peers what the words mean.
The first two absolutely need the expertise of their ESOL teacher. A positive environment where it is safe to take chances is essential for these (and all) students' development.
The two that don't read and write in English will need targeted instruction in the reading process.
The last student will need encouragement and good modeling by teachers and peers. Labels, Graphic organizers, computer programs, TPR, ShadowTalk, Realia, Cloze activities, pictures, and more should all be used throughout the cycle of instruction.
My next task would be to make sure that the classroom is labeled in English and Spanish, or whatever the home language is. I would have my school's technology person install several programs on the student computers and enroll these students in them. Some of these programs include ESL Reading Smart, Rosetta Stone,Leap Track, Riverdeep, English in a Flash,Fluent Reader, etc. All of these programs offer assistance in some way or another for listening, speaking, reading and writing. The downfall is that the majority of these programs are only helpful if the student speaks Spanish.Most of our textbook also offer the textbook in Spanish along with an audio version as well.
Our curriculum teacher has ordered dual language books that are perfect for paired readings with an English speaking counterpart. This pairing can help the ELL students gain confidence in their reading, listening and speaking skills in a small group setting. These books come in a variety of levels and content (http://www.schoolspecialtypublishing.com/store/brand.aspx?BrandId=9)
I would use United Streaming videos and interactive web based lessons. Posters and charts on content area material can help the learners speak confidently on subject matter by giving them something to point to or gesture when referencing topics. Readers Theater,skits, choral readings can help the ELL student gain confidence in speaking in front of peers.
Utilizing knowledge of learning styles can lead the way to effective lessons for these students.
For the students who struggled with reading adn writing, I would start them with learning materials available in two languages, and on tape. Books on tape in the native language, which could be provided in English as well, would help them to hear the language, and see it at the same time. The native language tape used as a preview would ensure that they were getting the message. I would also try using picture cards, especially with vocabulary terms. Small group discussion, even acting out situations, can help the meaning sink in while also reinforcing the print concepts.
I am a little confused about the fifth student. If she doesn't understand me, how does she let me know that she doesn't? Perhaps a combination of print and auditory material in English would be of assistance.