Reflections on Teaching Multilingual Learners

There is a lot of talk about differentiation but less of it actually happening in classrooms. Why? Well, one reason may be that most teachers have students with a variety of academic needs as well as levels of English language proficiency. In planning lessons they probably ask themselves, “How can I possibly meet all these individual needs?” Sometimes whole class teaching without differentiation results.

A one-size-fits-all approach is ineffective in today’s classrooms. But, learning to differentiate comes with challenges.

In our SIOP work, we met a veteran middle school math teacher who probably represents the position of other teachers. At the beginning, he was resistant to learning how to differentiate and believed that all students should “tow the line” and learn  — a one size approach. Here’s how his SIOP coach told the story:

I went into a middle school for a meeting and a math teacher stood up at this meeting and said, “Out of my 28 students, I have twelve ELLs and eleven of them are flunking, one has a D.

I replied, “There are a couple of things you can do to help them,” and it kind of changed his look. [She then worked with him and other teachers to make instruction meaningful for their English learners]

I saw him a couple of months ago and I ask him, “How’s it going?” And he said, “You know, you taught me a lot. The main thing I can say is that we weren’t ready for these kids [English learners] and we were doing these kids a disservice…that’s it.  We’ve got to be ready. The problem with our school district is that we were not ready.” 

This is a big jump for this guy.

 This story highlights that even the most resistant teachers can, with the right professional development, learn practices that will help students succeed.

While differentiated instruction may mean different things to different teachers, most agree that it has something to do with providing appropriate instruction for students with diverse needs, strengths, and abilities.  The challenge lies in determining what this looks like and how it works. Thorough our SIOP research, we have observed several elements of differentiation that are practical, doable, and effective.  These elements include:

How instructional tasks are designed.

• The teacher sets up the class so that a number of tasks occur at once, such as having some students work on computers, others may be writing in their journals, while a third group is working with the teacher.
• Students produce different products, some more scaffolded than others (see example below)
• Pacing of tasks is tailored to student need. Some students may be able to accomplish a task in three steps, while other students may need more modeling and guidance in five or more steps.
• The difficulty of tasks is adjusted. Learning needs to be appropriately complex for all students but the difficulty level may be adjusted. For example, comparing and contrasting the characteristics of land and marine mammals is a complex, higher order task but some students may write words on a Venn diagram while others may write an essay. The same concepts are learned but learning is expressed at different levels of proficiency.
• The amount of material covered varies.  Some English learners (and other students, as well), may not be able to independently read an entire chapter with comprehension.  However, if the key concepts, critical explanations, and key vocabulary are highlighted, and English learners are expected to only read the highlighted sections, they may cover less material but with greater understanding.

How instructional materials are used.  For many students, grade-level texts can be frustrating to try to navigate.  Some students may need significant scaffolding such as audible texts or reading with a partner or small group for support. The same applies to other tasks such as conducting experiments, creating a research project, and completing math assignments.

How students are grouped for instruction and practice.  In differentiated classrooms, students work with partners, small groups, independently, and as part of the whole class.  In order to promote interaction, a component of SIOP, teachers need to consider how they will group students during each lesson, and for what purpose.

• Instructional groups are small groups (approximately 3-7 students), where the teacher is providing instruction. They include reading groups, pre-teaching groups, reteach/review groups, and mini-lessons.
• Interactive groups involve students working on their own while the teacher is working with another small group. They include partners, triad, small groups, discussion circles, cooperative/jigsaw groups, research groups, and centers. For interactive groups to be effective, students must be taught how to participate appropriately, and they should practice the process often.

How teachers provide feedback and ask questions. Higher-performing students generally are on the receiving end of high-order thinking questions; lower-performing students are asked lower-level questions.  In differentiated classrooms, teachers ask higher-order questions of all students, and provide helpful, specific feedback, differentiating to account for language proficiency. English learners can address higher order questions when the teacher scaffolds how questions and feedback are worded.

Some examples of differentiation include the following, expressed as language objectives. 

Students will be able to:
Beginning/Emerging	Intermediate/Expanding	Advanced/Bridging
Use simple graphic organizers, maps, tables and timelines to process information.	Construct and present various graphic organizers, maps, tables and timelines to organize ideas and process information.	Construct, interpret and present various graphic organizers, maps, tables, and timelines to organize ideas and process information.
Use simple summaries and outlines to identify key information.	Create simple summaries and outlines to detail key information.	Create complete summaries and outlines to process and explore content information.
Recognize the need for assistance and begin to use assistance-seeking strategies (teacher, peers, reference sources)	Seek assistance when appropriate using a variety of strategies (teacher, reference sources, question box)	Seek assistance independent from the teacher as needed through a variety of strategies.

The bottom line is that there are a variety of ways for teachers to differentiate teaching to make sure that English learners receive the instruction they need and to have the opportunity to express their knowledge at their level of language proficiency.

 

Based on: Echevarria, J. Short, D. & Vogt, M. (2008). Implementing the SIOP Model through Effective Professional Development and Coaching. New York: Pearson.

 

Many well-meaning teachers lower expectations for English learners as a way to compensate for the disadvantages some of these students experience including poverty and level of English proficiency. Thought of as pobrecitos, or poor little ones, teachers might be reluctant to “push” students for fear that they don’t have what it takes to succeed, and they don’t want to set English learners up for failure. It is fine for teachers to empathize with some of the difficult situations many of our English learners face, but these students need to be challenged, not pitied.

How does a teacher know how much to push a student who is still acquiring English?

The answer begins with getting to know your students. Once a relationship has been established and you’ve gotten to know each student, then not only will you know how much to push and when to pull back, the student will be better able to communicate when they are feeling overwhelmed or ready to do more. It all starts with building relationships.

Celebrate success. Students typically don’t make huge gains at any one point; progress is made through incremental successes. Celebrate each success no matter how small. Let students know you’re proud of them: “I’m proud of you for sticking with that math problem until you figured it out” and “Way to go! You worked hard on that essay rewrite.”

Make learning goals clear and transparent to students. We encourage teachers to post the content and language objectives of each lesson and review them with students. Let them know what they are going to learn and why it is important. Transparency is one way of pushing student achievement by letting them in on what will be learned. That way it becomes a team effort with shared goals.

In a class I observed recently, the teacher really pushed her English learners — and inspired me to write this post. This third-grade class was in a high-poverty, urban school with nearly 50% English learners.  Nonetheless, the teacher’s attitude was one of high expectations for all students. The content objective posted on the board was, I am learning about early migration to the Americas.  Language objectives were, 1) I can explain details to others about Paleo Indians’ lives and 2) I can write sentences, correctly spelling new words.  Around the room were charts displaying word banks, sentence starters, and the alphabet for those newcomers who needed a model.

Students were working in composition books, editing their writing from the previous day. Each student’s book had a sticky note with comments from the teacher. For example, a student had written, They are going to eat a rabbit and throw the rabbit in a pot so it could be cooked and for them to wear the skin. It is cold there. On the sticky note, the teacher provided two possible connector words, she modeled correct sentences, and encouraged him to write more:

• because
• the……so it can be cooked. They can wear the rabbit skins to keep warm.
• Please explain more about what you see.

As students worked at tables, the teacher circulated amongst them offering suggestions and encouragement:

T: We’re correcting sentences. C’mon students, push ahead!

T: Why are we doing this?

S: We’re learning about what happened in the past, new words.

T: How do we use the new words? (A student responded by reading a sentence with a new word in it.)

T: You’ve got your commas in there. Good.

T: This sentence started with a capital. Great.

T: Students, push ahead. We don’t have time to waste.

At one point, when an English learner asked a question, the teacher went to the Verb Chart which had the following columns: Present, Gerund, Past, Future. Nine words from the unit were listed along with their various forms. She pointed out the past and future tenses of hunt for the student.

It was clear that the teacher knew her students, what they needed to work on, and how to challenge each one to do his/her best. Although she had a kind demeanor, there was no coddling of pobrecitos by this teacher. She set high standards and expected students to reach them. There was a palpable energy in the room as students worked diligently on their writing.

What a privilege it was to watch a teacher take on the work of educating English learners, not skipping over their errors but instead pushing them to reach their full academic potential.

 

 

 

 

 

In many classrooms today, the emphasis has shifted from students solving math problems to learners explaining solution processes, describing their ideas and reasoning, presenting arguments, and proving their conclusions. There are many creative, effective approaches to teaching mathematics but one common denominator (pun alert!) in them all is the important relationship between language and mathematics. Language is at the heart of teaching math. For English learners, the relationship is critical because these students are learning mathematics while they are acquiring the language in which mathematics is being taught.

Equity is one of the themes reflected in NCTM math standards. As stated, “Excellence in mathematics education requires equity—high expectations and strong support for all students.”

So, what does strong support for English learners look like? Would you recognize it — or its absence?

Here are a few suggestions.

Explicitly teach vocabulary. Math has its own language and English learners must master it in addition to the general academic language they are acquiring. Explicit teaching involves selecting a set of math terms for each unit of study Ask yourself: What are the essential key terms students must know to be successful in this lesson/unit? How will I ensure key terms are not only introduced by me but also processed, used, and reviewed by my students? How can I encourage students to use the terms when working in partners?

Vocabulary for a 2-day lesson on the meaning of integers might include positive integers, negative integers, number line, opposites, and absolute value. Make sure students are provided multiple exposures to the words to deepen understanding. For example, write the words on the board or word wall, pronounce the words, point to a word on the board when it is encountered in the text or during instruction, play a vocabulary game, encourage students to use the terms in their answers and discussions. In other words, consistently make students aware of those words and how they are used. Students also need to use and practice the words in a variety of contexts such as peer discussions, individual activities, and teacher-led instruction. It is said that students need to use a word meaningfully around 15 times before it becomes part of their vocabulary. Getting that many encounters takes planning on the teacher’s part with a focus on vocabulary.

Scaffold instruction.  Since listening to oral instruction can be challenging for students who don’t yet speak English fluently, English learners require additional supports.

• Model the procedure step-by-step to demonstrate how a problem is solved. Remember that you may need to model more than once.
• Speak clearly and at a pace that is understandable.  Often teachers inadvertently speak too rapidly for English learners (and other students) to follow. Use a pace that is slower but natural.  Use visuals. Technology offers innumerable ways to help English learners comprehend instruction. White boards, document readers, online resources, and the like provide the visual support these students need.
• Link teaching to their background knowledge and experiences. For example, a lesson on the meaning of integers might be more meaningful if it begins with, Think of a time when you borrowed money. Tell a partner using the sentence frame, “One time I borrowed money __________.” (10 seconds to share) Then discuss the symbol in math that can be used to represent borrowed money making the connection between negative integers and borrowed money. Use a number line to show on which side of the number line borrowed money is represented. Linking the content to students’ own lives makes it more meaningful and easier to learn.

Provide opportunities for discussion.  English learners benefit from discussing math concepts and procedures with peers, as well as in whole group. When posing a question to the class, consider having students turn to a partner and answer the question first, before reporting out to the whole class. Speaking to a peer may be less threatening since it allows students to share their answer or idea with one classmate instead of many. As students are talking together, the teacher may circulate to monitor student responses and get an idea of who understands and who might need more instruction and/or practice. Taking time to have students talk about math is a productive use of time because it….

• Is a means for students to express their thinking, and to clarify and fine-tune their ideas;
• Gives each student time to process information and hear what others are thinking;
• Provides opportunities for English learners to participate as equal contributors to the class;
• Offers the benefit of repetition of academic language terms and thinking processes.

When interacting with students, go beyond responses such as, “Good job!” or “You’re right” by encouraging elaborated responses with comments like, “Can you tell us more about that?”

Try some of the following comments and see how the interaction in your class changes.

Prompt Thinking

• You’re on the right track.  Tell us more.
• That’s a great start.  Keep thinking and I’ll get back to you.
• What made you think of that?

Justify a Response

• That’s a good probable answer. . . How did you get to that answer?
• Why is what you said so important?
• Please explain how you figured that out.

Other Points of View

• If you were solving the equation, what would you have done?
• Would you have done (or said) it like that?  Why or why not?
• Did anyone else have that answer?

When teachers and students interact together, it fosters a supportive environment which builds teacher-student rapport and a sense of community.

It may occur to you that the suggestions here would likely benefit all of your students. Right! Many of the supports that provide access – and equity — for English learners are good teaching for all. However, these supports are essential for English learners to achieve academically.

 

 

 

Based on:  Echevarria, J., Vogt, M.E., & Short, D. (2010).  The SIOP Model for Teaching Mathematics to English Learners.  New York: Pearson.

 

The saying, “He who dies with the most toys wins” was popularized in the 1980s on bumper stickers and T shirts, and even made its way into an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Attributed to Malcolm Forbes, it represents an era when acquiring material possessions – or stuff –was the ultimate status symbol. Hopefully, the sentiment of greed the saying represents is as outdated as the saying itself.

In education, the saying, “He or she who has the most words wins” speaks to the importance of vocabulary.  Ok, so I just made the saying up. But, having a robust vocabulary is essential for school success. Those students who know and can use the most words do best in school. For English learners, vocabulary development is critical for overall language proficiency as well as for academic achievement.

Having a strong vocabulary allows English learners to read and comprehend text, to participate in oral discussion and presentation of information, and to express themselves adequately in writing and speaking. Keep in mind, the benefit isn’t simply a list of new words that have been learned. As those new words are learned, more is learned about the concepts and images with which the words are associated, which then contributes to facilitating further learning and deeper understanding of words’ meanings.

Here are 3 ways to develop vocabulary with English learners:

1. Explicitly teach words.  There’s little benefit to putting isolated vocabulary terms on the board and asking English learners to copy them and look up their definitions in the dictionary. Many of the words in the definitions are also unfamiliar to these students, so the activity can be meaningless – and frustrating. Although using the dictionary is an important school skill to learn, it isn’t the most effective way to learn the meaning of new words. Instead, teachers select a specific set of words from the texts and other materials students will be expected to read. These words may be supplemented by cross-curricular words found in academic word lists such as contrast, analyze, or variable. The selected set of words should be used in multiple ways in order to deepen understanding. Some ways of providing multiple exposures to the words include:

• Pointing out the words when they appear in the text so students see the words in context;
• Using picture dictionaries that have the word, definition, and pictorial representation for reference;
• Incorporating into lessons ways for students to use and practice the words in peer discussions, individual activities, and teacher-led groups;
• Teaching words in context, rather than in isolation, by providing student-friendly definitions, creating sentences using the words, showing pictures, giving examples students can relate to, and the like.

2. Provide opportunities for incidental learning.  English learners can learn the meaning of words from coming across them in print, and orally. But they must come across the words more than once or even twice; there must be multiple exposures in meaningful contexts. This means engaging in meaningful reading experiences, accompanied by discussion and writing. Incidental learning occurs by:

• Allowing time for independent reading of books or online resources that are appropriate for English learners’ language and literacy levels;
• Providing opportunities for students to listen to texts.

It is important to note that while English learners acquire vocabulary incidentally, through use, intentional learning tends to be more effective and efficient. Students should be provided with both explicit teaching and incidental learning opportunities to develop and practice using their vocabularies to the fullest.

3. Develop word consciousness. Simply put, this means to help students become interested in words and aware of how they work. Learning about words and playing with words can be great fun. Activities in which students manipulate words, sort words, experiment with creating funny words, and choose words they want to know about are important for vocabulary growth. As students develop word consciousness, they understand that words have meanings and that these meanings are knowable, not some mystery that they can’t figure out. Often, English learners encounter words they can’t understand but don’t know why. Once teachers help them learn more about words and how they work, they’ll be more likely to figure out the meaning of words that trip them up. Some ways to develop word consciousness include:

• Generating words from roots by adding affixes (See example using –port which means, to carry.);
• Talking about the language used by good authors. Pull out a sentence or phrase and discuss its meaning and why the author might have used those particular words. Ask students how the meaning might be conveyed using different words.

How many words should be selected for teaching? There isn’t research to guide precisely how many words to teach, but depending on age, teachers can choose from five to 20 or more words a week to teach.  The best guide might be to ask, “How many words can I teach meaningfully, have kids use to practice and apply their new learning, and assess within a particular lesson?”  This question helps teachers realize that having more words isn’t necessarily better.

There are innumerable ideas and activities for developing vocabulary. But the most bang for the buck comes by being selective and strategic in the words chosen for study, and giving students many different exposures to the words.

 

Post based in part on:

Echevarria, J. & Goldenberg, C. (2017). Second-language learners’ vocabulary and oral language development. Literacy Leadership Brief, International Literacy Association.

Echevarria, J., Vogt, ME., & Short, D. (2017). Making content comprehensible for English learners: The SIOP Model Fifth Ed. New York: Pearson.

Teachers’ expectations for students – indeed, even their attitudes toward them – has a direct influence on students’ performance and impacts their perceptions of themselves as learners. Research over the past several decades shows that teachers treat the students who they consider achievers (thus, have high expectations for them) differently than those for whom they have lower expectations.

How so?

Low expectations are communicated to students by:

• Giving less feedback to them, delving into their answers less deeply, and accepting incorrect answers;
• Calling on them less often and waiting less time for them to answer questions when they are called on;
• Asking them less challenging questions and rewarding them for less rigorous responses;
• Smiling less and making less eye contact with them.

English learners, in particular, are often characterized by what they cannot do: they cannot speak English, they are not prepared to be in mainstream classrooms, they do not understand the culture of schools in the United States, their parents don’t speak English and cannot help them with their schoolwork, they do not do as well academically……. You’ve heard many of these comments that reflect “can’t do” attitudes, I’m sure.

We recognize that there are real challenges in teaching English learners in a language they have not yet mastered, and our research, and that of many others, has focused on strategies and techniques to make content comprehensible for English learners while advancing their English proficiency.

Teacher’s attitudes about working with ELs is often born out of lack of preparation for teaching these students effectively. Even teachers with good intentions may be frustrated if they lack specific knowledge of proven ways of teaching grade-level content so that it is comprehensible for English learners and assists in developing their language proficiency.

There are many well-intentioned teachers whose teaching practices unintentionally communicate low expectations and deny English learners access to the education we want for them and that they deserve. From our book, No More Low Expectations for English Learners, consider the following chart:There are many ways to communicate high expectations to English learners including:

• Recognizing and capitalizing on the assets that students bring: their experiences, language, and background knowledge that may not align precisely with the teaching processes in U.S. schools.
• Accepting the level of language that students are able to produce and providing supports to help them understand the content of lessons. Developing second language proficiency is a developmental process that takes time – 4-6 years. Students who are trying their hardest may appear passive because they don’t yet have the language to express themselves or may not completely understand the teacher’s expectations for the lesson.
• Communicating with their families and creating school-family partnerships. Research is clear that family involvement has positive benefits for students.
• Ensuring that English learners have access to grade-level content, including college-prep courses. Just because students don’t yet speak English fluently doesn’t mean that they can’t think about complex ideas and respond to higher order questions, when provided linguistic supports.
• Showing interest in each student, getting to know them and discovering their interests and passions. Greeting students by name and asking a simple question or making a comment communicates that you care: How was the soccer game yesterday? That’s a nice blouse, is it new? How is your mother feeling? I like your haircut! This type of specific attention takes about 5-10 seconds per student so a kind word to each student in class costs less than 5 minutes of instructional time and is a valuable investment in developing relationships.
• Affirming student identity by recognizing that each student has his or her own story. What is her parents’ background? What is her own story? What does she do well (e.g., music, sports, art)? Create opportunities for students to incorporate their heritage, hobbies, and interests into class assignments and share with others. Create a community of learners who know and appreciate one another.
• Providing research-validated instruction to English learners in a supportive environment before suspicion of learning problems creeps in. When English learners struggle academically, the question isn’t, “What’s wrong with this student?” but instead the emphasis is on instruction: “How can we meet the instructional needs of this student?” There is both under- and over-representation of English learners in special education, which is a nagging and complicated issue. For a discussion of RTI and English learners, click here.

Which column in the chart most reflects your own attitudes? It may be uncomfortable to consider but it is important to question whether our instruction is increasing our English learners’ access to academic opportunity or diminishing it. Perhaps even more important is to ask for help when we’re not certain or when we’re in need of support in improving instruction for our students.

Many of you have headed back to school and others will be soon. Back-to-school is typically an exciting time of preparation, new beginnings, and anticipation. There is also a certain amount of nervousness involved, especially for English learners (ELs) who may be anxious about doing well in school.

There are some great blog sites for teachers and parents for making the transition from summer to school smooth. There are also videos that illustrate English learners’ experience in school which reminds us how challenging the first days can be for these students.

In this post, I’ll offer my own tips based on my experiences in working with English learners.

1. Be welcoming in your words and affect. Teachers’ attitudes and behaviors have a tremendous impact on how students feel about themselves as learners and on their academic performance. A smile, eye contact, a kind word, or gesture are simple actions that will go a long way in making English learners feel welcome and that they are a valued members of your class.
2. Learn your students’ names and how to pronounce them correctly. I know from personal experience how embarrassing it can be when a teacher butchers your name or makes a comment such as, “Oh, this is a tough one. Let’s see if I can say it.” Such comments usually incite laughter from other students. One’s name is linked to one’s identity and sense of self. It doesn’t take much effort to practice saying your students’ names correctly and with the same intonation as when saying, for example, Jason Thomas.
3. Display items and visuals around the classroom that represent your students’ cultures and languages such as photos, posters, and books. Use labels on items in English and the students’ languages, and ask students how some words or greetings are said in their home language. In elementary schools, a photo of each student with their name displayed on a wall communicates that every child is equally recognized and valued. A modified version may be devised for secondary students.
4. Communicate high expectations, with support provided. Spell out expectations, generate enthusiasm for the upcoming year, and communicate confidence that all students will be able to achieve their best work. Make sure that ELs know that there will be instructional supports in place to make them successful.
5. Be sensitive about asking the class how they spent their summer, where their family went on vacation, and other kinds of typical back-to-school sharing activities or assignments. Some English learners come from affluent households but statistically speaking, most live in low socioeconomic circumstances so it is unlikely that they attended summer camp or went on a family vacation. When I was a new teacher in an inner city high school, I naively asked my students what they had done during the summer. Many responded that they had mostly stayed indoors and watched TV or had to go to work with their parents. I was amazed at how eager most students were to return from summer break because school provided structure, safety, social interaction, and a purpose to their day.
6. Post the daily schedule and classroom rules/expectations in a visual manner that is easy for English learners to understand, even if they can’t comprehend every word. You may teach a mini-lesson for English learners to be sure that they understand the rules and expectations in a positive way and can participate fully in classroom routines and activities. Set them up for success!
7. Don’t criticize students if they are a day or more late in returning back to school. Teachers are excited about the new school year and it can be understandably disappointing if students aren’t in attendance from the first day when you have spent time and effort establishing a classroom culture and all that that entails. However, it isn’t the student’s fault when she misses some days because her family had other responsibilities to tend to. Just this past year I was observing in a school that had been in session for a little over two weeks. In a 4^th grade classroom that had a high number of English learners, a girl approached the teacher to say she didn’t know what to do for her report, an assignment the other students were working on. The teacher replied that since the girl’s family “chose to take an extra two weeks of vacation in Mexico” she would have to figure it out herself or ask a student. He pointed out that the other children returned to school on time and knew the assignment. Needless to say, I was shocked that a student was made to feel unworthy of help because of circumstances beyond her control. Don’t take your frustrations out on students –ever.

The new school year is a time of excitement, anticipation, and new challenges. Students are more likely to attend school and actively engage in learning when their social, emotional, and intellectual needs are satisfied in the classroom environment. There is a lot that teachers can do to get the school year off to a good start, which may put English learners on a trajectory for tremendous academic and linguistic growth, even for the most reluctant learners.

Hopefully some of these tips will inspire teachers to make their classrooms positive learning environments for every student. Have a great year!

 

How can I tell if an English learner has some type of disability or is struggling because of the language difference?

Oh, the number of times I’ve been asked that question or similar ones!

Often educators are looking for an assessment to use with English learners that will definitively answer the learning disability question when concerns are raised about the academic progress of these students. While assessments are important tools that can provide valuable information, there is much more involved in deciding on appropriate educational services for students. Interpreting test results is only one piece – and results should be interpreted cautiously, keeping in mind the considerations discussed below. By the way, there doesn’t exist one such test —  a magic bullet so to speak.

One of the reasons that Response to Intervention (RTI) was made an option for identifying students with learning disabilities was so that schools could move away from exclusive reliance on testing and the “wait to fail” approach. RTI is a multi-tiered system of support designed to maximize student achievement by catching problems early and providing immediate, targeted intervention. This additional targeted support is intended to ameliorate academic problems by providing students the instruction they need in a small group setting. Some students simply need a boost of instruction to get on track. For those students who don’t respond well to the interventions provided, a team of qualified professionals considers next steps.

Unfortunately, RTI has morphed into a lot of different things in practice with little consistency across schools and districts. As a result, students with learning disabilities are falling through the RTI cracks. Another issue is that in a number of states RTI has been used as a way to delay or deny help to students who are entitled to special education services. The latter practice is so widespread that in 2016 the U.S. Department of Education issued two letters reminding states that intervention strategies cannot be used to delay or deny evaluation of students suspected of having a disability.

So, back to the original question….

The following four factors should be considered during discussions and decision-making when determining instructional services for English learners. Although discussed separately, these factors are interrelated, i.e., culture and background are tightly connected as is English proficiency and high-quality teaching.

1. Opportunity to learn. The “frontline of prevention” of learning problems is Tier 1, or the general education classroom where teachers provide high quality, research-based instruction. When English learners struggle, the question should be, What supports are being provided by the classroom teacher? High quality teaching for English learners offers scaffolds and supports to make grade-level content comprehensible while capitalizing on language development opportunities during lessons – an approach such as SIOP. English learners also require a specific time for ESL teaching to enhance their English language development. Interventions might be warranted for English learners who continue to struggle after they’ve had high quality teaching and opportunities to improve their English proficiency. One caveat: a student may be referred for an evaluation at any time if a disability is suspected. Legally, there is no stipulation that students need to be in the country for a certain amount of time or go through cycles of intervention before being evaluated for eligibility for special education services.
2. Language proficiency, including academic language. English proficiency is the greatest predictor of school success for English learners. But by definition, these students are still in the process of learning English and cannot be expected to perform like native English speakers. Many English learners may communicate quite fluently using social language, but the academic language use required in school is more challenging for them. It is more complex, and uses more sophisticated vocabulary and sentence structures than that used in conversational English. The ability to extract meaning from text or to argue a point verbally or in writing is an essential part of schooling and involves a high level of academic English. Naturally, a student’s level of English proficiency will impact his or her academic performance, including performance on assessments, and is not an indication of a learning problem in and of itself. One question to ask is, Does the student exhibit the same struggles in his or her home language?
3. Background. Isn’t it easier to learn about a topic you already know something about compared to one that is completely new and is riddled with unfamiliar terminology? Of course, and the same is true for our English learners – but with a twist. Students come to school with a wealth of knowledge and their previous cultural, language, and literacy experiences influence their ways of learning. However, these experiences and perspectives don’t always align with the materials used in school, the lessons’ content or teachers’ expectations. To facilitate learning, effective teachers tap into what students already know and build on it. They connect new concepts with students’ experiences and past learning. Sometimes there are gaps in knowledge and skills that need to be filled. The point is that poor academic performance may be related to background and isn’t necessarily an indication of a learning problem.
4. Culture. Cultural norms and values are deeply ingrained in all of us and many different influences make us who we are: religious beliefs and practices, gender, race and ethnicity, socioeconomic level, and geographic region to name a few. English learners, particularly immigrants, may feel distance from peers and teachers because their parents have rules, values, and expectations for them that may differ from those in school. An example I experienced recently was with a taxi driver from Tibet who was a college graduate and had moved away from his girlfriend and job to care for his parents in another state. As we were chatting, he timidly asked about what he viewed as Americans’ cruel treatment of their elderly parents. He was astonished that a son (per his culture) would hire caretakers or, worse yet, place parents in a facility. We explained about American traditions of individualism, self-reliance and independence, and that many parents prefer professional caregivers so that they are not a “burden” to their children. The man expressed gratitude to us for discussing a delicate topic, one that he admitted he had misunderstood. Similar misunderstandings happen in schools. Cultural norms and values that may impact the way students behave or perform academically include notions of modesty and politeness, ways language is learned and used, approaches to problem solving, order of time, and incentives to work. Professionals familiar with students’ cultures must be included in the decision-making process of RTI because culturally appropriate interpretation of behavior and data is critical.

In our book on RTI and English learners, we suggest asking the following questions to distinguish between disability and language difference:

1. Does the student differ significantly from others with similar background (e.g., cultural, geographic, linguistic)?
2. Has his or her family noticed a problem?
3. What about first language development? Was it normal?
4. Is the difficulty due to environmental or economic disadvantage?
5. Is the student making steady progress, regardless of how slow?
6. Has the student had the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge and skills in the home language?
7. Has the student had sufficient opportunities to learn?

Unfortunately, there isn’t an easy way of answering the question of disability or difference. It requires the collective input of family members and education professionals, especially those professionals who know about research-based instruction for English learners, who understand the students’ culture and background, and are familiar with the second language acquisition process.

An advantage for English learners when RTI is implemented well is that the focus isn’t on, “What’s wrong with this student?”

The emphasis is on instruction: “How can we meet the instructional needs of this student?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Based on Echevarria, Richards-Tutor & Vogt (2015). RTI and English Learners: Using the SIOP Model. Pearson.

 

A colleague, Karen, told me about the struggles her stepson is having in school. He is an English learner who immigrated to the U.S. in fifth grade and although he is very bright, she said, “He has been lost for 2 years in middle school.” She attributes his struggles in large part to a lack of language focus, or language objectives, in lessons.  In social studies, for example, an assignment was to describe geographical features of several regions in the US. He was able to complete the descriptive part of the assignment easily. But, then he had to pick 2 regions and compare and contrast their features. This part tripped him up because he didn’t know the meaning of the terms, compare and contrast. The teacher assumed that all students, including English learners, knew how to select specific features and compare them, and how to contrast features of two different things. With Karen’s help, her stepson learned the meaning of the words, but he still didn’t know how to apply this new word knowledge to the task.

Karen said that it has been hard for her to watch, both as a mother and a professional since she is a SIOP professional development specialist who helps teachers work effectively with English learners. She said, “The teachers in his school don’t have a language development focus for their students – they just talk, talk, talk.”

Why does Karen think language objectives would help her stepson? Because, as teachers plan lessons with language objectives in mind, they are aware of the language demands of the lesson. They are more likely to think about the language students need to be successful in the lesson. Just as content objectives drive the content to be covered in a lesson, language objectives are learning goals related to language.

Most teachers think about the academic vocabulary terms students need to use in a lesson — which is important — but language objectives can be derived from other categories of language  as well such as language skills and functions (e.g., describe, predict, find key details in text), language structures (e.g., passive voice, use of past tense), or language learning strategies that would be helpful (rereading a confusing passage, use of cognates).

In lots of classrooms, objectives may be posted but are essentially ignored. In contrast, language objectives should be posted and reviewed with students so that the language focus of the lesson is transparent.

Here are a few ideas for actively involving students in understanding the lesson’s language objectives. Each takes only 30 seconds to 2 minutes and is an effective way to get students engaged at the beginning of a lesson.

• Chorally read the objectives as a class. Check for understanding and clarify as needed.
• Ask students to repeat the language objectives to a partner.
• Have students do a self-assessment regarding the language objectives, i.e., Is this something that I am confident with or do I need practice?
• Have students discuss with a partner which of the 2 or 3 language objectives you’ve posted is most important to them. As they talk about the objectives, they are using academic language.
• A slight variation is to have students write on a sticky note the most important language objective and then tell a partner why they picked that one. Again, they are practicing English as they discuss the objectives.

At the end of the lesson, review the objectives and ask if each has been met. You might have students write how the objective was met, and ask them to provide evidence for having met the objective. This process serves a number of purposes: it engages students in thinking critically about what they did in the lesson, it provides practice in finding evidence for statements, students review the lesson’s content by virtue of thinking about the language objectives, and they practice using language in the process. It’s a win-win all around!

Sometimes, however, objectives are confused with activities. Language objectives are measurable and are intended to advance students’ language proficiency. Check out the following and see the difference:

1. Students will be able to orally explain the difference between living and non-living things. (Language objective)
2. At the end of this lesson, students will have learned to set up a Bunsen burner, fill a graduated cylinder, and use a triple balance. (Activity)
3. Students will be able to define the meaning of these words: debate, veto, bill. (Language objective)
4. Children will read 2 poems with a partner. (Activity)
5. Students will complete the worksheet. (Activity)

The activities could be written as language objectives (LO) with some tweaking. For example,

Activity: At the end of the lesson, students will have learned how to set up a Bunsen burner, fill a graduated cylinder, and use a triple balance.

LO: Describe a process of how to…… with a partner.

LO: Write the steps for………

 Activity: Children will read 2 poems with a partner.

LO: Students will be able to define key literary terms found in the poem.

LO: Children will orally discuss the main idea of the poem.

Objectives communicate to students what they are going to learn and why they are doing the activity. Activities are intended to be used as a means for achieving specific learning goals; the activity itself is not the goal.

Finally, English learners themselves recognize the value of language objectives. In one research study, we asked both elementary and secondary students about language objectives. The students stated:

“We know what to do”

“That’s how I got better in English because we had language [objectives]”

“The objectives help us to be prepared”

 

 

 

Language objectives are an important part of every lesson, for English learners and in many cases English-speaking students also. Academic language is sometimes considered a second language for all students. The academic language required to be successful in school is language that few students are exposed to outside of the classroom, e.g., compare and contrast the characteristics of historical figures, or formulate questions and generate hypotheses prior to conducting an experiment. Not many families talk like that around the dinner table!

Language objectives work in concert with content objectives. Content objectives identify what students should know and be able to do during a lesson, and they support state content standards and learning outcomes such as the Common Core State Standards. Language objectives, on the other hand, represent an aspect of academic language that students need to learn or master. They may be drawn from state language proficiency (ELP) standards and language arts (ELA) standards.

Content and language objectives that are posted and reviewed with students are a hallmark of SIOP. Based on our research we say:

• Content objectives are the what – what students need to learn about the content topic.
• Language objectives are also the what – what students need to learn about English so that they can
  • learn, express, practice and apply new information
  • demonstrate knowledge
  • perform academic tasks

We sometimes hear that content objectives are the what and language objectives are the how. That idea tends to result in language objectives becoming activities rather than measurable outcomes.

When designing language objectives, teachers should consider:

1. What language will students need to know and use to accomplish this lesson’s objectives?
2. How can I move my students’ English language knowledge forward in this lesson?

We suggest 4 categories to draw on when writing language objectives:

• Academic Vocabulary – Vocabulary development is an essential part of building literacy skills and content knowledge. Simply put, those students who know and can use the most words do best in school. For language objectives, teachers select key words needed to discuss, read, or write about the topic of the lesson. The following three sub-categories of academic vocabulary, with some examples, may be useful in selecting words for language objectives.
  • Content-specific vocabulary – These words would most likely be encountered only in a specific subject area: colonists, metaphor, thermodynamics.
  • General academic vocabulary –These words are found across content areas: circumstances, observe, however, measure, compare, persuade.
  • Word parts – This category refers to writing a language objective that teaches roots, prefixes and suffixes within the context of the lesson. Learning the most common prefixes and suffixes can multiply students’ understanding of words exponentially. For instance, learning that the prefix anti which means “against” helps students understand the meaning of antidote, antiseptic, and antithesis. After learning the root mand which mean “to order” students recognize related words: command, demand, mandate (it’s also a cognate for Spanish speakers).

• Language Skills and Functions – This category refers to the ways students will use language in the lesson, and many English learners will need explicit instruction in how to do so. For example,
  • Find text evidence in social studies.
  • Record observations during a science lesson.
  • Predict events in a text.

It cannot be assumed that English learners know how to use language in the ways called for in the lesson. Creating a language objective that incorporates the teaching of necessary language skills and/or functions into the lesson ensures successful participation of all students.

• Language Structures or Grammar – This category helps teachers become more aware of the language structures, or syntax, used in written and spoken discourse and provide instruction to English learners. Some aspects that may be challenging for English learners include:
  • passive voice
  • if-then sentences
  • imperatives

A popular and effective way to model grammar and language structures is using sentence frames. Also called language frames, this scaffold needs to be used wisely. A previous blog addressed their overuse and emphasized the need to differentiate frames by language proficiency. Frames can be a useful way to support English learners as they learn to use English, but they are just that – a support that should be removed when no longer needed. Authentic, self-generated expression is something English learners will eventually need to be able to produce on their own.

• Language Learning Strategies – Teachers explicitly tell student about with the resources they need to learn on their own. Some strategies are:
  • Corrective – rereading text that is confusing.
  • Self-monitoring – make and confirm predictions
  • Language practice –imitating a native speaker or rehearsing useful phrases.     

Not all categories need to be tapped for every lesson but the categories serve as a guide for teachers when writing objectives. Here are some examples of language objectives, one from each of the 4 categories:

I will…….

• Content Objective: Use multiple sources to describe key individuals at the beginning of the American Revolution.
• Language Objectives:
• Engage in collaborative discussions using key vocabulary: tax, British, conflict, colonist (vocabulary)
• Ask and answer Wh– questions to organize the descriptions (e.g., What was her role?) (language function)
• Summarize a reading passage using past tense forms (language structure)
• Reread passages as needed to enhance comprehension (language learning strategy)

We are often asked if a different language objective needs to be written for each English proficiency level represented in class. In short, no.

However, teachers should have different expectations for how students will be able to demonstrate that the objective was met. The WIDA “Can Do” descriptors may assist teachers in identifying the kind of language tasks students at various proficiency levels should be able to perform.

Writing language objectives is probably the aspect of lesson planning that proves most challenging for teachers. Hopefully some of the ideas presented here will generate ideas for writing your next language objectives. Don’t forget to post and review them with students!

 

From: Echevarria, J., Vogt, M.E., & Short, D. (2017). Making content comprehensible for English learners: The SIOP Model, Fifth Edition. New York: Pearson.