Standards and Instruction

Regardless of the model selected, a well-designed program and effective classroom practices for ELs need to be evident in every early childhood, elementary, middle, and secondary education classroom. A broad range of instructional practices and strategies should be employed in assisting ELs to learn content area concepts as they learn the English language.

The mastery of content requires that teachers of ELs use appropriate LIEPs, such as bilingual education or ESL that incor-porates strategies to make content comprehensible. It requires instruction to be organized to promote second language acquisition while teaching cognitively demanding, grade level appropriate material (Peregoy & Boyle, 1997).

Appropriate instruction for ELs addresses the core curriculum while providing interactive means to access that cur-riculum. Teachers adjust the language demands of the lesson in many ways, such as modifying speech rate and tone, using context clues, relating instruction to student experience, adapting the language of texts or tasks, and using certain methods familiar to language teachers (e.g., modeling, demonstrations, graphic organizers or cooperative work) to make academic instruction more accessible to students of different English proficiency (TESOL, 1997). This is commonly referred to as “sheltering” the instruction.

52 Chapter 4: Components of an Effective LIEP

To maximize opportunities for language use and content mastery, ELs’

social and emotional needs must be met in an environment where they feel safe and comfortable with themselves and their peers. Teachers need to create an environment of predictability and acceptance. Zehler (1994) suggests that providing structured classroom rules and activity patterns and setting clear expectations fosters an environment of regularity and acceptance. Specific ideas to accomplish this include:

• Incorporate activities that maximize opportunities for language use to challenge students’ ability to communicate ideas, for-mulate questions and use language for higher order thinking.

• Realize that some ELs may come from a culture with different customs or views about asking questions, challenging opinions or volunteering to speak in class. Allow each student to listen and produce language at his/her own speed.

• Incorporate multiple languages in signs around the school and display pictures, flags and maps from students’ country of origin in the classroom.

• Incorporate diversity into the classroom by inviting students to share information about their backgrounds. However, do not

expect them automatically to be comfortable acting as a spokesperson for their culture.

Teachers should understand that students might come from backgrounds with different academic and family expectations (e.g., students may need to perform family obligations such as babysitting that keep them from doing their homework until late at night) and different levels of awareness about the expectations for parent involvement in their education. A clear understanding of these differences can help teachers be more accepting and students become more comfortable in their classrooms.

Classroom Focus—Classrooms should focus on both language acquisition and helping students attain the knowledge out-lined in the content area standards. Improvement of language and literacy are at the heart of instruction. Such classrooms can be comprised of ELs and English proficient students; the common goal is to promote language acquisition regardless of native language. Characteristics of classrooms that foster language acquisition include:

• Language development and content as a dual curriculum.

• Integration of listening/comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing skills.

• Comprehension of meaning as the goal of all language activities.

• Reading and writing by students every day.

• Curriculum organized around themes.

New ELs can be any age and grade level and schools should not overlook the distinct needs of older students. Another way to address the needs of second language learners is through Newcomer programming. ELs who are recent immi-grants often require information that is not considered grade level or curriculum based. By providing a welcoming environment to newcomers and their families, basic information about the academic system, academic skills, and social opportunities to help ease the transition into a new culture, schools are providing a supportive environment and a greater

Key Components of a Standards-Based Classroom

Content Standards that describe essential knowledge and skills are fully and clearly expressed and understood by both teacher and students. Content area learning is supported by key language concepts and vocabulary development.

Instruction—curriculum, instructional techniques and materials used by the teacher support the achievement of the relevant content standards.

Assessment—Classroom assessments are valid and reliable measures of the relevant content standards.

Student Learning—Learning methods used by students connect logically to the relevant content standards and assessments.

53 4.2 Standards and Instruction

opportunity to learn. Teachers and counselors can work with ELs in a Newcomer Center to conduct comprehensive assessments, provide an initial orientation to the school and the U.S. school system and prepare ELs for success in the established LIEPs already in place (CREDE, 2001).

Additionally, ELs can be a mobile population and may move from school to school, disrupting the continuity of their instruction. Schools must accommodate these students as they enter and exit programs by ensuring that newcomer and appropriate EL services are available at all grade levels. They also can provide students with materials and records to take to their next school to ease their transition.

Colorado English Language Proficiency Standards

On December 10, 2009 the Colorado State Board of Education voted unanimously to adopt the WIDA standards as the Colorado English Language Proficiency (CELP) standards. Grounded in scientific research on best educational practices in general and ESL and bilingual education in particular, WIDA created and adopted its comprehensive ELP standards that address the need for students to become fully proficient in both social and academic English. The 2012 amplification of the WIDA standards are now an amplification of the CELP standards. The latest research as well as the Common Core standards informed the 2012 extension of the WIDA standards. An important feature in the WIDA standards framework is an explicit connection to state content standards.

English Language

Colorado English Language Proficiency Standards (CELP) for K–12 Standard

English learners communicate for Social and Instructional purposes within the school setting.

English learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content of Language Arts.

English learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content of Mathematics.

English learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content of Science.

English learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content of Social Studies.

Abbreviation

For more information on WIDA English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards, please visit www.wida.us/standards/eld.aspx. ©2011

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Colorado Academic Standards

Colorado Academic Standards (CAS) are expectations of what students need to know and be able to do at the end of each grade . They include individual grade-level standards within an integrated set of learning progressions that build toward college and career readiness . They are the values and content organizers of what Colorado sees as the future skills and essential knowledge for our next generation to be more successful . CAS incorporates the Common Core State Standards for mathematics and reading, writing, and communication . To learn more about the Colorado Academic Standards, please visit the Office of Standards and Instructional Support www .cde .state .co .us/

standardsandinstruction .

The adoption of the CELP and CAS standards places a demand on all teachers to align the language domain and English proficiency level of a student with the content objective. Alignment of these standards provides a focus on the English language knowledge and skill level at which the EL can access instruction and therefore have the opportunity to learn and master the content objectives, resulting in the expected academic achievement of the standards.

ENSURING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT FOR ELs

Colorado English Language Proficiency Standards (CELP)

ACCESS for ELLs

DATA

Formative and Summative

ANNUAL MEASURABLE ACADEMIC OBJECTIVES

(AMAOs)

CURRICULUM

TCAP

DATA

Formative and Summative

COLORADO GROWTH MODEL INSTRUCTION

Evidence-Based (Language Development/

Acquisition and Content)

ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY and

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

Colorado Academic Standards (CAS)

Adapted from The Global Institute for Language & Literacy Development; ©2009

55 4.2 Standards and Instruction