Title: More than Good Teaching: Understanding Language Acquisition for ELLs
1More than Good Teaching Understanding Language
Acquisition for ELLs
2Where are you located?
- Practice using Elluminate.
- Use a symbol to mark where you are!
3(No Transcript)
4Session Overview
- Myth or Fact?
- Cummins BICS and CALP
- Quadrants of BICS and CALP
- Common Underlying Proficiency
- Vygotskys Zone of Proximal Development
- Krashens Comprehensible Input
- Roessinghs Vocabulary Counts
- Oxfords ESL Learner Strategies
5Myth or Fact?
- Read the following statements. Decide if they
are myths or facts. - Place an A beside Myths and B beside Facts
- Children have acquired a second language as soon
as they can speak it. - Children learn second languages quickly and
easily. - The younger the child the more skilled in
acquiring a second language. - The more time students spend in a second language
context, the quicker they learn the language. - All children learn a second language in the same
way.
http//www.apples4theteacher.com/resources/modules
.php?opmodloadnameNewsfilearticlesid17
6Myth 1
- Children have acquired a second language as soon
as they can speak it.
7 Iceberg
- BICS (1-2 years)
- Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills
- Surface level Here and Now
- Familiar Content
- Face to Face Conversation
- High Frequency Vocabulary 2000 words
- Simple Sentence Structure
- Low Pressure
- CALP (5 or more years)
- Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency
- Experience and exposure to culture
- Lectures, formal, written text, specialized
terminology, humour, culture, idioms, textbook
language, social appropriateness, non-verbal
communications - Limited Interaction (textbook)
- More Abstract
- Less familiar content
- Decontextualized
- Low frequency Vocabulary
8BICS or CALP?
- Reading a textbook
- Discussing the theme in a novel
- Writing a journal response about personal
experiences
9Apply it tomorrow
- Think of an ELL in your class.
- What is their level of BICS and CALP?
- What is the level of teacher talk in the
classroom? - What is the level of student response in the
classroom
- Sample student responses
- One hundred fifty-two
- ..this hundred place?
- For expanded notation you have to know place
value.
10Myth 2
2. Children learn second languages quickly and
easily
11The Dual Iceberg Full Bilingual Proficiency
- The Dual Iceberg Representation of Bilingual
Proficiency (Cummins, 1980, 36 1996, 111)
12Young Arrivals Low Levels of L1 and L2
(balanced but inadequate bilingualism)
13Young Arrivals Low L1, Better Developed L2
14Junior High Arrivals Uneven L1 and L2
15Older Arrivals Full L1 Proficiency,
Intermediate L2 Proficiency
16Whats your CUP?
- Create a dual iceberg to represent your language
proficiency in L1 and L2 - If you do not have an L2, think of a student in
your school or your own child and their dual
iceberg.
17Apply it tomorrow
- Is this a good strategy?
- Talking to a peer in L2 about a new concept
- Using a translator or bilingual dictionary
- Suggesting a family continue to talk in L1 at
home - Supporting a families decision to send their
children to a weekend language school
18Myth 3
3. The younger the child the more skilled in
acquiring a second language
19Words, words, words
- What is the average vocabulary of a native
English speaking student entering grade 10? - Write down a number on the screen
20Roessinghs Vocabulary Trajectories
Vocabulary Vocabulary Vocabulary Vocabulary Vocabulary
Age Native Speaker Elementary with help Elementary without help Junior High with help Senior High with help
1 0
2 400
3 1000
7 8000
10 0 0
12 5000 5000
13 2500
15 40000 15,000 15000 10000 8,000
16 20,000 18000 16,000
17 25,000
18 100000 30,000 18,000 26,000 24,000
http//apollo.ucalgary.ca/eslrw/node/3
21What words do I teach?
- Word Lists
- Ogdens Basic Words (850) http//ogden.basic-engli
sh.org/words.html - Comprehensive Vocabulary Word List (by topic)
http//www.manythings.org/vocabulary/lists/c/
22Some Types of Vocabulary?
- Subject specific - the words related to
curriculum topics (These might also be in context
defined.) - Context-defined - multiple meanings -
transferable words across subjects i.e., role,
noun clusters i.e., global warming - Academic Words the language of thinking
processes required to do academic tasks i.e.,
compare, contrast - Connectors words and phrases used to show the
relationship of ideas i.e., whereas, the most
important - Figurative Language Words or phrases that go
beyond literal meaning and require contextual,
social and/or cultural reference for
understanding i.e., fork in the road
23Identify the type of Vocabulary
- Math Dictionary Certain
- We use the word certain in probability to
describe events that will definitely happen.
July is certain to come after June. If a coin is
tossed it is certain to land with either heads or
tails face up.
- Subject specific
- Context-defined
- Academic Words
- Connectors
- Figurative Language
24Identify the type of Vocabulary
- Certain
- We use the word certain in probability to
describe events that will definitely happen.
July is certain to come after June. If a coin is
tossed it is certain to land with either heads or
tails face up.
- Subject specific
- Context-defined
- Academic Words
- Connectors
- Figurative Language
25Where to find different types of words?
- Word Lists
- Subject Specific Word list http//www.vocabulary.
com/dir-wordlist-word_list - Words with Multiple Meanings http//www.webenglis
hteacher.com/multmean.html - Academic Word List http//www.victoria.ac.nz/lals/
resources/academicwordlist/Publications/awlsublist
s.pdf - Connector Words - Common Transition Words
http//csd.mcmaster.ca/accesstomac/images/common.p
df - Figurative Language http//www.kidskonnect.com/sub
ject-index/20-language-arts/343-figurative-languag
e.html
26What words for which age?
- http//www.lextutor.ca
- Kids list (http//www.lextutor.ca/vp/kids/kid_list
_display/ )
27Apply it tomorrow
- Put a sample of your spoken language in the
vocabulary profiler on lextutor.
http//www.lextutor.ca - Put a sample of some students spoken language in
the vocabulary profiler - For your next lesson
- Look at the vocabulary required for your next
lesson? - Recognize the vocabulary level of your students.
- Decide what vocabulary to teach
28Myth 4
4. The more time students spend in a second
language context, the quicker they learn the
language.
29Quality and Quantity Time
- ELLs benefit from
- Explicit language instruction
- Appropriate resources
- Language learning strategies
- At the just right level
30Vygotskys Zone of Proximal Development
- is the difference between what a child can do on
their own and what they can do with assistance. - It includes all things that a child can do only
with the help of a more-knowledgeable other. - It is a scaffolding process, where supports are
provided by a parent, teacher, or peer who has
already has mastery of the task.
http//www.learningandteaching.info/learning/const
ructivism.htm
31Vygotskys Zone of Proximal Development
- Practice
- Think of a learner in your class
- Think of one thing they can do on their own
- Think of one thing they can do with assistance
now
32Krashens Comprehensible Input
- Comprehensible means to understand
- Input means what goes in
- Learning takes place when the brain can connect
new information to existing knowledge. - It is important to provide students information
at their language level. - Language proficiency is increased by gradual
steps always working from students present
language level. - Use 1st language to help make connections in 2nd
language
33Comprehensible Input Hypothesis
- The learner learn language he can understand by
connecting it to known concepts and prior
knowledge. - Language that is not understood is just L2 noise
http//www.sk.com.br/sk-krash.html
http//www.languageimpact.com/articles/rw/krashenb
k.htm
34Comprehensible Input 1 (CI 1)
- Input must be comprehensible and also needs to be
one level of linguistic complexity beyond the
learners level to develop L2 proficiency.
35Apply it tomorrow
- Think about what is being taught.
- Think about the Comprehensible Input Level of the
student - Are any adjustments required?
36Myth 5
- All children learn a second language in the same
way.
37Learner Profiles
- On the screen write the different aspects of the
learner profile (preferences, modalities, affect,
attributes etc.)
38More Krashen Affective Hypothesis
- Motivation, self-esteem, and interpersonal
acceptance can limit or enhance the speed and
amount of L2 learned.
39Affective Filter Hypothesis
- A filter or mental block can prevent L2 from
getting in if a learner is anxious, afraid to
take risks and in a stressful learning
environment. - Relaxation, confidence to take risks, and a
pleasant learning environment help to lower the
filter.
40Aptitude Hypothesis
- Learners do have innate (natural abilities)
aptitude to learn L2. - More impactful than aptitude is the learners
attitude, which can enhance or impede the natural
abilities to learn L2.
41The Learners Affective Traits
- Self-Concept
- The way I see my self
- The way I interact with others
- My disposition towards learning tasks
- The way I deal with problem solving and
challenges - Skills (related to literacy, numeracy,
relationships and problem solving etc.) - Strategies cognitive, meta-cognitive,
linguistic, socio-affective etc. - Cognitive Potential
- Motivation (Intrinsic, Extrinsic)
42Rebecca Oxfords ESL Learner Strategies
- Avoidance/reduction strategies
- Message replacement (try to simplify)
- Topic Avoidance (change the subject)
- Message abandonment (give up!)
- Achievement/Compensatory Strategies
- Circumlocution (talk around describing when word
is unknown) - Approximation (word that is close to intended
word - Restructuring (re-stating in a different way)
- Literal Translation (from L1 to L2 or L2 to L1,
occasional errors) - http//www.cal.org/resources/digest/oxford01.html
43Rebecca Oxfords ESL Learner Strategies
- Stalling or time-gaining strategies
- Fillers, hesitation (um, like, ahh, you know)
- Self and other repetition (echoing and copying)
- Self Monitoring Strategies
- Self-initiated repair (recognize own errors and
ask for correction) - Self-rephrasing (re-state independently and self
correct) - Interactional Strategies
- Appeals for help
- Direct What do you call..?
- Indirect I dont know the word in English
- Meaning Negotiation Strategies
- Clarification requests What does this mean?
- Confirmation requests Does this mean _______
or ______?
44Learner Profiles
- Think of language of assessments and language
level of student - Learning Styles Self Assessment
http//www.ldpride.net/learning-style-test.html - Student self assessment of language
http//www3.telus.net/linguisticsissues/selfassess
2.html - Student self assessment of language
http//www.acceleratedlearning.com/method/test_lau
nch.html - ESL K-12 Proficiency Benchmarks
http//education.alberta.ca/media/1111060/esl_benc
hmark1.pdf
45Think about it
- What things do you currently know about your
students? - What other additional information would you like
to find out?
46Where weve been
- Myth or Fact?
- Cummins BICS and CALP
- Quadrants of BICS and CALP
- Common Underlying Proficiency
- Vygotskys Zone of Proximal Development
- Krashens Comprehensible Input
- Roessinghs Vocabulary Counts
- Oxfords ESL Learner Strategies
47ATA Webinar and Print series Understanding ESL
Learners
Graphic by Ray Campbell
http//www.teachers.ab.ca/Professional20Developme
nt/Specialist20Councils/Special20Projects/Pages/
Index.aspx
48Wiki - Entry
- http//erlcdpl.wikispaces.com/message/list/Getting
StartedinESL-IntakeStrategies - Type in one aha or question
49Thank You!
Your participation was appreciated! Please
complete the session evaluation which Jann will
email you. Join us for a session on
Differentiation for ELLs by Carla Fisher on March
2, 2010