+

Gaining Confidence
and Effectiveness on
Building Literacy
Communities Within
Your Classroom!

Megan Crowe
Lauren Flood
Amanda Haynes
Millie Kidder-Goshorn

In 2011, nearly a quarter -- 23.9 percent -- of pre-K-12

students were Hispanic, many either immigrants or the
children of immigrants who speak another language at
home. And that proportion is projected to grow in the
coming years, bringing new challenges and
opportunities to schools across the country.

-Anne OBrien, Deputy Director of

Learning First Alliance

According to the Pew Hispanic Research Center, there

are roughly1.7 million undocumented students under
age 30, who are enrolled in high school, have
graduated or obtained a GED, or are currently enrolled
in elementary or middle school. Additionally, this past
summer our nation witnessed a spike in
unaccompanied minors crossing our southern border
with more than50,000 children fleeing
persecutionfrom Central America and Mexico.

- Sara Burnett, American Immigration

Council

Ten percent of all public school students are English as

a Second Language Learners (ESL), meaning they have
limited English proficiency. But less than 1 percent of
public school teachers are ESL instructors. That means
that theres just one ESL instructor for every 150 ESL
students. The standard classroom ratio across America
is one teacher for every 15 students.

-Susan Oud and William Hussar, National

Center for Education Statistics

Techniques for Teaching Speaking

BICS (Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills) For

beginning ELL students this is where the focus is
because it is the first set of skills.

Silent period lasts anywhere from several weeks to

a year.

Techniques for Teaching Speaking

Typical strategies include:

- Listening to fluent English
- Building receptive vocabulary through repetition and
schema building
- Using gestures to show comprehension
- Choral reading
As listening comprehension and vocabulary increases, typical
activities include:
- Using common social greetings
- Engaging in community-building activities (schedules,
events)
- Discussing current events/pop culture
- Expressing an opinion or thought
- Explaining why they did or didnt do something

+Incorporating English Vocabulary

in Speaking
Direct

vocabulary instruction should be done particularly

when the students have mastered grade-level content.

Authentic
Some

instruction is more meaningful to students.

best practices for both listening and speaking

vocabulary include:
Short, targeted discussions about interesting themes
Sharing images/objects that spark conversation
Watching short videos in all content areas/theme (art,
music, dance, sciences, etc)
Reciting rhymes, jokes and poetry
Using music, songs, rhythm, tongue twisters that reinforce
the meaning of challenging words
Playing games such as charades to pair an action with a
vocabulary word

+
Incorporating English Grammar in
Speaking

Modeling correct sentence structure and grammar gives

students opportunities to hear and rehearse.

Use advanced students (both native and ELL) to model

Over-correcting students pronunciation, vocabulary or

grammar while speaking has the potential to decrease
students confidence.

Rather than single out which student made what error, ESL
instructors model and reinforce correct usage.

+
Incorporating English
Pronunciation in Speaking

Listening to fluent English in a variety of contexts is a

great tool for teaching pronunciation.

Rather than isolating sounds, focus on intelligibility,

interaction and practice.

Best practices for increasing intelligibility:

Clap out syllables

Practice stressing the correct syllable when speaking

Use visual aids (phonetic spelling, accents over stressed

syllables, coding of vowel sounds)

+
The Power of Story

Speaking slower, putting more dramatic emphasis on

the speakers voice.

Using more physical actions and sound effects to help

associate universally recognized body actions
(running, sleeping, etc.) with new English words.

Frequently asking the audience to repeat key words

and actions.

Using more physical humor. Laughter is essential to

breaking down the barrier of language.

Lets go to the beach!

Beach Ball Activity

Split classroom equally

approximately 5 groups
Must toss ball to person that did
not pass it to your prior
When you catch ball, look at
your right thumb and pick closet
question
Answer question!

Supporting ELL Reading Skills

+Sample Differentiated Reading

Lesson

Reading Tasks for Lower-Performing ELLs

ELLs extract and list all names of people/places/numbers. Classify them into
groups.

ELLs work only with a specific paragraph, looking for specific information.

ELLs underline all the words that they know. Ask them to look up the difficult
words. These students become the experts.

True/false type questions

Reading Tasks for Middle-Performing ELLs

ELLs answer questions that relate to general ideas.

Multiple choice type questions.

True/false questions where ELLs correct the false questions and/or give evidence
from the text.

Reading Tasks for Higher-Performing ELLs

Oral reports on a text.

Questions for reading between the lines.

Answer detailed questions about the text. Make up questions and swap with a
partner.

+Classroom Strategies:
Steps for Teaching Comprehension Skills

Additional steps for comprehension for ELLs

Identify vocabulary words that you think might be difficult for

students to understand when they read the text. Write ELLfriendly definitions for each - that is, simple, brief definitions
ELLs can easily understand.

Model think-aloud.

Demonstrate fix-up strategies.

Partner ELLs with more dominant English speakers and ask

each student to take a turn reading and thinking aloud with
short passages.

After working with partners successfully, ask ELLs to practice

independently by using a checklist such as the following.

Narrative Multicultural books are great for comprehension.

activity!
+Reading
While I was reading, how did I do?

+Classroom Strategies:

Additional Comprehension Skills for Advanced ELL

students

In pairs, have students survey the text and use an idea map to
record the main idea and details.

Ask partners to read the text.

Have partners restate the main idea and supporting details. At this
point, they can add to their idea map or make necessary
corrections.

Then ask students to reread the text and either develop their own
questions (pretending to prepare a test for their partner) or write a
short summary of what they just read.

After that, have partners check each other's work.

Finally, partners can share their questions or summaries with

other teams.

+
Opening Minds Through Writing

Some students may have little experience with creative

writing due to some cultures being unsupportive of
expressing opinions or feelings.

Select writing themes with vocabulary and concepts

that reflect their students diverse backgrounds.

Encourage students to use their native language to

substitute for words they do not know when they are
writing.

Model good writing from mentor texts that are on the

students English Language Level.

+
Techniques for Teaching Writing

Prewriting/brainstorming stage: graphic organizers are an

excellent resource in helping student envision their writing.

Allow multiple opportunities for meetings with students so

they can express their thinking and knowledge of their
piece of writing.

Frequently model your steps for writing to students.

Break writing tasks into manageable steps because it

allows for greater success.

Beginning with nonfiction writing may be more beneficial

then narrative writing.

+
Incorporating Writing through
Vocabulary and Grammar

Building English Vocabulary through Writing

Students can slowly compile lists of words that they

organize alphabetically and keep in a personal
dictionary. Beginning Ells may add pictures, color
coding, or other cues.

Teaching English Grammar through Writing

One way to keep grammar instruction varied and

challenging is to vary students purposes for writing
and the genres of their writing projects.

Let's
travel!
Postcard activity
*For complete
Postcard Activity
Information refer to
Appendix B

+
Integrating Speaking, Reading
and Writing

E-mail Writing/Reading Activity for ELL and

General Education Students

E-mail centered activities give students a chance to not

only use technology but to interact with their peers
through well thought out conversations. They are able
to craft and then analyze authentic conversations over
a longer period of time, versus automatic in-person
conversations.

Students could even use e-mail writing programs to

pen pal students internationally.

This can greatly improve the confidence and selfesteem of your ELL students!

+
Integrating Speaking and
Reading in the ELL Classroom

Readers Theatre
Readers Theatre is an authentic and engaging way to
incorporate speaking and reading into the classroom.
It can also be integrated into all subjects!
It is especially beneficial to ELL students because it
promotes fluency, comprehension, expression, and
often times new vocabulary.
This activity also benefits all of your students
because they are reading the text multiple times
before they perform Readers Theatre, enhancing
everyones comprehension and fluency.
*Refer to Appendix C for a guide to Readers Theatre
and a list of available scripts.

Language is the road map of a culture. It tells you where its

people come from and where they are going.
Rita Mae Brown

Language is the soul of intellect, and reading is the

essential process by which that intellect is cultivated beyond
the commonplace experiences of everyday life. Its a
language that is adaptive to emotions, ideas and feelings.
-Katherine West

+
Contact Information

Megan Crowe

megan.crowe@live.longwood.edu

Lauren Flood

lauren.flood@live.longwood.edu

Amanda Haynes

amanda.haynes@live.longwood.edu

Millie Kidder-Goshorn

millicent.kiddergoshorn@live.longwood.edu
*Reference Page can be found on Appendix A

+
Appendix A

Belisle, R. (1996, December 1). Email Activities in the ESL Writing Class.
Retrieved January 1, 2015, from http://iteslj.org/Articles/Belisle- Email.html

Best Practices for Teaching ESL: Speaking, Reading, and Writing. (2013,
January 1). Retrieved January 1, 2015, from mastersinesl.org

Brown University. (n.d.). Retrieved March 7, 2015, from

http://www.brown.edu/

Colorn Colorado. (n.d.). Retrieved March 7, 2015, from

http://www.colorincolorado.org/

Cornwell, L. (n.d.). What is Readers Theatre? Retrieved November 1, 2014,

from http://www.scholastic.com/librarians/programs/ whatisrt.htm

Friday, M. (2014, November 12). How Storytelling Inspires Children to Learn

English. Retrieved March 7, 2015, from
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/storytelling-inspires-children-learn-english-matt
hew-friday
sample lesson

+
Appendix A continued
Haynes,

J. (n.d.). EverythingESL: The K-12 ESL Resource from Judie

Haynes. Retrieved March 7, 2015, from http://www.everythingesl.net/

Krajka,

J. (2000, November 1). Using the Internet in ESL Writing

Instruction. Retrieved January 1, 2015, from
http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Krajka-WritingUsingNet.html

Robertson,

K. (2009, January 1). Reader's Theater: Oral Language

Enrichment and Literacy Development for ELLs. Retrieved December 1,
2014, from
http://www.readingrockets.org/article/readers-theater-oral-language-enric
hment-and-literacy-developmentells

Sasson,

D. (2014, December 1). Integrating ELL Students in General

Education Classes. Retrieved March 7, 2015, from
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/integrating-ells-general-education-classes-dor
itsasson

Reading

Comprehension Strategies for English Language Learners | ELL

Topics from A-Z | Colorn Colorado. (2007). Retrieved March 7, 2015, from

Appendix B

+
Appendix C

-How do I use Readers Theatre?

www.readingrockets.org

Reader's Theater: Oral Language Enrichment and

Literacy Development for ELLs by Kristina Robertson

This is a short and easy to read article on introducing

Readers Theatre into your classroom, keeping ELL students
in mind.

Appendix C continued
Kristina Robertsons Steps to a Successful Readers Theatre

1. Introduction to concept of Readers Theatre and story selection

2. Highlight Vocabulary using various activities prior to introducing

script

3. Teacher lead Read-Through asking comprehension questions

4. Assignment of Roles (if there are not enough roles she suggests
using multiple casts)

5. Practice teacher floats through classroom providing assistance

6. Staging creating props and practicing movement

7. Evaluation explain to students how you will grade them and

show rubric

8. Performance!

+
Appendix C continued

List of Resources for Scripts:

www.freereaderstheatre.com

www.timeslessteacherstuff.com

www.readerstheatreallyear.com

http://www.aaronshep.com/extras/index.html

http://www.proteacher.com/cgi-bin/outsidesite.cgi?
id=4502&external=http://www.fictionteachers.com/cl
assroomtheater/theater.html&original=http://www.pr
oteacher.com/070173.shtml&title=Readers%20Theatre%
20Scripts