ELL Case Study

Mica Lewis
3/28/17

This case study is based on my hometown, and is an accurate

representation of my own experiences in education. I selected Montgomery

county public schools (MCPS) which is located in Washington, D.C.

metropolitan region; more specifically Rockville, Maryland. I chose this

district because it caters to an incredibly diverse population, and the

systems in place for English language learners are exceptional.

MCPS has the 17th largest school system in the nation, and serves more

than 156,000 students in 202 schools. Over 157 different countries are

represented and over 138 languages are spoken. The county has a

population of more than one million residents, and according to student

enrollment trend data, enrollment of black/ African American,

Hispanic/Latino, and low income students has increased as much as 20%

over the past decade. The schools can be found in a variety of environments

including urban, suburban, and rural communities. The current demographic

of MCPS shows us the following breakdown of race in their schools: 30%

Hispanic, 14% Asian, 22% African American, 29% White, and 5% other.

MCPS offers a variety of elementary language immersion programs,

specifically in French, Spanish, and Chinese. ESOL, which stands for English

for speakers of other languages, is the primary program used by MCPS to

teach students who are not fluent in English. Enrollment into the English
language development program is based on lottery, and current reports

show that need for language immersion programs overwhelms the amount of

seats available. Students admitted may be administered an assessment to

determine eligibility in the program, and Information provided by parents on

the students home language may affect whether the county will be required

by law to administer the state mandated English language proficiency

assessment. The test determines the result of whether the student is eligible

to be admitted in the English language development program.

The ESOL curriculum resources are organized around the academic

language needed for success in general education courses, and the

instruction is administered for a portion of the instructional day in addition to

the students regular course load. The students are additionally offered

intensive English language classes for beginning level ESOL students in both

elementary and high school summer centers. The students progress through

the following levels throughout language instruction, which categorizes them

by language need and level:

1. Entering A student requires significant visual cues to support

comprehension and responds in single words or set phrases using
the words that are most common and frequent in English
2. Emerging A student understands general language in a familiar
context and responds using phrases or short sentences, making
frequent errors that interfere with communication
3. Developing A student understands and uses specific language
related to various topics and uses expanded sentences in expanded
discourse and makes some errors that can confuse communication
 4. Expanding A student understands and uses more complex
language including some technical vocabulary and makes errors
that do not impede communication
5. Bridging A student is using language to communicate at a level
approaching the proficiency of English-proficient peers
6. Reaching A student is using language to communicate at a level
comparable to that of English-proficient peers development of ESOL
curriculum, assess English language proficiency levels, and inform
ESOL instructional placement decisions

All public school systems in Maryland use the WIDA English language

development standards and assessments to guide the students who reach an

overall English language proficiency level of 5.0 (Bridging), at which point

they are exited from the ESOL program.

Interestingly enough, data shows high scoring levels in language

comprehension for areas of reading and mathematics are based on the

districts academic milestones. In 20132014, 91.6% of elementary language

immersion students met the Grade 3 reading milestone, 100% met the

Grade 5 reading milestone, and 99.0% met the Grade 5 math milestone. The

reports show rapid improvement in language immersion in overall programs

in the MCPS district.

Additional accommodations and services are continually made for

ESOL families in the county. Printed materials that are mailed to MCPS

households in seven languages, information is provided in multiple

languages on the districts website and PTA webpages, informational

meetings are held at local schools in English and Spanish, program-level

Open Houses are provided, and school counselors and staff are trained to

communicate effectively with multiple languages and backgrounds.

Specifically, the MCPS website features a section for ESOL/ Bilingual

programs, which provides information for parents, ways to connect, and

information about instructional programs, counseling, testing and

accountability, ESOL advisory committees, and general services for ESOL

families.

All of this information can be located on the MCPS website, as well as

recent spreadsheets and reviews on past performance by MCPS in regards to

ESOL providers and community outreach information.

 Julio

Julio is an English language learner in my first grade class. Julio is 6

years old, and has lived in America for only 6 months. He moved to America

with his family from his home in Puerto Rico, where he lived in a city called

Trujillo Alto, and began school in kindergarten.

Puerto Rico is a territory of the US, and therefore while Spanish is the

domain language, English is consistently taught as a second language from

as early as kindergarten. However, despite this, fewer than 20% of Puerto

Ricans speak English fluently, including Julio, his brothers, and his parents.

Both parents speak English moderately well, and his older brother, who is

currently in 2nd grade, was labeled as having a level 2 language proficiency

level (Emerging), based on the WIDA assessment. The test administered to

both Julio and his brother is called Access for ELLs 2.0. The test focused on

specific language abilities in of reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Julio

has been classified at level 1, (Entering), based on the scoring of the WIDA
assessment. This means that he needs visual cues to understand Basic

English, and has a very small English vocabulary.

Julio is fluent in Spanish, and luckily many school professionals in this

district speak Spanish as a second language, and can effectively

communicate with Julio and his family. The county where he now lives is not

so different to his suburban home in Trujillo Alto, because the area is so

diverse, and over 72% of the population of Puerto Rico identifies themselves

as White, and 14.6% as African-American.

Jocelyn

Jocelyn is a Spanish speaking student in my first grade classroom.

Jocelyn is 5 years old, and has lived in American for 2 years. Jocelyn moved

here from Venezuela where she lived for 3 years with her mother and

younger brother. Jocelyn lived in the capital of Caracas do to her mothers

work in government.

Because of her mothers involvement in her education, Jocelyn learned

a bit of English before they moved to the US. A recent assessment using the

Access WIDA test told us that Jocelyn stands at a level 3 English proficiency

level (developing). She is able to speak in a series of sentences, write about

specific concepts,( though occasionally struggling with translation), and she

is able to use general and specialized vocabulary. In Venezuela, family is

considered extremely fundamental is social structures, and plays a big part

in stability. Jocelyn and her family moved in with her uncle when they moved

to the US, and because of her uncles fluent language influence, she is greatly

improving.

Jocelyn is a hard worker, and is always polite to his teachers and other

superiors. She is always clean and well dressed, and she works hard at her

English proficiency. Jocelyn always says please and thank you, and addresses

her teachers clearly by their name. Venezuelan culture is typically more

formal than American culture, and it is considered typical to shake hands in

greeting and address each person individually. Jocelyns social language skills

are therefore much more advanced, and her biggest weaknesses are in

reading and writing.

Nadya

Nadya is a 4 year old Muslim American student. Nadya has lived in the

US her entire life, however just before she was born, her parents and elder

sister immigrated to the US from Saudi Arabia. Nadyas family previously

lived in Hejaz, which is a somewhat large metropolitan area.

 Because Nadya grew up in the US, she has strong English language

skills. A recent assessment using WIDA told us that she is now a level 4

English language learner (expanding), and she can communicate on complex

topics and use a wide variety of specialized vocabulary.

In Saudi Arabia, English language is often intermingled with the official

language of Arabic. Because of ties with American businesses, English

language is occasionally found on Saudi road signs, shops, and printed

materials in banks, airports, travel agencies, post offices and other public

institutions. The Saudi Arabian Government publicly supports English

language as a way to advance technology and improve economic

opportunity. English is currently part of the primary school curriculum, and is

typically seen as a source of social advancement.

Nadyas family is very conservative, and have difficulty adjusting to

American schooling systems. Saudi Arabia holds traditional and

unconventional values that differ from American values. For example in

Saudi Arabia, boys and girls are taught in separate classes. Religion also has

a great deal of influence on education, unlike in America where religion is

kept separate in public schools. The school is often struggling to

communicate with her family so that Nadya will be allowed to participate in

classroom projects and assignments, while also respecting her faith.

Misa
 Misa is a six year old Japanese English language learner. Misa was born

in Fukuoka, Japan, and moved to America 1 year ago.

Misa and her family speak fluent Japanese, and her parents are both

moderately fluent in English language. However, when Misa took the Access

WIDA assessment, she was identified as a level 1 English language learner

(Entering). She can understand very little English, and must rely on visual

cues to comprehend simple vocabulary, which she knows very little of.

In japan, more than 99% speak Japanese as a first language. Education

is highly regarded, and considered necessary for finding employment and

being self-sustaining. Because of these high opinions, Japan is one of the top-

performing countries in reading literacy, math, and science. To improve

universal language skills, English instruction has become compulsory starting

in the 5th grade of elementary school. Unfortunately, Misa received no

English language instruction before coming to America, however, her family

is well versed and highly involved in her education.

Japanese culture is often perceived as conservative and highly

demanding. Japanese parents expect a great deal from their children, and

they as a result the students put forth more effort in their studies. Often

however it is found that when it comes to actually speaking English with a

native speaker, Japanese students tend to become anxious about possibly

sounding weird, not making any sense, and having horrible pronunciation;

therefore, they shy away from speaking English altogether. Misa is improving
greatly in her listening and writing skills, however she is shy and reserved

when it comes to speaking and reading English aloud.

Amani

Amani is a 6 year old African American student in first grade. Amani

has lived in America since birth, and his parents immigrated to America from

Brazil 7 years ago. Amani has a twin brother, who is in the same class, and

he has a younger sister. Amani speaks fluent Portuguese, and has great

difficulty in English.

Amani took the WIDA language assessment, and was placed as a level

2 English language learner (emerging). He can understand some English

vocabulary, but needs visual cues occasionally. He can communicate basic

needs in English.

Illiteracy is increasingly common in Brazil, as high as 9.05% in urban

populations. The official language is Portuguese, and is the only official

nation in the Americas that speaks the language. Unlike many other

countries around the world, English is not a mandatory language, or given

any special consideration. Learning at least one second language is

mandatory for grades kindergarten through twelve, however, English is just

one of the many options chosen, among Spanish, French, etc. As a result,

English proficiency is classified as low in Brazilian culture, and the

education provided is not enough to master the language. In fact, Brazilians

are extremely wary of English as a second language, as they consider it a

factor of cultural imperialism.

Because of Amanis familys lack of English fluency, Amani and his

brother have difficulty acquiring English language skills. Amani is improving

in reading and speaking, but he has trouble listening and writing words

down.

Strategies when working with ELL Students:

Julio is a bright student who has already acquired some background

knowledge of English. However, he is a level 1 learner, and has trouble with

reading, writing, and listening. Julio is strong in his native language, which is

Spanish. In order to help him build connections between his own language

and English, my strategy for him would be to include Bilingual books and

labels in the classroom.

Because Julio is unfamiliar with the contextual language for his classes,

he has trouble asking questions and providing ideas. My strategy for him

would be to incorporate questioning scripts which outline exactly what

to say in order to communicate confusion or understanding. This may include

I am confused about . Or I agree that . This way Julio is practicing

functional language and is also able to communicate openly.

 Julio often struggles with reading assignments because he doesnt

always understand the content or meaning. My strategy here would be to

assign him a partner during read, pair, and share. Julios partner

would be at a slightly higher reading level. This way, they can communicate

with each other, but Julio can build his language skills with his partner.

Jocelyn has some strong verbal and listening skills in English. However,

she has difficulty comprehending texts and writing. My strategy for Jocelyn in

writing would be to implement scaffolding into her daily writing

assignments. Early on, I would model writing techniques, and guide her

through her own writing. As time goes on and her skills improve, I reduce

those modeling and guiding scaffolds until she is capable of writing on her

own.

Jocelyn is bright and is improving greatly in all areas of language

acquisition. As a teacher, I want to make sure she is getting the most out of

her instruction, while also maintain her interest and comprehension. My

strategy would be to use a KWL chart, which is recorded by Jocelyn and

details what she knows, what she wants to know, and what she has learned.

This would be introduced in context with the current lesson.

Jocelyn is polite and reserved, and therefore needs some help in her

social interactions with her fellow students. My strategy for her is to have the

class practice daily communication games. These games reduce the stress

of classroom structures, and provide a fun way to interact and build

relationships with peers in the classroom, all while developing

communication skills.

Nadya is a strong speaker and reader, however she is not fluent in

writing. One strategy to improve her writing skills is free writing. Every day

the class and Nadya will free write about anything, with no concerns about

grammar or spelling. This way Nadya can develop her own ideas without

worrying about it being correct.

Nadya is smart and a hard worker, and has experience with English

language. She often struggles however in connecting English culture with her

own language and culture. My strategy for her is incorporating culture

studies into certain assignments. This means Nadya can use English to

explore elements and values in her home and tie it to studies in her classes.

Nadya is very involved in her faith, which poses some differences

between her and her fellow students. In order to help her feel safe and

included in her class, my strategy is to incorporate cooperative learning

into classroom routines. Nadya and her peers will rely on each other to

improve in their skills, which will strengthen classroom dynamics and build

an inclusive environment.

Misa has a great deal of difficulty with English language, and struggles

with vocabulary during new subjects. One strategy to help her is by using the

preview/ review model for each lesson. Misa will have the content
vocabulary practiced in both her own language and in English, and as the

lesson goes on it will be reviewed to ensure her comprehension.

Misa is a visual learner, and learns quickly when she can make

personal connections. My strategy for her would be to use manipulatives as

a tactile and visual representation, which she can connect to her own

language and its concepts. This can help her with specific content

vocabulary, as it gives her a physical and visual aid and representation.

Misa is shy about speaking English, and has anxiety about speaking in

front of others. My strategy is to use choral reading and responses during

classroom instruction. This way, Misa is speaking along with everyone else,

and does not feel singled out.

Amani has difficulty connecting concepts from his own language with

English. I would use cognate strategies to build those connections

between Amanis language abilities, with English language. The two share

some common similarities, and if Amani can recognize those patterns, he

may begin to feel more confident in his language instruction.

During class assignments, Amani has trouble breaking down readings

into manageable sections. One strategy to improve this would be to use

graphic organizers during readings to clarify important ideas, characters,

concepts, or vocabulary. Amani would then be able to search for specific

elements and connect it all to the overall meaning.

 Amani is often overwhelmed by the classroom elements and language

use. He has trouble following along to rules and procedures. A strategy to

improve this dynamic is to rely on predictable routines and signals

throughout the day. Amani would be able to rely on the general routine and

directions, and not need to focus on simply the oral directions.

 References:

http://www.commisceo-global.com/country-guides/venezuela-

guide/
http://voiceboxer.com/what-about-english-in-brazil/
https://www.readinga-z.com/ell/ell-language-proficiency-

alignment/
https://www.wida.us/standards/eld.aspx
http://www.topuertorico.org/
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-

factbook/geos/sa.html
http://iml.jou.ufl.edu/projects/Spring01/Newsome/culture.html
https://www.japantoday.com/category/opinions/view/why-are-

japanese-so-bad-at- english