Kaitlin Fivek

Observation Questions for ELL/LEP student(s)

1. What techniques/methods/strategies do you see being used with the ELL/LEP student(s)?
Are they effective? Why or why not? (Either specifically for the ELL student(s) or in
whole class/small group instruction)

The ELL student that I observed has a variety of techniques, methods, and strategies
that are used to help the student in the classroom. The student meets with the districts ELL
teacher twice a week (Wednesdays and Thursdays). The student has some assignments in
Spanish and English. The main teacher really focuses on phonics, along with lots of
encouragement, repetition, and finger pointing. It didnt seem like the head teacher did too
much to help the student with English skills, but rather left that intense intervention to the ELL
teacher. When I observed the student working with the ELL teacher I saw the ELL teacher use a
lot of hand and body movements and motions, and visuals. She was working with the student
on teaching basic weather vocabulary. The ELL teacher would say show me its sunny and the
student would have to pretend she was putting sunglasses on. This procedure was followed
with other words like windy, snowy, chilly, and rainy. I noticed that there was a lot of repetition
as well. Then, the teacher put a video on, and the teacher and student sang a song called
Whats the Weather Like? She also used a white board to draw out new vocabulary words,
like fly and kite. In addition, she told me the importance of using pictures. I observed a series
of pictures on the wall. There was an audio that played that told a story, and the pictures made
up the story. The teacher and student went through about half of the story slowly picture by
picture. I think that all of these strategies were awesome to observe. I really think they were
all beneficial, and will really help the ELL student learn. The student I observed was level 1,
which means the student barley knows English. This student is also nonverbal, so I did not see
her interacting much, and she didnt speak during the session. However, the ELL teacher
worked really well with her, and created a comfortable environment, and didnt make her
speak and feel scared.

2. Do you notice any student behaviors that you would consider out of the ordinary? Please
describe in detail. (This applies to both the ELL student(s) and other classroom
students)

The ELL teacher described the student I observed as nonverbal. I noticed during her language
practice with the ELL teacher, she did not speak at all. I also talked to the general ed. teacher
who also agreed that she barely speaks. I found this interesting because I spent some time with
this student, and she was talking a lot during recess. She asked if she could read a book to me,
and I was surprised to see that she was reading in English. We also played together during
recess time, and she was so happy playing with her friends, laughing, talking, and having a good
time. She also gave me a hug, and seemed really comfortable around me, which made me
happy. She is in a second grade class where there are two teachers. About half of the class is
special education, and the other half is regular education. The ELL teacher also told me that
she has an IQ of 46, which is very low, meaning she is border line life skills. The teacher also
explained to me that she is able to be an ELL and qualified for special education because she
was tested for special education in English and Spanish, and the results were low in both
languages.

3. What type of interactions do you see between the ELL student(s), other classroom
students, and the teacher(s)? Please describe in detail.

I noticed that the other children seem to be kind and friendly to the ELL student. The ELL
student seems to have friends, and was right in the mix of children playing at recess. I did not
see any signs of isolation or uncomfortableness. The ELL student was playing, laughing, and
overall having a great time. The teacher seems to really care about the ELL student. She seems
to give her the extra support she needs, and wants her to succeed.

4. Identify resources/materials that are being used with the ELL student(s). Please describe in
detail how the ELL student is using them. Do they appear to be effective? Explain.

There are taped tests, highlighted texts/tests, organizers, study sheets, manipulatives,
pictures, and videos. During the private time with the ELL teacher I saw pictures and video
being used. That was really awesome, engaging, and interactive. The regular teacher said she
uses the other materials mentioned, but I did not get to see her use them. I assume they are
affective in some way, or I wouldnt think the teacher would continue using them.

5. Does the classroom environment seem to be comfortable for the ELL student(s)? Please
describe the environment and explain how you made your decision.

I think the classroom environment seems to be comfortable for the ELL student. In my
opinion I think its great that this ELL student is with general education kids and special
education kids. I think this is beneficial to the ELL student because she is able to see how the
general education students are behaving and interacting, but it isnt too overwhelming because
there are the special education students in there too. In other words, the ELL student isnt the
only student in the class who may be struggling because the special education kids need extra
supports too. The desks are arranged in clusters, which I think is great. I think it is good for the
ELL student to be near her peers so she can hear them using the English language, and interact
with them as well. Her desk is also located right near the teachers desk, which I think is
awesome. By being in close proximity to the teachers desk, she can hear what the teacher is
saying more clearly, and the teacher is close to her incase she needs any help.

6. Whats the comfort level of the ELL student(s) in regards to the English language? What
observations help you arrive at your decision? Refer to the Vocabulary Performance
Indicators. At what level would you place the ELL student? How did you decide on that
level?

The ELL teacher informed me that this student is a Level 1 student. This means that she
knows little English. Due to this, the ELL teacher speaks both Spanish and English when
teaching her. I was surprised to hear the ELL student speaking a decent amount of English at
recess with her friends. If I didnt know she was an ELL student, I probably never would have
guessed she is one. She seemed to blend in nicely, and was able to socialize with her friends
well.

7. If you feel comfortable enough to ask, ask the cooperating teacher (or ESL teacher) what
type of accommodations/modifications they have to make for the ELL student(s).
Please describe the types of accommodations/modifications that were discussed. Do
they appear on the checklist? Why/why not do you think they are present/not present
on the checklist?

I did talk to the cooperating teacher of the ELL student what accommodations and
modifications were used in the classroom. All of the instructional modifications listed on the
handout were used except three. The teacher said she does not use audiotape lectures,
provide clarification in the students primary language (Spanish), or allow translations by peers
for clarification. All of the other modifications are used in the classroom, which I think is
awesome. There are a lot of modifications on the list, and I think the fact that the teacher uses
almost all of them is awesome. For example, the student does receive shorten assignments and
tests, and have help on assignments through visual cues, organizers, and study sheets. The
teacher allows the student to express key concept in her own words, which I think is really
important. I think all of the modifications are on the checklist because they are the most
common and beneficial modifications for the students.