These standards can be used when educators:

Extend the effectiveness of an assortment of elements of

the standards matrices to meet individual classroom
contexts.
Collaborate to plan significant opportunities for English
language learners to access content through language.
Plan curriculum and instruction that take into
consideration students English language proficiency
levels.
Generate classroom-based assessment plans.
The Benefits of Using TESOL
Standards to Guide Instructional
Design.
The TESOL English Proficiency Standards
PreK-12
Standard 1: English language learners communicate for social,
intercultural, and instructional purposes within the school setting.

Standard 2: English language learners communicate information, ideas,
and concepts necessary for academic success in the area of language arts.

Standard 3: English language learners communicate information, ideas,
and concepts necessary for academic success in the area of mathematics.

Standard 4: English language learners communicate information, ideas,
and concepts necessary for academic success in the area of science.

Standard 5: English language learners communicate information, ideas,
and concepts necessary for academic success in the area of social studies.
The language of school is the distinct, multifaceted type of English used primarily in classrooms.
ELLs must develop competence in using social English to interact in the classroom while at the
same time acquiring the academic language associated with many specific content area.

English
Language
Proficienc
y
Domains
Listening
} Receptive
Reading

Speaking
} Productive
Writing

Social &
Academic
Language Registers Language Structures
Everyday Vocabulary
Instructional Grammar
Academic Discourse

Language Functions

TESOL PreK-12
English
Language
Proficiency
Standards
Content-
Area
Language
Professional &
State Standards
English/Languag
e Arts
Mathematics
Science
Social Studies
Curricular
Topics
Textbooks
Materials
Technology
Assessments
Performance-
based
Standardized
Formative &
Summative
Informal &
Formal
Test-taking Skills
Native Language
(L1)
Native Culture (C1)
Learners
Characteristic
s
(Affective)
Life
Experiences LEARNER
The Language of
School
Language registers are the different varieties of language used depending
on the setting, relationship between the individuals involved in the
communication, and the purpose of the interaction.
The Language of School
Language
Registers
Language
Structures
Language
Functions
Social
Academic
Everyday Instructional
Vocabulary Grammar Discourse
The Language of School: Language Structures
Vocabulary development is crucial to content-area
learning and supplies a foundation for learning and
creating meaningful and written text.

Types of
Vocabulary
Language Arts Mathematics Science Social Studies
General (not directly
associated with a
specific content area
Critical Digital Summary
Identity Restricted Demographic
Specialized (associated
with a content area)
Adverb
Imagery
Proofreading
Divisor
Equation
Graph
Organism
Cell
Element
Relief Map
Abdicate
Diorama
Technical (associated
with a specific content-
area topic)
Euphemism
Hyperbola
Logical Fallacy
Ratio
Integral
Pythagorean Theorem
Photosynthesis
Enzyme
Eukaryotic cell
Equatorial
Judicial Branch
Floodplain
The Language of School: Language Structures
Grammar is essential when it relates to certain
language patterns. Grammatical structures occur
frequently in a variety of content areas and the
patterns are commonly found in textbooks which may
be highly complex.
Language Arts Mathematics Science Social Studies
Hyperbole
(The river is so swift, the fish
need motorboats to go
upstream. )

Onomatopoeia
(The honeybee buzzed as it
flew from flower to flower)

Simile
(The waterfall shimmered
across the face of the mountain
like the glossy tail of a galloping
horse.)
Logical connectors
(consequently, however)

Comparative structures
(greater than, less than, equal
to)

Prepositions
(divided by, goes into)
Passive voice
(Three telescopes were built in
Italy)

Grammatical metaphor
(The butterflys changes are
many)

Syntactic ambiguity
(Flying planes can be
dangerous)

Complex noun phrases
(Life expectancy for laboratory-
grown mice was higher than.)
Sequence words
(first, then, next, last, after)

Historical presence
(In his journal, Lewis writes that
it is important to)

Causative signals
(As a result, thus, so)
The Language of School: Language Structures
Discourse refers to the organization of the way oral
and written language are constructed.
Language Arts Mathematics Science Social Studies
Narratives
Expository Essays
Critiques
Abstracts
Science Fiction
Tables
Proofs
Graphs
Problems
Explanations
Field Notes
Lab Reports
Research Papers
Arguments
Explanations
Interviews
Scenarios
Historical Descriptions
Timelines
Travelogues
Language proficiency in school is multidimensional. It
contains three areas: Cognitive, Sociocultural, and Linguistic.
Cognitive
Knowledge Base
Higher order thinking
Learning strategies
Metalinguistic and
Metacognitive awareness
Sociocultural
Affective Factors
Influence of native
languages and cultures
Social Culture
- General practices
- Discipline-Specific
practices
Linguistic
Phonology
Grammar
Pragmatics
Formal and Informal
registers


Vocabulary
Discourse
Social and academic
language functions

Language
Proficiency
in School
What are the principles of academic language proficiency
that underlie the TESOL English language proficiency
standards?
Principle Description
1 Language proficiency is an outgrowth of cumulative
experiences both inside and outside of school.
2 Language proficiency can reflect complex thinking when
linguistic complexity is reduced and support is present.
3 Both social and academic language proficiencies are
necessary for school success.
4 Academic language proficiencies works in tandem with
academic achievement.
5 Academic language proficiency is developed through
sustained conent-based language instruction.
6 Native language proficiency-in particular, academic
language proficiency in the native language facilitates the
acquisition of academic language proficiency in English.
The TESOL English language proficiency standards
are grounded in national and state ESL and academic
content standards.
Focus of TESOLs English
Language Proficiency
Standards
Source of Academic
Content Standards
1. Communication in English for social,
intercultural, and instructional purposes.
Teachers of English to Speakers of
Other Languages
2. Communication of information, ideas,
and concepts of language arts.
National Council of Teachers of English
and International Reading Association
3. Communication of information, ideas,
and concepts of mathematics.
National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics
4. Communication of information, ideas,
and concepts of science.
National Research Council
5. Communication of information, ideas,
and concepts of social studies.
Nation Council for the Social Studies