Nick Wallen

February 29, 2016

ESL Methods
Jen Rider
Portfolio Artifact 2, Oral Language Development
Grade Level: 3rd
Content Area: Social Studies
Colorado Academic Standard:
Content Area: Social Studies
Standard 1, History
Concept 2, People in the past influence the development and interaction of different
communities or regions.
Evidence Outcome d: Describe the history, interaction, and, contribution of the various
peoples and cultures that have lived in or migrated to a community or region.
WIDA Standard: English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts
necessary for academic success in the content area of Social Studies.
Overview of Activity: Students will research an important historical figure that has passed away.
They will be given a worksheet about the stuff they need to research about their figure. The
things on the worksheet will be items like their date of birth, a little personal background,
important events, and what they have contributed to history. After they have all the research done
and the worksheet completed they will have to present their historical figure. The students have
about a week or so to prep for the presentation. For the presentation the students will have to
dress up as the historical figure they chose and do the presentation as the historical figure. It will
be a short a presentation, lasting just a couple of minutes.
Justification for Activity: This activity will help students develop their oral language because
each student has a chance to speak to and in front of the entire class. Because they have to

present to the entire class they have to speak. This presentation will give the ELLs great oral
speaking practice. I will also encourage the students to practice the presentation at home. This
practice at home will really give them the confidence to present to the class. The use of English
outside the classroom enhances ELLs oral English development. This assignment also gives the
ELLs a chance to listen. Of the four traditional language skills, listening is by far the one we use
the most frequently. Think about how much time you spent listening today. Then think about
how much time you spent speaking, which typically is second to listening (Wright 2015, page
150). This assignment gives students plenty of time to listen. Listening helps develop students
oral language skills. This assignment also gives ELLs a chance to learn more specific
vocabulary. ELLs will be engaged in extensive readings as these are the primary means through
which ELLs will naturally acquire the vast number of new vocabulary words in English (Wright
2015, page 160). The research the students have to do for this assignment will expose them to
new and specialized vocabulary words.
Artifacts: On next page

Ghosts Walk the Halls

You will research a historical figure that has passed away. This person must have
made contributions to society and was important for history. After you research
your figure you will give a presentation to the class about your historical figure.
But instead of a normal presentation, you will dress up as your historical figure and
give the presentation as that person, in first person.
You can use the computers in the classroom for some of the research or you can
use our Famous Characters of History book in the class library.

Historical Figure: ________________________

Why he/she is famous: ____________________
Date of Birth: _______________________
Birth Place: ____________________
Important life events:

Contributions to Society:

(And the presentation)