Checklist of Instructional Modifications for LEP Students

Student(s) (initials): DB
Grade: 3
School: Neil Armstrong

Date: November 2, 2016

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 teaching method that I saw being used for the ELL student was extended time
for their assignments and tests. I obsevered the student taking his time on tests or
assignments and my teacher did not interrupt the student while he was taking the test. I
also observed the student taking a test in the back of the room while Mrs. Marx read
some of the test to the student. Mrs. Marx told me that the student knows how to take a
test, but it is hard for the student to read the test sometimes. The student needs the
answers read to him as well. I also observed the student receiving extra grapic organizers
or visual representations as well with other worksheets. Mrs. Marx told me that she gives
extra worksheets to the student because it is very beneificial for the student to see certain
pictures. Mrs. Marx will show a picture on the smart board if she thinks a visual
representation is very benefical to all of the students. Mrs. Marx makes the students talk
to their partners all the time as a whole class. All the students benefit from this startegy
because it allows all the students to hear what other students are cognitiviely thinking.
When students hear other students cognitive thinking, it allows the students to learn other
strategies from their peers. This startegy really benefits ELL students because they are
able to hear their peers talk in English about how they thought to solve the startegy. This
allows the ELL student to hear a peer use their own vocabulary based on their own
thinking.

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)
I noticed some behavior in the student that was not necessarily out of the
ordinary, but it was not normal. The student was very quiet and did not talk a lot when
the other students were talking in the class. The student only has a few friends that I
obsereved him talking too. The student sometimes isolates himself and he told me that he
likes to draw during recess. This is not that out of the ordinary because a lot of students
at this age like to do many different things that interest them. I observed the student
looking out in space during a math lesson when the teacher was trying to teach the class
how to subtract three digit numbers using the standard algorithim. I worked with the
student in a small group teaching the students how to subtract. I saw the student trying
really hard to do the math work, but he looked very confused. I worked one-on-one with

him after the rest of the students left the small group and I tried to explain to him how to
subtract using three digit numbers. While I worked with the student one-on-one, he
seemed very confused how to subrtract using the standard algortithim. I started teaching
the student how to subrtract two digit numbers instead to make sure he understands the
concept of trading and regrouping. The student knows how to subtract, but he did not
understand the regrouping concept. As I was scaffolding, the student finally understood
how to subtract using two digit numbers. We moved on to three digiti numbers and I saw
a smile on his face knowing that he finally understood how to subtract. The student
knows what to do, but he needs more simple instruction to understand the more complex
insturction.

3.

What type of interactions do you see between the ELL student(s), other classroom
students, and the teacher(s)? Please describe in detail.
The type of interactions I see bewteeen the ELL students and other students is that
they all interact well together. No one does not single anyone out and everyones is kind to
each other. The students are respectful to Mrs. Marx because she has created a safe
environment. In Mrs. Marx classroom the students do not feel embarrassed if they say a
wrong answer because the students are kind to one another. The students also respect
each other and Mrs. Marx. Mrs. Marx has created rules for the students to follow in order
for everyone to respect one another. When Mrs. Marx put the students in groups they are
cooperatively learning and interacting with one another. This is important because the
students are cognitively learning together and learning different ways their peers think.
Students need to learn that there are many different strategies to solve one problem.
When students are cooperatively learning they are increasing their academic success. The
interaction of ELL students with other students in Mrs. Marxs classroom is excellent.
Everyone gets along well and no one singles anyone out. During lunch though, I think the
student likes drawing in his notebook while other students run around outside. The
interaction between the ELL student and Mrs. Marx is excellent as well. Mrs. Marx takes
her time when she teaches DB one on one because she knows she has to speak more
calmly to the student.

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 not that many resources that are being used for the ELL student. The
only resource being used are visual representations for vocabulary words and
manipulatives for math. The student receives a picture of the new vocabulary word if it is
possible. The student also recevies the word in an example on their vocabulary
worksheet. The student uses this to help him study for his vocabulary words. Mrs. Marx
told me that the student has been doing a lot better on his vocabulary words since the
beginning of the school year. Mrs. Marx did not have visual representations and examples
for the first few vocabulary words in the beginning of the school year. After Mrs. Marx
gave the students the visual represenations and the examples, the student scored a lot
better on their vocabulary test. Mrs. Marx also uses manipulatives during a math lesson if
it is possible. This benefits DB and other students because it helps them see a math
problem instead of just seeing numbers on the board that does not make sense to them.
When Mrs. Marx uses manipulatives it allows the students to touch and interact with
objects inorder to understand the concept. This is very effective for all students.

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.
The classroom environment seems to be comfortable for the ELL student.
Everyone in the class respects one another and is kind to each other. If someone answers
the question wrong, no one laughs at the students for getting the answer wrong. Mrs.
Marx has created a safe environment for all of the students to respect one another. When
Mrs. Marx calls on DB to answer a question if he has his hand raised, he sometimes
forgets the answer and pauses for a couple of seconds before he answers the question.
Mrs. Marx waits patiently until he answers the question. I observed other students
shouting out saying they know the answer with their hand raised, and Mrs. Marx will tell
these students to wait until DB has a chance to try to answer the question because she
called on him to answer. The students respectfully put their hand down and if DB does
not get the answer after he tries, Mrs. Marx will call on someone else. If DB forgets his
answer, Mrs. Marx tries to scaffold the student in helping him remember his answer. The
classroom is very comfortable for the ELL student and no one feels left out.

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 comfort level of the ELL studen in regard to the English language is level
four , intermediate fluency. The observations that I have observed to help me arrive at this
decision is that the student has adeuqate day-to-day communication with his peers and
Mrs. Marx. The student does not need that much instructional support when he is
learning. The student only has his test read to him because sometimes he may come
across a word that may have multiple meanings. If Mrs. Marx is reading a test to DB she
will first ask the student if he knows what the word means using the context clues, and if
he cannot answer the question, she will explain to the student what the word means. I
have not obsereved Mrs. Marx accomodating anything else for the student. Mrs. Marx
will work with the student in a small group, but other students are in the small group as
well. The student knows what he is learning, but sometimes needs a little extra help in
certain areas. The student succeeds well on his vocabulary test after he received pictures
and examples of the word. This helped the student academically succeed. Mrs. Marx also
uses manipluativies for the student.

7.

If you feel comfortable enough to ask, ask the cooperating teacher (or ESL teacher) what
type of accomodations/modifications they have to make for the ELL student(s). Please
describe the types of accomodations/modifications that were discussed. Do they appear
on the checklist? Why/why not do you think they are present/not present on the
checklist?
The accommodations and modifications that Mrs. Marx uses for the ELL student
is that she gives visual representations for the vocabulary words and examples. She will
sometimes give the student fewer vocabulary words than the other students because she
feels that the student can only handle so many new vocabulary words. She also changes
the rate of speed sometimes when she is teaching because can see all the blank stares
from the students. When she works in groups with the student, she will slow down her
instruction and teach the lesson again slower to make sure everyone understands the
lesson. She will also use more simple vocabulary for the students who look confused as
she directs instruct. Mrs. Marx will also use manipulatives if she can during a math
lesson to help the students understand the concept. The students were working on how to
subtract three digit numbers and she had to teach the students the concept of trading using
the standard algorithm. When Mrs. Marx was working in a small group she used
manipulatives to understand the concept of trading. She used a hundred blocks, ten
blocks, and one blocks to help the students conceptually understand the concept of
trading. These accommodations and modifications are on the checklist. They are present
on there because ELL students and striving students sometimes learn better with visual
representations and manipulatives to help understand a concept. In math manipulatives

are very important to use even if the student is not ELL or striving to enhance their
academic achievement.