Teaching and

Supporting ELs in the

Mainstream
Classroom
CSArts-SGV Teacher PD Workshop Presentation

by Erin Conley

April 24, 2020 1

Objectives & Standards
(Or, “Why are we doing this?”)
Presentation Objective:

- Learn, apply, and evaluate strategies to support English Learners academically and
socio-culturally in the classroom

Standards:

- CSTP 1.1: Using knowledge of students to engage them in learning

- CSTP 6.2: Establishing professional goals and engaging in continuous and purposeful
professional growth and development
- TLMS: Domain 4: Facilitates Improvements in Instruction and Student Learning
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NBPTS: Proposition 1: Teachers are committed to students and their learning
Warm Up Challenge!

Imagine you attend an academic class outside your content area in Kenya.
The only language spoken is Swahili. No one in the room speaks English
or any other language you know.

- What would you do to understand?

- What could the teacher do to help you?

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 What would you do?
Understanding Student Behavior
Defiance or confusion?

Avoidance or need for brain break?

Flying under the radar

Primary language support

- Peer(s)
- Google Translate

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 Not all ELs are the Same: Levels, L1s

BRIDGING
Includes proficiency to
communicate well and
EXPANDING good comprehension
Includes of information up to
comprehension of near native speech
EMERGING contextualized fluency and expanded
Includes period of information, some vocabulary
minimal communication
comprehension, proficiency
speaking in simple
sentences
**Native language(s): multilingualism, dialects, and cultural differences

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Features to Consider When Lesson
Planning
PREPARATION
SCAFFOLDING GROUPING OPTIONS
- Modeling - Whole class
- Adaptation of Content - Guided practice - Small groups
- Links to Background - Independent Practice - Partners
- Links to Past Learning - Comprehensible input - Independent

INTEGRATION OF PROCESSES APPLICATION ASSESSMENT

- Hands on - Individual
- Reading - Meaningful - Group
- Writing - Linked to objectives (content, - Written
- - Oral
Speaking language)
- Listening - Promotes engagement

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Components of Specially Designed
Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE)
Connect with prior learning Cooperative/interactive grouping

Visuals, Manipulatives, Realia, Chunking

Technology
Respect for learner
Secure, low-risk environment
Primary language support
Multiple ways to access
information

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Sample Lesson: Components of SDAIE
These are a few examples of how I used these components in a lesson
with my ELD students this week during our poetry unit

SDAIE Component How I USED this component

Visuals/Manipulatives/Realia/Technology
Multiple ways to access information
Cooperative/interactive grouping
Chunking
Respect for learner
Visuals on test document
Powerpoint with visuals, cloze notes, music (song as poetry)
Pair higher student and lower student to work on rhyme schema
and comprehension
Study one stanza at a time
Positive affirmations of efforts (ex: This is a challenging piece,
and I’m proud of you for trying your best.)

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NOW YOU TRY: Components of SDAIE
Using a lesson you taught this week, choose 3-4 components for which
to explain how you did/could have incorporated into your lesson.
SDAIE Component How I USED this How I COULD HAVE used this
component component

Connect with prior learning

Visuals/Manipulatives/Realia/Technology

Secure, low-risk environment

Multiple ways to access information

Cooperative/interactive grouping

Chunking

Respect for learner

Primary language support 9

Components of Specially Designed
Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE)
Which of these do you think is MOST important? Why?

Connect with prior learning Cooperative/interactive grouping

Visuals, Manipulatives, Realia, Chunking

Technology
Respect for learner
Secure, low-risk environment
Primary language support
Multiple ways to access
information
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 What can the teacher do?
SDAIE Classroom Strategies
Genuine enthusiasm
Opportunity for trial and error
Good quality visuals
Total Physical Response
Slow, clearly enunciated speech
Flexible, cooperative learning group
activities
Longer/natural pauses
Repeat, review, and model -- and
repeat!
Level-appropriate check for
understanding questions
Shorter sentences/simpler
syntax/high-frequency vocabulary
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Lower affective filter
NOW YOU TRY: Identifying SDAIE Classroom Strategies
Which of these strategies have I used in this presentation so far?

Genuine enthusiasm Longer/natural pauses

Opportunity for trial and error
Good quality visuals
Total Physical Response
Slow, clearly enunciated speech
Flexible, cooperative learning group
activities
Repeat, review, and model -- and
repeat!
Level-appropriate check for
understanding questions
Shorter sentences/simpler
syntax/high-frequency vocabulary
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Lower affective filter
Sidenote: English
Learners and Special
Ed
ELs & Special Services

RFEP struggles (or, helping English

Learners who are no longer labeled
“English Learners”)

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 NOW YOU TRY: Culminating Question
What EL support strategies can you
intentionally incorporate into your
Genuine enthusiasm classroom TOMORROW?
Longer/natural pauses

Opportunity for trial and error Repeat, review, and model -- and repeat!

Good quality visuals Level-appropriate check for understanding

questions
Total Physical Response
Shorter sentences/simpler syntax/high-
Slow, clearly enunciated speech frequency vocabulary

Flexible, cooperative learning group activities Lower affective filter

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Resources and Reflection - Google
Survey
Thanks so much for coming! Remember I’m available to help:

- Zoom classroom observation

- More sample lessons
- Co-planning
- Schoology: Send me questions any time!

Workshop Evaluation Form

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