English Language Learner :Intervention

Students who are learning a new  language is a lot like learning to play a sport you are not familiar with.It takes time, practice, making and learning from one’s errors, and

to keep desire to succeed, are all part of becoming proficient in an additional

language.

Teachers must adapt an instructional program in order to facilitate the success of ELL in their classrooms.

Appropriate adaptations to the instructional program include: 

• modification of some or all of the subject expectations so that they are challenging but attainable for the learner at his or her present level of English and also given the extra help from the teacher

• use of a variety of different strategies (e.g., extensive use of visual cues, getting extra help or use an organizer);

• Actions use of students  language that they speak first

• use of a variety of learning resources (e.g., visual material, simplified text, bilingual 

dictionaries, and materials that reflect culture and diversity)

• use of assessment accommodations (e.g.,  extra time on assignments, exam and or oral interviews, 

demonstrations to show a better understanding or visual representations, tasks requiring completion of organizers

English language learners are accomplishing two simultaneous tasks: they are

learning the curriculum while also getting to know the language of instruction.

When deciding upon appropriate accommodations or modifications for the student, teachers need to consider the individual ELL’s:

• Schooling Language knowledge

• prior knowledge

• learning style

• readiness and interests

Strategies

·         Highlight key ideas and instructions-Provide notes that highlight key ideas and new words.

·         Give clear, explicit instructions

-This includes providing written instructions/written outline for homework and assignments.

·         Use non verbal cues

-Use facial expressions and gestures

·         Use visual supports

-These include toys, graphs, flashcards and posters.

·         Allow response time when interacting with English Language Learners

-This gives students time to think and prepare a response.

·         Avoid using slang in your sentences

-Gonna, easy as pie, etc make it hard to understand.

Classroom Strategies

·         Practice the students name. The right pronounciation of the students name is a huge part in the strategy.

·         Assign peers to help support class participation.

·         Seat the students where they can hear and see well.

·         Label classroom items in English AND the students’ first language.

·         Post timetables

·         Provide visuals

·         Provide opportunity to give the students’ classroom jobs

·         Find the students’ interests to create assignments.

Instructional Strategies

·         Provide bilingual dictionaries

·         Create a word wall with students’ first language as translations, and add pictures.

·         Teach students’ how to use a computer if they are not aware of how.

·         Model all activities

·         Allow students to demonstrate their understanding in an alternative way

·         Give clear instructions

            Explicit Language teaching

   EQAO testing 

-                  Required in grades 3, 6 and 9 

     -English Language learners may need special accommodations for this test such as adjusting the environment where the test is written. This can be an individual or small group provisions.

·         Adjustments to the time allowed for the test such as adding time. The time can be doubled. 


 Reading Intervention Program
-The reading intervention program provided 105 hours of reading instruction. It emphesized phonoloical based words and word identification. The students who participated in this program had demonstrated extreme underachievement on word identification. 
 

Interesting Facts 

- " Research shows that instruction in the key components of reading identified by the National Literacy Panel—phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension—has clear benefits for ELLs as well as for other students"(August & Shanahan, 2006)
-
  One way to help English language learners is to provide small group instruction with students who have similar needs. This would happen daily. It has shown to be a very effective and has produced significant results. 

Related Videos
 http://www.edugains.ca/resourcesELL/WebCasts_WebClips/Video/SupportingELL/07_AdaptingTheClassroomProgramForELLs.flv

 http://www.edugains.ca/resourcesELL/WebCasts_WebClips/Video/SupportingELL/09_AligningTheWork.flv



REFERENCES

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/apr09/vol66/num07/Small-Group_Intervention_for_ELLs.aspx 

2008 supporting English Language Learners: a practical guide for Ontario educators

http://www.edugains.ca/newsite/ell2/supportingenglishlanguagelearners.html