Tools To Support Learners In The ESL Program

ESL (pull-out) Program Description
It is an English acquisition program that serves students identified as English learners through English instruction provided by an appropriately certified ESL teacher under the TEC, §29.061(c), through English language arts and reading.

Goal
1. To provide non-native English-speaking students of other languages with opportunities to develop their reading, writing, listening and speaking skills in English utilizing second language methods to participate equitably in school.
2. To equip non-native English-speaking students of other languages with the academic strategies necessary for successful study in a language and culture that may differ from their native language and/or culture.

Students in the ESL program may be at different levels of proficiency: beginning, intermediate, advanced, or advanced high in listening. To meet grade-level expectations, ELAR instruction in the ESL program is linguistically accommodated commensurate with the student's level of English proficiency.

Accommodations to support English Language Acquisition through Listening

• Use total physical response (TPR) to provide linguistic support
• Provide visuals, verbal cues, and gestures for simplified to difficult and or unfamiliar concepts/vocabulary
• Use simple conversations and change the rate of speech to the level of students' understanding
• Utilize closed captioning
• Teach vocabulary before discussions or lessons
• Teach and provide opportunities for students to ask for clarification, repetition, and rephrasing
• Allow wait time to process what they just heard
• Allow extra time for students to listen to difficult and unfamiliar academic material
• ELPS integration for content is delivered in English

Students in the ESL program may be at different levels of proficiency: beginning, intermediate, advanced, or advanced high in speaking. To meet grade-level expectations, ELAR instruction in the ESL program is linguistically accommodated to commensurate with the student's level of English proficiency. Students in the ESL program have numerous opportunities to utilize English (L2) with formal and informal registers.

Accommodations to support English Language Acquisitions through Speaking

• Provide opportunities to speak with a partner or with others in simple conversations
• Provide a list of vocabulary words for students to use in their conversations
• Model pronunciation of key social and academic vocabulary
• Allow extra time for students to respond
• Provide sentence stems in English with simple to complex sentence structures and tenses (past, present and futures tenses) i.e., In my opinion the story ________ because ________.
• Use proper English. When correcting a student's English, restate the student's answer in a natural and positive manner with correct English usage
• Allow students to discuss concept or topic in-depth in English
• Allow students to respond in short phrases

Students in the ESL program may be at different levels of proficiency: beginning, intermediate, advanced, or advanced high in reading. To meet grade-level expectations, ELAR instruction in the ESL program is linguistically accommodated to commensurate with the student's level of English proficiency. Students in the ESL program are exposed to a variety of texts increasing in levels of rigor to meet their level of English proficiency. For certain students participating in PK through first grade, these expectations apply to shared reading and read-aloud due to their stage of decoding written text. 

Accommodations to support English Language Acquisition through Reading

• Organize reading texts into small parts
• Provide books and texts in English at the student's level of understanding/activities to measure the student's understanding can include drawing, use of native language, and partner discussion
• Practice words used often (high-frequency words) and key vocabulary
• Use visuals, realia, and other linguistic supports (such as closed captioning, reading out loud, anchor charts, and vocabulary)
• Provide dictionaries (ESL, Bilingual, standard English dictionary, monolingual foreign language dictionary, dictionary/thesaurus, picture dictionary, sign language dictionary, Google Translate, etc.)
• Utilize environmental print including but not limited to labels, signs, and logos
• Model reading aloud for correct enunciation and the use of English language structures

Students in the ESL program may be at different levels of proficiency: beginning, intermediate, advanced, or advanced high in writing. To meet grade-level expectations, ELAR instruction in the ESL program is linguistically accommodated to commensurate with the student's level of English proficiency. Students in the ESL program are afforded the opportunity to write for a variety of purposes and audiences. For certain students participating in PK through first grade, these expectations do not apply until they acquire basic writing skills.

Accommodations to support English Language Acquisition through Writing

• Provide a list of key vocabulary in English
• Provide grade-level appropriate writing assignments in accordance with the student's proficiency level (provide assistance if necessary)
• Allow students to use English sentence stems in their writing, I.e., In my opinion the story _______ because ________.
• Provide dictionaries (ESL, Bilingual, standard English dictionary, monolingual foreign language dictionary, dictionary/thesaurus, picture dictionary, sign language dictionary, Google Translate, etc.)
• Use graphic organizers for vocabulary development
• Have a word wall with content vocabulary as well as high-frequency words
• Use familiar topics to brainstorm before the writing assignment
• Share writing sessions