WORKING WITH GROSSMONT’S ESL STUDENTS

1. WORKING WITH GROSSMONT’S ESL STUDENTS Best practices for helping non-native speakers of English succeed in your classes

2. Grossmont CollegeSummer Institute 2010 Nancy Herzfeld-Pipkin ESL Department & Student Success Committee Cal-PASS Co-Coordinator-East County EL/ESL Council Maxine Sagapolutele EL Coordinator–El Cajon Valley High School Cal-PASS Co-Coordinator-East County EL/ESL Council

3. Goals/Objectives of this workshop •understand the non-native speaker populations •learn tips and techniques to help students achieve success in any discipline •explore best practices for reading, writing, speaking, and listening •participate in hands-on activities to apply to your own discipline

4. Background Information •Non-native speakers of English at Grossmont College •Grossmont HS District’s EL Program •Cal-PASS Council - Best practices project

5. Grossmont College:Who are we? We are adiversegroupfrom manydifferent countries andbackgrounds.

6. We come from over 80 countries Some of us are residents who now live here. And some of us are visiting students.

7. 1st Generation Adult immigrants Foreign-born Foreign-educated L1-dominant Generation 1.5 Childhood immigrants Foreign-born Partially foreign-educated Partially US-educatedL1- or English-dominant 2nd Generation Children of immigrants US-born US-educated English-dominant Generation 1.5 Students Roberge-Responding to the Needs of Generation 1.5 Immigrant Students in a Two-Track College Writing Program

8. Characteristics of Gen 1.5 Students •They are still learning the language, but they are not typical ESL learners. •Oral/aural proficiency •May have been influenced by dialects •Language may be fossilized in some ways. •May have second language literacy without first language literacy. •High school experience with ESL may be varied according to programs at their schools.

9. Accountability and Measuring Achievement • CST (California Standards Tests) in various subject areas • CAHSEE (California High School Exit Exam) • Attendance rates impact the above tests • CELDT (California English Language Development Test)

10. English Learners Out of 2200 students, El Cajon Valley High School has • 1015 students designated as English Learners • 403 students designated as R-FEP, which means they were designated as English Learners and have met the criteria to be reclassified as Fluent English Proficient

11. EL is a diverse label The Label EL can refer to any of the following: • new to the U.S. • born here, moved back to home country, and returned to the U.S. • born here, and never left but speak another language at home and need support in English • developed proficiency in home language and/or a language from another country (other than their home country) but need to develop proficiency in English • not literate in any language

12. Recent Enrollment • We are constantly accommodating new families moving into El Cajon • 2007-08 we had 71 new refugee students • 2008-09 we had 302 new refugee students • 2009-10 (up until June 2nd) we had 207 new refugee students

13. Determining EL Status • Home Language Survey • EL Language and math Assessments • Transcripts are validated • Many “newcomer” students who enroll as seniors, will stay in high school beyond the traditional 4th year of high school. (“Super seniors”)

14. ESL/ELD Beginning 1-2 ESL/ELD Beginning 3/ Int. 1 ESL/ELD Intermediate 2-3 ESL/ELD Advanced 1-2 SDAIE English 1/2C SDAIE English 3/4C SDAIE English 5/6C SDAIE English 7/8C ELD/English class levels

15. EL Schedules • A student in Beginning ELD: Enrolled in ELD, literacy support, math, and an elective • A student in Intermediate or Advanced: ELD, content area classes, math, and an elective • A student in SDAIE English: English, math, content area classes, and an elective • Some EL students are in AP and/or honors courses and/or programs like AVID

16. The Edge Program • Offers high-school level standards in preparation for state assessments • Offers high-school level thinking that is age-appropriate for the student • Teaches academic vocabulary and writing

17. Supports for Students • All teachers are trained in CLAD and SDAIE • Peer tutors in ELD • Credentialed teachers and adult tutors in Night Library • Adult translators are reserved for other content areas not English classes

18. Strategies • “Scan for Vocabulary” reading glossaries • Using the Internet to find translations • Reading and writing summary sentences • Cornell Notes and other AVID strategies • Active Reading Strategies: Marking the Text • Using Graphic Organizers • SDAIE Scaffolds: Modeling, Bridging, Contextualization, Schema-building, Metacognitive Development, Text Re-presentation

19. East County EL/ESL Council Projects/Innovations: •Summer writing class •Professional development workshops Language-Based Strategies Across the Curriculum

20. Non-Language Issues •Cultural --different background and expectations --previous educational experiences (or lack of) --lack of familiarity with the system •Other --PTSD --DSPS

21. First week of classes •Is the student in the right place? --Questionnaires—information sheets --Short diagnostics - writing sample - response to short reading •Syllabus – clear and explicit expectations and guidelines --Stress academic integrity with consequences •Discuss level of class •Be aware of issues for some students regarding being seen as ESL students. *If writing or other skills seem low or inadequate, encourage students to assess for ESL and/or refer to ESL Chairperson.*

22. General Methodology • Make office hours and availability clear -Allow time to answer questions individually after class • Print when writing on board and papers • Consider allowing tape recording of lessons • Encourage buddies or study groups • Monitor progress – i.e. midterm or near withdraw deadline • Don’t lower standards for certain students • Use of collaborative strategies on BlackBoard

23. What difficulties do non-native speakers students have in their classes? LANGUAGE ISSUES •Vocabulary •Reading •Writing •Listening/Speaking

24. Reading: Vocabulary •Preview Key Terms -- charts (bridging) •Academic Word List •Collocations •Contextualization

25. DISCUSSION Application of vocabulary ideas

26. Pre-reading Strategies •Access prior knowledge (activating schemata) •Preview parts of text: make predictions •Begin graphic organizers

27. During Reading •Study guides to complete --comprehension --inference --making connections •Graphic organizers – complete as they read •Encourage active reading strategies: --highlighting --notes in margins

28. After the Reading •Review completed graphic organizers •Create collaborative assignments •Assign learning logs or journals - reflective activities (metacognition)

29. DISCUSSION:Applying Reading Strategies •Accessing the text •Graphic organizers to support reading •BlackBoard suggestions

30. Pre – writing Strategies •Be explicit-assignments and expectations •Provide students with graphic organizers for planning their ideas require plans before they write •Provide rubric for grading to make expectations clear •Show models of finished products and critique (modeling)

31. During Writing Task •Use the outline to guide the writing •Use class time to require students to verify their writing •Provide time for peer review --specific questions for feedback •Teach and use editing marks •Time to conference with students

32. After Writing •Students should reflect on the writing process (metacognition) •Students present a visual representation of their writing •Students could read/present their writing aloud --highlight good work to the class (modeling)

33. DISCUSSION: Applying Writing Strategies •What pre-writing strategies can you use? •What strategies can you use after students write? •BlackBoard suggestions

34. Pre-listening •Ask questions to access prior knowledge (activate schemata) •Utilize key words discussed and provide other key words •Frontload concepts •Set a purpose for listening •Have students make predictions

35. During Listening •Provide graphic organizers --partially filled in or template with blanks vs. completely open •Listening for key words and predictions (bridging)

36. After Listening •Provide immediate and/or later opportunities for: reading notes / writing summaries / reflections / giving opinions •Have students refer back to and use notes for: assignments such as essays and speeches

37. DISCUSSION:Applying Listening Strategies •Think about how you lecture in your classes. Do you use some of these strategies? •Would any of the strategies presented fit your class? •Could you apply any BlackBoard activities to listening students do in your class?

38. For Instructors:Lecturing/Presenting Lessons • Use visuals when possible • Exemplify and analogize -context/anecdotes if possible • Explain in more than one way if necessary • Check for comprehension - ask for questions regularly

39. For Instructors:Speaking • Speak a bit more slowly (but naturally) • Enunciate clearly • Minimize use of idiomatic expressions, slang, initials (JFK/LBJ), and acronyms • Pause now and then to allow time for processing • Use body language – facial expressions, gestures, etc.

40. ESL Students and Class Participation • Let them know if they are required to speak and will be called upon – impact on grade (if any) --If this is a problem, students need to speak to you • Need a supportive environment – may feel intimidated, especially by impatience and intolerance of others • May not participate when others dominate • May benefit from getting topics in advance in order to prepare for class discussions • Journal writing might precede class discussions of a topic

41. Class participation (cont’d) • May need time to formulate answers in their heads before speaking (wait 5-10 seconds) • Group work may be unfamiliar – structure groups so that each member is included • May want to participate only in pairs or small groups but not with the class as a whole • When possible pair with “sensitive” classmates • Welcome them to share about their culture/country but be aware of sensitive issues or depending on them as experts

42. Feedback for ESL Students • If calling on a specific student, pose the question, wait and possibly restate. It’s better not to paraphrase or ask follow up questions immediately. • Give the student enough time to think and formulate an answer before continuing • Provide positive feedback as much as possible to encourage more participation • Make corrections indirectly – repeat answer in correct English • Avoid focusing on difficulties understanding --Ask to repeat once and/or ask for paraphrase -- If those don’t work, suggest talking after class

43. Issues about Culture • When possible learn about students’ culture and backgrounds • Be aware of sensitive issues • Make sure class atmosphere retains respect for all cultures represented • Be explicit about expected cultural behaviors • Explain why these behaviors are necessary for success --Clarify about possible consequences

44. Resources on Campus •Counseling/outside activities --residents - establish a counselor --international students – Drew Massicot Barbara Clark – International Student Club •EOPS •Tutoring Center – Tech Mall upstairs •English Writing Center – Tech Mall --tutoring and 51/52 •PDC classes •ESL Program – Chuck Passentino (Chair) X7566 Nancy Herzfeld-Pipkin - X7833