Modifying Instruction for Newcomer ELLs: Comprehensible Input

I'm sorry for having such a huge gap between my first two newcomer posts, and this one. The end of the school year was just so darn busy! The second tip I shared in the wayback to help you modify instruction for ELLs is to use comprehensible input, so that's what we'll focus on today.

What is "comprehensible input"?
Comprehensible input is a hypothesis of second language acquisition first proposed by Stephen Krashen in the early 80's. The hypothesis states that our ELLs learn and acquire language when they receive input (written or oral) that is only slightly above their current language level (i+1). In other words, the oral and written input we provide students should be mostly understandable, with only a few words or structures that are unknown or new to the student. Students will be able to understand the message, and will acquire new language in the process.

At the newcomer level, comprehensible input is comprised of short, simple sentences, known or learned words and phrases (i), with a few new words or language structures added to get that +1 in the i+1.

This video, while it is foreign language teachers discussing the use of the target language and comprehensible input, is a really excellent illustration of how you can make content comprehensible in the target language for ANY language learner- whether it's a student acquiring English as a second language, or a student acquiring a foreign language.

Why is comprehensible input important? 
The image below illustrates about how much a newcomer student might be able to understand when attention is not given to ensuring that the input is comprehensible.

As you can see, the student is really only understanding high frequency words, a few numbers, and some articles and common prepositions. Is the newcomer understanding enough in this scenario to learn new information? Is the newcomer understanding enough to even know what they're being asked to do? At best, we can tell that it seems like some sort of math problem.

When the input a newcomer receives is not comprehensible, they're likely to simply shut down. When the student shuts down, no further learning is possible- of language or content.

How can I make the input I provide to my newcomers comprehensible? 
There are many ways to ensure that the input you provide your students is comprehensible. The image below shows a few.

You can also provide visuals with oral or written input (visuals, visuals, visuals!). In one of the schools that I worked with this past year, the ESOL department chair created a shared Google Drive folder, with subfolders for subject area and topic. As the teachers went through the year and taught certain topics, they added images from Google and elsewhere to the shared folder. Since many topics span grade levels, it was easy for teachers who needed images for a topic to find what they needed to enrich learning and make input comprehensible. The teachers still continue to build and use this shared resource of visuals for their ELLs.

Another great way to make oral speech comprehensible is to use a lot of gestures and body language, or to even act things out for and with students.

Making input comprehensible does not mean "dumbing it down".
Its important to remember when you focus on comprehensibility that you are simplifying the language, not simplifying the content. It is possible to convey complex ideas in simple language, especially if you are using appropriate scaffolds and supports, as discussed last time!

Modifying Instruction for Newcomer ELLs: Scaffolding and Supports

So, last time, I introduced you to 7 ways to modify instruction for newcomer ELLs. The first one on the list was Scaffolding and Support, so that's what today's post is going to focus on. You might want to put on a helmet, because I'm about to throw a lot of information your way!

What is scaffolding & support? 
Scaffolds and supports are strategies used by the teacher or tools that are provided to the learner. These tools and strategies provide students the "boost" they need to be able to access the content, understand input, and communicate knowledge despite a lack of English proficiency.

Doesn't scaffolding make it too easy? What if they don't need it? 
Scaffolds are essential for newcomer ELLs. ABSOLUTELY. ESSENTIAL.

As students gain proficiency, you can easily remove scaffolds and supports that you have put in place to allow them to function more independently! Scaffolds can also be switched so that you can use them to support students in reaching beyond their current level of proficiency.

What students will need to access the language and content will vary from student to student and based on the student's actual level of proficiency. It's important not just to consider their overall score, but also their scores for each subdomain- students may need more support in one language domain than in another.

Scaffolds should be appropriate for proficiency level!
If you remember in my last post, we talked about what newcomer ELLs are able to do in terms of processing and producing language. For our newcomer students, we are providing very simple input with simple sentences, common phrases, and basic words and expressions. Our expectations regarding production should be based around learned words and phrases, small chunks of language, and basic vocabulary usage. This is what we need to be scaffolding students toward, so the strategies we use and the supports we choose should be geared toward that level of language proficiency.

What types of scaffolds and supports can I put in place? 
As you know, I'm in a WIDA state, so when introducing teachers to scaffolds and supports, I always turn first to those three types identified by WIDA- Graphic, Sensory, and Interactive. The suggestions contained within the chart are really just a jumping-off point- this list is certainly not exhaustive.

WIDA also offers a list of possible supports divided by content area. Again, this list is not exhaustive!

Here are some of my favorites scaffolds and supports for newcomer students, all of which are pretty easy to begin implementing:

• Personal Word Walls: Personal word walls are a great tool to provide your newcomer ELLs! They can fill theirs with words they need to learn and carry it from class to class. With each new word, they can include a drawing or even the word in their native language. You can also use Picto4Me to create personalized, visual word walls!
  
• Word banks: Word banks are one of the easiest tools you can include for your ELLs, especially on activities where they're expected to produce language. For newcomers, one of the most difficult things is often remembering the vocabulary they need in order to express an idea or demonstrate knowledge. Word banks for newcomer ELLs should include words that they've already learned and that are relevant to the topic.
• Classroom Word Walls: You may already have a word wall, but are you using it to full potential? Classroom word walls can be an excellent scaffold for newcomers when used effectively- they should be visible, interactive, and relevant . You can also find some excellent math word walls in my TpT store!
  
• Sentence Frames: Sentence frames can really help students at all levels, but they're particularly effective for newcomers who have little to no understanding of the structure of the English language. They may have the mathematical ability or scientific knowledge to answer a question, but they don't have the language to communicate their answer. Sentence frames to the rescue! When using sentence frames, review and model them for students so they know how to use them effectively. After a few days of students using these frames in speaking and writing, you can usually remove them!
  
• Visuals: The use of visuals is more to provide support to your newcomer as he or she is processing input. If the student can associate a word or phrase with a visual image, then they are more likely to understand and acquire the word into their own "language bank". You can create class picture cards using images from a Google search, insert images into powerpoint, add images to your word wall. Really, any way you can incorporate visuals is excellent. Another great way to incorporate visuals is to use picture dictionaries- ask your ESL/ESOL specialist if they have any you can borrow. Pictured below are some of my favorites from Oxford, or you can also create your own picture dictionary! 
  
  
  
  
• Technology: Technology is a great way to help your newcomer ELLs acquire English. As a note though, I recommend no more than 30 minutes of solo computer time a day for newcomers. It is really important that they participate with whole group activities and interact with peers during class time!
• Learning Chocolate: Great website that helps students practice vocabulary (with visuals) using all four language domains!
• Quizlet: This is a great choice for helping ELLs learn new vocabulary with pictures and audio. Learn more with this article. 
• Read&Write for Chrome: This great tool is from TextHelp, and it has many great functions to help your ELLs, like text-to-speech for reading documents and webpages, translation and annotation tools, and even speech-to-text! Learn more with this article.
• Rewordify: This is a great tool for simplifying the language used in a text. It's not perfect, but it's a great starting point. Be sure to proofread, and simplify further if needed. Learn more here. 

I hope these tips, tools, and strategies for scaffolding and support help you as you modify instruction for your newcomer ELLs! Don't miss the next post in the series- Comprehensible Input.

Modifying Instruction for Newcomer ELLs

One of the toughest situations many teachers- ESOL and mainstream alike- deal with is receiving a newcomer student who doesn't speak any English. How do we include that student in learning activities? How do we ensure that their time at school is spent doing meaningful learning? How do we help that student acquire English? It is absolutely possible to modify your instruction so that your newcomers can not only participate, but learn!

What exactly is a "newcomer"? What comes to your mind when you think of "newcomers"? Share your ideas below. If you have questions about newcomer ELLs, feel free to ask those below too:

Just to get started, here are some quick guidelines for working with your newcomer students:

Since this post is about modifying instruction to be appropriate for a student at the very lowest proficiency levels, we are talking about those students who have been here less than a year, and have a very low proficiency in English. On the WIDA scale that we use in my state, that would be 1.0-1.5. These students are new to the country and new to English, too. It's true that sometimes students who are new to the country come with some English proficiency, and these students have different needs.

One of the most important first steps you can take is to find out about the student's educational background. This can help you plan the most effective instruction possible. Here are some great questions to ask the parents (you may need to get a translator!):

• When did the student start school?
• How many years of schooling has the student had?
• Have there been periods of time, other than normal school holidays, where the child did not attend school? If so, how long and why? 
• Is the child a refugee or has the child suffered trauma prior to coming to the US?
• Is the child literate in their native language?
• What is the child's native language
• Has the child been diagnosed with learning disabilities before? 

Knowing the answers to these questions can help you avoid surprises, and help you to understand where the child may struggle both socially and academically. Knowing the child's background can often be one of the most important pieces of the puzzle. For example, some students may come from a country where their writing system is based on a non-Roman alphabet. In such a case, you will need to start with the very basics of letters and phonics. If the child is not literate in their native language, that will mean starting with letter-sound correspondence and basic print conventions.

If you really want to dig in to student background, I have some native language activities and student background questionnaires in my ESOL Portfolio Starter Pack. 

Now, once we understand the student's background, we can start looking at the instruction we provide. So, if newcomers have a proficiency level of 1.0 to 1.5, what does that mean? What are these students realistically able to process and produce at this level? Let's take a look at WIDA's performance definitions to see.

The first row pertains to productive skills, like speaking and writing.
The second row refers to receptive skills, like listening and reading. 

In order for instruction to be appropriate for students at this level of proficiency, we need to modify the input we are providing to students so that it is comprehensible and we need to modify our expectations for student expression. As you can see, for our newcomer students that means providing very simple input with simple sentences, common phrases, and basic words and expressions. Our expectations regarding production should be based around learned words and phrases, small chunks of language, and basic vocabulary usage.

When working with teachers of newcomer ELLs, I always recommend starting simple, and modifying instruction in 7 basic ways:

Over the next few weeks, I'll be going over these 7 methods for modifying instruction and providing practical advice, specific strategies, and pictures to show you what it looks like so you can implement in your own classroom.

Don't miss the next post in the series: Scaffolding and Support.

Differentiation: Easier than you think

Many teachers absolutely dread hearing the word differentiation. For some, it conjures up images of long hours spent planning multiple lessons and having your own crazy mad-scientist hair.

(If you really want mad scientist hair, you can purchase it here)

But, (brace yourself here) differentiation is not as difficult as it seems. Differentiation in the classroom does not mean you always have to plan multiple lessons. Believe it or not- there are multiple ways that you can differentiate your classroom to fit the needs of ALL your students, but especially your ELLs.

Let's dive in to differentiation.

There are four main ways to provide differentiation within your classroom:

1. Content
2. Product
3. Interactive
4. Environmental

Let's take a look at how we can employ each type of differentiation in our classrooms. Also remember as you are reading, that it is easy to overlap some of these types of differentiation.

Content Differentiation
This is probably the type of differentiation that teachers are most familiar with. When you employ content differentiation, you provide different content and/or a different lesson for various groups of students. Depending on your level of experience and the number of groups you have to plan for, this type of differentiation can be complex and time-consuming.

But stop for a moment. Do you already do small reading groups? If you alter the lesson slightly for each group, then you're already providing content differentiation. Tic-tac-toe or Dinner Menu projects also provide opportunities for content differentiation.When doing content differentiation, each lesson does not have to be VASTLY different. It can be as simple as providing a text on the same topic at different reading levels.

Product Differentiation
Product differentiation is exactly what it sounds like- students create different products of learning. You can teach one whole class lesson, and then have different groups or individuals create products based on different learning goals. For example, if one student needs to practice main idea, while another needs to practice author's purpose, they can read the same article. One student can complete a graphic organizer & set of questions directed at main idea, while the other completes a graphic organizer & set of questions based on author's purpose. Or, after reading the same fictional story, one student can do an activity focused on setting, while another can do an activity focused on characterization. Again, tic-tac-toe and dinner menu projects can provide opportunities not only for content differentiation, but product differentiation as well. Station based learning is another example of product differentiation if the stations are centered around the same content topic.

Interactive Differentiation
Simply changing the way a student completes an assignment can be differentiation. Instead of having students work with the same partner, have them mix it up and work with two new partners they don't usually work with. Provide grouping for different activities based on student abilities. For example, sometimes you might want to have red-red, yellow-yellow, green-green pairings, while at other times, you might want to pair green students with red or yellow to give the reds and yellows a boost.

In my opinion, this domain also includes the way that YOU interact with your students when presenting the content. Sometimes you will want to work with a student or student(s) one-on-one, in small groups, or as a whole group.

You should also vary the way that you present. Use different types of technology available, but don't always depend on them to present your lesson. The use of visuals, manipulatives, sensory experiences, etc. all differentiate the way that students interact with you, one another, and the content.

Environmental differentiation
Don't be afraid to change up your environment. I know, with all the other things we teachers have to do, how tempting it can be to decorate the classroom at the beginning of the year, and then simply change out the bulletin board throughout the year. I think that this creates a stagnant environment. Choose a few anchor items that you will have up all year, but change your posters and other anchor charts to match the content that you are studying. This means that even the student who is always looking around the room while you are talking will  be learning something new.

I also like to change up the environment by changing how it smells. My classrooms always seem to smell a little funny on their own,  so I like to buy plug-in fragrance things to make it smell better. I change them out to match the seasons and keep things "fresh".  The students notice the different smells, and my middle schoolers even used to comment on how my classroom smelled better than their other rooms. Their friends would walk them to the door of my classroom, look to see how comfortable it was and how good it smelled, then ask if they could join my classroom too.

Another way to differentiate the environment is to have different types of workstations. When I had my own room, I always had a reading corner set up with lamps and comfy chairs, beanbags, and pillows. I also had areas where students could go when they needed to concentrate. When students are working individually, you might sometimes allow them the freedom to choose where they work so they can get out of their desks. I kept a few lap desks in the reading center for students who liked to work there.

I hope that these suggestions can help you incorporate differentiation more easily into your classroom.Look for future articles on differentiation for more information. Have a great week!