ESL Considerations

Supporting English Learners

Best Practices

Students with Internet access can be provided live, online ELD instruction in the domains of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing from a certified ESL Program Specialist. This can be done through the school district’s online instruction platform such as Canvas, Blackboard, or Schoology or through online meeting tools such as Zoom, Skype, or Google Hangout. In this format, the ELD teacher can deliver a similar experience to the students as s/he would in the physical classroom.

**Use this resource for ideas (notice mulitple tabs): PAIU ELD Resources for Instruction and Support

Considerations

What does ELD/ESL Instruction look like when provided remotely to students with internet access and to students without internet access?
What does ELD/ESL Instruction look like based on the age/proficiency level of the student?
Teachers should be aware of scaffolds while planning their lessons.

Step 1: Review the Requirements for Supporting EL

Requirements

If a district elects to provide continuity of instruction, ELD is a required component of all language instruction educational programs (LIEPs). ELD takes place daily throughout the day for ELs and is delivered by both ESL teachers and non-ESL teachers.

Right to Dual Services

LIEP and special education programming are not mutually exclusive. Special education services do not replace English language development services or vice versa. ELs must be afforded all supports, resources, and programming for which they are eligible. In other words, ELs are eligible for special education services if they meet IEP eligibility criteria and, conversely, students with a disability are eligible for English language development programming if they are identified as an ELs.

Step 2: Review PDE Guidelines and Further Definitions

EL Education

Definition

English Language Development (ELD) refers to deliberate, planned, and focused instruction intended to foster the development of social and academic English for English learners in order to make it possible for them to access the general academic program and gain agency as successful, contributing members of their communities.

When considering the components of an ELD program, "program" for English learners refers to:

1) planned English language development instruction by a qualified ESL/Bilingual Education teacher, and

2) adaptations/modifications in the delivery of content instruction and assessments by all teachers based on students’ language proficiency levels and the Pennsylvania English Language Development Standards (PA ELDS) Framework for ELs as well as the Pennsylvania academic standards.

Requirements

ELD delivered by ESL teachers

English language development instruction, otherwise known as English as a second language, delivered by a licensed ESL teacher is its own content area.

ELD delivered by non-ESL teachers

ELD must be incorporated into all classes taught by non-ESL licensed teachers in which ELs are enrolled. These teachers are responsible for deliberately planning for and incorporating language instruction as well as supports, modifications, and accommodations needed to allow ELs to access the standards to which the course is aligned.

Optional Enrichment or Continuity of Instruction

If a school district is choosing to implement virtual or remote instruction that serves the role of continuity of instruction to all students, the Administration is strongly encouraged to consider how their ELD Program meets the requirements explained here and in the PA BEC: Educating English Learners. Additionally, the school district should consider how content area and ELD teachers will have the opportunity to collaborate and coordinate support for English Learners in the remote learning instructional model. This could be an online virtual meeting place for teachers to collaborate and plan resources.

If the school district is offering optional enrichment for English Learners during the closure they may consider choosing some resources from the forthcoming IU resource list with will be active HERE (soon). Consider which are appropriate for the students’ age, grade, and proficiency level.

Translation and Interpretation

It is important to note that special considerations must be given to the need for translation and interpretation in a time of continuous information sharing (e.g. changes to the school schedule, method of instruction, instructional support). School districts are required to utilize resources in which they make information available to students and families in a language they understand.

See options for this in Step 6 below.

Step 3: Explore What ELD/ESL Instruction Looks Like Online

Students without Internet access can receive ELD/ESL instruction through the use of materials specifically designed for English Learners. This may include National Geographic, EL Wonders, and others.

Although not a substitute for a full ELD program, districts may choose online resources such as Duolingo as a starting point for some online ELD/ESL instruction during this unprecedented closure.

Whether school district administration chooses continuity of instruction or optional enrichment during this time they should consider the monitoring and support of the certified ESL Program Specialist. This may be via live, online lessons, virtual office hours, feedback on assignments, English or translated phone calls, additional support for content area teachers, etc.

Step 4: Explore How ELD/ESL Instruction Changes Based on Age/Proficiency

Level one and two English Learners and/or Newcomers will require the greatest amount of support both through their ELD instruction as well as support with their content area work in whichever method the district has chosen.

In general, ELs at the beginning stages of English development (levels 1 and 2 and possibly level 3) at higher grades (grades 3 and up) benefit from, and should receive, at least some stand-alone direct ELD instruction because basic and/or foundational language instruction may be difficult to integrate into other content instruction or it may not be feasible to do so. Also, basic language skills (social and instructional language), in which beginning level ELs require explicit instruction, may not align directly to content standards and so may require separate, specialized instruction.

ELs at the beginning levels of language proficiency at higher grades generally benefit more from self-contained content classes than their higher proficiency level peers if that placement is possible. It is also less complicated for content teachers to include ELD instruction and provide language supports and accommodations for students of similar proficiency levels. As students gain proficiency, mixed classes (ELs and non-ELs) may become more effective in assisting ELs to increase their English proficiency and learn content.

No LIEPs may be designed as a “sink or swim” model wherein ELs are not provided ELD instruction in any setting. Even for ELs at higher proficiency levels who do not require stand-alone ELD instruction, content-embedded ELD along with appropriate accommodations and supports are required.

Content area teachers should be embedding additional and appropriate supports if offering instruction remotely during this time. This may include voice/text supports, translation/interpretation, extra visual supports, etc. They should also consider alternate forms of product delivery appropriate to the student’s proficiency level.

Step 5: Collaborate among Content Teachers and ELD Teachers

While ELD/ESL teachers are skilled in the areas of supporting and accommodating the English language needs of their students, they may not have had previous experience with the online platforms or remote learning situations.

Content and classroom teachers may be more experienced with remote learning but may struggle to understand how to accommodate their content for their English Learners in this setting.

Collaboration between the content and classroom teacher and ELD/ESL teacher can be part of the ongoing process as distance learning is being developed.

Step 6 : Use the UDL Concepts to Plan Out Instruction

Use the OREO Template to plan out individual lessons. This template has UDL practices built in.
Look for supports already built into the tools that you are using. For example, Newsela, ThinkCERCA, and Khan Academy which already have EL support built into them.
Look for functionality built into tools such as translation, read aloud, closed captioning, that may support ELs in accessing content.
Be aware of available scaffolds while planning your lessons
- Embedded scaffolding (e.g. pre-teaching academic vocabulary, use of sentence frames, options for interaction)
- Tasks broken into “chunks” and intermittent checks for understanding
- Modeling using explicit instruction and visual guides
- Utilize recording of lessons to allow students to revisit content
- Use translation tools to support students such as:
  - Google ; Microsoft translator ; Language Line Solutions ; TransAct ; TransPerfect; Colorincolorado; Talking Points
  - Talking points handout for text messages - click here
- Simplify language without changing the message
- Allow access to materials in advance so students can preview them
- Build or connect to background knowledge of topics (e.g. provide text sets, videos, etc.)
- Allow for various ways to represent knowledge (e.g. writing, speaking, drawing)

Resources

PAIU ELD Resources for Instruction and Support

Free Online Resources for Language Acquisition

Use Technology to Support ELL Instruction

Center for Applied Linguistics

English Language Development (ESL) Resources

ESL Portal - PDE resources
EL District/School Coordinator Handbook
School Admin Guide to Supporting ELs for Success
ESSA English Learner Toolkit
Supporting ELs in the General Classroom
Teaching Strategies for Teaching English Learners
Online Resources for Teaching English Language Learners Online
Unite for Literacy Provides options to change languages
EssayPop - Cloud-Based Writing Platform

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