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ESL Curriculum and Instruction in Lawrence Public Schools
ESL Curriculum and Instruction in Lawrence Public Schools
Lawrence operates under a district model known as “Open Architecture.” In this model, schools are the lever of change and have autonomy over many items that in other districts may be mandated top-down. As such, each school has autonomy over curriculum and instruction. Specifically for ESL, each teacher’s curriculum and units look different based on the grade level and language proficiency of the students they serve as well as the mode of service delivery and any other curriculum/unit/lesson planning structures specific to their school. ESL teachers must rely on their expertise in second language acquisition and ESL methods to develop thematic or topical units that balance explicit language instruction with meaningful text-based activities, integrate all four language domains (listening, speaking, writing, reading), and support their English Learners with Social and Instructional Language (WIDA Standard 1), the Language of Language Arts (WIDA Standard 2), the Language of Mathematics (WIDA Standard 3), the Language of Science (WIDA Standard 4), and the Language of Social Studies (WIDA Standard 5).
There is no silver bullet to English language development – no one program alone meets the linguistic and academic needs of all students. In fact, recent research has cited the lack of quality learning materials for MLs. In Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Next Generation Curriculum Resource Guide, released in 2016, provides teachers with many planning documents and tools that cover the process of curriculum writing for MLs, including lesson and unit templates. Sample units, created by both DESE and LPS educators, can be found in the resource list below. It is incumbent upon each ESL teacher to integrate a variety of resources as well as collaborate with their content colleagues in order to support the development of ESL units as outlined above.
The ML Department has a number of resources to support curriculum development (see below) and is always happy to serve as a thought partner.
LPS ML Resources
LPS ML Resources
The LPS ML Department houses resources in a Shared Drive LPS EL Resources Folder. Email the ML Department if you are an ESL teacher and do not have access to the Shared Drive.
The LPS ML Department houses resources in a Shared Drive LPS EL Resources Folder. Email the ML Department if you are an ESL teacher and do not have access to the Shared Drive.
LPS NextGen ESL Project
LPS NextGen ESL Project
The LPS EL Department introduced district ESL teachers to the NextGeneration ESL Model Curriculum Unit (MCU) Project in the fall of 2016 and has since implemented a cycle of piloting, writing, and editing ESL curriculum. See below for further information; all units can be found in the shared LPS EL Resources folder.
The LPS EL Department introduced district ESL teachers to the NextGeneration ESL Model Curriculum Unit (MCU) Project in the fall of 2016 and has since implemented a cycle of piloting, writing, and editing ESL curriculum. See below for further information; all units can be found in the shared LPS EL Resources folder.
If you're interested in exploring further, check out the MATSOL Special Interest Group (SIG) ESL Unit Developers, which connects educators across the state who are interested in sharing, developing, and reviewing ESL units based on the MA DESE framework, including a “Curriculum Help Wanted” Google Sheet to solicit and offer collaboration opportunities
Collaboration Tool
Collaboration Tool
One of the most useful tools from the NextGen ESL Project, the Collaboration Tool is a great way to develop Focus Language Goals in conjunction with content-area colleagues. Visit MA DESE's website (button below) for further information on the Collaboration Tool, including an interactive guide.
One of the most useful tools from the NextGen ESL Project, the Collaboration Tool is a great way to develop Focus Language Goals in conjunction with content-area colleagues. Visit MA DESE's website (button below) for further information on the Collaboration Tool, including an interactive guide.
Session I Collaboration Tool.pdfMicroFunction Progressions
MicroFunction Progressions
These sample progressions illustrate what each language microfunction might look like at different levels of language proficiency at the discourse, sentence, and word/phrase level. Please note that the hyperlinks above in the Collaboration Tool to microfunctions no longer work.
WIDA Resources
WIDA Resources
Statement from the DESE Next Generation ESL Curriculum Resource Guide: The Can Do Descriptors: Key Uses Edition are intended to be used in conjunction with the WIDA Performance Definitions. They are not exhaustive, but serve as examples of what students can do with academic language for a given content task, ELP, and grade level. WIDA suggests, among other possibilities, that educators use the new Can Do Descriptors to differentiate curriculum, instruction, and assessments based on language learners’ ELP levels (WIDA, 2016a). Educators are encouraged to examine their instructional planning through the lens of the Key Uses. They can serve as an initial organizing principle for unit design, but also for planning a series of connected and logically sequenced units of study.
New features include:
Descriptors for language proficiency Level 6, Reaching
Examples of listening and speaking communicative skills in the Key Use of Discuss to highlight the importance of oral language development
Descriptors for the new grade level bands: K, 1, 2-3, 4-5, 6-8, 9-12
Connections to the academic expectations outline in CCSS
Check out the webinar here (scroll to the bottom).
Instructional Texts
Instructional Texts
If you are new to ESL instruction or have yet to attend an ESL specific graduate program and/or educator preparation program, the following texts may be of use; we are always happy to recommend additional resources:
Brown, H. D. (2014). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching: A course in second language acquisition. White Plains, NY: Pearson Education.
Freeman, D. E., & Freeman, Y. S. (2014). Essential Linguistics: What you need to know to teach reading, ESL, spelling, phonics, and grammar. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Honigsfeld, A., & Dove, M. G. (2010). Collaboration and Co-teaching: Strategies for English learners. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Lightbown, P. M. & Spada, N. (2013). How Languages are Learned. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press
Peregoy, S. F., & Boyle, O. (2017). Reading, Writing and Learning in ESL: A resource book for teaching K-12 English learners. Boston: Pearson.
Zwiers, J., & Crawford, M. (2011). Academic Conversations: Classroom talk that fosters critical thinking and content understandings. Portland, ME.: Stenhouse.
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