Navigating the ELPS

Using the New Standards to Improve Instruction for English Language

Learners

Libby deLeónLibby.deleon@pisd.edu

Today, you will…

• Familiarize yourselves with the ELPS

• Create clear “Language Objectives” and “Content Objectives”

• Review strategies for scaffolding

Reflection

• Turn to a shoulder partner• Discuss how the district met the

needs of this student in the video.

New English language proficiency standards for ELLs

Must be implemented as an integral part of each subject area

Outline English language proficiency level descriptors and student expectations for ELLs

Goal is to improve instruction for ELLs. 

What are the ELPS?

IntroductionMake Content ComprehensibleDevelop Academic Language

District Responsibilities

Communicate so it’s comprehensibleSequence CurriculumScaffold InstructionIdentify Language Levels

Student Expectations

Across the Curriculum

Listening LanguageSpeaking LearningReading StrategiesWriting

Language Levels

BeginnerIntermediateAdvancedAdvanced High

ELPS

Why the ELPS?By effectively integrating second languageacquisition into quality content area

instruction,we ensure that ELLs:

– acquire social and academic languagein English

– learn the knowledge and skills in the TEKS

– reach their full academic potential

The Five Stages Continuum

5. Advanced High4. Advance

3. Intermediate 2. Beginning/

Speech Emergent1. Preproduction

Summary of Key Features of Proficiency Levels

• Beginning: Little or no ability to function in English in social and academic settings

• Intermediate: Limited ability to function in English in social and academic settings; can understand and use simple language structures and high-frequency English in routine contexts

• Advanced: Can handle grade-appropriate English, although ongoing linguistic support is needed

• Advanced high: Can handle grade-appropriate English with minimal linguistic support; are not necessarily high academic achievers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eoca1Ou_6TE

What Might a Beginning Student Understand in

English?Roller-coaster cars are pulled to the top of the first hill by a chain. Then gravity moves the car for the rest of the ride. The plunge down the first hill builds up enough speed for the cars to get up the next hill and so on until the end of the ride.

In Other Words…___________ cars are _____ __ ___ top __ ___ first ____ __ _ _____. ____ ______ _____ ___ car ___ ___ ____ __ ___ ____. ___ ______ down ___ first ____ ______ __ ______ _____ ___ ___ cars __ ___ __ ___ ____ ____ ___ __ __ _____ ___ end ___ ___ ____.

What Might an Intermediate Student Understand in English?

Roller-coaster cars are pulled to the top of the first hill by a chain. Then gravity moves the car for the rest of the ride. The plunge down the first hill builds up enough speed for the cars to get up the next hill and so on until the end of the ride.

In Other Words…

Roller-coaster cars ___ ______ __ ___ top of the first hill ___ _ _____. Then _______ moves the car for the rest of the ____. The _____ down the first hill ______ __ enough speed for the cars __ ___ __ the next hill ___ ___ __ _____ the end of the ____.

What Might an AdvancedStudent Understand in

English?Roller-coaster cars are pulled to the top of the first hill by a chain. Then gravity moves the car for the rest of the ride. The plunge down the first hill builds up enough speed for the cars to get up the next hill and so on until the end of the ride.

In Other Words…

Roller-coaster cars ___ pulled ___ the top of the first hill ___ a chain. Then gravity moves the car for the rest of the ride. The _____ down the first hill _____ __ enough speed ___ the cars to ___ __ the next hill and __ __ until the end of the ride.

What do we need to know?

School districts must:• provide intensive…second language

acquisition instruction to ELLs in Grade 3 or higher who are at the beginning or intermediate level

• provide content-based instruction including… in the foundation and enrichment curriculum that is communicated, sequenced, and scaffolded

• provide instruction…that is linguistically accommodated commensurate to language levels

Linguistic Accommodations

We accommodate for English learners in

terms of:• The words we use…• The work they do…• What they see and hear…• According to students’ language

proficiency levels

Scaffold

A scaffold is “a temporary and adjustable support that enables the accomplishment of a task that would be impossible without the scaffold’s support”.

(Wood, Bruner and Ross)

StrategiesStrategies

When I say “go”, you will…

• Number 1-5 • Read the strategies listed on the page that is the same as your number.• Choose one strategy to share with the rest of your group.• Share your choice and your reasons with the rest of your group. “go”

Putting it all Together ELPS Integration Plan for Teachers1. Identify language proficiency levels of

all ELLs (TELPAS).

2. Identify appropriate linguistic accommodations and scaffolding strategies for differentiating instruction.

Putting it all Together—(cont’d)

3. Identify cross-curricular student expectations of the ELPS that could be integrated as language objectives into existing content area instruction.– What are the similarities and difference

between content and language objectives?

Language objectives should Language objectives should be…be…

• Based on ELPS• Posted on the board and shared

with students at the beginning and end of class

• Written in student-friendly language• Measurable and observable• Develop language skills

(Echevarria, Short, & Vogt, 2008)

Content objectives should be…

• Based on TEKS• Posted on the board and shared

with students at the beginning and end of class

• Written in student-friendly language• Measurable and observable• Develop content knowledge

(Echevarria, Short, & Vogt, 2008)

Examples of Content and Language Objectives

• Which is which??– I will express opinions about which

graph to select by using the sentence stem, • “I think the best choice is _____ because…”

– I will select among a line graph, bar graph and circle graph to display collected data.

Content and Language objectives in a Mathematics Classroom

TEKS Content Obj ELPS Language Obj

1.1B Students will use base ten blocks to order whole numbers

2c Students will identify the words ones and tens in a discussion about place value.

4.12B Students will solve problems dealing with elapsed time using a stop watch.

4F Students will use visual and contextual supports to read problems dealing with elapsed time.

6.4B Students will generate the formulas for area and perimeter using tables and data.

1G Students will use informal/formal English to describe the difference between area and perimeter

8.7C Students will derive the Pythagorean Theorem by using centimeter grid paper.

3F Students will ask and give information using the words right triangles, legs and hypotenuse.

A.6D Students will write equations of lines given a point and a slope.

5G Students will explain in writing how to find the equation of a line given a point and a slope by using the words slope, point, equation and rate of change.

Content and Language objectives in a LOTE Classroom

TEKS Content Obj ELPS Language Obj

§114.22 2.C

Students will detect main ideas in familiar material when listening and reading;

2c Students will identify the main ideas in a familiar materials when listening.

§114.22 4.C

demonstrate an understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the student's own language and the language studied;

3A Students will pronounce English words while comparing the Language Studied.

§114.22 5.A

Students will use the language both within and beyond the school setting through activities such as participating in cultural events and using technology to communicate

4F Students will use visual and contextual supports to read problems dealing with elapsed time.

Language Objective Activity

• Your group has a page of TEKS • Write a language objective for

your group’s TEK

In Summary: Instruction that In Summary: Instruction that Incorporates the ELPS…Incorporates the ELPS…

• establishes clear language and content objectives

• makes input comprehensible • is student-centered• provides more hands-on tasks• requires careful, comprehensive

planning

Did you…

• Familiarize yourselves with the ELPS?

• Create clear “Language Objectives” and “Content Objectives”?

• Review strategies for scaffolding?

Thank You!