Quality Instruction for English Language Learners: Not Just “Good Teaching”

Kathy Escamilla, Ph.D.University of Colorado, BoulderUniversity of Colorado, Boulder

Take Away (Throw Away?)Take Away (Throw Away?) Messages

Teaching ELLs is more than just ‘good teaching’Interlanguage vs. interference (L1 is a scaffold)Social Language is JUST AS IMPORTANT and JUST AS HARD as Academic LanguageAvoiding Fossilization in L2 and Atrophy in L1Avoiding Fossilization in L2 and Atrophy in L1Explicit vs. Process TeachingCulture awareness is criticalCulture awareness is critical

BackgroundHistorical disabling trajectory for ELL children (Figueroa, 2004)Partially attributed to monolingual literacyPartially attributed to monolingual literacy theories applied to emerging bilingual children (Bernhardt, 2003; Grant & Wong, 2002; Valdés, 2003)2003)Partially attributed to applying sequential notions of bilingualism to simultaneous bilingualsExacerbated by high stakes tests developed for monolingual English children (August & Hakuta, 1997; Menken, 2000); , )

Teaching ELLs is MORE thanTeaching ELLs is MORE than just ‘Good Teaching’

Berhardt, 2003; Grant & Wong, 2003; Halcón, 2001Universalist view (L1 and L2 reading development are the same)the same)North American/British/Australian literacy industry drives education policyResearch on literacy teaching and development predominately done by monolingual English speakers on monolingual English childrenTreatment of all ELLs as if they were the same (English/Spanish; Farsi/English) (L1 is not irrelevant)

Beyond “good teaching” y g gplatitudes

Read it to yourself, Read it out loud, Ask yourself - “Does this make sense?”Good strategy in L1 - Not in L2Turn to a partner - talk about the story, -p y,Good Strategy L1 not L2 UNLESSYou use L1 strategically - what language did you use to talk to you partner?

Read This…..Repeat pStrategy

The handsome young prince walked in the forest one bright summer day.in the forest one bright summer day. She got tired and stood under a tree to keep from getting wet.to keep from getting wet.

Beyond ‘Good Teaching’: Background Knowledge ≠ CulturalBackground Knowledge ≠ Cultural Schema

Background knowledge:

Cultural SchemaPiercing your belly

Johnny jokesDouble meaning of

button is not a taboo in some cultures;g

the word naval -branch of the

ilit b ll

cultures;Children do not challenge the

military; your belly button

gauthority of their parents - there are not battlesnot battles

Take Away Message #1Good teaching for ELLs is DIFFERENTGersten & Baker (2000)( )Vocabulary (8-10 words NOT 20)Language Structures/TransformationsLanguage Structures/Transformations Focus on language arts as well as contentAnalyze text and material for culturalAnalyze text and material for cultural content as well as background knowledge

Take Away Message #1 (Cont.)Moll & Diaz (1987)Do NOT take away scaffoldAll t ti tAllow extra time to processReading comprehension has two facets (understanding and production) - L2 students ( g p )may comprehend MORE than they can produce causing us to think they are performing at lower levels than they areyWith new material - allow students to read it in L2, process in L1 (with peers), then produce it in L2

Language Structures vsLanguage Structures vs. Comprehension

Reading instruction for native English speakers typically focusesEnglish speakers typically focuses on comprehensionELLs need comprehension +ELLs need comprehension + opportunities to practice and manipulate language structuresmanipulate language structuresSee example

Cause & EffectJorge forgot his coat. It was raining and he got wet.Comprehension Objective: Cause/EffectOracy Objective: Language Stucturesy j g gThe cause was_________, and the effect was___________.____________happened because________.

Language Structure g gPractice

Needed Daily for Short PeriodsExplicit and directpExamples

Transformations (positive to negative, (p g ,declarative to question, singular to plural etc.)Class SurveysJazz ChantsDegrees of Attribution

Class SurveyName Color Food Song

Jazz ChantsI said, “Shhh, shhhh, the baby’s sleeping, the baby’s sleeping.”I said, “Hush, hush, the baby’s sleeping, the baby’s sleeping.”I said “Be quiet be quiet the baby’sI said, “Be quiet, be quiet, the baby’s sleeping, the baby’s sleeping.”I said, “Shut up, shut up, the baby’sI said, Shut up, shut up, the baby s sleeping, the baby’s sleeping.”WAH!!!Not anymore.

Jazz Chants to Teach Register

What do you say when you are really mad?mad?What do you say when you want to be nice?be nice?What do you say to your friend?What do you say to your teacher?

Degrees of AttributionGorgeousBeautiful

WorshipAdore

PrettyNice looking

Love Like

AverageExample:

LikeExample:I like DonThalia is pretty, but

my mother is gorgeous

I like Don Francisco, but I love Cristina.gorgeous.

Interlanguage vs. g gInterference

InterlanguageAn intermediate form of language used by second language learners in the process of learning a language. Interlanguage contains some transfers of borrowing from the first language andcontains some transfers of borrowing from the first language, and is an approximate system with regard to grammar and communicating meaning. (Encyclopedia of Bilingualism).InterferenceOccurs in 2nd language acquisition when vocabulary or syntax patterns from a learner’s first language cause errors in second language performance. The term is used largely in the United States and decreasingly in the rest of the world because of its g ynegative and derogatory connotations (Encyclopedia of Bilingualism).Interlanguage = L1 is a ScaffoldInterference = L1 is a BarrierInterference = L1 is a Barrier

Interference or Interlanguage?Este es red, ¿verdad teacher?Kimberly está es eskipeandoKimberly está es eskipeando.Guardé mi game boy en mi cubby.Let’s go. Vámonos

Deficit or Strength?InterferenceTex-Mex

InterlanguageLanguage is

No clear L1 dominance

learned in contextOvergeneralization of grammar is

SemilingualSpanglish

of grammar is normalSome things can’tp g

Cross-language confusion

Some things can t be translatedAdded emphasis

Interference in ActionJosé knows 3 colors in Spanish and 3 in English (same 3), he is labeled ‘limited’ in L1 and L2Bill know 5 colors all in English. He is labeled as ‘average.’Who knows more?We need a POSITIVE interpretation about code-switching.

Cross-Language ProcessingThinking in L1 and Producing in L2 Happens with BOTH simultaneous and ppsequential bilingualsProcessing in one’s L2 is slower than in gone’s native stronger languageThis is seen as evidence that children are ‘slow’ when in fact they are doing cross-language processing

Interference Paradigm & LanguageInterference Paradigm & Language Shift (‘transfer’)

Language shift - A change from the use of one language to another language within an individual or a language community. Language shift in minority language

ll l lgroups usually means language loss. (Encyclopedia of Bilingualism)80% of ELLs will have lost their productive80% of ELLs will have lost their productive ability in their L1 by high school.What’s the big deal?What s the big deal?

Preventing Language Loss noPreventing Language Loss no Matter the Program

Parents should be encouraged to continue to ‘parent’ in their native language. Parents should be encouraged to continue toParents should be encouraged to continue to speak their L1 with their children and DEMAND that their children respond back to them in L1.S h l h ld h b k i l dSchools should have books in classrooms and libraries in a variety of L1 languages and students should be encouraged to read them.Teachers should allow students to use L1 as a processing language.Have an English hour at home to practice EnglishHave an English hour at home to practice English but do not quit using L1.

Interference or Interlanguage?

Read the story below - what would teachers at your school say about this child’s writing?

My story is about of tree piks and 1 lobo feroz. The lobo tiro dawn the house of

j D th littl ik i t thpaja. Den the little pik go roning to the huse of jis brotter a sai guat japen to the househouse.

Deficits or Strategies?Spanish Phonics Piks for pigs

Jis for his

Spanish SyntaxGuat for whatThe house of paja -Spanish Syntax

Lexical code-

The house of paja The straw houseLobo for wolfLexical code-

switches Paja for strawFeroz for ferociousFeroz for ferocious

My feibret buckMy feibret buck(Interlanguage or Interference)

My feibret buck is the thrie letle bers. Do you hab e feibret buck? Well I do.Do you hab e feibret buck? Well I do. My feibrt buck starts wet a litle groal and shi went to de wuds….and shi went to de wuds….

M F ib t B kMy Feibret Buck(Escamilla, Geisler, Hopwell, Ruiz, 2006)

Common to GradeLetle and various

L1 influencedE = A (Spanish)

spellings of littleBers and various

( p )Shi = I for EB for V = Feibret

spellings of bearsWet for with

B for V FeibretB for V = hab for have

Wuds for woods

Take Away Message #2Take Away Message #2 (Bernhardt, 2003)

Need different rubrics to understand L2 writing developmentL1 is a scaffold NOT a barrierRating the writing of L2 learners is INFLUENCED by the rater as well as theINFLUENCED by the rater as well as the child’s writingRaters need to know about L2 writingRaters need to know about L2 writingExplicit teaching of L2 writing (dictation)What you can do? Professional yDevelopment

BUZZWith a person next to you, discuss:1 thing I will share with a colleague1 thing I will share with a colleague1 question I still have

BICS vs CALP: Unlearning WhatBICS vs. CALP: Unlearning What we learned in school

BICS is easierBICS is fasterBICS b f

CALP is harderCALP takes longerCALP h ld b thBICS comes before

CALPBICS can be done on

CALP should be the focus of schoolsCALP is the language

the play ground or with other childrenBICS = slang -

g gof learningCALP = formal languageBICS slang

vernacularDoes not need to be formally taught

languageNeeds to be formally taught

formally taught

Academic Language is Important

NABE News 2005 Linguistic Analysis of Kindergarten:g y gThree meanings of left

Left vs. rightLeft vs. rightSubtraction - if you take 3 away from 5 how many are leftyPast tense of leave - you left your book on the bus

English is complex and nuanced…Good looking is not the same as looking goodGetting your pants wet is not the same thing as wetting your pantswetting your pantsWork up can be a physical exam or an emotional stateWork out can be exercise or resolutionWhere are you going after here?Where are you going in the here after?Where are you going in the here after?What are you here after?

More examples…There is no…

Ham in hamburgerEgg in eggplantEgg in eggplantPine in pineapple

If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian t?eat?

Why are slim chance and fat chance the same, but wise man and wise guy are opposites?Why does your house burn up as it burns down?When I wind up my watch I start it, but when I wind up this talk I end it!

School Success: Only CALP?Shoua is Hmong - little exposure to English outside of schoolAt the end of Kdg, she had more academic than social glanguage - mostly school language (CALP)

Knew colorsKnew numbers 1-10Knew how to speak in question, imperative

(I done, what I do now? I need glue, Write your name, cut paper).She knew what to do, just not what it meant (S -U-N = moon)

Shoua (Cont.)Teacher provided many BICS opportunities (same as for ‘all’ children)Teacher assumed Shoua could get BICS without direct ginstructionShoua became silenced and an outcast rather than a valued member of the classBICS Opportunities

House keeping center (BICS) with doll along side other childrenCl h i f h t (BICS)Classroom sharing of photos (BICS) Show/tell (BICS) - Toy Story/Barbie

Difficult Aspects of SocialDifficult Aspects of Social Language

Respond to humorExpress anger in a socially appropriate wayMake polite requestsC ll t lkCarry on small talkUse idiomatic speechU d t d lti l i dUnderstand multiple meaning wordsTo express yourself orally and in writing in socially and culturally appropriate wayssocially and culturally appropriate ways

Váldes (1998)Little opportunity for learning social language either in ESL classroom OR in

l E li h di lregular English medium classroomsThe teachers and school had reductionist ideas about English needs of ELLs (all youideas about English needs of ELLs (all you need is ‘academic’English)Rigor demands that we fully develop g y pEnglish in our ELL studentsThis means BICS + CALP + REGISTER + PRAGMATICS!!!PRAGMATICS!!!

Quiz: BICS or CALP?1. Show the child a picture of a bald man and ask, “Should he buy shampoo?”2. Show child a picture of a boy walking and ask, “How does he get to school?” (Note: To be correct child must answer(Note: To be correct child must answer, “He walks.”)3. Ask children to tell you a riddle.y4. Ask children to tell you the difference between a pyramid and a templo.

Take Away Message #3Social language is NOT easier to learn than academic language.learn than academic language.Social language is NOT learned by ‘hanging around’ native speakers orhanging around native speakers or on the playground.Social language is HOW academicSocial language is HOW academic language is processed.

Take Away Message #4 AvoidTake Away Message #4- Avoid Fossilization and Atrophy

Once L2 student have been ‘transitioned’ it is perceived that they have no additional linguistic or cultural ‘needs’ - they should learn like monolingual English (read ‘ l’) t d t‘normal’) studentsThis is when the students most likely need the MOST specific instruction and whenthe MOST specific instruction and when they get the leastL2 Fossilizes and L1 AtrophiesL2 Fossilizes and L1 Atrophies

Barrera (1992)We do not notice the fossilization and atrophy because we have been told that ‘ d t hi i d t hi ’ d‘good teaching is good teaching’ and these kids now ‘know English’Language Structures and Cultural SchemaLanguage Structures and Cultural Schema are “transparent” to natives - we live it and speak it - we don’t see it!Language and culture are what we use to see the world, but seldom what we see.

ExamplesAnswer these questions:Which of the following countries during the 1970’s turned away from Western values and returned to a more primitive style of living?style of living?A. IranB. IraqB. IraqC. TurkeyD. Afghanistang

More…..True/false:Mexican-Americans are the 2nd largest non-white ethnic group in the U.S.Mark the title that should be underlined:

G ith th Wi dGone with the WindAmerica the BeautifulDamn YankeesDamn Yankees

AnalogyChile is to molcajete as tortilla is to _______.A child getting his domingo is getting his __.

Linguistic TransparencyWe are so busy trying to get the “correct” answer that we don’t check to see if the

ti i lid it iquestion is valid - we assume it isWe have been socialized to believe in platitudes about good teaching that weplatitudes about good teaching that we don’t question themOnce ‘transitioned’ we believe ELLs are the same as Monolingual English students

Do they really know English?20 Cambodian childrenU.S. since birthAll English schoolingAll met criteria for ‘FEP’All met criteria for FEPListen means, ‘be quiet,’ ‘don’t talk,’ ‘you get in trouble if you don’t listen’g yNot one child associated listening with a cognitive process of helping you to learn.g p p g y

Language Structures needed by ELLsLanguage Structures needed by ELLs AFTER transition

IdiomsAlternative QuestionsTag VerbsModals ConditionalsContractionsFigurative LanguageWe can’t teach it if WE don’t know it

Articles change meanings…Be a buff fanBe in the buffBe in the buffGet your pants wetWet your pantsTo get up (from a nap)To get up for it (be excited)

More…..Work out (is that going to work out)Work out (exercise)Work out (exercise)Work up (a medical procedure)To get worked up (angry)To have something to drinkTo have a drink

Still More….To get together (let’s get together Saturday)Saturday)To get it together (get organized) - I hope I can get it together by Sathope I can get it together by Sat.To make-up (after a fight)To wear make-upTo make it up (lie)

What Else?Language PragmaticsRegisterRegisterDomain specific terminology

T k A M #4 (A li d)Take Away Message #4 (Applied)Genesee (2005) (August & Shanahan, 2006)

Direct instruction: learning through explicit & direct instruction of specific reading/writing skills or strategiesstrategiesInteractive approaches: learning that is mediated through interaction with other learners or more competent readers & writers: e g instructionalcompetent readers & writers: e.g. instructional conversations; pair workProcess approaches: learning through engagement in authentic use of written language forin authentic use of written language for communication or self-expression: e.g., whole language, writer’s workshop

FindingsDirect instruction & interactive approaches produced significant gains in learning

Process approaches produced mixed results at best and no enhancement in many cases

Most effective approaches to language arts and literacy for L2 students were the OPPOSITE of those most commonly used for monolingual English students

ELLs need continued development in English after being released from formal programs and they DO NOT get this development either in content classes or classes wheredevelopment either in content classes or classes where instruction is not modified

Take Away Message #5Take Away Message #5Cultural Issues are Critical

Larger society is NOT welcoming of ELLs in general and Mexican descent students i ti lin particularMost messages teachers have learned about ELLs have a deficit paradigmabout ELLs have a deficit paradigmCreating a welcoming school culture is criticalCreating a relevant curriculum is also critical

Quiz: Who are these people?Rosa ParksTiger Woods

Lorena OchoaJohn Grishamg

Kay Bailey Hutchinson

Dolores HuertaRuben Hinojosa

Sandra CisnerosRuben Hinojosa

Cultural Difference?Study hard, pass tests so that you can go to college and not end upcan go to college and not end up flipping burgers at McDonald’s.What motivates some students isWhat motivates some students, is offensive to others.

An Example: Register Zero ToleranceAn Example: Register, Zero Tolerance and Culture

Register is NOT just the words you say, but the stance, intonation, body language, ddress, you use.All of the above when used as communication devices by Chicanos andcommunication devices by Chicanos and 2nd-3rd generation Mexican-Americans is often found to be offensive in mainstream

lclassesExample: Scrooge is a real ##### (Montaño Harmon 2000)(Montaño-Harmon, 2000)

Montaño-Harmon (2000)Do NOT eradicate informal register - add onto itHave students keep double-entry journals (public voice/private voice)Personal conduct public conductPersonal conduct - public conductPersonal voice - public voicePersonal dress - public dressPersonal dress - public dressWrite it to a friend/write it to an adult who doesn’t know you.y

Double Entry JournalPrivate VoiceThis stuff “sucks”

Public VoiceThis material lacks

I’m pissed offShe went nuts

academic & social relevanceShe went nutsI’m angryShe had a nervous breakdown

Private Voice in Writing SoundsPrivate Voice in Writing Sounds Like a Telephone Conversation

Hi, my name is Lorena, I’m going to tell you about my life as a computer.tell you about my life as a computer. Blah, blah, blah Well, that’s about all. I’d better go now - Bye.all. I d better go now Bye.THE END

Cultural Respect?“Our Mexican parents are good at making babies, they are just not good at raising th ”them.”“They don’t get any wetter than this.”“Hold their welfare checks until they send“Hold their welfare checks until they send their kids to school.”“Ignorance is prevalent in our school,Ignorance is prevalent in our school, most of our parents are Mexican.”Why aren’t we outraged?

Respect???Colorado schools last Oct. were told to have the following plans:to have the following plans:Inclement WeatherSafetySafetyFireImmigration Raids

Who are we accountable to?Middle class schools we are accountable to the parents.In poor schools we are accountable to the ‘state’ to ‘nclb’ but not the parents.Who gets respect?

Return to Slide #2Which of these ‘take away’ messages, if any, can you use tomessages, if any, can you use to help improve instruction for ELLs?Which will your teachers immediatelyWhich will your teachers immediately reject?Which do you need more informationWhich do you need more information about?