Introduction to the Alberta K 12 ESL Proficiency

Introduction to the Alberta K -12 ESL Proficiency Benchmarks Workshop #1

Presentation 1: Overview of Benchmarks Document - Outline • • • Who’s Who? Development of ESL Benchmarks Purpose of ESL Benchmarks Implementation of Benchmarks ESL Benchmarks Theoretical Underpinnings – – K – 12 Strands of Language BICS/CALP Communicative Competence • Framework of the Benchmarks – Productive Skills : Speaking Writing - Receptive Skills: Listening - Reading

Who’s Who? ? ? - Name - School - Area for Which Responsible/ Grades Taught - Current Status of ESL at your school - Your own level of theoretical knowledge of ESL/ L 2 acquisition - Your current familiarity with AB. Ed. Benchmarks

Alberta ESL Proficiency Benchmarks Development Fall 2007 Fall 2008 Spring 2009 • Review • Edit existing international proficiency standards Alberta Framework, indicators and process Benchmarks with ESL Advisory Committee • Develop Alberta Framework • Revise CBE Benchmarks utilizing Alberta development work Benchmarks • Develop indicators • Refine Fall 2009 • Publish draft Benchmarks for feedback and field testing.

Implementation Plan: Benchmarks Draft Feedback • All people who used ESL Benchmarks were encouraged to provide feedback on the draft document • Survey went out in February and March 2010 • Feedback is now being sorted through

Implementation Plan: Section 2 & Digital Resource • Section 2 released in October – Tracking Sheet Templates • Online Digital ESL Benchmarks Resource – Available October 1, 2009 @ http: //www. learnalberta. ca

Purpose of ESL Benchmarks • What are some benefits for having this ESL Benchmark Document available for use across the province?

Purpose of ESL Benchmarks • Provide specific language outcomes for each proficiency level • Support initial identification of language proficiency level • Guide appropriate programming for ELLs • Articulate language proficiency to align with ESL Sr. High Program of Studies and other programs of study

Purpose of ESL Benchmarks • Support teachers in; – Monitoring, tracking and reporting language progress – Planning for explicit language instruction within everyday classroom learning – Communicating with students and parents to; • Develop an understanding of language acquisition • Set appropriate learning goals

By Whom are the ESL Benchmarks used? • • • All teachers of English Language Learners School Administrators ESL Designates at Schools ESL Consultants and Specialists Resource Teachers

Implementation of ESL Benchmarks • Implementation of the Alberta ESL Proficiency Benchmarks for school jurisdictions is voluntary in 2009/2010. The Alberta ESL Proficiency Benchmarks do not carry the authority of a Program of Studies. The ESL Benchmarks were developed as a tool for teachers to help assess student progress and needs and make appropriate and timely programming decisions.

Implementation of ESL Benchmarks • It is hoped that if it is found to be useful, everyone will eventually begin using the Alberta Education ESL Proficiency Benchmarks, thereby, establishing a common/consistent way of assessing student language proficiency. It is also hoped that the benchmarks will promote collaboration and communication about an ESL student progress and needs among all the student's teachers, and enhance communication between teachers and parents.

When are the ESL Benchmarks used? Each jurisdiction or school will determine how the benchmarks will be implemented as per the Implementation of ESL Benchmarks on the previous slide. Ideally, - Intake assessment to establish initial language proficiency, appropriate programming and instructional starting points. - Language proficiency level documented at each reporting period. With comments about areas or growth and those requiring development. - Monitoring of language through ongoing assessment using the tracking document.

When are the ESL Benchmarks used? Realistically, - Four times a year would be great; however, twice a year seems more manageable as a starting point for our District.

BACK TO SCHOOL

Theoretical Underpinnings • Organized by developmentally appropriate divisions • 5 Levels of Language Proficiency Levels • Strands of Language • Cummin’s BICS and CALP • Swain’s Communicative Competence

Division • • • Kindergarten Grades 1 -3 Grades 4 -6 Grades 7 -9 Grades 10 -12

Levels • • • Level 1 – Beginning Level 2 – Developing Level 3 – Expanding Level 4 – Bridging Level 5 – Extending

Levels Kindergarten Gr. 1 -3 Gr. 4 -6 Gr. 7 -9 Gr. 10 -12 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

Strands of Language • Listening • Speaking • Reading • Writing

Cummin’s BICS and CALP BICS CALP Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills Cognitive Academic Linguistic Proficiency 1 -2 years 5 -10 or more years Social Language Academic Language High Frequency Vocabulary Low Frequency Vocabulary Simple Language Structures Complex Language Structures Context Embedded Context Reduced Concrete Abstract Low Pressure High Pressure

Cummin’s BICS and CALP Language Social (BICS) Academic (CALP) Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5

Cummin’s BICS and CALP • Is the speaker demonstrating BICS or CALP? 1. I go to store last day. 2. That theory is debatable. 3. The leaves have a stem and an apex. 4. Photosynthesis is the process that uses energy from sunlight to convert carbon dioxide into organic compounds. 5. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. 6. What does it feel like when you volunteer?

Swain’s Communicative Competence 1. Knowing a Match the statement to the correct formal from communicative competency. informal situation 2. Knowing how to A. Linguistic close a B. Socio-Linguistic conversation C. Discourse 3. Knowing when D. Strategic to use and, or, but, however, if…then, etc. 4. Knowing when “pitch” means a “tune” or “throw”

Framework of Benchmarks Listening Speaking Reading Writing Auditory Discrimination Pronunciation Fluency Editing Discourse Linguistic Strategic Socio. Linguistic Strand Specific

Pause for Questions….

Tracking Documents Tracking documents are to be used in conjunction with the Benchmarks Prior to each reporting period observe the student in various contexts and date benchmarks achieved consistently. Please Note! • It takes 7 or more years to become proficient a student may take 6 – 24 months to move levels in a particular competency. • Students may regress after a lengthy absence or if the academic complexity increases. • Students may show strength in different competencies and proficiency may vary by competency.

Speaking • What do you notice about these statements? – Animal eat plant. – Herbivores is animals that eat plants. – Black bears are omnivores because they feed on plant or other animals. – Carnivores hunt herbivores and omnivores in a variety of food chains. – Carnivores, omnivores and herbivores are part of the energy cycle where producers, consumers and decomposers transfer the sun’s energy.

Speaking • What do you notice about these statements? – Vocabulary • Descriptive • Determiners (a, an, the) • Naming (BICS or CALP) – – Sentence length Grammar Cohesive devices (and, where, then) Errors

Speaking • Vocabulary, grammar, discourse – Animal eat plant. – Herbivores is animals that eat plants. – Black bears are omnivores because they feed on plant or other animals. – Carnivores hunt herbivores and omnivores in a variety of food chains. – Carnivores, omnivores and herbivores are part of the energy cycle where producers, consumers and decomposers transfer the sun’s energy.

Speaking • Revised for K: Black • Look at the ESL bears eat plants and animals Benchmarks in Speaking. – Look at the competency Linguistic (Vocabulary) • • • K, pg. 12 Gr. 1 -3, pg. 29 Gr. 4 -6, pg. 52 Gr. 7 -9, pg. 88 Gr. 10 -12, pg. 122 • Black bears are omnivores because they feed on plant or other animals. – Read the across levels 1 -5 for the grade(s) you teach – What level is the vocabulary for this sentence?

Speaking • • • K = Level 5 (content high) • Revised for K: Gr. 1 – 3 = Level 4 Black bears eat plants and animals Gr. 4 – 6 = Level 3 Gr. 7 – 9 = Level 2 • Black bears are Gr. 10 – 12 = Level 2 omnivores because they feed on plant or other animals.

Speaking Sample Leveling Sort • Sort the samples from Level 1 to 5 • What language features do you notice in these samples? • What happens as the speaking moves from Level 1 to 5?

Speaking Sample Leveling Sort • What was noticed: – Vocabulary • Descriptive • Determiners (a, an, the) • Naming (BICS or CALP) – Sentence length (syntax) – Grammar – Cohesive devices (and, where, then) – Errors – Pronunciation

Speaking 1 – Part C Compare Sample to the Benchmarks • Select one sample • Compare it to the Benchmarks – Identify the level for each of the competencies

Speaking– Reflection • Think about all of the students that you teach: – - What level do most students speak at in general? • Think of the ELLs you teach - What level do they speak typically?

Writing • • Look at the samples of text. • What language features do you • notice? This catarpilr is fat. It eat all the lef. Then it make cokon. It grow to a buttrfli. The life cycle of a butterfly starts with the egg stage. When it comes out it is a caterpillar. That’s called the larva stage.

Writing • Find Writing in the Benchmarks in the Division you teach. 1. This catarpilr is fat. It eat all the lef. Then it make cokon. It grow to a • Look at the buttrfli. competency Discourse, then Linguistic (Grammar/Syntax), 2. The life cycle of a Linguistic (Vocabulary) butterfly starts with • What is the ESL proficiency level of these two samples in the grade(s) you are teaching? the egg stage. When it comes out it is a caterpillar. That’s called the larva stage.

Writing • Look at the ESL Benchmarks in in writing for the grade(s) you are teaching: • Read the Benchmarks for the competency: Editing What editing skills are a challenge for ELLs? • Knowing conventions; spelling, punctuation etc. • Knowing grammar and syntax adjustments • Knowing word choice options to be more succinct, clear or to demonstrate voice or tone.

Writing – Language Identification • Look at the leveled writing samples. • Discuss what is different about each level as it progresses from 1 to 5. Using the markers: Circle vocabulary in red. Circle discourse in blue. Underline grammar in green. Pick one level. Match it to the Benchmarks for Discourse, Vocabulary and Grammar

Writing 2 – Assessing Writing using the Benchmarks The salmon dies when they layed their eggs and they are a kind of fish you could eat. They will go back to where they were born. There are endangered of the trees damming the rivers at the way home. They can’t see when they were in the egg. Over 100 salmon population are extinct. The Coho salmons first starts with eggs they were borned and they have a yolk sacs for eat and they tured in the fry, then they were a teen salmon called a smolts. Then they turned in to adults. When the salmon went in to the sea they start to chang and they eat as many as they could then they gos back to the creek they were borned. And they start to chang again. They get bacdk by smell of the creek. Then they layed their eggs and dies. Then a new cycle of salmon begins. Salmons population can be changd man fishes too many.

Writing 2 – Assessing Writing using the Benchmarks • Look at the benchmarks for: – Strategic – Socio-Linguistic – Editing • Discuss at your tables how you would identify if an ELL was able to meet a particular indicator?

Listening • Listening involves clarifying what you hear. A. “So we mix these two together? ” • Sequence the clarification statements from lowest to highest proficiency. B. “I don’t get it” C. “What would happen if we mixed the acid and base together? ” D. “So A is an acid and B is a base? ” E. No response

Listening • Look at the ESL Benchmarks in Listening (Competency: Strategic) – Look at the grade(s) you are working with • • • K , pg. 10 Gr. 1 -3, pg. 20 Gr. 4 -6, pg. 48 Gr. 7 -9, pg. 82 Gr. 10 -12, pg. 118 – Read through the indicators from Level 1 to 5 – Look at the students statements again and match them to the indicator that best describes the student. No response “I don’t get it” “So we mix these two together? ” “So A is an acid and B is a base? ” “What would happen if we mixed the acid and the base together? ” “What would happen if we mixed the vinegar, which is the acid with the baking soda which is the base? ”

Reading • Look at the sample of text. • What language features do you notice? In the spring, the adult lays eggs on a leaf. When the eggs hatch, tiny little caterpillars emerge and begin to eat. This is the larva stage.

Reading Vocabulary, • Look at the sample of grammar, text. discourse • What is the ESL proficiency level In the spring, the required to read this adult lays eggs on a leaf. When the for the grade(s) you eggs hatch, tiny are teaching? little caterpillars emerge and begin to eat. This is the larva stage.

Reading K = Level 5 (Read aloud) Gr. 1 -3 = Level 4/5 Gr. 4 -6 = Level 3 Gr. 7 -9 = Level 2 Gr. 10 -12 = Level 2 In the spring, the adult lays eggs on a leaf. When the eggs hatch, tiny little caterpillars emerge and begin to eat. This is the larva stage. • Teachers can scan the text to understand the approximate ELP level needed to comprehend the passage. • Teachers can provide a range of texts to match the ELP of the ELLs in their class. • Why? For comprehensible input.

Reading • The Benchmarks make a distinction between decoding and comprehension. Division Strategic (Context Cues) Phonological Awareness Kindergarten NA NA NA Gr. 1 -3 X Gr. 4 -6 X Gr. 7 -9 X Gr. 10 -12 X X

Reading • Learning to Read: Learning how to decode and comprehend • Reading to Learn: Mastery of decoding and a repertoire of reading strategies Decoding: Average rate 300 WPM (words per minute) for English at high school and 100 WPM for ELLs: - Need more time - Require explicit instruction on phonological awareness, word families, blends, affixes, syllabification, fluency etc.

Reading Comprehension: • Approximate Correlation between ELP and comprehension level for Div 2, 3, 4 Level 5 – grade level -1 Level 4 – grade level -2 Level 3 – grade level – 3 Level 2 - grade level – 4 + (pending grade) Level 1 – grades level -5 + ELLs: - Explicit strategy instruction (visual cues, re-reading, read ahead, connecting to prior knowledge, self-correcting, word analysis, syntactical analysis, predicting, inferencing, summarizing, synthesizing etc. ) - Increased exposure to a variety of texts