Module 4 Culminating Task

Which term is not used as a continuum in the five-level scale according to the ELL standards?

• Bridging

• Expanding

• Developing

• Approaching

Answer explanation

Some school boards use "approaching" as a similar to to "developing." For example in a 4-point scale, a school in Yukon uses the term- “2”, the student is approaching expectations. In this case they're saying that "3" is meeting expectations.

http://tcs.yukonschools.ca/understanding-the-reporting-system.html

According to " Stages of Second Language Acquisition and Tiered Questions" Jane Hill (2016), at which stage of language acquisition should students be responding with yes/no and one/two word phrases?

• Early Production

• Speech Emergence

• Preproduction

• Intermediate fluency

Answer explanation

At the preproduction phase, students have limited comprehensions but enough to be verbal and participate with key words and vocabulary.

According to the BC Performance Standards, which is of the following is not a standard?

• Reading

• Oral Language

• Numeracy

• Writing

Answer explanation

Oral language is an essential component of ELL standards. It is stated that oral language is "the descriptors pertaining to both receptive skills (listening) and

expressive skills (speaking) are included on a single continuum." There is oral response in the reading performance standard but that specifically has to do with making connections to the story they read.

According to Stephen Krashen which of these factors is not a part of optimal input?

• Language should be comprehensible

• Language should be interesting and compelling

• Optimal input should be rich in language that contributes to the stories and text

• Students need to be corrected often and frequently to help them know and fix their mistakes

Answer explanation

At different stages of language acquisition, there are different amounts and times to correct students.But error correction needs to be intentional and appropriate.

Which of the phrases refer to ELL students who have achieved Advanced Fluency.

• Offer challenge activities to expand the student's vocabulary knowledge such as identifying antonyms, synonyms and the use of a thesaurus and dictionary.

• Create assessments that give students an opportunity to present in English after they have an opportunity to practice in pairs or small groups.

• Correct errors that interfere with meaning, and pre-identify errors that will be corrected in student writing, such as verb-tense agreement. Only correct the errors agreed upon.

• Ask questions that require inference and justification of the answer.

Answer explanation

Students at the Advanced Fluency have near-native level of speech. They still may need a little extra help with visuals and error corrections may increase but they have the skills and abilities to expand further and be challenged.

Which tiered question does not apply to Speech Emergence students?

• Why . . . ?

• Explain. . .

• Who, what, and

  how many questions

• Questions requiring

  short-sentence answers

Answer explanation

Students at speech emergence can start to take in information and explain why and how things are happening, moving beyond just retelling.

Which of these statements is false.

• Every student has their own journey and need specific supports when acquiring English.

• Students need a low/zero anxiety environment to learn English better.

• Students need large amounts of easy reading input.

• Students who are silent don't understand the information being given.

Answer explanation

There is a silent phase (preproduction) where students are absorbing and categorizing information to be able to reproduce it through speech.

Skinner and the Theory of Behaviourism states that:

• "Success received positive reinforcement; failure received negative reinforcement."

• "Speech isn’t the priority. Listening is."

• "all students should

  understand the purpose of their

  homework "

• "To help

  ELLs follow the presentation of infor-

  mation, slow your rate of speech,

  speak in complete sentences"

Answer explanation

Skinner believed that students must know their mistakes and be reprimanded for them (conditioned to know right from wrong) which directly is in confict that students learn English best in zero/low - stress environments.

Which philosopher believed that every person is born with a "blank slate."

• Socrates

• John Locke

• Descartes

• Chomsky

Answer explanation

John Locke "believed that we’re all born as blank slates. And as we go through life, our experiences write knowledge on that slate. He also argued that we learn everything through our senses."

Which of these is not a theory by Krashen?

• The Input Hypothesis: Language-learning comes from having access to comprehensible input, or material that’s challenging but still understandable.

• The Monitor Hypothesis: As we develop, we build an internal filter designed to prevent us from making mistakes. This filter can interfere with the language learning process because learning happens through mistakes.

• The Social Hypothesis: language is the primary way to communicate socially and therefore we need to use and practice English with each other to truly find value in practising and speaking English

• The Natural Order Hypothesis: Language has layers and complexities. People cannot understand complex syntax and grammar structures before people acquire the necessary abilities beforehand. An understanding of grammar happens naturally.  

Answer explanation

The Social Hypothesis is something I made up that sounds like it could be right.