Module 6 Quiz - Planning for ELLs

What is fundamental to the success of students in the British Columbia school system and society according to the principles for effective ELL services?

• Mastery of basic interpersonal communicative skills

• English language proficiency and knowledge of Canadian cultures

• Proficiency in multiple foreign languages

• High academic performance in all subjects

Answer explanation

"English language proficiency (or in the Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique, French language proficiency) and knowledge of the cultures of Canada are fundamental to the success of students in the British Columbia school system and society."

(English language learning policy guidelines 2018 ,2018)

Which of the following should the teacher do in the classroom for a student who needs complex ELL support?

• Identify and explain puns, clichés, idioms, slang and colloquialisms in context

• Provide clearly defined content and language objectives in simple language before teaching

• Use think-alouds and think-pair-shares when asking questions

• Provide multiple opportunities for authentic speaking tasks, such as debates, author’s chair, speeches, etc.

Answer explanation

"According to the student’s level, the teacher can… provide clearly defined content and language objectives in simple language before teaching"  

(Government of British Columbia, n.d.)

A student who attempts to engage but may still respond inappropriately at times to social situations and conversational topics is likely needs which level of support?

• Minimal ELL Support Needed

• Moderate ELL Support Needed

• Intensive ELL Support Needed

• Extreme ELL Support Needed

Answer explanation

"The student is adjusting to Canadian culture and may…attempt to engage but may still respond inappropriately at times to social situations and conversational topics"

(Government of British Columbia, n.d)

 

• What is the main difference between social and academic language for ELLs?

• Social language is used in textbooks, while academic language is used in conversations

• Social language is more formal than academic language

• Social language requires more complex vocabulary than academic language

• Social language is used in everyday interactions, while academic language is used in educational settings

Answer explanation

"The stuff that they do in the classroom, when they're talking about the things that they like and interacting with the teacher and when they're out on the playground or doing activities, this is social language"

"Academic language is different, it’s the language of schools, a language of textbooks, a language of tests, it changes the sentence structure, we don't have as much context for understanding what's happening around us"

(Colorin Colorado, 2012)

Why is it important for ELLs to develop academic language?

• It helps them communicate better with their peers outside of school

• It enables them to understand and engage with the curriculum and succeed academically

• It reduces the need for learning social language

• It is less challenging than learning social language

Answer explanation

"how to apply cognitive skills, how to make inferences"

(Colorin Colorado, 2012)

Why is it important to include language objectives in lesson plans for ELLs?

• To explicitly address the language skills needed to engage with content material

• To ensure that all students can pass unit tests

• To focus on grammar rules and correct language usage

• To make sure students can read what they are going to be learning about

Answer explanation

"The language objectives focus on the academic language functions that students need to master in order to access grade-level content."

"It is critical to teach language objectives explicitly so that ELLs (and their peers) can learn the content and language they need"

(Colorín Colorado, n.d. -a)

What are some benefits of using technology for ELL students?

• Technology allows ELL students to bypass the need for classroom interaction by providing exclusively individual practice tools without collaborative features

• Technology helps ELL students use a fixed set of language resources to learn English

• Technology replaces traditional classroom instruction entirely, focusing only on automated translations and text-to-speech tools without human interaction

• Technology can provide differentiated instruction through tools that offer variable text levels and multilingual support, for diverse language needs

Answer explanation

"Lots of online tools have built-in features to support differentiated instruction for a variety of learners."

"leveled texts with scaffolding for students reading at different levels, including audio versions of texts"

(Knutson, 2023)

Why is it important for educators to get to know the ELLs in their class?

• So they can ensure the students are speaking English in class

• 1. So they can give them assignments that focus on learning English

• So they can build a connection with the students and help them understand you care

• So they can create lessons that are simplified and not challenging for the student

Answer explanation

"When students know that you care that much about them, they are going to do more for you"

(Colorin Colorado, 2020)

What is a key benefit of using portfolio assessments for ELLs?

• Portfolios provide a snapshot of a student's language skills at a single point in time, rather than a comprehensive view of progress

• Portfolios focus on test scores, to help fully capture the students understanding at the end of a unit

• Portfolios offer a holistic view of a student's language development by showcasing a range of work over time, including strengths and areas for growth

• Portfolios are used for summative assessments to showcase the students most recent understanding of a topic

Answer explanation

Portfolios "collect descriptive records of a variety of student work over time that reflects growth toward the achievement of specific curricular objectives. Portfolios include information, sample work, and evaluations that serve as indicators for student performance. By documenting student performance over time, portfolios are a better way to crosscheck student progress than just one measure alone"

 

(Colorín Colorado, n.d. -b)

Based on the attached UDL Guidelines, how can educators apply the principle of multiple means of engagement to motivate ELL students?

• By providing options for students to choose topics of interest and participate in collaborative activities that connect to their cultural backgrounds and personal interests

• By limiting opportunities for ELL students to participate in class discussions to avoid language barriers

• By using the same instructional approach for all students, assuming that uniform strategies will engage everyone equally

• By focusing on the interests of non ELL students to help ELLs engage with their peers

Answer explanation

"Optimize choice and autonomy (consideration7.1)"

"Foster collaboration, interdependence, and collective learning (consideration8.3)"

"Foster belonging and community (consideration8.4)"

(CAST, n.d.).