ESL Support in Elementary School

Summary

The video script showcases the journey of English language learners at Clermont Immersion School in Arlington, Virginia. Students like John Carlos, who arrived from Colombia with limited English, are provided with tailored support to become bilingual by fifth grade. Teachers like Amanda Rennels and Elizabeth Varela use differentiated instruction, small group sessions, and lunchtime activities to enhance oral language development. The school's inclusive environment, where staff and students come from diverse backgrounds, fosters a sense of belonging and motivates students to embrace the learning process.

Takeaways

• 🏫 Immersion School: The script describes a school in Arlington, Virginia, where children are immersed in a bilingual environment, learning both English and Spanish.
• 👦 Student Progression: Students like John Carlos, who arrived from Colombia with little English experience, are supported to become bilingual by the end of fifth grade.
• 📚 Differentiated Instruction: Amanda Rennels, a fourth-grade teacher, provides word study assignments tailored to different levels, including specific support for English language learners like John Carlos.
• 🗣️ Language Production: The script highlights the challenge of producing language, especially in speaking and writing, and how teachers like Ms. Rennels help students overcome this hurdle.
• 📖 Modified Activities: Teachers modify activities to ensure students can participate, such as reading aloud to students and scribing for them to encourage engagement.
• 🕒 Additional Support: John Carlos receives extra help with English three days a week, focusing on oral language development with the help of Elizabeth Varela, a fourth-grade teacher.
• 📚 Integrated ESL Teaching: Ms. Varela works with students in grade-level classrooms, using a 'push-in' approach where ESL teachers collaborate with grade-level teachers.
• 🍽️ Lunch Bunch: An additional support system is the Lunch Bunch, where students can get extra practice in reading and vocabulary during a 15-20 minute session.
• 🌐 Global Representation: The school staff is diverse, representing various nationalities and languages, which helps students feel included and valued for their native language skills.
• 🌟 Encouragement and Confidence: The script emphasizes the importance of encouragement in helping students, especially those learning a new language, to gain confidence and take risks.
• 🎥 NEA Support: The video production was supported by the National Education Association, indicating a broader recognition and support for such educational initiatives.

Q & A

What is the primary goal of the immersion school in Arlington, Virginia?

The primary goal of the immersion school is to have children become bilingual in English and Spanish by the end of fifth grade.

How does the school support English language learners in their learning process?

The school provides various supports such as word study assignments at different levels, differentiated instruction, and additional help with oral language development.

What is the role of Amanda Rennels in supporting John Carlos, a student from Colombia?

Amanda Rennels, as a fourth-grade teacher, provides word study assignments tailored to John Carlos' level, offers visual aids, and engages in discussions to aid his understanding.

What is the significance of providing pictorial support for students like John Carlos?

Pictorial support helps students like John Carlos visualize concepts and aids in their understanding, especially when they are new to the English language.

How does the school address the challenge of producing language for students like John Carlos?

The school addresses this by having teachers read texts aloud to students and scribing for them to encourage participation and overcome the fear of making spelling mistakes.

What is the purpose of the additional help John Carlos receives from Elizabeth Varela?

The purpose is to focus on oral language development, encouraging John Carlos to speak English as much as possible in a natural setting.

What is the 'pushing in' approach used by ESL teachers at Claremont?

The 'pushing in' approach involves ESL teachers working closely with grade-level teachers, planning together, and team-teaching in the classroom to support students.

What is the 'Lunch Bunch' and how does it support students?

The 'Lunch Bunch' is a 15-20 minute session where students can receive extra practice and personal attention on reading and vocabulary, focusing on areas they might need more help with.

How does the school create a safe and welcoming space for students like John Carlos?

The school creates a safe and welcoming space by having a diverse staff from all over the world, encouraging students to see themselves as experts in their native language, and fostering an environment where everyone is learning.

What is the significance of the 'silver lining' expression used in the script?

The 'silver lining' expression is used to convey the idea that there might be a positive aspect or opportunity in a situation that initially seems negative, such as moving to a new place.

How does the video production relate to the National Education Association?

The video production was made possible by the National Education Association, indicating their support and involvement in showcasing educational practices.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Supporting English Language Learners

This paragraph discusses the immersive educational approach at Clermont Immersion School in Arlington, Virginia, where children enter speaking only their native language and leave bilingual in English and Spanish by the end of fifth grade. The focus is on the individualized support provided to English language learners, exemplified by John Carlos, a student from Colombia. His fourth-grade teacher, Amanda Rennels, tailors word study assignments to his level, incorporating visual and auditory aids to facilitate understanding. John also receives additional help from Elizabeth Varela, focusing on oral language development. The school uses a 'push-in' model where ESL teachers work closely with grade-level teachers, and 'Lunch Bunch' sessions offer extra practice and personal attention for students who need it. The school environment is described as safe and welcoming, fostering a sense of belonging and confidence among students.

05:02

🌐 Building a Diverse and Inclusive Learning Community

The second paragraph emphasizes the importance of creating a diverse and inclusive learning community at Clermont. It highlights the school's staff, which consists of members from various backgrounds, speaking different languages, thus setting an example for students. The encouragement and support provided to students like John Carlos, who are navigating a new country and language, are crucial in building their confidence to learn and express themselves. The school's culture is one where everyone is learning and no one is an expert in everything, allowing students to excel in their native languages and feel valued for their contributions. The video production was supported by the National Education Association, indicating a broader commitment to educational excellence and inclusivity.

Keywords

💡Immersion School

An immersion school is an educational institution where students are taught through a second language, typically the language of the host country, in this case, English. In the video, Clermont is an immersion school in Arlington, Virginia, where children start by speaking their native language and, by the end of fifth grade, they are bilingual in English and Spanish, showcasing the school's commitment to language acquisition and cultural integration.

💡English Language Learners (ELLs)

English Language Learners, or ELLs, are students who are learning English as a second language. The video discusses the various support systems in place for ELLs at Clermont, such as differentiated instruction and specialized language development sessions, emphasizing the importance of tailored educational approaches to accommodate the diverse needs of these learners.

💡Differentiation

Differentiation in education refers to the practice of adapting teaching methods and materials to meet the diverse needs of students. The script mentions that Amanda Rennels provides word study assignments at various levels, including a level specifically tailored for John Carlos, an ELL from Colombia, to ensure he can understand and participate in classroom activities.

💡Word Study

Word study is an educational activity focused on the understanding of words, their meanings, and their uses. In the script, word study is used as a tool to support language learners like John Carlos, who is given assignments at his level to help him build vocabulary and language proficiency.

💡Pictorial Support

Pictorial support involves the use of images or visual aids to help students understand concepts or vocabulary. The video describes how John Carlos benefits from pictorial support, as it helps him visualize and comprehend the English words he is learning, such as the dual meaning of 'bat' in the context of both a baseball tool and a nocturnal animal.

💡Scaffolding

Scaffolding in education is a method of providing temporary support to students to help them achieve learning goals. The script explains how John Carlos is supported through scaffolding, such as reading aloud and scribing for him, to help him overcome the challenge of writing in English and to encourage his participation in class activities.

💡Oral Language Development

Oral language development focuses on improving a student's ability to speak and understand spoken language. The video mentions that John Carlos spends time with Elizabeth Varela, the fourth-grade ESL teacher, to work on his oral language skills, emphasizing the importance of natural and frequent English communication for language acquisition.

💡Push-in Instruction

Push-in instruction is a teaching strategy where a specialist, such as an ESL teacher, works within a general education classroom to support students. In the video, Ms. Varela uses push-in instruction to collaborate with grade-level teachers and provide targeted support to students like John Carlos, integrating language development within the regular classroom environment.

💡Lunch Bunch

Lunch Bunch is an informal educational session that takes place during lunchtime, offering students additional practice and attention in a specific subject area. The script describes how Ms. Varela hosts a Lunch Bunch focused on reading and vocabulary, providing an opportunity for students to engage in extra learning in a relaxed setting.

💡Cultural Integration

Cultural integration refers to the process of incorporating and blending different cultural elements within a community or institution. The video highlights how Clermont fosters a safe and welcoming space for students from diverse backgrounds, encouraging them to embrace their native languages and cultures while learning English, contributing to a rich and inclusive educational environment.

💡National Education Association

The National Education Association (NEA) is a professional organization that advocates for public education and the rights of its educators. The script notes that the video production was made possible by the NEA, indicating their support for initiatives that promote educational excellence and equity.

Highlights

Children at Clermont Immersion School in Arlington, Virginia, enter speaking only their native language but become bilingual in English and Spanish by the end of fifth grade.

Different support pathways are provided for English language learners based on individual needs.

In Amanda Rennels' fourth-grade classroom, word study assignments are modified for students like John Carlos, who arrived from Colombia with little English experience.

John Carlos receives differentiated instruction to match his English proficiency level.

Pictorial support and discussions are used to aid understanding for students like John Carlos.

Students are encouraged to participate in activities despite potential spelling or writing challenges.

John Carlos receives additional English language support from Elizabeth Varela, focusing on oral language development.

The goal of language development is to speak English naturally without forcing it.

ESL teachers work closely with grade-level teachers, often 'pushing in' to classrooms for small group instruction.

Students are not made to feel isolated during ESL instruction by integrating the sessions within the regular classroom.

Ms. Varela offers a 'Lunch Bunch' for students needing extra practice and personal attention.

The Lunch Bunch provides an additional 15-20 minutes of focused reading and vocabulary practice.

Clermont creates a safe and welcoming space for students learning in a new country.

Students gain confidence from the diverse staff and the encouragement to take chances in learning a new language.

The school environment fosters a sense of expertise among students in their native languages.

The video production showcases the innovative methods and impact of the Clermont Immersion School.

Transcripts

most children walk into Clermont

immersion school in Arlington Virginia

speaking only their native language on

the end of fifth grade they walk out

bilingual in English and Spanish but

they take a lot of different pathways to

that end result for English language

learners the pathway involves several

different supports depending on what

students need in Amanda Rennels

fourth grade classroom she provides word

study assignments at several different

levels including a level for John Carlos

he arrived in the United States from

Colombia last fall he's fluent in

Spanish and has little experience in

English there's another word I think I

try and make modifications for him so

that he can be understanding what we're

talking about and I try to differentiate

for his level as well so for example

today in word study you know I have my

word study groups all spread out

throughout the room and I had a sort

specifically for him that is at his

level it's not necessarily at 4th grade

English level bits at his level I sit

with him and I think the easiest thing

for him he's he's a very aural person so

he does like to discuss and give

examples but also I try and provide that

pictorial support so that he can

visualize kind of what we're talking

about that it's what you use when you

play baseball yeah there's another kind

of that to do you know it's an animal

you're right it is a bat that using

baseball a bat is also an animal that

flies usually at night when it's dark do

you know the word for bat in Spanish

yeah what's a bat he understands a lot

it's the producing of the language

that's always the more challenging part

the speaking on the writing and so for

him I will often read a text aloud to

him if we're doing an activity and then

I'll have him poorly tell me kind of

what his responses and alright for him

because he's a student who gets kind of

stuck on I don't want to write because I

might not spell it right and I want to

get past that because I want him to be

able to participate in the activity so

I'll read something aloud for him and

then and scribe for him

while this scaffolding allows John

Carlos to participate in the fourth

grade classroom he still needs some

extra help as he continues learning

English three days a week for about 45

minutes John Carlos spends time with

Elizabeth Varela the fourth grade East

Hall teacher they focus on oral language

development the point is really to speak

a lot of English as much English as he

can without forcing it it has to be

natural for him does your person have

blonde hair yellow hair hair or yellow

he has learned English though so quickly

I think because he's motivated and he's

surrounded by English speakers pulling

an English language learner out of the

classroom for extra help is rare at

Claremont usually ms Varela works with

students in grade level classrooms in

small groups known as pushing in Chapter

two destiny chapter two we work closely

with teachers here the ESL teacher is

assigned to a grade level in some cases

to grade levels we plan together

and we team teach for example I work

with the fourth grade team and I push

into the fourth grade teachers classroom

when he divides students by reading

levels we will take different groups and

work in different parts of the classroom

so nobody really feels like they're

being pulled away from what everybody

else is doing so in chapter 1 John shed

says to them you're moving it's too bad

you're moving but there is a silver

lining yeah it's an expression

do you remember what it means there

might be something good about this right

for those students who might want a

little extra practice and some personal

attention Ms Varela hosts a Lunch Bunch

focused on reading and vocabulary so

Lunch Bunch is about a 15 sometimes 20

minute time in the day when students

would will leave the cafeteria and come

down to hallway a table alcohol wherever

we find a place and we work on extra

skills it's most an antonín for first

best release so it depends on what

they're learning in the classroom

I might work with what the teacher has

asked me to do with them that they don't

seem to get or I might play a game that

sort of focuses on different content

area issues we wouldn't do this if they

didn't enjoy it I am a big believer in

letting kids have their free time their

recess and their lunch if that's what

they want but for the most part I have

kids who begged me to take them at lunch

Ms varela and her colleagues have made

Clermont a safe and welcoming space for

students like John Carlos children

finding their way in a new country and

that encouragement gives them the

confidence to take chances as they learn

to speak read and write in a new

language part of it is that the students

look around and they see that the staff

members are from all over the world

really and they see that we're speaking

in different languages to each other I

think it also comes from the fact that

everyone is learning something there are

no true experts at everything here at

Clermont so the students for whom

English is a second language they get to

be experts in their native language in

Spanish students see what everybody's

bringing to the table this video

production was made possible by the

National Education Association