ACCESS for ELLs and Common Core: Language Domain Learning Centers

Summary

In an ESL class, students engage with folktales and myths from the Treasure Chest book, aligning with ELA CCSS. The teacher introduces a new story and uses language domain centers to enhance learning. These centers include listening with iPods, speaking with Q cards, writing through dictation, and reading independently. The teacher emphasizes the importance of a holistic language approach, using DRA levels and ACCESS scores to guide instruction and ensure students work across all language domains.

Takeaways

• 📚 The class is focused on ESL (English as a Second Language) lessons, specifically introducing a new book unit based on folktales and myths.
• 🎧 The Listening Center uses iPods for students to listen to recordings of books at their reading level, enhancing their language skills.
• 🗣️ The Speaking Center is led by the teacher, who models English language for students, and uses Q cards from the story for interactive activities.
• ✍️ The Writing Center is facilitated by a gifted student who leads dictation exercises, helping others improve their spelling and grammar.
• 📖 The Reading Center allows students to read the introduced book independently or with a partner, reinforcing their reading skills.
• 📊 The teacher uses ACCESS scores to group students into language domains, ensuring a holistic language learning approach.
• 🔍 The teacher emphasizes the importance of data triangulation using Running Records, DRA levels, and ACCESS scores to guide instruction.
• 📈 The ACCESS test provides a baseline for student strengths in English language proficiency, but it's only administered once a year.
• 📚 The teacher uses leveled readers to match students with texts at their appropriate reading level, promoting independent reading.
• 🌐 The teacher discusses the importance of not directly translating words from one language to another, emphasizing the need for understanding context.
• 👥 The class includes a diverse group of students, with 18 out of 19 being English language learners, highlighting the need for tailored instruction.

Q & A

What is the focus of today's ESL lesson?

The focus is on an introduction to a new story from the book 'Treasure Chest', which is part of unit F (four and five) of the English Language Arts Common Core Standards (ELA CCSS) curriculum, based on folktales and myths.

How are students grouped in the classroom for this lesson?

Students are grouped homogeneously based on their Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) levels. The teacher explains that these groups are created using both DRA levels and access scores to ensure an effective learning experience.

What is the purpose of the listening center?

The listening center involves students listening to a story at their level, recorded by the teacher. They listen to it multiple times: first to hear it, then to read along aloud, and finally to record themselves reading the story.

How is the speaking center structured?

The speaking center is led by the teacher, who uses question cards from the 'Treasure Chest' story to help students practice speaking in English. Since most of the students are English Language Learners (ELLs), the teacher is the primary English language model for them.

Who leads the dictation center, and what does it involve?

The dictation center, also known as the writing center, is led by one gifted student who reads aloud sentences for the other students to write down. They are encouraged to spell words phonetically and later correct their grammar and spelling using the text.

What do students do in the reading center?

In the reading center, students read the 'Treasure Chest' story introduced by the teacher. They can read it independently or with a partner and must read it at least three times before moving on to reading from their leveled book bins.

Why does the teacher use DRA levels rather than AIS (Academic Intervention Services)?

The teacher prefers using DRA levels because they provide more consistent data about students' reading abilities, which is more relevant for grouping them in the language domain centers. AIS data, in contrast, is based on more general English proficiency.

What data sources does the teacher use to assess student progress?

The teacher uses a triangulation of data, including access scores, DRA levels, and running records, to assess student progress. Running records are recorded in student data folders and play a significant role in guiding instruction.

Why doesn't the teacher rely solely on access scores for grouping students?

The teacher doesn't rely solely on access scores because they are only updated once a year, making them less reliable for ongoing grouping. Instead, they are used in conjunction with more frequent assessments like DRA and running records.

Why does the teacher focus on all four language domains (listening, speaking, reading, and writing)?

The teacher believes that focusing on all four language domains is crucial for student development. Using just one domain for instruction would limit students' growth, so the holistic approach ensures students improve in all areas of language learning.