From: Andrea M. Guillaume, Jennifer Ponder, Lynda R. Wil (2012-01-06). CalTPA Preparation Guide. Pearson. Kindle Edition.
For estimating the student’s level of English proficiency if no CELDT score is available:
• Interview the student.
• Listen to the student’s spoken language in informal settings.
• Listen to the student use English in a variety of academic contexts
such as partner talk, small-group work, and in front of the class.
Remember that speaking before a large group of people is stressful; stress can affect language usage.
• Examine the student’s written language.
• Talk with the student’s parents, either in English, the home language, or through an interpreter.
• If you have a master teacher, ask for advice.
• Interview other teachers or personnel who know the student.
• Check student records.
Five Principles
1. Build a supportive environment.
• Use classroom routines and provide an orderly learning
environment.
• Learn about students and incorporate their cultures and interests.
• Use culturally relevant examples.
• Focus on communication and help students feel free to take risks
as they practice their language.
2. Keep a clear focus on the content and on language development.
• Choose content carefully; focus on developing key ideas well.
• State the objective.
• Connect to prior knowledge.
• Explicitly teach vocabulary for basic communication and for academic English.
• Teach vocabulary well by focusing on meaningful development, varied instruction, and multiple opportunities to practice.
• Teach English sentence structures, grammar, and idioms.
• Preview/review.
• Check for understanding.
• Focus on higher-level thinking and teach learning strategies.
• Maximize student engagement with the content.
3. Provide a rich learning environment.
• Embed content in meaningful contexts.
• Connect content to real-life and prior experiences.
• Create a print-rich environment.
• Use real objects (realia) and manipulatives.
• Use pictures and video.
• Employ digital technologies.
• Use guest speakers and field trips.
• Provide input that is kinesthetic, linguistic, organizational, and visual.
4. Make your input comprehensible.
• Use caregiver speech. Think of how parents talk with children
as they learn their first language and adopt some of those patterns, as appropriate for your student’s age and development.
Examples include simpler nouns, exaggerated intonation, and a
focus on the “here and now” so the context provides clear hints
about meaning,
• Simplify speech. Slow down, use fewer figures of speech, use repetition, and use gestures to clarify meaning.
• Use multiple forms of input. Don’t just say directions aloud; put
them on a chart that includes both words and drawings.
• Simplify text. For example, provide outlines, highlight passages,
rewrite it, or use materials adapted for different readability levels.
• Provide primary language support (e.g., texts in the native
language) as appropriate.
• Use computer-based technologies, perhaps in the
• Scaffold. For example, break text into small chunks, paraphrase,
and model think-aloud procedures.
5. Increase structured student interaction.
• Build in regular, structured time for students to practice their content knowledge and English (orally and in writing).
• Use a variety of grouping strategies: mixed-language for exposure
to native speakers; same-language for opportunities to develop
content knowledge.
• Use active participation devices such as thumbs up/thumbs down,
white boards, and unison response for frequent assessment and
engagement.
• Use wait time. Pause for three to five seconds before calling on
a student to respond to your question. Pause again before you
respond.
• Use the 10:2 rule. For every ten minutes of input, give two minutes
of processing.
• Use cooperative learning strategies that structure peer talk.
Examples include:
• Turn to your neighbor. At a few points during your lesson, ask
students to discuss a brief problem, question, or opinion with a
person sitting next to them.
• Numbered heads together. Place students in groups and number
each group member, e.g., 1–4. Require each group to discuss your
question and then call on a number. That member represents the
group by sharing the group’s thinking with the entire class.
• Think-Pair-Share. Ask a question, then provide “think time.”
Have partners next discuss their thinking. Finally, ask them to
share with the class.
• Seasonal partners. Have students sign up with four partners—
one for each season. At a few points during your lesson, ask students to discuss with one of their assigned partners.
• Peer tutoring. Use same-age, cross-age, or cross-expertise partners to help students master the content.
• Dialogue journals. Have students write in journals to each
other.
Use You Try It! Appropriate Practices for English Learners: Thumbs
For estimating the student’s level of English proficiency if no CELDT score is available:
• Interview the student.
• Listen to the student’s spoken language in informal settings.
• Listen to the student use English in a variety of academic contexts
such as partner talk, small-group work, and in front of the class.
Remember that speaking before a large group of people is stressful; stress can affect language usage.
• Examine the student’s written language.
• Talk with the student’s parents, either in English, the home language, or through an interpreter.
• If you have a master teacher, ask for advice.
• Interview other teachers or personnel who know the student.
• Check student records.
Five Principles
1. Build a supportive environment.
• Use classroom routines and provide an orderly learning
environment.
• Learn about students and incorporate their cultures and interests.
• Use culturally relevant examples.
• Focus on communication and help students feel free to take risks
as they practice their language.
2. Keep a clear focus on the content and on language development.
• Choose content carefully; focus on developing key ideas well.
• State the objective.
• Connect to prior knowledge.
• Explicitly teach vocabulary for basic communication and for academic English.
• Teach vocabulary well by focusing on meaningful development, varied instruction, and multiple opportunities to practice.
• Teach English sentence structures, grammar, and idioms.
• Preview/review.
• Check for understanding.
• Focus on higher-level thinking and teach learning strategies.
• Maximize student engagement with the content.
3. Provide a rich learning environment.
• Embed content in meaningful contexts.
• Connect content to real-life and prior experiences.
• Create a print-rich environment.
• Use real objects (realia) and manipulatives.
• Use pictures and video.
• Employ digital technologies.
• Use guest speakers and field trips.
• Provide input that is kinesthetic, linguistic, organizational, and visual.
4. Make your input comprehensible.
• Use caregiver speech. Think of how parents talk with children
as they learn their first language and adopt some of those patterns, as appropriate for your student’s age and development.
Examples include simpler nouns, exaggerated intonation, and a
focus on the “here and now” so the context provides clear hints
about meaning,
• Simplify speech. Slow down, use fewer figures of speech, use repetition, and use gestures to clarify meaning.
• Use multiple forms of input. Don’t just say directions aloud; put
them on a chart that includes both words and drawings.
• Simplify text. For example, provide outlines, highlight passages,
rewrite it, or use materials adapted for different readability levels.
• Provide primary language support (e.g., texts in the native
language) as appropriate.
• Use computer-based technologies, perhaps in the
• Scaffold. For example, break text into small chunks, paraphrase,
and model think-aloud procedures.
5. Increase structured student interaction.
• Build in regular, structured time for students to practice their content knowledge and English (orally and in writing).
• Use a variety of grouping strategies: mixed-language for exposure
to native speakers; same-language for opportunities to develop
content knowledge.
• Use active participation devices such as thumbs up/thumbs down,
white boards, and unison response for frequent assessment and
engagement.
• Use wait time. Pause for three to five seconds before calling on
a student to respond to your question. Pause again before you
respond.
• Use the 10:2 rule. For every ten minutes of input, give two minutes
of processing.
• Use cooperative learning strategies that structure peer talk.
Examples include:
• Turn to your neighbor. At a few points during your lesson, ask
students to discuss a brief problem, question, or opinion with a
person sitting next to them.
• Numbered heads together. Place students in groups and number
each group member, e.g., 1–4. Require each group to discuss your
question and then call on a number. That member represents the
group by sharing the group’s thinking with the entire class.
• Think-Pair-Share. Ask a question, then provide “think time.”
Have partners next discuss their thinking. Finally, ask them to
share with the class.
• Seasonal partners. Have students sign up with four partners—
one for each season. At a few points during your lesson, ask students to discuss with one of their assigned partners.
• Peer tutoring. Use same-age, cross-age, or cross-expertise partners to help students master the content.
• Dialogue journals. Have students write in journals to each
other.
Use You Try It! Appropriate Practices for English Learners: Thumbs
