How can teachers

do this?
EXPLAINED
Extensive Opportunities to use language
The Teacher is a developer, collaborator and/or facilitator
Learning is student centred
Students engage in interaction with expert speakers (Franken, 2003)
Student output is important
Focus on both receptive and productive skills
Students are required to produce written tasks of a high standard
Student are required to participate orally no exceptions
Learners engage with language items repeatedly





Expand ELLs language knowledge




Offer explicit and focused language instruction
Focus on forms and meanings of language at different levels, for
example: word level, clause level, sentence level, paragraph level and
discourse level (ELLP, 2008).
Learning tasks should integrate the four skills of: listening, speaking,
reading and writing
Distinguish between social and academic English
Language is required to be used in variety of contexts



Articulate content through language
Teachers engage in the practice of:
eliciting
sustaining and
extending student initiated contributions (Franken, 2003)
Offer repeated practice of content using a variety of:
literacy tools; concept frames, socratic rubrics, y charts, acrostics
interactions; individual, pair, group, kinaesthetic
techniques; oral, visual, written, mixed media
Use experiences to promote understanding and engagement
Make it relevant and authentic




Explicit use of scaffolding




Give clear instructions
Make purpose of task clear and share learning goals with students
Pre-teach any necessary vocabulary, language structures or content
Break the lesson into manageable chunks
Model what is required of the students at each stage; including
grammar and discourse
Elicit prior knowledge
Include concept checking strategies throughout the lesson
Offer opportunities to co-construct task or work co-operatively
Include guided practice in lessons





Language input ELLs understand

Classroom language can be confusing and limit access to learning
Monitor use of classroom language; both teacher and students
Use language all students understand
Be aware of the use of idioms, and colloquial language
Use methods of input to accommodate all students; oral, visual, written
Offer verbal and non-verbal support structures

Vocabulary exercises and tasks
ELLs may know everyday vocabulary terms such as table, crust or seat but
not be aware of the special meaning they carry in math, science and social
studies.
Explicitly teach vocabulary
Use tasks such as:
Vocabulary Square
Semantic Map
Target Tool
Word cline
The Frayer Method
Quick fire Quiz
Writing the words in a sentence using content information





Explicitly model the language
Use tools such as:
templates e.g. writing template or writing frame
graphic organisers
outlines

Using reading to model writing

Give concrete examples of the language required, for example:
the use of the passive voice in reporting the stages of a science experiment,
teach discourse markers of cause/effect or chronology in history
(de Jong and Harper, 2005)