ELD Theories, Theorists and Applications

Theorist Theory description Application of theoretical basis

Krashan According to krashen, listening is the most important

language ability. There should be a rubric for
listening. Listening for target language and
vocabulary. Listening is essential for understanding
other speakers. Listening is a receptive language
skill and requires talking meaning from oral
language. It is not often formally taught. Some
obstacles to teaching listening: p87

Listening is the most important language

ability p. 86
Listening is a receptive language skill and
requires taking meaning from oral language Use recorded speech. Tape recorders and stories can be
Not often formally taught. used to teach listening. Students cant write or read until
Obstacles to teaching listening: see page 87 they learn how to listen. Reading books to students is a
and number the obstacles. great skill and stimulates the brain
Solution: Use recorded speech!
Listening is receptive (students are taking in .
the language) before the language can be productive
(before students can produce)
Unrealistic expectation p. 90 Bottom-up, top-
down, background knowledge
Stages of Listening: p. 91-92
1. Recognition of target language
2. Recognition of isolated words
3. Phrase boundaries
Teaching listening by gist and detail video
Teaching a receptive detail
Open-ended questions
Multiple choice worksheet
Either/or statements
Determining info from or text of listening
Re-tell or summarize listening
True or False
Correct statements of incorrect statements
Cummins ELD studenst should be encouraged to continue to develop
their Native language to improve their second langauge
learning. As Cummins (2000) states: "Conceptual
knowledge developed in one language helps to make input
in the other language comprehensible." If a child already
understands the concepts of "justice" or "honesty" in her
own language, all she has to do is acquire the label for
these terms in English. She has a far more difficult task,
however, if she has to acquire both the label and the
concept in her second language (FIS).
 Use recorded speech Use tape recorders ad
stories that can be used to teach listening.
Students should be listening to grammar, syntax
and everything
Can diagnose learning disabilities because and
through listening.

Extensive
Intensive
Communicative
Academic
TEFL CLASS instruction: how to teach listening skills
in the ESL classroom
Listening Difficulties:
Clustering: listening in chunks
Redundancy: repeated words that are in oral
language
Performance Variables: hesitations. Pauses
Reduced forms:
Colloquial Language: idioms, slang, difficult
to learn if you are not in the culture
Rate of delivery: when a speaker is talking
 they might use different rates depending of how fast
or slow they talk.
Stress, rhythm, intonation:
Interaction:
Chomsky Universal Grammar Theory:
A second language acquisition theory of language
universals and marked features.
- Language universals are basic
patterns or principles shared by all
languages. For example, all languages have
verbs.
- Markedness- language features that
are more consistent with language
universals are referred to as unmarked while
those that differ from the universal are called
marked.
In learning a new language, students must reset the
parameters of their L1 to achieve the features of the new
language.
- Language universals should transfer from
the L1 to the L2
- Students will have different needs and
learning difficulties based on their native language.
For example, native speakers of Spanish and
Korean will have different marked features to
change when learning English.
Leo Van Insists the most important aspect of effective Teachers need to provide opportunities for autonomy for
Lier teaching is understanding the learner, teaching and students and make curriculum choices that address the
(50 assessing within Vygotskys zone of proximal needs of individuals.
Strategies) development (ZPD). (p. 3-5)
AAA curriculum- 3 foundational principles: Two aspects of practice must be considered: focus and
- Awareness- students and teachers control.
must (1) know what they are doing and why,
(2) be consciously engaged, and (3) reflect Activities: guided dialogues, role takings and simulations
on the learning process. because they are not so narrowly focused and require
- Autonomy- involves self-regulation, language learners to problem solve and choose their own
motivation, and deep processing and all words instead of simply parroting standard responses.
include taking responsibility, being
accountable, and having free chioice in
learning activities.
- Authenticity- .teaching and learning
language as it is used in life, being relevant,
and basing all learning activities on true
communication.
Language activities and practice:
1. Quality of exposure and interactions
is more important than quantity.
2. The quality of the interaction is
determined by a students access.
3. Students must be receptive to
participation in activities.
 4. In order for the language activities to
become a part of a students language
repertoire, the student must process the
material both cognitively and socially
5. In order for new learning to be
remembered and accessible, various forms
of practice, including rehearsal, may be
necessary.

Hart & Wrote The Early Catastrophe stating that children of
Risley professional families would hear roughly 30 million
(50 more words by age three than children of welfare
Strategies) families. Researchers did find a correlation between
SES, but also within each SES.
THey found they could directly teach new vocabulary, but
could not spur vocabulary learning outside of direct
teaching. The trajectory of the gap would continue.
86 to 98 percent of vocabulary words recorded in each
childs vocabulary, was also recorded in the parents
vocabularies.

Brown Shifts: (p. 5) Students need many opportunities for language

(shifts) We are moving from interaction. When children work together to solve
(50 A focus on product problems and produce projects, it supports their language
Strategies) Teacher-controlled classrooms development in several ways. It gives them authentic
Preplanned, rigid curricula reasons to communicate adn support in refining their
 Measuring only performance language production. It helps students understand their
Praising correct answers verbal communication is not always understood by others.
The realization helps students move from receptive,
Shifting to semantic processing (listening to understand) to
A focus on process expressive, syntactic processing (formulation of words and
Student-involved classrooms sentences to communicate). The structure of
Flexible, open-ended curricula communicative classroom activities which necessitate
Gauging competence and potential communication and verbal interaction, prevent students
Building on approximations from remaining in the pre-productive stage for an extended
period of time. Process-oriented, autonomous and
experiential teaching practices are empowering (p. 5).

ELD Planning for Standards Based ELD

Standards Content Instruction
CA
Specifics /
3 Types of Objectives:
Shifts SDAIE in Content:
Content Area Scaffolding
Language Development Graphic organizers
Learning Strategy (that teaches student how to Multiple assessment types
acquire or process information) Using effective resources
Culturally appealing materials

Listening -listening activities must be geared for correct stages of

Devid ausler and advance organizer, listening development
Recall: recalling memory, When, where, why, -Listen to music before having to respond to conversation
who -listen for grammar boundaries prior to listening for gist
Inference questions -Listening and reading

Active process to construct meaning
Beginning comprehension
Listening to Repeat
Listening to understand
Listening for Communication
When teaching second lanaguage learners know there is a
process.
Planning for Standards Based ELD Content
Instruction
4 Considerations: 152

Listening process: before, during and after (p. 219)
Listening is not often formally taught. (p. 87)
Speaking Vygotsky: children learn to engage in higher level
Oracy thinking by first listening and speaking (p.211).
Interlanguage: every understanding of their second
language is dependent on their pre existent
language. Their first language builds upon their
second language. This is a necessary language
developmental stage for EL learners.
Learners of a second language have one starting
point-their first language.
Communicative competence:
Knowledge about students
Knowledge about content areas
Knowledge about language development
Knowledge about students cognitive development
Solution: use recorded speech!
The errors that the learner makes (systematics errors that
show a pattern of thinking , not random mistakes) are
necessary part of the learning process and provide a
source of information for the teacher according to the
interlanguage perspective.(213)
Cognitive Perspective: emphasizes assessment as the way
to ensure that learning has taken place. You see the strong
push to develop students as a cognitive focus. (p.213)
Application
1.Learning takes precedence over teaching
2.Learning is maximized when it is brain compatible
3.Thematic integration across content unifies process
of reading, writing speaking, listening, thinking and
acting.
4.Assessment ensures learning
5.CALP is focus of instruction
6.Cognitive tools must be developed
Application through BICS and CALP
 Use of language in social setting is the key to
language performance

Information processing theory

Learning Dyslexia is a lifelong condition that makes it difficult Understanding Dyslexia

Disability for people to read accurately and fluently. Kids with
Dyslexia/O dyslexia may have trouble answering questions
ther about something theyve read. But when its read to
them, they may have no difficulty at all. Though
dyslexia impacts learning, its not a problem of
intelligence. Kids with this issue are just as smart as
their peers.
Dyslexia can create difficulty with other skills,
however. These include:
https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-
issues/child-learning-disabilities/dyslexia/understanding-
dyslexia?
utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=*EN
%20-%20Dyslexia&utm_term=dyslexias-e-
dyslexia&utm_content=Dyslexia-72773936977527
http://busyteacher.org/23536-dyslexia-esl-classroom.html
Busy teacher dyslexia with worksheets and all.

Reading comprehension
Spelling
Writing
Math
 Dysgraphia is a learning disability that affects
writing abilities. It can manifest itself as difficulties
with spelling, poor handwriting and trouble putting
thoughts on paper. Because writing requires a
complex set of motor and information processing
skills, saying a student has dysgraphia is not
sufficient. A student with disorders in written
expression will benefit from specific accommodations
in the learning environment, as well as additional
practice learning the skills required to be an
accomplished writer.
Reading Similarity between reading in L1 and L2
L2 more difficult due to so many unknown words =
makes decoding difficult
Grammar is less useful in comprehension in L2
L2 scholars agree that a minimum threshold of
language ability is needed for true reading to occur.
Until students have L2 language they will translate
rather than draw meaning from text.
BICS in reading
Writing - Input hypothesis: writing is similar to speaking
and requires comprehensible input
- Learned knowledge is applied by writing
- Conversation theories: writing is a conversation
between two writers
- Cognitive theories: writing is practice with
focused attention on feedback
- Output theories: L2s benefit from
writing/problem-solving activity
Dysgraphia: http://www.ldonline.org/article/12770
http://www.ldonline.org/index.php
Students should read aloud!! This is the fastest way for
students to learn a second language. They should decode
outloud.
True reading!!!
Reading is critical for full 2nd language competence
Necessary for academic and professional purposes
Provides wide range of input not available in other ways.
Provides window on everyday lives of L1 speakers
4 types of reading
1. Intensive Reading
Short texts
Understand content and grammar of text
2. Extensive Reading
Input Hypothesis/2nd lang acquisition is reading for
GIST (pleasure)
Provides a general understanding of text
3. Skin/Scan-finding specific information
4. Reading to Learn: final goal
Formulaic oral language- make more errors in
communicative activities because they are dependent on
pat phrases
Free-expression writing- more personal focus than simple
communicative writing (like weekly free-writing
assignments).
- Many types and processes of writing
- Casual writing vs. academic writing
- L1 writers from different cultural backgrounds

Writing and Second Language Acquisition (p. 156)
- Speaking and writing are both productive
language skills
- Both require learners to create language
- Few theories address l2 writing
- L1 writing ability is not well understood and
usually associated with higher ed.
Writing Theories
- Input hypothesis: writing is similar to speaking
and requires comprehensible input
- Learned knowledge is applied by writing
- Conversation theories: writing is a conversation
between two writers
- Cognitive theories: writing is practice with
focused attention on feedback
- Output theories: L2s benefit from
writing/problem-solving activity
Writing Uses
- Teachers use writing practice for oral language
development
- Writing is important on its own
- Essential for academic or professional
purposes
- HS exit exams and college entrance require
writing as for professional purposes
approach writing in different ways
o Asians are less direct and spend more time with more
universal ideas (flowery language) that Americans see as
irrelevant
Types of L2 writing
- Structured writing p. (p.159-160)
- Communicative writing
- Formulaic writing
- Free expression
- Academic writing
- Computer-mediated communication cmc
- Digital storytelling
- Genres
Develop effective writing strategies
Technology for writing:
- E-dictionaries
- Translator apps
- Language corpora/ collocation (p. 165)
- Others?...share ideas
o Childrenslibrary.org
o You Tube
Writing Guidelines:
Learnalberta.ca-
http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/eslapb/writing_samples.
html
Dysgraphia: http://www.ldonline.org/article/12770
http://www.ldonline.org/index.php
Dysgraphia is a learning disability that affects writing
abilities. It can manifest itself as difficulties with spelling,
poor handwriting and trouble putting thoughts on paper.
Because writing requires a complex set of motor and
information processing skills, saying a student has
dysgraphia is not sufficient. A student with disorders in
written expression will benefit from specific
accommodations in the learning environment, as well as
additional practice learning the skills required to be an
accomplished writer.
Understanding ESL writing errors, Frankfurt International
School- http://esl.fis.edu/learners/advice/mistakes.htm
has some cool quizzes and vocabulary
Correcting errors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=ECEHe3jtuPQ
Assessme Here are seven simple things to look for in your own
nt classroom to understand if your formative
assessment practice is effective:
1. You regularly identify and share
learning expectations with students.
Teachers who communicate what students
should learn and the goals for their
progression help students take ownership of
their learning.
2. You continuously elicit evidence
of student learning. Formative assessment
is not an isolated event. Teachers who check
in frequently and in different ways on student
learning gain more information and help
students to grow in the process.
3. You adapt instruction to meet
students immediate learning needs.
Formative assessment is, at its core,
designed to help teachers advance and
better support student learning by making
 that learning (and gaps in learning) more
visible. By using that information to adjust
instruction on a continual basis, you will help
students realize their full potential in the
classroom.
4. You provide feedback to move
learning forward and create a structure
for students to act on it. Education expert
Dylan Wiliam identifies two key aspects of
effective feedback: it must identify any gaps
between a desired learning goal and the
students present status towards that
learning goal, and 2) students must take
action to close that gap.
5. Students welcome and act on
feedback. There are a number of ways to
provide feedback to students that can help to
create a positive, growth-oriented classroom
culture.
6. Students are engaged when they
are involved in classroom discussions.
When students tune out, theyre no longer
learning. Eliminating hand raising and
replacing it with other discussion techniques,
for example, can significantly improve
student engagement. In this vein, a teacher
using randomizer techniques when asking
questions can help shift the culture of
learning so that all students are expected to
have something to say.
7. Students support one another
and take responsibility for their own
learning. Effective formative assessment
encourages students to reflect on their own
learning and assess it, which can also lead
to improved student performance.
- See more at: https://www.nwea.org/blog/2015/7-
ways-understand-classroom-assessments-
working/#sthash.X8YP36GB.dpuf
https://www.edutopia.org/assessment-guide-
description

ELL SDAIE (p. 160) Strategies:.

Literacy Teach content first SDAIE in Content:
Developm Teach English second Scaffolding
ent Graphic organizers
Multiple assessment types
 Using effective resources
Culturally appealing materials
Cooperative learning
Connections
Learning styles

Contrastive analysis hypothesis (CAH)- is a way of
comparing learners l1 and l2 to analyze possible
difficulties that the learners might encounter in l2
learning situations. Like Arabic learners of English
might use gender pronouns to things/objects when
they speak English
-Gives students practice in target language sounds and
grammatical forms to overcome interference from their first
language.
-Reinforce grammatically correct responses and native-like
pronunciation.
-provide practice based on students native languages.

Academic 5 components of academic language:

English 1. Phonological component
developm 2. Lexical component
ent 3. Grammatical component

Language 5 language registers:

Registers Expose students to a variety of language situations and
Static (Frozen) Formal Consultive genres to provide them with experiences with the 5
Casual Intimate registers, like poems, plays, interviews, etc.