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September 30, 2014
English Language Learner (ELL)
Program at Island Park
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ELL Staff
Kristin Kim
Mon-Fri (8:30-5:00)
Kanako Kashima Mon-Fri (9:15-3:15)
Room 26
236-3426
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Kristin Kim
 Occidental
College (BA in Psychology, Teacher Certification)
 Endorsements:
Psychology, Library Media, ELL (in progress)
 Taught
4 years in CA
 Taught
8 years in WA (Edmonds SD, MISD)
 Fifth
year as IP ELL teacher/K-12 ELL coordinator
 Came
to the U.S. at age 10 from Korea (bilingual)
 Former
 Love
IP parent (2 daughters)
to sing, listen to music, and read
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Kanako Kashima
 UW
Seattle (BA in Health Educ./Japanese Language & Lit)
 UW
Seattle (MS in Kinesiology with emphasis on the elderly)
 UW
Bothell (Teaching Certification 2004)
 3rd-generation
 Worked
as geriatric mental health specialist for 8 yrs
 Substitute
 Third
Japanese-American (bilingual)
teaching in Bellevue and Mercer Island SD
year as ELL paraprofessional
 Two
sons
 Love
to play “koto”, read, cook, walk, listen to music
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IP ELL Student Profile
54 students (20 new / 34 continuing students)
34 in primary grades / 20 in intermediate grades
15 languages / dialects spoken
Mandarin (16)
Korean (8)
Japanese (7)
Russian (6)
Spanish (4), French (3), German (2)
Farsi, Finnish, Hebrew, Romanian, Vietnamese,
Marathi, Tamil, Malayalam (1)
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Language Proficiency
Levels
Level 1: Beginning/Advanced Beginning
 Level 2: Intermediate
 Level 3: Advanced
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Level 4: Transitional – exit level
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Numbers by Grade & Language
Level
Fifth Grade
Fourth Grade
Third Grade
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Second Grade
First Grade
Kindergarten
0
5
10
15
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Placement Test

Given to new students if their first and/or
primary language is not English (foreign
born or U.S. born)
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Used to determine their general English
proficiency level and eligibility for ELL
services
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Record of testing on the state database
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WELPA
- WA English Language
Proficiency Assessment
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Fourth (last year in use)
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Grade band (K-1, 2-3, 4-5) tests
Test in 4 domains (listening, speaking,
reading, and writing)
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Annual Test
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Taken by all ELL students each year to
measure progress until they reach exit
(Level 4)
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Testing window is Feb. 2 – March 13
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WELPA Annual Test
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Much more academic than placement test
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Longer than placement test (one subtest per day)
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Speaking subtest is individually administered and
scored by the ELL staff
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Tests are sent for scoring in late March
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Results come out in early June (score/level for each
domain and “overall” score/level)
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Additional info provided:
 Comprehension (reading + listening)
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Annual WELPA Results
Overall
Level of 4
Overall
Level of
1, 2, or 3
• Exit the ELL Program
• No longer receive
support in new school yr
• Be monitored for 2 years
• Will continue receiving
ELD support in new
school year
• Will take annual test in
the following year
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English Language Proficiency
Standards (ELP) – 11 states
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ELPA 21
Based on new English Language
Proficiency Standards
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ELPA 21 (English Language
Proficiency Assessment) will
replace WELPA in 2016
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Common Core State Standards (CCSS)
45 states
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Challenges as ELLs
• Basic interpersonal communication
• Language skills needed to interact
Social Lang socially
• Formal language (in subject areas)
needed for success in school
Academic • Time and support needed to
develop
Lang
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Challenges as Readers
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Vocabulary deficit (as bilinguals)
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Phonics vs. sight words
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Multiple meanings
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Fluency vs. comprehension
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Challenges as Writers
 Writing process (prewriting, draft,
revising, editing, and final)
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Generating own ideas for writing
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Show, not tell
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Different types of writing: narrative,
expository (informational),
persuasive (opinion), how-to
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Other Challenges
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Math is not a universal language
(different symbols, algorithms)
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Science – scientific (investigative)
method
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Social studies – reading of long
texts, vocabulary, history + culture
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ELL Program
Mission Statement
(of the state TBIP Program)
English Language Learners will
meet state standards and develop
English language proficiency in
an environment where language
and cultural assets are
recognized as valuable resources
to learning.
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ELL Program
Goals

To develop ELL student’s proficiency
in English so he/she can participate
more fully in the regular classroom
setting
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Help new students adjust to the new
school environment (academically,
emotionally, socially)
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Service Delivery
Amount of service and type of support are
determined by:
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student’s proficiency level
classroom teacher
observations/assessments
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ELL teacher observations/assessments
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self assessment by the students
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Service Delivery
Ways support is delivered:
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Small group (pull-out)
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In-class (pull-in)
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One-on-one (pull-out)
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Check in (pull-in)
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Length of Time in ELL Program
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Typically, it takes one year to move up
one level
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Since many of our students come with
skills and experiences in their own
languages, the progress is often faster
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Most students exit the program
within 3 years
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Some Materials Used
 Leveled Readers/Non-fiction books on many subjects
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Picture dictionaries/Bilingual dictionaries
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Educational Games/Manipulatives/Flashcards/
Vocabulary Cards
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High Frequency Word Lists/Phonic-Based Word Lists
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Translated Books
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2 iPads/10 iPods/4 Kindles
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Online subscription : Raz-Kids (4th/5th)/Lexia
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Benefits of ELL Program Participation
1. The ELL staff knows each student
well. We act as the student’s
advocate in communication with
teachers to provide or suggest
appropriate
accommodations/modifications in
class work and tests.
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Benefits of ELL Program Participation
2. ELL students (3rd-5th) can receive
additional accommodations during online
state testing (SBAC)
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3rd grade –Language Arts/Math
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4th grade –Language Arts/Math
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5th grade – Language Arts/Math +
Science (MSP)
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SBAC (Smarter Balanced
Assessment Consortium) – 22 states
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Benefits of ELL Program Participation
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Administration by ELL staff in a small group setting
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Frequent breaks
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Read aloud of directions and/or questions
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Translated audio CDs for MSP science (offered in
Chinese/Korean/Spanish/Russian/Vietnamese)
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Benefits of ELL Program Participation
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Those students who have been in the U.S.
schools for less than a year can opt out of
taking Language Arts sections of the state
tests.
All students must take the Math section
(all 5th graders must take the MSP Science)
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Standards Based Report
Card
4
Exceeding Standards:
in-depth inferences & applications
3
Meeting Standards at Trimester:
simple or complex skills, grade level tasks
2
Progressing Towards Standards:
simpler details & processes
1
Below Standards:
with help, a partial understanding
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ELL Progress Report
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Supplemental progress report by the ELL staff for
those students we service regularly
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Shows progression of skills in following
directions, listening/speaking, reading, writing
(whether emerging or competent)
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Three reporting periods (November, March, June)
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Parent Conferences
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We’ll be attending many of your conferences to
gather and/or share info with parents
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If you need an interpreter* for the conference, contact
me by email or phone
*The Mercer Island School District provides limited English proficient
parents with information in their own language so that they can make
informed decisions about their children's education. This includes
providing interpretation and translation services for vital
meetings and communications. If you need assistance,
please email Learning Services Coordinator Nova Williams.
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How Parents Can Help
 Provide
students books to read for pleasure at one’s
comprehension level (Stephen Krashen)
 Explain
difficult concepts in one’s own language (Jim
Cummins: skills, ideas, and concepts students learned
in 1st language will be transferred into 2nd language)
 Help
 Keep
with homework/projects
up with the first language
(bilingualism is an asset)
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ELL Websites
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District ELL Webpage
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IP ELL Website
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Support for ELL Families
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Volunteer Training + Background Check
- must go through if you plan to volunteer in the class
- will be conducted by Yasuko Elison
(ELL outreach and PAC rep)
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School Info (i.e. Parent Pack, school activities,
fundraising info)
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Needs
Volunteers:
clerical help (copying, making
materials)
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language support (work with students
or communicate with parents)
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Look Ahead
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ELL Parent Coffee Gatherings
(a few times a year)
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Thanksgiving celebration in Nov.
(for 2nd-5th graders only)