English Language Learners: Student Analysis

As stated before, there are twenty- two students in my homeroom class. Students were placed based on their learning levels. Five students receive English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL/ELL) and ninety- five percent of the classroom population is performing below grade level. As a result, majority of my lessons were written to reflect the learning needs of these students. The use of visuals, graphic organizers and flexible grouping are just some of the strategies that were utilized to help those students acquire the necessary knowledge to be successful in the content area of Social Studies.

Research states that the more a teacher can learn about each student's background, the better he or she can tailor lessons to fit the student’s needs

The ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 is a secure large-scale English language proficiency assessment for Kindergarten through 12th grade students who have been identified as English language learners (WIDA 2015). It is directed annually to states that follow the WIDA Consortium to evaluate student progress in mastering the English language. The results from this test help establish learning goals and objectives for students based on their specific needs. From these test results, I have modified my lessons to ensure that all five of my ELL students receive the necessary instruction to ensure that their learning goals are met. For instance, according to the ACCESS report, my ELL’s average overall scores were as follows: 35% Reading, 35% Writing, 15% Listening, and 15% Speaking. Generally speaking, majority of my ELL learners are at the Developing Level. Meaning, they know and use minimal social English and general academic language without visual support. Their main struggles are in the area of Reading and Literacy, however, their strengths are in Listening and Oral Language. As a result, majority of my lessons include hands- on experiences with the heavy use of videos, music and visuals to ensure that their learning goals are

Therefore, majority of my lessons focus on the use of visual representations of the environment and the recreation of essential artifacts that were essential to the Native American survival. For example, lesson one requires the use of a PowerPoint Presentation in an effort to condense a large amount of text, combine of graphics and multi-media as well as further accommodate the visual learning needs of my students. My authentic assessment requires students to create a live classroom museum which must include student made artifacts from Native American tribes as well as the use of maps, models or drawings to help them illustrate the environment. Nieto and Bode (2008) state, "ELL's often have difficulty processing auditory information and so instruction that is supported with visual clues is more beneficial to them. Web sites, magazines, commercial photos, and hand drawing can provide visual support for a wide variety of content. Many teachers also use whiteboards, PowerPoint slides, or smart boards to help provide additional visuals," (pg.