Encouraging writing to develop from ELL students

1. ELLs’ Writing Development
What classroom practices best
promote ELLs’ writing
development?

2. Student Population
 4th Grade
 23 students
 Majority of students speak English and 4
students are English/Spanish speaking
students.
 ELL students work with a Spanish
speaking aid in the classroom for small
group instruction for about 45 min. a day.

3. Strategies Supporting Writing
Development
#1 Implementing Graphic Organizers
 Graphic organizers can be used to
brainstorm ideas, convey meaning, study
vocabulary, etc.
 Graphic organizers can be used whole
class, teacher demonstration, small group
or individually.

4. Graphic Organizers (cont.)
 ELL students can benefit from graphic
organizers because they are using text to
complete them and it gives them a
reference to use when developing larger
written works.
 A resource that can be used to find
student friendly graphic organizers is
www.pbs.org/teachers

5. Example of a Graphic Organizer
(This is a 4-square completed on Microsoft Word)
What is it What it is not
Word
Definition Picture

6. Strategies Cont.
#2 Modeling
 An effective teacher will continuously model
exemplary writing.
 As stated in the article
Teaching Diverse Learners: Writing “By inviting
students to observe and participate in the
teacher's own writing process, ELLs can better
understand ways to approach the task of
writing.”

7. Modeling (cont.)
 As stated in the article
Teaching Diverse Learners: Writing, “ When
writing interactively, teachers verbalize their
thinking as they write (e.g, "I'm going to put a
comma here after bananas because I want to list
three fruits: bananas comma apples comma and
grapes period. The comma tells the reader to
pause in between, and the period says that's the
end of the sentence."). Writing is interactive
when teachers invite student participation (e.g.,
"What would be a good title for this journal
entry? What was my topic?").”

8. Strategies Cont.
#3 Rubrics
 Rubrics are an effective way to encourage
text from ELL students. It allows the
student to know exactly what is expected
of them when writing.

9. Rubric Example for Writing
Content 4 3 2 1
Word Writer uses vivid
words & phrases,
Writer uses vivid
words & phrases,
Writer uses
words that
Writer uses a
limited
Choice & placement of but occasionally communicate vocabulary that
words seems the words are used clearly, but lacks does not
natural and not inaccurately or variety. communicate
forced. inappropriately. clearly.
Sentence All sentences
sound natural &
Most sentences
sound natural &
Most sentences
sound natural,
Sentences are
difficult to read
Fluency are easy to read. are easy to read. but are not easy & understand.
to read.
Content Relevant
information &
Relevant Relevant
information, but an information, but
Information is
unclear & not
quality details. idea is not several ideas are related to the
supported. not supported. topic.
Conventions No errors 1 or 2 errors are Few errors are Several errors
made made are made

10. Strategies Cont.
#4 Portfolio Assessment
 Using a portfolio as a student’s ongoing
assessment allows both the teacher and
the student to track progress that is being
made in writing.

11. What is a portfolio?
 A portfolio is an informal assessment
because the teacher is evaluating a
students work over a period of time using
different pieces of data that have been
gathered.
 A portfolio can also allow the student to
go back to revise and edit their previous
works.

12. Assessing Students
 Informal assessments (also called authentic or
alternative) allow teachers to track the ongoing progress
of their students regularly and often. While standardized
tests measure students at a particular point in the year,
ongoing assessments provide continual snapshots of
where students are throughout the school year. By using
informal assessments, teachers can target students'
specific problem areas, adapt instruction, and intervene
earlier rather than later. (Colorin’ Colorado 2007) Article
titled
Using Informal Assessments for English Language Lea

13. Essential Questions
 Essential questions are a great way to
encourage higher order thinking from your
ELL students.
 Essential questions also allow for creative
answers that students can continue to add
to.

14. Examples of Essential Questions
1. What do you think makes a persons
writing interesting? Why?
2. Why do you think it is important to be
able to write using the English language?
These questions encourage students to
think and explain.

15. Creating Your Own Essential
Questions
 Question cannot be answered using one
word answers
 Encourage students to think
 Generate curiosity in the students
 There is likely to be more than one answer
that can be given

16. Connecting to Curriculum
 LA State Standards Addressed
2. Standard 1: Reading and Responding
3. Standard 2: Writing
4. Standard 3: Writing/Proofreading
5. Standard 7: Demonstrate understanding
of information in grade appropriate texts
using a variety of strategies.

17. Connecting to the Curriculum
 National Standards Addressed
2. Standard 4: Students adjust their use of
spoken, written, and visual language (e.g.,
conventions, style, vocabulary) to
communicate effectively with a variety of
audiences and for different purposes.
3. Standard 5: Students employ a wide range of
strategies as they write and use different
writing process elements appropriately to
communicate with different audiences for a
variety of purposes.

18. National Standards (cont.)
 National Standards Addressed
2. Standard 6: Students apply knowledge of language
structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and
punctuation), media techniques, figurative language,
and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and
non-print texts.
3. Standard 7: Students conduct research on issues and
interests by generating ideas and questions, and by
posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and
synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print
and non-print texts, artifacts, people) to communicate
their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and
audience.

19. National Standards (cont.)
 National Standards Addressed
2. Standard 8: Students use a variety of technological
and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases,
computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize
information and to create and communicate
knowledge.
3. Standard 11: Students participate as knowledgeable,
reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of
literacy communities.
4. Standard 12: Students use spoken, written, and visual
language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for
learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of
information)

20. Connecting to the Curriculum
 Technology Standards Addressed
2. Standard 1: Creativity and Innovation
3. Standard 2: Communication and
Collaboration
4. Standard 4: Critical Thinking, Problem
Solving, and Decision Making

21. Resources
 Louisiana State Department
 Rubistar rubrics