A presentation given during a workshop on modifying content for high school ESL students

1. Ming ca la ba
Hihi kan voikhat hnatuan nak a si ih. Thu sut
ding in, in ngak uh :
• abawl
• asen
• aeng
• ahring
• adum

2. Ming ca la ba
Hihi kan voikhat hnatuan nak a si ih. Thu sut
ding in, in ngak uh :
• abawl
• asen
• aeng
• ahring
• adum

3. Hihi kan voikhat hnatuan nak a si
ih. Thu sut ding in, in ngak uh.
• Pakhat
• Pahnih
• Pathum
• Pali
• Panga
• Pakhat le pahnih kawm ziang hmuah?

4. Hihi kan voikhat hnatuan nak a si
ih. Thu sut ding in, in ngak uh.
• Pakhat 1
• Pahnih 2
• Pathum 3
• Pali 4
• Panga 5
• Pakhat le pahnih kawm ziang hmuah?
• 1+2=?

5. Comments on the Chin as a second
language experience
1. I had no idea what the topic was
2. I felt embarrassed
3. I was looking for any clue to help me
4. This was going to be a long day…

6. The rationale/need for
modifications
• Allows ESL students to access academic
content.
• Accessing that content allows for them to learn,
participate, succeed, reduce discipline issues,
etc.
• Differentiation is a district policy.
• Modifying is a legal requirement (and the
modifications needs to be recorded).
• Measurable effect on testing success and
closing the achievement gap.

7. Challenges involving modifying for
the ESL population at East
• Tremendous discrepancy between various
groups.
• Many students arrive at or beyond grade level
and simply need to learn to produce English so
they can demonstrate their knowledge.
• Many students arrive with large academic
experiences missing and in many cases are
semi-literate or non literate in their native
language.
• Content at secondary level is extensive
• Time, resources and materials…

8. • Not all students’ native languages have
cognates…or the same alphabet…

10. ESL population ECHHS 2011-2012
China
South Korea
25 USA
Burma
Mexico
El Salvador
20 Japan
Egypt
Kenya
Congo
15 Russia
Thailand
Honduras
Rwanda
Guatemala
10
Germany
Kazakstan
Iran
Poland
5
Colombia
Chile
Ethiopia
Uzbekistan
0
Kazakstan
1
India

11. What ESL students have to say
• Please use easier words.
• Please speak slowly and clearly.
• Please write more clearly on the board.
• Don't give difficult words in test questions.
• Repeat what other students say when they ask a question or give an
answer.
• Please wait after the lesson to explain.
• Give me more time to do my work.
• Please write answers on the board.
• Give us more time to write down things from the board.
• Explain the homework please.
• It is good that some of my teachers allow us to work together.
• When we have a chance to answer a question, make the other students
quiet down, because it takes a time to transfer thoughts in words.
• Stand near me when I must answer a question.
• Please do respect my questions even if they seem easy.
• Even if I answered wrong, don't laugh.
• Jokes are difficult to understand.
• Please be nice to us!

12. Cross-curricular modifications
• Use lots of visuals, pictures, video and realia (ex: use Google images)
• Use physical activity: model, role-play, act out, gestures.
• Use cooperative learning and put students in groups with English-speaking
students.
• Give ESL students an outline of the lesson that highlights the key concepts.
• Let ESL students copy your or someone else’s notes.
• Use simple instructions and speak slowly.
• Use lower grade materials to teach content, especially with pictures.
• Have the ESL students do half of the assignment, e.g. do all even
numbered questions.
• Make a simplified language version of a test or assignment.
• Provide word banks.
• Label items used in presentation.
• Avoid idioms!
• Speak slowly, clearly and provide the students with “wait time”
• Stick to a lesson routine
• Provide a “model” answer of what is expected of them

13. Cross-curricular modifications
• Use lots of visuals, pictures, video and realia (ex: use Google images)
• Use physical activity: model, role-play, act out, gestures.
• Use cooperative learning and put students in groups with English-speaking
students.
• Give ESL students an outline of the lesson that highlights the key concepts.
• Let ESL students copy your or someone else’s notes.
• Use simple instructions and speak slowly.
• Use lower grade materials to teach content, especially with pictures.
• Have the ESL students do half of the assignment, e.g. do all even
numbered questions.
• Make a simplified language version of a test or assignment.
• Provide word banks.
• Label items used in presentation.
• Avoid idioms!
• Speak slowly, clearly and provide the students with “wait time”
• Stick to a lesson routine
• Provide a “model” answer of what is expected of them

14. Content specific modifications
English
• Simplify the English when you give or write instructions.
• Allow ESL students to use dictionaries and word lists.
• Teach learning strategies on how to read
– Print off the notes that your students will be copying during the class
and give it to them ahead of time.
• Read text aloud, so that the ESL students can hear the
inflections, rythmns, etc. of the text
• Choose multicutural texts
– If using American texts, help the students create background
knowledge that the native English speakers have already acquired
• Creating Anticipation Guides
• Using Visuals
• and creating other Graphic Organizers appropriate for the material
• Allow students to read summaries

15. Content specific modifications
Math
• In most countries, math is taught in an integrated format. The United
States is one of the few countries that separates math instruction by
math topics, i.e. Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry.
• Many ESL students have not been taught in their native countries to
use a calculator (scientific or graphing)
• When placing written instructions or problems on the board, be
aware of the pace in which you are writing....ESL students will tend
to write everything down that you put on the board.
• Also, try to print as much as possible.
• Extra time should be allowed to finish assignments, quizzes and
tests.
• Highlight the question. Help students isolate what is being asked for
word problems. Cross out irrelevant information
• Create a databank of key math terms that are symbols in word
problems (hand out sheet)
• Division in French speaking countries…

16. Content specific modifications
Science
• Simplify the language of instruction, not the concept being taught.
Use simple sentence structure and high frequency words
• Use graphic organizers such as charts, venn diagrams, webs,
story maps, etc. to make language more accessible
• Present Science vocabulary and concepts using real objects,
pictures, and hands-on activities
• Provide models of what is expected.
• Provide students with a list of key vocabulary words from a
chapter. They can find the words in their bilingual dictionaries.
• Have students draw pictures of concepts both to learn and to
demonstrate cognitive understanding.
• If reading level is too complex, have students look at visuals in the
text and think about the pictures

17. Content specific modifications
Social Studies
• Do a K-W-L chart before and after units of study
• Utilize student's cultural background knowledge and experience
during a lesson
• Give students plenty of multimedia and realia, and manipulatives
while teaching content. A picture is worth a thousand words.
Multimedia materials can give visual cues to help students
understand time periods in history, etc.
• Use graphic organizers
• Introduce key vocabulary at beginning of lesson/topic
• Post vocabulary and or word banks in classsroom for student
reference.
• Do read-alouds of texts and literature relating to Social Studies
topic
• Have students trace maps and then label individual parts of the
map, e.g. cities, states, countries, rivers, mountains.
• Have students copy a chart, make a graph or draw a picture,
timeline or diagram.

18. Case study #1
• You are teaching your students about
World War 2.
• What modifications would you come up
with in order to make World War 2 content
accessible to the ESL students?
• 5 minutes.

19. Case Study #2
• You are teaching the students about The
Hunger Games. They are to read the
novel in class and write a book report
about it.
• What modifications would you adopt to
make the content of the book accessible
to the ESL students?
• 5 minutes

20. Next session:
• Review modifications – success/less-than-
successful stories
• New suggested modifications
• Testing Accommodations and
Assessments for ESL students