Gersten: Three main emerging themes in relation to practices for ELL

Question 1

Merging English language development with content area learning

Answer 1

sheltered content instruction emphasizes content acquisition over building English language abilities but students cannot learn if they don’t know the language

they need for explicit teaching in English should never be underestimated

• -need explicit language development program that involved grammar and syntax usage
• -need feedback in formal English

3 major problems:

1. inadequare time for learning language
2. failure to facilitate second language acquisition
3. limits in opportunities to produce language

good approach- blend oral language engagement and intellectual engagement

Question 2

Relationship between promising approached and effective teaching

Answer 2

Increasing the amount of active engagement in academic learning or the quality and quantity of feedback provided to students during lessons is important

providing frequent opportunities to use oral language in classroom in conversational and academic context is also important

Approaches such as class wide tutoring, tailoring feedback and focused explicit instruction

Promising instructional variable include:

1. building/using vocab as curricular anchor
2. using visuals to reinforce
3. cooperative learning
4. using native language strategically
5. control cognitive and language demands

Question 3

Confusion, tension and assumptions about oral language use

Answer 3

both extended discourse (discussion) about academic topics and briefer responses to specific questions about content are cornerstones of academic growth

a good program should include:

1. development of english proficiency
2. address formal, grammatical aspects of English use
3. Focus on learning new academic content

Research does not support that increased language in the classroom leads to increased academic growth