Frameworks for Success
Aha!
Our goals for ELLs extend beyond learning the English language. We also strive to help them maintain and take pride in their cultural identity. We want them to be a part of the school community and communicate and participate with their peers. We also want them to learn grade-appropriate curriculum and higher-order thinking skills.
These goals can seem
intimidating for classroom teachers who are already overwhelmed, as well as ELL
Specialists who can only be in one place at a time. So how do we address this? There
are many frameworks that educators can use to guide their teaching that can
help address ELL needs, as well as the needs of other students in the classroom.
These frameworks are beneficial in that they don’t put ELLs in an ‘other’
category of learners that can only be helped by language specialists; rather
these frameworks hope to engage students, address inequities, and give educators
the tools and strategies to assist all students in achieving their best.
Universal Design Learning (the umbrella)
UDL strives to address inequities in learning opportunities for students. The big idea is to assess the curriculum content and resources, assessing how accessible they are to all learners in the group. If there are barriers to learning, the goal of UDL is to address and fix those barriers before they become an issue. In other words, UDL encourages educators to be thoughtful and proactive. Questions such as: is this relevant to my learners? Do they have the appropriate background knowledge? Does this represent multiple viewpoints? Is this material engaging? Does this material represent this learning group? As learning progresses throughout the year, educators should continuously re-evaluate and assess barriers to learning.
UDL encourages educators to provide multiple entry points to
learning materials; technology, various points of view, and relevant issues should
used. Using this model, educators should ensure students are given choices in
how to show their learning; this way students have choice and power in how they
express their interests and knowledge.
Another big idea of UDL is engagement. Students should be
given choice and autonomy in what they learn about, as well as how they express
it. This encourages higher levels of student engagement and often higher-order
thinking as the area of learning is of interest to each individual. Students should
also be provided with the opportunity to interact and gain feedback from one
another through collaborative and cooperative learning processes.
With UDL in mind, educators can structure a classroom learning
environment that is relevant, engaging, relatively barrier-free, and evolving. Under
this framework, a few specific models can be enacted which further address student
needs, specifically those of ELLs, without requiring a high degree of knowledge
of the language acquisition process.
Under the Umbrella
Response to Intervention
The RTI framework is, like the UDL framework, a proactive
approach. RTI is based on implementing interventions before specific evaluation of
students. This connects with UDL’s big idea of removing learning
barriers before they occur. RTI aims to provide students with higher-order
thinking opportunities by ensuring necessary scaffolds and strategies
are in place when required. Specifically addressing ELLs, classroom teachers
can collaborate with their ELL specialists to gain ideas and insights to
address language barriers in the classroom, as this is a known barrier for these students. Through continuous data collection
and observation, classroom teachers can adjust or collaborate on new ideas,
based on the success of the implemented strategies. Collaboration around needs,
strategies, and data is key to successfully using the RTI model. Many
strategies that can be used ensure multiple entry points to learning, various ways
to express learning, and use of technology; these are all things UDL encourages
educators to focus on. RTI provides a way to ensure learning is equitable and
inclusive. It allows schools and classrooms to be flexible around students
needs, rather than using a prescribed program. However, when it comes to RTI
and ELLs, some questions arise. One of my colleagues in the course, Neelima Gupta,
stated: ``ELLs should not be placed in Tier 3/2 by default – baseline/formative
assessments should inform the level of support students require.`` I can see both
sides of this argument and would suggest that each school adopt the viewpoint
that works best for them. Those who disagree and put ELLs in Tier 2
of the RTI triangle, may do so to ensure that ELLs remain in focus. These
schools may have an ELL specific goal or wish to encourage educators to focus
on ELL needs. Schools which agree with Neelima may be in a position of having
many other students who qualify for Tier 2/3, and adding ELLs may make classroom
loading feel overwhelming. They may also be a school that is well versed in ELL
education and an understanding of how to address ELL needs through the RTI
model without needing to classify them as Tier 2.
Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol
Further connected under the UDL framework is the SIOP model. SIOP is specific to ELL
students as it addresses language demands and barriers in lessons. It is also based
on applying specific strategies, scaffolds and tools, and then observing and
assessing for change in the outcomes. Adjustments should be made as necessary. SIOP
encourages use of cooperative and collaborative learning opportunities for students.
A key to successful SIOP is also use of a variety of learning activities that allow
students to practice using the different modalities. Like UDL, SIOP strives to
ensure ELL students are able to achieve higher-order thinking around the curricular
content. It’s a proactive approach in the way that it is structured; it aims to
remove or address language barriers by providing educators with a structured check-in list for lesson delivery.
Beneficial to all students, it explicitly states learning goals and objectives,
ensuring students learn new content and can relate it back to the big idea. As
educators follow the SIOP model, they are required to carefully examine the
lesson for barriers, provide multiple facets to learning the content, and consider
strategies for scaffolding. SIOP is, again, a proactive model for structuring
lessons. When used with a UDL framework lens, educators are encouraged to both examine the lesson and 'teacher' actions through SIOP, as well as encourage student-led learning opportunities through UDL.
Social Justice Focus
Classroom teachers can also teach equity and social justice issues in the classroom to ensure representation, engagement, and help remove cultural barriers from the curriculum. When social justice issues are relevant to the learning group, there will be higher levels of engagement. Ensuring that multiple perspectives are presented also promotes complex thinking skills, as well as opportunities to practice engaging in difficult discussions, or dealing with conflict. Using the cultural diversity represented in a classroom removes barriers, rather than promotes them. Each student begins to feel validated in their identity. They are more likely to take risks in their learning as the level of engagement and trust rises. Addressing inequities and social justice issues also allow students to apply learning to real-life issues, promoting problem-solving skills and opportunities to demonstrate their learning in various ways. Learning about inequities as a group is also connected to UDL as educators are forced to examine their surroundings and community for inequities they may not have previously perceived.
And So...
Even without detailed knowledge of ELL needs, classroom teachers can adopt new frameworks for teaching that provide more equitable learning opportunities for all, but specifically ELLs. While each of these frameworks or models represents a big
idea, UDL can be considered the umbrella under which they each apply. The basic
premise of each is to be proactive in addressing barriers or inequities in
learning. Educators should ensure learning tasks are approachable by all learners
in the group by ensuring various options are available. Multiple opportunities
to practice content and language should be provided through a variety of
activities, collaboration and cooperative learning. Assessment should be
ongoing (mostly formative), and this data should be used to address future
barriers or add needed strategies and scaffolds. Content should be relevant to
the learning group to help grab and hold their interest, as well as allow them
to content their background knowledge and experience. Specifically, when
working with ELLs, it’s important to ensure content is culturally relevant;
when applicable, the home language can be encouraged and used.
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