Know your Students!

Your ELL students will be at all

different levels. There will be
students who are very low all the
way to students who are high-
level English speakers but still
have English as a second
language.

LEP vs. ESL: LEP (limited English
proficiency- students who are
unable to communicate
efficiently)) ESL (English as a
second language- the services
that are available to LEP
students))
BICS: Basic Interpersonal
Communication Skills
-Language skills needed for day to day
or social interaction; 6 months to 2 years
of English exposure
CALP: Cognitive Academic
Language Proficiency
-formal learning with reading, writing,
listening, speaking; needed for success; 5
to 7 years of English exposure with
support of native language
Survival Guide to
Teaching ELL
Students
Meagan OToole


Different Levels of an ELL Student
1) Pre-production: Few hours-6 months of exposure to English; Silent Period; points or gestures
(non verbal). Teachers should gesture, use language with meanings, be repetitive.
2) Early Production: 6 months- 1 year exposure; continuing listening; one word responses. Teacher
should ask yes/no questions; model correct response
3) Speech Emergence: 1-3 years of exposure; participate in small group activities; Teacher should
provide consistent comprehension checks; expand vocabulary; ask open ended questions
4) Intermediate Fluency: 3-4 years of exposure; engages in dialogue; participates in reading and
writing activities; Teacher should expand learning through content
How to create an LEP friendly classroom
Remember to speak slowly so students can see the movement of your mouth
Label things around the classroom such as the door and bathroom etc.
Use visuals to aid the students in understanding content
Introduce vocabulary in meaningful ways- how they can relate to it (native culture)
ROUTINE! Routine is extremely important to help students adjust and understand by hearing/ doing the
same thing every day allows them to make connections
ELL Students
Having ELL students in your classroom is a great experience! All you need is a few tips to help you help your
students be successful in your classroom. Make sure you know your students. You should know their level of
the English language along with background of their native language so you can help them by using things
they already know! When you are teaching, make sure to speak slowly to allow the student to see the
movement of your mouth. Also, make sure you are using gestures when teaching. Labeling things around
your classroom such as the door, board, map etc. will help students with recognition.