Knapp (Alignment of Standards) 1

Running head: ALIGNMENT OF STANDARDS

Alignment of Academic Standards with ELL Proficiency Standards

Shane G. Knapp

Grand Canyon University

ESL 523N English Language Teaching: Foundations and Methodologies

May 11, 2011

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Abstract

The population of English language learner (ELL) students in schools has grown tremendously

over the past few years, with statistics indicating that 20% of the school-age population in

America is originating from homes where a language other than English in used. Through this

paper the historical and political incentives for standards-based instruction will be discussed.

This paper will compare the Arizona English Language Learner Proficiency Standards (ELLPS)

with that of the Oregon ELP Standards and how they can differentiate instruction between the

various TESOL levels of English language learners (ELLs). The author will also discuss how

data from various sources relating to the learners’ progress could be used as a tool to drive the

standards-based instruction. Finally, the author will show how the variety of standards available

to teachers will help provided them with a focus on high expectations and the motivation needed

to tailor their instruction to the needs of the learner.

Alignment of Academic Standards with ELL Proficiency Standards

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Academic Content Standards describe the knowledge and skills that students should

attain during a school year and it is often called the what of what students should know and be

able to do. Academic Content Standards indicate the ways of thinking, working, communicating,

reasoning and investigating, and important and enduring ideas, concepts, issues, dilemmas and

knowledge essential to the discipline. (ODE, 2010). This is easier said than done, especially

when you bring in the ELLs into the equation.

Well what is the answer then to help educators over come this dilemma? The state of

Oregon has developed the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELP Standards), which are

written as pathways to the Oregon English Language Arts standards. The ELP Standards are

designed to supplement the ELA standards to ensure that LEP students develop proficiency in

both the English language and the concepts and skills contained in the ELA standards (ODE,

2011). Like Oregon, Arizona’s Office of English Language Acquisition Services (OELAS)

developed a set of ELP standards that would allow the state of Arizona to gauge student progress

in English language mastery and to provide the classroom teacher with standards that will help

the ELLs to become fluent in English as quickly as possible (ADE, 2007). Both states have

similar ELP Standards, such as: Listening and Speaking Instructional Framework, Reading

Instructional Framework, and Writing Instructional Framework.

Taking these three ELP Standards and integrating them into educators everyday routine

is a necessity within today’s classroom diversity. Educators need to keep in mind that all

students learn at a different rate and need a variety of methods in order to learn effectively,

especially when learning literacy skills in reading. This is especially true with students learning

language skills on top of learning how to read and communicate in another language. In order

for an educator to get real accurate assessment of a student they must make sure that they teach

language skills in a variety of different methods so that each student has an equal opportunity to
 Knapp (Alignment of Standards) 4

succeed within the classroom. Educators can assess how students are doing by giving the

student’s a variety of assessment methods making sure to differentiate their instruction in the

content areas of reading, writing, and listening and speaking so that the diverse needs of every

learner is meet. Overall, the simplest way to look view this whole idea is to remember the

standards-based instruction begins by identifying the relevant standards and planning instruction,

then deliver the instructions and finally evaluate whether the instruction has been mastered

according to the standards (Hinkel, 2005).

Along with the comprehensive ELP Standards that Oregon has developed it has also

provided detailed proficiency levels. These grade-by-grade standards were developed to help

teachers move LEP students to full fluency in English and to proficiency on the Oregon English-

Language Arts (ELA) Standards (ODE, 2011). The state of Oregon has implemented this

refinement because they believe that it is needed so teachers can better assess the progress of

their students. The proficiency levels addressed are levels 1-5. A student at level one is

considered beginning and just starting out with English, while a level 5 is a student who is

considered advanced and is ready to be exited from the ELL program. What I like about this

leveling system is that it gives the teachers an idea of where to start differentiating a student’s

instruction of curriculum. LEP students working at the Advanced proficiency level on the ELP

Standards are to demonstrate proficiency on all standards detailed in levels 1-5 along with all

Oregon ELA standards for the grades in which they are enrolled (ODE, 2011). LEP students

working at the Intermediate proficiency level of these ELP Standards should demonstrate

proficiency on the ELP standards for all prior grades (ODE, 2011).

Another source that can be used as a tool to drive the standards-based instruction is the

English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA) that the state of Oregon gives to its ELLs on

an annual basis. This assessment is great in that it is useful for determining which content area
 Knapp (Alignment of Standards) 5

standards are in greater need of attention. The ELPA assessment assess in the content areas of

math, reading and literature, science, social studies, and writing. From the ELPA assessment

scores it can be determined whether an ELLs is deficient in their English skills in each of the

content areas in which he or she scores low. This will give an educator a heads up in which

standards the student needs to have more of an intensified instruction within.

Teachers get a variety of helpful teaching strategies that can be used to help them better

plan their lessons and instruction so that they can provide not only high expectations and the

motivation needed to tailor instruction to meet the needs of their diverse learners, but these new

strategies will also give the educator the confidence needed to be successful themselves in

getting those students to meet those standards. The Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol

(SIOP) Model was developed to facilitate high quality instruction for ELLs in content area

teaching (SIOP Institute, 2008). It is used in hundreds of schools across the U.S. as well as in

several other countries. The new push in Oregon is to get teachers the training needed in order to

provide those high expectations and instruction needed so that their diverse learners can meet

those standards. To do this Oregon has been offering Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol

(SIOP) professional development classes to better prepare educators for today’s demands of

teaching ELLs. SIOP is great in that it is not another program that needs to be implemented or

learned, but rather it is just a “tool box” full of ideas to better support ELLs in a classroom.

In conclusion, although high stakes testing carries much weight, for educators there are

possibilities to meet federal and state regulations by cautiously and consciously planning lessons

that provide students with multiple opportunities to be successful and apply language in content

context (GCU, 2011). In order to do this educators need to become better prepared at instructing

and aligning their state’s standards with the ELP standards within their lessons so that all

students are given a chance to succeed and apply their language skills to the subject matter at
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hand or be learned. The more opportunities a teacher provides his or her students, the more

likely they will experience success and be successful in their future endeavors in life.

References

Arizona Department of Education (ADE). (2007). Retrieved May 10, 2011 from,

www.ade.state.az.us/oelas/downloads/1-FinalPreface-Revised11-09-07.pdf
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Grand Canyon University. (2011). English Language Teaching Methods. Module four lecture

notes. Retrieved May 11, 2011, from http://angel04.gcu.edu/section/default.asp?

id=551411

Hinkel, E. (2005). Handbook of Research in Second Language Teaching and Learning:

Routledge, 2005. Retrieved May 11, 2011 from, http://www.elihinkel.org/downloads.htm

Ohio Department of Education (ODE). (2010). Retrieved May 11, 2011, from

http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?

page=3&TopicRelationID=1696&ContentID=72&Content=88482

Oregon Department of Education (ODE). (2011). Retrieved May 2, 2011, from

http://www.ode.state.or.us/news/announcements/announcement.aspx?

ID=6969&TypeID=5

Oregon Department of Education (ODE). (2011). Retrieved May 11, 2011 from,

http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/results/?id=36

The SIOP Institute. (2008). Retrieved May 9, 2011 from, http://www.siopinstitute.net/