Getting+started

 //Whether it is considered “immersion” or “inclusion,” more and more ELLs are finding themselves in mainstream classes. This integration of ELLs and mainstream students needs to be reflected in a similar integration of language and content in instruction. On one hand, language is a bridge to learning content. All teachers need to understand the impact of language in their classes and how they can support ELLs’ subject mastery by using English in intentional ways. On the other hand, content can provide a means for language acquisition, and teachers can promote the development of academic English proficiency for all students//**.**
 * //Why do we need new standards for ESOL Teachers?// **

// ... integration of language and content does not mean that ESOL teachers are becoming obsolete, or that all teachers need to be English teachers. On the contrary, **elementary classroom teachers and secondary content teachers are still primarily responsible for teaching the grade-level curriculum, but they need to do it in ways that make that content accessible for ELLs.** This is often referred to as “sheltering” instruction, which does not mean diluting the content, but rather differentiating instruction and integrating language into all subjects. Most teachers agree that this approach helps all students, not only ELLs. Content teachers need to understand how to use English in intentional ways, both to provide access to the mainstream curriculum and to help students develop academic English.

// Likewise, ESOL teachers are still the ones responsible for teaching English. Especially in the case of students with beginning English proficiency, intensive English language development is critical and ESOL teachers need to meet this need. However, **ESOL teachers need to consider how they can also connect language development with content learning and professional development.** For example, thematic units and content-based instruction can “import” grade-level content into pull-out ESOL classes and provide a relevant context for language learning. Increasingly, some ESOL teachers are asked to work with ELLs within other teachers’ classes, to provide push-in support for language development. ESOL teachers need to be able to recognize the linguistic dimensions of a content lesson, to differentiate instruction and scaffold academic language learning. For instance, ESOL teachers need to understand how a fourth-grade social studies assignment can be adapted for different English proficiency levels, and where to find supplementary readings. **Staff development for mainstream teachers is not enough; ESOL teachers also need to develop new skills in order to meet the demands of their changing professional role**. // --"Delicate Balance" - Journal of Staff Development, Vol 29, no.1, Winter 2008

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