Developing Intervention Framework

for ELLs Based on Effective

Consultation and Collaboration

Dr. Markay Winston – Director of Student Services

Milena Varbanova – CRP School Psychologist

Beth Martin – ESL Itinerant Support Teacher

Cincinnati Public School

Dr. Wendy Strickler – Educational Consultant

HCESC 1

English Language Learners in

CPS

• 1500 LEP students - 200% growth over 8 years

• Over 100 different countries

• Over 70 different languages

• 10 % of the ELLs are SWD

• 20% of the ELLs come with limited or no previous education

• 50% of the ELLs attend 4 schools with building-based ESL support

• 50 % attend 50 other schools with itinerant ESL support

470

615

751

920858

1042

1269

1500

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11

PROJECTED

1700

Fastest Growing Group in CPS

ELLs by Grade Level

12.1%11.0%

12.4%

7.8%9.4%

8.0%6.8% 7.1%

5.5%

7.7%

4.0%3.1%

5.0%

0.0%

2.0%

4.0%

6.0%

8.0%

10.0%

12.0%

14.0%

KG Grd02 Grd04 Grd06 Grd08 Grd10 Grd12

Grade Level

LEP Percentages Disaggregated by Grade Level

4

ESL Supports in the District

• ESL/Foreign Language Manager

• ESL Building – Based Teachers – 15 – across 4 schools (1:60 ratio)

• ESL Itinerant Teachers – 3 – across 50 schools

• (1:200 ratio)

• CRP School Psychologist

• Bilingual School Social Worker

• ESL Assistant School Community Coordinator

• OSLA Senior Support Specialist

District’s Strengths

• Students and parents committed to their learning and

success

• Competent and passionate ESL teachers

• ESL administrative leadership committed to improving

instructional practices and academic/social outcomes

• Clear and accurate understanding of academic needs of

ELLs (Formative and Summative Data)

• Knowledge of effective instructional (core and targeted)

practices for ELLs (see Intervention document)

• Increasing collaboration between Office of Second

Language Acquisition (OSLA) and school teams

• Increasing collaboration between district’s Curriculum and

Special Education leadership

District’s Challenges

• Lack of adequate knowledge of content area teachers

around second language acquisition and effective

instructional practices for ELLs

• Lack of appropriate differentiation in the delivery of

core content

• Lack of adequate targeted interventions around basic

academic skills and language development

• Lack of organizational infrastructure and resources to

provide targeted interventions

• Lack of consistent standardized intervention process

across schools

• Lack of critical understanding that effective practices

for ELLs are beneficial for ALL students at CPS

Many of our Students…

• lack prior schooling experience

• lack academic skills in their first language

• experienced traumatic events in their home

country

• are experiencing significant social-emotional

difficulties

• are entering Middle and High School with very

limited ELP

• have parents who have very limited levels of

English proficiency and acculturation and

therefore limited ability to support them

Critical Academic Skills of ELLs

in CPS

• For many ELLs, insufficiently

developed basic academic skills in

the areas of Reading and Math is a

major obstacle for accessing core

curriculum and achieving academic

success

How can we meet the needs

of our ELLs?

Building the Framework

• Year 1 - 2011-2012

– Universal ELLs screenings

– List of research-based interventions

– Systematic data-based decision making

– Beginning of building level collaborative

problem solving

Tier 1

• Interdepartmental collaboration:

Curriculum managers, Student Services

and OSLA (District ESL) staff

• PD for implementation of Common Core

State Standards (CCSS) for diverse

learners

• Organizational infrastructure to support

service delivery • Various stages of implementation across targeted

buildings

Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol

(SIOP) Features in a Lesson Plan

• Preparation

– Adaptation of content

– Links to background

– Links to past learning

– Strategies incorporated

• Integration of processes

– Reading

– Writing

– Speaking

– Listening

• Scaffolding

– Modeling

– Guided practice

– Independent practice

– Comprehensible input

• Application

– Hands-on

– Meaningful

– Linked to objectives

– Promotes engagement

• Grouping Options

– Whole class

– Small groups

– Partners

– Independent

• Assessment

– Individual

– Group

– Written

– Oral Echevarria, Vogt, & Short, 2000, 2004, 2008

Tier 1

• Promote district-wide SIOP implementation

– Comprehensive professional development for administrators and teachers (Summer 2012)

– On-going SIOP coaching and support for teachers in administrators (2012-13)

Tier 1: Universal

Screening

• Ensure the collection of universal

screening and progress monitoring

data of ELLs

• AIMSweb assessments – Early Literacy and Math

– Reading Fluency and Comprehension

– Math Computation and Concepts and

Application

– Spelling and Writing

Tier 2

• Determine ELLs to target for reading

intervention, using AIMSweb and OTELA

scores

• Gather additional information at problem

solving meetings/team meetings to guide

instructional/intervention decisions

• Use a systematic and consistent decision-

making framework for ELLs

Tier 2

• Implement research-based and empirically validated targeted interventions (language development and academic) for struggling ELLs

Tier 2 Intervention Chart Program Target Skillls Grades Groupings Time Provided

by

Research Comments

PALS Comprehensive; all 5 k-6 Small group

1-3

30 min

3x/wk

Peer or

teacher

depending

on

program

WWC

Performance Index:

Alphab: 19 %ile

Fluency: 13 %ile

Compr: 13 %ile

ELL Reading Ach:

12%ile points

FCRR Review

BEE: Strong

evidence

Corrective Reading Comprehensive (weak

comprehension; strong

phonemic awareness,

phonics,fluency)

3-12 Small-

moderate

group (1-8)

45 min

per

session

(65-130

sessions)

Teacher,

IA, peer

instructor

28 independent

SRB studies

conducted;

26 found positive

results across

many

populations and

conditions

WWC

Performance Index:

Beg read/Adol.

Alph: 9 / 4

Fluen: 11 / 4

Compr: 7 / 3

Scholastic

ReadAbout

Vocabulary/comprehen

sion – non-fiction focus

3-8 Individual 2x/wk

plus

1x/wk

paper

computer FCRR Review;

New-limited

evidence;

grounded in

solid research

base

Student Tier 1 and 2 Decision Making

GROUP 1a: On track

At benchmark: fluent with reading **Each teacher completes this group for the ir homeroom**

Grade level benchmark________ or more wcpm

**Note: 1. After listing, go back to report showing accuracy and highlight any students for whom reading accuracy is not at least 93%

**Note 2: Later you will go over list of Maze scores and highlight in a different color any students for whom MAZE accuracy is a concern

Students:

OTELA 4-5:

Continue core curriculum and instruction with small group

differentiation including enrichment (SIOP recommended)

Ensure strong focus on vocabulary and comprehension

Tier 1 could include modifications for students with high error rates

(such as self-monitoring strategies or comprehension check strategies)

OTELA 1-3 (and language growth appropriate for time in country):

See above recommendations plus additional ESL support to continue

building oral literacy, as well as reading and writing skills

**Note: Screening data from AIMSweb identifies students for whom additional

discussion is warranted. Intervention decisions should not be based on one

piece of data without supporting evidence. Consider additional information

such as:

Is the student also passing OAA?

Do classroom data corroborate that the student is performing on grade

level?

Is the student performing well on benchmark or short-cycle

assessments?

Are there any behavior, socio-emotional, or health issues to consider?

Etc.

LEP Student Support Plan

ELLs with Disabilities • Target ELLs for reading intervention, using AIMSweb

and OTELA scores to identify possible intervention

needs.

• Gather additional information at problem solving

meetings/team meetings to guide instructional/

intervention decisions

• Use a systematic and consistent decision-making

framework for ELLs

• Implement research-based and empirically validated

targeted interventions (language development and

academic) for struggling ELLs

• Request to have Intervention specialists involved in

the data meetings

Next Steps

• SIOP training and coaching

• Continue collaborative problem

solving

– Creating effective infrastructure and

resource allocation

– Involving key stakeholders

• What are your ideas for us?

• How is this looking in your district?

Thank You!!