LEP
Miscellaneous Information
T
his section provides a myriad of pieces that may be valuable information. Suggested uses include handouts and talking pieces for presentations, modification for professional development activities, and incorporation into new staff orientation training and related material.
§ A Case Study
§ Types of LEP Populations
§ Tips for Instructors and Administrators
§ Tips for Learners
§ Tips for Parents
§ Tips for Business and Community Partners
§ Frequently Asked Questions
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LEP
Case Study
Jarunee is a junior in high school. She has language difficulties in school because English is not her native language. Her family came to the USA from Thailand seven years ago. They settled in a town where there were a large number of Thai families, establishing a small Thai community. This provided cultural support for them. The family members speak Thai in the home and in the small ethnic community rather than English. This made the transition to school a difficult one.
Jarunee is enrolled in the culinary arts program at high school. Her instructor, Mrs. Gentry, has coordinated closely with the special populations coordinator at the school to identify resources to assist Jarunee. A volunteer from the Thai community comes to the school several times a week to work with instructors who have Jarunee in their class. This helps open communication with the home as well as preventing any miscommunication and/or misdirection that may occur with Jarunee in her classes due to language difficulties. In addition, the school has set up a peer-partnership program with Thai learners working together for translation and collaboration. Peer-partnership group meets after school once a week and flexibility is built into the school philosophy so that learners can attend class with their partner for short periods of time if difficulty arises and translation is needed. Instructors work together to facilitate this program.
Although Mrs. Gentry does not speak Thai, she is employing some techniques in the classroom and laboratory, which are helping Jarunee. Thai-English labels have been placed in the laboratory to identify equipment and supplies that are used in activities and projects. Jarunee has established a “pictionary” section in her notebook where English words are placed next to the picture of equipment, tools, and supplies used in the culinary arts program. When preparing written materials to be used by Jarunee, Mrs. Gentry turns narrative sections into lists, uses large clear print, and keeps sentences as short as possible. Mrs. Gentry has also attempted to learn about Jarunee’s culture and some Thai foods have been integrated into lab activities so that all of the learners in the program experience a cross-cultural exchange.
Jarunee is given additional time when taking tests and Mrs. Gentry is available to discuss questions if there is any problem with comprehension. Jarunee has shown remarkable progress and feels very good about her accomplishments. Her social skills are improving as well as her English speaking skills (pp. 186-187).
Illinois Center for Specialized Professional Support (ICSPS)/Special Populations Project 5
Source:
Sarkees-Wircenski, M. & Scott, J. L. (1995). Vocational special needs. Homewood, IL: American Technical Publishers, Inc.
LEP
Types of LEP Populations
§ Foreign born status
Approximately 45% of the current LEP school-aged population is foreign born. Some are recent immigrants who grew up speaking a non-English language at home. Often, their parents immigrated to the United States while these children were young. Others arrived at school as teenagers and young adults.
§ Native born status
Approximately 55% of school-aged LEP learners are born in the U.S. Depending on the characteristics of their households, some of the native-born LEP learners enter school speaking distinct social dialects of English. Their English dialect usually does not complement the academic dialects they encounter in school. As a result, they exhibit lower levels of skills in all four English language arts--listening, speaking, reading, and writing--in relation to their typical English proficient peers.
Source:
Garcia, P. (2000, September). Lesson from research: What is the length of time it takes limited English proficient students to acquire English and succeed in an all-English classroom? Retrieved December 10, 2000, from http://www,ncbe.gwu.ncbepubs/issue/brief/ib5.htm
LEP
Tips for Instructors and Administrators
Instructional Strategies
§ Be aware of the learner’s cultural background and allow for individual differences.
§ Encourage learners to bring dictionaries to class.
§ Use many hands-on experiences and demonstrations.
§ Speak slowly and use simple vocabulary and grammar.
§ Use a translator to translate important concepts and to share with you any problems the learners are having.
§ Work closely with ESL support personnel.
§ Have learners build their own bilingual technical dictionary from program material.
§ Individualize instruction as much as possible. Specially design instruction sheets with illustrations and technical terms (in both the learner’s native language and English). Volunteer peers, parents, or others can help to develop these sheets.
§ Infuse employability skills into the curriculum, such as appropriate social behavior, expected work habits, patterns in the American workforce, and proper interviewing techniques.
§ Use a variety of labels, signs, and visual aids in the classroom and laboratory, both in the learner’s native language and in English.
§ Clearly state what is expected from learners in terms of performance objectives. Follow these objectives when presenting material and evaluating learner performance.
§ Encourage pair or group projects so that peer modeling and tutoring can occur. Pair LEP learners with bilingual learners of their own language background if possible.
§ Present class information in small, discrete, and sequential steps.
§ Supplement texts with study guides, lists of key terms, and extra visuals depicting concepts or procedures. These are helpful when translated into the learner’s native language.
§ Audio or videotape class lessons and make them available to learners and personnel.
§ Adjust the length of assignments. It may require considerable extra time for a LEP learner to accomplish what a native English speaker can accomplish.
§ Provide outlines of lectures.
§ Use simple sentences in writing test items so learners can concentrate on responding to questions rather than deciphering them.
§ Give learners more processing time to come up with a response to a question.
Illinois Center for Specialized Professional Support (ICSPS)/Special Populations Project 5
Communication Skills
§ Learn at least a few words in learner’s native language.
§ Remind learners to be proud of their native language and culture while they learn about ours.
§ Learn which specific body gestures best convey acceptance and use them as often as possible.
§ Get to know professionals at work and people in the community who share a cultural background similar to that of the learner.
§ Be conscious of your body language. Hand and body gestures vary in meaning from culture to culture.
§ Avoid unnecessary slang.
§ Keep terminology constant. Begin by using simple terms learners may already know. Use generic terms rather than multiple meaning for terms.
§ Speak at a slower pace.
§ Give and receive verbal confirmation that there is mutual understanding of what was said.
§ Ask learners what you have said to check for comprehension. Refrain from asking them if they understand. Individuals from some cultures will say “yes” even if they don’t understand.
Source:
Tavares, B. (2000). Tools for teaming: Resources for linking vocational programs with special populations. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaii, Office of the State Director for Career and Technical Education.
Preparation
Lesson Planning
· Write content objectives clearly for learners.
· Write language objectives clearly for learners.
· Choose content concepts appropriate for age and educational background levels of learners.
· Identify supplementary material to use (e.g., graphs, models, visual).
· Adapt content (e.g., text, assignment) to all levels of learner proficiency.
· Plan meaningful activities that integrate lesson concepts (e.g., surveys, letter writing, simulations, constructing models) with language practice opportunities for reading, writing, listening and/or speaking.
Illinois Center for Specialized Professional Support (ICSPS)/Special Populations Project 5
Instruction
· Explicitly link concepts to learners’ backgrounds and experiences.
· Explicitly link past learning and new concepts.
· Emphasize key vocabulary (e.g., introduce, write, repeat, and highlight) for learners.
· Use speech appropriate for learners’ proficiency level (e.g., slower rate, enunciation, and simple sentence structure for beginners).
· Explain academic tasks clearly.
· Use a variety of techniques to make content concepts clear (e.g., modeling, visuals, hands-on activities, demonstrations, gestures, and body language).
Strategies
· Provide ample opportunities for learners to use strategies (e.g., problem solving, predicting, organizing, summarizing, categorizing, evaluating, self-monitoring).
· Use scaffolding techniques consistently (providing the right amount of support to move learners from one level of understanding to a higher level) throughout the lesson.
· Use a variety of question types including those that promote higher-order thinking skills, throughout the lesson (e.g., literal, analytical, and interpretive questions).
Interaction
· Provide frequent opportunities for interaction and discussion between instructor/learner and among learners about lessons concepts and encourage elaborated responses.
· Use group configuration that supports language and content objectives of the lesson.
· Consistently provide sufficient wait time for learner responses.
· Give ample opportunities for learner to clarify key concepts as needed with aide, peer, or text.
Practical Application
· Provide hands-on materials and/or manipulatives for learners to practice using new content knowledge.
· Provide activities for learners to apply content and language knowledge in the classroom.
· Provide activities that integrate all language skills, i.e. reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
Illinois Center for Specialized Professional Support (ICSPS)/Special Populations Project 5
Lesson Delivery
· Support content objectives early.
· Support language objectives early.
· Engage learners approximately 90-100% of the period (most learners taking part and on task throughout the lesson).
· Pace the lesson appropriately to the learners’ ability level.
Review/Evaluation
· Give a comprehensive review of key vocabulary.
· Give a comprehensive review of key content concepts.
· Provide feedback to learners regularly on their output (e.g., language, content, and work).
· Conduct assessments of learner comprehension and learning throughout the lesson on all lesson objectives (e.g., spot checking, group response).
Source:
Tomassi Kang, Margaret. (2001, May 4). Working with students who have limited English proficiency. [Handout]. Presented at the Illinois Association of Career and Technical Education’s Drive-In Professional Development Institute, Bloomington, IL.
Illinois Center for Specialized Professional Support (ICSPS)/Special Populations Project 5
LEP
Tips for Learners
Know Your Rights
· The implementation of Carl D. Perkins Act must include assurances that school districts are in compliance with Title VI of Civil Rights Act of 1964.
· Schools must prohibit discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance.
· Employers and schools must prohibit discrimination in all activities of a school or college, even those that occur off campus.
· School districts must take steps to help limited-English proficient (LEP) learners overcome language barriers so LEP learners can participate in school.
· Parents can opt not to have their LEP learner enrolled in ESL or Bilingual programs.
· School has the responsibility to ensure that the learner has an equal opportunity to have his or her English language and academic needs met.
· Limited English Proficient learners must be provided with alternative services until they are proficient enough in English to participate meaningfully in the regular program. For more information, refer to the Office of Civil Rights Division of U.S. Department of Education website http://www.ed.gov/offices/OCR/qa-ell.html
· Separate programs for limited English proficient learners must be completely voluntary.
· The instructional part of separate programs for limited English proficient learners must be comparable to that offered in regular school programs.
Know Your Responsibilities
· Enroll in career and technical education courses and programs.
· Introduce yourself to the school’s special populations coordinator, allowing time for discussion about your English ability, strengths, and possible accommodations needed to be successful.
· If possible, provide your special populations coordinator with a copy of your last transcripts and courses.
· Understand the full range of services that are available to you. If you are unsure, ask questions!
· Keep up with your schoolwork, asking for assistance from your special populations coordinator when necessary.
· Go and see your instructor when you do not understand. Ask for help when you need it.
· Ask your instructor for feedback and suggestions on your work.
· Ask you instructor or classmate when you are not sure of the assignment.
· Be prepared, organized and on time. Attend all classes.
· Form study groups with other learners (especially native speakers) in your class so that you can help each other.
· Do NOT get behind.
· See a counselor if you are having any problems at school.
· Sit in the front of the class.
· Start on your assignments early so you have time to get help if needed.
· Take the initiative and find out what services the learning center offers for LEP learners.
· Check with the instructor about your grade if you think you are doing poorly. Deficiency notices are sent to parents in high school, but are not giving out in college.
· In college, maintain a C average or you may have to leave school.
· Discipline yourself in school, but especially in college because instructors will not tell you to study or keep up with your assignments. You have to do it on your own.
· Ask the other learners for advice on classes to take. In college, ask who the helpful instructors are and try to enroll in those classes.
· Learn the school rules.
· If you feel discriminated against because of race, color or national origin, let someone know and have sound reasons.
Source: