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Instructional Strategies for Teaching English Language Learners Math

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Instructional Strategies for Teaching English Language Learners Math
Instructional Strategies for Teaching English Language Learners Math

EDU 534: Diverse Family Structures

October 10, 2012

Abstract
This paper investigates and examines the needs of English Language Learners (ELL) in our classrooms today. It defines who they are, gives statistics at three different levels, nationally, statewide and at the school level. A few general concerns about ELL are discussed and also some positive indicators are given to give a foundation to work from. Academic goals in English language development, reading and math; that can be applied for all students, and assessment considerations are reviewed. Finally, proven instructional strategies for teaching math are suggested.

Instructional Strategies for Teaching English Language Learners Math Regardless of where you teach in the California and the United States as a whole, chances are you have a handful of students for whom English is not their native language. In many schools, classrooms are predominantly English Language Learners (ELL). For many ELL students, school can represent a challenging daily task. The inability to communicate in their native language and expectations for academic success add additional pressures to their adolescent lives. As we watch the direction that math has gone in the past several years, one must notice that it has become highly verbal and with California’s Common Core Standards coming to our schools in the near future, we can only expect more. In our text books, most problems are now embedded in words, meaning that the days of “plug and chug” math problems are nearly gone. How is this going to affect our ELL students? It means that teachers of ELL students are going to have to be more focused on linking reading and writing skills to our math instruction.
Who is an English Language Learner? According to the an US



References: Discovering the Benefits of Pre-K. (2007). Retrieved from: http://www.nysut.org/cps/rde/xchg/nysut/hs.xsl/newyorkteacher_7121.htm Ed Data Express-Data About Elementary and Secondary Schools in the US Elementary and Secondary Education Act. (2012). In Wikipedia’s online dictionary. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elementary_and_Secondary_Education_Act English Language Learners (2011 June 16) English Language Learners in Math (2012). Retrieved from: http://teachingtoday.glencoe.com/howtoarticles/english-language-learners-in-math Fast Facts-English Language Learners Figeroa, R. A. (1990) Best Practices in the Assessment of Bilingual Children. In A. Thomas & Grimes (Ed.s.), Best Practices in School Psychology. Washington, DC: National Association of School Psychologists. Robertson, K. (2009). Math Instruction for English Language Learners. Retrieved from: http://colorincolorado.org/article/30570/?theme WWC Evidence for Review Protocol for Interventions for English Language Learners, Version 2 Zehr, M. (2008, June 18). Inside the World of California’s Reclassification Rates. Education Week Teacher, Retrieved from: http://blogs.edweek.org/learning-the-language/2008/06/inside_the_world_of_california.html

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