My ELL Dictionary

As part of my EDU 504 Secondary Language Acquisition course, this is my dictionary of English Language Learner terms. This dictionary includes terms about learning, teaching methods, and other terminology necessary to understand the language acquisition process. This is my attempt at making ELL and Language Acquisition understandable and simple for anyone interested. I will also be updating throughout the semester to make sense of my learning of this important and interesting field. Enjoy!

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me walking into a cvs at midnight: i need to lift a curse

employee: aisle 5

me: thanks

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Natural Approach

An old way of teaching English Language Development, this approach is done in for stages: pre-production, early production, speech emergence, and intermediate fluency. The stages go in order to achieve language proficiency.

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Structures English Immersion

Taken from the California Department of Education Website:

"Classes where EL students who have not yet met local district criteria for having achieved a "good working knowledge" (also defined as "reasonable fluency") of English are enrolled in an English language acquisition process for young children in which nearly all classroom instruction is in English but consists of a curriculum and presentation designed for children who are learning the language."

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Transitional Bilingual Education

Instruction program where student are taught in their home language while being taught English as well. They are then mainstreamed into English-Only classes. This program typically lasts for at least 2 years. 

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Migrant Education

Education specifically tailors to aid those students who are migrant, or move around from place to place throughout the year, meant to keep them on track towards graduation. Many of these students' families are agricultural workers. 

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Submersion English Immersion

Type of program delivery model where the student is thrust into an English-only speaking environment to learn English, where instruction is completely in English. 

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Pull Out ELD

An ELD program where students are taken out of their regular classrooms to be taught English grammar, writing, vocabulary, spelling, etc. These sessions are an hour or so, then they are taken back to their other classroom.

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Newcomer

A student who is new to the United States, having just moved here from a different country. There are often programs set up for these students to help the transition to a new country, like a newcomers homeroom, etc. 

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Bilingual Education

"Umbrella term used to refer to various types of programs and models. Used in two ways: 

1] Education that encourages and fosters language development in two two languages

2] Programs that have students who speak something other than English.

In the second type, the students are present but the development of the primary language isn't necessarily a goal. 

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Re-designated Fluent Proficient

Another classification for students. These are student who were classified as ELL's or lower proficiency and have since risen in proficiency level since the previous testing year. 

Chart of R-FEP students who pass the CAHSEE from the CA Legislative Analyst's Office. 

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Fluent English Proficient

English learners who have met district or state standards or criteria for deciding on English Proficiency.

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AMO

Annual Measurable Objectives. An annual report schools are required to make through NCLB that outlines how many students have tested at a set proficiency level. There are clear objectives every year that a school has to meet. 

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SAE

Standard American English. The correct or proper way of speaking English. Somewhat controversial term because it begs the question, who determines what is proper? 

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Audio Lingual Approach

Focused on behavioral practices, this approach to teaching ELLs is to develop patterns of behavior focused on English in an oral way. This means drilling, repetition, listening to recordings of "correct" English, etc. An example of this is listening along to a recording of a book while following along in your own book. The idea is that they learn by listening to it correctly. 

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ESL

English as a Second Language. Another name for programs for students learning English as their L2. This name is also used in many adult English courses at community colleges. Focused on teaching students whose native language is not English

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Dual Language Instruction

Model ofteaching that involves teaching content in both English and the second target language. This method has English speakers and ELL in the same classroom, learning from each other, both groups of students emerging out of the program knowing both languages. Actively promotes bilingualism, biliteracy, and biculturalism for all students regardless of language. These programs are rare and few and far between.

Graph of students who went through a Dual Language program. The amount of student who spoke each language evened out.

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LEP

Limited English Proficiency. An antiquated classification for students who do not speak English "proficiently." Can sometimes be a negative label due to its implicit meaning. That the student is "limited," or inadequate.