Accommodations for ESL

Accommodations I see used in the classroom are those that allow for student choice in content or assessment style, as well as in their groupings. I also see use of graphic organizers and word walls frequently. I think in combination these help all students learn course content more deeply and efficiently, but for ELL students they make a world of difference. Being given choice and scaffolded language/instructional support can make an ELL feel more ready to participate and succeed in class.

In a Grade 10 History course, World War 1 is inevitably taught. The lens through which the material is covered, however, is up to the teacher. I used colonialism as an introductory lens so that students had a geopolitical and historical framework for the content we would be discussing. The "MAIN" reasons for the war are usually discussed, and students were better able to understand big concepts like militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism once we actually developed them using a specific idea like colonialism. Graphic organizers and pre-teaching of key words are accommodations that work very well with this introduction lesson. Providing definitions, examples, and conceptual connections visually on a graphic organizer allows students to take notes in the L1 and connect oral discussion with L2 vocabulary. Students begin by using a gallery walk, where images connected to the four MAIN ideas are placed above a sheet of paper. Students observe the images and write notes on papers of what their understanding of these concepts are. As we discuss them as a group, ELLs have now seen images and written vocabulary that they can connect to the explicitly taught definitions of key terms. A further accommodation would be to give ELL students time to use technology to look up the concepts in their L1 and use that information to support their understanding of the concept in English.

For a student with short term memory and mobility needs, I would use groups of 3 for the gallery walk and assign a 'scribe' in each group. This way, the student can participate in that activity by giving ideas orally and will not be impacted by the writing aspect. I would also audio record all my lessons for this student, so they had an electronic version of the lesson to watch at their convenience. I would also ensure they had an electronic copy of the graphic organizer so they are able to take notes on a laptop if possible, or also provide the student with a scribe buddy who could share notes with them. However these are quite superficial accommodations and I think once I was aware of this student's needs I would try to revise my lessons using UDL and DI with the student's specific needs in mind.

The following modifications are being made for HNC3C - Grade 11: Understanding Fashion. Most of the modifications are done to simplify the communication process and details of the required information. In addition, the modifications also put emphasis on exploring cultures of origins to engage students. We must always consider the student's ability, prior knowledge of the English language, and practical learning experiences (SEE ATTACHED LINK: COMING SOON).