ELL Shadowing Protocol

Data
Student Teacher: Robin Kornfield Date of Observation: 9.16.2022
Grade level(s) observed: 3rd
Rural or Urban school? Urban School
% Identified ELLs and/or linguistic demographic of school: 8.28% (2018-2019)

Step One:
1. Student Information from service provider or your information as teacher. (do not
include names) write notes:
a. Language(s) student(s) speak(s)? Filipino and English
b. Description of student(s) you observed (background, skills, etc.)?

The student I observed is an 8-year-old third grader (called SR in this report) who has
been attending Bayshore Elementary School since Kindergarten. All her education has
been at Bayshore. At home, the family speaks Filipino.

This observation took place during math and reading lessons. SR paid close attention to
directions, appeared able to understand, and got right to work when assignments were
made. In both math and reading the class, which is a combined grade 3 and 4 inclusion
class made up of students who test at 40% proficiency and below, broke into two groups
by grade level in separate rooms. I stayed with grade 3. The math students worked on
word problems, defining the question asked and discussing vocabulary, then choosing a
method of solving the problem. Reading students listened to a story in their anthology
while the teacher paused frequently to clarify the language, to ask questions, and to ask
for short answers by students on individual white boards. SR responded when she was
asked a question and two times raised her hand to answer a question.

c. Academic background prior to coming to US schools and/or Length of time in US

schools? This student has been at Bayshore since Kindergarten, and came initially
with no knowledge of English. She has been in an inclusion class in 2nd and 3rd
grade.
d. Identified special needs? An IEP plan is in place for this student for speech and
language impairment.
e. ACCESS language proficiency score: [NONE], MAP testing.

Math: 31% Reading: 41%

f. Other pertinent information:

2. Type of language learner
 Filipino speaker, English Language Learner. Limited English Proficient. Both
social and academic and speaking skills are limited, but she listens intently and can
be called on to answer factual questions in the classroom.

Step Two
3. Academic Oral Language: Speaking/ Listening Observation: What you are looking for
are opportunities for students to engage with academic oral language- “Active
engagement”. But do note if they are engaging in social speaking/listening behaviors, as
well.

Pay attention to teacher academic oral language supports:

 Open ended questions (multiple entry points/ no one-word responses)
 Clarification of language (linguistic/, more detail, complete sentences)
 Encouragement (vs. constant correction) and social safety (taking language risks)
 Recasting (restating in academic language)

Academic Oral Language Checklist

Academic Speaking
Tally Notes
Opportunities/Behaviors

Student to Student II Student participates in discussion about

problem with another student.

Student talks socially with another student at

II the front of the room. Sings a song.

Student to Teacher I Student to teacher—having completed

work, asks to help other students.

Student to Whole Class

I Listens intently and then participates when it
is her turn to read a full subtraction
sentence.
Teacher to Whole Class I Teacher to Whole Class-Yes/no responses
to questions asked by teacher.

III Teacher to whole class—defines a

vocabulary word or asks students for a
definition on a white board. ES responds
correctly when asked a definition.
 IIIIIII Teacher to whole class choral response
(class says “good job” when students
participate) or repeat of a vocabulary word.
Student does not always respond.

Academic Listening
Opportunities/Behaviors
√ Taking Part (dialogue) in or
Listening to (lectur
√ Listening to whom?

Student listening to teacher. IIII Teacher asks students to write what words
or phrases in their story mean. Student
writes response, usually correctly.

Student listening to whole class

III Student listens intently to other students but
does not speak. Shy glance.
Student is not listening
I Off task, wandering around the room
Off task

I Off task, getting a sharper pencil and a

white board eraser multiple times.

Step 3
4. Reflection:
a. Write a short observation of the student’s learning (activities engaged in,
academic oral language supports, perceptions and thoughts. Here is where you
can question the broader context.)

I observed SR, a quiet 8-year-old girl, who paid close attention to her fellow

classmates and who listened intently to her teacher. She appears to understand most of

what her teacher said and was able to respond to the short answer questions, whether

she was required to write in a white board or to use her English. SR would shout “Yay!”

whenever she was rewarded with a chip for actively participating in the lesson.
 Academic language began with a daily visit to the board to discuss the calendar, the

weather, and the learning schedule for the day. Students were on task throughout my

entire observation with little down time. When they were done with their assigned

problems, they created their own problems and passed them to other students. There

were short conversations with these exchanges.

SR successfully completed the problems relating to rounding. She was able to show

the other students how she used place value blocks to add two numbers. Having

finished her work early, she asked the teacher if she could help other students. SR

offered to help a boy who had not completed his work yet. The boy didn’t appear to

need her help and she moved off task and began a conversation with another student

and sang a song. She is friendly, but shy, with other students, always smiling.

Student-to-student language exchange is discussed as a benefit for English language

learners especially when the students hear a model using academic language (Soto,

2012.) During reading class, the teacher introduced vocabulary words and asked

students to repeat after her. SR seemed to be listening but did not attempt the word.

She did respond, “To do really well,” when she was asked what confident meant. When

asked to join in a discussion with tablemates about a character in a story, SR did

participate. As the lesson continued, she began to respond and help define the meaning

of phrases and individual words, confirming the teacher’s assessment that her English

comprehension is good.
 Sheltered Content Instruction, by Echevarría and Graves describes a teaching design

that enables English learners to practice English while working around classroom

content. My thought about SR is that she is in a great place for continuing her English

and academic language learning. She is successful in her learning environment and is

increasingly able to communicate with other students and her teacher.

b. With a partner, share your written experience and identify common

elements based on student and/or observer experience.
Fellow UAS student Heather Shelton and I met to discuss our ELL observation. We

found that our students were very similar. They are both in the 3rd grade and they come

from Filipino households. A difference is that Heather’s student speaks nearly fluent

English, yet still needs support. SR continues to struggle as she acquires English, yet

her progress is seen in her willingness to raise her hand and answer questions.

Heather’s student has a tutor, an ELL teacher, and a reading specialist. When lessons

are introduced, this student pays more attention to the tutor than to the teacher and

asks for help and direction. SR’s class does have an aide, but she does not have the

support of a tutor or an ELL specialist. SR gets right to work and does not appear to

need more guidance than the other students in her academics. SR’s teacher appears

to me to be very trained in her role of teaching to multiple learning levels in her

classroom, while the other student’s teacher, according to Heather, did not appear to

accommodate the special needs of her ELL students.

 c. If all supports were in place, would the observation experience have been
the same? Explain.

The school where I work has what this school calls an Inclusion classroom for third

and fourth graders who test lower than 40 percent. This student receives speech

support. There is no direct ELL support other than her Inclusion classroom.

I observed what I thought was excellent modeling as the teacher provided explicit

instruction at a relaxed pace. She spent considerable time on vocabulary and made

sure all students understood the new material. She taught the identical curriculum as

the higher testing classroom but accommodated the range of needs in her class. I

observed visualization, wide participation in the discussion around the text they were

reading, extended thinking time, and an offer of multiple approaches to a problem. This

teacher said that when she accommodates one child’s needs, all students benefit.

Some students will stay permanently in this class and others will mainstream to standard

classrooms when they begin to test at higher levels.

d. What considerations for using Academic Language and ELLS will you take
into account as you plan your instruction?
SR speaks Filipino at home and has slowly been acquiring English language since

beginning Kindergarten four years ago at this same school. SR has an IEP for speech

and language impairment. Her teacher said she understands English well but has

difficulty with her verbal skills. According to the teacher, the English communication

ability has improved considerably since the start of this school year and the teacher was
surprised at how well the student answered math questions on my first day of

observation.

In working with SR and other ELL students I would work towards increasing her

relationships, and conversations with, other students. I would introduce academic topics

and encourage discussion with table partners. More opportunities to speak will increase

her speech confidence over time and discussion with other students introduces new

ideas and learning. I would continue to be as explicit as possible with extra time paid to

make sure the specialized language related to math, science and social studies is

understood. I would help select a wide range of book topics, both informational and

fiction at the appropriate level, and encourage as much reading as possible.

 Resources
Soto I. (2015). ELL Shadowing as a Catalyst for Change. Corwin.
Echevarría J. & Graves A. (2015). Sheltered content instruction: Teaching English
learners with diverse abilities. Pearson.