Language Acquisition Chart for English Language Learners (ELLs)

Official
Definition Student Behaviors Challenges Teaching strategies
Name
 Students may not be ready to Able to: observe, locate, label, May have difficulty:  Use manipulatives, visuals,
actively produce or may attend to match, show, classify, name,  Following multiple directions, realia, props, games, and gestures
1. hands-on language categorize, recall, draw, list, understanding questions,  Create climate of
Entering demonstrations with more point out, underline, organize, expressing needs, understanding acceptance/respect that supports
understanding (silent period) reproduce, sequence, social situations acculturation
 Listening and responding in non- demonstrate, illustrate  Identifying sound-symbol of a  Use cooperative learning groups
List students at
this level here:
verbal ways to show new language  Require physical response
understanding or may initiate  Depends heavily on context  Expressing complete thoughts; (points, draws, gestures, etc.) to
conversation by pointing or using  Has minimal receptive Speaks in single words and check comprehension
single words or may initiate vocabulary phrases (may have notable  Display print to support oral
conversation by pointing or using  Comprehends keys words from grammatical errors) language
single words grade level content with  Remembering grammatical rules  Model activities for students
 Very limited instruction and scaffolds  Developing sight vocabulary  Use hands-on activities
comprehension/vocabulary  May verbalize key words in  Emphasize key vocabulary
 0 – 1,000 receptive word isolation after silent period Social-Emotional Challenges:  Adjust rate of speech and
vocabulary  Indicates comprehension  May be frustrated, enunciation
 Adjusting to U.S. culture physically (points, draws, withdrawn/low self-esteem,  Ask yes/no questions
gestures, etc.) trouble concentrating  Avoid idioms
NYSED Definition  Responds with one/two word  Adapting to a new culture,  Provide repetition and establish
A student at this English language answer or short phrases after behaviors, values and academic routines
proficiency level relies heavily on settings
silent period  Allow pronunciation variables
teacher supports and instructional  May appear inattentive  Prior academic knowledge and  Simplify language, not content
scaffolds to advance his or her  experiential background (culture
academic language skills.
Dependent on modeling and  Ask students questions that
visual and contextual clues to and prior living experiences) require one/two word responses
obtain and convey meaning  Faced with cultural assumptions,
 Lessons that expand vocabulary
 Mispronunciation/grammar ideas, values that are unfamiliar
 Scaffold instruction
errors and impact learning
 Pre-teach academic vocabulary
and concepts
 Allow students to use L1 when
appropriate
 See Ellevation for strategies
 Intensive English Language Development (ELD) in social communication as well as in academic language in English
Needs  Instruction that focuses on learning language as well as content
 Frequent opportunities to practice their English in social situations as well as academic contexts within the classroom
** Please note-
 Students progress at independent rates depending on previous schooling, acculturation, and motivation.
 Students with no previous schooling will take longer to progress through these stages.
 English Language Learners have varied ability in their first language.
 Proficiency levels are determined by the NYSITELL and NYSESLAT.

Office of ENL, World Languages and Bilingual Education Winter 2017 1

 Language Acquisition Chart for English Language Learners (ELLs)
Official
Definition Student Behaviors Challenges Teaching strategies
Name
 Students begin speaking in Able to: tell, describe, restate,  Still makes errors in speaking, Use Entering teaching strategies
short phrases and simple compare, question, dramatize, reading, and writing in and…
2.
sentences map, calculate, define, choose, English  List and review instructions
Emerging  Frequent mistakes in predict  May seem more proficient step by step
grammar, word order, word  Depends heavily on context than they are  Build on student’s prior
List students at
usage  Continues to depend on  Conversational fluency may knowledge
this level here:  Limited comprehension and teacher supports and be more advanced than  Incorporate more scaffolds for
vocabulary instructional scaffolds academic language developing reading and
 Up to 3,000 receptive/active  Produces phrases or simple proficiency writing skills
word vocabulary sentences  Listening skills may be  Provide more opportunities
 Uses limited vocabulary stronger than speaking skills for student interaction
NYSED Definition  Makes grammatical errors  Will have difficulty with  Increase usage of advance
A student at this English language  Initiates conversation and understanding English organizers
proficiency level relies on teacher questions grammar
supports and instructional  Demonstrates comprehension  May be confused by idioms,
scaffolds to advance his or her by responding orally and in figurative language, and slang
academic language skills. written form (charts, graphs,  Communication may be
diagrams) impeded by an accent or
 Comprehension varies based dialect
on student’s literacy  Still developing reading
development in L1 comprehension and fluency
 May shift from one language
to another

 Intensive English Language Development (ELD) in social communication as well as in academic language in English
Needs  Instruction that focuses on learning language as well as content
 Frequent opportunities to practice their English in social situations as well as academic contexts within the classroom
** Please note-
 Students progress at independent rates depending on previous schooling, acculturation, and motivation.
 Students with no previous schooling will take longer to progress through these stages.
 English Language Learners have varied ability in their first language.
 Proficiency levels are determined by the NYSITELL and NYSESLAT.

Office of ENL, World Languages and Bilingual Education Winter 2017 2

 Language Acquisition Chart for English Language Learners (ELLs)

Official
Definition Student Behaviors Challenges Teaching strategies
Name
 Students can communicate May be able to: visualize,  Still makes errors in speaking, Use Entering, Emerging teaching
thoughts more completely, create, estimate, contrast, reading, and writing in strategies and …
3.
can participate in every day predict, express, report, English  Have students brainstorm, list,
Transitioning
conversations without highly evaluate, explain, examine,  May seem more proficient web, use graphic organizers
contextualized support question, demonstrate, than they are  Ask questions soliciting
 Up to 6,000 receptive/active summarize, illustrate  Academic language opinions, judgment, explanation
List students at
word vocabulary proficiency is increasing but (more why and how questions)
this level here:
 Continues to need visual and still relies on conversational  Develop more academic
NYSED Definition contextual support for fluency language (oral and written)
A student at this English language comprehension  May be confused by idioms,  Provide meaningful feedback to
proficiency level shows great  Engage in academic discourse figurative language, and slang support student goal setting
independence in advancing his or with peers  Communication may be
her academic language skills.  Demonstrates comprehension impeded by an accent or
with appropriate scaffolds dialect
 Uses expanded vocabulary,  Will continue to have
and occasionally expanded difficulty with understanding
and/or compound structures English Grammar
 Makes grammatical errors  May shift from one language
 Able to access grade level to another
content with appropriate
scaffolds

 Intensive English Language Development (ELD) in social communication as well as in academic language in English
Needs  Instruction that focuses on learning language as well as content
 Frequent opportunities to practice their English in social situations as well as academic contexts within the classroom
** Please note-
 Students progress at independent rates depending on previous schooling, acculturation, and motivation.
 Students with no previous schooling will take longer to progress through these stages.
 English Language Learners have varied ability in their first language.
 Proficiency levels are determined by the NYSITELL and NYSESLAT.

Office of ENL, World Languages and Bilingual Education Winter 2017 3

 Language Acquisition Chart for English Language Learners (ELLs)

Official
Definition Student Behaviors Challenges Teaching strategies
Name
 Students have advanced skills May be able to: relate, infer,  May still demonstrate Use Entering, Emerging,
in cognitive/academic judge, infer, hypothesize, difficulty with fluency due to Transitioning teaching strategies
4. outline, revise, justify, and …
language vocabulary
Expanding  Up to 12,000 receptive/active critique, summarize, suppose,  Instructional reading level  Provide scaffolds as needed
word vocabulary verify, rewrite, assess may be lower than grade level  Continue to develop cognitive
 May seem fluent but needs to academic language, both oral
List students at NYSED Definition  Maintains two-way expand vocabulary and and written
this level here: A student at the Expanding level conversations academic language  Encourage student presentation
shows great independence in  Uses more complex  Still developing grammar and of work
advancing academic language grammatical structures usage  Foster academic independence
skills and is approaching the  Demonstrates comprehension and inquiry
linguistic demands necessary to in contextualized situations  Performs somewhat on an
demonstrate English language  Uses academic vocabulary academic level
proficiency in a variety of with few errors
academic contexts (settings).  Approaching the linguistic
demands of grade-level
contexts

 Include English Language Development (ELD) in social communication as well as in academic language in English
Needs  Instruction that focuses on learning language as well as content
 Frequent opportunities to practice their English in academic contexts within the classroom
** Please note-
 Students progress at independent rates depending on previous schooling, acculturation, and motivation.
 Students with no previous schooling will take longer to progress through these stages.
 English Language Learners have varied ability in their first language.
 Proficiency levels are determined by the NYSITELL and NYSESLAT.

Office of ENL, World Languages and Bilingual Education Winter 2017 4

 Language Acquisition Chart for English Language Learners (ELLs)

Official
Definition Student Behaviors Challenges Teaching strategies
Name
 Proficient in the linguistic  May still have difficulty with  Monitor student progress for
NYSED Definition demands needed to meet idioms and figurative two years through Ellevation
5.
Commanding
As measured by the NYSESLAT, a grade level requirements language  Assign grade-level tasks
student at this level has met the  Uses complex grammatical  Continues to develop  Continue to develop cognitive
linguistic demands necessary to structures academic language academic language, both oral
demonstrate English language  Demonstrates comprehension  May still demonstrate and written
List students at proficiency in a variety of
this level here:
in decontextualized situations occasional errors in grammar  Occasional extra support
academic contexts within his or  Uses academic vocabulary and usage needed
her grade level. This student is
designated as a Former ELL and
is entitled to receive two years of
Former ELL services.

 Instruction that focuses on learning language as well as content

 Frequent opportunities to practice their English in academic contexts within the classroom
Needs
 Direct teaching vocabulary and comprehension
 Provide testing accommodations for two years
** Please note-
 Students progress at independent rates depending on previous schooling, acculturation, and motivation.
 Students with no previous schooling will take longer to progress through these stages.
 English Language Learners have varied ability in their first language.
 Proficiency levels are determined by the NYSITELL and NYSESLAT.

Office of ENL, World Languages and Bilingual Education Winter 2017 5