Checklist of Instructional Modifications for LEP Students

Student(s) (initials): general observation of past ELL students (Carbondale

has no ELL students)
Grade: _2__
School: ___McNichols & Whittier______

Instructional Modifications

Check
Modificat
ion ()

Comment

1. Shorten assignments, tests

2. Oral administration of test, taped

tests

3. Provide highlighted texts, tests

-key information was

highlighted for student
(especially for social
studies)

4. Use visual cues to accompany oral

directions

-teacher used lots of

hand gestures directing
attention to what was
being said

5. Provide advanced organizerswebbing, outlining, graphing

6. Extend time for completion of

assignments, projects

7. Provide study sheets

8. Use assignment notebooks and

prompts

9. Provide repeated reviews and

drills- vary teaching strategies

-assigments were
simplied for student

-teacher made
simplified study guide
for student

-teacher did this not

only to benefit ELL

students but to benefit

lower achieving
students as well as the
whole class in general
10. Teach in small cooperative
groups

11. Reduce paper/pencil tasks

12. Provide manipulatives

13. Seat in close proximity to the

teacher

14. Encourage student to underline

key words or facts

15. Use language experience

activities

16. Allow students to express key

concepts in their own words

17. Provide time and place for

assistance with school projects

18. Directly teach vocabulary used

on tests

19. Audiotape lectures

20. Peer tutoring

21. Shorten length of oral tasks

22. Provide clarification in primary

language (if possible)

23. Allow translations by peers for

clarification

-small group instruction

was a big part of
teachers teaching
method

-this was explicit

-not offical tutoring but

students sitting next to
ELL student often
helped him

-no one in the class

spoke the ELL students

native language
24. Monitor for individual student
comprehension

25. Simplify language and adjust

rate of speech when needed

-teacher did a good job

doing this

26. Frequently monitor for

comprehension

-not only for ELL

student but for the rest
of the class as well
-did take particular
note of ELL students
understanding

27. Other recommended

interventions

-pull-out services

Observation Questions for ELL/LEP student(s)

1.

What techniques/methods/strategies do you see being used

with the ELL/LEP student(s)? Are they effective? Why or
why not? (Either specifically for the ELL student(s) or in
whole class/small group instruction)

2.

While in Whittier Elementary, my teacher had three ELL students

in her classroom, all of which were in different stages. For the
two students that spoke and understood basic English, she
highlighted and emphasized key information in all subjects for
them. She also shortened and simplified their tests. For the one
ELL student that spoke no to little English, she would stray from
the current content that the rest of the students were learning
and give him basic content information. For example, for spelling
tests, she gave him every day, basic English words so that he
could learn the foundations of the language yet still have a
spelling grade for him. These strategies were often effective for
the ELL students because the content was more focused for
them, which made it easier for them to grasp the information
and understand it.

Do you notice any student behaviors that you would consider

out of the ordinary? Please describe in detail. (This
applies to both the ELL student(s) and other classroom
students)

At McNichols, I observed that there was one student that would

not speak at all to either the teacher or her classmates and I
found this to be out of the ordinary. Even if students are shy to
answer questions they usually have a friend in the class that
they talk to, but this student did not say a single word to anyone.
The teacher would not even call on her to try to get her to
participate, which surprised me. After taking note of this after
several observations in the classroom last semester, I asked my
teacher about the situation. I discovered that the student was an
ELL student and she was in her silent period and she was a very
shy person.

3.

What type of interactions do you see between the ELL

student(s), other classroom students, and the teacher(s)?
Please describe in detail.

4.

Identify resources/materials that are being used with the ELL

student(s). Please describe in detail how the ELL student is
using them. Do they appear to be effective? Explain.

5.

At Whittier Elementary, there was one ELL student that had just
arrived from another country and he did not speak a lick of
English. The only word that he knew (after being in the classroom
a couple weeks) was bathroom. Because he knew a limited
amount of English, he did not speak to other students. For this
reason, his audible interactions with the teacher were also very
restricted. There was another ELL student in the class as well but
he had been in America and at Whittier Elementary for about a
year. He spoke very basic English. He would often make small
conversations with the students who were seated around him. A
girl that was seated next to him often talked to him and helped
him with the work they were doing. His interactions with the
teacher were more frequent and advanced than the other ELL
students interactions with the teacher but they were still
restricted due to the language barrier. He relied a lot on hand
signals to convey what he wanted.

The short time I was at Whittier Elementary, I observed that the

ELL students received pull-out services. The students would be
gone for about a half hour at a time. Although I was not there
long enough to observe if this was effective, I asked my teacher
while I was there if she thought the services were helping. She
told me that it was a slow process but she definitely thought the
services were helping the students progress.

Does the classroom environment seem to be comfortable for

the ELL student(s)? Please describe the environment and
explain how you made your decision.

For the ELL student that had been at Whittier Elementary for
over a year, the classroom environment seemed to be
comfortable for him. My teacher was a very caring teacher that

made the learning environment relaxing while still being an

effective teacher. I think the environment was comfortable for
this student because when he wanted to, he would have basic,
casual conversations with other students. He was also not afraid
to work in groups. For the ELL student that had just moved to
America from another country, the classroom environment
seemed to be kind of intimidating for him. I think this had to do
more with the fact that he is in a new, foreign country that he is
not quite sure of yet rather than having to do with the
atmosphere of the classroom.
6.

Whats the comfort level of the ELL student(s) in regards to

the English language? What observations help you arrive at
your decision? Refer to the Vocabulary Performance
Indicators. At what level would you place the ELL student?
How did you decide on that level?

7.

The ELL student at Whittier Elementary that had just come to

America from a foreign country was not comfortable with the
English language whatsoever. He could barely speak and
understand the language. When it comes to vocabulary of the
English language, I would definitely say that he was at the lowest
levelno knowledge of the language or its vocabulary. I
decided on this level because he had just come to America so he
had not yet acquired the basic language. The other ELL student
that had been at Whittier Elementary for about a year was
somewhat comfortable with the English language. I would say he
was at the second to lowest levelgeneral sense of the
language and its vocabulary. I decided on this level because the
student has a basic understanding on the language but is far
from fully acquiring all of the English language.

If you feel comfortable enough to ask, ask the cooperating

teacher (or ESL teacher) what type of
accomodations/modifications they have to make for the ELL
student(s). Please describe the types of
accomodations/modifications that were discussed. Do they
appear on the checklist? Why/why not do you think they are
present/not present on the checklist?

Although I did not have the opportunity to ask my teacher at

Whittier Elementary, I know of a few general accommodations
that were made for the ELL students. All of them appear on the
checklist. The students received an extension on projects and
some assignments. Assignments, as well as tests, were
shortened and simplified as well. In addition, the students
received pull-out services.