Running head: TEXTS FOR ELL STUDENTS !

Academic Texts for ELLs and SELLs

Caleb Ricks

National University
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TEXTS FOR ELL STUDENTS
Academic Texts for ELLs and SELLs

1. Students at the emerging phase have limited English skills. Though their speaking, listening,

reading, and writing skills in English are minimal, students at this level progress relatively

quickly. These students communicate meaning at a basic level, rely on learned phrases and

vocabulary words to communicate, and can read short grade-appropriate texts using visuals

and familiar vocabulary. Though they progress quickly, emerging students require moderate

to considerable language support, especially in social and academic contexts. Students in the

expanding phase have a more developed reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills in

English. These students are able to use English to communicate ideas in more meaningful

ways and only require minimal language support in academic and social contexts. Expanding

students are able to begin simple conversations and are eventually able to communicate more

complex ideas orally. These students are also able to read more complex texts independently.

In terms of speaking, expanding students can meet immediate communication needs (such as

in a conversation) and are able to engage in collaborative conversations in English. Bridging

students are able to communicate complex feelings and ideas through speaking and writing.

Their listening and reading skills are well-developed, and these students are able to

understand abstract and concrete topics presented in English. These students are able to

independently read grade-level and complex grade-level texts and are able to initiate and

sustain complex and collaborative discussions in English. Bridging students may still require

moderate to light language support, especially when dealing with unfamiliar topics, but they

do not require any specialized ELD instruction. Native English students who speak non-

standard forms of English, such as African American Vernacular English or Chicano English,
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TEXTS FOR ELL STUDENTS
are fluent in an English dialect that has its own grammatical rules. Because these

grammatical rules differ from standard English, these students may struggle comprehending

texts and instruction taught in standard English.

2. The two texts that I am choosing for this assignment (11th grade) are Sandra Cisneros’ The

House on Mango Street and Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye. Both of these American literary

texts reveal that identity is not static. It is fluid, ever-changing and evolving based on

environments, beliefs, cultural systems, and human interactions. Although identity is fluid,

one does not always get the chance to choose one’s own identity. It can be manipulated and

molded by the hands of those in a higher position of power. Identity can be directly tied to

one’s gender, one’s race, one’s social class, or a combination of all three. Morrison’s The

Bluest Eye analyzes how one’s identity can be strictly linked to skin color and enforced by

the racial elite. Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street examines how gender and sex-role

expectations are used as tools to enforce the identity of women. Through different female

leads, these novels both reveal the consequences of enforced identity and the difficulties of

defying such an oppressive construct.

3.

TEXTS FOR ELL STUDENTS
The House on Mango Street
Emerging • extended metaphor and other
figurative language—many may
mistake figurative language as
literal
• reading aloud and independently
• poetry vs prose
• descriptive language
• vocabulary and discussion about
poetic and figurative language
• sensory language
• multiple levels of meaning
• vocab: narrator, plot, metaphor,
simile, and symbolism
• collaborative discussion about text
• demonstrating understanding of
each vignette
• expressing complex ideas about
text both orally and through
writing
• understanding figurative language
in context
• summarize what was read
• differences between native
language and English phonemes
• understanding setting (south side
Chicago)
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The Bluest Eye
• extended metaphor and other
figurative language—explaining
and understanding metaphor
• African American Vernacular
English dialogue
• Keeping track of characters
• understanding chronological order
(jumps through time)
• vocabulary and discussion about
figurative language
• sensory language expressed as
metaphor
• metaphorical themes
• colloquialisms and dialect
• mature themes
• how setting contributes to
meaning (rural south)
• historical context
• expressing ideas about themes
both orally and through writing
• understanding multiple layers of
meaning (race, gender, class,
community, power, beauty)
• understanding symbolism and
motifs
• literacy vocabulary: theme,
symbol, motif, narration, diction,
non-linear plot
• cultural references
• unfamiliar language and complex
ideas

TEXTS FOR ELL STUDENTS
The House on Mango Street
Expanding • extended metaphor and other
figurative language—many may
mistake figurative language as
literal
• reading aloud and independently
• poetry vs prose
• sensory language (simile and
metaphor)
• vocabulary in text
• multiple levels of meaning
• express complex ideas
• comprehend abstract themes
• make connections across text
• recognize and understand
language subtleties (poetic)
• read text independently
• initiate and sustain collaborative
discussion about text
• read with full comprehension
• express ideas in written English
• understanding figurative language
in context
• make connections across vignettes
• understanding text’s structure
(vignettes) and how structure
conveys meaning
• independently summarize what
was read
Bridging • extended metaphor and other
figurative language—unpacking
figurative language to understand
multiple levels of meaning
• relationships across vignettes
• explain inferences from text both
orally and through writing
• comprehend abstract themes as
expressed through figurative
language
• make connections to other texts
• determining multiple levels of
meaning of theme (social, gender,
racial)
• explain author’s use of language
and how successful author is in
expressing theme
• understanding and using academic
vocabulary
• understanding text’s structure
(vignettes) and how structure
conveys meaning
• connecting literal ideas to abstract
ideas
• when writing, condense ideas into
concise sentences
!5
The Bluest Eye
• extended metaphor and other
figurative language—explaining
and understanding metaphor
• African American Vernacular
English dialogue
• understanding chronological order
(jumps through time)
• vocabulary and discussion about
figurative language
• sensory language expressed as
metaphor
• metaphorical themes
• colloquialisms and dialect
• mature themes
• how setting contributes to
meaning (rural south)
• historical context
• read text independently
• initiate and sustain collaborative
discussion about text
• read with full comprehension
• express ideas in written English
• understanding figurative language
in context
• make connection across and
throughout text
• independently summarize what
was read
• extended metaphor and other
figurative language—explaining
and understanding metaphor
• African American Vernacular
English dialogue
• sustaining dialogue in English
about themes and ideas
• explain author’s use of language
and how successful author is in
expressing theme
• understanding and using academic
vocabulary
• close reading of the text to
decipher meaning and support
textual arguments
• explain inferences made from the
text, both orally and through
writing
• write clear and coherent
summaries of the text
• present a written argument about
the text
• independently writing about the
text in a well-structured essay
• understanding the text’s structure
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TEXTS FOR ELL STUDENTS

The House on Mango Street The Bluest Eye

Bridging • extended metaphor and other
figurative language—unpacking
figurative language to understand
multiple levels of meaning
• relationships across vignettes
• explain inferences from text both
orally and through writing
• comprehend abstract themes as
expressed through figurative
language
• make connections to other texts
• determining multiple levels of
meaning of theme (social, gender,
racial)
• explain author’s use of language
and how successful author is in
expressing theme
• understanding and using academic
vocabulary
• understanding text’s structure
(vignettes) and how structure
conveys meaning
• connecting literal ideas to abstract
ideas
• when writing, condense ideas into
concise sentences
Non-Standard English • listening comprehension (if not
speaker of Chicano English)
• reading text written in Standard
English
• understanding figurative language
in Standard English
• reading conversations in Chicano
English (of not a speaker)
• vocabulary words
• Discerning theme
• close reading and analyzing
textual evidence
• relating to text
• summarizing text in SE
• extended metaphor and other
figurative language—explaining
and understanding metaphor
• African American Vernacular
English dialogue
• sustaining dialogue in English
about themes and ideas
• explain author’s use of language
and how successful author is in
expressing theme
• understanding and using academic
vocabulary
• close reading of the text to
decipher meaning and support
textual arguments
• explain inferences made from the
text, both orally and through
writing
• write clear and coherent
summaries of the text
• present a written argument about
the text
• independently writing about the
text in a well-structured essay
• understanding the text’s structure
• listening comprehension (if not
speaker of AAVE)
• reading text written in Standard
English
• understanding figurative language
in Standard English
• reading conversations in AAVE
(of not a speaker)
• vocabulary words
• Discerning theme
• close reading and analyzing
textual evidence
• relating to text
• summarizing text in SE

After considering what my ELL students may struggle with when reading

academic texts, I now understand how to assist these students. I also understand how

much of a challenge it will be to teach texts that use figurative language to students who

are just beginning to learn English. This, I believe, is why so many teachers contribute to

the watered-down instruction given to ELL students. Many teachers are intimidated

because they not know how to teach ELL students figurative language, extended
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TEXTS FOR ELL STUDENTS
metaphors, or multiple levels of meanings. Of course, I m not saying that I already know

how to do this, but I do believe that ELL students, like any student, are fully capable of

learning these ideas. Students who do not speak English as their first language still have

a literacy in their native language. In these native languages, these students are exposed

to vast amounts of figurative language, so it is not that they do not understand metaphors

and similes, but that it may be difficult to separate the literal from the figurative when

learning a new language. Again, this is not because these students are empty vessels, but

because they are learning new mechanics in a new language and therefore need our

assistance. For this reason, I will never decide to give my ELL students less homework

than native English speakers. ELL students are just as capable of understanding the

English language as any student, and subjecting them to a less-than education is

unacceptable.

Having this new understanding of the levels of language proficiency has made me

more confident when thinking about teaching ELL students. I now have to knowledge of

checkpoints so that I can assess my students’ progress. I can use my knowledge to each

stage to ensure that my ELL students are mastering the necessary skills to improve their

English language competency. This knowledge also allows me to set realistic goals for

these students to achieve and provides me the necessary tools to help them achieve these

goals. From studying the charts provided in this week’s unit, I am aware that

collaboration and discussion, not only writing and reading, are essential skills to practice

when mastering English. I will ensure that my ELL students are integrated with my

native English speaking students so that they can collaborate and grow as speakers and

students.
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TEXTS FOR ELL STUDENTS