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Introduction

Who are the English language learners in your class?

Children of different ethnicities

English language learners are not a homogenous group and may include:

  • students from homes where a language other than English is spoken
  • ESOL-funded students from migrant, refugee, or NZ born backgrounds
  • previously-funded students
  • students transitioning from kura to English medium-learning environments
  • students from bilingual education settings
  • international fee paying students

Key ideas about English language learners

  • English language learners should make accelerated progress. 
  • There is a sense of urgency as they work towards reaching their peers, that is to catch “a moving target”.  
English Language Learners Diagram
  • Teachers, students, families, and whānau are advantaged if they understand English language learning pathways.
  • English language learners need to become proficient users of academic English language for learning at school, as well as proficient users of social English for communication purposes in the wider community.
  • When English language learners have strong home language(s) they are more easily able to achieve in English.
  • English language learners need to continue to use metacognition or critical-thinking skills in their first language to help them develop skills in English.

What are the stages of the English Language Learning Progressions?

English Language Learners Diagram 2

The broad stages of the English Language Learning Progressions are:

  • Foundation
  • Stage one
  • Stage two
  • Stage three
  • Stage four

in oral language, writing, and reading.

The stages are described in very broad and generalised terms. This is deliberate. Language acquisition does not necessarily follow a smooth or linear pathway.

The matrices do not describe language learning in exact detail, although the supporting exemplars do. This approach allows teachers to make judgments across a range of contexts, text-types and ages using the same matrix.

Judgments about what stage a learner is at can never be absolutely accurate; they can only indicate the "best fit" for that learner. Your professional judgement is always needed.

You will probably notice that some learners will show features across more than one stage.

How do The Progressions: ELLP align with The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC)?

  • If you have younger learners in years 1–4, what is the pathway of English language acquisition as your students access learning at levels 1 and 2 of the NZC?
  • If you have learners in years 5–8, what is the pathway of English language acquisition as your students access learning at levels 3 and 4 of the NZC?
  • If you have older learners in years 9–13, what is the pathway of English language acquisition as your students access learning at levels 5 -8 of the NZC?
English Language Learners Diagram 2

This diagram can assist you to consider these questions. This diagram is in the front section of each Progressions: ELLP booklet. You can also listen to a recorded explanation about pathways for students’ language learning. 

recorded explanation (MP3 1MB)

The New Zealand Curriculum (p.16) also outlines important messages about Learning areas and language.

How can you help your students to access The New Zealand Curriculum at age-appropriate levels as soon as possible?

English language learners should have the same learning outcomes as other learners in their peer group, but they will need explicit language teaching and extra scaffolding of learning.

In other words, you will need to consider how to provide appropriate cognitive challenges as well as teaching the English language skills necessary to access all of the Learning areas in The New Zealand Curriculum.

The resources you will need

The goal of this resource is to help you use the  English Language Learning Progressions: ELLP, and to understand and support the learning of English language learners in your classroom. As you work through the modules, you should have the following ELLP support materials handy.

  • Introduction booklet
  •  Oral Language Exemplars (DVD)
English Language Learning Progressions Introduction Cover

You will also need the booklet that is relevant to your class level, for example:

  •  Years 1–4 or
  •  Years 5–8 or
  •  Years 9–13.
English Language Learning Progressions Covers

All schools with ESOL funded learners were sent these documents in a large ringbinder in 2008.

If you need to order copies of these materials, please email  [email protected] or telephone 0800 660 662.

How do The Progressions: ELLP fit with other ESOL resources?

Two key resources you could find useful are the English Language Intensive Programme (ELIP) and the Supporting English Language Learners in Primary Schools (SELLIPS) resource.

Supporting English Language Learners in primary schools (SELLIPS)

Once you have established a stage on The Progressions: ELLP for your learners, you will be able to use the SELLIPS and ELIP resources to plan effective teaching and learning for your students. Go to the relevant stage for your learners to find specific suggestions and ideas for your planning in a range of contexts. These resources help you scaffold student learning.

Associated resources

When working through the modules, the following resources may be useful in providing supporting information:

  • Ministry of Education (2007). The New Zealand Curriculum for English-medium Teaching and Learning in Years 1–13. Wellington: Learning Media.
  • Ministry of Education (2003). Effective Literacy Practice in Years 1 to 4. Wellington: Learning Media.
  • Ministry of Education (2006). Effective Literacy Practice in Years 5 to 8. Wellington: Learning Media.
  • Ministry of Education (2004). Effective Literacy Strategies in Years 9 to 13: A Guide for Teachers. Wellington: Learning Media
  • Ministry of Education (2009a). Learning through Talk: Oral Language in Years 1 to 3. Wellington: Learning Media.
  • Ministry of Education (2009b). Learning through Talk: Oral Language in Years 4 to 8. Wellington: Learning Media.
  • Gibbons, Pauline. (2002). Scaffolding Language, Scaffolding Learning. Portsmouth: Heinemann
  • Gibbons, Pauline. (2009). English Learners Academic Literacy and Thinking. Portsmouth: Heinemann

Module 1- Oral language

Introduction

In this module you will:

  • view some oral language exemplars
  • analyse your students’ talk in relation to The Progressions: ELLP
  • plan further opportunities to develop students’ oral language

You will need:

Getting started

To start thinking about speaking and listening, please read the relevant section in The Progressions: ELLP. This is a useful summary, easy to read, and contains important ideas about your English language learners. (It’s only 2 pages.)

  • Years 1-4 pp.7-9
  • Years 5-8 pp.7-9
  • Years 9-13 pp.7-9

Summary of key messages about listening and speaking

  • Help your learners to understand and use appropriate language for different audiences and purposes (for example at lunchtime with friends compared with discussing a class topic in the classroom).
  • Focus on teaching academic oral language (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency: CALP), as students will pick up social English (Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills: BICS) more easily.
  • Notice how oral language challenges learners in different ways from written language (for example there is generally no opportunity to listen again to a speaker, but with a written text learners can re-read it).
  • Think about the factors that influence each learner’s oral language proficiency. These include:
    • the content of and teaching approaches used in previous English language instruction (if any.)
    • the age at which your learner began learning English.
    • their level of confidence in speaking English, especially risk-taking.
  • Remember that your learners will generally understand more than they can say - their receptive language (making meaning/listening) will be more advanced than their productive language (creating meaning/speaking).
  • Encourage your learners to continue to speak in their home language(s) as this will help them to think deeply and learn English more effectively.
  • Secondary teachers might note that there is an approximate correlation between the stages of The Progressions: ELLP and the ESOL unit standards.
Oral Language Key Messages (PDF 83KB)

Gathering information

Using the Oral language section of The English Language Learning Progressions: ELLP

Open and read the double-sided, fold-out page for the oral language matrix in your booklet. It is colour-coded for each stage. 
 

Years 1-4 pp.11-12
Oral Language Matrix - Input Years 1-4
  Click the above image to enlarge
 
Years 5-8 pp.11-12
Oral Language Matrix - Input Years 5-8
  Click the above image to enlarge
 
Years 9-13 pp.11-12
Oral Language Matrix - Input Years 9-13
  Click the above image to enlarge

Input and output

There are two oral language matrices:

Output i.e. what your learners can say
Input i.e. what your learners can understand

You’ll see that the output matrix includes the context, the content, delivery, non-verbal responses and language structures used by learners.

The input matrix includes the context, the content, delivery, language structures that the learner may understand and the first language support the learner needs. Look for these aspects of oral language across the top and the different stages down the side.

For each stage of The Progressions: ELLP, the matrices show some characteristics of input that learners can understand and some types of responses (output) they are likely to produce.

Opportunities for oral language assessment

There are many different oral language assessment tools being used by schools.

Informal tools include observations in a variety of contexts:

  • in social and academic contexts
  • during classroom activities in pairs, small groups or whole class
  • during presentations (news, debates, speeches etc).

Information from observations might include:

  • notes as your learner talks about something they have learned
  • notes as you observe your learner follow spoken instructions
  • recording word for word the sentences your learner can use
  • notes as your learner participates in planned and specific listening and speaking activities
  • digital voice recordings of your learner
  • anecdotal observations that you recall about your learner
  • samples from formative assessment activities.

Further opportunities for oral language assessment

Some of the formal tools include:

  • PAT listening
  • NEMP tasks
  • Junior Oral Screening Tool (JOST)
  • ARBs
  • NCEA; ESOL Unit Standards, Literacy Unit Standards and other Unit and Achievement Standards from a range of Learning Areas
  • Record of Oral Language

Assessment Tools Selector

Further information about a range of assessment tools is available at Assessment online

Watching the Oral Language Exemplars

Watch the Oral Language Exemplars DVD and select either Years 1-8 or Years 9-13 from the menu.

  • Watch the students as they talk about their learning from current units of work.
  • Note some of the detail on screen for each learner. This provides the evidence for placing the learner at each stage.
  • Go to the demonstration section on the DVD menu and practise placing some of the students on the matrices.

What features of oral language (output) do you notice?

As you watch, make notes about the content, delivery, non-verbal responses and language structures used by each learner.

You might like to download the following template to record your notes about each learner:

Oral language - note taking guide (PDF 59KB)

Thinking about your own students' oral language

Collect some information about your own English language learners’ oral language:

  • samples of students’ talk (particularly students talking about their learning in curriculum contexts)
  • results of any formal assessment tools
  • notes from informal observations
  • evidence of the learners’ listening skills

Making a 'best-fit'

How do I go about this?

In this section you will use your information to decide on a ‘best fit’ stage for your students. 

oral output video 2.

Oral Output (speaking) – See how one teacher and her colleague work together to decide on a student’s output stages.

Oral output video.

Oral Input (listening) – A teacher and her colleague work together to decide on a student’s input and output stages.

Where do your English language learners fit on the oral language matrices?

Place your own students on the input and output matrix.

ELLP Matrices (PDF 112KB)

Look at the input and output matrices and decide which stage your student is likely to fit into. Make a general decision at this stage.

Sit your own student’s oral language information alongside the indicators at your best-fit stage.
- does this look like the right stage?

Examine the ‘content, delivery and language structures’ at your chosen stage, looking to confirm the typical features with your own student’s talk.
- does this confirm your identification of the best-fit stage?

If it doesn't confirm your identification, look at the stages before and after the one you are looking at to try and find the appropriate stage for your learner. You will probably notice that students show aspects across more than one stage. You are aiming for an overall ‘best fit’.

Monitoring your learners

Keeping track of your learners’ stages is important. One purpose is to show progress over time and this could be done in a variety of ways. You could:

  • highlight and date the indicators on the matrix and record the student’s ‘best-fit’ level. 
  • annotate the matrix with extra notes that support your decision.
  • collate the information on a student ‘record of progress’ form. See the example which you could use or adapt from the booklets.
    Years 1-4 p.64
    Years 5-8 p.81
    Years 9-13 p.89
  • record on your school manager or database system.

Consider how this information helps you and what you should do next to help your learners.

  • what do my students need to learn next?
  • what do I need to do next?

Next steps

Acting on the oral language information

Our suggestions to further develop your own ability to interact effectively with English language learners include:

  • allowing additional “wait time” to give learners a chance to initiate and/or respond
  • modifying your speech if necessary so that students understand.

Suggestions to further develop your students’ oral language proficiency include:

  • using the matrices and looking ahead to the indicators at the next stage
  • using visuals or real life objects to hang new language and learning on
  • providing multiple opportunities to use new vocabulary and/or language structures
  • collaborative small group tasks such as jigsaw tasks
  • think-pair-share
  • 3-2-1 oral language tasks
  • speaking frames
  • disappearing definition.

Many of these strategies are found:

If you need to order copies of these materials, please email  [email protected] or 0800 660 662.

Leading professional learning - oral language

How to use this online material with other teachers to develop knowledge about English language learners’ oral language:

  • The facilitation manual of The Progressions: ELLP also has some helpful ideas. Look at pp.22-24 for tasks, templates and focus questions around the oral language section of The Progressions: ELLP. 
    Oral language - note taking guide (PDF 59KB)
  • Return to the tab above,  Gathering information,  and go to - Watching the Oral Language Exemplars.  Work through the viewing guide with your teachers, making links to the students in your school who show similar features of oral language and who would be at each stage.
  • Use the series of DVD Making Language and Learning Work (1, 2 & 3) to help you plan for specific teaching ideas and support your discussion about oral language with teachers.

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