ESL Learning Standards - Higher Ed - New York State Education ...

Standard 1: Continued
Elementary Grade Sample Classroom Tasks:
English Proficiency Level
Beginning
Students listen to or read a simple book about bats (e.g.,
Screech! by Melvin and Gilda Berger, Amazing Bats by
Frank Greenaway, Bats by Gail Gibbons, or Zipping,
Zapping, Zooming Bats by Ann Earle). Teacher displays
four sheets of poster paper, each bearing one of the following
titles: What Bats Eat, What Bats Do, What Bats Look
Like, Where Bats Live. Students look at a variety of picture
books and draw and label (with teacher’s help) interesting
facts. Class collaborates to categorize information (i.e.,
attach it to the appropriate poster). Students create their
own illustrated bat books, using a template provided by the
teacher.
Performance indicators: 1, 2, 4, 7, 15, 16
Intermediate
Teacher shows pictures of bats. Class creates a KWL chart
reflecting students’ prior knowledge and their questions
about the topic. Teacher makes available a variety of picture
books on bats (see Beginning task). While students
look through the books and discuss interesting finds with
each other, teacher writes down comments verbatim.
Teacher helps students share all their interesting facts and
observations with the class as they enter them on poster
paper, as described in Beginning task. Teacher and class
read Stellaluna by Janell Cannon (identifying factual vs. fictional
elements) or sing B-b-b-bats! by Norma Gentner
(Wright Group Publishing. Co.). Students continue to add
to posters. Students make their own illustrated books
about bats by selecting and paraphrasing a variety of categorized
information.
Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 15, 16
ESL
1
Elem
Teacher brings in photographs of different life events (e.g.,
as a baby, on the first day of school, at graduation). Class
brainstorms important events in students’ lives. Students
take home simple questions to gather information about
events from family. They share information with class,
including photographs, if possible. Teacher demonstrates
the creation of a personal timeline using brief captions.
Students order their photographs chronologically and create
their timelines with teacher’s help. Students share timelines
and discuss similarities and differences. Timelines and
photographs are displayed on bulletin board.
Performance indicators: 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 14
Students complete Beginning task, using more detailed
information for the timelines. Students use the timelines to
write simple autobiographies, which may be shared in
class. Students listen to or read an illustrated biography of
a historical figure such as Harriet Tubman (e.g., Go Free or
Die by Jeri Ferris, Escape North! by Monica Kulling, Minty:
A Story of Young Harriet Tubman by Alan Schroeder).
With teacher’s help, class creates a timeline of Tubman’s
life. Small groups collaborate to create parts of a matching
game of questions and answers about Tubman’s life, to be
played by the class.
Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14,
16
Students listen to or read Pizza by Saturnino Romay
(Scholastic). Students pantomime the steps in pizza making
(e.g., measuring, chopping, kneading, sprinkling), making
sure steps are in correct sequence. Teacher creates word
wall for vocabulary, including sequence words. Students
write and draw simple steps in order. Class collaborates to
make a real pizza, following the steps outlined.
Performance indicators: 1, 7, 9, 12, 13
Students read Banana Shake. Small groups list the steps
involved in making a banana shake, using sequence words.
Students take turns carrying out the steps to make a real
banana shake, while the teacher (or a student) takes a (digital)
photograph of each step. Class collaborates in the creation
of their own “Banana Shake” book, (modeled after
Banana Shake by P. Cartwright) using photographs and
captions. Students do a presentation and demo in another
classroom and share banana shake.
Performance indicators: 1, 3, 7, 9, 12, 13
44 Learning Standards for ESL