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

Students learning English as a second language will use English to express their opinions and
judgments on experiences, messages, ideas, information, and issues from a variety of perspectives.
They will develop and use skills and strategies appropriate to their level of English proficiency to
reflect on and analyze experiences, messages, ideas, information, and issues presented by others
using a variety of established criteria.
Performance Indicators: See page 20
Advanced
Students watch movie, The Long Walk Home, and a documentary
about the Montgomery bus boycott. They take
notes on the facts of the bus boycott and then write a summary
of the story in The Long Walk Home. They write an
evaluation of the two films by answering the question “If
you were the teacher, which film would you use to teach
about Rosa Parks and the bus boycott, and why?” In small
groups, students share and compare answers.
Performance indicators: 1, 2, 4, 5
English Proficiency Level
Transitional
Students watch a documentary on the Montgomery bus
boycott, take notes, and as a whole class discuss the issues
raised in the film. Then they watch The Long Walk Home,
paying close attention to an antagonist on each side of the
issue. They write a brief character analysis of each antagonist
with a rationale for the filmmaker’s purpose for writing
the two characters into the script and a discussion of how
these characters contributed to or embellished the documentary.
Performance indicators: 1, 2, 4, 5
Students complete Intermediate task and as a whole class
predict TV viewing habits of adults. Each student interviews
three or four adults, tabulates data, and graphs results.
Students engage in a class discussion of similarities/differences
between predictions and results, and between adult
and student viewing habits. In small groups, students discuss
possible explanations for these differences and individually
write a position paper. Papers are shared in class.
Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 7, 9
Students complete Intermediate task. From criteria for effective
ads, students create a rubric for assessing degrees of
effectiveness on a scale of 1-4. Using the rubric, students
reevaluate the original ads, ranking each ad in each category.
They compare the objective analysis to their earlier subjective
opinions and, using the writing process, write an
essay explaining what they have learned about advertising
or prepare an effective ad based on the rubric.
Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 7, 9
Students complete Advanced task. As a whole class they
analyze data to devise optimal schedule of TV programming
and, in small groups, compare predictions to actual
programming. Groups summarize their findings, compare
their findings to those of other groups, and report them in
letters or e-mails to TV stations with graphs and suggestions
based on findings.
Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Students complete Advanced task. Students are given a
variety of magazines (e.g., sports, health, travel, etc.) to be
categorized. They brainstorm product categories and tally
the types of ads in each magazine category. They graph
results, then choose a product, select an appropriate magazine,
and develop an ad for this product. Students present
ads to classmates, and edit according to feedback. Finally
they present a proposal to the manufacturer.
Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 7, 9
ESL
3
Interm
Students complete Intermediate task. Class brainstorms features
that facilitate the use of reference materials (e.g.,
index, pictures, captions, charts, large print, etc.). The
school librarian directs students to reference materials germane
to a topic (e.g., Civil War). Students evaluate materials,
using the established criteria and class-made rubrics.
They select the 10 most useful reference materials and produce
an annotated bibliography for use by other students.
Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9
Students complete Intermediate and Advanced tasks,
expanding scope to include using the Internet as a source
for information and a fourth center. After exploring various
search engines, students generate criteria for effective and
efficient search engines and create assessment rubrics to
rate returns on requests. They develop an annotated list of
useful websites germane to a topic (e.g., Civil War) for use
by other students, organizing sites in categories such as
biographies, histories, maps, or illustrations.
Performance indicators: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9
Continued on next page
CLASSROOM
TASKS
Sample Classroom Tasks 77