Writing Goals for English Language Learners

Indispensable Tools for Today’s ELL Professionals

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Writing Goals for English Learners

Jordan Meranus: Ellevation CEOAllison Balter: EL Teacher, Lawrence MA

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AGENDA

I. Introduction

II. Context

III. Goals: Definition, Criteria

IV. Creating Goals: Where to Start

V. Creating Goals: 3 Case Studies

VI. Monitoring Goals

VII.Ellevation Platform Description

ELLEVATION

Ellevation is a software company exclusively dedicated to serving English Language Learners and the educators that work with them.

THE ELLEVATION PLATFORM

• Individualized Learning Plans aligned to state, Common Core, and WIDA standards

• Student/school/district analysis of ELP assessments

Instruction

Collaboration• Collaborative goal setting and progress monitoring• Communication tools for ELL and classroom teachers

Productivity• ELL Data Collection and Demographics• Required letters to families in 25+ languages

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NATIONAL REACH

190 School Districts: 26 States

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TODAY’S OBJECTIVE

Help all participants gain practical tips for writing goals for individual English Language Learners or groups of ELs at a similar level, and ideas on how to monitor student goals.

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OPENING EXERCISE

1. Student will grow from a Level 1.9 in speaking to a Level 3.9 in

speaking by the end of the school year.

Of the three goals below, which would you rate as the highest quality and most applicable for use by a teacher?

3. Student will increase his/her reading fluency to a rate of 85

words per minute.

2. Student will write a well-organized paragraph with a clear main

idea and supporting details by the end of Unit 3.

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AGENDA

I. Introduction

II. Context






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I. CONTEXT

Set and Track Goals

Student Learning

Objectives

RTI LIEP

Personalized Learning

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II. WHY ARE GOALS IMPORTANT

PlanningSetting goals helps teacher make

sure lessons are targeted and strategic.

Differentiation

Helps make sure teachers provide necessary scaffolds/supports based

on individual needs.

Student Motivation

Transparency with students, and enabling them to set and track

progress, is empowering!

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AGENDA

I. Introduction

II. Context






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III. WHAT ARE GOALS

Definition: Statement of an Intended Outcome of Work

Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Time-

bound

Criteria: We are going to use the SMART framework as criteria for

evaluating goals.

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III. SMART … FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS

Criteria

Specific

Measurable

Attainable(Aligned)

Relevant

Time-bound

Description … for ELLs

target a specific area for improvement

focused on a single language domain, very concrete skill

quantify or at least suggest an indicator of progress

tools exist, such as a rubric, to measure student progress

realistic and aligned to appropriate standards

aligned with language development standards and proficiency levels

goals matter and are appropriate for this time and place

relevant to what students need to be successful in content classes and move to next level of proficiency

specify when the result(s) can be achieved

specific to individual or groups of students

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OPENING EXERCISE

1. Student will grow from a Level 1.9 in speaking to a Level 3.9 in

speaking by the end of the school year.

2. Student will write a well-organized paragraph with a clear main

idea and supporting details by the end of Unit 3.

3. Student will increase his/her reading fluency to a rate of 85

words per minute.

Of the three goals below, which would you rate as the highest quality and most applicable for use by a teacher?

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AGENDA

I. Introduction

II. Context






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IV. CREATING GOALS: HOW DO I START?

Work AchievementWhat will

I observe? In the context of content.

2 TimeframeBy when?

3

Baseline & Target

At what level are

my students.

VerbWhat will

the student do.

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1. Use assessment data to determine where a student is currently performing across domains

2. For newcomer/beginner – 2 ELD levels in one year

3. For intermediate or higher – 1 ELD level in one year

4. Each student needs an annual goal for each domain.

5. From there we can chunk up goals into smaller sub goals.

Baseline and Target

IV. BASELINE AND TARGET

Academic Language Demands

L1

L2

L3

L4

L5

LinguisticComplexity

Vocabulary Usage

Language Forms


1. Goals are action oriented.2. Focused on language skills and functions.3. Examples:

– Increase– Critique– Compare and contrast

4. Sources of verbs that are appropriate for goals

– Bloom’s Taxonomy– Can Do Descriptors

1 Verb

IV. HELPFUL TOOL: BLOOM’S TAXONOMY

IV. HELPFUL TOOL: WIDA CAN DO DESCRIPTORS


1. Specific to language domains – Speaking; Listening; Reading; Writing

2. Related to what students must do in grade level content classes

3. Examples– Writing assignment– Oral classroom debate– Annotating in the margin of the text

2 Work Achievement


1. Long-term goals– Year-long (2 level growth for beginners; 1 level

growth for intermediates and above)

2. Short-term goals– Unit-specific– Quarter or semester specific

3 Timeframe

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AGENDA

I. Introduction

II. Context






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V. CREATING GOALS: 3 CASE STUDIES

Case Study 3Individual Student

Case Study 1 ESL Class: 12 Students

Case Study 2 Content Class; Multiple Levels; 22 Students

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V. CASE STUDY 1: ESL CLASS

ESL Class: Beginners

12 Students • 7 are Level 1 • 5 are Level 2

Single Domain Focus: WritingGoal: 2 Levels of Growth• Level 1 – Level 3• Level 2 – Level 4

Baseline & Target

At what level are

my students.

Student Levels: Writing

1 2 3 4 5012345678

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V. CASE STUDY 1: CONSTRUCTING THE GOALS

For Current Level 1 Students

Work Achievement

Timeframe

2 3Verb1

Verb

Student will explain steps…Student will give opinions…

For arriving at a solution…through a letter on…

Work Achievement

Student will compare and contrast two characters from a story, in two well organized paragraphs that include at least three similarities and three differences, by the end of the unit in

December.

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Work Achievement

Timeframe

2 3Verb

1

Student will compare and contrast two characters from a story, in two well organized paragraphs that include at least three similarities and three differences using transition words to connect ideas,by the end of the unit in

December.

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V. CASE STUDY 1: SMART CRITERIA

Criteria For ELLs

Specific Focused on a single language domain: Writing

Measurable

Criteria exists to evaluate well written paragraphs.

Attainable(Aligned)

Work product is realistic and aligned to appropriate standards.

Relevant Applicable to the work of the class.

Time-bound Teacher has specified “by the end of December”.

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V. CASE STUDY 2: CONTENT CLASS

Content Class: 22 Students

Single Domain Focus: Speaking

Goal: 1 or 2 Levels of Growth• Level 2 Level 4• Levels 3, 4, and 5: 1 level growth• Level 6: Maintain high expectations

Baseline & Target

At what level are

my students.

1 2 3 4 5 6012345678

Student Levels: Speaking

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Work Achievement

Timeframe

2 3Verb

1

Students will present and defend a point of view in a debate scenario, giving multiple reasons for their position, by the end of the unit in February.

Students will present and defend a point of view in a debate scenario, giving multiple reasons for their position and citing clear evidence from different sources by the end of the unit in

February.


For Current Levels 3-6 Students

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Criteria For ELLs

Specific Focused on a single language domain: Speaking

Measurable

Teachers can track whether students articulate “multiple reasons”.

Attainable(Aligned)



Time-bound Teacher has specified “by the end of the unit in February”.

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V. CASE STUDY 3: INDIVIDUAL STUDENT

Focus on Reading and Writing as areas of growth

Baseline & Target

At what level are

my students.

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Student will use a variety of strategies to analyze and interpret text by the end of the 2013-14 school year, as evidenced by annotations in text, performance on classroom assessments, and standardized assessments.

Work Achievement

Timeframe

2 3Verb

1

Student will identify unknown words in a text and use context clues to infer their meaning.

Student will make predictions about a text based on text features, such as titles, pictures, captions, subheadings, and bold words.

Student will identify main ideas and label key supporting details.

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Criteria For ELLs

Specific Focused on a single language domain: Reading

Measurable

Using both assessments and observations, teacher can measure progress.

Attainable(Aligned)



Time-bound Teacher has specified “by the end of year” for the broader goal, and then has chunked up the goal and can set timeframes for each.

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AGENDA

I. Introduction

II. Context






VI. MEASURING PROGRESS

Evaluating progress is difficult; different tools and approaches are needed

– Speaking and writing are easier with rubricsa. Formative and summative assessments

b. Organic progress monitoring; note taking

c. WIDA Writing Rubric

d. WIDA Speaking Rubric

– Reading and listening are more difficult; no production

a. Formative and summative assessments

b. Organic progress monitoring; note taking


Provide students constant and ongoing visibility into their own progress


Provide students constant and ongoing visibility into their own progress




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AGENDA

I. Introduction

II. Context






Education

Writing Goals for English Language Learners