Part -1:
1. Describe the relationship between oral language and literacy. How might the development of oral language have an impact on the literacy development of an ELL student? Describe one teaching/learning activity or strategy which might be used to promote oral language development with either young ELLs (PreK-6) or older ELLs (7-adult)-choose one age level. Identify ways in which this activity supports literacy.
2. What are academic language and Sheltered Content Instruction? What are the roles of the ESOL teacher in providing them? How can appropriate language objectives be identified within content area materials? How can you help your mainstream teachers understand the ideas of academic language and Sheltered Content Instruction so that your ELL students can actively participate in their mainstream, content area classes?
3. What is invented or temporary spelling? What concepts about language and about literacy are learners working out as they use invented spelling? What role do you think invented spelling plays in developing literacy in a second language? What is your role as an ESOL teacher when working with students using invented spelling?
4. It is always a challenge to determine if the reasons behind an English language learner's academic struggles are a result of the process of language acquisition or if they are indicative of a learning disability. Address how to determine if a student should be appropriately referred for Special Education support.
5. What are literacy scaffolds? Why are they necessary and helpful, not just to English Language Learners but to all literacy learners? Choose one strategy you especially like which is primarily a reading strategy, and another which is primarily a writing strategy (recognizing that these two areas are inextricably linked). Explain how these two strategies scaffold the literacy development of English Language Learners.
Part 2:
Paper on students with limited or Interrupted formal education
One of the most challenging teaching situations is to provide appropriate instruction for students who have had limited or interrupted formal education. Write a paper consisting of two sections. Review recent literature in the field of TESOL as well as the NYS ESL standards booklet and the NYS ESL Resource Booklet in order to
1) craft a description of circumstances that might lead a student to be considered SIFE;
2) make recommendations for instruction that take standards into account. Expected length of the narrative component of this paper would be in a range of 4-6 pages. Use at least 3 resources.
You will need to include a reference section. Appropriately use citations within the paper.