ESL Accommodations

All  teachers with ELL students will soon receive an email from Melinda Rush about the  ELL student and their scheduled time and day for ESL lessons.    

All ELL students receive accommodations because of their lack of English Language Proficiency. The accommodations checklist is attached. Teachers may use any or all of the accommodations listed to help the student be successful in the classroom.  Please print the accommodations checklist for your use.

For those of you who are unsure about accommodations…”The Office of Civil Rights Regulations clearly states that it is the school district’s responsibility to provide modified instruction to ensure that the Limited English Proficient students have access to the same education and programs as their native English-speaking peers.”

“Although support from bilingual or ESL personnel is helpful and important, it is not enough.  The classroom teacher, provided he or she employs appropriate methods for teaching non-English speakers, and supplies both understandable situations and opportunities for the student to interact with classmates, is a key factor in the success of the ESL student.”

Thank you for your support of our ELL students!

Melinda Rush

ESL ACCOMMODATIONS:  The ELL student’s educational plan may employ any or all accommodations listed below. These are to be chosen and used by the classroom teacher as appropriate. This list is to remind teachers of accommodations that are helpful to ELL students, and to remind teachers to document the accommodations used.

1.        Provide oral tests

2.   Give short answer tests

3.   Change test format

4.   Provide highlighted texts, materials, etc.

5.   Use visual aids

6.   Provide additional instructions

7.   Provide outlines

8.        Extend time for assignment completion

9.   Shorten assignments

10. Utilize assignment notebooks & prompts

11. Teach in small group

12. Provide manipulatives

13. Allow for peer teaching

14. Reduce paper/pencil tasks

15. Provide review & drill as needed

16. Seat in front of class

17. Reduce auditory & visual distraction

18. Create vocabulary card file

19. Read to student

20. Help student located key words &
important facts

21. Permit the use of bilingual dictionaries
& electronic translating devices for tests,
classwork

22. Provide photocopied notes or outlines

23. Provide summaries  
                                                                         
24. Give alternative homework or class
assignments suitable for English
proficiency

25. Provide page number when student
needs to answer questions from text

26. Color code questions & related text

27. Substitute hands on activities or use of
other media for written tasks

28. Reduce amount of written work required

29. Provide for bonus projects

30. Provide homework & reading
assignments in advance

31. Use informal assessments

32. Substitute reading assignments that
are appropriate for reading level. Use
material designed for LEP students
when possible.

33. Disregard spelling errors, allow for
correction before grading

34. Allow student to express correct
answers on tests in alternate formats

35. Use group work for assessment

36. Use appropriate teacher-made tests
instead of book tests.

37. Give shorter tests more often rather
than chapter tests

38. Provide word banks & matching
columns for tests.

39.   Provide for individual testing