Course Prefix/Number: TSL 4080
Course Title: ESOL Principles and Practices
Course Credit Hours: 3 sh
Instructor Name and Contact Information: Amany Habib, Instructor, Division of Teacher Education, Bldg. 85/Room 192; Phone: (850) 474-2818; Email:
Prerequisites or Co-requisites: None
C ourse Description : The course is designed to provide a survey of information and skills concerning the education of students who are ELL (English Language Learners). It addresses the ESOL standards. The course focuses on cross-cultural understanding and methods of teaching English to speakers of other languages. It provides an introduction to linguistics and develops the capability necessary to work with families of students learning English.
P urpose of Course: This course is intended to introduce the issues, principles and practices of teaching English to speakers of other languages. The course develops the foundations of knowledge necessary to understand the concepts upon which second language acquisition and teaching are based.
The empowered person and professional (EPP) taking action, the theme of the conceptual framework of the Teacher Education Unit, focuses learning experiences on activities that permit the teacher to examine what he/she does and to take an active role in the instructional process. The subject matter, class activities, and skill development of this course were selected to assist personal development of the following characteristics of the EPP taking action: a) critical thinker, b) lifelong learner, C) counselor/mentor, d) decision maker, e) problem solver, and
f) ethical/moral professional.
G oals: The State of Florida has responded to national and state initiatives in education reform and accountability by creating legislative policies relative to the preparation of teachers. The Accomplished Practices and ESOL Performance Standards along with the Florida Consent Decree and ESOL requirements for teachers outline the knowledge, skills, dispositions, and knowledge base required for teachers to be successful with ESOL students in the diverse learning environments of Florida’s educational system.
- To prepare students to meet the following Accomplished Practices mandated by the State of Florida: #1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 (n.edu/doe)
- To prepare students to meet the ESOL Performance Standards as mandated by the State of Florida. (n.edu/doe/omsle/perstand.htm)
- To prepare students to meet the Psychological Foundations Competencies #1, 3, 4
- To prepare students to meet the Sociological Foundations Competencies. #1
S tudent Learning Outcomes : Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Recognize the need to provide services for ELL students and the need to provide relevant training of those teaching the students.
2. Demonstrate an awareness of the extent to which culture permeates every aspect of one’s being, thinking, feeling, valuing and interacting with others.
3. Distinguish between surface and deep characteristics of culture.
4. Examine and become familiar with one’s own culture and how it influences interactions with and expectations for students.
5. Recognize the stages of cultural adaptation and the behavioral characteristics of each stage and how they may influence classroom behavior.
6. Become aware of the range of diversity within any given cultural group and learn ways to use cultural information without depending on stereotypes and preconceived ideas concerning cultural characteristics.
7. Develop an understanding and acceptance of the influences that home, school and com-munity relationships have on academic achievement and school adjustment of students.
8. Utilize student and parent background characteristics to promote effective parental involvement.
9. Develop strategies and activities that promote parent, school and community relationships.
10. Develop appropriate and positive expectations for students’ progress in language learning in accord with the processes of first and second language acquisition.
11. Assess students’ oral language output using a structured observation instrument.
12. Utilize instructional approaches and techniques that integrate language and curricular content learning.
13. Develop strategies that infuse multicultural information throughout curriculum.
14. Understand the role and function of assessment and the need for alternative assess-ment in the education of ESOL students.
ESOL Performance Standards: Upon completion of this course, the ESOL teacher will be able to:
1. Conduct ESOL programs within the parameters, goals, and stipulations of the Florida Consent Decree.
2. Recognize the major differences and similarities among the different cultural groups in the United States.
3. Identify, expose, and reexamine cultural stereotypes relating to LEP and non-LEP students.
4. Use knowledge of the cultural characteristics of Florida's LEP population to enhance instruction.
5. Determine and use appropriate instructional methods and strategies for individuals and groups, using knowledge of first and second language acquisition processes.
6. Apply current and effective ESOL teaching methodologies in planning and delivering instruction to LEP students.
7. Locate and acquire relevant resources in ESOL methodologies.
8. Select and develop appropriate ESOL content according to student levels of proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing, taking into account: (1) basic interpersonal communicative skills (BICS), and (2) cognitive academic language proficiency skills (CALPS) as they apply to the ESOL curriculum.
9. Develop experiential and interactive literacy activities for LEP students, using current information on linguistic and cognitive processes.
10. Analyze student language and determine appropriate instructional strategies, using knowledge of phonology, morphology, syntax semantics, and discourse.
11. Apply essential strategies for developing and integrating the four language skills of listening composition, oral communication, reading, and writing.
12. Apply content-based ESOL approaches to instruction.
13. Evaluate, design and employ instructional methods and techniques appropriate to learners' socialization and communication needs, based on knowledge of language as a social phenomenon.
14. Plan and evaluate instructional outcomes, recognizing the effects of race, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and religion on the results.
15. Evaluate, select, and employ appropriate instructional materials, media, and technology for ESOL at elementary, middle, and high school levels.
16. Design and implement effective unit plans and daily lesson plans which meet the needs of ESOL students within the context of the regular classroom.
17. Evaluate, adapt and employ appropriate instructional materials, media, and technology for ESOL in the content areas at elementary, middle and high school levels.
18. Create a positive classroom environment to accommodate the various learning styles and cultural backgrounds of students.
19. Consider current trends and issues related to the testing of linguistic and culturally diverse students when using testing instruments and techniques.
20. Administer tests and interpret test results, applying basic measurement concepts.
21. Use formal and alternative methods of assessment/evaluation of LEP students, including measurement of language, literacy and academic content meta-cognition.
22. Develop and implement strategies for using school, neighborhood, and home resources in the ESOL curriculum.
23. Identify major attitudes of local target groups toward school, teachers, discipline, and education in general that may lead to misinterpretation by school personnel; reduce cross-cultural barriers between students, parents, and the school setting.
24. Develop, implement, and evaluate instructional programs in ESOL, based on current trends in research and practice.
25. Recognize indicators of learning disabilities, especially hearing and language impairment, and limited English proficiency.
Topics Covered:
Culture Relativism
Reflecting on Culture
Court Decisions and the Office for Civil Rights
Policy and Programs
Section II of Consent Decree
Activating Students’ Prior Knowledge
Teaching Tolerance
School and Community
ESL Myths
R equired Text: Ovando. C., Collier, V., & Combs, M. (2002). Bilingual & ESL classrooms: Teaching in multicultural contexts, 4th ed. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.
R ecommended Texts :
Florida Department of Education. (1999). Language arts through ESOL: A companion to the Sunshine State Standards for language arts. Tallahassee, FL, Department of Education. (Selected sections on library reserve)
Fattos. C. J. (1997). Joint-fostering: Adapting teaching for the multilevel classroom. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. (Selected pages on library reserve)
Spangenbert-Urbschat, K., & R. Pritchard, Editors. (1994). Kids come in all languages: Reading instruction for ESL students. Newark, DE: International Reading Association. (Selected pages on library reserve)
R ecommended Resources :
TESOL Journal
Sunshine State TESOL
TESOL Matters (A publication of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) ol.org/s_tesol/sec_document.asp?CID=274&DID=1141)
W ebsites:
International TESOL organization: www.tesol.org
Florida State TESOL organization: www.sunshine-tesol.org
Office of Multicultural Student Language Education: www.firn.edu/doe/omsle/
Translation sites: www.FreeTranslations.com www.babelfish.altavista.com www.translation.langenberg.com
Publications: www.eslmag.com www.handsonenglish.com
Activity sites: www.teachingtips.com www.onestopenglish.com www.eslflow.com
Grading / Evaluation:
Participation 15 points
2 Essay tests 20 points
Culture report 10 points
Tolerance assessment 10 points
Multicultural activity 10 points
Portfolio 35 points
1. Projects are described more completely in the project link.
2. Complete weekly assignments to demonstrate chapter/topic content knowledge.
3. Post responses to the discussion board based on textbook and online reading assignments.
4. Complete a multiple choice and an essay test.
5. Write a culture report.
6. Assessment of a tolerance activity.
7. Develop a learning activity based on a multicultural book.
8. Prepare an e-portfolio due at the end of the semester.
a. Assignments are due on or before assigned dates. The dropbox for all assign-ments will be closed at midnight of the day the assignment is due. Two points will be deducted per day for late work.
b. Deductions will be made for errors in grammar, spelling, usage and organization.
c. Weekly responses will be graded for demonstration of the completion of required reading. Responses should go beyond simply stating what can be found in the text to giving some thought to the application of what was learned.
Content Application/Participation : Keeping up with weekly reading assignments is vital to your ability to learn course content and participate in class discussions. For each weekly assignment, you will receive either a check plus (for particularly outstanding work) a check, for meeting the requirements, or a check minus if it appears that very little effort was put into the assignment, it does not reflect specific information learned from the readings, or if it is incomplete. At the end of the semester, I will calculate a percentage for checks. If your percentage is, for example, 80% you will receive 80% of the 15 points for participation. A check plus will cancel a check minus and make it equal to a check. A zero for any assignment not turned in will be equal to two check minuses.
Deadlines for dropbox - You will be asked to post your weekly assignment to the dropbox. The deadline will be Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. If you miss this deadline, it is equal to receiving two check minuses.
Final Project Description : Your e-portfolio should be divided into 7 sections. Requirements for each section are provided below. Each section is worth 5 points and must be preceded by a rationale. The rationale should give a brief explanation of how you think you met the require-ments and how you will apply this information in your own classroom. NOTE: You need to save all your work for this class for future references. I recommend that you make copies of your work as well as any online articles you read.
Section Requirements:
1. Florida Consent Decree: Summarize, in your own words, sections I, II, & III of the Florida Consent Decree (n.edu/doe/omsle/cdpage2.htm). Each one-paragraph summary should reflect information, including specific examples that goes beyond what can be obtained in the synopsis on the first page of the Decree site. This should be followed by your one-paragraph reflection. Do not just say, "I think it's a good idea." Make sure to consider the positive and/or negative aspects of each section. You may want to discuss an experience you had that applies to the section or illustrates it well. So you will end up with 3 summarizing paragraphs, 3 reflection paragraphs, and one rationale statement preceding your discussion.
2. Self-analysis of culture: In order to understand your language learners and properly communicate with them, you need to start by understanding your own culture. Write a report. First, define the word “culture”. You need to understand what this word means.... culture is not all food and music and holidays. Then analyze the things in your life experience that have determined your values and beliefs. I n addition, you need to include a brief description and explanation of 5 personal items you consider reflective of your culture. (3 pages)
3. Write a letter to parents in English informing them of certain events or inviting them to participate in an activity. Then translate your letter into another language of your choice. Check the syllabus for translation websites. You must include in the letter, a statement about how you translated the letter to avoid parents thinking you are fluent in their language or that any possible mistakes were made by you.
4. Annotated bibliography: This bibliography should include at least 10 multicultural books that you can have available in your classroom library for your students to read. Make sure to explain why the book would be beneficial to have available and how you would use it to teach your students about another culture. Do not cut and paste the publisher's description of the book from Amazon.com (or any other commercial site). You need to read the book and describe it in your own words.
5. Web sites: Examine 8 different web sites related to teaching English as a second language. Do not use any of the websites in the syllabus. The idea is to find additional resources. Write a one-paragraph description for each site and explain how it can benefit you in the future. Include the address for each website at the beginning of each paragraph.
6. Discuss an idea you have for encouraging multiculturalism in your classroom. Explain the age group for which you believe your idea is suitable and the method and/or materials you need. Cite your sources using proper APA.
7. Prepare a description of 15 strategies you intend to implement when teaching English language learners. Explain why this strategy is important in order to help ELL's understand subject matter more clearly. How will it make learning easier/more meaningful? Include any sources you use, and use proper APA format.
This is a One project-One file. Make sure sections are completed in the order listed above.
If you have any questions, e-mail me and I will be glad to offer assistance. In addition, there is an open forum where you can post questions you believe will be of interest to other students.
Consent Decree will be completed one section at a time during the semester, which will allow for resubmission if you do not fully meet the requirements. Resubmissions will allow you to gain back half of the points you lost.
Grading Scale: