Many ELL students whether they were born in Canada or aboard
come to school already at a disadvantage from their English-speaking
counterparts. Some ELL might be
fleeing from war torn areas or in poverty. They will have to learn a new language and adjust to new
customs. According to Jim Cummins, the conversational
proficiency known as BICS (Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills) occurs
sooner than academic skills known as CALP (Cognitive Academic Language
Proficiency) which can take up to 5 to 7 years (Cummins, 1989). The use and understanding of
technology as one of the many tools and skills in a classroom/LC might be able
to help quicken the literacy growth, academic comprehension, and digital divide
between ELL and native speakers.
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| Retrieved from https://www.teachers.ab.ca/SiteCollectionDocuments/ATA/Publications/Specialist-Councils/ESL-3-1%20Distinguishing%20between%20BICS%20and%20CALP.pdf |
The research in the area of ELL and digital literacy in the
21st century is still a field that needs more research or more
experts to publish the great work that they are doing. I searched in the UBC
library publications, ERAC, and online with keywords such as "ELL, digital
literacies, technology, and 21st century," and there weren’t as many
resources as I hoped for especially for primary students.
A lot of the research and articles for ELL on technology has been more on using apps to build vocabulary and grammar which are important. But I was looking at a more subject integration and cross curricular approaches where vocabulary and grammar are not learned in isolation but is more meaningful and knowledge filled. I was looking more for innovative research and technology on how to empower ELL in the 21st century so that they can have a voice. The hope is that all learners in our schools will be collaborators, independent thinkers, inquiry seekers, and innovators. I wanted to find different strategies to engage and motivate the students so that they know how to learn and be lifelong learners.
A lot of the research and articles for ELL on technology has been more on using apps to build vocabulary and grammar which are important. But I was looking at a more subject integration and cross curricular approaches where vocabulary and grammar are not learned in isolation but is more meaningful and knowledge filled. I was looking more for innovative research and technology on how to empower ELL in the 21st century so that they can have a voice. The hope is that all learners in our schools will be collaborators, independent thinkers, inquiry seekers, and innovators. I wanted to find different strategies to engage and motivate the students so that they know how to learn and be lifelong learners.
Perhaps the lack of time, access to technology, budget, professional
workshops, and teachers’ digital literacy skills have made it more difficult to
integrate and implement technology along side with learning strategies that
have been beneficial for ELL.
Slowly but surely, the integration of technology in schools is being
used but it will take some time.
I have looked at many websites, videos, and blogs. I have read many academic articles and
chapters in books. I have chosen
those that are relatively recent, interesting, and that I thought would be
beneficial to the ELL in the LC or classroom. This curation will be a continual process and critical
evaluation to scaffold the differential needs of the student population that I
will be teaching. I am looking
forward to seeing what is being created in the future and what I can add to
that body of research once I am back into a school setting. I find it really exciting!
The following are the resources that I have curated. I have included an explanation and
thoughts for some. Others are
self-explanatory by their titles or were explained more in detail in my
previous blog.
Government and Curriculum Documents - provide a background knowledge and
framework for ELLs
BC's Digital Literacy Framework. BC Government.
Retrieved September 23, 2017 from http://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/kindergarten-to-grade-12/teach/teachingtools/digital-literacy-framework.pdf
BC's New Curriculum. BC Government. Retrieved
September 23, 2017 from
English as a Second
Language – Introduction.
(2015). British Columbia
Teaching Federation – BCTF.
Retrieved from http://www.bctf.ca/issues/resources.aspx?id=10824
-Short overview of ESL/ELL
and role of ESL/ELL teachers
Jenkins, Rob. (2015). Integrating Digital Literacy and English Language Instruction: Companion Learning Resource. US Department of Education. Retrieved from https://lincs.ed.gov/sites/default/files/LINCS_CLR-2_508_0.pdf
K-12 Resource Collection. ERAC. Retrieved
September 30. 2017 from https://k12.bcerac.ca/?Keywords=ELL&GradeK=true&Grade1=true&Grade2=true&Grade3=true&Grade4=true&Grade5=true&Grade6=true&Grade7=true&Grade8=true&Grade9=true&Grade10=true&Grade11=true&Grade12=true
-good resources that are “evaluated and approved” by
educators for the BC Curriculum and subject integration, there were 35
resources for the ELL search
Myths and Reality. (2009). Best Practices for ESL Students. Newfoundland Labrador Education. Retrieved from
http://www.ed.gov.nl.ca/edu/k12/curriculum/guides/esl/myths_reality.pdf
NCTE
Position Statement. (2013). The NCTE Definition of 21st Century
Literacies. Retrieved from http://www.ncte.org/positions/statements/21stcentdefinition
Professional Abstracts, Books, Experts, and
Research – clinical data, pedagogy, and researched best practices to
benefit ELL
Black, Rebecca W.
(2009). English –Language
Learners, Fan Communities, and 21st-Century Skills. Journal of Adolescent and Adult
Literacy. Vol. 52, No. 8. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/stable/pdf/27654331.pdf.refreqid=excelsior%3Aac1ef188c208f96bc7902086e033733f
Cummins, Jim et. al.
(2012). English Language
Learners in Canadian Schools.
Emerging Directions for School-Based Policies. TESL Canada Journal.
Vol. 29, Issue 6. Retrieved
from http://www.teslcanadajournal.ca/index.php/tesl/article/view/1121/940
-discusses using digital storytelling and Desktop Author,
discusses the importance of making meaningful connection to their lives
Cummins, Jim. Retrieved
September 30, 2017 from http://home.oise.utoronto.ca/%7Ejcummins/cummins.htm
-many publications and expert on ELL , professor at
University of Toronto, BICS and CALP
Jim Cummins Research on BICS and CALP. (2016). West Middle School.
[YouTube]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-JvqObf5qk
- video interview with Dr. Jim Cummins about the difference
between conversational and academic proficiencies
Cummins, Jim and Early, Margaret. (2015). Big Ideas for Expanding Minds. Pearson
Canada.
- this latest book is reviewed by ERAC at
- this latest book is reviewed by ERAC at
Delacruz, Stacey et An, Sohyun. (2014).
Lights, Camera, iPads, Action! How a Fourth Grade Class Learned
21st Century Literacies Through Various Art Projects. New Waves - Educational Research and Development. Retrieved from
Early, Margaret. Retrieved September 30, 2017 from http://lled.educ.ubc.ca/profiles/margaret-early/
-another great expert on ELL, professor at University of British Columbia, many bodies of research and projects, wrote about graphic organizers, multi-literacies,
Gunderson, Lee et al. (2013). ESL (ELL) Literacy Instruction: A
Guidebook to Theory and Practice. Routledge. Retrieved
from
Gustad, Alexandra Ritt. (2014). The Impact
of Technology Tools on Literacy Motivation on Elementary School English
Language Learners: Podcasting in a 4th grade EAL class. International Schools
Journal. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=ca299a49-e6c5-4ffe-8fc6-b182108a0145%40sessionmgr4009
-many great resources for teachers and parents from different collaborators, it is American based with links to the Common Core
TESL Canada Journal. CBCA Education. Retrieved September 30, 2017 from http://www.teslcanadajournal.ca/index.php/tesl/index
-database of topics in ELL, some of the publications are dated
when using key words like “technology and digital literacies” and more articles
for older students but a good source to see what is happening in the field
Understanding ESL Learners: Distinguishing between Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills (BICS) and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP). Retrieved September 30, 2017 from
Websites, Blogs, and Apps
Amplify Your ELLs’ Voices with Digital Storytelling. Common Sense Education. Retrieved
September 30, 2017 from https://www.commonsense.org/education/teaching-strategies/amplify-your-ells-voices-with-digital-storytelling
-very helpful and current website with lots of resources,
articles, and strategies for technology and ELL
Broderick, Maggie. (2016). Technology for 21st-Century English Language Learners. Hot Chalk. Retrieved from http://www.hotchalkeducationnetwork.com/technology-for-21st-century-ells/
Burns, Monica.
(2013). Free Apps to
Support Vocabulary Acquisition by ELLs.
Edutopia.
-apps for vocabulary
Cronin, Ashley. (2016). Resources for Teaching English Language
Learners. Edutopia, George Lucas
Foundation. Retrieved from
Culips ESL Podcast.
Podcast Chart. Retrieved
September 20, 2017 from
- a lot of adult topics but shows the possibilities of podcast for
younger learners
Davis, Syon. 10 Best, Shockingly Good Apps for ESL
Teachers. [Blog] Retrieved
September 30,
-free and paid apps, linked to Amazon LLC so some paid advertisement
http://blog.teslontario.org/teaching-esl-with-technology/ - TPCK Model
Heinze, Juliette. Supporting English Language Learners with Technology. Retrieved September 30, 2017 from https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/supporting-english- language-learners-technology/
-good ideas, has other related articles with using technology for ELL
Huynh, Tan.
Empowering ELLs – Learn, Teach, Empower. [Blog] . Retrieved
September 23, 2017 from https://www.empoweringells.com
-doesn’t have technology or digital literacy but have great
ideas and speakers to empower ELL
Mango Languages.
Retrieved September 30, 2017 from https://mangolanguages.com/available-languages/
-app that can learn English for non-native speakers or 70
other languages.
New Directions for
Technology Use in ELL Instruction.
(2017). Improving Literacy and Communication Language Magazine. Retrieved from
Professional Learning, Increase
Your Capacity to Teach DT - TPCK Model.
Digital Technologies Hub. Retrieved from http://www.digitaltechnologieshub.edu.au/teachers/professional-learning/tpck-model
-Australian Curriculum,
pedagogy, assessments, teachers, family, digital technology, TPCK (Technology, Pedagogy, Content, Knowledge) model for shown below:
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| Retrieved from http://www.digitaltechnologieshub.edu.au/teachers/professional-learning/tpck-model |
Rich, Sarah. (2012). Public Libraries Adding Language Learning Software. Government Technology. Retrieved from
-an article about public libraries using Mango Languages for
their non English-speaking patrons to access library resources on-line
Sanchez, Sophia. (2016). 10 Popular Apps for English Learners and Teachers. Getting Smart. Retrieved from http://www.gettingsmart.com/2016/06/10-popular-apps-english-language-learners-teachers/
Top Tools for Dynamic
Digital Storytelling. Common Sense Education. Retrieved September
23, 2017 from https://www.commonsense.org/education/top-picks/top-tools-for-dynamic-digital-storytelling
Welcome to Technology in Education wiki. Technology in Education. Retrieved September 30, 2017 from https://teched2010.wikispaces.com/home
-good starting point to get general information on different
technologies such as digital storytelling, constructivism, Web 2.0 but
information should be used with caution and backed up with research (with all
wikis)
The
Visual Dictionary. Retrieved September 23rd, 2017 from https://infovisual.info/en
Youtube Kids.
Retrieved September 30, 2017 from https://kids.youtube.com.
-app for kids that have “family-friendly videos”
-Great ideas like digital field
trips, Web Quests, Podcasts, Skype
Videos
Cordova, Rachel.
(2013). Technology in the
ESL/EFL Classroom. [YouTube]. Retrieved from
-recommended technology and websites
Ferlazzo, Larry. (2015). 5-Minute Film Festival: 7 Videos for ELL Classrooms. Retrieved from
-links to videos and strategies
for using videos with ELL
National Film Board of
Canada. Retrieved September
30, 2017 from https://www.nfb.ca/search/
Rizzo, Stacey.
(2013). Classroom
Technology for ESL/ELL/Foreign Language Studies. [YouTube]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5CWbxyd0Bw
-Edublog, smartpen, Lingoword, iPads. Here is the YouTube video below:
Supporting English Language
Learners with Digital Storytelling. (2016). Common Sense Education.
[YouTube]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-T-iA_6Nk4
YouTube Education. Retrieved September 30, 2017 from https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3yA8nDwraeOfnYfBWun83g
-many videos for curious minds
and to bring information and literacy to life
Conclusion
I think that it is important to integrate technology for ELL
(and all learners) with BC’s New Curriculum. The Internet is a vast resource of knowledge that can be
used to easily learn new ideas, share thoughts, see new images, and hear new
languages. When I was teaching
ELL, I was pretty skilled at drawing pictures and charts as a visual cue and
graphic organizers to build ideas and background knowledge but now at a click
of a button, I can bring the picture alive visually and through sounds on their
own personal devices or the smartboard.
Learning can be explained in the ELL first language with such programs
such as Google translate if someone else in the class doesn’t speak their
language. The internet can let us
see together where they are from and what they value. We can meet their extended families over Skype if they have access to the internet.
We can experiences places that we have never been. Providing the ELL the skills to access
school databases, video clips, and interactive e-books will allow learning to
happen anywhere and anytime. The authenticity that technology can bring into a
classroom will make learning more meaningful for all types of learners and
learning styles.
The world is changing at a quick pace technologically and we
need to find new innovative strategies that will bring ELL and for that matter,
all learners, into the 21st century so that they will be future
problem solvers and innovators in our global world.
