Ballard & Tighe, Publishers

News Release on Oral Language Practice

2011-02-14T16:02:00.000-08:00

See the official press release and download the free whitepaper:

Oracy is the Bridge to Literacy

Oracy is the Bridge to Literacy

2011-02-14T15:55:00.000-08:00

Educators might be asking themselves if oral language development is “in” or “out” in their English language development (ELD) classroom. A white paper released by Ballard & Tighe, Publishers finds that research supports the need for oral language emphasis in ELD/ESL instruction. The current surge in popularity of oral language instruction emphasizes academic oral language, sometimes referred to as “oracy.” This language is more structured than informal oral language, and therefore it forms a perfect bridge between oracy and literacy.

In the research-based report, “Strategic Oral Language Instruction in ELD: Teaching Oracy to Develop Literacy,” the authors recommend that oral language instruction for English language learners (ELL) have the following characteristics:

*Be systematic and structured
*Contain vocabulary development that is relevant, rigorous, and rich
*Include explicit practice of key grammatical forms that are embedded in the functions of language
*Support language rehearsal in an engaging and meaningful context presented by the teacher modeling and guiding language structures
*Provide multiple opportunities to rehearse language involving interactive and task-based activities

The paper draws from a cadre of renowned ELL researchers and synthesizes key findings on oral language development from a recently published book by the California Department of Education titled, Improving Education for English Learners: Research-Based Approaches. The paper also serves as the research base for Ballard & Tighe’s new teacher toolkit, Frames for Fluency.

To download a free copy and see a video briefly summarizing the white paper’s findings, visit http://www.framesforfluency.com and click on the “WHY” button.

Second Language Instruction through the Decades

2011-02-08T10:58:00.000-08:00

From Second Language Teaching and Learning: "No one ever warned me that the older I got, the more I would have to live down. Yes, things just change over time and you are truly humbled ..."

A New Oral Language Development Tool

2011-01-27T22:07:00.000-08:00

See the all new Frames for Fluency, an oral language development tool from Ballard & Tighe, Publishers. See it now at www.framesforfluency.com

ELLs Bridge the Gap with Frames for Fluency

2011-01-27T22:06:00.000-08:00

Brea, CA (PRWEB) January 27, 2011

Educators may be surprised to hear that research shows the average English language learner (ELL) speaks less than 90 seconds of English a day in the classroom. To help solve this problem, Ballard & Tighe, Publishers developed Frames for Fluency, a new, easy-to-use classroom tool that provides K-5 English learners opportunities for oral language rehearsal.

Most educators would agree that oral language proficiency forms the foundation of written language. In the groundbreaking report, "Improving Education for English Learners: Research-Based Approaches," a national panel of respected researchers advocates structured and explicit English language development with a focus on oral language as a key instructional practice.

Frames for Fluency is a toolbox of more than 550 ready-made sentence frames organized by proficiency level. In just 15 minutes a day, Frames for Fluency gives ELLs the opportunity to experience and practice oral language in a meaningful and structured way. Current ELL research points to the need for direct instruction on language forms (grammar) and functions (usage). Frames for Fluency enables ELLs to achieve high levels of academic oral fluency (oracy) and grammatical accuracy, serving as a bridge to literacy.

“With dropout rates more than triple their native English-speaking peers, providing ELLs a bridge to success is of vital importance for our nation’s schools. For more than 30 years, Ballard & Tighe’s sole mission has been helping English learners realize their full potential ... one student at a time,” said Mark Espinola, CEO of Ballard & Tighe.

Based on research and best practices, Frames for Fluency:

Reduces teacher preparation time in searching for and developing the appropriate language patterns for practice by providing 550 ready-made sentence frames.
Systematically and sequentially provides practice for key grammatical forms and functions of language.
Provides the scaffolding students need to reach higher levels of fluency than they might reach without support.
Uses oral language in ELD/ESL classes efficiently.
Incorporates a consistent practice routine using a gradual release of responsibility (I DO IT, WE DO IT, YOU DO IT) that allows teachers to quickly prepare for and students to effectively participate in lessons.

For a quick overview on Frames for Fluency, visit: http://www.framesforfluency.com/movie. To learn more about Frames for Fluency and to see it being used in the classroom, visit: http://www.framesforfluency.com.

About Ballard & Tighe
Ballard & Tighe, Publishers (http://www.ballard-tighe.com) has focused on developing products for English language learners since 1976. Ballard & Tighe produces assessment products and English language development materials that are used in more than 3,500 school districts throughout the U.S. and internationally.

ELLs Bridge the Gap with Frames for Fluency

2011-01-27T21:55:00.000-08:00

ELLs Bridge the Gap with Frames for Fluency

Language Testing Gets Easier for Teachers: Assessments Go Online

2010-12-01T09:10:00.000-08:00

Los Angeles, CA – December 1, 2010 – Ballard & Tighe, Publishers today unveiled the new OnlineIPT^®, a web-based language proficiency assessment platform for Pre-K-12. At $2.25 per test, the OnlineIPT is one of the most affordable, valid, and reliable oral language proficiency assessments on the education market today.

The OnlineIPT streamlines testing, providing educators of language learners with a convenient, easy-to-use online assessment platform that saves time and energy. At the click of a button, teachers, administrators, and district personnel can:

Quickly administer language proficiency tests online
Instantly generate score results and diagnostic reports
Intelligently make data-driven decisions that affect instruction
Conveniently import or export student data

“Teachers, examiners, and district administrators alike are normally accustomed to the lengthy process of hand-scoring and manually calculating language proficiency test results,” says Mark Espinola, CEO of Ballard & Tighe, Publishers. “With the OnlineIPT, test administration is automated and accumulating test results is streamlined. Districts throughout the nation are considering this platform for its powerful reporting features, which allow administrators to identify, monitor, and provide differentiated EL instruction at a school, classroom, and student level.”

Educators can learn more by visiting www.ballard-tighe.com/ipt and registering for a free webinar.

[press release].

An Invitation to See the New OnlineIPT

2010-08-31T14:38:00.001-07:00

What:

For Texas Bilingual Educators -

Texas bilingual educators are invited to a Ballard & Tighe, Publishers seminar luncheon to learn more about the OnlineIPT, a new online language proficiency assessment platform. For your convenience, Ballard & Tighe is hosting six different luncheons throughout the state. Registration and lunch is provided at no charge, plus there will be a raffle for an iPad!

The seminars demonstrate how Texas schools can benefit from an online testing platform that offers quicker, easier, and more convenient ways to administer and score language proficiency tests.

When & Where:
2010 OnlineIPT Seminar Schedule:

1:00PM – September 14 – Region 13 ESC, Austin, TX
10:00AM – September 16– Marriott (West Loop), Houston, TX
9:00AM – September 28 – Embassy Suites, McAllen, TX
12:30PM – September 30 – Region 10 ESC, Dallas, TX
10:00AM – October 1 – Historic Hilton, Fort Worth, TX
October 28 – TABE 2010, El Paso, TX

Attendees are automatically entered in a raffle for a chance to win an iPad! Reserve your seat today.

Reserve a Seat:
Educators interested in attending any one of the hour-long seminars can reserve a seat by contacting Khoi Nguyen, the event coordinator, at 800-321-4332 x304 or knguyen@ballard-tighe.com. Please see above for times, dates, and locations.

Can’t make it? Ask about our OnlineIPT Webinars.

Evaluating very young ELLs' skills in English

2010-04-29T15:22:00.000-07:00

A few recent articles and posts have raised the issue of identifying preschool English language learners in order to support their English language development. These include the Illinois proposal to regulate the education of these students by Mary Ann Zehr of Edweek (http://tinyurl.com/25vnuv6) and as well recent posting on Colorín Colorado (http://www.colorincolorado.org/). The responses to these articles have ranged from very positive to very negative. While many see the benefits of early identification, concerns have been raised about the reliability, validity, and practicality of formal assessments aimed at 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds.

It is always appropriate to ask questions of assessments, especially when new assessment regulations are proposed. This ensures proper review of proposed policies and allows for appropriate quality control in assessment implementation. As a publisher of a test that is intended for preschool English language learners, the Pre-IPT, Ballard & Tighe can provide some concrete responses to the concerns that have been raised.

Firstly, assessment design and administration procedures should always be adapted to the intended test takers. In the case of the Pre-IPT, the test is conducted as a one-on-one, untimed interaction between an examiner and a student. The test is built around a game board-like storyboard with characters that are moved on the board as the story-based test proceeds. The examiner follows a script that includes possible follow-up questions if the student makes an unexpected response. The test items are grouped into increasingly difficult sets, and if the student's responses indicate that his or her proficiency ceiling has been reached, the testing is stopped. The test concentrates on English language proficiency: vocabulary, grammar, comprehension, and verbal expression in English. The cognitive processes during the test are concrete, concentrating on naming, description and very short narration, in order to ensure full concentration on English language proficiency. During training, examiners are instructed to act in a friendly way while refraining from directly providing answers for students in order to ensure that students get language support if they need it.

Secondly, in terms of testing policy, Ballard & Tighe recognizes that the policies that test users adopt for test implementation play a major role in the fairness and equity of testing procedures for the target population. Ballard & Tighe recommends procedures similar to those proposed by the American Psychological Association, the American Educational Research Association, and the National Council on Measurement in Education. For any high-stakes decision, we recommend using more than one kind of empirical information to support the decision, such as identification and placement. We also recommend that clear procedures related to adjusting incorrect decisions be established. For placement decisions for example, such procedures could include a review period of one month after the placement decision on the basis of the student's performence in the designated program as made by the student's teachers. As for the actual testing procedures, policymakers should establish rules that ensure equal testing conditions for all students. One such policy could be always seeking test administration by familiar personnel, i.e. no "cold testing" before preschool begins. No procedures can completely avoid misidentification that may result from "bad fit" between examiner and student or day-to-day variation in "willingness to talk," for example, but they may lessen the severity of the effects.

New ELD Products To Be Showcased At CABE 2010

2010-03-03T10:38:00.000-08:00

At the California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE) Conference this week, Ballard & Tighe, Publishers (Booth 508/510) will feature new curriculum and assessment products for developing English proficiency in K-12 schools.

With a focus on English language development products, Ballard & Tighe’s product offering includes Carousel of IDEAS (K-5) and Champion of IDEAS (6-12) ELD programs as well as the IPT® Testing System that is used to identify, place, and redesignate students based on the most up-to-date demographic norming data. Carousel and Champion are comprehensive, systematic, and standards-based curricula that are organized by English proficiency level rather than by a student’s grade level. The programs are based on learning objectives found in state ELP (English Language Proficiency) standards.

The CABE tradeshow will feature the newest Ballard & Tighe products including the new Carousel Testers and the Champion of IDEAS Yellow Level curriculum for Early Advanced to Advanced language learners in grades 6-12. Champion of IDEAS Red and Blue Levels for beginning through Intermediate language learners were previously released.

Ballard & Tighe products will be the focus of two workshops at CABE:

Topic: Carousel Testers: Demonstrate, Identify, and Prepare
Speaker: Dr. Sari Luoma and Elaine McClendon
Date: March 11, 2010, 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Location: Meeting Room M, San Jose Convention Center

Topic: A Curriculum to Teach Systematic English Language Development Instruction Enhanced with GLAD (Guided Language Acquisition Design) Strategies
Speaker: Anne Ginnold and Elaine McClendon
Date: March 12, 2010, 12:45 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Location: Meeting Room J4, San Jose Convention Center

View these products and many more at the Ballard & Tighe exhibit, Booth 508/510, at CABE, March 10-13 at the San José Convention Center. Details are available at www.ballard-tighe.com/CABE2010.

Join us for a free webinar on December 9.

2009-12-07T13:26:00.000-08:00

This informative webinar will cover how the Carousel Testers:

Demonstrate students’ achievement of learning goals
Identify learning gaps
Prepare English learners for high-stakes testing

The new Carousel Testers are formal assessment components for the Carousel of IDEAS, Fourth Edition program.

In this 45 minute webinar, Dr. Sari Luoma will discuss how the Carousel Testers can help educators using Carousel to more effectively place English learners at the optimal instructional level of Carousel of IDEAS, track student achievement of Carousel chapter objectives, and better monitor student progress toward NCLB goals.

Dr. Luoma will provide insight on the Carousel Testers' test design which is based on an analysis of the chapter learning goals in terms of both content and language level. She will highlight how the Carousel Testers have been adapted to students’ cognitive and literacy levels.

***

Dr. Sari Luoma, a language testing specialist, holds a Ph.D. in applied linguistics from the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, as well as a B.A. and M.A. in language arts and education from the same institute. She serves as Vice President of Assessment at Ballard & Tighe, overseeing the design and development of the company’s IPT testing system and assessment materials such as the Carousel Testers.

Title: Carousel Testers: Demonstrate, Identify, and Prepare
Date: Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Time: 12:00 PM - 12:45 PM PST

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Announcing: The New Carousel Testers

2009-10-26T17:27:00.000-07:00

Based on feedback from educators, Ballard & Tighe developed the Carousel Testers – a series of comprehensive, end-of-chapter achievement tests for use with Carousel of IDEAS, 4^th Edition.

The Carousel Testers add a more formal assessment component that enables regular monitoring of student learning and progress.

Benefits:

Meets demands of NCLB testing, uncovers learning gaps, and improves student achievement
Every test item is correlated to specific skills and competencies
Provides test-taking practice similar to high-stakes testing situations
Provides diagnostic feedback to reveal student mastery of chapter learning objectives and identifies areas where students may need more practice
New placement tests place students into the Carousel program

For more information about the new Carousel Testers, please contact your local representative or send us an e-mail: customerservice@ballard-tighe.com

Alma Flor Ada—the Power of a Writer

2009-10-21T08:39:00.000-07:00

by Sari Luoma, Ph.D.

You know how some keynote speeches just kind of absorb your time and by the time you walk out the door, you may remember who it was by but not really what it was about? That's kind of what I was expecting on Friday, October 16th as I walked into the morning general session at the Houston TABE (Texas Association for Bilingual Education). But BOY was I wrong! Dr. Alma Flor Ada blew the audience away with her powerful storyteller ways. She had the audience alternately laughing and in tears, paying rapt attention to her talk from beginning to end. Some of the bilingual teachers in the audience must have known what was coming, as they gave her a standing ovation before she even started. And at the end, EVERYONE was standing and clapping.

So now, a couple of days after the plenary, can I say what it was about? Why, yes I can! Dr. Alma Flor Ada talked about the power of stories to move and educate people and help them grow. She talked about the centrality of language and the power of using your own voice in one, two, or more languages. She talked about having something to say and finding a way of saying it. Her talk was framed in a narrative about her life and about her journey into first becoming and then continuing to develop as a teacher. She did not directly make any of the points I just mentioned. Rather, her talk was composed of snippets from her own life and some of her encounters with other people. In more ways than one, her talk was a story and a compelling one at that.

Nobody can fit all of life into an hour of talk, but part of what made Dr. Ada's presentation so powerful was that she presented a rich and complex picture of life. Take the activity of writing. To write a story, a presenter has to have something meaningful to say and an underlying structure for relating the story. But a story does not have to be truthful to the last syllable. If you find there are things that need to be said but you do not want to say them yourself, you can create a character who can say them. If your story is too complex to tell from a single narrator's perspective, you can have multiple key characters in the story and divide the themes between them. And everyone has a story, an interest, something that makes them tick. If you are a teacher, your job is to help your students find their stories and help them, as needed, to express them.

At one point in her presentation, Dr. Ada mentioned the burden of tests and the drainage of joy from their classes, and for a minute I feared the worst. Please, not another affirmation of teacher prejudices against testing! I needn't have feared. In a few swift moves, Dr. Ada developed the topic into a powerful metaphor for teachers to use when they think about the requirements that standards and tests impose on their work. Appropriately for the pre-Thanksgiving season, she likened standards to a grocery list with categories of ingredients for a main dish, various kinds of sides, and desserts. When you're done writing your list and doing the shopping, what do you do when you get home? Surely you do not put the meat on the table raw, you don't pile the potatoes unpeeled on a plate, or leave the dessert ingredients in packages and expect your guests to enjoy their meal. Instead, you follow recipes or your instincts and you peel, chop, mix, toss, cook, fry, and bake. As the food preparations fill your house with delicious aromas, you take out the good china and shining silverware, set an inviting table, and begin to serve. So, as a teacher, if you see the standards as a shopping list and yourself as the cook and the host for the party, wouldn't you expect your offerings to be more enticing for your guests as well as yourself if you allow yourself some space for your expertise?

On my way out from the plenary, I heard many compliments from other audience members. Charged up and eager to get to work, we all went our various ways to enjoy the offerings of the concurrent sessions.

An Online Diagnostic Scoring Tool for the IPT Oral Tests

2009-10-15T14:22:00.000-07:00

Join us for a discussion at TABE 2009!

An Online Diagnostic Scoring Tool for the IPT Oral Tests

All educators, users, and non-users of the IPT Oral tests are welcome to join.

Title: Using the IPT Oral to Derive Diagnostic Information Online
Presenter: Dr. Sari Luoma
Date: Thursday, October 15th
Time: 1:45-2:30 PM
Room: Royal Suite at the Westin Galleria

This presentation will discuss an ongoing project at Ballard & Tighe, Publishers to develop an online diagnostic scoring mechanism for the IPT Oral Tests. A version of the IPT Oral diagnostic score report will be presented and audience feedback will be welcomed on its usefulness for teachers, students, and parents.

Approved by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), the IPT Oral Tests offer great potential for more detailed, online diagnostic scoring that affords additional insights into an English Language Learner’s (ELLs) oral skills profile.

Dr. Sari Luoma will show how the test items are tagged for various linguistic features that are assessed and how these items are used to provide diagnostic scores for each student.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT BALLARD & TIGHE AT BOOTH 430/432!

Bilingual or English Immersion—What Works Best for Your District?

2009-10-07T13:09:00.000-07:00

What’s the best instructional model to learn English? If you’re like me, you’re a little confused by the conflicting research and state mandates. Experts and policy makers hotly debate the effectiveness of bilingual versus English language instruction. At times, perspectives can vary on how to teach English learners (EL) just as much as the political opinions differ from the cable news commentators on Fox versus MSNBC.

Researchers tend to gravitate toward dual language or developmental bilingual programs where long-term literacy is built in the student’s primary language and English. Several studies, most notably Thomas & Collier (1997), had led many researches to believe that a dual language program is the most effective model in closing the achievement gap. I recently visited a school in Porterville, California led by a dynamic principal, making incredible strides, with the CELDT (California English Language Development Test) scores to prove it in their dual language program. However, in my discussions with other educators responsible for some of the largest EL populations in the country, they often share a different perspective. For example, a highly seasoned director of EL programs at one of the largest districts in the US shared with me that he originally loathed the idea of English immersion, but years after a state-mandated change to English immersion, he has grown to appreciate the increased accountability and consistency in this instructional model. Another superintendent of a large district in Texas believed that bilingual instruction was superior to the immersion model; however, he experienced difficulties recruiting a large number of qualified bilingual teachers who were highly proficient in both Spanish and English. After years of trying to implement a bilingual program, he chose an ESL approach instead.

The instructional model debate is further complicated by politics. For example, political referendums, such as Proposition 227 in California which requires students to be taught primarily in English, put the decision of how to educate ELs in the hands of voters. In 1998, I was working for an educational technology company, and at the time, I knew very little about the challenges of educating ELs, yet I had the responsibility of voting on a proposition affecting the lives of 25% of California’s student population.

I believe educators should make a local decision on what program is best for their students. Pragmatism should supplement available research. Administrators should gauge the district’s ability to successfully implement a quality program as the primary consideration in which model is best for them. In my opinion, a well-implemented program, with the leadership of an influential principal, will help English learners succeed in either a bilingual or immersion program.

Mark Espinola
CEO

Join us for a free Webinar on September 30th

2009-09-21T13:30:00.000-07:00

This free Webinar by Ballard & Tighe, Publishers is geared toward all educators who work with English language learners (ELLs). Teachers, coordinators, and district administrators will walk away from this session with a clear understanding of how stimulus funds can be used for ELLs.

This Webinar will cover:

An overview of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)
A summary of specific ARRA funds that can be used for ELL materials
A review of the requirements associated with the ARRA funds
A review of the ARRA spending time line and fund allocations

Register for this free Webinar today, and don’t forget to tell your colleagues. Join us on Wednesday, September 30th at 10:00 am PDT.

Our guest speaker is Dr. Jennifer House, a former school administrator, who has held executive positions with Apple Computer, Classroom Connect, and other leading K-12 organizations.

Title: How to Use Your Stimulus Funds to Better Serve ELLs
Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Time: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM PDT

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

Space is limited. Reserve your Webinar seat now.

Speaking of Writing: The Significance of Oral Language in English Learners’ Literacy Development

2009-08-18T17:09:00.000-07:00

By Connie Williams, Roberta Stathis, and Patrice Gotsch
From the Teacher Writing Center (www.teacherwritingcenter.org)

In pockets of the country today, some English language development ¹ (ELD) educators are reasserting the importance of oral language instruction as part of a systematic, effective ELD program. While the extent to which practitioners are implementing oral language instruction in ELD classrooms varies, practical experience and formal research underscore the significance of oral language as a critical part of an English learner’s achievement of full language proficiency. Students who have had extended opportunities to use, practice, and refine their oral language are far better equipped to reach a high level of written discourse and academic success.

A Debate about Oral Language Instruction

In considering different pedagogical approaches over the past 30 years, educators have debated the role of oral language instruction. At times, the ELD curriculum evidenced a diminished emphasis on oral language instruction in order to accommodate the methodology du jour. Some approaches to ELD instruction have completely overlooked oral language development as the foundation of written language. Both reading and writing are natural extensions of what students have understood through the development of listening skills and expressed orally through the development of speaking skills. It is axiomatic that if you do not have the ability to express your ideas orally, you will not be able to express your ideas in writing. Oral language and written language are inextricably linked. Biemiller (1999) points out that initially children’s level of listening comprehension determines what they can comprehend when reading. Other research (Baker, Simmons & Kameenui, 1995; Beck & McKeown, 1991; Hiebert & Kamil, 2005; and Pressley, 2000) confirms the importance of vocabulary in students’ ability to successfully make meaning from text. Bailey and Moughamian (2007) and Snow, Tabors, and Dickinson (2001) studied the close connection between students’ ability to grasp complex grammatical structures and the organization of discourse presented orally and their successful application of these concepts in literacy outcomes.

        In 2002, the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences created the National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority Children and Youth. One of the outcomes of this initiative was a report that identified, assessed, and synthesized research on the education of the target population with special attention to literacy achievement. A major finding in this report (August and Shanahan, 2006, p. 4) is that “Instruction in the key components of reading is necessary--but not sufficient--for teaching language minority students to read and write proficiently in English. Oral proficiency in English is critical … but student performance suggests that it is often overlooked.” The research the panel reviewed confirms that English learners do well in word-level skills in literacy (e.g., decoding, spelling, word recognition), but they lag behind native English speakers in text-level skills. The report concludes, “It is not enough to teach … reading skills alone. Extensive oral English development must be incorporated into successful literacy instruction.” Most importantly, the panel found that the most successful programs offered strong English oral language development in English along with high-quality literacy instruction.

Variations in Instructional Time

Older students often receive less oral language instruction because the emphasis is on reading, writing, and content. The amount of time teachers, schools, and districts dedicate to oral language instruction often depends on variables such as the students’ age and level of language proficiency. Generally, teachers afford younger students in the primary grades far more opportunities for oral language practice. In contrast, teachers provide older students with less oral language instruction and practice because of the emphasis in the upper grades is on content, reading, and writing instruction. Print plays a much more dominant role in the language learning environment for older students. Similarly, English learners at the Beginning and Early Intermediate levels tend to engage in more listening and/or speaking activities, while reading and writing activities consume a greater portion of instructional time in classrooms where English learners are at the Intermediate level and higher. Other factors that influence the instructional time dedicated to oral language instruction include the teacher’s education and training in second language teaching, and confidence with oral language activities; class size; and the district’s and/or state’s English language proficiency (ELP) standards.

ELD Curriculum and District Priorities

While most ELD educators concur that some opportunity for oral language practice is an appropriate part of ELD instruction, there is a wide variation in the emphasis on oral language instruction among districts, schools, and classrooms. This is a result of several factors. For example, the ELD curriculum a district, school, or teacher selects for instruction will determine how much time is dedicated to oral language instruction and practice. Even the overall amount of time allocated for ELD instruction will affect the percentage of instructional time that can be devoted to oral language activities. Further, the amount of oral language instruction is affected by the district’s emphasis on oral communication skills in relation to its emphasis on literacy skills. If developing literacy is the primary goal, ELD lessons will reflect more writing and less oral language instruction and practice. Paradoxically, this may undermine the progress of English learners to achieve higher levels of literacy.

The Importance of Speaking in Overall Language Development

The social dimension of language as a human phenomenon is what makes language alive, dynamic, and real. It does not require a skilled linguist to observe that in first language development listening and speaking are precursors to reading and writing. Humans are programmed to talk before they learn to read and write, and this holds true in second language development. Consider that in any given day human beings spend much more time interacting orally with language rather than using language in its written form. Rivers (1981) studied language use outside of the classroom context and found that speaking is used twice as much as reading and writing combined. Within the classroom context, Brown (1994) found that listening and speaking are students’ most often used language tools. Most methodologies, formal or informal, place an emphasis on students talking early even if they may be learning reading and writing simultaneously.

        Practical experience and formal research confirm that people cannot learn a language without multiple opportunities for meaningful repetition. Oral language interactions and the chance to produce the language in meaningful dialogue and activities provide the practice that is critical to internalizing the language. James Asher’s work (2003) on Total Physical Response (TPR) supports the notion that very soon after the teacher models the language students want to imitate what has been said. Too often, ELD teachers do most of the talking in class. A different dynamic must exist when it comes to teaching language.

        Krashen’s research (1987; 1988) looked at the linkage between listening and speaking. He does not suggest that more listening results necessarily in more talking, at least on the part of the students. Krashen argues that when English learners finally speak, their speaking provides the evidence that they have acquired the language. Unfortunately, this assumption oftentimes led some educators to make the quick jump from speaking instruction to reading and writing instruction.

English Learners and the Link between Speaking and Writing

The goal of writing instruction is to sharpen students’ ability to produce cohesive and coherent written discourse. However, this goal presupposes that the student has the language resources to support the written expression of his or her ideas. The idea that “you learn to write by writing” is well and good for English only students who need only practice their writing skills to become better writers. However, this maxim in not helpful in describing the task for many English learners who are struggling with a limited English vocabulary, a shaky grasp of syntax, and unfamiliar English grammatical forms and functions. How are English learners going to learn to write well? In this case, more writing is not the solution. As indicated earlier, research suggests that more talking—oral language development—is the prerequisite to developing strong writing skills.

        Traditionally, teachers do most of the talking in subject matter classes, and too often this is the case in ELD classrooms as well. When it comes to language learning, a different dynamic must exist, and that is one in which students who are learning the language use it to interact with others. Those interactions to convey meaning, exchange thoughts and ideas, and solve problems must occur first on an oral level and then on a written level.

Conclusion

Oral language instruction should be the cornerstone of a systematic ELD program because it offers educators the most effective way to provide the foundation English learners need to develop literacy skills that will allow them to read and write proficiently in English. The emerging trend toward reasserting and reconfirming the critical role of oral language development in a balanced ELD program is an important step forward in the ELD instruction of the 21st century. Without a solid grounding in oral language development, English learners will be greatly disadvantaged in their quest for full language proficiency. Students who have extended opportunities to develop oral language skills are positioned to achieve academic success.

¹ English language development (ELD) is also referred to as English as a second language (ESL) and English to speakers of other languages (ESOL).

IPT Selected by TEA

2009-07-22T12:25:00.000-07:00

The Texas Education Agency has posted their 2009-2010 List of Approved Tests for Assessment of Limited English Proficient Students. Ballard & Tighe is pleased that the IPT has been selected as one of the testing instruments approved by TEA. The list can be accessed from the TEA webpage at: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/curriculum/biling/leptests.html

Two Way Bilingual Immersion National Conference

2009-07-08T09:38:00.000-07:00

Today, Dr. Connie Williams, one of our independent educational consultants, will be a keynote speaker at the Two Way Bilingual Immersion National Conference in Monterey, CA. Her presentation, "ELD 101 - Building A Quality Program for the English Portion of the Day" will lay the foundation to support the work on ELD in a TWBI/DL context planned throughout the rest of the day at the conference.

AEP Summit Recap

2009-06-17T14:55:00.000-07:00

Last week I attended the Association of Educational Publishers Summit in Washington, D.C. The summit focused on the transition of traditional publishing to digital formats, and it provided publishers timely information on how the economy and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) will affect educational spending. Here are my insights from the perspective of a publisher:

• Publishers are grappling with how to incorporate and monetize technology within the existing textbook paradigm.
• State and school budgets will be tighter in the upcoming school year.
• ARRA education state stabilization funds will be used by many states to offset or backfill eminent cuts to school budgets. Title I, IDEA, and race-for-the-top funds will be the primary federal stimulus received by schools.
• Although already disbursed to states, few districts have received stimulus funds.
• The U.S. Department of Education is urging funds be targeted to help the lowest performing schools.

For the districts and the English language learners we serve, providing ELLs with focused instructional materials and formative assessments were highlighted as critical needs and a high priority for ARRA funds. The implication for schools is that it is going to be a tough year, however pockets of funds will be made available to help struggling students.

Mark Espinola

ARRA Funds

2009-06-01T13:39:00.000-07:00

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) undoubtedly will provide education much needed resources to alleviate strained budgets. However, in my discussions with EL educators, there is skepticism about whether schools will actually see stimulus dollars and uncertainty on how ELLs can benefit from ARRA funds. In fact, one educator recently told us that “the stimulus could just as well be Monopoly money,” and others are saying, “I’ll believe it when I see it.” I would like to know if you’re feeling the same way.

Recently, a highly respected group of EL leaders published a paper on how educators can use ARRA funds to improve the education outcomes of ELLs. For school districts deciding on how to use their precious ARRA funds, I highly recommend that you review the Working Group on ELL Policy paper at http://www.stanford.edu/~hakuta/ARRA/.

Best regards,

Mark Espinola
CEO

Welcome

2009-06-01T09:44:00.000-07:00

On behalf of Ballard & Tighe, I would like to welcome you to our blog. In this blog, expect us to share our insights about issues and trends affecting the educational needs of English learners.

Our mission of "helping English learners realize their full potential...one student at a time” is our passion. And we’re proud to help you meet the needs and raise the academic achievement of your English learners.

Please feel free to comment on our blog and let me know what's working in your classroom. Together we can help English learners realize their full potential.

Best wishes,

Mark Espinola
CEO