
ESLAO

ESLAO
Course Description:
This course builds on students’ previous education and language knowledge to introduce them to the English language and help them adjust to the diversity in their new environment. Students will use beginning English language skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing for everyday and essential academic purposes. They will engage in short conversations using basic English language structures and simple sentence patterns; read short adapted texts; and write phrases and short sentences. The course also provides students with the knowledge and skills they need to begin to adapt to their new lives in Canada.
Curriculum Overall Expectations:
Curriculum Overall Expectations:
LISTENING AND SPEAKING
demonstrate the ability to understand, interpret, and evaluate spoken English for a variety of purposes;
use speaking skills and strategies to communicate in English for a variety of classroom and social purposes;
use correctly the language structures appropriate for this level to communicate orally in English.
READING
read and demonstrate understanding of a variety of texts for different purposes;
use a variety of reading strategies throughout the reading process to extract meaning from texts;
use a variety of strategies to build vocabulary;
locate and extract relevant information from written and graphic texts for a variety of purposes.
WRITING
write in a variety of forms for different purposes and audiences;
organize ideas coherently in writing;
use correctly the conventions of written English appropriate for this level, including grammar, usage, spelling, and punctuation;
use the stages of the writing process.
SOCIO-CULTURAL COMPETENCE AND MEDIA LITERACY
use English and non-verbal communication strategies appropriately in a variety of social contexts;
demonstrate an understanding of the rights and responsibilities of Canadian citizenship, and of the contributions of diverse groups to Canadian society;
demonstrate knowledge of and adaptation to the Ontario education system;
demonstrate an understanding of, interpret, and create a variety of media texts.
ESLAO COURSE CONTENT
Unit Name
Grammar & Reading Practice -- 40 hours
Socio-Cultural Competence and Media Literacy -- 15 hours
Listening and Speaking -- 20 hours
Novel Study – The Little Prince -- 25 hours
Culminating Assignments -- 10 hours
Total 110 Hours
TEACHING & LEARNING STRATEGIES
Direct Instruction (teacher-led)
Direct Instruction (discussion possible)
Class Discussion (teacher facilitated)
Small Group Discussion
Partner Discussion/Conferencing
1:1 Conferencing Teacher & Student
Teacher reading to class
Silent individual reading
Group based reading
Independent Work (teacher facilitation)
Brainstorming
Experiential learning (learn by doing)
Worksheets/Surveys
Individual or Group Research
Teacher modeling
Text-based modeling
Use of Computers / Internet
Use of video or audio materials
Presentations
ASSESSMENT & EVALUATION
Purpose
The primary purpose of assessment is to improve student learning. Assessment relates directly to the expectations for the course.
A variety of assessments for and as learning are conducted on a regular basis to allow
ample opportunities for students to improve and ultimately demonstrate their full range of learning and in order for the teacher to gather information to provide feedback. Assessment tasks relate to the success criteria set out in lesson plans. Success criteria allow students to see what quality looks like.
Evaluation is the process of judging the quality of student work in relation to the achievement chart categories and criteria, and assigning a percentage grade to represent that quality. Evaluation is based on gathering evidence of student achievement through:
Products
Observations
Conversations
Assessment for Learning - we provide feedback and coaching
Assessment FOR Learning is the process of seeking and interpreting evidence for the use of learners and their teachers to decide where the learners are in their learning, where they need to go, and how best to go there.
Assessment as Learning - we help students monitor progress, set goals, reflect on their learning Assessment AS Learning is the process of the explicit fostering of students’ capacity over time to be their own best assessors, but teachers need to start by presenting and modeling external, structured opportunities for students to assess themselves.
Assessment of Learning – we use assessments as ways of providing evaluative statements about the level of achievement of students
Assessment OF Learning is the assessment that becomes public and results in statements of symbols (marks/grades/levels of achievement) about how well students are learning. It often contributes to pivotal decisions that will affect students’ future.
Grading
The final grade is based on performance in 3 areas: products, observations, conversations.
70% of the grade is based on evaluations conducted throughout the course.
30% is based on a final evaluation.
Weighting of categories
Knowledge & Understanding -- 25%
Thinking -- 25%
Communication -- 25%
Application -- 25%
Assessment Tools
Marking schemes; Anecdotal comments; Rubrics; Checklists;
Assessment Strategies
Assessment for Learning
Quizzes ; Journals ; Conferencing ; Questioning; Researching ;
Assessment as Learning
Journal; Exit and Entrance Cards ; KWL Chart ; Self/Peer assessment ;
Assessment of Learning
Tests ; Presentations ; Projects ; Independent Study Assignment ;Work Sheets ;
CONSIDERATIONS FOR PROGRAM PLANNING
Instructional Approaches
Teachers in the school are expected to:
clarify the purpose for learning
help students activate prior knowledge
differentiate instruction for individual students and small groups according to need
explicitly teach and model learning strategies
encourage students to talk through their thinking and learning processes
provide many opportunities for students to practise and apply their developing knowledge and skills
apply effective teaching approaches involve students in the use of higher-level thinking skill
encourage students to look beyond the literal meaning of texts
Teachers use a variety of instructional and learning strategies best suited to the particular type of learning. Students have opportunities to learn in a variety of ways:
individually
cooperatively
independently with teacher direction
through investigation involving hands-on experience
through examples followed by practice
by encouraging students to gain experience with varied and interesting applications of the new knowledge. Rich contexts for learning open the door for students to see the “big ideas” of mathematics that will enable and encourage them to reason mathematically throughout their lives.
Program Considerations for English Language Learners
Teachers must incorporate appropriate strategies for instruction and assessment to facilitate the success of the English language learners in their classrooms. These strategies include:
modification of some or all of the subject expectations depending on the level of English proficiency
use of a variety of instructional strategies (e.g., extensive use of visual cues, graphic organizers, scaffolding; previewing of textbooks; pre-teaching of key vocabulary; peer tutoring; strategic use of students’ first languages)
use of a variety of learning resources (e.g., visual material, simplified text, bilingual dictionaries, and materials that reflect cultural diversity)
use of assessment accommodations (e.g., granting of extra time; use of oral interviews, demonstrations or visual representations, or tasks requiring completion of graphic organizers and cloze sentences instead of essay questions and other assessment tasks that depend heavily on proficiency in English).
Antidiscrimination Education
Learning resources reflect students’ interests, backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. Learning materials:
involve protagonists of both sexes from a wide variety of backgrounds
reflect the diversity of Canadian and world cultures, including those of contemporary First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples
include, in English, use of short stories, novels, magazine and newspaper articles, television programs, and films
provide opportunities for students to explore issues relating to their self-identity
make students aware of the historical, cultural, and political contexts for both the traditional and non-traditional gender and social roles represented in the materials they are studying.
Literacy and Inquiry/Research Skills
The school emphasizes the importance of the following:
using clear, concise communication in the classroom involving the use of diagrams, charts, tables, and graphs
emphasizing students’ ability to interpret and use graphic texts.
acquiring the skills to locate relevant information from a variety of sources, such as books, newspapers, dictionaries, encyclopaedias, interviews, videos, and the Internet.
learning that all sources of information have a particular point of view
learning that the recipient of the information has a responsibility to evaluate it, determine its validity and relevance, and use it in appropriate ways.
Role of Technology
Information and communications technologies (ICT) tools used in many ways:
Students use multimedia resources, databases, Internet websites, digital cameras, and word-processing programs.
They use technology to collect, organize, and sort the data they gather and to write, edit, and present reports on their findings.
Students are encouraged to use ICT to support and communicate their learning. For example, students working individually or in groups can use computer technology and/or Internet websites to gain access to museums and archives in Canada and around the world.
Students use digital cameras and projectors to design and present the results of their research to their classmates.
The school plans to use ICT to connect students to other schools and to bring the global community into the classroom.
Students are made aware of issues of Internet privacy, safety, and responsible use, as well as of the potential for abuse of this technology, particularly when it is used to promote hatred.
Career Education
Students are given opportunities to develop career-related skills by:
applying their skills to work-related situations
exploring educational and career options
developing research skills
practising expository writing
learning strategies for understanding informational reading material
making oral presentations
Working in small groups with classmates to help students express themselves confidently and work cooperatively with others.
Academic Honesty
Students who present the work of others as their own are guilty of plagiarism and will receive a mark of zero for the work and will have the details of the plagiarism noted in their school records. Students who are guilty of cheating on tests or examinations will receive a mark of zero on the test or examination and have the details of the cheating noted in their school records.
Late Assignments
Students are responsible for providing evidence of their achievement of the overall expectations within the time frame specified by the teacher, and in a form approved by the teacher. There are consequences for not completing assignments for evaluation or for submitting those assignments late.
Resources:
Various internet resources
Dictionaries, Thesaurus etc
The Little Prince