Update on "ESL Best Practices" Action Research Plan

My action research project “ESL Best Practices” is off to a very busy but great start! I have completed around 20 documented hours because the program is currently being implemented at my campus. There has been a lot of prep work. In addition, I have participated in several professional development and staff meetings to solicit information so that the program can be effectively utilized in our classrooms this year. I actually started implementing the project in the summer in a robotics program that benefited our bilingual students in Third, Fourth, and Fifth grades. It was a huge success! We have actually seen the students in the program utilize their skills in the mainstream class. The program is organized around broad themes (e.g. “getting along,” “weather,” “health,” etc.) and has three proficiency levels per grade span (e.g. beginning, intermediate, advanced) in Kindergarten through Fifth Grade. The program is focusing on the understanding of explicit language instruction. The goal of the instructional program is to emphasize the development of all four language domains: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. In addition, the program will provide English Learners with language skills that will enable them to participate fully in the mainstream classroom. Simultaneously, the program can help develop a positive self-concept, an ability to relate well to others, and acceptable standards of conduct and citizenship. Since the first day of school, our teachers have been conducting oral and written “express placements” with all of our students so that they may be classified as beginning, intermediate, and/or advanced proficiency levels.  This has been about a three week process school-wide. In addition, our teachers have been collecting writing samples that will help with placement of students as well as offer a guide to note the effectiveness of the program at the end of the year. We will compare the final writing sample to the beginning of the year writing sample to note program effectiveness. In addition, we will conduct the oral “express placements” throughout the program to note the graduation of students to higher proficiency levels as this is a major goal of the program. Several pieces of data have been disaggregated as well and compiled to include in the project. My team will be continually be collecting data on various aspects of the program including district and state progress on specific elements of testing throughout the year. as well as student samples. The project will officially start on October 7, 2013, within all grade level classrooms. It will be highlighted in a daily designated instructional period that utilizes these “ESL Best Practices” instructional strategies that will be constantly spiraled throughout the day and everyday of the school year. I am looking forward to the continued progress of the project!