School-Wide Practices
So as not to reinvent the wheel, I wanted to find out what strategies for enhancing ELL English literacy through technology had already been implemented and evaluated. I also wanted to examine strategies that I felt would be appropriate for the ELL demographic at Churchill, considering age, academic ability, cultural makeup, and relationship with technology. I met with the assistant principal of CBe-Learn, CBE's online school, Mr. Monti Tanner, who shared with me their challenges and current practices. The information below summarizes our interview (October 21, 2014), followed by my thoughts on the implications for Churchill.
CBe-Learn serves a very wide demographic and makes it possible for students who do not 'fit' the traditional schooling system, or who simply want to supplement traditional schooling with some online courses, to complete coursework at their own pace (slower or faster, taking more or fewer courses than normal). One demographic this model doesn't serve as well are ELL students: online learning is very text-heavy and involves lots of reading. For this reason, the school does not have ESL courses or Knowledge & Employability courses, though it does offer some -3 courses or 14 level courses.
ELL students interested in online school may apply. International students are not permitted to take a full courseload, but some take 1-2 courses. International students are assessed at their community school, as are other ELL students not taking a full courseload. ELL students intending on taking a full courseload are assessed by a designated teacher with a background in ESL. The assessments involve benchmarking and having a conversation about study skills and habits to determine if online school is a good option.
The school does not accept benchmark 1-2 students because it is not suitable for them; they need more oral practice and in-person help. Benchmark 3 students have a conversation with a counsellor to determine their relative strengths and whether taking an online course is appropriate and manageable. Benchmark 4-5 students are accepted, but still have challenges due to lagging CALP. To address the gap, CBe-Learn has:
ELL students interested in online school may apply. International students are not permitted to take a full courseload, but some take 1-2 courses. International students are assessed at their community school, as are other ELL students not taking a full courseload. ELL students intending on taking a full courseload are assessed by a designated teacher with a background in ESL. The assessments involve benchmarking and having a conversation about study skills and habits to determine if online school is a good option.
The school does not accept benchmark 1-2 students because it is not suitable for them; they need more oral practice and in-person help. Benchmark 3 students have a conversation with a counsellor to determine their relative strengths and whether taking an online course is appropriate and manageable. Benchmark 4-5 students are accepted, but still have challenges due to lagging CALP. To address the gap, CBe-Learn has:
- Created a D2L shell where resources are being compiled specifically for ELL
- Incorporated more video and audio into all courses
- Created video/audio assignments, which are easier for students to execute now since they have and know how to use Smartphones (e.g., vlog)
- Used text-to-speech software
- Used LiveRoom, a videoconferencing program built into D2L, for the one-hour junior high classes, for some small-group work, and for one-on-one student-teacher conferencing. This also accommodates simultaneous document editing, much like Google Docs and Google Hangout would.
What can Churchill learn from CBe-Learn?
If Churchill is interested in pursuing more ICT-based learning and support for ELL students, here are three things administration should consider:
If Churchill is interested in pursuing more ICT-based learning and support for ELL students, here are three things administration should consider:
- Churchill should consider borrowing or developing D2L shells for whole-school use that apply the principles used by CBe-Learn in their D2L shells.
- Churchill should consider how best to support teacher professional development in using D2L and/or Google Apps for Education in a greater capacity.
- Churchill should consider developing an online orientation site for prospective ELL students and their families. The site could contain a combination of text, audio, and video, which could be captioned in multiple languages or include directions for how to use online translators to assist.