Exceptionality

Name

Definition & AB Characteristics &/or Observable Behaviours

Educ. Code

Teaching Strategies &

Resources

Links &/or Sources

English Language
Learners (ELL)

- Also known as
English Second
Language Learners
(ESL), it is an
exceptionality in
which the students
first learned
language is a
language other than
English. This lack
of English
proficiency makes
full participation in
learning
opportunities
difficult to the
students.

-Use a variety of instruction and

assessment strategies.
-Use visuals during instruction and
accompany print material with visuals
for clarification and explanation.
-Slow down your speech and use
shorter sentences, examples, gestures,
demonstrations, and avoid expressions
or sayings that are only common in
your culture.
-Follow predictable routines.
-Involve students culture and family in
school events and projects
-Allow students to substitute drawings,
pictures, or diagrams, graphs, charts for
a written assignment
-Reduce length and allow more time
for written assignments
-for more specific strategies and
activities, visit
http://www.educ.ualberta.ca/staff/olenk
a.bilash/best%20of%20bilash/strategies
activities.html

- Alberta Education: English Second

Language Learners:
http://education.alberta.ca/teachers/aisi/
themes/esl.aspx

Coding:
Canadianborn (303)
Foreignborn (301)

- There is a wide range of characteristics and behaviours

for ELL students. An overview of these can be found at
http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/eslapb/documents/cha
racteristics_of_english_language_learners.pdf with
respect to the Profiency Benchmarks.
- Behaviours are organized into 5 different levels based
on English speaking ability. These include: Beginning,
Developing, Expanding, Bridging and Extending.
- Students who are in the Beginning Level show
behaviours such as high self-consciousness, frustration
and fatigue as the day goes on, and heavy reliance on
visual representations.
- As students progress through the levels, there is an
increase in their comfort speaking English as well as
their confidence in learning.
-Teachers of ELL students often misjudge their language
abilities. There is an observable difference between the
conversational language and academic language these
students use. This misunderstanding can lead to
misconceptions about the intelligence or motivation
levels of ELL students. Jim Cummins helped clarify this
disparity by introducing two language continua called
BICS (Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills) and
CALP (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency). For
more information about BICS and CALP visit
http://www.educ.ualberta.ca/staff/olenka.Bilash/best%20
of%20bilash/bics%20calp.html.

- Supporting English Language

Learners:
http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/esla
pb/
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/strategies
-and-resources-supporting-ell-toddfinley webpage is a portal to multiple
other websites, articles, and resources.
http://education.jhu.edu/PD/newhorizo
ns/strategies/topics/English%20Langua
ge%20Learners/Articles/Effective%20I
nstructional%20Strategies%20for%20E
nglish%20Language%20Learners%20i
n%20Mainstream%20Classrooms/
-12 simple ways to support ELL
students in the classroom
http://www.cultofpedagogy.com/suppo
rting-esl-students-mainstreamclassroom/

References:
Alberta Education. (Year). English Second Language Learners. Retrieved from: http://education.alberta.ca/teachers/aisi/themes/esl.aspx
Alberta Teachers Association. (2010). Understanding English Language Learners: Differentiating Instruction. Retrieved from:
http://www.teachers.ab.ca/SiteCollectionDocuments/ATA/Publications/Specialist-Councils/ESL-3-5%20Differentiating%20Instruction.pdf
Bilash, O. (2009). Working With ELL/ESL Students. Retrieved from:
http://www.educ.ualberta.ca/staff/olenka.bilash/best%20of%20bilash/ELLstudents.html

Responsible Educators Accountable for Learning. (Year). Effective Teaching Strategies for English Language Learners. Retrieved
from:
http://www.supportrealteachers.org/strategies-for-english-language-learners.html

Cult of Pedagogy. (2015). 12 ways to Support ESL Students in the Mainstream Classroom. Retrieved from: http://www.cultofpedagogy.com/supporting-eslstudents-mainstream-classroom/

Learn Alberta. (Year). Supporting English Language Learners. Retrieved from: http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/eslapb/