DESE English Language Learner Programs 5

Question 1

Which program model provides instruction entirely in English with no native language support and relies on context clues and immersion for language acquisition?

Accepted Answer

Submersion (sink or swim)

Answer

Submersion, often called 'sink or swim,' places ELLs in mainstream English-only classrooms without language support, a practice considered legally insufficient under Lau v. Nichols.

Question 2

An ELL student who scored 'Expanding' on the ACCESS for ELLs assessment would be best described as able to:

Accepted Answer

Understand and use grade-appropriate academic language with some support

Answer

At the Expanding level (Level 4), students can use academic language across content areas with some support, bridging social and academic English.

Question 3

Which document must a Massachusetts district provide to parents of newly identified ELL students within 30 days of identification?

Accepted Answer

A written notice of ELL identification, program placement, and parent rights

Answer

Massachusetts regulations require districts to send parents a written notification explaining the ELL identification, the instructional program, and the family's rights within 30 days.

Question 4

Formative assessment for ELL students should primarily focus on:

Accepted Answer

Monitoring content understanding while accounting for developing English proficiency

Answer

Formative assessment for ELLs should reveal content understanding while recognizing that language errors are a normal part of acquisition and should not obscure content knowledge.

Question 5

In the context of ELL instruction, 'translanguaging' refers to:

Accepted Answer

Strategically drawing on all of a student's linguistic resources to deepen understanding

Answer

Translanguaging is a pedagogy that views a multilingual student's full linguistic repertoire as a resource, strategically deploying languages to support comprehension and learning.

(DESE) Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Certification Practice Test

(DESE) Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Certification Practice Test

DESE English Language Learner Programs 5