Mixed Deck — All ELL Topics Flashcards

What is the difference between 'assimilation' and 'integration' in the context of ELL cultural identity?

Answer: Assimilation involves abandoning the home culture to adopt the new culture; integration maintains home culture identity while also participating in the new culture

Assimilation requires giving up the home culture to adopt the dominant culture, while integration allows individuals to participate in both cultures simultaneously, which research supports as healthier for ELL identity.

Which reading level grouping strategy is considered most equitable for ELL students in mainstream classrooms?

Answer: Flexible grouping that changes based on purpose, task, and progress

Flexible grouping allows ELL students to work with diverse peers in varied configurations based on academic tasks, preventing the stigma and limited input of permanent low-ability groups.

How does understanding 'nonverbal communication differences' across cultures help ELL teachers?

Answer: It helps teachers avoid misinterpreting cultural behaviors (e.g., avoiding eye contact as disrespect) and create more culturally responsive classrooms

Recognizing that eye contact, personal space, gestures, and silence carry different meanings across cultures prevents teachers from misreading culturally appropriate ELL behaviors as disrespect or disengagement.

What does 'error correction' research suggest is most effective for ELL writing development?

Answer: Selective feedback on high-priority errors that align with current instructional focus

Research by Truscott and others suggests that selective, focused feedback on specific error types aligned with current instruction is more effective than correcting every error in ELL writing.

Which of the following is an example of an idiomatic expression that ELL students may struggle to interpret literally?

Answer: It's raining cats and dogs.

Idiomatic expressions like 'raining cats and dogs' have figurative meanings that differ from the literal interpretation of individual words, creating comprehension challenges for ELLs.

What is the goal of pronunciation instruction for ELL students according to most current research?

Answer: To develop intelligibility and communicative effectiveness rather than accent-free speech

Current research emphasizes developing intelligibility — being clearly understood by listeners — rather than eradicating accents, which is an unrealistic and potentially harmful goal.

Which reading strategy helps ELL students activate background knowledge before reading a text?

Answer: KWL chart (Know, Want to know, Learned)

A KWL chart activates ELLs' prior knowledge by having them articulate what they already know and want to learn, connecting new text content to existing schemata.

What is 'transfer' in the context of ELL literacy development?

Answer: The use of skills, knowledge, or strategies from one language to support learning in another

Linguistic transfer occurs when ELLs apply phonological, syntactic, or literacy skills developed in their home language to the task of learning to read and write in English.

Which tier of vocabulary, according to Beck, McKeown, and Kucan, is most important to explicitly teach ELL students for academic success?

Answer: Tier 2 (high-frequency academic words)

Tier 2 words appear frequently across academic texts and disciplines (e.g., analyze, compare, evaluate), making explicit instruction in these words critical for ELL academic achievement.

Which federal law requires annual English language proficiency assessment for all ELL students?

Answer: Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)

ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) requires annual English language proficiency testing for all identified ELL students in grades K–12.

What is 'graphophonic knowledge' in the context of ELL reading development?

Answer: Understanding of the relationships between written symbols (graphemes) and spoken sounds (phonemes)

Graphophonic knowledge — knowing how letters and letter combinations correspond to sounds — is a core component of decoding that ELLs must develop to read English text independently.

What is 'phonological interference' in the context of ELL pronunciation?

Answer: When sounds from the home language influence how an ELL produces sounds in English

Phonological interference occurs when the sound system of an ELL's home language influences their English pronunciation, such as a Spanish speaker producing /b/ for /v/ since Spanish lacks the /v/ phoneme.

What does 'stereotype threat' mean in the context of ELL students?

Answer: The risk of confirming a negative stereotype about one's group, which can impair academic performance through anxiety

Stereotype threat occurs when ELL students fear confirming negative stereotypes about their linguistic or cultural group, creating anxiety that can undermine academic performance.

Which type of assessment is used to measure an ELL student's English proficiency level when they first enroll in a US school?

Answer: Diagnostic/placement assessment

Diagnostic or placement assessments are administered upon enrollment to determine an ELL student's current English proficiency level and appropriate instructional placement.

What is 'phonological awareness' and how does it differ from 'phonics'?

Answer: Phonological awareness is an oral/aural skill involving sound manipulation; phonics involves the written correspondence between sounds and letters

Phonological awareness is a purely oral skill involving the ability to hear and manipulate sounds (rhymes, syllables, phonemes), while phonics explicitly links those sounds to written letters.

Which landmark Supreme Court case established the right of ELL students to receive special assistance in learning English?

Answer: Lau v. Nichols

Lau v. Nichols (1974) was a landmark Supreme Court case that ruled that the San Francisco Unified School District violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by failing to provide special language instruction to Chinese-speaking students. The Court determined that providing the same facilities, textbooks, and teachers to students who do not understand English is not equal treatment. This decision established the right of ELL students to receive special assistance to overcome language barriers and participate equally in education.

How does 'interactive writing' support ELL literacy development in early stages?

Answer: Teacher and students co-construct a written text, sharing the pen and discussing language choices

Interactive writing has teachers and students collaboratively compose and write a shared text, making literacy decisions explicit and giving beginning ELLs supported access to the writing process.

What is a key concern when interpreting standardized test scores for ELL students?

Answer: Scores may reflect language barriers rather than true content knowledge

Standardized test scores for ELLs may underrepresent their actual content knowledge because language demands can interfere with demonstrating what they know.

What is the difference between a norm-referenced and a criterion-referenced test in ELL contexts?

Answer: Norm-referenced tests compare a student to peers; criterion-referenced tests measure mastery of specific skills

Norm-referenced tests rank students relative to a comparison group, while criterion-referenced tests measure whether students have mastered specific language or content standards.

What does Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 require regarding ELL students?

Answer: Schools must ensure that ELL students are not discriminated against on the basis of national origin.

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. For ELL students, this means schools must ensure they are not discriminated against due to their national origin, which often correlates with their primary language. This requires schools to provide meaningful access to educational programs for students with limited English proficiency.