Kelly ODonnell

EDUC 359
Observation Questions for ELL/LEP student(s)
Students Initials: J
Grade: 3rd Grade
School: Isaac Tripp Elementary

1. What techniques/methods/strategies do you see being used with the ELL/LEP

student(s)? Are they effective? Why or why not? (Either specifically for the
ELL student(s) or in whole class/small group instruction)
- An accommodation that I see being made for the ELL student is when he is
taking the class reading test. My cooperating teacher will read the test to a small
group at the back table and J is in this group of students. She will also cross out
two of the four options in the multiple choice section of the test for him.
Although he does fairly decent on the tests I believe it is more lucky guesses
than actually knowing the answer to the test.
- Js third grade teachers (Math, Science & Social Studies, and ELA) send a rubric
home each night with him. It has three faces on it, a happy face, okay face, and
a sad face. This says how J did throughout the day and his mother has to sign it
and send it back the next day. I do not see this as an effective strategy because
there is no real communication between the parents and his teachers. Also J
does not always remember to get the paper signed and often loses it throughout
the day.
- I do not see any strategies for whole group instruction. Sometimes during group
instruction J is out of the room with the ELL teacher. Other times he is in the
classroom and just sits at his desk while the teacher is teaching. He does not
know what is being taught or comprehending any information. This does not
seem like an effective way for him to spend his time in the classroom.

2.

Do you notice any student behaviors that you would

considerout of the ordinary? Please describe in detail. (This applies to both
the ELL student(s) and other classroom students)

- I do not see any out of the ordinary behavior with the ELL student or the other
students in the classroom. Since J can speak fairly well to his fellow classmates they
do not really treat him as if he is different. The only out of the ordinary behavior
that comes from J is his dislike of learning. He does not enjoy doing any type of work
in the classroom. This is understandable as he cannot read or understand any of the
work that he is given. The other students in the classroom try to help him as often
as they can but their helping is just giving him the answers. He will copy answers

down as he can write his letters but he does not know what he is writing or what it
means.

3.

What type of interactions do you see between the ELL student(s), other
classroom students, and the teacher(s)? Please describe in detail

- All of the students and classroom teachers are very accepting of J. Since his BICS
are fairly good he is able to participate in class, although not always correctly. He is
also able to interact with his fellow classmates. J has a great sense of humor and
loves being around people.

4. Identify resources/materials that are being used with the ELL student(s).
Please describe in detail how the ELL student is using them. Do they appear
to be effective? Explain.
- I do not see any specific resources for J in the classroom. He receives his
instruction in the ELL classroom. When he is in the general classroom he does
not learn any skills therefor he does not have any special materials in the
classroom. I do not think having him sit silently throughout the lesson is an
effective way to spend his time in the classroom.
5. Does the classroom environment seem to be comfortable for the ELL
student(s)? Please describe the environment and explain how you made your
decision.
- The classroom that I observed in was safe space for all students. My
cooperating teacher was always very kind to all students. She never made J feel
as though he was less capable than the rest of the students in the classroom.
She also did all that she could to help J throughout the day and help him feel as
though he was successful in learning. This was not always easy to do as J knew
that he could not do well because he is unable to read. My cooperating teacher
did the best she could do to lead him through assignments and tests and help
him to do the best that he can. Although J knew he was not on the academic
level of his peers, I do believe he felt comfortable and safe in the classroom.

6. Whats the comfort level of the ELL student(s) in regards to the English
language? What observations help you arrive at your decision? Refer to the
Vocabulary Performance Indicators. At what level would you place the ELL
student? How did you decide on that level?
- Js comfort level in regards to the English language varies depending on the task
at hand. Js Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills are very good. He is able to
speak to the teacher and his fellow classmates and convey a need or a want. He

also has a great sense of humor and is able to make jokes using the English
language. His use of academic language is not as good. He is unable to read the
English language which limits his participation in the classroom. I only observe him
during his English Language Arts period and some of the time he is not present in
the classroom because he is with the ELL teacher. J can copy a sentence or word
that is written for him but he does not know what letters he is writing or what each
letter is. I would say that J is between the Speech Emergence stage and the
Intermediate Fluency Stage. He will say things such as I can go bathroom? which
would place him in the speech emergence stage. He is also able to answer some
lower level questions which would place him in the intermediate fluency stage. I
think in some aspects he is still in stage three but is slowly working towards stage 4.

7. If you feel comfortable enough to ask, ask the cooperating teacher (or ESL
teacher) what type of accommodations/modifications they have to make for
the ELL student(s). Please describe the types
of accommodations/modifications that were discussed. Do they appear on
the checklist? Why/why not do you think they are present/not present on the
checklist?
- Two modifications that J does receive that are on the checklist are shortened tests
as well as oral administration of tests. I think these are present on the checklist
because they are common modifications that can be implemented fairly easily. It
did not seem as though there were many accommodations and modifications made
for this student to really help him excel in the classroom. Based on my observations
the school provided the bare minimum for this student in the classroom and in the
school.