Virtual Learning Network

Shared in the Literacy mailing list in response to a query about the current discussions about the use of The English Language Learning Progressions (ELLP) 

Gaylene Price - English language learner coordinator

As there seems to be a variety of practices being advocated, I thought it would be useful for primary schools to consider the following points.

• The person most able and qualified to complete any assessment and tracking of students’ learning in the New Zealand Curriculum (including reading, writing, speaking and listening) is the student’s class teacher.

• The classroom teacher has the student for the majority of the day and is the person best able to observe and monitor their learning. An ESOL teacher’s knowledge will contribute significantly to this process, but should not replace it.

• Using ELLP will support class teachers to gain some of the pedagogical content knowledge needed to teach students who have an additional language.

• A class teacher needs to be able to consider and notice the progress of their bilingual and multilingual students, as indeed they do for all of their students.

• The use of ELLP will enhance teachers’ understanding and knowledge over time so that there is greater consistency within and between schools in the way we describe our students’ learning.

• We expect teachers to have high levels of knowledge in the use of key Ministry of Education resources such as the Literacy Learning Progressions, The NZC Reading and Writing Standards, Effective Literacy Practice, Learning Through Talk and ELLP is a key resource document for teachers in exactly the same fashion.

• In using ELLP, it is important that teachers do not just use the matrices in isolation from the booklets of indicators and exemplars.

• Teachers will need to bring ‘evidence and data’ to the discussion and to moderate with colleagues their judgement of each student’s ‘best fit’ Stage. As some contributors have noted, some teachers seem to find it easier to provide ‘data and evidence of progress’ for reading and writing than for speaking and listening.

• Use of ELLP does take professional knowledge, but gets easier (and speedier) with practice and time as some people have noted!

• There are PLD modules for teachers that show the ELLP process in practice for classroom teachers to view at http://esolonline.tki.org.nz/ESOL-Online/Student-needs/English-Language-Learning-Progressions/ELLP-professional-support-modules

Nga mihi, Gaylene

Gaylene Price - English language learner coordinator