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Bilingual/ESL » ESL Modifications Checklist

ESL Modifications Checklist

The following is a list of modifications that can be used in the classroom with Bilingual/ESL students:
 

  • Speak slowly, clearly, and use gestures

  • Simplify language; avoid idioms, slang, and sarcasm

  • Pair student with a buddy

  • Give preferential seating

  • Maintain routines with consistent signals

  • Write clearly and legibly (most ELL’s cannot read cursive)

  • Give both oral AND written directions

  • Encourage student to participate, do not force

  • Accept participation at any level, even one word

  • Limit content objectives and expectations

  • Use reduced text, so that print is not dense

  • Use story and direction retelling to assess comprehension of text and instructions

  • Provide a graphic organizer in advance of a new topic/vocabulary/chapter

  • Present information in a variety of ways (pictures, videos, manipulatives)

  • Preview vocabulary and/or content using online sources (BrainPOP/YouTube/Storia/Classworks)

  • Limit the amount of vocabulary words; avoid similar words (soluble and solvent are similar and thus confusing to an ELL)

  • Highlight key vocabulary using a 3x5 index card to cover words above or below

  • Allow a bilingual dictionary

  • Allow extended time to answer questions, and permit drawing as an explanation

  • Use ESL materials

  • Use books on tape/CD

  • Stress importance of finding the key words

  • Limit the amount of content reading; select 3-5 of the most important concepts and do task analysis

  • Provide key word/chart resources on desk or on desktop (tablet)

  • Provide summaries of text or study guides and/or outlines and word banks

  • Reduce multiple choices to two

  • Use group projects rather than individual work

  • Rephrase questions, directions, and explanations

  • Have tests read orally
  • Provide native language support to students in the classroom
  • Explicitly teach study skills/habits, as well as, effective ways of using educational resources and materials

Homework Modifications:

  • Highlight or bold key words in classwork, homework, and tests

  • Reword homework questions

  • Adapt homework assignments to reflect language proficiency (limit amount of questions or choices, reword, provide alternate assignment)


Testing Modifications:

  • Allow student to answer questions orally, in writing, or with a picture

  • Allow extra time for assignments

  • Allow open book tests

  • For each question, indicate page number in textbook where answer is found

  • Alternate assessments (oral tests, project based, teacher read tests)

  • Add a word bank to tests/quizzes

  • Read tests aloud

  • Reword test questions to ensure understanding

  • Reduce number of answer choices on tests/quizzes

  • Do not give any true/false questions or trick questions

  • Use anecdotal records as a form of assessment

  • Keep portfolio of work as a form of assessment

  • Grade responses based on content, not spelling or grammar