ESL Modifications Checklist
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Speak slowly, clearly, and use gestures
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Simplify language; avoid idioms, slang, and sarcasm
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Pair student with a buddy
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Give preferential seating
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Maintain routines with consistent signals
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Write clearly and legibly (most ELL’s cannot read cursive)
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Give both oral AND written directions
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Encourage student to participate, do not force
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Accept participation at any level, even one word
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Limit content objectives and expectations
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Use reduced text, so that print is not dense
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Use story and direction retelling to assess comprehension of text and instructions
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Provide a graphic organizer in advance of a new topic/vocabulary/chapter
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Present information in a variety of ways (pictures, videos, manipulatives)
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Preview vocabulary and/or content using online sources (BrainPOP/YouTube/Storia/Classworks)
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Limit the amount of vocabulary words; avoid similar words (soluble and solvent are similar and thus confusing to an ELL)
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Highlight key vocabulary using a 3x5 index card to cover words above or below
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Allow a bilingual dictionary
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Allow extended time to answer questions, and permit drawing as an explanation
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Use ESL materials
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Use books on tape/CD
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Stress importance of finding the key words
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Limit the amount of content reading; select 3-5 of the most important concepts and do task analysis
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Provide key word/chart resources on desk or on desktop (tablet)
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Provide summaries of text or study guides and/or outlines and word banks
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Reduce multiple choices to two
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Use group projects rather than individual work
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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:
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Highlight or bold key words in classwork, homework, and tests
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Reword homework questions
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Adapt homework assignments to reflect language proficiency (limit amount of questions or choices, reword, provide alternate assignment)
Testing Modifications:
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Allow student to answer questions orally, in writing, or with a picture
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Allow extra time for assignments
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Allow open book tests
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For each question, indicate page number in textbook where answer is found
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Alternate assessments (oral tests, project based, teacher read tests)
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Add a word bank to tests/quizzes
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Read tests aloud
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Reword test questions to ensure understanding
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Reduce number of answer choices on tests/quizzes
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Do not give any true/false questions or trick questions
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Use anecdotal records as a form of assessment
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Keep portfolio of work as a form of assessment
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Grade responses based on content, not spelling or grammar