Research Base

ELLA shows teachers how to (1) analyze school curriculum and instructional activities for their academic language demands and (2) prepare lessons that both scaffold access to grade-level content and accelerate academic language development.

Key Components

• High-quality reading instruction: We support teachers to provide explicit and intentional instruction in fluent reading, with an emphasis on meaningful conversations about content that promote both comprehension and academic English development (August & Shanahan, 2006; Gersten et al., 2007; Francis et al., 2006; Scarcella, 2003; Schleppegrell, 2004).
• Comprehensive vocabulary instruction: We show schools how to develop an extensive and varied approach to vocabulary instruction including explicit instruction, developing word consciousness, and establishing a word-rich environment (Beck, McKeown, & Kucan, 2004; Graves, 2006; Stahl & Nagy, 2006).
• Writing to deepen academic literacy:We emphasize writing as an integral part of literacy development and a critical component of academic literacy (Biancarosa & Snow, 2004; Graham & Hebert, 2010).
• Scaffolding: We demonstrate how to support student learning, including how to implement significant opportunities for students to engage in structured, academic talk that promotes the learning of content (Bruner, 1983; Vygotsky, 1978; Walqui, 2006).
• Creating systems for continuous improvement:We promote the effective use of student assessment data and implementing a multi-tiered approach to instructional interventions (Elmore, 2002; Fullan, 2006; Schmoker, 2006).

Structure

The structure of the ELLA professional development program is based on contemporary models of teacher professional development (Abdal-Haqq, 1995; Ball & Cohen, 1999; Borko, 2004; Elmore, 2002; Wilson & Berne, 1999), which emphasize that effective teacher learning:

• Is situated in classroom practice, focuses on students, and is aligned with other reform initiatives at the site
• Is ongoing and intensive
• Actively engages teachers in constructing their own understanding
• Incorporates collaborative experiences where teachers can interact with their colleagues
• Is multifaceted and includes both frontloading of new knowledge and opportunities for practice with coaching reflection, and feedback
• Is grounded in the scholarship of teaching
• Acknowledges and integrates teachers’ prior knowledge and experiences