Using The European Language Portfolio in English Language Support Teacher's Guide
Using The European Language Portfolio in English Language Support Teacher's Guide
Using The European Language Portfolio in English Language Support Teacher's Guide
Teacher’s guide
The European Language Portfolio for
learning the language of the host
community in primary schools
2
W
Wo orrkkiinnggw wiitth
h tth
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ngglliissh
h lla
anng
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e
p
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offiicciie
ennccy
yb beenncch
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C
Coon
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off llaan
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uppp
poorrtt
The English language proficiency benchmarks provide the basis for the content
and delivery of English language support for pupils whose mother tongue is
neither English nor Irish. The benchmarks specify the minimum proficiency
required for full participation in mainstream primary schooling.
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orr tth
hee ffiivvee sskkiillllss o
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The benchmarks are based on 13 themes derived from the major strands of the
primary curriculum. In addition to the theme-based descriptors, there are ‘Global
benchmarks’ which describe language proficiency in general without assuming
that the child has studied any of the curriculum themes. These global
benchmarks, in particular, provide a means of assessing a child’s proficiency on
entry to the school or in the absence of information from another school.
The benchmarks define proficiency as positive ‘can do’ statements. These
statements are reflected in an accessible form for pupils in the ‘checklists’ which
appear in the European Language Portfolio (pages 10 – 22).
The benchmark statements specify five language skills at three levels. The skills
are Listening and Reading (Receptive skills) and Spoken Interaction, Spoken
Production and Writing (Productive skills).
T
Thhrreeee lleevveellss –
–AA1
1,, A
A22,, B
B11
The levels used for the benchmarks are derived from the Council of Europe’s
Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEF). While the CEF
has six levels in all, experience demonstrates that children achieving the third
level, B1, across all skills have achieved a level of English language proficiency
that supports full access to mainstream learning. The benchmarks, therefore,
are specified at levels A1, A2 and B1. Level A1 is the lowest level and it
automatically becomes the first ‘target’ for children who enter school with little or
no existing English language proficiency. For some children, the lowest levels of
the benchmarks may not be relevant, particularly if they have previously
attended another primary school.
R
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ess o
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emme
enntt
Children do not all learn in the same way and at the same rate. The European
Language Portfolio is designed to provide a means for the teacher and individual
pupil together to identify an appropriate pathway for learning. In this way, the
apparently less able pupil may be helped to progress along a path and in a way
that meets his/her particular language learning needs. The progress through the
benchmarks by any individual pupil will rarely be entirely predictable and
consistent; some skills may develop more quickly than others, and at any
particular level some of the tasks described in the units of work may prove to be
more difficult than others.
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The language proficiency benchmarks provide an on-going reference point for
language support teachers. By ensuring that language support is focused on both
the themes and the language skills specified in the benchmarks, teachers may be
assured that all pupils are getting the support necessary to bring them into full
engagement with mainstream learning.
3
W
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P
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Every European Language Portfolio has three parts:
A Language Passport
A Language Biography
A Dossier
V
Vaalliid
daattiio
onn
When a European Language Portfolio contains all the above
elements and complies with the principles set down by the Council
of Europe, it may be validated. The validation number for this ELP
is 11.2001 (rev. 2004).
4
U
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ELLP
P iin
ngge
enne
erra
all …
…
Every statement in the ELP suggests a lleeaarrn niin
ngg aaccttiivviittyy. It is not
a book of forms and should not be used in this way.
For the teacher, the topics or activities suggested in the ELP
checklists can be used to help p pllaann lleesssso
onnss.
All of the themes in the ELP are strands of the
pprriim
maarryy ccuurrrriiccu
ullu
umm. There is a wealth of
good and appropriate published material
available for primary curriculum learning.
When pupils can carry out the activities suggested at B1 level, they
are capable of integrating into mainstream learning. The time
necessary for a child to achieve this level will differ considerably.
The ELP is designed to support learning over a two-year period of
language support, so there is nno
onneeeed
d tto
ohhu
urrrryy.
T
Thhe
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usse
e……
The ELP is typically used at the een nd
do off aa ccyyccllee o
off lleeaarrn
niin
ngg. Cycles
will usually be theme-based and may take one class session or
several weeks to complete. In general, teachers recommend that
the ELP should be revisited every two to four weeks.
The ELP will never be used page by page. The teacher has
complete ffrreeeed
doom
m to move backwards and forwards through the
pages to use the themes, statements and activities that fit in best
with the rhythm and focus of teaching.
Language learning is ccyycclliiccaall. Pupils will revisit the same theme
several times as language proficiency develops and learning tasks
become more challenging.
T
Thhe
e cco
onntte
enntt …
…
The ELP does not restrict the sscco oppee of teaching. Teachers are free
to add new activities, worksheets or other learning or published
resources to the Dossier as appropriate.
The ELP can be integrated with aan nyy ccllaassssrrooo
omm aaccttiivviittiieess, topics
or teaching objectives
There are many interconnections between units of work so that
pupils may be able to ccoollo
ouurr sseevveerraall iicco
onnss at the same time.
For example, following an activity which explores the functions of
different places in the locality – bank, garda station, library, clinic
etc. it may be appropriate to colour the following icons:
A1 (People who help us p.14)
I can understand the words for people who help us
A1 (The local and wider community p.18)
I can understand the names for people who work and live in my
town or area
A1 (The local and wider community p.18)
I can point out on a map where different people work
5
FFo
occu
ussiin
nggo
onn tth
hee iin
nddiivviid
duua
all p
puup
piill …
…
Because each pupil individually owns his/her ELP, it is possible to
include a child’s h
hoom
mee ccu
ullttu
urree in activities – for example by
drawing pictures, writing descriptions etc.
‘Portfolio Day’, or an ELP session, is a good opportunity to g giivvee
pr ais e
praise individually.
Sample procedure:
1. Pupil is directed to relevant page for theme that has been covered in
recent classroom activities
2. Pupil reads the statement indicated by the teacher
3. Pupil and teacher discuss the statement and confirm that the pupil ‘can do’
it – pupil may demonstrate or answer questions to provide evidence of
ability
4. Pupil colours icon and is given praise for this achievement
The ppaarrttiiccu
ullaarr n
neeeed
dss of an individual child may be the focus of
his/her portfolio.
For example:
If a child has already developed proficiency to B1 level in the skills of speaking and
listening, but needs to develop more proficiency in reading and writing, then the
focus in the portfolio should be on all the statements that suggest reading or
writing activities.
A1 (Time)
I can read the day and month and the timetable for school
I can copy the days of the week and the months of the year
from the board
A2 (Time)
I can read a notice about something that will happen at a
particular time and on a particular day
I can write about my favourite time
B1 (Time)
I can read about the past in my reader or textbook
I can write about something that happened in history or might
happen in the future
D
Deevve
ello
oppiin
ngg tth
hee lle
eaarrn
niin
ngg ssk
kiillllss o
off p
puup
piillss …
…
Pupils, particularly those in senior primary classes can take part,
with their teacher, in m maakkiin
nggd deecciissiio
onnss about what needs to be
learnt or reviewed. This is done by looking through the themed
checklists and identifying new learning targets.
Pages and statements in the ELP support teachers in exploring with
their pupils h
hoow
w llaan
nggu
uaag
gee lleeaarrn
niinnggh haap
pppeen
nss and how it can be
improved (see pages 8&9)
The checklists (pages 10 – 22) contribute to a process of combined
teacher/pupil assessment in which the pupil ‘proves’ his/her
achievement. This process develops pupils’ awareness of their own
abilities and teaches them how to aasssseessss tth heemmsseellvveess.
6
C
Coom
mmmu
unniicca
attiin
nggw
wiitth
h cco
olllle
eaag
guue
ess a
annd
dppa
arre
ennttss
The ELP provides an excellent means of communicating information
about a child’s progress to his or her p
paarreen
nttss. The coloured icons
become a visual record of a child’s
progress and achievement. When the
icon is also date stamped by the
teacher, the rate of progress and
currency of the information is
immediately obvious.
7
IId
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assssrro
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viittiie
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euusseeo off tthheeE ELLPP
P
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3 A
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Resources
One copy of the ELP per child. Soft ball
Method
At the first language support class, arrange children in a small circle and throw
ball to each child in turn. When the child gets the ball, he/she must say ‘My name
is …’ Teacher may have to model this.
Distribute ELPs to all children from 1st class up.
Open at page 3 and get children to write in their names (with help as necessary)
and the name of the school.
The other details will come later as pupils learn colours, where they live etc.
P
Paag
gee4
4 LLa
anng
guua
agge
ess II k
knno
oww
Making a class poster to supplement individual work in ELP
On Page 4 the pupil records the languages known to him or her. As a means of
including these in the classroom display, a class poster could be made to illustrate
the range of languages represented by all language support pupils, with photos or
names of the children. New photos and languages could be added if children join
language support during the school year.
Arabic
Russian
Lithuanian Chinese
Kikongo
Resources
Poster paper, markers, photos of pupils/names
Method
1 Add the child’s name or photo to the wall chart
2 Get the child to turn to Page 4 of the ELP
Ask ‘What language do you speak at home?’
8
‘What language do you speak at school?’
3 If appropriate, stop at this point and return to the other questions
at a later stage when the subject is revisited
4 Help the child to fill in the answers
P
Paag
gee8
8 W
WHHE
ERRE
E II u
usse
eaan
ndd lle
eaarrn
n lla
anng
guua
agge
ess
The purpose of the activities on this page is to develop children’s
awareness of languages in general and where and how they can use and
learn different languages.
Completion of this page could take the entire two years of language
support.
Different statements on the page can be connected to other themes and
should be revisited in context.
Examples:
When I get up in the morning I speak
Method
This statement is intended to prompt pupils to talk about the language of
their homes. It can be extended into the pupil giving a little ‘lesson’ in
his/her mother tongue, for example teaching a greeting.
It is most important that the home languages of pupils are respected and
acknowledged whenever appropriate. These languages constitute a major
part of the personal identity of language support pupils. This activity is
part of the theme ‘Myself’.
P
Paag
gee9
9 H
HOOW
W II lle
eaarrn
n
This page is particularly important for children in senior primary classes,
particularly as they approach the transition to post-primary education.
9
The statements provide a focus for the exploration by pupils of how they
learn best. It is likely that the completion of this page will take at least
one school year and possibly longer.
Method
When pupils have carried out a learning activity, teacher prompts them to
think about their own learning.
For example, when a new topic has been introduced and key vocabulary
has been elicited and taught, teacher uses questions of this sort to prompt
reflection:
How are you going to remember those new words?
Do you think it would be a good idea to write them down?
Would it be a good idea to have a little quiz tomorrow to see if you
have remembered them?
What about the spelling – how will you remember that?
Do you do that each time we have new vocabulary in class?
Individual pupils note their learning strategies in the box When I want to
learn and remember new words I …
P
Paag
gee1
100 M
Myysse
ellff
1 Draw a picture
Resources
Sheet for each pupil with blank outline of a child.
Method
1. Pupils colour in the eyes and hair and draw ears, nose, hands and
feet.
2. They learn the colours of hair and eyes and the numbers one and
two.
Song
A good activity song for learning about the body is ‘Head and shoulders
knees and toes, knees and toes.’
Method
1 Pupil sticks photograph into folded ‘booklet’
2 Writes, or copies, name, age, school, address or area etc.
3 Labels blank outline of child
4 Writes sentences about colour of hair and eyes
5 Writes simple sentences e.g. likes or dislikes, family, how he/she
came to school today etc.
6 Booklet can be put into Dossier of ELP by punching the pages or
inserting in a plastic sleeve
10
P
Paag
gee1
111 O
Ouurr sscch
hooo
oll
1 Learning about the school
Resources
Photographs of different areas, particular rooms and important places in
the school.
Method
1. Bring the pupils on a walking tour of the school
2. Point out the particular areas, rooms etc. for which you have
photographs (e.g. computer room, library, toilets, teachers’ room
etc.)
3. Practise the vocabulary and explain the use of different rooms.
4. Back in the classroom, label each photograph
5. Review the vocabulary and make a vocabulary chart for the wall
6. Pupils select one photograph each and write some sentences about
that part of the school (the length and complexity of the text will
depend on the age and English language proficiency of the pupil).
Method
1. Pre-teach the key vocabulary
2. Check pupils’ comprehension
3. Get a pupil to ‘be teacher’ and give the instructions, circulate this
responsibility
4. Play the game
P
Paag
gee1
122 F
Fooo
odda
annd
d ccllo
otth
heess
Using concrete examples to learn vocabulary for food or clothes
1 Playing shop
Resources
Clothes bag, real food packets collected from home, play foods etc.
Method
Set up a play shop. Children take different roles, selling and buying. The
‘customer’ has to enquire about the price, use language of requests ‘may I
have’, and use ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. The ‘shopkeeper’ replies by saying
‘he/she doesn’t have the item’, ‘there is only one left’, ‘it costs __’ etc.
‘Money’ may be added as appropriate to the level of language proficiency
and age of pupils. Then shopkeepers have to add up how much is owed
and ask for the correct amount.
2 Categorising food
Resources
Real food packets collected from home, play foods, pictures of different
foods etc.
11
Method
Children must categorise foods according to groups indicated by the
teacher. This is a good opportunity to make wall charts of ‘Foods that are
good for us’, and ‘Foods that we must not eat too often’. Other categories
are fruits and vegetables, foods that we must put in the fridge.
The responsibility can be circulated among pupils of writing names of food
on the board in the appropriate list.
End with a writing activity on ‘My favourite food’.
P
Paag
gee1
133 C
Coollo
ouurrss,, ssh
haap
peess a
annd
doop
pppo
ossiitte
ess
This theme is automatically included in many other themes in the
curriculum. As a result, pupils will often be able to prove ability
and mark off statements in the checklist in addition to the
checklist for the main theme being studied.
P
Paag
gee1
155 W
Weea
atth
heerr +
+PPa
agge
e119
9TTiim
mee
Using a classroom chart to learn the days and months and how to
describe weather
Resources
Blank chart, on card or laminated, with place to put the day and the
month. Two sets of laminated cards 1) with days of the week and 2)
months. Collection of weather symbols (available as clipart on internet) on
laminated card.
Method
Each language support group (1st class up) must find the cards with the
correct day and month. Put these on chart then look outside, talk about
the weather and find a symbol that describes it. Put this symbol on the
chart.
Alternatively, a single language support group is responsible for building
the chart up over a week. Other groups must look at the chart and ‘read’
the information. Then another group takes the responsibility in the
following week.
Example:
12
P
Paag
gee117
7 S
Seea
asso
onnss,, h
hoolliid
daay
yss a
annd
d ffe
essttiiv
vaallss +
+PPa
agge
e119
9
T
Tiim
mee
Making a class poster to supplement individual work in ELP
Resources
Poster paper, markers, photos or other images if available
Method
Make a large blank poster divided into months and seasons.
Examples:
Spring
P
Paag
gee1
188 T
Thhe
e llo
occa
all a
annd
dwwiid
deerr cco
ommm
muun
niitty
y
This theme may also include ‘People who help us’ (page 14) and
‘Caring for my locality’ (page 22)
Resources
Map of the locality, with numbers to indicate a particular building or place.
Photographs of buildings or places in the area (shops, doctor’s clinic,
library, gym, park, playground etc.) Flash card with key words.
Method
1. Introduce the pictures, one at a time, working on the key
vocabulary.
2. Mix up the pictures and get pupils to match each picture with the
relevant flash card containing the key word(s).
3. Pupils talk about what happens in the different places and the
people who work/play/visit there
4. Take a short walking tour to see the places nearest the school
5. Stop and let children look at the photographs as they look at the
places in reality
6. Back in the classroom, pupils look at the map and decide which
building or place relates to each number.
13
Note: flash cards can be made into sets of ‘Snap’ cards. A ‘snap’ game is
good for consolidating word recognition.
P
Paag
gee2
200 P
Peeo
opplle
eaan
nddp
plla
acce
ess iin
nootth
heerr cco
ouun
nttrriie
ess
This theme offers many possibilities for bringing the pupils’
cultural backgrounds into classroom activities
General Resources
Map of world; national flags; pictures, photographs etc. of the countries
that the pupils’ families represent; coins or notes; other objects from
home.
1 What is it?
Method
1. Each child brings an object from home that is not typically seen in
Ireland.
2. Children find the vocabulary to describe the object – what it is
made of, size, shape, texture etc.
3. Children guess what its use may be by
a. Suggesting where it is used (kitchen, car, garden etc.)
b. Describing how they think it is used
4. Finally, the child who brought in the object tells the class all about
it
2 Learn about me
Child teaches some language, a song or a dance to others. It may be
possible to involve some mothers of pupils’ in this type of activity.
P
Paag
gee2
211 A
Anniim
maallss a
annd
dpplla
annttss
This theme is closely connected to ‘seasons’, ‘local and wider
community’ (beach, park, bog etc.), ‘time’, ‘colours, shapes and
opposites’.
General Resources
Pictures, nature posters, stories, rhymes, songs
Examples of methods
Draw a picture of a story that has a focus on spring and retell the story to
the teacher
Use pictures of animals and birds as prompts for descriptions – colour,
size, where they live, sound made by the animals etc.
Draw pictures to show how a flower grows from a seed in the spring (if
possible, grow something in the classroom).
A nature walk/trip looking at objects that have been studied in the
classroom.
P
Paag
gee2
233 D
Doossssiie
err
The Dossier already contains a small number of activity sheets to help
begin the process of building a personal collection of work.
As learning proceeds, the dossier will typically contain: d drraawwiin
nggss w
wiitth
h
llaab
bels, word lists, poems and stories written by the pupil, news,,
e ls , w o r d li s t s , p oe m s a n d s t or ie s w r it t e n b y t h e pu p il, n ew s
ppro
r ojjeeccttss,, iin
nffoorrm
maattiio onn cch
haarrttss ffo
orr ppaarrttiiccu
ullaarr ssu
ubbjjeeccttss (history,
geography etc.), and any other work generated in language support class.
14
S
Soomme e cclla
assssrro
oo omma ap
ppprro
oaacchhe
ess tth
haatt cca
annb
bee
us e d fo r a w i d e ra ng
used for a wide range of themes e o f th e m e s
T
Tood
deevve
ello
opp lliisstte
enniin
ngg ssk
kiillllss
Use storytelling for:
Listen and draw what you hear
Listen and find keywords on flashcards
Listen and mime
Listen and provide repetitive words, phrases or rhymes that occur
in the story
Listen and guess/predict what will happen next
Simon Says
T
Tood
deevve
ello
opp rre
eaad
diin
ngg ssk
kiillllss
Flashcards with key vocabulary or phrases
Match pictures to words
Sequencing activities using cut up sentences
Build a ‘vocabulary wall’ and get pupils to find relevant vocabulary
there when they need it
Use labels and match these to objects, pieces of text, posters,
pictures etc.
Picture dictionary
Make and do word searches
T
Tood
deevve
ello
opp ssp
peea
akkiin
ngg ssk
kiillllss
Puppets, masks
Themed role play
Rhymes and songs for rhythm and pronunciation
Chain games – adding a word, sound etc. each time
Pupils dictate news, story or poem to teacher who writes it down
Picture dictionary to help with unknown words
Regular ‘tell us about …’ sessions
T
Tood
deevve
ello
oppw
wrriittiin
ngg ssk
kiillllss
Write the day and date every day
Make word searches and simple crosswords
Class ‘Big Book’ and themed scrapbooks
Draw a picture and write ‘news’
Write and reply to notes from other pupils
Class newspaper made by children
15
T
Teea
acch
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T
Thhe
emme
e S
Suucccce
essssffu
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accttiivviittyy ffo
orr N
Nootte
ess/
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emmiin
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errss
tth
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heemme e
16