Homework and the English Language Learner

Homework is an important part of learning and should be used by students to practice, review and apply what has been learned in school.  Homework could also be used to help students prepare for new learning.  Either way, the purpose of all homework needs to be clearly stated.  Homework should be used to increase the understanding gained in the classroom.  As with all learning with ELLs, homework needs to be structured to meet their needs and their stage of language acquisition.  The goals and objectives of homework need to be clear and the activity assigned needs to match the goals and objectives in order to enhance learning.   

Since homework is an opportunity for students to independently practice and demonstrate learning, extra support should be provided for ELLs.  Visual support in the form of pictures, organizers and realia should be included when assigning homework.  ELLs need the support of nonlinguistic examples to enhance their understanding.   Directions should be clear and teachers should offer extra time for ELLs to ask questions in order to further clarify assignments.  Directions for homework should be provided in written form for students to reference when needed at home.  Narrowing the focus of a homework assignment also supports ELLs by having them to practice fewer skills while obtaining deeper understanding.      

 Feedback on homework should be provided in a timely manner and may come from students as well as the teacher.  Feedback is most effective when it takes the form of instructive comments highlighting any errors or misunderstandings instead of simply stating what is right or wrong.  All students should be taught that the effort they put into their homework is as important as what they produce.  “Research shows that students who are taught about the connection between effort and achievement do better than students who are taught time-management techniques or comprehension strategies” (Hill & Flynn, 2006, p. 88).  Teachers should be available to further elaborate on any feedback given to students to enhance their learning.  Students also need to be aware of any consequences that are in place for homework that is not completed.      

Homework policies should be clearly communicated to both students and parents and may need to be clarified in the native language.  School-wide homework policies are effective because the expectations are consistent in all grades.  Homework policies should be discussed at back to school night so parents are given the opportunity to ask questions and clarify.  Teachers should clearly explain how much time homework should take each night, further explaining that if homework is taking longer than expected, it is important to communicate with the teacher so that adjustments can be made.

Technology can be a great tool and support for homework.  A classroom teacher may create a blog or weekly electronic newsletter that lists homework assignments and details.  Teachers can include links to helpful websites or graphic organizers that students can access at home to help with homework.  This would also be a great place to post the homework policy should parents need to visit it again.  Parents can also be reminded of their role in the completion of homework.  Parents should be available to support the student by providing them with a quiet area to complete homework but need to understand that homework should be completed independently by the student.  

When structured correctly, homework can be an important learning and practice tool for all students.  Matching student abilities and stages of language acquisition to the homework task is crucial to success.  Equally important, strong communication between school and home is essential to the success of homework. 

References

Hill, J. D., & Flynn, K. M. (2006). Classroom Instruction That Works with English Language Learners.

Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. (2005) Researched-Based Strategies: Homework and

practice.  Portland, OR

Fiction vs. Non-Fiction Texts and ELLs

        It is important for all students to understand the major differences between fiction and non-fiction texts.  This understanding helps enhance comprehension when reading both types of text.  Certain elements of each type of text can prove challenging to ELLs.  In analyzing a fiction and a non-fiction text, it became clear which features would support ELLs and which features might challenge ELLs.


                                                                  

Fiction If You Give A Pig A Pancake  by Laura Numeroff

Nonfiction A Day At Seagull Beach by Karen Wallace

·    Written to entertain students ·    Story structure typically includes characters, plot, setting, theme, a problem and solution ·    Written from imagination and stories are not real or true ·    Types include short stories, novels, poems, plays ·    Typically includes illustrations not photographs ·    Invokes feelings from the reader

·    Written to provide facts and information to students ·    Written about real people, things, places or events ·    Types include autobiographies, biographies, encyclopedias, articles, textbooks, how-to essays and personal essays ·    May include charts, maps, diagrams, captions, labels, bold print, index, table of contents and a glossary ·    May feature photographs as opposed to illustrations ·    Read using skimming and scanning

Fiction- If You Give A Pig A Pancake by Laura Numeroff

Features that support ELLs	Features that may challenge ELLs
·    Story is entertaining and of interest to all students ·    Illustrations match text and can be used as cues ·    Repetitive and predictive language and events allowing for easy transfer of understanding from page to page ·    Page layout is clean and not too busy ·    High percentage of language and content that could be understood by ELLs or could be easily taught	·   Vocabulary that may need to be taught before reading to increase comprehension such as; maple syrup, sticky, homesick, tap shoes and envelopes ·   Concept of a circular story

Non-Fiction-A Day at Seagull Beach by Karen Wallace

Features that support ELLs	Features that may challenge ELLs
·    Challenging vocabulary is boxed along with a picture to match the word ·    A picture word list is included at the end of the book with page numbers ·    Photographs match the text and can be used as cues for understanding difficult concepts ·    Photographs are engaging and colorful and feature real children	·    No signaling devices such as headings or titles to organize the text and aid comprehension ·    No table of contents or index used to organize the text ·    Some of the pages are busy and may be confusing to ELLs ·    Words like whoosh, boom, wiggle, snap, snip, tap and skreek are in all caps with exclamation marks