- The teacher has students practice the new learning under his or her guidance, provides
feedback, and, if necessary, reteaches the concept or skill. - The students demonstrate mastery of the objective by performing a task without teacher
assistance. - The students engage in independent practice.
Direct instruction is a powerful model that is valuable in many contexts. Well suited to teaching
discrete skills, such as cursive writing, forming possessives, and using quotation marks, direct
instruction can also be effective in teaching complex tasks, such as constructing an argument and
using digital sources to find information. It is a particularly effective model for students who are
experiencing difficulty (Troia and Graham 2002; Vaughn, and others 2012). (See chapter 9.)Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Pedagogy
Teachers should genuinely acknowledge and value the cultural and linguistic resources that
students bring to the classroom from home and draw on these resources to promote learning. In
addition, teachers actively support their students to develop academic registers of English, so students
can fully participate in a broader range of social and academic contexts. To implement culturally and
linguistically responsive pedagogy, teachers adopt the following general practices:- Create a welcoming classroom environment that exudes respect for cultural and linguistic
diversity. - Use multicultural literature to promote students’ positive self-image and appreciation for cultural
diversity. - Use an inquiry approach to raise awareness of language variation (e.g., contrastive awareness).
- Use drama to provide a safe space for students to experiment with different varieties of English
(e.g., readers’ theater or reporting the news using different dialects or registers). - Provide a language rich environment that also promotes language diversity.
- Get to know parents and families and offer multiple ways for them to actively participate in their
child/adolescent’s schooling experiences.
Chapter 9 provides more information on culturally and linguistically responsive teaching.
Supporting Students Strategically
Students vary widely on many dimensions: academic performance, language proficiency, physical
and emotional well-being, skills, attitudes, interests, and needs. The wider the variation of the student
population in each classroom, the more complex are the tasks of organizing high-quality curriculum
and instruction and ensuring equitable access for all students. Efforts to support students should
occur at the classroom, school, and district levels and include culturally and linguistically relevant
pedagogy. The subsections that follow present several important considerations for supporting all
students strategically. Beyond the general education efforts described, supports, accommodations, and
modifications are provided to students who qualify for special education or other services, as outlined
in their individualized plans. Using the CA ELD Standards across the curriculum in ways appropriate to
the needs of ELs offers them powerful and strategic support.94 | Chapter 2 Essential Considerations