For information on teaching foundational skills to middle school students who need it, see the
section on supporting students strategically in the overview to the span of this chapter. See also
chapter 9 on access and equity.
English Language Development in
Grade Six
In grade six, ELs learn English, learn content
knowledge through English, and learn about how English
works. English language development occurs throughout
the day across the disciplines and also during a time
specifically designated for developing English based
on ELs’ language learning needs. In integrated ELD,
teachers use the CA ELD Standards to augment the ELA
and other content instruction they provide. For example,
to support ELs at the Emerging level of English language
proficiency, particularly ELs who are new to the U.S.
and to English, to write an informational text (e.g., an
autobiography), teachers might have the students read
and discuss short autobiographies as mentor texts.
They explicitly show the students how autobiographies
are organized, specific information typically included
in autobiographies, and particular language useful for this text type (e.g., text connectives for
showing when things happened in time, such as “when I was ten,” “after I came to the U.S.” ).
Teachers also provide sentence or paragraph frames for students to use in their autobiographies and
provide bilingual dictionaries and thesauruses, so students can include precise vocabulary and new
grammatical structures to convey their knowledge of the topic. Providing opportunities for newcomer
ELs to read and discuss texts in their primary language can also help them compose these text types
in English.
Students at the Expanding and Bridging levels of English language proficiency likely do not need
this level of linguistic support. As they progress in their understandings of English and their capacities
to use English to convey meanings, ELs increase in their ability to write longer texts independently
and to write specific types. However, all EL students need varying levels of scaffolding depending on
the task, the text, and their familiarity with the content and the language required to understand and
engage in discussion. Figure 6.14 presents a section of the CA ELD Standards that teachers can use, in
tandem with the CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy and other content standards, to plan instructional support
differentiated by proficiency level.
As they progress in their
understandings of English and
their capacities to use English to
convey meanings, ELs increase in
their ability to write longer texts
independently and to write specific
types. However, all EL students
need varying levels of scaffolding
depending on the task, the text,
and their familiarity with the
content and the language required
to understand and engage in
discussion.Grade 6 Chapter 6 | 565