EAL Language Continuum Grades 3-5

English As An Additional Language Program Continuum

The AISB Elementary English as an Additional Language (EAL) Continuum is designed for First through Fifth Grade students at AISB.
The continuum is organized by grade level clusters; 1-2 and 3-5. This reflects the developmental and cognitive differences between the
groups, although there is overlap in skills. The five levels outline the progression of language acquisition within the four domains of
Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing. It provides expectations and descriptions of what EAL learners can do within each of the
domains. Although reading it horizontally will show more complex skills in each of the levels, it is meant to be read vertically.
Language acquisition is a long term process involving a progression through developmental stages. In general, Listening and Speaking
skills develop before Reading and Writing skills. Although sometimes, depending on socio-cultural frameworks, skills in each domain
can develop at varying rates and ways. A student may not progress at the same level in each of the domains. The EAL department
strives to develop each students ability to communicate effectively in English in social situations and to succeed in the Elementary
Schools academic program. Academic success in English is directly influenced by students Mother Tongue literacy skills. EAL
students at AISB come from a broad range of linguistic backgrounds. Our continuum considers that students move through these
stages and strands at individual rates.
The ASIB Elementary EAL Language Continuum has been developed based on the roles established for the AISB EAL department;
which are notably:

To identify students requiring English language learning assistance through a process of screening and assessment (WIDA)
To develop in students a confidence in English in all areas of English usage
To foster the acquisition of social language and assist students in acquiring the academic proficiency necessary for success in the
mainstream program
To support the content of the AISB PYP curriculum
To support and foster the continued development of students mother tongue

2011-2012 EAL Department Staff: Heather Wildes, K & Grade 1; Erika Albinson, Grade 2; Susie Myers, Grade 3; Jane Tiberi,
Grades 4 & 5
2013-2014 EAL Department staff (revised edition): Heather Wildes. K & Grade 1; Alina Guzganu, K & Grade 2; Susie Myers,
Grade 3; Erika Monaghan, K & Grade 4; David Carollo, Grade 5

EAL Language Continuum Grades 3-5

Language
Domain

Entering

Listening

Follows one-step
directions
Identifies objects from
oral questions
Points in response to
oral readings to show
comprehension
Matches pictures to
oral descriptions
Understands simple,
repetitive texts, such
as songs, rhymes,
poems and raps
Uses non-verbal
communication to
answer yes/no
questions
Uses translations to
support
understanding

Emerging

Follows 2-step
directions
Sorts pictures and
objects based on oral
descriptions
Draws a response to
oral descriptions
Uses non-verbal
communication to
show comprehension
during oral readings
Identifies pictures of a
story sequence
Comprehends literal
questions to oral
readings
Exhibits short periods
of attentive listening

Developing

Follows multi-step
oral directions
Makes predictions
based on pictures
Predicts next item in a
sequence of events
Understands
curriculum focused
teacher-talk with
visual support and
repetition
Exhibits sustained
attentive listening
Paraphrases oral
information with
guidance
Sequences pictures
from an oral reading

Expanding

Follows a series of
oral directions
Interprets oral
information and
applies it to new
situations
Identifies illustrated
main ideas and
supporting details
from oral discourse
Identifies cause and
effect
Exhibits sustained
attentive listening
similar to a native
English speaker
Paraphrases oral
information

Bridging

Follows multiple
complex oral
directions
Distinguishes
between literal and
figurative language in
oral discourse
Draws conclusions

Connects events or
characters to personal
life

2011-2012 EAL Department Staff: Heather Wildes, K & Grade 1; Erika Albinson, Grade 2; Susie Myers, Grade 3; Jane Tiberi,
Grades 4 & 5
2013-2014 EAL Department staff (revised edition): Heather Wildes. K & Grade 1; Alina Guzganu, K & Grade 2; Susie Myers,
Grade 3; Erika Monaghan, K & Grade 4; David Carollo, Grade 5

EAL Language Continuum Grades 3-5

Language
Domain

Entering

Speaking

Expresses basic needs

or conditions
Names pre-taught
items
Recites words or
phrases from pictures
of everyday objects
Responds to simple
questions with
modeling
Responds with single
words or short
phrases
Communicates
nonverbally or with
Mother Tongue
Uses highest
frequency content
related vocabulary

Emerging

Describes items with

short sentences or
phrases
Shares basic social
information with
peers
Responds in short
sentences to openended picture
prompted questions
Retells a pictorial
story sequence using
short sentences and
phrases
Names story elements
with visual aids
Uses general content
vocabulary

Developing

Restates basic contentbased facts

Retells short stories or
events
Makes predictions or
hypotheses from
discourse
Offers solutions to
social conflict
Presents content based
information
Engages in problemsolving
Provides details of
pictures of things to
peers
Describes story
elements with visual
clues
Asks and answers the
five W questions
Role plays scenarios
from pictures
Describes processes
and procedures
Uses general and
some specific content
vocabulary

Expanding

Answers opinion
questions with
supporting details
Discusses stories,
issues/concepts
Presents content
based oral reports
with details
Clarifies information
by restating ideas to
peers
Expresses connected
ideas to relate
personal information
and opinions
Discusses
relationships among
ideas or offers
opinions
Summarizes story lines
Uses specific and
some technical
content vocabulary

Bridging

Justifies/defends
opinions or
explanations with
evidence
Sequences steps in
problem solving at
grade level
Explains in detail
results of an inquiry
Offers specific
information to
support ideas
Provides extended
discourse with
justification regarding
opinions and
perspectives
Proposes options or
solutions
Uses technical content
vocabulary

2011-2012 EAL Department Staff: Heather Wildes, K & Grade 1; Erika Albinson, Grade 2; Susie Myers, Grade 3; Jane Tiberi,
Grades 4 & 5
2013-2014 EAL Department staff (revised edition): Heather Wildes. K & Grade 1; Alina Guzganu, K & Grade 2; Susie Myers,
Grade 3; Erika Monaghan, K & Grade 4; David Carollo, Grade 5

EAL Language Continuum Grades 3-5

Language
Domain

Entering

(Decoding, Fluency, Comprehension)

Reading

Matches
icons/diagrams with
words/concepts
Makes connections
between words,
sounds, symbols,
Matches illustrated
words and phrases
Identifies alphabet
and words
Blends and stretches
sounds with
modeling

Emerging

Follows 1-step
directions
Locates information
from graphic
organizers
Sequences events
using a graphic
organizer
Retells beginning,
middle, and end with
modeling
Uses visual aids to
identify new words
Uses basic punctuation
when reading orally
Recognizes and reads
word families
Makes predictions

Developing

Follows 2-step
directions
Confirms predictions
Uses word structure
cues to identify new
words
Knows the language
associated with facts
or opinions
Begins to use books
for research purposes
(with reference to text
features)
Makes text to self and
text-to-text
connections
Compares/contrasts
information using a
graphic organizer
Sorts main ideas and
details from sentences
using a graphic
organizer

Expanding

Follows multi-step
directions
Differentiates
between fact and
opinion in a variety of
materials
Interprets text to
identify main ideas
and details from
multiple paragraphs
using graphic
organizers
Reads with fluency
Uses a variety of
strategies to identify
new words
Matches main ideas
with their details from
paragraphs using a
graphic organizer

Bridging

Evaluates the validity

of information
Infers information
from text
Synthesizes
information to form
an opinion
Identifies authors
purpose
Forms or infers main
ideas from details
Reads books with
fluency similar to a
native English
speaker

2011-2012 EAL Department Staff: Heather Wildes, K & Grade 1; Erika Albinson, Grade 2; Susie Myers, Grade 3; Jane Tiberi,
Grades 4 & 5
2013-2014 EAL Department staff (revised edition): Heather Wildes. K & Grade 1; Alina Guzganu, K & Grade 2; Susie Myers,
Grade 3; Erika Monaghan, K & Grade 4; David Carollo, Grade 5

EAL Language Continuum Grades 3-5

Language
Domain

Entering

(Spelling, Punctuation, Grammar)

Writing

Copies/writes English
without
understanding
Labels using a word
bank
Communicates ideas
with drawings
Copies
words/phrases/short
sentences
Writes simple
sentences with
support
Writes alphabet
Writes own name
Responds to reading
with pictures
Uses inventive
spelling

Emerging

Completes or
produces sentences
using a word bank
Fills in a graphic
organizer/chart/table
Makes comparisons
using real-life or
visually supported
material
Makes lists
Uses short sentences
to describe illustrated
events
Begins to use end
punctuation
Uses simple
conjunctions to
construct longer
sentences
Produces words or
phrases associated
with simple
vocabulary
Uses sequential
language (first, then,
next and finally)

Developing

Describes a series of
illustrated events using
related sentences
Edits and revises for
conventions and
structures
Begins to use
adjectives, adverbs,
prepositions
Writes simple stories in
a varity of genres
Uses a more complex
conjunctions (because,
so, then) to write
longer and more
complex sentences
Provides examples and
reasons for use of
specified conventions.
Uses transition words
to indicate time in a
story
Uses mostly
conventional spelling

Expanding

Takes notes using

graphic organizers
Summarizes contentbased information
Explains strategies or
uses information in
problem solving
Narrates a series of
events using
paragraphs
Edits and revises
based on reviews
Revises illustrated
paragraphs according
to specified
conventions
Recognizes atypical
spelling rules
Shows accuracy and
understanding of
subject-specific
vocabulary

Bridging

Applies content-based
information to new
contexts
Integrates personal
experiences with
literature/content
Produces text types
that meet grade level
expectations Selfassesses to edit and
revise

2011-2012 EAL Department Staff: Heather Wildes, K & Grade 1; Erika Albinson, Grade 2; Susie Myers, Grade 3; Jane Tiberi,
Grades 4 & 5
2013-2014 EAL Department staff (revised edition): Heather Wildes. K & Grade 1; Alina Guzganu, K & Grade 2; Susie Myers,
Grade 3; Erika Monaghan, K & Grade 4; David Carollo, Grade 5

EAL Language Continuum Grades 3-5

Vocabulary

Language
Domain

Entering

Greetings
School vocabulary
Basic nouns
Feelings/emotions
Adjectives
People
Countries

Resources

Beginning

Developing

Expanding

Bridging

adapted from mainstream

classroom for U of I,
writing, reading, and
math units

adapted from mainstream

classroom for U of I,
writing, reading, and
math units

adapted from mainstream

classroom for U of I,
writing, reading, and
math units

adapted from mainstream

classroom for U of I,
writing, reading, and
math units

(for all language competencies)

Gini Rojas Hyperlinks on the EL Transfer (\\myfiles\EL_Transfer\2.Grade-level-dept-files\EAL\Gini November 2011\Hyperlink

Tools-10)
Cambridge Primary Box (Pronunciation, Curriculum, Reading, Vocabulary, Grammar, Activity, Music and Communication)
Word Walls
Dictionaries
Reading A-Z
Thesauruses
Photo libraries
Jazz Chants, Carolyn Graham
TPR by James Asher

2011-2012 EAL Department Staff: Heather Wildes, K & Grade 1; Erika Albinson, Grade 2; Susie Myers, Grade 3; Jane Tiberi,
Grades 4 & 5
2013-2014 EAL Department staff (revised edition): Heather Wildes. K & Grade 1; Alina Guzganu, K & Grade 2; Susie Myers,
Grade 3; Erika Monaghan, K & Grade 4; David Carollo, Grade 5

EAL Language Continuum Grades 3-5

WEBSITES
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/english/ - British website for activities to aid teaching of grammar/reading/writing
http://www.firstschoolyears.com/atoz.htm - British website for teaching literacy
http://www.usingenglish.com/handouts/ - interactive activities for further English students
http://a4esl.org/ - teacher resource
www.manythings.org games and quizzes for language development
www.edhelper.com teacher resource for everything
www.esl-lounge.com online exercises and games for EAL students
www.sparklebox.co.uk vocabulary resources pictures/words
www.mes-english.com flashcards,
www.bogglesworldesl.com flashcards, phonics
www.starfall.com letter/sound correspondence, reading, sight words
www.readwritethink.org beginning reading skills
www.gameaquarium.com sight words, grammar, vocabulary games and quizzes
www.sheppardsoftware.com grammar, vocabulary games
www.vocabulary.co.il - vocabulary

2011-2012 EAL Department Staff: Heather Wildes, K & Grade 1; Erika Albinson, Grade 2; Susie Myers, Grade 3; Jane Tiberi,
Grades 4 & 5
2013-2014 EAL Department staff (revised edition): Heather Wildes. K & Grade 1; Alina Guzganu, K & Grade 2; Susie Myers,
Grade 3; Erika Monaghan, K & Grade 4; David Carollo, Grade 5