ILTS English as a New Language (250) cheat sheet

English as a New Language

• Krashen's five hypotheses: acquisition-learning distinction, natural order, monitor, input (i+1), and affective filter; comprehensible input drives acquisition, not conscious rule study.

• Cummins' BICS (conversational fluency) typically develops in 1-3 years; CALP (academic language proficiency) typically takes 5-7 years and depends on cognitive demand plus context embeddedness.

• TESOL's five domains: language, culture, instruction, assessment, and professionalism; the WIDA framework organizes language by content area (language arts, math, science, social studies) across grade clusters.

• Second-language stages: preproduction (silent period), early production, speech emergence, intermediate fluency, and advanced fluency; expect a silent period and do not force early oral output.

• L1 transfer can be positive or negative; contrastive analysis predicts interference, while error analysis treats many learner errors as developmental overgeneralization rather than L1 interference.

• Sheltered instruction (SIOP) components include lesson preparation, building background, comprehensible input, strategies, interaction, practice/application, lesson delivery, and review/assessment.

• WIDA ACCESS score levels run 1-6 (Entering, Emerging, Developing, Expanding, Bridging, Reaching); exit criteria are set by the state, not the test vendor.

• Bilingual program types: transitional (early-exit), developmental/maintenance, dual-language/two-way immersion, and newcomer programs; each differs in how long L1 is used for instruction.