MTEL SEI (56) flashcards
MTEL SEI (56) · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Castañeda three-part test
- A federal standard from Castañeda v. Pickard (1981) requiring that an EL program rest on sound educational theory, be implemented effectively with adequate resources and trained staff, and produce results showing language barriers are overcome.
- Lau v. Nichols
- 1974 Supreme Court decision holding that identical treatment of English learners can violate Title VI when it denies them meaningful access to the curriculum; districts must provide affirmative language support.
- Plyler v. Doe
- 1982 Supreme Court ruling that public schools may not deny enrollment to students based on immigration status, and may not require documentation of citizenship as a condition of attendance.
- Massachusetts Question 2
- 2002 ballot initiative that replaced most transitional bilingual education in Massachusetts with sheltered English immersion as the default program, while allowing parental waivers for alternatives.
- SEI endorsement
- An add-on authorization for Massachusetts educators holding a content or early-childhood license; it permits them to deliver sheltered content instruction that integrates language development with subject-area learning.
- Home language survey
- An intake questionnaire asking which language is spoken at home and by the student; a positive response triggers English proficiency screening and possible EL identification, regardless of student appearance or accent.
- Exit criteria
- The state- and district-defined evidence, typically a composite English proficiency score plus academic indicators, that a student no longer needs EL services and becomes a former English learner under monitoring.
- Former English learner (FEL)
- A student who has met exit criteria and no longer receives EL services but is monitored for academic progress for a defined period, with reclassification possible if performance declines.
- Dual language program
- A program model delivering content in two languages to integrated groups of English learners and English-proficient peers, aiming for bilingualism and biliteracy rather than rapid transition to English only.
- Title VI and EEOA
- Federal laws prohibiting discrimination and requiring states to take appropriate action to overcome language barriers; they mandate effective programs but do not prescribe one specific instructional model.
- WIDA proficiency levels
- Six levels from 1 Entering to 6 Reaching that describe English language development across content areas; they guide differentiated expectations for speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
- Sheltered instruction vs. ESL
- Sheltered instruction is content-area teaching made comprehensible while developing academic language; ESL is dedicated English language instruction. SEI programs include sheltered content, not only ESL pull-out.
- Parental waiver
- Under Massachusetts law, a parent may request an alternative to SEI; the district must process the request and still identify, assess, and monitor the student as an English learner.
- Meaningful access
- The civil-rights principle that English learners must be able to participate in and benefit from the same academic program as peers, which requires language support rather than simple placement in mainstream classes.
- Language objective
- A lesson goal naming the specific academic language functions, vocabulary, or discourse students will use to demonstrate content learning, stated separately from the content objective.
- Content objective
- A lesson goal stating the subject-area knowledge or skill students will master, drawn from state content standards and assessed independently of the language objective.
- BICS and CALP
- Cummins's distinction between basic interpersonal communicative skills, which develop in roughly one to three years, and cognitive academic language proficiency, which typically takes five to seven years.
- Affective filter
- Krashen's concept that anxiety, low motivation, or low self-confidence can block language intake; low-stress, supportive classrooms increase the likelihood that input is processed.
- Comprehensible input
- Language input slightly beyond the learner's current level (i+1) made understandable through visuals, gestures, modeling, and context, so meaning is accessible despite unfamiliar forms.
- Wait time
- Deliberate silence after asking a question, typically several seconds, giving English learners time to process language and formulate a response before another student is called on.
- Total Physical Response
- A comprehension-first strategy pairing spoken commands with physical actions, allowing entering-level students to demonstrate understanding before they are required to produce speech.
- Sentence frames
- Partially completed sentence stems that supply academic syntax while students insert content words, supporting production of complex sentences at intermediate proficiency levels.
- Word wall
- A visible, organized display of key vocabulary with visuals and examples, used as a reference during reading, discussion, and writing to reinforce academic language across lessons.
- Graphic organizer
- A visual structure such as a Venn diagram, timeline, or concept map that makes relationships among ideas explicit and reduces the linguistic load of organizing content.
- Scaffolding
- Temporary, targeted support such as models, sentence starters, or chunked texts that enables a learner to complete a task just beyond independent ability, then is gradually removed.
- Cognates
- Words with shared origin and similar form and meaning across languages, such as 'photosynthesis' and 'fotosíntesis'; explicit cognate instruction leverages a student's first language.
- Translanguaging
- Purposeful use of a learner's full linguistic repertoire, including the home language, to access content and build English, rather than banning the first language from the classroom.
- Formative assessment for ELs
- Ongoing checks such as exit tickets, thumbs-up checks, or oral interviews used to adjust instruction; they should allow multiple modes of response so language demand does not mask content knowledge.
- WIDA ACCESS assessment
- Massachusetts's annual English proficiency test measuring listening, speaking, reading, and writing; results inform proficiency level, instructional planning, and eligibility for exit from EL status.
- Language proficiency vs. content mastery
- A student may understand a concept but be unable to express it in English; grading and assessment should separate content knowledge from English language proficiency where possible.
- Academic language functions
- The purposes language serves in school, such as comparing, explaining cause and effect, justifying, and summarizing; naming the function helps students practice the matching sentence structures.
- Culturally responsive instruction
- Teaching that incorporates students' cultural backgrounds and experiences into examples, texts, and participation structures, increasing engagement and making new content more comprehensible.