TExES ESL Supplemental 154 key terms

The everyday, conversational English a student picks up through social interaction. It develops in roughly one to three years and, on its own, is not enough for success with academic texts and tasks.

The language of textbooks, tests, and classroom explanation, involving abstract vocabulary and complex sentence structures. It typically takes five to seven years or more to develop and must be taught explicitly.

Language a learner can mostly understand because it sits just slightly beyond current ability, supported by gestures, visuals, repetition, and context. Krashen described this as i + 1 and made it central to acquisition.

An emotional barrier that rises when a learner feels anxious, embarrassed, or unmotivated. A high filter keeps language from being processed; low stress and a supportive classroom keep it down.

A stage in second language acquisition when a newcomer listens and observes without speaking much. Forcing early speech raises anxiety, so teachers allow time and offer nonverbal ways to participate.

The influence of a first language on a second. It helps when patterns match (positive transfer) and produces predictable errors when they differ (negative transfer, also called first-language interference).

The evolving, rule-governed system a learner builds between the first language and the target language. It shifts as new input is processed and often contains errors that are systematic rather than random.

Words in two languages that share a common origin and look or sound alike, such as English 'animal' and Spanish 'animal.' They are a powerful vocabulary bridge when teachers point them out, including false cognates.

The smallest unit of sound that can change meaning in a language, such as /b/ versus /p/ in English. Learners whose first language lacks a sound may need explicit listening and pronunciation practice.

The smallest unit of meaning in a word. Free morphemes stand alone, as in 'book'; bound morphemes attach to roots, as in '-s' or 'un-', and carry grammar or added meaning.

The rules for using language appropriately in social situations, such as turn-taking, politeness levels, and indirect requests. It can be harder to acquire than grammar because it is culturally embedded.

The variety of language a speaker selects for a situation, such as casual talk with friends versus a formal academic explanation. Students often need explicit teaching about school-appropriate registers.

Alternating between two languages within a conversation or sentence. It is normal, rule-governed bilingual behavior serving social and strategic purposes, not evidence that a student is confused.

The idea that language acquisition is easiest in childhood and becomes harder after a certain age, particularly for native-like pronunciation. It is debated and should never be used to justify low expectations for older learners.

Texas standards describing what English learners must know and do in listening, speaking, reading, and writing across content areas and proficiency levels. Teachers are required to integrate them into every lesson.

Teaching grade-level content in English with strategies that make it understandable to English learners, such as visuals, gestures, adjusted speech, and clear language objectives, while keeping content rigor intact.

Temporary supports that help a learner complete a task just beyond independent ability, such as models, sentence frames, or guided practice. Supports are gradually withdrawn as competence grows.

An approach in which students respond to spoken commands with physical actions before they are expected to speak. It lowers anxiety and builds listening comprehension, especially for beginners.

A statement of the specific language functions, forms, or vocabulary students will use in a lesson, kept separate from the content objective. It tells students which English they will practice and how it will be checked.

Ongoing low-stakes checks during instruction, such as questioning, exit tickets, or observation, used to adjust teaching. It supplies feedback while learning is still in progress rather than at the end.

The Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System, which rates English learners in listening, speaking, reading, and writing as beginning, intermediate, advanced, or advanced high. Results guide instruction and reclassification decisions.

A Texas campus committee that reviews English learner data, recommends placement, monitors progress, and makes reclassification and exit decisions. Its membership and duties are specified in state law.

An arrangement in which students work in small structured groups with shared goals and individual accountability. It gives English learners frequent, meaningful interaction and language practice with peers.

Partially completed sentences students fill in to practice academic language patterns, such as 'The main idea is ___ because ___.' They support oral and written production while keeping cognitive demand high.

Planning with varied content, process, and product so students at different proficiency and readiness levels can meet the same standards. It is a way of teaching, not a separate curriculum for English learners.

A purposeful collection of student work gathered over time, guided by criteria and student reflection, used to document growth and inform instruction. It captures performance that a single test may miss.

A visual framework such as a Venn diagram, timeline, or concept map that shows how ideas relate. It makes abstract content and text structures visible, supporting both comprehension and writing.

A U.S. Supreme Court ruling that a district receiving federal funds violates Title VI when it gives English-only instruction to students who do not understand English without meaningful help to overcome the language barrier.

A court decision setting a three-part test for programs serving English learners: they must rest on sound educational theory, be implemented with adequate resources, and be evaluated to show they actually work.

A Supreme Court decision holding that states may not deny a free public education to children based on immigration status. Schools may not require immigration documents as a condition of enrollment.

A program that teaches initial content in the student's native language while building English, then moves the student into mainstream English instruction, usually within a few years. The stated goal is English proficiency.

A program in which English learners and English-proficient students learn together in both languages, aiming for bilingualism, biliteracy, grade-level achievement, and cross-cultural understanding for all participants.

A model in which English learners leave the mainstream classroom for a period of specialized English instruction and then return. It provides focused language teaching but can fragment the school day.

The process of adapting to a new culture while retaining elements of one's own. It can follow different paths, such as integration, separation, assimilation, or marginalization, and it shapes how students engage with school.

The skills, experiences, and knowledge families and communities possess, such as work skills, storytelling, and cultural practices. Teachers who learn about them can build meaningful bridges to the curriculum.

Using students' cultures, languages, and experiences as resources for learning while holding high expectations and examining one's own biases. It shapes curriculum and interaction, not just holiday celebrations.

Adding a second language while maintaining and valuing the first. It contrasts with subtractive bilingualism, in which the home language is replaced and often lost, and it supports achievement and identity.

Explaining student struggles by presumed shortcomings in the student, family, or culture rather than in schooling. It lowers expectations and is countered by focusing on assets and structural causes.

A two-way partnership in which families are welcomed as contributors and decision-makers, supported by translated communication, flexible meeting times, and information about community resources and services.