Approaches to Help English Language Learners Develop Skills Needed to Succeed in Social Studies and Pass High Stakes Tests

Abstract

In New York State, all students are required to pass Regents Exams to receive their degree. Two of these Regents come from social studies content. Social studies is a subject that traditionally, English Language Learners (ELLs) have struggled with due to the high linguistic demands, difficult academic vocabulary, and a variety of other reasons. Consequently, many social studies teachers are not prepared with the strategies needed to support ELLs. As the number of ELLs continues to rise in New York State, this capstone is designed to provide and prepare secondary social studies teachers to support ELLs in the social studies classroom, so they can pass their regents. Therefore, this capstone examines the overarching questions: How can social studies teachers help ELLs develop linguistic strategies and vocabulary to successfully pass high stake tests, such as the Global and US Regents. This capstone outlines a four-session professional development (PD) that provides social studies teachers with social studies specific strategies, culturally responsive, social emotional learning strategies, and linguistic strategies that teachers can use in the secondary social studies classroom to support and prepare ELLs to be successful. The research in this capstone will provide secondary social studies teachers with the tools they need to support their ELLs, but more research is needed to provide a clear connection between these tools and high stakes testing results for ELLs.