Which combination best supports ELL students under Standard 1?

• A. Isolating ELL students from peers.
• B. Visuals, cognates, sentence frames, collaborative learning, explicit vocabulary instruction, and slower pacing with supported texts.
• C. Complex texts with no supports.
• D. Fast-paced activities without language supports.

Answer: (B)

Supporting ELL students in literacy means providing multiple, purposeful supports that build both understanding of the text and language skills. Visuals help make meaning concrete when words are unfamiliar, while cognates connect new academic terms to students’ existing language knowledge, boosting both vocabulary and comprehension. Sentence frames give students ready-made language structures to express ideas, which supports clarity and accuracy in speaking and writing. Collaborative learning offers peer interaction that fosters negotiation of meaning and exposure to varied academic language. Explicit vocabulary instruction ensures essential terms are learned and used correctly. Slower pacing with texts that include supports gives students time to decode, process, and link new ideas to what they already know. This combination best helps ELL students access content and develop language skills, whereas isolating students from peers, using complex texts with no supports, or rushing through activities without language supports tend to hinder comprehension and language development.