Integrated ELD Lesson Plan Assignment: Aligning Arizona ELP Standards with ELA Content and Cultural Responsiveness

How to create an integrated English Language Development lesson plan that aligns Arizona ELP standards with ELA content standards while honoring ELLs’ cultural values and beliefs. Creating lesson plans that align the English Language Proficiency (ELP) standards and content standards is a requirement of educators who have English language learners in their classrooms. Arizona’s Language Development Approach (LDA) emphasizes four key principles: asset-based behaviors, integrated instruction, targeted explicit language instruction, and ongoing assessment monitoring . Among the most important aspects of English language development are the integration of language instruction and practice across the content areas, which includes differentiation of instruction to address specific learning needs of all students. These aspects can be accounted for directly within lesson plans. Teachers working with English learners must understand that culturally sustaining pedagogy goes beyond mere relevance; it actively works to perpetuate and foster linguistic, literate, and cultural pluralism as part of the democratic project of schooling .

Part 1: Lesson Plan

For this assignment, create a lesson plan for integrated English language development (ELD) instruction that integrates ELLs’ cultural values and beliefs. Using the “COE Lesson Plan Template,” address the following:

• Using your clinical field experience classroom as the context for planning the lesson, select the grade level and at least one of the 10 Arizona English Language Proficiency (ELP) standards. In addition, select an English Language Arts (ELA) standard that aligns with the ELP standard.
• Complete all sections of the lesson plan template, focusing specifically on aligning objectives, instruction, and assessments to the ELA and ELP standards selected.
• Include both ELA and ELP standards within the “National/State Learning Standards” section of the template.
• Differentiation should address ELLs’ language differences, giftedness, and special education needs.

When selecting your standards, consider that the 2019 Arizona ELP Standards are organized into receptive communication, productive communication, interactive communication, and language strands . Research indicates that text selection is integral to culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogy, and teachers who select books reflecting students’ racial, ethnic, or cultural backgrounds see increased participation and engagement from historically marginalized students .

Part 2: Reflection

Write a 250-500 word reflection explaining how your lesson plan integrates ELLs’ cultural values and beliefs in the context of teaching and learning. Include a description of how your lesson planning and focus would be different, if you were to develop a targeted ELD lesson, instead of the integrated lesson you designed.

Your reflection should demonstrate understanding of the distinction between integrated instruction (implemented in content-area courses with EL and non-EL students) and targeted instruction (taught by EL teachers to EL students only using ELP Standards with content material) . Consider how culturally sustaining pedagogy validates children’s linguistic expressions rather than prioritizing Standard American English grammar exclusively .

APA format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.

This assignment uses a rubric. Review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.

Sample Response: Integrating Cultural Values in ELD Instruction

A fourth-grade integrated ELD lesson on narrative structure might align Arizona ELP Standard 3 (Productive Communication: Writing) with Arizona ELA Standard 4.W.3 (Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences). The lesson could incorporate students’ home cultures by inviting them to share local legends with which they are familiar, then mapping these narratives to story structures. Students might explore how moral lessons are passed through generations in their communities, using nontraditional media such as oral storytelling alongside written texts . Differentiation could include providing sentence frames for beginning ELLs, allowing advanced students to incorporate multilingual elements, and offering graphic organizers for students with special education needs. Paris (2012) argues that culturally sustaining pedagogy seeks to perpetuate and foster linguistic, literate, and cultural pluralism as part of the democratic project of schooling, which means teachers must view students’ home and community cultural practices as resources to honor, explore, and extend rather than deficits to overcome .

Research from the Institute of Education Sciences emphasizes that effective instructional scaffolding should take into account students’ linguistic and cultural backgrounds, utilizing different media to develop linguistic awareness for EL students . A targeted ELD lesson would differ significantly from this integrated approach. While integrated instruction builds disciplinary content knowledge alongside language development in mixed classrooms, targeted instruction separates EL students for explicit language instruction focused specifically on listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills . The reflection should acknowledge that targeted ELD allows for more intensive language focus without the cognitive load of grade-level content, yet integrated instruction provides authentic contexts for language use and peer modeling. Teachers implementing culturally sustaining practices may face challenges including time constraints and pressures from standardized testing, yet strategies such as having students produce Student-Generated Decodable Readers allow incorporation of existing funds of knowledge while addressing specific phonics skills .

References / Learning Materials

1. Paris, D. (2012) ‘Culturally sustaining pedagogy: A needed change in stance, terminology, and practice’, Educational Researcher, 41(3), pp. 93-97. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X12441244
2. Ladson-Billings, G. (1995) ‘Toward a theory of culturally relevant pedagogy’, American Educational Research Journal, 32(3), pp. 465-491. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312032003465
3. Christ, T. and Cho, Y. (2023) ‘Culturally relevant books and interactive read-alouds with refugee students’, The Reading Teacher, 77(2), pp. 145-156. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.70008
4. Arizona Department of Education (2024) Arizona English Language Proficiency Standards 2019 (Grades 6-8 Clarified). Available at: https://www.azed.gov/sites/default/files/2024/07/6.7.8_2019%20ELPS_Clarified_2024.pdf (Accessed: 31 March 2026).
5. De Oliveira, L.C. and Jones, L. (2023) ‘Enacting culturally sustaining pedagogy in English language teaching’, ELT Journal, 77(2), pp. 134-143. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccad012

1. How do I write an integrated ELD lesson plan that aligns Arizona ELP standards with ELA and includes cultural values for my college assignment?
2.  Compose a comprehensive integrated English Language Development lesson plan using the COE template that aligns Arizona ELP standards with ELA content standards, incorporates ELLs’ cultural values and beliefs, and includes differentiation for language differences, giftedness, and special education needs. Submit a 250-500 word reflection comparing integrated versus targeted ELD approaches. (125 words)

Develop a complete integrated ELD lesson plan (approximately 3-4 pages including template) that demonstrates alignment between Arizona English Language Proficiency standards and English Language Arts standards while embedding culturally sustaining pedagogical practices. Include a 1-page reflection (250-500 words) analyzing how your lesson honors ELL cultural backgrounds and how targeted ELD instruction would differ from your integrated design.

Create an integrated ELD lesson plan aligning Arizona ELP and ELA standards with cultural responsiveness, plus a reflection on integrated versus targeted ELD instruction.

 Assignment Preview: ELL Assessment and Data Analysis

Following this lesson planning assignment, students typically complete an assessment-focused module requiring analysis of AZELLA (Arizona English Language Learner Assessment) data to inform instructional decisions. You will likely be asked to interpret student proficiency levels across listening, speaking, reading, and writing domains, then design appropriate scaffolding strategies based on that data. The assignment may involve creating a case study analysis of an English learner’s assessment portfolio and proposing evidence-based interventions aligned with the four principles of Arizona’s Language Development Approach. Prepare by reviewing the AZELLA proficiency level descriptors and familiarizing yourself with formative assessment strategies specifically designed for ELLs, including the use of Can-Do descriptors and language function frameworks.

Sample COE Lesson Plan

Section 1: Lesson Preparation

Section 2: Instructional Planning

Part 2: Reflection

This lesson plan integrates English Language Learners’ (ELLs) cultural backgrounds, personal knowledge, family, and community by selecting culturally relevant literature featuring diverse characters. Analyzing these characters allows students to make meaningful connections to their own experiences and share insights from their unique perspectives (Nieto & González, 2022). The think-aloud strategy during the read-aloud models how to consider character traits through a cultural lens, promoting critical thinking skills and encouraging students to draw upon their funds of knowledge (Echevarria et al., 2021).

To better prepare for teaching this lesson, I would have gathered more information about my students’ specific cultural backgrounds and language proficiency levels. This knowledge would have enabled me to choose texts and design activities that resonate more deeply with their lived experiences. I would have also practiced the think-aloud strategy more extensively to ensure smooth delivery and effective modeling of cultural connections.

During the lesson, students appeared engaged in the learning process, particularly during the paired discussions and individual writing activities. The opportunity to collaborate with peers and express their ideas seemed to motivate them. However, I noticed some ELLs struggling with the vocabulary and sentence frames, indicating a need for further language support.

Throughout the lesson, I monitored student progress by circulating the room, listening to discussions, and reviewing written work. I adjusted my instruction by providing additional examples and clarification when needed. For future lessons, I would prepare more visual aids and hands-on activities to support comprehension and maintain engagement.

The strengths of this lesson include the integration of culturally responsive teaching practices, differentiation strategies for ELLs and students with special needs, and the development of all four language domains. However, I would have allocated more time for targeted vocabulary instruction and practice with sentence structures to better support language acquisition.

My mentor teacher provided valuable feedback on this lesson, particularly regarding the pacing and the need for more explicit language support. Moving forward, I will incorporate this advice by carefully planning the timing of each activity, preparing additional language scaffolds, and providing more opportunities for guided practice. I will also continue to seek feedback from my mentor and adapt my instruction accordingly to meet the diverse needs of my students.

References:

Echevarria, J., Vogt, M., & Short, D. J. (2021). Making content comprehensible for English learners: The SIOP model (6th ed.). Pearson Education.

Nieto, S., & González, N. (2022). Language, culture, and teaching: Critical perspectives (3rd ed.). Routledge.