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Explore a variety of free reader’s theater scripts for K–12 students. Enhance reading fluency and confidence in your classroom.

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Lots of free readers theater scripts K-12

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Lots of free readers theater scripts K-12

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Transform reading into a lively performance! Our readers theater scripts (also known as reader's theatre) let students practice fluency, vocabulary, and expression by reading short plays. Download 100 % free scripts or low‑cost bundles that are ready to use in class or online.

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Free & Low-Cost Readers' Theater Scripts for Grades 3-12 | Lesson Plan

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Download dozens of free Readers Theater scripts plus low-cost lesson plans for Grades 1 to 12. U.S.-aligned, printable PDFs that make fluency practice fun.

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This is the training padlet for the new curricular tools from National Geographic.

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The importance of using EL Strategies to support students

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The importance of using EL Strategies to support students

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Moises is an English Learner in a math class. He's trying hard to learn and the teacher has some EL supports showing. How else can we support Moises in this situation? (Answer - SIOP strategies!)

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The Importance of ELL Strategies - Immersion (Moises in Math Class)

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There is a long-standing rule that many veteran ESL teachers know about called the 70-30 rule. What is the 70-30 rule?

It is a ratio of student talk time to teacher talk time. We can state total class talk time during one conversation class period (60 minutes, 50, 45, 30, 20, etc.) as 100 percent.

Seventy percent of the talk time should be student talk time. The remaining 30 percent should be teacher talk time.

Seventy-thirty provides a formula for monitoring talk time in ESL conversation classrooms and an effective strategy.

It is a guide for how much teachers should be talking and how much freedom students should be afforded to talk.

It is not a hard and fast mandate where measurements need to be made. But it is a rule of thumb that helps teachers manage their conversation classes.

The following are five reasons why the 70-30 rule is useful in ESL classrooms.

1. More Opportunities for Feedback

The more learners talk, the more feedback you as a teacher can provide, the more you can focus on their needs.

A class dominated by the teacher's voice offers very little in giving students real feedback. And it is real and individual that matters.

Students need to know more about how they can improve instead of learning more about the language.

When a teacher talks beyond 30, the tendency is to talk about unimportant matters. The 70-30 rule gives students more chances to receive relevant feedback for their specific needs.
Read: 10 Ways To Give Feedback in English Conversation Classes
2. It Limits the Amount of 'Teaching' Teachers Do

Keeping talk time to 30 inhibits excessive teaching on the part of the teacher.

Human minds can only receive a certain amount of information in one sitting.

Because of that, a 70-30 rule prevents teachers from overwhelming students with 'information.' Teachers who speak more than that tend to over talk points.

They sometimes add more than is necessary for the target language of the immediate lesson. So instead of being allowed to exercise the target points, they have been given, students listen to more than they need to.

In turn, they lose time to use English. The 70-30 rule pushes teachers to focus on the important issues-the areas that need improvement. And it allows students more opportunities to use the language.

Like practicing the hula-hoop, the more you do it, the more proficient you become. The 70-30 rule invites students to not only speak more, but it also gives them opportunities to develop fluency.

By restraining the teacher from much speaking, learners are gently encouraged to add more information in their answers.

By doing so, they must access more vocabulary and structure. This in turn helps build more ability to use the language in a more fluid manner.

When learners are afforded ample amounts of time to practice the language, they gain the confidence that leads to improved fluency.

The 70-30 rule can be thought of as a teaching aid in that respect.

4. A More Satisfied Student

One of the biggest complaints I have heard over the years is when students say the teacher talks too much.

Another complaint I hear is the students saying that the teacher never gives them opportunities to speak. In fact, most complaints involve something to do with speaking. Students sometimes feel that they never have a chance to speak.

Why? Because the teacher has ignored the 70-30 rule. Teachers must be aware that they are not just teaching students but managing customers.

As such, he/she must be concerned about what the student not only needs but wants. They want to be able to talk when they pay for a class.

They want to maximize their investments. By giving people what they pay for, the 70-30 rule helps teachers improve student satisfaction.
Get the most comprehensive teacher training with the 250-hour TESOL diploma!
5. Why Not Let Students Talk More?

The class is not about you the teacher, but about the learners.

Since the class is for them, it just makes sense to give them more opportunities to speak.

They may want to share their answers to questions. They may want to share their life experiences. They may want to express their opinions about a matter.

Whatever they want to share, it is their time to do so. The ESL classroom is not a platform for teachers to share their opinions, thoughts, experiences, or ideas.

That belongs to students.

It may be difficult at times for teachers to remain quiet when they have an opinion about something that comes up in class.

It takes practice-believe me, I know. But it is better to deflect the response to class members, giving them opportunities to interact with each other.

If it is a one-on-one class, the 70-30 rule ensures that the teacher's opinions are kept to a minimum.

Share just enough to provide an example of how a student can respond, but do not take center stage. Remember, your role as a teacher is supportive and facilitative.

6. But what about low-level learners?

One argument I hear against the 70-30 rule is that the teacher 'must' speak more in lower-level classrooms.

But is that true? The teacher may feel he/she needs to talk more. But it just means lower-level learners need more time to produce their thoughts.

They need more patience-i.e. there will be more need for silence, no more need for teacher talk (TTT) to fill the silence.

Some teachers are uncomfortable with silence. However, silence is a necessary part of language development as learners take time to think about their responses.

If a teacher must speak, perhaps he/she could give a brief example answer or gentle prompting.
Read: How to Encourage a Great Discussion in an English Conversation Class
The 70-30 rule is a necessary component in conversation lessons. It gives teachers more opportunities to provide feedback and students more feedback.

It keeps the teaching to the bare necessities. The 70-30 rule promotes fluency by allowing students more time to speak. It helps ensure a more satisfied customer. And it just makes sense to let English language learners speak more.

Even at lower levels, students can be afforded the courtesy of 70-30 by giving them the time to create statements in their minds and produce them. The seventy-thirty rule is useful, and it works.

Recommended Reading:

Is a Conversation Lesson a License to Just Talk?

5 Quick Ways to Start an English Conversation Class

Large ESL Classes: Tips and Tricks for Teaching Speaking Skills

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There is a long-standing rule that many veteran ESL teachers know. Here are five reasons why the 70-30 rule is useful In ESL conversation Classes

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Integrating SEL into Classroom Instruction

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Integrating SEL into Classroom Instruction

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Schools and educators everywhere are working to increase student engagement with learning and connection to school. ​​When integrated with academics, SEL can help to transform students' experiences of the classroom by putting them in the driver's seat as they grapple with content, collaborate with peers, set meaningful goals, and communicate effectively, all within a supportive and challenging classroom environment ( Schwartz et al., 2023). These experiences are part of a high-quality and equitable education, and there is promise that they will lead to improved academic and social-emotional outcomes for students ( Dolfin et al., 2019; Finkelstein et al., 2010; Nichols-Barrer & Haimson, 2013; Rimm-Kaufman et al., 2021).
If you have already begun integrating SEL with academic instruction, use the rubric or the questions below to identify areas for continuous improvement:
The integration of SEL and academics involves three interdependent components:

Taking a student-centered approach

Aligning SEL and academic objectives

Using interactive pedagogy

If your school is already using an evidence-based SEL program, review it to determine whether it provides specific guidance and activities for integrating SEL with academic instruction. If you are looking to adopt a program, you can filter the list of programs on the CASEL Program Guide to find those that focus on integrating SEL and academic instruction.

Taking a Student-Centered Approach

In a student-centered classroom, students are at the center of the action, and their interests, needs, and learning styles drive instructional decisions. Educators spend time getting to know their students and thoughtfully plan instruction to support them with challenging, meaningful work no matter their current academic standing or disability status.

This requires student input about both what and how they are learning, which itself necessitates trusting relationships. When educators demonstrate curiosity and openness to student input, students are more likely to share their perspectives ( BELE, 2020). Additionally, educators can continuously build student trust by leveraging resources to meet the needs and aspirations students share. This may be in the form of peer-tutoring, recommendations for enrichment programs, or connections to other people and resources that motivate and inspire them.

When it comes to student input, a lot of information gathering can happen in real time. For example, noticing that students are beginning to appear disengaged from the lesson, a teacher might do a quick " fist to five" poll on her pacing, asking students to signal their experience by raising anywhere from zero to five fingers (five meaning "too fast" and a fist meaning "too slow.") Exit slips and surveys can also help provide educators with information to determine if the needs of all learners are being met and to test new strategies for increasing rigor and inclusion. ( BELE, 2020).

What we teach matters, too. When choosing content materials, find ways to honor the contributions and struggles of different groups of people. Consider diversity within cultural or socio-economic groups as well to avoid promoting what Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie describes as " a single story." That is, when we "show a people as one thing, as only one thing, over and over again, and that is what they become." By exploring a variety of experiences within a variety of cultures, we equip students to respect the richness and diversity of the human experience and generate curiosity and openness.
Help Build Academic Mindsets
In addition to attending to students' experience during an academic lesson, educators also center students when they focus on how students feel about learning and school. Consciously or not, students come to school with beliefs about who they are as learners. These beliefs, or mindsets, are influenced by adults, peers, past classroom experiences, and the wider culture, and can either support or undermine school success. Four student mindsets in particular have been shown to have a positive impact on persistence and school performance ( Farrington et al., 2012):

I belong in this academic community.

Students from all walks of life deserve to see themselves reflected in the scientists, mathematicians, musicians, and writers they study and to understand that they each have important perspectives to contribute.

Linking students' cultures, languages, and life experiences as assets to learning ( Ladson-Billings, 2014) highlights the power of self-awareness in the learning process and rejects positioning any one identity as normative. Creating spaces of belonging also helps to mitigate the impacts of stereotype threat, defined as "being at risk of confirming ... a negative stereotype about one's social group" (Steele & Aronson, 1995 in Farrington et al., 2012). Stereotype threat can increase anxiety and make it more difficult to focus, leading to underperformance even when a student is prepared, especially for students who are from marginalized and/or stigmatized groups. This applies at all levels, but especially in adolescence, when personal identity development intensifies and students are especially endangered by the ways that schools can communicate "otherness" ( Tatum, 2003).

Educators can use "micro-affirmations" to demonstrate care for students throughout the day. These moments, from correctly pronouncing students names to validating their emotional responses to challenges, communicate warmth and understanding ( Rowe, 2008; Powell, 2013).

My ability and competence grow with my effort.

As explained in Carol Dweck's groundbreaking work on the subject, a "growth mindset" leads to the belief that we can improve with effort and new strategies, and that struggle is part of the process. When students feel like their intelligence is fixed, engagement can feel threatening; they want to protect themselves from being exposed as "not knowing the answer." Disarm this anxiety by noting that mistakes are how we learn and honoring productive struggle.

Teachers can do this by asking students to share their thinking, especially when they are not sure (e.g., "Is there anyone who isn't completely sure about their answer? I'd love to see your process, and I bet it will help others out, too.") and by framing mistakes as learning opportunities (e.g., "I'm really glad that you shared that mistake, Alex. It is common to multiply here, and I bet others did it, too. Who can tell me why it seems like you should multiply, even though the problem actually calls for division?"). As Hammond ( 2015) explains, "If the student views mistakes as information that help him to be more effective, he develops a growth mindset that is open to applying effort" (p. 115). Share your own developmentally appropriate experiences of failure and what you learned from the challenge.

Research has long recognized the importance of teacher expectations, communicated through both verbal and non-verbal messages, in facilitating students' confidence and learning ( Rubie-Davies et al., 2006; Johnston et al., 2021). Believing we can be successful leads to increased effort and engagement, creating a positive feedback loop between hard work, mastery, and increased self-efficacy beliefs ( Bandura, 1977).

Educators also support student's self-efficacy through thoughtful scaffolding. Understanding that "variability in learning is the norm, not the exception" ( Darling-Hammond et al., 2020) requires educators to meet each student where they are and move them towards increased capacity and independence.

Educators do this by building "learning partnerships" ( Hammond, 2015) with students. Within these partnerships, educators communicate high expectations and provide tools and strategies that help students to safely stretch. This shapes students' motivation, engagement, and persistence ( Allensworth et al., 2018) and communicates that while teachers will encourage productive struggle, they will not let students fail.

For example, a teacher might encourage a less confident student to demonstrate a thoughtfully selected math problem for the class, but remind them that they can "phone a friend or the teacher" if they get stuck. This helps to build a classroom culture around collaborative problem-solving, where the ultimate goal is learning for all.

This work has value for me.

Learners are naturally motivated when they find a task compelling or see connections between the learning and their personal aspirations ( Farrington et al., 2012). Whenever possible, make space for connections between instructional content and community and real-world issues. For example, have students complete brief writing exercises about what values are important to them and connect this to the learning ( Cohen et al., 2009). Using an inquiry-based approach, where students work together to learn about something that interests them, integrates SEL and academics through opportunities for collaborative problem-solving and curiosity ( Schwartz et al., 2023).

Communicating and reinforcing these mindsets at the classroom level is essential, but it's also important to take a systemic approach: recognizing systemic barriers and socio-political factors that stand in the way of student success and advocating for changes to the system.

Aligning SEL and Academic Objectives

Each academic discipline has its own questions, processes, and proficiencies. Teachers consider what students should know and be able to do when planning their lessons. This emphasis-not merely on acquiring knowledge, but on being able to do something with it-is reflected in academic standards for each content area, including math, arts, physical education, history, and literacy and connects closely to SEL.
Example: Math Standards and SEL Alignment
As an example of how SEL aligns with a rigorous math objective, one standard asks students to "construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others." SEL is naturally embedded as students:

Anticipate how their own arguments may be interpreted and received by taking on the perspectives of others. (Social awareness)

Think metacognitively and organize their own thoughts with given information. (Self-management)

Listen actively to understand and further explore the arguments of others. (Relationship skills)

Adapted From: The Charles A. Dana Center at The University of Texas at Austin

The SEL team should start by developing an understanding of how SEL standards or other guidance support and sustain deep learning. For example, many states and districts have created "portraits of a graduate" to articulate their vision for student success. Portraits include important traits to the community, such as critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and being an engaged citizen, and can help educators create actionable plans to support student success in school, work, and community.

Once the SEL team has a sense of the available resources and guidance, they can collaborate with teachers to determine what embedding SEL looks and sounds like for their content area. Many schools and districts find it helpful to create crosswalks to pair academic objectives with complementary SEL objectives, as in the examples below. Whatever approach you take, it helps to ask yourself, "What SEL skills and mindsets will help students be successful with their academic objectives and longer term development?" This will point you towards the competencies to integrate within each lesson.
Strategy-Focused Pairing
Academically rigorous classrooms require students to communicate effectively, organize thinking and materials, and practice strategies for managing stress or anxiety when confronting challenging material. Educators can use strategy-focused pairings to highlight the social and emotional competencies students need to be successful with the specific tasks they will encounter. These goals are often similar across academic subjects, for example:

For a detailed example of strategy-focused pairing in the context of mathematics instruction, see this brief tool from the Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin.
Content-Specific Pairing
Content-specific pairings highlight what social and emotional competencies boost understanding within a specific academic subject. This is especially relevant in social studies and language arts, which involve interpreting fictional or historical decisions and relationships, but can be useful in all content areas.

For example,

Upper elementary school art: We've been exploring the ways that photographers use light and shadow to create mood. Let's take a look at the feeling words we came up with yesterday. I'd like you to choose one of the photographs I'm about to share with you to explore. How does the artist use light and shadow? How does it contribute to the mood of the piece? What emotions do you feel as the viewer?

High school history: We've talked about some of the political changes that were brought on, in part, by the industrial revolution in the United States, but let's talk a bit about what was happening socially. For example, how did roles change for women from different demographics? As we read through our primary sources today, I want you to think about how the women themselves were making sense of these changes. What challenges and opportunities do they discuss?
Supporting Students With Knowledge Transfer
Once educators have determined the SEL competencies students will need to be successful, they can support their application through SEL pedagogies ( Zieher, et al., 2024). One way to do this is through the Frame, Coach, Reflect model. In this model, the teacher sets students up for success when they:

1. Share the task and ask students what competencies they might need to succeed, what challenges might occur, and how they could overcome them. This could include sharing protocols, modeling, or using role-plays.

2. Acts as a coach by providing specific feedback throughout, including noticing and naming when students apply the competencies and cueing when necessary. Educators may make a note of students they want to check-in with later to explore where they struggled and what might have helped.

3. Embed time for reflections at the end of the session. Educators can provide feedback on what they observed during the activity along with making space for students to reflect on what went well and what could be improved.

Through coaching, educators build on established, trusting developmental relationships with students to help them learn from setbacks, navigate hard situations and systems, and try out new approaches. When acting as an "SEL coach," educators should pay attention to developmental considerations and align coaching moves with what they know about their students' personalities. Like most coaching, coaching at the classroom level involves listening without judgment, asking questions with genuine curiosity, and remaining strengths-based.

Using Interactive Pedagogy

When educators use interactive pedagogy, students are deeply engaged in discussion, collaboration, and making meaning throughout learning. Your SEL team can support teachers in developing instructional practices that put collaborative problem-solving and students' curiosity at the center of the learning. Many schools and districts chose to begin with the SEL 3 Signature Practices.

The SEL 3 Signature Practices are a common entry point to begin weaving SEL throughout the day. They are:

1. Inclusive Welcome: Invite all students in with an activity that builds community and connects to the work ahead.

2. Engaging Strategies: Offer opportunities for students to more fully grasp content and connect learning to their own experience through interactive and reflective activities.

3. Intentional Close: End each lesson in a way that highlights learning and accomplishment and builds a bridge to a next step.

Visit CASEL's SEL 3 Signature Practices Playbook for a library of these practices, teacher tools, supporting research, and videos of the signature practices in action.

Two research-based strategies for integrating SEL and academics, class discussions and collaborative problem-solving, are foundational to interactive learning and provide consistent opportunities to deepen SEL through the transfer of skills to authentic contexts. This can help students build a more nuanced understanding of how to apply the competencies in their daily lives. The frame, coach, reflect model provides a framework for scaffolding these strategies, as well.
Class Discussions
Conversation with peers is critical to student learning and improves comprehension and engagement ( Cazden & Beck, 2003). When thoughtfully supported, classroom discussions provide opportunities for students to grapple with multiple perspectives and practice effective communication. Classroom discussions also provide opportunities to hear concepts explained in a variety of ways, which can increase understanding and engagement and help students "own" the learning.

While the goal is for class discussion to become increasingly student-led, educators need to thoughtfully scaffold the process. Acting as a guide and facilitator, they can support students by co-creating classroom shared agreements, using facilitative questions (e.g., "Who has thoughts connected to what Sarah just said?") to help students build on one another's thinking, and providing opportunities for students to reflect on their contributions to class discussions as well as what they learned. For English Learners (ELs), rich classroom discussions provide essential opportunities to practice language in context. The expansion of content knowledge and conversational strategies go hand in hand ( Bunch et al., 2013).

These videos show examples of class discussion where students are also strengthening relationships, communication skills, engagement, and leadership:

While discussion is an effective strategy for all grades, the approach will differ depending on developmental levels. In the younger grades, discussions might be shorter, educators may offer fewer sentence stems, or more time may be spent talking in pairs or triads.
Collaborative Problem-Solving
Through collaborative problem-solving, students build shared understanding and work together to come to solutions by pooling knowledge, skills, and efforts. This provides an opportunity for what the Learning Policy Institute (LPI) calls "deeper learning," defined as an approach that "develops students' abilities to think critically and solve complex problems, communicate effectively, work collaboratively, and learn independently." Deeper learning experiences both require, and help develop, social emotional competencies.

There are many entry points and opportunities for collaborative problem-solving during the school day. Having students work with partners provides them opportunities to practice communication skills and consensus-building. Educators can support this positive interdependence by reinforcing that the goal of group work is that all members learn the material, not merely that the work gets completed. Thoughtful planning of groups can further ensure each group has a student with the social awareness and relationships skills to draw others into the discussion and act as an ally for struggling students.

One approach to collaborative problem-solving, Project-Based Learning (PBL), shows promise to support SEL and engage students as leaders. In this approach, students inquire around topics of interest, collaborate to develop deep understanding of the issues and often propose solutions, and share their findings in public presentations ( Condliffe, 2017; Larmer & Mergendoller, 2015). For example, in a unit on electricity, students in a third grade science class learn skills like problem and positive solution identification, active listening, and respectful communication. After learning how electricity works, they work collaboratively in groups to learn about an energy challenge in their community and present a solution.

All students can benefit from student-led, collaborative approaches, including students with individual educational plans ( GIsML Project). Along with supporting academics, approaches like PBL are especially relevant for supporting the SEL of middle and high schoolers; due to their developmental stage, adolescents may be more receptive to social and emotional programming that asks them to use their skills and competencies to make an impact on issues that matter to them versus more didactic approaches ( Ozer et al., 2021).

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Integration of SEL and Academics - Casel Schoolguide

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Social and emotional competencies serve as a foundation for achieving academic goals, while academic instruction also provides a ripe opportunity for teaching and practicing SEL.

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SEL strategy checklist for lesson planning

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SEL strategy checklist for lesson planning

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Cognitive skills provide the foundation for learning and form the base for executive functions. These skills are essential for social-emotional learning and academic success.

However, cognitive skills cannot be taught in the traditional sense. Most of these skills are non-conscious, such as tuning out background noise or taking in more environmental information. You do them without thinking about them. But, there are ways to improve learning capacity.

In recent years, companies like have developed ways to accurately assess students' cognitive abilities, allowing educators to better equip themselves with the tools necessary for cognitive training. With the goal of student implementation of long-term learning strategies

In this post, you will learn about the impact of cognitive skills on learning and how the continued development of cognitive skills is necessary for global digital citizenship .

What are Cognitive Skills?

Cognitive skills are the essential tools needed for learning and retaining information. There are many different mental skills, but most fall into three categories.

The vast majority of humans have selective attention. It would be overwhelming to focus on all stimuli. Your automatic filtering of information is a mental skill. There are three primary forms of attention.

Sustained attention is your ability to focus on one task for an extended period.

Selective attention is how you ignore other stimuli despite environmental distractions.

Flexible/divided attention refers to multitasking or the ability to focus on two or more tasks without forgetting relevant information.

Processing

This is the process of picking up information from your environment and interpreting it using logic and reasoning. These skills include sensory perception as well as processing speed.

Processing speed is the time it takes you to interpret sensory information and respond. In other words, how long it takes to perform one intellectual task.

These skills reflect your personal processing power and how you interpret data based on your experiences or pattern recognition. You don't experience information in a vacuum. Each piece of information you gather is filtered through your perception.

Processing is dependent on pattern recognition. A deficiency in unique experiences can cause you to misinterpret data. We should all seek out variety in exposure to improve our cognition.

Memory refers to how information is encoded and stored in the brain. However, there are many different types of memory, and many different parts of the brain work together to form memories.

Sensory memory is the short-term storage of sensory information. For example, it is remembering that a surface is hot after you've touched it.

Working memory is the memory you use to interpret problems in the moment.

Long-term memory is your brain's permanent storage.

Why Should You Teach Cognitive Skills?

Every industry requires problem-solving, critical thinking, and fine-tuned cognitive abilities. Teaching students how to hone these skills is fundamental to ensuring their success in life.

Your students can improve their learning capacity if given the right challenges.

1. Fostering a Growth Mindset Through Authoritative Support

A growth mindset is the belief that you can improve. Students should understand that they can develop their reasoning and problem-solving skills.

In cognitive development, the role of the educator is one of mentor. You should use the resources available to identify students' strengths and deficiencies.

Tools like MindPrint's assessments make it easy to identify a student's cognitive capacity. With that knowledge, you can work on developing skills through differentiated training.

Encourage feedback and inspire metacognition in your students, which can help provide insights into their needs. Students can interpret their work and identify challenges.

Many digital tools can help foster these discussions. Student-led feedback platforms like ClassDojo can track student progress while giving them space to interpret their development.

2. Tailoring Cognitive Development with Personalized Learning

Each student has unique needs. To encourage cognitive growth, you need to meet students where they are. Assessments can be helpful here, but the old standby of differentiation in tasks and assignments might be your greatest tool.

3. Integrating Digital Literacy as a Core Cognitive Skill

There is a lot of fear surrounding digital tools and students' cognitive capacity. With proper scaffolding, digital tools can aid problem-solving and critical thinking.

Digital literacy refers to students' ability to locate and process information acquired through technology.

This skill works to develop critical thinking and expand cognition. While online, learners are exposed to multiple different perspectives. This exposure will build new neural pathways and allow for expanded pattern recognition.

Considering digital literacy as a cognitive skill allows students to reflexively engage with their world on a cerebral level.

4. Cultivating Cognitive Flexibility Through Cultural Competency

Cognitive flexibility is the adaptation to new or complex situations. Exposing students to how different cultures have addressed common problems is an excellent way to get them to push the boundaries of their mental capacity.

For example, you can have students analyze various responses to natural disasters such as hurricanes or typhoons. They can compare responses between nations like the USA and the Philippines and draw conclusions regarding best practices and cultural differences.

Students may find that certain types of relief efforts work better in different countries due to government preparation, cultural expectations of aid, and availability of resources. Exercises like this one encourage the expansion of cultural competency, help students view problems from multiple perspectives, and promote cognitive skill development.

5. Encouraging Real-World Applications for Cognitive Growth

Student engagement is key in all forms of learning. Students will be more engaged if there is clear, practical application of skills. You can emphasize how continual cognitive skill training is necessary for success outside of the classroom.

Assignments that involve students addressing a community issue will benefit their thinking. Students will learn to apply their reasoning, understanding, and awareness to find solutions to real-world problems. Not only will activities like this engage students, but they will also allow them to gain a sense of purpose from using their brain power.

6. Preparing Students for Global Problem-Solving

Collaboration is another great way ensure students are using cognitive skills in a meaningful way. Processing information while working with a team addresses many facets of brain training.

Working with a team allows students to develop cognitive skills like working memory, logic, and reasoning. The challenges of cooperation force students to listen to others and compromise.

Group projects that focus on global topics help students develop cognitive skills and become global citizens. Organizations like iEARN help students and teachers take part in over 100 different projects that address social issues such as poverty and sustainability.

Using the iEARN hub, students can connect to other youths in their country or in 140 different countries. This exposure to diverse perspectives helps students develop a nuanced understanding of global issues and strengthens their problem-solving abilities.

7. Supporting Cognitive Health with Physical and Mental Wellness

Cognitive health isn't just about sitting in a classroom thinking about global problems or doing brain teasers. Research shows moderate physical activity has positive effects on cognitive function . This and other wellness practices help students maintain mental flexibility.

Embedding short mindfulness routines into the daily schedule can reduce stress, enhance focus, and improve emotional regulation, positively impacting cognitive function. Simple practices such as deep breathing, short guided meditations, or gratitude exercises can help students center themselves and prepare for learning.

Additionally, incorporating active breaks that include a few minutes of physical activity throughout the day can improve circulation, reduce mental fatigue, and reset students' focus. These practices create a balanced approach to cognitive health by addressing both mind and body.

The Importance of Cognitive Skills in a Global Environment

Continuous cognitive skill development is necessary for learners to absorb, interpret, evaluate, and apply information meaningfully beyond the classroom. Educators now have access to digital tools that can pinpoint students' strengths and identify areas for improvement.

By focusing on cognitive skill development through real-world and culturally enriched activities, educators can help students build a foundation for lifelong learning.

FAQ:

How to increase cognitive function?
Engaging in mentally stimulating activities like puzzles or learning new skills also promotes brain plasticity and cognitive flexibility. Practices such as mindfulness and meditation improve focus and emotional regulation, enhancing cognitive function over time.
What are cognitive skills?
Cognitive skills are mental abilities that allow individuals to process information, remember, reason, and solve problems. Key skills include attention, memory, processing speed, problem-solving, and executive function
Delving Deeper:

Check out our latest podcast with MindPrint CEO Nancy Weinstein for more in-depth discussions on these topics.

Stay Connected:

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Teaching Cognitive Skills: 7 Balanced Ways to Unlock Student Thinking — Banyan Global Learning

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Enhance student cognitive skills with practical applications and global problem-solving techniques.

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Lowering the Affective Filter for English Language Learners Facilitates Successful Language Acquisition

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What is the affective filter? The “affective filter” is a theoretical construct in second language acquisition that attempts to explain the emotional variables associated with the success or failure of acquiring a second language. The affective filter is an invisible psychological filter that can either facilitate or hinder language production in a second language. When […]

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What is social and emotional learning (SEL)? And how can schools ensure that English language learners (ELLs) are fully included and supported through SEL activities in the school setting?

This article offers an introduction to SEL along with helpful resources from organizations such as the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). In addition, this article also shares ideas on how to ensure that ELLs are able to fully participate in SEL lessons and activities.

To highlight those examples, we have mapped a few ELL considerations and strategies to CASEL's SEL framework. These strategies represent just some of the ideas that educators can try and they also detail important considerations when introducing new initiatives or ideas in a classroom or school community.

You will also find relevant examples and strategies in Teaching and Supporting English Learners: A Guide to Welcoming and Engaging NewcomersbyEugenia Mora-Flores and Stephanie Dewing.

What is SEL?

SEL is a process by which students can develop skills that help them thrive skills such as such as the ability to regulate emotions, form healthy relationships, manage stress, and contribute to a community. While many educators have incorporated SEL into their instruction for a long time, it has gotten more attention in recent years as schools and families continue to navigate the impacts of the long-term disruptions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic and also look for ways to help students navigate other changes or challenges in their lives.

CASEL describes the big picture goal of SEL in the following way:
"SEL can help all young people and adults thrive personally and academically, develop and maintain positive relationships, become lifelong learners, and contribute to a more caring, just world."
How does it do that? The CASEL framework focuses on developing the following core competencies, which you can explore via CASEL's interactive SEL wheel:

1. self-awareness

2. self-management

3. social awareness

4. relationship skills

5. responsible decision-making

These are valuable skills that not only can help students today but set the stage for healthy and productive lives in the future.

Is SEL an "extra"?

While many schools may hesitate to "add on" SEL, the renewed focus on SEL offers an opportunity to reframe its role. In fact, schools who regularly incorporate SEL describe it as the foundation from which everything else grows. The more comfortable and secure students feel in the classroom, the more likely they are take risks, try new things, and contribute to the classroom.

For example, Principal Sue Stanley, whose elementary school has long prioritized SEL, writes, "We understand students cannot learn until they feel safe and connected." This is particularly true in schools where large numbers of students have experienced trauma, as in the case of her school where many students have experienced hardship and family separation due to the civil war in Yemen.

In addition, we have heard from multiple educators of ELLs in particular that the investment of time early on building relationships, getting to know students, and creating a welcoming culture and environment in the classroom pays off all year long.

Related resources

Related videos

SEL 101: What are the core competencies and key settings? (CASEL)

Looking at the whole child: Conversations with an award-winning social worker

Principal Sue Stanley: Why creating a calm, safe environment in schools matters

Teacher Christine Price: Showing students you care

SEL and ELLs: The CASEL Framework

What does all of this look like for ELLs? One way to share some concrete examples is by using the CASEL SEL framework. We have shared excerpts of the framework here and encourage you to look at the complete framework on CASEL's website. Please note that under "Examples," we have only highlighted a few skill sets that are particularly relevant for ELLs, but CASEL lists others as well.

You may also find it helpful to pull in free bilingual resources from Feel Your Best Self, a puppet-focused SEL program for children from the University of Connecticut that provides videos and related materials for educators and caregivers in English and Spanish.

Tips for lesson/activity planning

Before jumping in, we'd like to highlight some of the ELL recommendations that you will see throughout the rest of the article:

Look for opportunities to build relationships with students and get to know them.

Learn more about the unique experiences of special populations of students, such as refugees, unaccompanied minors, children in migrant farmworker families, and Indigenous students from Latin America.

Identify the key concepts and vocabulary words that will be the focus of your lesson or activity.

Pre-teach those concepts and vocabulary so that ELLs can engage meaningfully with the content.

Use visuals, hands-on objects, and other tools to make new concepts and words clear.

Look for connections to students' languages. For examples, English and Spanish share words that are similar called cognates. You can use these connections to support student understanding.

You can learn more tips from our article on lesson planning for ELLs.

1. Self-awareness

CASEL definition: "The abilities to understand one's own emotions, thoughts, and values and how they influence behavior across contexts."

Identifying personal, cultural, and linguistic assets

Reflect on the following for your setting:

Welcome students' languages and cultures by:

Do ELLs' regularly hear the message that their languages, cultures, and experiences are assets and strengths?

Do teachers and peers respect ELLs' diverse perspectives and multilingual skills?

Identifying one's emotions

ELLs may still be learning:

Teach ELLs vocabulary words for different emotions. Ask them how to say those words in their language.

Give them lots of practice using emotion words, especially through check-ins like mood meters and feelings charts.

Ask colleagues who share students' cultures if there are cultural nuances you should be aware of.

Give young students or newcomers opportunities to draw pictures about how they are feeling.

Having a growth mindset

ELLs may be so focused on what they haven't learned yet that it can be easy to lose sight of what they have learned. It can be easy to become frustrated and feel behind and left out.

Focus on what students " can do" and also teach students targeted strategies for adopting a growth mindset.

Examining prejudices and biases

This complex topic can go both ways. Students may have experienced discrimination and bias against them based on a number of factors.

Look for ways to create safe spaces for talking about identity in your classroom.

If you note that additional support or communication is needed around these topics for your or your class, look for resources or colleagues that can support you in this work.

At the same time, students will likely have their own biases as well.

Principal Nathaniel Provencio: The gifts ELLs bring to school

CASEL definition: "The abilities to manage one's emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations and to achieve goals and aspirations."

Managing one's emotions

As noted above, a first step in helping ELLs manage their emotions effectively is identifying and naming emotions.

If you are introducing emotion management strategies, be sure to:

clearly name and identify the target emotions you are addressing

provide students with lots of different hands-on way to show and practice the strategies through puppets, role play, stories, and more

In addition, students will benefit from:

learning how to manage different emotions

practicing new strategies they learn

Identifying and using stress management strategies

Students may have a wide range of stressors during their days, whether at school or at home.

If you are introducing stress management strategies, be sure to:

You may wish to introduce the concept of stress and ask students:

Note: For students who have experienced trauma, these conversations may be triggering. Plan activities with care and stay attuned to the needs of your students. Stay flexible and seek additional support for students if needed.

Setting personal and collective goals

As noted above, ELLs may be overwhelmed by what can feel like mountains to climb in terms of learning a new language, acclimating to a new culture, and keeping up in their classes. Reaching some smaller goals, however, can build confidence over time, as can doing activities related to their strengths.

Help ELLs set small, specific goals that they can reach to build confidence.

Incorporate activities that connect to students' interests.

When talking with the class about goals, offer the options of "collective" goals along with individual goals and encourage creative thinking about how to reach those goals.

Share examples of success stories, such as immigrants, ELLs, or others your students may relate to.

In addition, keep in mind that many ELLs may come from "collectivist" cultures that focus on the well-being of the group over the individual. Use this to your benefit in planning group work and setting goals for the class.

Jorge Bermudez, High School Math Teacher: How advisory periods are helping my students

CASEL definition: "The abilities to understand the perspectives of and empathize with others, including those from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and contexts."

Taking others' perspectives

ELLs bring a rich diversity of perspective to the classroom. The opportunity to learn from those perspectives can be lost if ELLs aren't encouraged to share their ideas as part of a respectful class community.

Give ELLs scaffolds to support their participation in class discussions, such as sentence frames and sentence starters (e.g., "I agree that...because...")

Give ELLs lots of practice discussing informal topics so that they can become comfortable with using these structures.

In addition, ELLs have the opportunity to learn from their peers when classroom communication is working well.

Recognizing strengths in others

ELLs have numerous strengths, interests, and talents that may be overlooked. Provide frequent opportunities for all students, including ELLs, to share their talents and interests with the class and in personal ways.

Ask students to share special talents or interests as part of icebreakers early in the year.

Look for ways to incorporate students' interests in the classroom.

Demonstrating empathy and compassion

There are many ways to develop empathy in the classroom. Keep in mind that some of ELLs' life experiences will be shared, universal experiences; others will be very different from what their peers have gone through.

Introduce the concept of empathy and help students understand it before any empathy-focused activities.

Teacher Paul Barnwell describes an activity in which students write three statements about themselves. The teacher then reads them anonymously to the class and students begin to get an idea of the "range of intense experiences and perspectives (the) classroom community contains."

Regularly using questions such as, "What do you think that was like?" or "How do you think she's feeling right now?" can also help strengthen empathy muscles!

Using culturally responsive materials that reflect students' experiences can also open opportunities for students to share and provide teachable moments that develop empathy in peers. While it's important not to put students on the spot or force a point, being mindful of how your students see themselves in the classroom can open valuable doors.

Understanding and expressing gratitude

There are so many ways to express and lift up gratitude in the classroom. Asking students to reflect on when and why they feel gratitude is a valuable opportunity for growth.

Introduce the concept of gratitude and help students understand it before any gratitude-focused activities.

Invite students to share how they say "Thank you" in their language and make a poster board with signs of all of their translations!

We have lots of other ideas in our article Making Space for Gratitude: 15 Ideas for Schools During Challenging Times, which include appreciation boards, thank you note campaigns, and writing prompts.

You may be surprised at who in the school community or their own life is making a difference!

Identifying diverse social norms, including unjust ones

When it comes to social and cultural norms, there are a few different layers. First and foremost, students' own norms may be different, such as a cultural norm in which looking away from an authority perspective is a sign of respect, rather disrepect.

At the same time, different social norms may come up in classroom discussions. It is essential to create a culture of respect when discussing diverse experiences and perspectives. You may also need additional support if topics that relate to justice or differing expectations around concepts like human rights or women's rights are part of a discussion so that everyone feels safe within the discussion.

Teacher Omar Salem: My students' many talents

You Are Welcome Here: Preview

This preview of our award-winning film You Are Welcome Her e highlights what culturally responsive instruction can look like.

4. Relationship skills

CASEL definition: The abilities to establish and maintain healthy and supportive relationships and to effectively navigate settings with diverse individuals and groups.

Communicating effectively

Providing ELLs with lots of opportunities to interact in all kinds of situations and in different settings or group sizes will build their skills and confidence in communication.

Pay attention to whether ELLs are able to communicate their needs and ideas to you and to peers. Give them lots of practice to do so in both informal and formal settings.

When grouping students, you may sometimes wish to put students who speak the same language together so they can have an in-depth conversations and then summarize to the group in English.

Practicing teamwork and collaborative problem-solving

Peer learning is a great opportunity to practice teamwork and problem-solving. Making sure that ELLs understand their role, the purpose of the activity, and the steps they need to complete to make these activities more successful.

You can learn more in our related article 6 Strategies to Help ELLs Succeed in Peer Learning and Collaboration.

Peer learning Problem solving

Encourage students to try lots of hands-on activities and clubs.

Make sure ELLs know about enrichment activities where they can focus on problem-solving, such as robotics clubs, Maker space, Odyssey of the Mind, quiz bowls, and games clubs.

Resolving conflicts constructively

Students will need practice not only with new conflict resolution strategies but also with the language they need to use those strategies.

Introduce the concept of "conflict resolution" and any related vocabulary as needed.

Show students models of any strategies you are using through videos, photos, or role playing.

Give students practice with new strategies through role play or stories.

Review the tips in 8 Tips to Protect ELLs from Bullying in Your Classroom and School.

There may also be some cultural nuances in how students approach conflict and you may wish to ask students for ideas of different conflict resolution strategies before introducing new strategies.

In addition, it's critical to make sure that all students and families have a shared understanding of what bullying is and why it is not acceptable under any circumstance.

Showing leadership in groups

ELLs often have hidden reserves of leadership potential. Many ELLs are resilient, resourceful, and creative students who have navigated many challenges in their life and bring a big picture view of the world to their classroom. If the teacher isn't looking for those qualities and experiences, however, they may remain hidden.

Encourage ELLs to take leadership roles in pair or group work once they feel comfortable doing so. (Some may be ready to try it even if they are newcomers, while others may want a lot more practice!)

Also ensure that ELLs have opportunity to participate in any clubs or activities that foster leadership. Don't limit their options by assuming they won't be interested!

Note: Every spring, we read about high school valedictorians who started off in U.S. schools as ELLs and have achieved great things in a short time within a supportive school environment.

5. Responsible decision-making

CASEL definition: The abilities to make caring and constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions across diverse situations.

Identifying solutions for personal and social problems

As noted above, ELLs can show great resilience and resourcefulness when given the chance. They also understand the impacts of big social issues that may have touched their lives. For example, many ELLs were caregivers for younger siblings and relatives during school closures in the early months of the pandemic and continue those responsibilities now outside of school.

Give students choices to pursue topics that interest them where possible.

You may wish to try a project-based or inquiry-led approach where students can dive deep on a particular topic of interest.

Having lived through a range of situations (often in other countries) provides ELLs with different lens and perspectives that can enrich the class.

Anticipating and evaluating the consequences of one's actions

As with the other topics above, it's essential to ensure that students have the vocabulary and language they need to engage in conversations or activities related to sophisticated conversations about topics like consequences. Like their peers, ELLs will likely have meaningful examples to share when taking about the consequences of one's actions.

Note: An example of an English/Spanish cognate, or word that's related in two languages, is "consequence/ consecuencia."

Reflecting on one's role to promote personal, family, and community well-being

As noted above, ELLs may come from cultures that are focused on the well-being of the group, whether it's the family, community, culture, or country.

Be sure that students have opportunities to share how they are contributing to their families and community. Those activities and responsibilities may remain hidden otherwise.

Students may be caregiving, working for a family business, actively participating in a community or faith institution, and supporting their family through employment, translation help, and other ways.

Exploring these perspectives not only can provide interesting insights -- it can help your classroom run more smoothly and even improve family engagement, such as in the example of a teacher who switched to group parent teacher conferences with her ELL families and increased attendance dramatically.

Closing Thoughts

As you can from the examples above, considering ELLs' experiences and perspectives beforehand can go a long way in ensuring that they can fully participate in all classroom activities. Along the way, they and the rest of your class will also benefit from increased collaboration and communication around SEL and so much more!

Resources from Colorin Colorado

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Resources collections

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SEL for English Language Learners: What Educators Need to Know

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What is social and emotional learning (SEL)? And how can schools ensure that English language learners (ELLs) are fully included and supported through SEL activities in the school setting? This article offers an introduction to SEL along with helpful resources from organizations such as the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL).

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8 cognitive strategies to enhance retention and learning

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These types of learning and cognitive strategies can help to reduce cognitive overload and support learning for different individuals.

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Metacognition in the Classroom: More Than Thinking About Thinking | Learning A-Z

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Metacognition is often simplified as “thinking about thinking.” However, it is a complex process of monitoring and controlling one’s thoughts to achieve a goal. Learn what metacognition is and is not, and how it helps students become more effective learners and readers.

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Great Metacognitive Questions for students

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Great Metacognitive Questions for students

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New Teacher Coach | Support For New Secondary Teachers

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20 Metacognitive Questions That Will Get Students Thinking

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If you’re looking to give your students a stronger foundation to manage their learning, try asking them metacognitive questions.

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Metacognitive Strategies | Center for Teaching Innovation

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Metacognitive strategies are techniques to help students develop an awareness of their thinking processes as they learn. These techniques help students focus with greater intention, reflect on their existing knowledge versus information they still need to learn, recognize errors in their thinking, and develop practices for effective learning.

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The Power of See, Think, Wonder - Dr. Catlin Tucker

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The see, think, wonder thinking routine can help students develop their metacognitive muscles and engage more deeply in learning.

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Strategy Overview

How This Strategy Supports Language Development

Teachers launch a unit with an image and students share what they see or notice in the image. Then they make inferences by stating what they think about the items in the image. Finally, they ask questions about the image.

This routine scaffolds learning by asking students to first carefully notice details in an image. When teachers label these words and phrases on the image, they are building content vocabulary for all students. As students begin stating what they think about the image, they are building background knowledge and developing critical thinking skills. Finally, asking questions about the image stimulates curiosity at the beginning of a unit and teaches students to ask their own questions.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Project a detailed image that captures the essential concepts for a new unit of study.

2. Ask students to carefully observe the photo and notice as many details as they can.

3. Have students share their observations with a partner, taking turns saying what they see or notice.

4. Randomly call on students to share their observations and chart these on the projected photo on the white board or chart paper.

5. Next, ask students what they think might be going on in the picture or what they think about their observations.

6. Again, have them share their thinking with a partner, taking turns stating what they think or what they infer about the picture.

7. Randomly call on students to share their thinking and chart their inferences.

8. Finally, ask students what they wonder about the picture. Again, chart their questions to refer to during the unit.

Lessons Learned

Selecting an engaging, detailed image is essential.

Give students a copy of the projected image so they can label their own copy as you label the projected image.

When first using this routine, chunk the instructions so that students first only focus on what they can observe in the picture. If they jump to making inferences, ask what they noticed in the image that led to that inference.

Encourage students to first share what they See, Think, and Wonder with a partner before randomly calling on a few students each time. This lowers the affective filter and encourages more participation.

Chart students' thinking on the projected image or chart paper. This chart is one way students begin to build vocabulary and background for the unit.

Once students have learned the routine, they may be able to do the entire process of See-Think-Wonder with their partner without stopping at each stage.

Student interaction for each phase of the routine is important for multilingual learners.

Differentiation

Entering/Emerging

Provide students with sentence frames for expressing what they think or infer and question starters for generating questions.

Encourage students to say whatever words they know in the picture including colors, numbers, food items, etc.

Partner students with a student who speaks the same heritage language and whose English proficiency is more advanced.

Developing

Partner students with peers who speak the same heritage language and at different levels of English proficiency.

Provide sentence frames for explaining their thinking and question frames for asking deeper level questions.

Expanding:

Ask students to make inferences based directly on what they see in the picture and their own background knowledge.

Ask students to explain their thinking and inferences.

Co-Teaching Considerations

Content or Grade-Level Teacher

1. Choose the detailed image to launch the unit.

2. Determine key vocabulary and concepts students should notice and infer from the visual. Share with the ELD teacher.

English Language Development Teacher

1. Purposefully partner students for the activity.

2. Provide sentence frames for inferring and question supports for wondering.

3. Work with a small group, if necessary.

Examples

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Strategy OverviewHow This Strategy Supports Language DevelopmentTeachers launch a unit with an image and students share what they see or notice in the image. Then they make inferences by stating what they think about the items in the image. Finally, they ask questions about the image.This routine scaffolds learning by asking students to first carefully notice details in an image.

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Accommodations and Modifications for ELs Checklist

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Accommodations and Modifications for ELs Checklist

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Free PreK-12 Resources & Flash Cards for Teachers | Continental Educational Publisher

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K-12 Educational Books & Learning Material

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Britannica Education Graphic Organizers Page

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Britannica Education Graphic Organizers Page

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100 different Graphic organizers ready to use

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GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS GRADE Graphic Organizer – Grade K-2 3-5 6-8 9-12 Univ GRAPHIC ORGANIZER GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, Univ VIEW GRAPHIC ORGANIZER GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, Univ VIEW GRAPHIC ORGANIZER GRADE: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 VIEW GRAPHIC ORGANIZER GRADE: 6-8, 9-12 VIEW GRAPHIC ORGANIZER GRADE: K-2, 3-5 VIEW GRAPHIC ORGANIZER GRADE: 3-5, 6-8, […]

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Annotation instruction for Elementary and Secondary

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Annotation instruction for Elementary and Secondary

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Listen to the interview with Andrea Castellano and Irene Yannascoli:
Sponsored by Listenwise and Studyo

"Make your paper dirty."

I get some funny looks when I say it at first, but it gets the point across. What I mean is I'm looking for annotations. I teach third grade, when young readers typically transition from developing readers to fluent ones, and it's at this stage that they're ready to begin to analyze texts on a deeper level. For that reason, this is the perfect time to introduce them to annotation.

Annotation - marking up and making notes on a text - can be an extremely effective tool for improving comprehension and increasing levels of criticality and engagement. By making these metacognitive markings, students are able to process a variety of texts in unique and meaningful ways. The thing is, it can vary in effectiveness, depending on which classroom you look into, if it's being taught at all. You may have personally found that you aren't getting the results you want from your approach.

After some trial and error, I have developed my own method for teaching annotation, which I'll share here, along with the process my colleague Irene Yannascoli uses at the high school level. Whether you teach ELA or another content area, chances are your students read in your class. And if they read, there's a chance they might need to annotate. Hopefully this post can offer some strategies to help your students establish annotation as part of their regular reading practice.
[skip to high school process]
Elementary Process

Prescriptive vs. Responsive Annotation

One major hurdle students face is deciding what to annotate. Some students are hesitant to mark anything at all while others underline or highlight nearly every sentence in the text. Some teachers have attempted to remedy this by taking a prescriptive approach to annotation. They direct students to locate specific details and what to do when they've found them, saying things like, "find and underline the sentence that proves the character is sad," or "box two words you don't know in paragraph 2." It's like a scavenger hunt: Find three things, answer three questions.

I've used this approach in the past, and it certainly is a great way to get students to notice and name things, but what I kept noticing is that whenever I stopped prompting students to make their annotations, they stopped making them. They were so dependent on my guidance that they never took ownership of the process.

Eventually I realized I needed to teach my students to develop their own systems for annotating. The responsive approach I'm advocating here centers the reader on the basis that we all bring our own perspectives, experiences, and ideas to the text. As much as our interpretations are varied and nuanced, so are our annotations. Teaching students to navigate text as active readers helps them make sense of what they read. Artful annotation is what happens when they're inspired to respond in their own unique way.

Getting Started

One thing teaching has taught me is that straightforward visuals reduce cognitive load and allow students to concentrate on what's important. To simplify annotation for my students, I designed a template (below) with space on the left for me to paste the text and cells on the right and bottom for note-taking.

At the point in the year that we start this process, I've already taught all the literacy concepts they'll need for this activity, such as theme, figurative language, text structures, and more. What this template does is sort each concept into one of two lenses: key words & ideas, and craft & structure. We then comb through the text with these two in mind, asking and answering over and over, What is the author saying? and How are they saying it? To remind them of what to look for, I provide the following graphic on the template. This is a list of look-fors that encompass most of what they'll encounter as they read.

Modeling Responsive Annotation

To introduce responsive annotation, I use a direct approach to make my thinking as transparent as possible. In addition to modeling the use of metacognitive markers, I talk through each step of the process. Here's a sample breakdown of what that would look like in the early stages.

Introducing Each Lens

1. Choose the lens through which you will be approaching the text. In the introductory stage, it is recommended to read the same text twice - one session for key words and ideas, another for craft and structure. Provide the annotation look-fors as an anchor chart or include it on the template itself.

2. Give students a copy of the text and display your copy of the text for all to see. As students watch, read a section of text aloud, stopping to underline, box, and make notations.

3. Think aloud as you annotate. Read, stop, jot, explain. You are responding to the text as you encounter each element rather than searching the text for specific items. Students should either be watching or copying the teacher's moves at this stage.

Guided Annotation (Whole Class)

To help students learn to prioritize information, the teacher will pose questions that reinforce the points made in the explicit model. This will happen in lockstep as a whole class - independent practice comes later. This stage works best directly following the teacher model so students get to immediately put things into practice.

Guide students through the next section of the text, first by reading it together and then by asking open-ended questions related to the chosen lens. For example:

For Key Words and Ideas:
What is the author saying here?
What words seem important?
What part made you stop and think?

For Craft and Structure:
How does the author show you what the character is feeling in paragraph 5?
Who can find and annotate a connection between paragraph 3 and paragraph 4?
What does the author mean by _____?

Students take a turn with another section of the text. Prompt students to share their thinking and show what they did. This is a great opportunity to validate or course-correct as needed.

Guided Annotation (Individual)

When they're ready for the next stage, provide each student with a new text. Give several minutes to read and annotate, one section at a time. Circulate the room, monitoring and offering feedback. As students make their way through each section, give the green light to move on.
Giving feedback in real time adds encouragement and reinforces desired reading behaviors. This type of gradual release model works best when the teacher is responsive to the needs of the class, moving on only when they're ready.
Once they have the hang of it, students continue to read and annotate on their own. Those who need support can now be pulled into a small group. This is also a good time to implement partner annotation for students who may not be ready to read the text independently.

Continue to use the template to support students as they annotate for either key words and ideas or craft and structure. It can be modified to merge the lenses once they can do both with confidence. After several guided annotation lessons, students should be ready to annotate on their own without needing the scaffolding of this stage every time.

Discussion and Feedback
Now that students have a sense of what to look for when they read, what they need at this juncture is a chance to see what other readers are doing and compare it to their own work. This not only deepens their understanding of the text through discussion, it strengthens their grasp on what they should be noticing.

1. Gather the class and project student work (in my class, students volunteer to share). Prompt students to compare annotations, note their peers' insights, and offer feedback.

2. Allow students to "borrow" snippets of each others' annotations if they wish. This is intentionally a collaborative process that promotes the sharing of insights and ideas.

3. Students can use the template as long as it's needed. The cycle of discussion and feedback can continue indefinitely. At any point, the annotation look-fors can be edited for specific genres, content areas, or other purposes for reading.

Click here to make a copy of the elementary process for your Google Drive.

High School Process: Collaborative Annotation

Whether at the secondary or elementary level ( click here to jump up to elementary), the art of annotation is in making it meaningful. Responsive annotation does just this. Because students often believe there's a "right answer" when annotating, asking them what they notice trains them to use their own funds of knowledge as they read. Like my approach to teaching annotation in elementary, Irene Yannascoli gives her 10th graders the freedom to interact with texts on their own terms, deciding for themselves what is meaningful enough to annotate. She also wants them to use peer insight to practice concepts already reviewed in class, so she makes this annotation process collaborative.

Similar to the elementary approach in the previous section, this process has students consider the text through a given lens; in this case, four core concepts that have already been taught in class: identify (notice and name), analyze (explain and connect), evaluate (judge and discuss impact), and synthesize (put it all together). The purpose of the group annotation is to practice these skills collaboratively.

Introducing Each Lens

In order to set this up:

Choose 4 teaching points from your recent curriculum that you would like students to discuss and practice

Choose a passage that reflects the 4 teaching points.

For each of the teaching points, create guiding questions for students to reference while they annotate. It's not necessary for students to answer all of these guiding questions, and as they get used to the protocol they may use them less and less.

Irene's guiding questions are pictured below.

Note that these concepts and questions are specific to language arts study; they can be modified according to any subject or genre.

Independent Annotation

Start by reviewing the "Group Annotation Practice Protocol" slide (below) with the class.

1. Conduct a read-aloud of the passage. Ask students if they have any questions before they begin. To assess understanding, you may ask them to identify key terms in the passage or answer questions related to the who, what, when, where and why of the passage

2. Students re-read the passage independently and jot down their first thoughts.

This is a preliminary step before they annotate to capture a first impression of the passage, and makes space for any clarifying questions that might arise.

Group Annotation
After students have reread the text on their own, it is time to begin their annotations.

1. Students get in groups and each person claims a focus skill: Identify, Analyze, Evaluate or Synthesize. Now, each group member is following one of the 4 sets of guiding questions using the same passage.

2. After taping a copy of the text to chart paper, each student grabs a marker and for 15 minutes, uses the guiding questions to "make their posters dirty." Each student should be huddled around their chart paper, underlining, drawing arrows, and making notes next to the passage.

3. Circulate and observe each group, helping students deepen their thinking by asking questions and making connections between the annotations.

Discussion and Feedback

1. Students wrap up and review their annotations. Each person shares their thoughts and epiphanies from the annotation process.

2. While the group shares out, the "Synthesizers" answer their last two questions about the commonalities between peers and overall meaning of the passage. They write this on their posters.

3. Students then post their chart paper on the wall and conduct a gallery walk, during which they examine peer charts and make notes on post-its expanding, deepening or challenging the original annotations based on their own reading of the text.

Some sentence starters to move students beyond agree/disagree:
This makes me think about...
I can connect this to...
Additionally, this could mean...
I wonder why...

Students return to their original posters and read what other group members commented. They now have an opportunity to add any final notes, ideas or understandings. If time allows, conduct a whole group share-out: What was something that surprised you, inspired you, or made you rethink?

Assessment

At this point, it's up to you how to assess students for this activity. You might just treat it as a practice for building independent annotation skills and assess students individually on their own annotations on a future passage. You might choose to develop a rubric for this activity and give all group members a score on their poster. Or you might have students write a reflection about their strengths and weaknesses in the process and set goals for the future.
Click here to make a copy of the high school process for your Google Drive.[back to elementary process]
A Few Caveats

Although I explicitly model responsive annotation, I don't expect my students to copy my exact style. Yes, I do tell them to mark up the text as well as make notes in the margins, but I want my students to use metacognitive markers in ways that make sense to them. Some like to underline sentences, others highlight. I circle vocabulary words, others box them. Some enjoy creating their own symbols and methods of organizing their notes in the margins. Recently I've noticed a few students creating systems for highlighting in different colors complete with a key.

It must also be said that not every student needs to or should annotate when they read. Some process text better internally and find the annotation system slows them down or distracts them; others can't handle the multitasking element and just need to focus on reading. The supports provided for accessing the text are just a temporary scaffold anyway. As long as they can demonstrate that they understand what they're reading in other ways, (e.g., through discussion or answering questions) I really don't insist that they do it. But for the majority of students who find themselves glossing over key moments or struggling with comprehension, this process is extremely useful. Ultimately, the decision depends on you knowing your students and what works for them as learners.

So, Is This Really Worth It?

Since we've been teaching annotation this way, Irene and I have both observed a correlation between the quality of annotations on the page and the ability to comprehend text. Incorporating the look-fors into the annotation practice reinforces the concepts skills taught across the year. And the confidence our students have in themselves as readers has also grown. My students say things like, "Annotation has helped me become a better reader" and "Annotation helps me understand the text or the things I'm reading a bit more."

This process is about more than preparing students for standardized tests or giving them a strategy to boost their grades. Our students will be reading and comprehending texts for a very long time - hopefully, for the rest of their lives. While they won't always grab a pen when they sit down with a book, there will be many times they can put these skills to work. If the goal is to process what they're reading, annotation provides them with one way to do so.

Annotating, or "making your paper dirty" as we like to call it, is definitely an acquired skill. It takes time to learn, but more than likely, it's worth the effort.
References
Duke, Nell & Pearson, P.. (2002). Effective Practices for Developing Reading Comprehension. What research has to say about reading instruction. 3. 10.1598/0872071774.10.

Landmark College. (n.d.-a). Active reading (see also critical reading). Active Reading | Landmark College. https://www.landmark.edu/academics/writing-matters/wac-glossary/wac-active-reading

Lloyd, Z.T., Kim, D., Cox, J.T., Doepker, G.M. and Downey, S.E. (2022), "Using the annotating strategy to improve students' academic achievement in social studies," Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning, Vol. 15 No. 2, pp. 218-231.

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The Art of Annotation: Teaching Readers To Process Texts

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Annotation can be a powerful way to improve comprehension and increase engagement, but its effectiveness can vary depending on how it's taught.

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MDE Testing Supports and Accommodations Guidance

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MDE Testing Supports and Accommodations Guidance

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FindHelp.org site for food pantries, housing assistance, and more!

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FindHelp.org site for food pantries, housing assistance, and more!

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1. Preparation - English Language Learners need to be prepared for learning by being able to communicate about the learning experience. They need to be able to ask for help when they need it.…

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Jill Staake, B.S., Secondary ELA Education

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101 Funny Debate Topics for Elementary, Middle, and High School

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Silly controversial topics make it easier for kids of any age to connect, engage, and learn.

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Karuta game for listening and vocabulary

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Karuta game for listening and vocabulary

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MP3 songs, fun class games, updated monthly

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Picture Word Inductive Model

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Free, Printable Vocabulary Word Lists - Flocabulary

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Download free and printable vocabulary lists of words that students are likely to encounter on high-stakes tests, from 2nd grade through the SAT.

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It's that time again! As I write this, my school district is gearing up to administer the annual WIDA ACCESS tests. For those who live in states that are part of the WIDA Consortium, this test is the most important assessment of multilingual learners' growth in English proficiency. Score results inform program eligibility, class placement, instructional groupings, learning supports, and more. I'm here to help you gain a clearer view of the test itself. I also have some tips for how any teacher working with multilingual learners can support the test prep process! Let's go!

Understanding the Skills Assessed through the ACCESS Tests

The WIDA ACCESS tests measure progress across the four language domains: listening, reading, speaking, and writing. These sub-tests are designed to align with WIDA's English Language Development (ELD) standards framework.

Here's what I love. One of WIDA's core foundational ideas is that students learn English best in the context of the general education setting. So they created both their ELD standards AND the ACCESS tests with academic content as the building blocks.

Why is this good news for teachers? We don't have to create anything novel or unique to prepare English learners for the tests! The best preparation for them occurs throughout the year , in the gen. ed. setting! Whether you are an EL/ML teacher, or a gen. ed. teacher, there are some activities and methods you can do with students who will be taking the ACCESS tests. What follows is a bit about each of the domain sub-tests. For each, I'll share some ways we can guide student practice and strengthen skills throughout the year.

Prepping for the Listening and Reading ACCESS Tests

The listening and reading components of the ACCESS tests always include rich visuals, to support student comprehension. Often in the listening domain, students hear a narrator describe a picture or relate a story. This is followed by multiple choice questions asking "Which picture shows ___?" or "Where did ____ happen?" The questions are always directly related to the information shared orally by the narrator.

To support English learners' (ELs) listening skills, we can:

support lecture or instruction with strong visuals, asking students questions which will encourage them to engage with the visuals (For example: "Often, we can see water vapor rising...Which picture shows this?" or "Where do we see this in the picture?")

use clear, comprehensible speech

activate students' listening skills by using engagement strategies

use the "PWIM" method (Picture-Word Inductive Model) - a great way to introduce beginning ELs to new content-related vocabulary through labeling images

The reading ACCESS test will not offer narrator read-aloud support. Students will read a text (from a single sentence to a paragraph, based on grade level). Often the texts are based on a subject area topic such as a math word problem or scientific process. Given a picture or diagram, students will answer a multiple choice question. Typically, all information needed is found in the text.

To support reading skills, we can:

Give students comprehensible text, followed by text-dependent questions (who, what, where, etc.)

Give students tools and procedures needed to decompose and solve math word problems

Encourage students to justify their thinking and reasoning with evidence from the text (i.e. What steps did you use? Why do you...? How do you know?)

Develop academic vocabulary in all subject areas.

ACCESS Test Prep: Speaking

The speaking ACCESS test can be challenging for many students. It will require comprehension of content-related information, as well as voice recordings of item responses. If students have not had adequate supported opportunities for speaking practice throughout the school year, they may be hesitant, anxious, or embarrassed to produce the recorded responses needed.

In many cases, during the speaking test, students will hear a story (with visuals) or examine an image. They will then be given a prompt. When ready, they will record their response. Questions may be basic, such as "What do you see? How did she help them?" Or students may be asked to provide an extended response, such as retelling the story. They may be asked to describe a process, a prediction, or observation.

To support speaking skills, we can:

Help students grow accustomed to using a tech application/tool to record academic thinking. Apps like Flip and Vocaroo can be helpful. Some platforms such as SeeSaw also include voice recording features.

Provide frequent opportunities for students to respond to questions through oral discourse. Supportive sentence frames and low-stress contexts will encourage even new ELs to practice speaking. Structuring discourse through prompts and sufficient wait time are good practices.

For beginning ELs, provide content-related flashcards with images, and ask them to point to/identify what they see.

Lastly, the Writing ACCESS test. At the primary grade levels, students will write single words or basic sentences about an image. They may be prompted to write what they see or what is happening. They may need to tell a story or write a report about a series of images, using sequencing words (first, then, etc.).

At higher grade levels, students may write to describe or make a list. They may be asked to write an extended paragraph/essay to compare and contrast two things. Sometimes, students are given an academic chart with interpretation questions. For extended responses, organization of ideas is important.

To support writing skills as part of ACCESS test prep, we can:

equip students will prewriting and organizational strategies

teach sequencing and other transitional words explicitly

implement writing practice opportunities across the subject areas

nurture ELs' writing proficiency by encouraging gradually more complex text and language forms (clauses, descriptive language, compound sentences, etc.)

teaching the various writing structures (narrative, explanatory, etc.)

Opportunities for Practice as the WIDA ACCESS Tests Approach

Need some quick activities that will give students a taste of the test format and layout? There are WIDA ACCESS test practice resources available. WIDA has very accessible sample test questions and practice questions on their website. (See links below.) Additionally, some resource designers have created materials similar to the WIDA test, available on marketplaces like TPT. While we never want to "teach to the test," these test practice activities can be helpful leading up to the ACCESS test.

These ACCESS tests are of rich academic language. It is imperative that throughout the school year, content-area teachers embed explicit vocabulary instruction. Mastery of Tier 2 and Tier 3 words will really help students with comprehension of test items.

Let's consider that the ACCESS test was designed to align with the very same standards, skills, and features of the WIDA ELD standards. Why not incorporate goals, language, and awareness of these standards throughout the year? Language functions and usage will be at the forefront of student learning. Abundant language practice opportunities will spring up!

The bottom line: The to prepare your multilingual learners for the WIDA ACCESS test is to support their language development throughout the year! Do this by providing:

Regular engagement opportunities

Comprehensible input

Scaffolded activities which require specific language use

Yep, the process of administering the ACCESS tests can take a while, and can require serious school-wide effort. So I am sending you all my best wishes for everything to go smoothly! Remember that it will all be worth it when you get those valuable score reports in-hand!

Interested in learning more about some of these topics? Check out:
Building vocabulary using a Frayer Model Template
Rubrics for speaking and writing (helpful for reference year-round!)

Find me on Instagram or Facebook!

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How All Teachers Can Prepare ELLs for Success on Annual WIDA ACCESS Tests - The All-Access Classroom

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Preparing English learners for the annual WIDA ACCESS tests can be done in any class setting throughout the school year! Here's some tips!

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Federal Legislation and Regulations for Multilingual Learners with Identified Disabilities

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Federal Legislation and Regulations for Multilingual Learners with Identified Disabilities

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Free Poster for Universal Declaration of Human Rights

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Free Poster for Universal Declaration of Human Rights

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Scroll to the bottom of their resource tab to get the link!

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Woven Teaching is the human rights education practice of Woven Foundation. Through original programming and grantmaking, Woven Teaching advances the foundation’s focus on long-term change.

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Print these out as 2-sided and use daily with students for a quick way to formatively view student learning and self-assessment.

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WIDA Accessibility and Accommodations manual

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WIDA Accessibility and Accommodations manual

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* Separating Difference from Disability in English Learners Who Struggle (2025)

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Flowchart from MDE to determine which test is best

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MDE Accommodations Guidance Document for state assessments

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MDE Accommodations Guidance Document for state assessments

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Regular Classroom Accommodations for EL Students

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Regular Classroom Accommodations for EL Students

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Accommodations Checklist for ELL Students

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Michigan's Department of Education document describing the state's vision for EL programming and supports

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Grades 9-12 WIDA Framework and Standards

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Grades 9-12 WIDA Framework and Standards

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Kindergarten WIDA Framework and Standards

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Kindergarten WIDA Framework and Standards

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Word Wall Ideas - Ready for an Interactive Classroom Word Wall Makeover?

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Word Walls are excellent tools for building increased vocabulary interaction. All grade levels should have content area Word Walls on display.

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Get students to show with details, rather than simply telling the basics.

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LOVE this anchor chart! Text Evidence! #edchat https://t.co/UIZfNGQzT6

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LOVE this anchor chart! Text Evidence! #edchat https://t.co/UIZfNGQzT6

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LOVE this anchor chart! Text Evidence! #edchat pic.twitter.com/UIZfNGQzT6
— DR. TOM LOUD (@loudlearning) April 24, 2017

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LOVE this anchor chart! Text Evidence! #edchat https://t.co/UIZfNGQzT6

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LOVE this anchor chart! Text Evidence! #edchat https://t.co/UIZfNGQzT6

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LOVE this anchor chart! Text Evidence! #edchat https://t.co/UIZfNGQzT6

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The best ways to use classroom walls for learning

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The best ways to use classroom walls for learning

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Larry Ferlazzo, an expert in ELL instruction, shares great advice for making learning visible!

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Sorry, you have been blocked from accessing Edublogs. If you feel this was done in error please contact support@edublogs.org and include the information shown below. Public IP: 165.227.112.66 Ray ID: 9919da616dcbb89f

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Making the Most of Word Walls with Valentina Gonzalez

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Making the Most of Word Walls with Valentina Gonzalez

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Learn about interactive word walls and how these can be extremely supportive for ELs and other students.

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Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

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from Colorin Colorado

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Laminate or put in a page protector to check off the features as you plan!

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Here are some great ways to use QSSSA in the content areas!

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Type: Partners

What you will need for QSSSA

1. Question(s) and Sentence Stem(s)

2. (Optional) Note Taking Paper for Yourself

Overview of QSSSA

The QSSSA stands for:

Q: Question - Give students a question to discuss.

S: Stem - Provide them with a sentence stem to answer the question.

S: Signal - Students think of an answer individually and signal when they are ready.

S: Share - Students get with a partner to share answers.

A: Assess - You randomly call on a few students to share their answers and/or walk around and listen in to their conversations.

How to organize QSSSA

Question:

This activity works with any topic. You just need a topic-related, open-ended question for students to discuss.
Examples:
What are two things you learned from the passage?

What did you do last weekend?

What do you not understand about earth's layers?

Stem:

After giving students the question(s) you want them to discuss. You then provide them with a sentence stem(s) to answer the question. i.e. In the passage, I learned that... Last weekend, I... I don't understand...

Signal:

You then give students time to think of the answer they want to share. When students are ready, they signal to the teacher with some sort of hand gesture or pose. i.e. thumbs up, muscle flex, light bulb "I have an idea" pose with one finger in the air and happy expression. If some students are ready quickly while others are still thinking, you can have those waiting students write their answer with their finger in the air.

Share:

When all students are ready, students get with a partner and share the answer(s) they thought of.

Assess:

You can assess students by having a few volunteers share their answers and/or you can walk around the class while students are discussing and attend to how students are using the language. You can take notes so that you remember any issues you would like to come back to work on more later. You can also ask students to write a response.

More Examples of QSSSA

Main Characters in a Story

Who are the main characters in the story? Why are they important? | The main characters in the story are... They are important because... | Raise your hand when you can finish the sentence.

Earthquakes

Why do earthquakes happen? | Earthquakes happen because... | Stand up when you can finish the sentence.

Tops and Bottoms Story

Do you think the rabbit in Tops in Bottoms was right to do what he did to the bear? | I think the rabbit was... He should have... He shouldn't have... | Do five jumping jacks when you can finish the sentence.

Benefits of QSSSA

This activity requires no preparation.

Students get an opportunity to verbalize what they are learning which helps solidify target vocabulary and sentence structures.

Everyone student is participating and few students are waiting around.

Check out this article by Valentina Gonzalez on how to organize this activity. You can also read this article by Katie Toppel on Culturally Responsive Communication where she recommends this activity in the context of being culturally sensitive when setting up speaking activities.

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QSSSA - Better Conversation Practice for Your ELLs

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Type: Partners Question(s) and Sentence Stem(s) (Optional) Note Taking Paper for Yourself The QSSSA stands for: Q: Question - Give students a question to discuss. S: Stem - Provide them with a sentence stem to answer the question. S: Signal - Students think of an answer individually and signal when they are ready.

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Upgrade your interactions to the next level with QSSSA!

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A kid friendly dictionary, thesaurus, translations, and more!

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Thesaurus and word tools for your creative needs. Find the word you’re looking for!

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ESL Flashcards - Download free printable flashcards!

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We provide FREE picture cards and word cards for teaching English (or other languages) in three easy-to-print sizes. Read all about our flashcards here. Hope you enjoy!

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Support for families new to the country, based in West Michigan

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We know how important a broadly diverse population is for the success of our state.

Immigration is key to increasing diversity in our population and boosting our economy. Without immigration growth, the state of Michigan would be poised to lose population for the second census in a row. Perhaps even more impressive, the economic power of Grand Rapids' immigrant community alone grew by more than $100 million in just one year, and immigrants in Grand Rapids hold nearly $1.5 billion in spending power. At the core of this initiative is the belief that Grand Rapids and Kent County are home to everyone who lives here, and it should feel like it too.

Creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for New Americans, Immigrants, and Refugees in Kent County is not only the right thing to do, it also contributes economically to the area's wellbeing. We want New Americans, Immigrants, and Refugees to stay in the area; they'll stay if they feel welcomed, included, and valued.
- Kent County Welcome Plan Steering Committee

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Kent County New Americans | Creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for New Americans in Kent County

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Immigration is key to increasing diversity in our population and boosting our economy. Without immigration growth, the state of Michigan would be poised to lose population for the second census in a row.

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Tons of printable Reader's Theater scripts

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Tons of printable Reader's Theater scripts

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Keep your students engaged through the whole lesson!

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Keep your students engaged through the whole lesson!

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9 FREE Student Engagement Strategies - The Sassy Apple

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Students zoning out during instruction? Here are 9 FREE engagement strategies to use with students in your daily lessons.

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Picture Word Inductive Model from Colorin Colorado

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Picture Word Inductive Model from Colorin Colorado

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Strategy Overview

How This Strategy Supports Language Development

Emerging level students benefit from explicit use of visuals to support their comprehension and language acquisition around a specific topic. The PWIM explicitly and systematically teaches essential nouns, verbs, details, grammatical structures, and vocabulary words associated with a topic using a single visual. The strategy can be used in any content area to support emerging level students as they develop academic language and content.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Choose a highly detailed image that teaches a concept.

2. Share the picture with the class on a large screen.

3. Write the name of the noun on the image in one color and draw a line from annotation to that particular noun.

4. Then write the verb for this noun in another color.

5. Complete the sentence with the details of that noun in a different color.

6. Repeat this process for the rest of the nouns in the image.

7. Ask students to tell their partner about the picture using the annotated image.

8. Ask students to write about the picture using the annotated visual.

Lessons Learned

Limit the number of sentences per image to only the most essential as this process can take a long time.

Provide students with their own image so they can also write the sentences as the teacher models.

Ask students to contribute ideas for vocabulary and sentences during the annotation process.

Have students orally practice the sentences with a partner throughout the process.

Use pictures for review regularly.

As students gain more vocabulary and sentence structures, have them contribute more ideas for each sentence and eventually create their own PWIM.

Pair this process with a Sentence Pattern Chart.

Differentiation

This process is designed for entering and emerging level students. Additional differentiation ideas include the following:

Write words and sentences in the students' heritage language in addition to English.

Encourage students who are literate in their heritage language to write words and sentences in their heritage languages.

You can also add a Sentence Pattern Chart at the bottom of the picture to make the patterns written in the colored-coded sentences more explicit.

Co-Teaching Considerations

Content or Grade-Level Teacher

1. Choose the detailed image that captures key concepts for the grade-level lesson.

2. Share key vocabulary with the ELD teacher.

3. If the concept is a process, number the annotations so students see the sequence in the process.

English Language Development Teacher

1. Use PWIM with small groups of beginning level students before the content lesson to build background knowledge and vocabulary.

2. Encourage beginning level students to use their PWIM pictures during the grade-level class as a support.

3. Add heritage language words to the PWIM.

4. For students at the Developing phase of proficiency, provide the image and have students work together to add the sentences.

5. For the students on the Expanding phase of proficiency, have them write the annotations for the image. Then write a one-paragraph summary that includes transitions (provided in a word bank).

Examples

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Strategy OverviewHow This Strategy Supports Language DevelopmentEmerging level students benefit from explicit use of visuals to support their comprehension and language acquisition around a specific topic. The PWIM explicitly and systematically teaches essential nouns, verbs, details, grammatical structures, and vocabulary words associated with a topic using a single visual.

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Directed Drawing activities for listening practice

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Directed Drawing activities for listening practice

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Jeanne Croteau, M.S., Psychology, Master TEFL Certified

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66 Free and Easy Directed Drawing Activities Anyone Can Do

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💬 Talk Science in the classroom - using 'Human Barometer' to get everyone involved | #STEM

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Develop and monitor high-quality IEPs for diverse learners

High-quality IEPs are fundamental for guiding the educational process of and developing goals for students who require special education services. English learners (ELs) and other students with learning, emotional, or behavioral disabilities present unique challenges to educators responsible for referring, assessing, and placing them. IEPs for ELs provides educators with numerous research-based strategies and examples of how to write effective IEPs for these K-12 learners.

John J. Hoover and James Patton, leading professionals in the areas of special education and linguistic diversity, share their research and how they have supported ELs who have, or are suspected of having, learning and intellectual disabilities. Readers will find:

Practical guidance for developing and monitoring culturally and linguistically responsive IEPs

Checklists, guides, and other reproducibles that support IEP development

Case studies and vignettes highlighting examples of appropriate IEPs for diverse learners

Filled with expert practical advice that covers the IEP process and walks the reader through the procedure for creating high-quality IEPs that take individual differences into account, this guide is essential for special educators and bilingual/EL specialists.

"A major strength for this book is its unique tie to English learners, while providing a dual focus on IEP writing. This is a great tool to use when training new special education teachers and IEP facilitators. There are direct connections to writing legally defensible plans with a user-friendly focus on IEP writing. I see this book as a tool to support teachers and students in ensuring that language and cultural considerations are included when developing and updating individual plans."
-Renee Bernhardt, Supervisor, Special Education
Cherokee County School District, GA

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Develop and monitor high-quality IEPs for diverse learners High-quality IEPs are fundamental for guiding the educational process of and developing goals for students who require special education services. English learners (ELs) and other students with learning, emotional, or behavioral disabilities present unique challenges to educators responsible for referring, assessing, and placing them.

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Department of Education Toolkit for ELs - chapter 6

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Department of Education Toolkit for ELs - chapter 6

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Our online teacher tools include a wide range of interactive manipulatives and assessment tools to teach and assess basic math concepts. Additional teacher tools help teach literacy and reading skills. Plus, check out our online timers, spinners, and dice that assist with classroom management.

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Teacher Tools " Toy Theater | Learn * Create * Play

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Our online teacher tools include a wide range of interactive manipulatives and assessment tools to teach and assess basic math concepts. Additional teacher tools help teach literacy and reading skills. Plus, check out our online timers, spinners, and dice that assist with classroom management.

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UNHCR Teaching About Refugees 2021 - Guide for Teachers | UNHCR US

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Recommended approaches for teaching the subject of forced displacement in primary and secondary schools and use of UNHCR’s Teaching About Refugees teaching materials.

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The Surprisingly Easy Way to Make Academic Texts Accessible? Welcome to Text Engineering | TESOL | International Association

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by Susan Verner 26,722 views

Whether you teach children or adults, in an immersion setting or a second language setting, manipulatives are a great addition to your classroom.

With them, your students can learn language with hands on activities, and manipulatives give your kinesthetic learners something to handle as they learn. If you have never used manipulatives in the classroom (or even if you are a strong proponent of them) here are some easy DIY manipulatives you can use in your ESL class today.

Try These 8 Simple DIY Manipulatives for Your ESL Classroom

1. Action Dice

Blank dice aren't all that difficult to find. You may decide to go with traditional dice that you can label with a sharpie or purchase some "white board dice". You can also make your own dice with this paper box template. Whatever you decide to do, you can use your dice to make an action game for a great verb teaching activity. Label each side of the dice, and have each student take a turn rolling them. That student must then do the action on the dice. If you want, combine the action die with a second die labeled with nouns, animals or people for example. Then have each student act out the animal or person doing the verb that they rolled.

2. Articulation Boxes

If you want to give your students something to hold that will also teach language (and you are looking to get out of the flashcard rut, too) articulation boxes may be for you. Start with a small box (a jewelry gift box is the perfect size) and cut a long piece of paper the right height to fit into the box. Then fold the paper accordion style and glue the first page to the lid of the box and the last page to the bottom of the box. On each page, glue pictures or small items that will get your students talking. You can use pictures of vocabulary words, often centered around the unit you are currently teaching. You might even want to let your students make their own boxes. Then use them as story starters, vocabulary drillers or puzzles. (Write a question on the first page and then glue one clue on each subsequent page. Write the answer to the puzzle on the last page of the book.) Once you have a decent collection of articulation boxes, they make for a great learning center for your students' free learning time.

Manipulatives aren't essential for the ESL class, but they do tend to make your activities more fun.

Try one or more today and watch your students take learning to a whole new level just by holding language in their hands.

What are your favorite classroom manipulatives?

P.S. If you enjoyed this article, please help spread it by clicking one of those sharing buttons below. And if you are interested in more, you should follow our Facebook page where we share more about creative, non-boring ways to teach English.

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8 Simple DIY Manipulatives Perfect for Your ESL Classroom

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by Susan Verner 26,722 views With them, your students can learn language with hands on activities, and manipulatives give your kinesthetic learners something to handle as they learn. If you have never used manipulatives in the classroom (or even if you are a strong proponent of them) here are some easy DIY manipulatives you can use in your ESL class today.

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by Diane Kue Step 3 of Seidlitz and Perryman’s (2021) 7 Steps to a Language-Rich, Interactive Classroom is all about randomizing and rotating student responses during whole-class instruction and gr…

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Match Mine Classroom Sets Match Mine is a fun and easy higher-level thinking game and a great way to teach primary math concepts. Students pair up to play. One student, the Sender, arranges game pieces on a game board. For Astro Talk (left), the Sender arranges geometric shapes on a game board. The Sender describes his or her layout to his or her partner on the opposite side of a file folder barrier. “Put your circle near the top of the board. Place the triangle on top of the circle with the long side touching the circle and the point pointing up…” As your students play Match Mine, they learn directional skills (on top, below, above, next to), vocabulary (circle, triangle, hexagon), verbal communication skills, direction giving and taking, and active listening. Each game comes complete with 9 sets of games and game pieces. A great cooperative center idea. Each game designed to teach different concepts. $5 each.

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Use a Gallery Walk format for students to get feedback on their work. Hang student products, such as drawings, visual representations, poster projects, etc. Students, individually or in groups, rotate around the room and provide feedback to the creator of the work.

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This discussion technique gives students the opportunity to respond to questions and/or discuss information with a variety of peers in a structured manner. Students form two concentric circles and exchange information with a partner until the teacher signals the outer circle to move in one direction, giving each student a new peer to talk to.

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Speaking, Listening, & Reasoning Toolkit - Accountable Talk

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What is it? A learning discussion where each contributor is held accountable to give reasons and evidence for opinions and ideas.

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Accountable talk - everything you need to get started!

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Accountable talk - everything you need to get started!

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Strategy Overview

How This Strategy Supports Language Development

Accountable talk is a tool that students can use to expand and further develop their use of academic language in classroom discussions by learning explicit structures and key phrases with ample opportunity to practice using them across content areas.

Research connection

In her 2018 American Educator article, "Educating English Learners: A Review of the Latest Research," Dr. Diane August writes, "One of the key principles of instruction in a second language is enabling students to interact via speaking, listening, reading, and writing with peers in their second language. Speaking is important to generate feedback, encourage syntactic processing, and challenge students to engage at higher proficiency levels." (See original article for references and citations.)

Note: Accountable talk can occur in students' languages and include the instruction of key phrases in students' languages. It can also include opportunities for students to discuss their ideas in their language before sharing more broadly with the class. See more in the blog post Transforming learning with translanguaging from Tan Huynh.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Planning

1. Identify the key discussion skill you wish to teach (agree, disagree, justify, build on, clarify, citing evidence, etc.).

2. Identify the key phrases students will need to use as they practice that skill.

3. Create sentence frames using the key phrases.

4. Post the phrases and keep them visible so that students can refer back to them.

5. Provide students with their own copy of the phrases for reference.

6. If possible, translate the key phrases into students' languages and give them practice using the phrases with peers.

Instruction

1. Introduce the key skill you are going to teach. Ask students for their ideas on how this skill can be useful in the classroom and in daily life.

2. Model how to use the phrases you selected for that skill with concrete examples.

3. Put students in pairs in order to practice with more concrete examples.

4. Next, show students how to use the phrases in discussions related to classroom content.

5. Give them additional practice with the phrases.

6. In future lessons, remind or prompt them to use their key phrases whenever appropriate.

Lessons Learned

Teach one key phrase at a time.

Give students ample time to practice.

Recognize and celebrate students' use of the key phrases, as Mr. Ortiz does in the video below.

Differentiation

Provide additional visual support and scaffolds as needed.

Co-Teaching Considerations

Content or Grade-Level Teacher

Identify key skills and activities in which students will be using those skills across different content areas.

English Language Development Teacher

Identify key phrases and structures that students will need to practice those skills.

Share ideas on how to give students additional practice with key phrases through discussion.

Examples

Agreeing with a speaker

Entering/Emerging: I agree with ________.

Developing: I agree with _________ because....

Expanding: I agree with her point that ________ because....

Adding onto another speaker's point

Entering/Emerging: In addition, ______.

Developing: I want to add that ________.

Expanding: I agree with her point that ________ and want to add....

Citing evidence

Entering/Emerging: The text says ________.

Developing/Expanding: I think that _______ because the text says _______.

Resources

Acknowledgements
Special thanks to the authors of these strategies, Beth Skelton and Tan Huynh. For additional ideas and resources from the authors, see their book, Long-Term Success for Experience Multilinguals.

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Strategy OverviewHow This Strategy Supports Language DevelopmentAccountable talk is a tool that students can use to expand and further develop their use of academic language in classroom discussions by learning explicit structures and key phrases with ample opportunity to practice using them across content areas.Research connectionIn her 2018 American Educator article, "Educating English Learners: A Review of the Latest Research," Dr.

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The Four Corners Strategy - Model Teaching

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In this article, we discuss the Four Corners Strategy, a simple verbal strategy to help engage your students and improve class discussion.

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MDE has provided a tool aligned to Danielson Framework for teachers who work with EL Students

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Language Growth! Using Visuals & the Picture Word Inductive Model to Advance Literacy

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How to use Picture Word Inductive Model & Sentence Patterning Charts in a Distance Learning Setting

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Sketch notes - notetaking strategy to build understanding

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Sketch notes - notetaking strategy to build understanding

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What if taking notes could put a smile on your students' faces? Just imagine if you could get your kids excited about an exercise in higher-order thinking. Picture your students begging to take notes because it involves gel pens and doodles. Enter, sketchnotes in the classroom.

The sketchnotes phenomenon is the brainchild of designer Mike Rohde, and it is rapidly spreading beyond the design world. Now we're seeing sketchnotes in the classroom on a regular basis. For instance, a student might use it to process information visually, use bold lettering for key points, making containers or boxes for special points-the list can go on and on. Basically, you can use it for anything that makes the information pop off the page and stick to the brain. Here are 8 examples from Instagram with ideas of how you can use sketchnotes in the classroom. Give it a try.

1. Sketch an event.

You'll see a whole new level of engagement if you assign students to take sketchnotes when you have a guest speaker or your class attends an event.

Source: @overflowstorylab

2. Sketch without boundaries.

Sketchnotes can be any size, so invite your students to cover your whiteboards with everything they've learned in a unit as a form of pre-assessment review. Then let them walk around and study the gallery of learning.

3. Sketch to organize.

This professor has used sketchnotes to organize her own thoughts before a lecture, and you could do the same by sharing the idea with your students before they give oral presentations.

Source: @profdiberjones

4. Sketch for research.

This could relate to many lessons and classroom ideas. Invite students to do research sketchnotes before writing a paper or creating a video.

5. Sketch with a different focus.

You can help students explore a variety of tools by asking them to focus on sketches, symbols, containers or unique text. This example shows just how much someone can convey visually through drawn elements.

6. Sketch a book.

Students can do sketchnotes on text, taking note of the main ideas and essential quotations before writing a paper or doing a project on it.

7. Sketch for fun.

This teacher simply explored meaning with color. Do something similar by having your students create performance posters, book displays, bulletin boards, or event programs.

8. Sketch complex thinking.

As students get more comfortable in the medium, you can show them more and more complex examples to inspire them to improve. This creative person skillfully mixes and matches all the layers of visual meaning with her words, incorporating symbols, connecters, containers, sketches, and varied forms of text.

Introduce students to sketchnotes with one of these activities and see what happens. You just might be surprised by what they come up with.
Have you tried using sketchnotes in the classroom? How did it go? We'd love to hear in the comments.

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Sketchnotes in the Classroom: 8 Ideas to Get Started

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What if taking notes could put a smile on your students' faces? Just imagine if you could get your kids excited about an exercise in higher-order thinking. Picture your students begging to take notes because it involves gel pens and doodles. Enter, sketchnotes in the classroom.

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Silent discussion (writing)

"Butcher Paper bonanza"

"Post-it Fun"

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Have You Tried a Silent Class Discussion Yet?