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Multicultural books in the classroom is a great way for all students in the class to understand more about their peer or peers. This is also a great way for the ELL student to feel more welcome. I would use the multicultural books and maps to help with a research project with my students to learn more about where their peer has come from.

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We're back with the second list of 30 days of diverse picture books! Like the previous list of diverse books for preschoolers, this list is designed to give you and your children an entire month's worth of reading in one list. Although I have labeled this a list diverse books for kindergarten and first grade, the age recommendation is not strict! Certainly any of the books on the previous list will also be enjoyed by kindergarteners and first graders, and older children will enjoy these diverse and multicultural picture books as well!

These books reflect a diversity of experiences and multicultural families. The list is divided into six weeks of five books each, to make it easy for teachers and other caregivers, but parents may choose to read a book each day for a month. Of course, you can mix or match as you see fit. No prescriptions! Happy reading. (Note: book covers and titles are affiliate links.)
More: 30 days of diverse books for 2nd and 3rd grade WEEK ONE
by Julie Morstad. I love this extra large book with its myriad of illustrations. It begins with a girl waking up and the text asking "What should I do today?" Every decision, from choosing a hairdo to choosing a snack to reading a book to picking transportation offers an array of diverse options, each one illustrated and labeled. The book is filled with children of all backgrounds and kids will love discussing how they would chose to spend their day!

Confetti: Poems for Children by Pat Mora, illustrated by Enrique O. Sanchez. This is a joyful collection of short poems sprinkled with Spanish words. Pat Mora has done a wonderful job composing poems that will appeal to very young children on a range of subjects like colors, nature, counting and everyday moments.

Hello Goodbye Dog by Maria Gianferrari, illustrated by Patrice Barton. Zara has a dog named Moose. Moose loves Zara so much he wants to go with her everywhere. Moose is not a service dog, but others see his potential as a good companion and Moose goes through the training to become a therapy dog. Although Zara is in a wheelchair, the story isn't about her physical challenges, it is about the joy of friendship with a furry friend.

Thunder Boy Jr. by Sherman Alexie is both fun and thought-provoking. Thunder Boy, Jr. wishes he had a normal name, like his sister. And he does not like being called "Little Thunder," which sounds "like a burp or a fart." He sets out to pick a new name, perhaps one that reflects one of his great achievements. In the end, he settles on a the perfect name-one that is both his very own and still connects him to his dad.

Yo Soy Muslim by Mark Gonzales, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini. The narrative is written as a letter from a father to his daughter, but it reads like a poem. The father recognizes that his child will have questions about who she is and what she can accomplish. Celebrating their shared faith and culture and language, the father's letter aims to give his daughter confidence and pride in her identity as a Latina and as a Muslim.
WEEK TWO
This Is How We Do It by Matt Lamothe. The book follows seven children from different countries: Italy, Japan, Uganda, Russia, India, Peru and Iran. Each contemporary child describes their home, school, family, food and daily life. This is a great starting point for conversations about the differences and similarities between life in different countries, but also how children in the same country don't all live the same way. At the end, photographs reveal the actual families depicted in in the book. I love the large size of the book, and how the illustrations invite a lengthly perusal.

Cora Cooks Pancit by Dorina K. Lazo Gilmore, illustrated by Kristi Valiant. Confession: I have a soft spot for picture books that show families cooking. I don't know why, since cooking is not really my thing. Cora's favorite Filipino dish is pancit, a noodle and chicken meal. One day, when her older siblings head out to the mall, Cora jumps at the chance to help Mama make the delicious dish. During the food preparation, Cora learns about the family's history and Filipino culture.

Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match / Marisol McDonald no combina by Monica Brown, illustrated by Sara Palacios. Red-headed half-Scottish half-Peruvian Marisol bounces off the page with great enthusiasm and loves her mismatched life. When her friend, Ollie, challenges her to "match," Marisol finds she is unhappy with life as a conformist. This is a great story that emphasizes the importance of embracing and accepting one's uniqueness. A bilingual book.

Stella Brings the Family by Miriam B. Schiffer. Stella doesn't feel different than the other kids, but she realizes her parents are different from a lot of the other families she knows. Her school class is planning a Mother's Day celebration, so Stella comes up with a way to include her two dads. The lovely way the book communicates that Stella's dads can do all the things a mom can do sends a positive message that families may look different, but the love is the same.

by Dori Kleber, illustrated by G. Brian Karas. This is a sweet story of perseverance. After his classmate's mother teaches him origami, Joey is determined to be a master folder. But it takes lots of practice! He finds the perfect place to hone his skills at the local restaurant. I loved how Joey spent time folding everything he could get his hands on, including the money!
WEEK THREE
All the Way to Havana by Margarita Engle, illustrated by Mike Curato. I loved the rhythm of this book! A boy and his family drive to Havana in their car, Cara-Cara. Along the way, the boy takes in all the sights and sounds of the drive, especially the sounds made by his beloved car. The illustrations are wonderfully vibrant. This is a great read aloud choice.

A Hat for Mrs. Goldman: A Story About Knitting and Love by Michelle Edwards, illustrated by G. Brian Karas. This is such and incredibly sweet and inspiring story! Mrs. Goldman, a Jewish woman, makes hats for others, performing a mitzvah. Her Latina neighbor Sophie likes to help her by making the pom poms that top each one. When winter arrives Sophie notices that Mrs. Goldman doesn't have a hat of her own and although knitting is challenging for Sophie, she sets about making a hat for her friend. When she is done with the hat, her lack of knitting skills means the hat has a few holes. However, since Sophie knows Mrs. Goldman loves her pom poms, Sophie covers up the holes in a creative way. Mrs. Goldman, of course, loves the hat and the kindness shown to her.

The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi. Unhei has just moved to America from Korea. She loves her name but when the other kids can't pronounce it, she worries about fitting in. She decides she should choose a new American name. Her classmates fill up a jar with potential new names but with the support of others Unhei decides she wants to keep her Korean name. This book is so important, especially in classrooms in which children may have names that are difficult for English speakers to say. Names are a big part of a person's identity and we serve children well by valuing them.

Back to Front and Upside Down by Claire Alexander. The class is making cards for their principal but Stan has trouble forming letters and his handwriting is all mushy and unreadable. He feels discouraged but doesn't know how to ask for help. Many parents have children who struggle greatly with handwriting and this sweet book emphasizes the importance of getting help for one's struggles and giving oneself permission to take the time necessary to learn and accomplish one's tasks.

Maybe Something Beautiful by F. Isabel Campoy and Theresa Howell, illustrated by Rafael López. This book is based on a true story. Mira and her neighbors transform their environment with colorful murals. I love the vibrant illustrations and the message that art makes life better!

The Water Princess by Susan Verde, and Georgie Badiel, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. I loved this book when I read it and I was surprised I didn't already have it on a list! In an African community, water is precious and every day Gie Gie and the other girls must travel far in order to fetch clear drinking water for the community. Gie Gie can command other forces of nature: she tames the dogs, she plays hide and seek with the wind, but she can't seem to make the water safe to drink. But she perseveres and never gives up hope that one day she will have enough clean, clear water.
WEEK FOUR
Lucia the Luchadora by Cynthia Leonor Garza, illustrated by Alyssa Bermudez. This is a fun, exuberant book, which you can pair with Niño Wrestles the World ( on the 30 days of diverse preschool books list). Lucia runs through the playground with her red cape, and the boys tell her "girls can't be superheroes." This makes Lucia mad, "Spicy mad. KA-POW kind of mad." Then, her grandmother tells her about the luchadoras and together they hatch a marvelous plan.

by Anne Sibley O'Brien. Every child knows what it is like to walk into a room and not know anyone. Compound that with not being able to speak the language, or not being familiar with the culture and it can lead to some anxiety indeed. Three children-from Guatemala, Korea, and Somalia-tell their stories of what it is like to be the new kid from a distant land.

by Uma Krishnaswami, illustrated by Jamel Akib. I love this book about a girl describing how her family waits for the monsoon rains. The land is dry and they wonder if the rain will every come. The illustrations are full of life and the poetic text is fun to read aloud.

That Is My Dream! by Langston Hughes, illustrated by Daniel Miyares. This is a picture book of Hughes's poem, "Dream Variation," about the dream of living without racial prejudice. Each page spread contains a short line of the poem, accompanied by brilliant illustrations. In the illustrations we see the dream of transformation from a segregated community to one in which a white child and an African-American child can splash their faces with water from the same pond. A gorgeous book and excellent introduction for children to Hughes's splendid poetry.

The Rain Stomper by Boswell Addie, illustrated by Eric Velasquez. I love the joyful spirit of this book, the illustrations are alive with movement. Jazmin is excited to twirl her baton in a parade, but the rain threatens to spoil everything. At first she takes out her anger by stomping in the puddles, but that energy quickly turns into something else as she spins and jumps, twirls and splashes. The rest of the neighborhood can't help but be drawn in. This is an engaging book showing how the physical release of emotion can lead to positive action and release.

A Morning with Grandpa by Sylvia Liu, illustrated by Christina Forshay. Mindfulness doesn't have to take place in solitude! I adore this book about how a girl connects with her grandfather over the practice of Tai Chi. Mei Mei joins her grandpa in the morning for his daily ritual but while he is smooth and graceful, Mei Mei puts her own spin on things, reminding us that mindfulness need not always be practiced in the stillness. A wonderful story.
WEEK FIVE
Where's Rodney? by Carmen Bogan, illustrated by Floyd Cooper. This is a really fun story about a boy who can't sit still ( we all know kids like that, right?) and just wants to be outside! Cooper's illustrations marvelously capture Rodney's energy as he discovers the joys of being in a park and all the ways he can finally express himself and release his energy!

A Full Moon Is Rising by Marilyn Singer, illustrated by Julia Cairns. A collection of poems that celebrate the magic of a full moon as it is experienced around the globe. There are poems set it the city, the country and across the world from Africa to China to Colombia. Different religious and ethnic traditions are represented, including Sukkot, moon watching in Canada and the Chinese Moon Festival. This is truly a multicultural collection. The end papers include notes and a map of all the locations that appear throughout the book.

Jalapeño Bagels. Pablo needs to bring in something to school for International Day. He debates whether or not to bring in his mother's delicious Mexican baked goods or his father's challah. From the title you can guess his decision! This book is sure to make you hungry so have a snack handy. Includes a Yiddish and Spanish glossary.

Last Stop On Market Street by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson. I wasn't going to put this book on the list because I prefer to make room for new-to-you books and this one is so popular. But then I caved. So even if you've read it, add it in to your reading list again. A boy and his grandma catch the bus. We don't yet know where they are headed, but along the way the boy asks questions about why they don't have certain luxuries. The grandma has a ready answer about the advantages of what they do have and encourages him to think of positive aspects of lacking material goods. When they reach their destination we find out that they were traveling to help out at a soup kitchen.

Alfie (The Turtle that Disappeared) by Thyra Heder. This may be the only book in which the narration is told first from a human point of view, and then from a turtle's. Nia got a turtle for her birthday, but turtles don't really do much, when it comes right down to it. So Nia doesn't pay much attention to Alfie, until he disappears. Alfie narrates what happened to him while he was missing ( one whole year!). It turns out he was searching for the perfect present for Nia. Absolutely adorable.

Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book by Yuyi Morales. I adore trickster tales and this one about a grandmother who outsmarts a skeleton is quite a treat. A skeleton comes to fetch Grandma Beetle on her birthday, but the clever woman thwarts him as she claims to have too many chores to do first. The tale seamlessly weaves Spanish language numbers into the humorous narrative as grandma counts up the tasks she must do in order to keep the skeleton at bay.
WEEK SIX
The Children's Garden: Growing Food in the City by Carole Lexa Schaefer, illustrated by Pierr Morgan. I love books which celebrate how urban communities come together, with all their diversity, and transform their neighborhoods for the better. In this one, the neighborhood children learn about agriculture and sustainability while they grow food in a community garden.

Rulers of the Playground by Joseph Kuefler. On the playground, Jonah declares himself the ruler. At first, the others play along, although with some eye-rolling. But soon, Jonah has a challenger who wants to be the ruler herself and the two engage in some spirited political battles! The wonderful illustrations depict the life of the playground with all it's actions, both large and small. It is teeming with a diverse group of children who eventually give up on both the would-be tyrants and forge a peace, instead. I particularly liked the droll ending.
Sad that your 30 days of diverse books for kindergarteners and first graders is over? Try the books on these lists:

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30 Days of Diverse Books for Kindergarten and First Grade

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One month of reading diverse books for kindergarten and first grade. Children ages 4-8 will love these books which reflect a diversity of experiences.

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A map in the classroom is a great idea because the non ELL students will be able to learn more about where the ELL student came from. It will give them a sense of where their classmate comes from. The class can also research where their classmate is from and celebrate different holidays and traditions with their classmate.

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by Susan Verner 43,053 views

When you think about language learning, maps probably aren't the first thing to come to mind.

In fact, most people would probably be surprised to hear that maps can be quite useful for students of English as a second language. Maps are visually based, but you can do so many linguistic activities with them. With a little creativity and direction, maps can be the starting point for all kinds of creative language practice in the ESL classroom. Here are some of my favorite ways for using maps in my ESL classes.

How to Use Maps in Your ESL Classroom

1. Give Directions

Directional words can be challenging for many ESL students. North, south, east and west can be elusive, but even words as simple as right and left are worth practicing. Maps can provide the material for a listening comprehension activity for reviewing directional words like these as well as straight, turn around, backwards, backtrack and stop. To give them the listening practice they need, give each student a copy of a map (either an authentic map or one you have created). Announce the starting point (often the location of your class) and then give your students a set of oral directions. "Go straight three blocks. Turn left." As you give the directions, they should follow along on their maps. Once you have given all the directions, ask your students where they are on the map by pointing to it or marking it on their copies. You can extend this activity as well by practicing locational prepositions. Follow the same procedure as above, but this time give directions like, "Turn after the library." You will have a clear understanding of who understood your directions and who still needs practice with directional words and prepositions of location.

2. Where Would You Go

Believe it or not, maps are a great way to practice the conditional tense, too. Starting with a map filled with interesting locations, ask your students where they would like to travel for vacation. Ask your students to plan their vacation, where they would go, how they would get there, what they would do and what they would bring with them. You could ask students to write out their plans or give a presentation to the class. You might even want to display the map in your classroom and then post your students' travel plans near the locations they chose. If you like, extend the lesson to reading and research practice by having students gather additional information about their vacation destination.

3. Model Your Own Town

Creating your own cities is a popular pastime. (If you don't believe me, just look at all the SIM games available on the market.) Your students may enjoy the group activity of creating their own towns. Working in groups of three or four, have students create a layout and then map of their ideal town. This activity not only gives students conversation practice as they work with their classmates. It is also a great way to practice vocabulary associated with locations. Instruct your students to include all the locations a town could need: restaurant, school, shopping mall or department store, library, gas station, residences, hospital and any others you choose to include in your vocabulary unit. Have students diagram their towns on poster board and then display them in your classroom or along the hallway. You can also have your class vote on the town they would most like to live in. (They should not be allowed to choose their own.) Extend the activity by having students write about the town they would choose and why.

4. Countries and Cultures

With a class full of international students, talking about countries and cultures is a must. Use a map to help your class become familiar with their classmates' home countries. (If you are teaching a class overseas, you can have your students research different countries of the world rather than talking about their home country.) Have your intermediate or advanced students give a five minute presentation on their home country using a world map or a map of their country. Students should talk about popular locations and what makes their culture unique. To extend the activity, have students talk about the geographical makeup of their home country. Review geography terms with your class (desert, mountains, river, ocean, etc.) and then challenge them to use as many as possible in their presentation. Leave the maps posted in your classroom, and then when you test on the geographical vocabulary ask your students to name a country with certain geographical components.

5. Travel Role Play

Encourage your students to take a vacation in their minds by choosing a location on the map to visit. Have students do research and then write as if they were at their vacation location. They should research the weather and things to do at their vacation spot. You may want to have students write post cards or letters to family describing the place (you can find instructions on how to teach personal letters here) or have students write imaginary journal entries about their vacation. To extend the activity, you could also have students write a tourism pamphlet encouraging others to visit their location. If you do, post these around your classroom and let your students read each other's work.

6. Compare/Contrast writing

Essays are a big part of academic English programs, and none is more common than the compare/contrast essay. You can use maps to serve as inspiration for your students' essays by displaying a historical map and a modern map of the same location. Most history classrooms have these historical maps, but you can also find them on line. Ask your students to study both map and then write about how the place has changed over time using the compare/contrast essay format. To extend the activity, have students make predictions about how the same area may change in the future.

I have found that maps are extremely useful in giving my students interesting ways to practice the language that they are learning as well as introducing them to new and useful vocabulary. In an ideal world, I would have the budget to take my students to the most interesting places in the world and then have them use those experiences as inspiration. Until then, I'll keep my maps and keep challenging my students to use them to expand their English language skills.

Do you use maps in your ESL classroom?

How do you use them?

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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Where Do We Go from Here? 6 Simple Ways to Use Maps in Your ESL Classroom

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by Susan Verner 43,053 views In fact, most people would probably be surprised to hear that maps can be quite useful for students of English as a second language. Maps are visually based, but you can do so many linguistic activities with them.

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It is important to set up a welcoming classroom. Students will have a foundation built with positive roll models and they are increasing their confidence.

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An important first step in helping English language learners (ELLs) succeed is making them feel welcome in the classroom.

This will:

increase their confidence

make them feel more comfortable in the class

build a foundation for positive relationships with you and their peers.

Here's how you can get started!

The ELL student population includes students who were born in the U.S. and students who have immigrated from another country. For ELLs who have recently arrived in the U.S., they will face the challenge of learning a new language in addition to adjusting to an unfamiliar cultural setting and school system.

On a daily basis, ELLs are adjusting to new ways of saying and doing things. As their teacher, you are an important bridge to this unknown culture and school system.

In the same way that ELLs go through stages of English language learning, they may also pass through stages of cultural accommodation. These stages, however, may be less defined and more difficult to notice. Being aware of these stages may help you to better understand "unusual" actions and reactions that may just be part of adjusting to a new culture.

Euphoria: ELLs may experience an initial period of excitement about their new surroundings.

Culture shock: ELLs may then experience anger, hostility, frustration, homesickness, or resentment towards the new culture.

Acceptance: ELLs may gradually accept their different surroundings.

Assimilation/adaptation: ELLs may embrace and adapt to their surroundings and their "new" culture.

It is also common for students who are learning a new language to be 'silent' for a period of time, when they are listening to the language around them without speaking yet (much as a young child listens to language first before learning to talk). This is considered the first stage of language acquisition.

Patience and creating opportunities for small successes in speaking with you and peers can help build students' confidence. In addition, keep in mind that students' silence could also be a sign of respect for you as an authority - and not a sign of their inability or refusal to participate.

Students may also have experienced trauma or face different kinds of hardship in the U.S. You can better prepare yourself for this possibility by:

Learn more from the following:

This award-winning documentary highlights how the Dearborn, MI public school district is helping its immigrant students succeed. Learn more about this project and see related videos.

Getting to Know Students

Learn how to pronounce students' names correctly

Don't forget to smile and use positive body language!

A lot of communication happens through expressions, body language, and tone. Smiling and using positive body language can go a long way in making students feel welcome and comfortable, particularly if they are newcomers, as seen in the vignette shared by a teacher below.

Build relationships with students

Veteran teachers of ELLs always point to building relationships as the most important step in their work with ELLs. Not only does it increase engagement and support students' later academic success, it also provides invaluable information that can inform your instruction and family engagement.

In addition, it can help build bridges with students who may have particularly unique experiences, such as children in migrant farmwork families or Indigenous students.

See more ideas on how to build these relationships from the following:

Video: Showing students you care

Corpus Christi teacher Christine Price talks about the importance of showing students you care early on.

Identify students' strengths and interests

It's important to remember that ELLs bring lots of strengths, talents, and rich experiences to the classroom. Getting to know students' interests can help:

build rapport

engage students in learning

find connections with new friends.

Families are also an important source of information and are often happy to talk about the activities that their child enjoys. They may also appreciate the fact that their child's teacher is taking an interest in the child's strengths and talents. (This is especially true in special education settings.)

Teacher Omar Salem describes a student who not only sings and dances but manages her own YouTube channel and edits all of the video she posts of her performances.

Video: Using parent letters to get to know my students

Albuquerque teacher Clara Gonzales-Espinoza asks her parents to write her a letter at the beginning of each school year telling her about the child's personality, interests, strengths, and anything else they think she should know. In this interview, Clara speaks more about this strategy and its impact on her relationships with parents and students.

Ensure that students have information about activities and clubs

Make sure that students have information about extra-curricular activities, sports, and clubs related to their interests. You can also encourage them to start their own club within the school.

ELL educator Christine Rowland notes, "Many students find involvement in school clubs and teams to be extremely helpful, as they are often experts in these areas, and they can provide a space where they more easily feel they belong."

Welcoming Students' Language and Culture

Invite students' cultures into the classroom

Encourage ELLs and their families to share their culture with you and your class. Show-and-tell is a good opportunity for ELLs to bring in something representative of their culture, if they wish.

Invite students and families to:

share photographs, visuals, or meaningful artifacts such as flags or mementos

tell a popular story or folktale using words, pictures, gestures, and movements

share information about important holidays or celebrations.

Looking beyond the classroom

Imagine that you are walking into your school for the first time as a parent.

What do you see on the walls?

If your first language weren't English, would you see signs in your language?

Would you see flags, maps, or books representing your home country?

Would you see your child's work on display in the hallway?

If you think more could be done to make families feel welcome, consider:

sharing some ideas with colleagues or administrators and taking small steps that you can point to as successes

looking for opportunities to celebrate all families and their languages, customs, and cultures, whether in the classroom or at a school-wide event

keeping a lookout for a special part of their lives that other families might appreciate getting to know.

See more ideas in the following:

Video: What happened when the students realized the Yemeni flag wasn't on stage

ELD Specialist Diana Alqadhi tells the story of some students who realized that the Yemeni flag was not featured prominently enough on stage before a school show.

Invite students' languages into the classroom

Label classroom objects to allow ELLs to better understand their immediate surroundings. These labels will also assist you when explaining or giving directions, and it gives peers an additional opportunity to learn some words in their classmates' language.

Start with everyday items, such as "door/puerta," "book/libro," and "chair/silla."

You may wish to ask students who can write in their first language or family members to help you with this project.

You can also invite students to teach the class some words from their home language.

Learn more about the resources available in students' home languages

Students benefit from support in their home language - what Dr. Fred Genesee calls their " most valuable resource." You have may have access to learning material in students' languages, or you may be able to find resources that support those languages.

Language access for multilingual families

In addition, it's critical to understand what language access resources you have available through your school and district, particularly for communication with families. Keep in mind that all families have a legal right to information in their home language. Family liaisons, interpreters, ESL teachers, or administrators may have more information about what language access resources are available in your district.

Video: What Do School Districts Need to Know About Language Access?

This helpful overview about what language access means for school districts is a great introduction to the requirements, best practices, and funding streams related to language access in public education. This interview features Dr. Jennifer Love, the Supervisor of Language Access and Engagement in Prince George's County Public Schools, Maryland.

Video: Language Access for Multilingual Families

What does appropriate language access mean for multilingual families? This interview also features Dr. Jennifer Love.

Ensure your students see themselves reflected in the classroom

Ask yourself if students can see representations of their culture, race, gender, and other aspects of identity reflected in your:

classroom materials and library

lesson plans and activities

classroom visuals (both in-person and virtual).

In addition:

Success in the Classroom

Encourage your students

Some ELLs may not answer voluntarily in class or ask for your help even if they need it. ELLs may smile and nod, but this does not necessarily mean that they understand. Offer one-on-one support and encouragement as much as possible. For convenience, it may be helpful to seat ELLs near your desk.

Assign a buddy

Identify a classmate who will make a good buddy for new students - someone who is friendly, patient, and a good communicator to be a buddy. This student can make sure that the new student understands what he or she is supposed to do during class activities. It is helpful if the peer partner knows the ELL's first language, but not necessary. However, remember to never use another student as an interpreter in any situation.

Learn more about ways to increase peer interaction and collaboration in these related strategies.

Ask the class how they can help welcome new students

Ask students to brainstorm ways to help ELLs in particular. You may wish to make a list of ideas on how to welcome new students at the beginning of the year so that students have these strategies in mind if a student comes with little advance notice.

Be vigilant about health issues, dietary concerns, and allergies

Students may have specific health issues or dietary restrictions due to health, cultural, or religious reasons. Be sure that you learn all essential information you need to know about student health and diet from parents or guardians. For ELLs, be sure to confirm and clarify this information with the help of interpreters.

If you learn information about a student that would be helpful for other staff to know, particularly regarding health or food allergies, talk with administrators about how to keep the child safe. In addition, be sensitive to cultural or religious norms, such as fasting for religious reasons.

Keep an eye out for signs of culture shock

Moving to a new country and leaving a familiar life, relatives, friends, and language behind can be traumatic for children in the best of circumstances. Those challenges are compounded if children have experienced trauma, violence, or upheaval. Learn more about how culture shock can impact students in the classroom and affect student behavior so that you recognize signs if newcomers act out.

Encourage students to take ownership of the classroom culture

Ask students to answer the following questions through drawings or written responses.

How can I be a good classmate to others?

What are examples of unkind or disrespectful behavior in the classroom?

To support ELLs in their discussions of these questions:

Encourage students who speak the same language to discuss their ideas in groups.

Provide scaffolded materials such as graphic organizers, sentence stems, and sentence frames.

Use a picture book to talk about different kinds of behavior with students.

Create a shared set of classroom expectations together

Return to your earlier discussion of what a respectful classroom looks like.

Brainstorm ideas on possible class rules based on that discussion.

Streamline the list of class guidelines or rules.

Add any rules or guidelines that are missing.

In order to establish appropriate consequences for disrespectful behavior, you may wish to come up with ideas with the class or determine those consequences yourself.

Post the final list classroom rules in the classroom.

Translate the rules into ELLs' native languages so that they can keep the list handy and share it at home.

To see an example of this proces in action, take a look at ELL expert Carol Salva's process for developing a community contract each year.

Help your ELLs understand expectations for the classroom

ELLs may need some extra support in understanding expectations for classroom behavior. Helping them understand these expectations can avoid misunderstandings, discipline problems, and feelings of low self-esteem.

At the same time, it's important to remember that students bridging two cultures may need guidance which behaviors are appropriate in which setting (such as eye contact, physical proximity, etc.). If you have questions, talk with a cultural liaison in the school to learn more about appropriate responses and ideas for helping students navigate a new culture. You can also learn more about cultural norms of your students, particularly related to schooling, to help inform your approach.

Here are a few strategies that you can use in class:

Use visuals like pictures, symbols, and reward systems to communicate your expectations in a positive and direct manner.

Physically model language to ELLs in classroom routines and instructional activities. ELLs will need to see you or their peers model behavior when you want them to sit down, walk to the bulletin board, work with a partner, copy a word, etc.

Be consistent and fair with all students. Once ELLs clearly understand what is expected, hold them equally accountable for their behavior.

Post a daily schedule. Even if ELLs do not yet understand all of the words that you speak, it is possible for them to understand the structure of each day. Whether through chalkboard art or images on Velcro, you can post the daily schedule each morning. By writing down times and having pictures next to words like lunch, wash hands, math, and field trip, ELLs can have a general sense of the upcoming day.

Finally, remember ELLs can make unintentional "mistakes" as they are trying hard to adjust to a new cultural setting. They are constantly transferring what they know as acceptable behaviors from their own culture to the U.S. classroom and school. Be patient as ELLs learn English and adjust - and remember that you will learn a lot from this experience too!

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How to Create a Welcoming Classroom Environment for ELLs

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An important first step in helping English language learners (ELLs) succeed is making them feel welcome in the classroom. This will: increase their confidence make them feel more comfortable in the class build a foundation for positive relationships with you and their peers. Here's how you can get started!

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A listening center is also great for an ELL classroom because students are able to listen and follow along with the story as it is being read in English. It also helps the students hear how a word is supposed to sound. Students are able to build their vocabulary and hear a story multiple times.

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"A listening center is a designated spot in the classroom with a tape, CD player, or iPod with multiple headphones, where students typically listen to recordings of books and follow along in hard copies" (Wright, 2010, page 167). Hearing a book read on tape can help children focus on the sounds of words read without interruption and provides a model of fluent reading. Many books on tape have interesting sound effects, music, an d multiple narrators that are especially motivating and fun for young children.

"The listening center also provides a space in the classroom where students can receive comprehensible input in a low-stress environment. Materials in the listening center should reinforce classroom instruction. For example, a teacher might leave a recording of a book or article he or she has read aloud so that students can hear it again. This type of repetition is particularly beneficial for ELLs , because they are likely to understand more of the story after each repeated listening" (Wright, 2010, page 167).

"When children regularly listen to the sophisticated language of stories, poetry, and nonfiction language that they may not have access to in any other way, they slowly assimilate the tools for critical thought and effective cognition" (Mooney, 2013, page 90). When children hear literature read aloud, they see how printed words can be closely connected with spoken words. In order for students to become successful readers, they need not only stronger vocabularies but they also need the ability to explore different genres and writing styles. By sharing a wide variety of genres and writing styles with children, teachers will prepare students with important experiences and knowledge for making sense of different texts when they encounter them on their own.
The benefits of listening centers:

Models fluent reading

Helps students decode unfamiliar words

Teaches critical listening skills

Introduces new vocabulary

Provides a read-aloud model

Introduces new genres that students might not otherwise consider

Introduces students to books above their reading level

Listening Center Example:
Benefits of Listening Centers for ELL students:

Exposes students to patterns, intonation, expressions, different accents & dialects, and the pronunciation of a language

​Students are able to build on their vocabulary, gain prosody, and oral fluency as they make connections to what they hear and see throughout the text

Helps students connect the sounds of their second language (possibly third, fourth..) with the print on the page

Allows students to hear a story multiple times - Repeated readings have a significant impact on word recognition, fluency and comprehension

In this example it explains that a listening center includes a collection of audiobooks that students can access and read within the classroom. As mentioned in the video, there are many benefits of incorporating listening centers, such as supporting the development of reading fluency, fostering independence, and introducing students to different styles of writing. This video then goes on to explain the benefits for ELL learners.

Reading Example

During Daily 5, teachers can set up a listening center for students. Listen to reading is a powerful reading strategy that is incorporated into the Daily 5 instruction. Teachers can select texts that are appropriate for each reading group, allowing students to build on their vocabulary and listen to fluent reading. Teachers can also provide a graphic organizer for students to complete once the story is over to assess their reading comprehension.

Social studies

Teachers can provide audiotapes during a social studies unit to integrate news broadcasts, music and speeches by world leaders. For example, students learning about Martin Luther King Jr. can read and listen to the "I Have a Dream" speech in their listening centers.

Many students need support reading science texts. Having a listening center where they can read along with the books on discs can help students learn science content while developing and practicing other essential language arts skills. Content-area listening centers can also be integrated with other technology, which develops students research and the ability to access additional information.

Math Example

Teachers can use listening centers in math when differentiating their instruction to meet the different learning needs of their students. For example, educators may record their voice for a math lesson and give specific math instructions for their students that can work independently. This will allow students to complete the assignment on their own or in small groups using the directions provided by the teacher. While students are listening to the recording, the classroom teacher can be with another group of students working hands on. This in turn, will allow teachers to meet the individual needs of each student in their classroom.

This picture shows what a listening center may look like in the classroom. You will notice that there are iPods and headphones available for students to use.
Here, students will listen attentively to audio recordings of stories as they build on their language and literacy skills.

In this picture, students are listening to a story modeled by a fluent reader. As you can see, each student is provided with a copy of the text and the audio player is in the center of the circle. Each student is listening to the recording as they follow along in the text. This can help students who are having trouble decoding because they have the opportunity to listen to the text in its spoken form. Students can also rewind the tape to emphasize phrasing, intonation and expression.

Campo, N. (n.d.). Listening Center | Scholastic.com. Retrieved September 25, 2015, from http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/listening-center

Digital iPod Audio School Listening Center from AmpliVox: Using iPads in the Classroom. (2011, September 12). Retrieved September 25, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxK7nVSNd2M

Mooney, M. (2013). Reading to Children: A Positive Step on the Road to Literacy. Teaching K-8, 25, 90-92.

Wright, W. E. (2010). Foundations for teaching English language learners: Research, theory, policy, and practice. Philadelphia: Caslon Pub.

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"A listening center is a designated spot in the classroom with a tape, CD player, or iPod with multiple headphones, where students typically listen to recordings of books and follow along in hard copies" (Wright, 2010, page 167).

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This article describes several different centers for ELL Kindergarten classrooms. They are all pretty common except for one that I didn't even think of until I read it. A pronunciation center. This center would help ELL students to pronounce English words correctly. I feel this is an important center to try to help ELL students pronounce English words correctly. I feel that they may not ever completely pronounce them correctly because of the way they were taught to speak but it may help them in some ways.

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If you're looking for some of the best ESL kindergarten games, then you're certainly in the right place. We have the best ones to try out today, along with lesson plan ideas and a whole lot more. Have some fun with your kindy kids who are learning English.

ESL Kindergarten Activities and Games

Are you ready to get into the Kindergarten ESL activities? Keep on reading for the best 20 of them.

#1: ESL Kindergarten Flashcard Games

I LOVE to use flashcards in my ESL classes for kids. They are probably one of the most under-utilized teaching tools in my opinion. There are just so many things you can do with them and they're a source of a ton of great ESL kindergarten games. Here are some of the best ideas:

#2: ESL Animal Activities

Kids LOVE talking about animals and they are the basis of some of my favourite ESL kindergarten games. Seriously, we could talk about animals for the entire semester and nobody would be unhappy I think! For some of the best ideas, be sure to check this out:

ESL Animal Games and Activities.

#3: The Hot Potato ESL Kindergarten Game

If you want to have some pure fun and excitement in your classes, then consider playing Hot Potato. It's perhaps the ultimate ESL Kindergarten game.

The way it works is that students pass around an object and when the music or timer stops, the person holding it has to do a certain thing. One quick example is making a full sentence with subject/verb agreement. What this thing is depends heavily on the age and abilities of the students. But, check out some of the variations and ideas here:

ESL Hot Potato Activity.

#4: ESL Pronunciation Games for Kindy Kids

The good news is that there are a ton of fun, interesting games and activities you can use in your classes to help your students out with this. Check out some of the best ones here:

ESL Pronunciation Games.

#5: Songs for ESL Kindergarten Kids

There are a ton of catchy songs on YouTube that are ideal for teaching grammar and vocabulary to kindergarten kids with. Play the song a few times and you'll likely have at least a couple of students singing these songs to themselves outside of class! Here's one popular song about body parts:

Songs are also ideal for holidays like ESL Halloween. There are lots of great ones on YouTube to help students remember new holiday vocabulary.

#6: ESL Body Part Activities

ESL Body Part Activities.

#7: Picture Prompt

A quick and easy ESL warm-up is this one: picture prompt. The way it works is that you have to find a picture that relates to the topic of the day. Then, depending on the level of the students, elicit some things from them. It could be as simple as shouting out words that they see in the picture (tree, man, bicycle), making some sentences or answering some questions.

Find out all the possibilities here: Using Pictures as an ESL Warmer.

#8: Discussion Starters for Kids

ESL Conversation Starters for Kids.

#9: Use a Routine to Start your Class

One of the best things I ever did when teaching Kindergarten kids was to establish some routines. The most useful one was a way to start off each class. We talk about certain things like how everyone is feeling, day of the week, etc. Try it out for yourself and I think you'll love it!

Routines for ESL Kids Classes.

#10: Simple Chants for Kindergarten Kids

Besides songs, chants are another fun way to get students speaking English. The catchier the better too because they'll help students remember key vocabulary. Here's one about action verbs that I've used successfully in my classes with kindy kids before:

#11: Disappearing Text ESL Kindergarten Activity

Try out this fun ESL Kindergarten activity if you want to help students remember key bits of sentence structure. The way it works is that you write a sentence on the board and students have to say it together. Then you gradually erase words and students have to repeat it. Eventually, they'll be saying the whole thing but with nothing written on the board.

Check it out here: Disappearing Text ESL Activity.

#12: Show and Tell

Kindergarten kids loves to bring in a special thing from home and then tell their classmates about it! Consider having a special day where students do short presentations about something meaningful to them. Of course, you'll have to elicit the parents' help to coordinate this, but I do find the effort to be worth it.

Find out more about this activity here: ESL Show and Tell.

#13: The Memory Circle ESL Game for Kindergarten

A fun way to help kindergarten kids remember new vocabulary items is to use the memory circle. The way it works is that you assign a certain topic such as body parts or animals. Then, the first student says a word (alligator). The next student says that word and then adds their own (alligator, tiger).

The game continues until one student can't remember a word and they are "out." Play for a certain amount of time or until the last person is standing. More information here:

#14: ESL Balls Games for Young Learners

#15: I'm an Alien

Try out this fun ESL kindergarten activity in your classes today. The way it works is that you pretend you're an alien and don't know anything about a certain thing. Then, your students have to explain to you in English what it's all about. Of course, play it up and feign ignorance about basic things to make this activity more fun. Check it out here:

I'm an Alien ESL Activity.

#16: Chain Spelling

If you're teaching your kindy kids some new vocabulary words, then consider playing this fun ESL spelling game with them. Basically, it's a "last person standing" challenge where a student has to add the next letter to a word. Want to try it out? Here are the details about it:

ESL Chain Spelling Activity.

#17: ESL Telephone Game for Young Learners

A fun speaking, listening and pronunciation game you can play with your younger learners is telephone. The way it works is that students have to pass a phrase or sentence along the line and then at the end, compare it with the original. The results are usually hilarious!

Want to find out how to do it in your kindy TEFL classes? You can check it out here:

ESL Telephone Game for Kids.

#18: 3 Fun Flashcard ESL Kindergarten Games

#19: Story Books

Kids LOVE reading stories and having stories read to them as well. Consider incorporating some popular English children's books into your classes as it's a natural way to learn English and have some fun too.

Remember that kindergarten kids don't mind reading the same book over and over again so don't be tempted to use too many of them. Instead, use just a few and let your students become familiar with them.

#20: Fun Whiteboard Games and Activities

Fun Whiteboard Games.

#21: TEFL Preposition Activities

I really including prepositions when I'm teaching English to kindergarten students because there are a ton of simple but fun games that we can play. Plus, the concept of them is simple enough for young learners to grasp quite easily. Find out some of my ideas here:

TEFL Preposition Activities.

#22: Color Game for Kindergarten ESL

#23: ESL Basketball Challenge

If you're looking for one of the best ESL kindergarten activities, then look no further than this basketball challenge. It's fun, interactive and useful for reviewing any simple grammatical construction or vocabulary set. Try it out with your students and I'm sure they'll love it as much as mine. Find out more here:

Basketball Game for TEFL.

#24: ESL Holiday Activities

Kids love to celebrate holidays like Halloween, Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving. It can be a nice way to mix things up a bit and keep things interesting in TEFL classes. There are lots of ideas that are perfect for a kindergarten ESL lesson plan. Here are some of my favourites:
ESL Holiday Activities and Games.
#25: TEFL Review Activities

When teaching a language to any age but particularly kindy students, review is key! The good news is that is a ton of great TEFL review activities that are perfect for an ESL kindergarten lesson. Here are some of my favourite options:

TEFL Review Games and Activities.

ESL Kindergarten ESL Lesson Plans

Okay, let's be real. What teacher doesn't like to save themselves a bit of time? If you're seriously in the time crunch, then you may want to just print off one of these lesson plans for kindergarten and go. Here are some of the best resources:
ESL Kids Stuff Education.com English 4 Kids
ESL Kindergarten FAQs

How do I teach Kindergarten ESL?

Teaching ESL to kindergarten students is possible by keeping the following tips in mind:

Develop a routine and use it consistently.

Have clear rules and expectations for behaviour.

Use lots of praise, encouragement and positive reinforcement.

Use a variety of interactive ESL games and activities.

Be sure to let students move around the classroom (TPR).

Always set the context in any lesson.

How do you teach conversational English to kindergarten?

Teaching conversational English to kindergarten students starts by first teaching some basic vocabulary. Then, ask students simple questions like how they're doing, what they did at school or at home and whether or not they liked, along with simple questions about their day like what they ate.

Is teaching ESL to kindergarten students difficult?

If you don't share a language with the kindergarten students, it can be quite difficult to teach them, especially if you don't have a co-teacher to assist you. However, it's certainly possible by using things like pictures, video clips, stories, songs, chants, and simple games. Also, teach kindy kids how to read as soon as possible.

Did you Like these ESL Games for Kindergarten?

Yes? Thought so. Then the book you're going to love is this one over on Amazon: 101 ESL Activities for Kids. There are dozens of student-centred, engaging and fun activities and games that are your students are going to love.

You can find the book in both digital and print formats. We recommend keeping a copy on the bookshelf in your teacher resource room to use as a handy reference guide when doing lesson plans. Or, consider taking a copy with you on your phone, tablet, or laptop to your favorite coffee shop for some lesson planning on the go.

Have your say about these ESL Kindergarten Games

What's your top pick for a kindergarten ESL game or activity? Is it one of the options from this list or do you have another recommendation? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think. We'd love to hear from you.

Also be sure to give this article a share on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter. It'll help other busy English teachers, like yourself find this useful resource.

Last update on 2021-02-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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ESL Games for Kindergarten: The Best ESL Kindergarten Ideas

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If you're looking for some of the best ESL kindergarten games, then you're certainly in the right place. We have the best ones to try out today, along with lesson plan ideas and a whole lot more. Have some fun with your kindy kids who are learning English.

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Although I have never had an ELL classroom or student, I feel that it would be much like a kindergarten classroom. English speaking kindergarten students come to school unable to read English much like an ELL would. This article describes setting up in much the same way I do my Kindergarten classroom. I do feel that I may need more visual cards and label them in English.

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Back to School: How to Organize Your ESL Classroom

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ESL books? Check! Flashcards and illustrations? Check! Back to school supplies? Check! Classroom setup? Uh-oh…You may have spent months gathering materials, planning lessons, and gett