# data[].attributes.body
This article does a great job of describing both ESL and Bilingual classrooms and their differences.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It seems that many people use English as a Second Language (ESL) and Bilingual Education are one in the same, but they most assuredly are not. To help understand the differences, use the Venn Diagram below.

ESL programs help students who have limited English proficiency. The objective is to help students who do not identify English as their primary language learn English. These programs are extremely important, as the teacher strives to help students acquire English proficiency in order to succeed academically in English-based curriculum schools.

It's important to note that the students in the class may not all share the same native language. For this reason, the teacher addresses the class only in English. The coursework in the program focuses on teaching the four language skills: reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

Many ESL students come from countries outside North America or celebrate different cultures. ESL teachers also strive to help students integrate into society and understand local customs, norms and values, while not replacing students' own customs, norms, and values.

The importance of ESL is reflected in the fact that many districts even require all elementary teachers to have an ESL certification. You'll want to make sure to research your top choice school to determine if you need ESL.

Bilingual Education teachers instruct in two different languages. The educator focuses on teaching content in both languages, such as geography, history, math, etc. While English is used as one language of instruction, students are not specifically taught English language lessons. By incorporating both the use of English and the students' native language equally, their English language skills will continue to develop and strengthen.

The goal of bilingual classroom instruction is to help students become fluent in both languages.

Like ESL classrooms, students may also come from different cultural backgrounds. Teachers should be mindful of this and help all students feel comfortable, respected and valued in the classroom.

Both ESL and Bilingual Education teachers are in high demand. In a rapidly diversifying world, the use of English is on the rise. Since 1965, the number of immigrants in the U.S. has quadrupled; this means many students are entering our school systems without the simple tools needed to succeed, such as understanding the language of instruction - English. One out of every four students speak a language other than English in their home and our school systems are struggling to provide every student with teachers they need. Every student is equally important, and ESL and Bilingual teachers truly go above and beyond to meet the needs of all our students.

Here at Texas Teachers, we understand the importance and value of ESL and Bilingual Teachers. Mexican immigrants represent the largest group of U.S. immigrants, which is why our efforts are primarily focused on certifying more English-Spanish bilingual teachers. While there is a 50% increase in the need of these teachers, only 20% of the need has been met. If you're ready to help Texas Teachers close the gap, apply to become an ESL or Bilingual Education teacher today. Every certified teacher brings us one step closer.

If you need more inspiration to become an ESL or Bilingual teacher, both of which promote bilingualism, check out this list of qualities attributed to bi- or multilingual speakers:

Increased chance of getting hired

Higher salary

Advanced cognitive skills

Bridges cultural and heritage gaps

Easier to learn additional languages

Improved pragmatic skills

Multicultural sensitivity

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
ESL and Bilingual Education: Understanding the Differences - Texas Teachers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It seems that many people use English as a Second Language (ESL) and Bilingual Education are one in the same, but they most assuredly are not. To help

# data[].attributes.body
This graphic showcases some of the programs that are offered in Texas.

# data[].attributes.body
This graphic details the process of getting a student in the ESL program and the services that they provide.

# data[].attributes.body
This article details a broad overview of language acquisition. It also talks about the stages of language acquisition and dome instructional strategies.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
When I read The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, I remember being fascinated by the "babel fish." These were fish, who when dropped in a person's ear, would provide immediate translation of any language, thriving on sound waves and converting them into comprehensible language.

Wouldn't it be just great if learning a new language were that easy (despite the "yuck" factor)? While we do have some technology that provides translation into a variety of languages, it often fails to translate accurately due to the complexity of language. Effective communication requires so much more than just being able to translate vocabulary words - it requires knowledge of intonation, dialect, and intent, and a nuanced understanding of word use, expression, and a language's cultural context. For example, one online translation application I tried translated "Fall Events" as "fall down events" in Spanish because it didn't know that I was referring to events in autumn.

So, without a babel fish or perfect technology, we are left with the old-fashioned way of learning a new language, which requires time, effort, and patience. How much time, effort, and patience depends a lot on the individual who is learning, as well as the learning environment and situation, but language researchers have developed a general outline of language acquisition that helps explain the process that language learners go through to develop skills in a foreign language. In this article, I will provide an overview to the stages of language acquisition, and offer strategies designed to support ELL instruction at different stages of language acquisition.

Stages of Language Acquisition

Researchers define language acquisition into two categories: first-language acquisition and second-language acquisition. First-language acquisition is a universal process regardless of home language. Babies listen to the sounds around them, begin to imitate them, and eventually start producing words. Second-language acquisition assumes knowledge in a first language and encompasses the process an individual goes through as he or she learns the elements of a new language, such as vocabulary, phonological components, grammatical structures, and writing systems.

The Six Stages of Second-Language Acquisition

Pre-production

This is also called "the silent period," when the student takes in the new language but does not speak it. This period often lasts six weeks or longer, depending on the individual.

Early production

The individual begins to speak using short words and sentences, but the emphasis is still on listening and absorbing the new language. There will be many errors in the early production stage.

Speech Emergent

Speech becomes more frequent, words and sentences are longer, but the individual still relies heavily on context clues and familiar topics. Vocabulary continues to increase and errors begin to decrease, especially in common or repeated interactions.

Beginning Fluency

Speech is fairly fluent in social situations with minimal errors. New contexts and academic language are challenging and the individual will struggle to express themselves due to gaps in vocabulary and appropriate phrases.

Intermediate Fluency

Communicating in the second language is fluent, especially in social language situations. The individual is able to speak almost fluently in new situations or in academic areas, but there will be gaps in vocabulary knowledge and some unknown expressions. There are very few errors, and the individual is able to demonstrate higher order thinking skills in the second language such as offering an opinion or analyzing a problem.

Advanced Fluency

The individual communicates fluently in all contexts and can maneuver successfully in new contexts and when exposed to new academic information. At this stage, the individual may still have an accent and use idiomatic expressions incorrectly at times, but the individual is essentially fluent and comfortable communicating in the second language.

How long does it take for a language learner to go through these stages? Just as in any other learning situation, it depends on the individual. One of the major contributors to accelerated second language learning is the strength of first language skills. Language researchers such as Jim Cummins, Catherine Snow, Lily Wong Filmore and Stephen Krashen have studied this topic in a variety of ways for many years. The general consensus is that it takes between five to seven years for an individual to achieve advanced fluency. This generally applies to individuals who have strong first language and literacy skills. If an individual has not fully developed first language and literacy skills, it may take between seven to ten years to reach advanced fluency. It is very important to note that every ELL student comes with his or her own unique language and education background, and this will have an impact on their English learning process.

It is also important to keep in mind that the understood goal for American ELL students is Advanced Fluency, which includes fluency in academic contexts as well as social contexts. Teachers often get frustrated when ELL students appear to be fluent because they have strong social English skills, but then they do not participate well in academic projects and discussions. Teachers who are aware of ELL students' need to develop academic language fluency in English will be much better prepared to assist those students in becoming academically successful. (Learn more about academic language in Colorín Colorado's academic language resource section.)

Instructional Strategies

If you have ELL students in your classroom, it is more than likely there will be students at a variety of stages in the language acquisition process. What can teachers do to differentiate instruction according to language level? Here are some suggestions for appropriate instructional strategies according to stages of language acquisition.

Emphasize listening comprehension by using read-alouds and music.

Use visuals and have students point to pictures or act out vocabulary.

Speak slowly and use shorter words, but use correct English phrasing.

Model "survival" language by saying and showing the meaning. For example, say, "Open your book," and then open a book while the student observes.

Gesture, point and show as much as possible.

More advanced classmates who speak the same language can support new learning through interpretation.

Avoid excessive error correction. Reinforce learning by modeling correct language usage when students make mistakes.

Continue the strategies listed above, but add opportunities for students to produce simple language.

Ask students to point to pictures and say the new word.

Ask yes/no and either/or questions.

Have students work in pairs or small groups to discuss a problem. Have literate students write short sentences or words in graphic organizers.

Model a phrase and have the student repeat it and add modifications. Teacher says, "This book is very interesting." The student repeats it and says, "This book is very boring." Continue with as many modifications as possible.

Avoid excessive error correction. Reinforce learning by modeling correct usage.

Introduce more academic language and skills by using the same techniques listed above, but beginning to use more academic vocabulary.

Introduce new academic vocabulary and model how to use it in a sentence.

Provide visuals and make connections with student's background knowledge as much as possible.

Ask questions that require a short answer and are fairly literal.

Introduce charts and graphs by using easily understood information such as a class survey of food preferences.

Have students re-tell stories or experiences and have another student write them down. The ELL student can bring these narratives home to read and reinforce learning.

In writing activities, provide the student with a fill-in-the blank version of the assignment with the necessary vocabulary listed on the page.

Provide minimal error correction. Focus only on correction that directly interferes with meaning. Reinforce learning by modeling the correct usage.

Have students work in pairs and groups to discuss content.

During instruction, have students do a "Think, pair, share" to give the student an opportunity to process the new language and concept.

Ask questions that require a full response with explanation. If you do not understand the student's explanation, ask for clarification by paraphrasing and asking the student if you heard them correctly.

Ask questions that require inference and justification of the answer.

Ask students if they agree or disagree with a statement and why.

Model more advanced academic language structures such as, "I think," "In my opinion," and "When you compare." Have students repeat the phrases in context.

Re-phrase incorrect statements in correct English, or ask the student if they know another way to say it.

Introduce nuances of language such as when to use more formal English and how to interact in conversations.

Have students make short presentations, providing them with the phrases and language used in presentations ("Today I will be talking about") and giving them opportunities to practice the presentation with partners before getting in front of the class.

Continue to provide visual support and vocabulary development.

Correct errors that interfere with meaning, and pre-identify errors that will be corrected in student writing, such as verb-tense agreement. Only correct the errors agreed upon.

You may want to assist in improving pronunciation by asking a student to repeat key vocabulary and discussing how different languages have different sounds.

Identify key academic vocabulary and phrases and model them. Ask students to produce the language in class activities.

Use graphic organizers and thinking maps and check to make sure the student is filling them in with details. Challenge the student to add more.

Help the student make connections with new vocabulary by instructing him or her in the etymology of words or word families such as, "important, importance, importantly."

Create assessments that give students an opportunity to present in English after they have an opportunity to practice in pairs or small groups.

Introduce more academic skills, such as brainstorming, prioritizing, categorization, summarizing and compare and contrast.

Ask students to identify vocabulary by symbols that show whether the student "knows it really well, kind of knows it, or doesn't know it at all." Help students focus on strategies to get the meaning of new words.

Have a "guessing time" during silent reading where they circle words they don't know and write down their guess of the meaning. Check the results as a class.

Introduce idioms and give examples of how to use them appropriately. For example, "Let's wind up our work." What's another way you could use the phrase "wind up?"

Starting at this level, students need more correction/feedback, even on errors that do not directly affect meaning. They should be developing a more advanced command of syntax, pragmatics, pronunciation, and other elements that do not necessarily affect meaning but do contribute to oral fluency.

It may also be helpful to discuss language goals with the student so you can assist in providing modeling and correction in specified areas.

Students at this level are close to native language fluency and can interact well in a variety of situations. Continue to develop language skills as gaps arise by using the strategies listed above. Although the student may seem completely fluent, he or she still benefit from visual support, building on background knowledge, pre-teaching vocabulary and making connections between content areas.

Offer challenge activities to expand the student's vocabulary knowledge such as identifying antonyms, synonyms and the use of a thesaurus and dictionary.

Demonstrate effective note-taking and provide a template.

Offer error correction on academic work and on oral language. Because students at this stage have achieved near-native fluency, they benefit from support in fine-tuning their oral and written language skills.

Recommendations

Scaffold instruction so students receive comprehensible input and are able to successfully complete tasks at their level. Instructional scaffolding works just like the scaffolding used in building. It holds you at the level needed until you are ready to take it down. Scaffolding includes asking students questions in formats that give them support in answering, such as yes/no questions, one-word identifications, or short answers. It also means providing the context for learning by having visuals or other hands-on items available to support content learning. Also, when practicing a new academic skill such as skimming, scaffolding involves using well-known material so the students aren't struggling with the information while they are trying to learn a new skill. Scaffolding includes whatever it takes to make the instruction meaningful for the student in order to provide a successful learning experience.

Use cognates to help Spanish speakers learn English and derive meaning from content. The Colorín Colorado website has a helpful list of common cognates in Spanish for teachers to reference. Teachers can explicitly point out cognates for Spanish speaking students so they begin to realize that this is a useful way for them to increase their English vocabulary.

Explicit vocabulary instruction is very important in accelerating ELL students' English language development. Textbooks include lists of new vocabulary words based on grade-level content, but ELL students need further vocabulary instruction. There are many words in a text that may affect the ELL student's comprehension of the text that a teacher may assume he or she knows. It is important for teachers to develop ways to help students identify the words they don't know, as well as strategies for getting their meaning. Of course it is also beneficial if teachers reinforce the language structures or common associations of vocabulary. For example, "squeak" is a sound that often goes with "mouse" or "door" and it may be stated as, "squeak, squeaky, squeaks, or squeaked."

Error correction should be done very intentionally and appropriately according to student language ability, as noted earlier in the article. Students who are just beginning to speak English are already nervous about using their new language skills and constant correction will not improve their ability; it will just make them want to withdraw. I inform students in advance of the type of errors I will correct, such as "missing articles" and "third person agreement," and then those are the only errors I check. In my class, I do not correct the errors; I circle the mistakes and return the paper to the student. They are responsible for correcting the errors and returning the paper to receive more points. Most of the time the students can make the corrections themselves when they see the area I've circled, but if they have difficulty, I guide them as they make the correction. In this way, I feel there is a manageable amount of correction information to work with and the student will actually learn from doing the correction.

Learning another language. If you learn the language(s) your students speak, they will be thrilled to hear you try it with them. I learned how to say "good morning" in Somali and had to practice for an hour before I felt comfortable saying it. When I did I was rewarded with the big grins of students as they entered the room. They were excited to teach me other phrases as well, and we discussed how much English they had learned since they arrived in the country. They were very proud to think of how much progress they'd made.

Seek the experts in your building or district who can offer you guidance on effective instructional strategies for your ELL students. There are many teachers who have taught ELL students in your content area, have taught a certain population of students, or are trained ESL or bilingual teachers who have a lot of advice and support to offer. Don't hesitate to look for support when you are challenged to reach students who are learning English. This can be especially true when you have a "pre-production" or "beginning level" student and you are responsible for grade level content instruction.

Visit the hotlinks section for this article for more information on specific research regarding language acquisition and recommended instructional strategies. You can also search the Colorín Colorado educator information for useful information and resources to assist you in meeting ELL student needs.

ELL teachers encounter students with a variety of backgrounds and abilities, and until the babel fish comes into existence, they will need to have flexibility, creativity and skill in order to help ELL students make meaning from the new language and content they are learning. An understanding of the language acquisition process and levels will help teachers tailor instruction to meet the needs of a diverse group of learners. Students will benefit from everything teachers do to support the development of their language skills while teaching them grade level content. Together teachers and students develop their understanding of each other, the world around them, and the language that connects us all.
The Stages of Second Language Acquisition
This chapter from Classroom Instruction That Works with English Language Learners Facilitator's Guide, by Jane D. Hill and Cynthia L. Björk, offers information on the second language acquisition process and effective ELL instruction. It includes a a simplified chart of language acquisition levels and the kinds of language teachers can use to help students at each level.

Simple description of the stages of language acquisition and recommendations for instructional strategies according to level.
Overview of Second Language Acquisition and Strategies
Downloadable booklet from the Northwest Regional Education Laboratory, "Strategies and Resources for Mainstream Teachers of English Language Learners." Includes useful information on language levels, acquisition and 10 things teachers can do today to help ELL students.
Understanding the "Silent Period" with English Language Learners
This article describes some strategies used by two kindergarten teachers to communicate verbally and nonverbally.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
“One generation plants the trees; another gets the shade.”— Chinese ProverbWhen I read The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, I remember being fascinated by the “babel fish.” These were fish, who when dropped in a person’s ear, would provide immediate translation of any language, thriving on sound waves and converting them into comprehensible language.Wouldn’t it be just great if learning a new language were that easy (despite the “yuck” factor)? While we do have some technology that provides translation into a variety of languages, it often fails to translate accurately due to the complexity of language. Effective communication requires so much more than just being able to translate vocabulary words — it requires knowledge of intonation, dialect, and intent, and a nuanced understanding of word use, expression, and a language’s cultural context. For example, one online translation application I tried translated “Fall Events” as “fall down events” in Spanish because it didn’t know that I was referring to events in autumn.So, without a babel fish or perfect technology, we are left with the old-fashioned way of learning a new language, which requires time, effort, and patience. How much time, effort, and patience depends a lot on the individual who is learning, as well as the learning environment and situation, but language researchers have developed a general outline of language acquisition that helps explain the process that language learners go through to develop skills in a foreign language. In this article, I will provide an overview to the stages of language acquisition, and offer strategies designed to support ELL instruction at different stages of language acquisition.Stages of Language AcquisitionResearchers define language acquisition into two categories: first-language acquisition and second-language acquisition. First-language acquisition is a universal process regardless of home language. Babies listen to the sounds around them, begin to imitate them, and eventually start producing words. Second-language acquisition assumes knowledge in a first language and encompasses the process an individual goes through as he or she learns the elements of a new language, such as vocabulary, phonological components, grammatical structures, and writing systems.The Six Stages of Second-Language AcquisitionPre-productionThis is also called “the silent period,” when the student takes in the new language but does not speak it. This period often lasts six weeks or longer, depending on the individual.Early productionThe individual begins to speak using short words and sentences, but the emphasis is still on listening and absorbing the new language. There will be many errors in the early production stage.Speech EmergentSpeech becomes more frequent, words and sentences are longer, but the individual still relies heavily on context clues and familiar topics. Vocabulary continues to increase and errors begin to decrease, especially in common or repeated interactions.Beginning FluencySpeech is fairly fluent in social situations with minimal errors. New contexts and academic language are challenging and the individual will struggle to express themselves due to gaps in vocabulary and appropriate phrases.Intermediate FluencyCommunicating in the second language is fluent, especially in social language situations. The individual is able to speak almost fluently in new situations or in academic areas, but there will be gaps in vocabulary knowledge and some unknown expressions. There are very few errors, and the individual is able to demonstrate higher order thinking skills in the second language such as offering an opinion or analyzing a problem.Advanced FluencyThe individual communicates fluently in all contexts and can maneuver successfully in new contexts and when exposed to new academic information. At this stage, the individual may still have an accent and use idiomatic expressions incorrectly at times, but the individual is essentially fluent and comfortable communicating in the second language.How long does it take for a language learner to go through these stages? Just as in any other learning situation, it depends on the individual. One of the major contributors to accelerated second language learning is the strength of first language skills. Language researchers such as Jim Cummins, Catherine Snow, Lily Wong Filmore and Stephen Krashen have studied this topic in a variety of ways for many years. The general consensus is that it takes between five to seven years for an individual to achieve advanced fluency. This generally applies to individuals who have strong first language and literacy skills. If an individual has not fully developed first language and literacy skills, it may take between seven to ten years to reach advanced fluency. It is very important to note that every ELL student comes with his or her own unique language and education background, and this will have an impact on their English learning process.It is also important to keep in mind that the understood goal for American ELL students is Advanced Fluency, which includes fluency in academic contexts as well as social contexts. Teachers often get frustrated when ELL students appear to be fluent because they have strong social English skills, but then they do not participate well in academic projects and discussions. Teachers who are aware of ELL students’ need to develop academic language fluency in English will be much better prepared to assist those students in becoming academically successful. (Learn more about academic language in Colorín Colorado’s academic language resource section.) Instructional StrategiesIf you have ELL students in your classroom, it is more than likely there will be students at a variety of stages in the language acquisition process. What can teachers do to differentiate instruction according to language level? Here are some suggestions for appropriate instructional strategies according to stages of language acquisition.Language StageStrategiesPre-productionEmphasize listening comprehension by using read-alouds and music.Use visuals and have students point to pictures or act out vocabulary.Speak slowly and use shorter words, but use correct English phrasing.Model “survival” language by saying and showing the meaning. For example, say, “Open your book,” and then open a book while the student observes.Gesture, point and show as much as possible.More advanced classmates who speak the same language can support new learning through interpretation.Avoid excessive error correction. Reinforce learning by modeling correct language usage when students make mistakes.Early ProductionContinue the strategies listed above, but add opportunities for students to produce simple language.Ask students to point to pictures and say the new word.Ask yes/no and either/or questions.Have students work in pairs or small groups to discuss a problem. Have literate students write short sentences or words in graphic organizers.Model a phrase and have the student repeat it and add modifications. Teacher says, “This book is very interesting.” The student repeats it and says, “This book is very boring.” Continue with as many modifications as possible.Avoid excessive error correction. Reinforce learning by modeling correct usage.Speech EmergentIntroduce more academic language and skills by using the same techniques listed above, but beginning to use more academic vocabulary.Introduce new academic vocabulary and model how to use it in a sentence.Provide visuals and make connections with student’s background knowledge as much as possible.Ask questions that require a short answer and are fairly literal.Introduce charts and graphs by using easily understood information such as a class survey of food preferences.Have students re-tell stories or experiences and have another student write them down. The ELL student can bring these narratives home to read and reinforce learning.In writing activities, provide the student with a fill-in-the blank version of the assignment with the necessary vocabulary listed on the page.Provide minimal error correction. Focus only on correction that directly interferes with meaning. Reinforce learning by modeling the correct usage.Beginning FluencyHave students work in pairs and groups to discuss content.During instruction, have students do a “Think, pair, share” to give the student an opportunity to process the new language and concept.Ask questions that require a full response with explanation. If you do not understand the student’s explanation, ask for clarification by paraphrasing and asking the student if you heard them correctly.Ask questions that require inference and justification of the answer.Ask students if they agree or disagree with a statement and why.Model more advanced academic language structures such as, “I think,” “In my opinion,” and “When you compare.” Have students repeat the phrases in context.Re-phrase incorrect statements in correct English, or ask the student if they know another way to say it.Introduce nuances of language such as when to use more formal English and how to interact in conversations.Have students make short presentations, providing them with the phrases and language used in presentations (“Today I will be talking about”) and giving them opportunities to practice the presentation with partners before getting in front of the class.Continue to provide visual support and vocabulary development.Correct errors that interfere with meaning, and pre-identify errors that will be corrected in student writing, such as verb-tense agreement. Only correct the errors agreed upon.You may want to assist in improving pronunciation by asking a student to repeat key vocabulary and discussing how different languages have different sounds.Intermediate FluencyIdentify key academic vocabulary and phrases and model them. Ask students to produce the language in class activities.Use graphic organizers and thinking maps and check to make sure the student is filling them in with details. Challenge the student to add more.Help the student make connections with new vocabulary by instructing him or her in the etymology of words or word families such as, “important, importance, importantly.“Create assessments that give students an opportunity to present in English after they have an opportunity to practice in pairs or small groups.Introduce more academic skills, such as brainstorming, prioritizing, categorization, summarizing and compare and contrast.Ask students to identify vocabulary by symbols that show whether the student “knows it really well, kind of knows it, or doesn’t know it at all.” Help students focus on strategies to get the meaning of new words.Have a “guessing time” during silent reading where they circle words they don’t know and write down their guess of the meaning. Check the results as a class.Introduce idioms and give examples of how to use them appropriately. For example, “Let’s wind up our work.” What’s another way you could use the phrase “wind up?“Starting at this level, students need more correction/feedback, even on errors that do not directly affect meaning. They should be developing a more advanced command of syntax, pragmatics, pronunciation, and other elements that do not necessarily affect meaning but do contribute to oral fluency.It may also be helpful to discuss language goals with the student so you can assist in providing modeling and correction in specified areas.Advanced FluencyStudents at this level are close to native language fluency and can interact well in a variety of situations. Continue to develop language skills as gaps arise by using the strategies listed above. Although the student may seem completely fluent, he or she still benefit from visual support, building on background knowledge, pre-teaching vocabulary and making connections between content areas.Offer challenge activities to expand the student’s vocabulary knowledge such as identifying antonyms, synonyms and the use of a thesaurus and dictionary.Demonstrate effective note-taking and provide a template.Offer error correction on academic work and on oral language. Because students at this stage have achieved near-native fluency, they benefit from support in fine-tuning their oral and written language skills. RecommendationsScaffold instruction so students receive comprehensible input and are able to successfully complete tasks at their level. Instructional scaffolding works just like the scaffolding used in building. It holds you at the level needed until you are ready to take it down. Scaffolding includes asking students questions in formats that give them support in answering, such as yes/no questions, one-word identifications, or short answers. It also means providing the context for learning by having visuals or other hands-on items available to support content learning. Also, when practicing a new academic skill such as skimming, scaffolding involves using well-known material so the students aren’t struggling with the information while they are trying to learn a new skill. Scaffolding includes whatever it takes to make the instruction meaningful for the student in order to provide a successful learning experience.Use cognates to help Spanish speakers learn English and derive meaning from content. The Colorín Colorado website has a helpful list of common cognates in Spanish for teachers to reference. Teachers can explicitly point out cognates for Spanish speaking students so they begin to realize that this is a useful way for them to increase their English vocabulary.Explicit vocabulary instruction is very important in accelerating ELL students’ English language development. Textbooks include lists of new vocabulary words based on grade-level content, but ELL students need further vocabulary instruction. There are many words in a text that may affect the ELL student’s comprehension of the text that a teacher may assume he or she knows. It is important for teachers to develop ways to help students identify the words they don’t know, as well as strategies for getting their meaning. Of course it is also beneficial if teachers reinforce the language structures or common associations of vocabulary. For example, “squeak” is a sound that often goes with “mouse” or “door” and it may be stated as, “squeak, squeaky, squeaks, or squeaked.“Error correction should be done very intentionally and appropriately according to student language ability, as noted earlier in the article. Students who are just beginning to speak English are already nervous about using their new language skills and constant correction will not improve their ability; it will just make them want to withdraw. I inform students in advance of the type of errors I will correct, such as “missing articles” and “third person agreement,” and then those are the only errors I check. In my class, I do not correct the errors; I circle the mistakes and return the paper to the student. They are responsible for correcting the errors and returning the paper to receive more points. Most of the time the students can make the corrections themselves when they see the area I’ve circled, but if they have difficulty, I guide them as they make the correction. In this way, I feel there is a manageable amount of correction information to work with and the student will actually learn from doing the correction.Learning another language. If you learn the language(s) your students speak, they will be thrilled to hear you try it with them. I learned how to say “good morning” in Somali and had to practice for an hour before I felt comfortable saying it. When I did I was rewarded with the big grins of students as they entered the room. They were excited to teach me other phrases as well, and we discussed how much English they had learned since they arrived in the country. They were very proud to think of how much progress they’d made.Seek the experts in your building or district who can offer you guidance on effective instructional strategies for your ELL students. There are many teachers who have taught ELL students in your content area, have taught a certain population of students, or are trained ESL or bilingual teachers who have a lot of advice and support to offer. Don’t hesitate to look for support when you are challenged to reach students who are learning English. This can be especially true when you have a “pre-production” or “beginning level” student and you are responsible for grade level content instruction.Visit the hotlinks section for this article for more information on specific research regarding language acquisition and recommended instructional strategies. You can also search the Colorín Colorado educator information for useful information and resources to assist you in meeting ELL student needs.ELL teachers encounter students with a variety of backgrounds and abilities, and until the babel fish comes into existence, they will need to have flexibility, creativity and skill in order to help ELL students make meaning from the new language and content they are learning. An understanding of the language acquisition process and levels will help teachers tailor instruction to meet the needs of a diverse group of learners. Students will benefit from everything teachers do to support the development of their language skills while teaching them grade level content. Together teachers and students develop their understanding of each other, the world around them, and the language that connects us all.Hot linksThe Stages of Second Language AcquisitionThis chapter from Classroom Instruction That Works with English Language Learners Facilitator’s Guide, by Jane D. Hill and Cynthia L. Björk, offers information on the second language acquisition process and effective ELL instruction. It includes a a simplified chart of language acquisition levels and the kinds of language teachers can use to help students at each level.Simple description of the stages of language acquisition and recommendations for instructional strategies according to level.Overview of Second Language Acquisition and StrategiesDownloadable booklet from the Northwest Regional Education Laboratory, “Strategies and Resources for Mainstream Teachers of English Language Learners.” Includes useful information on language levels, acquisition and 10 things teachers can do today to help ELL students.Understanding the “Silent Period” with English Language LearnersThis article describes some strategies used by two kindergarten teachers to communicate verbally and nonverbally.

# data[].attributes.body
This video goes over the main theories of language acquisition.

# data[].attributes.headline
Lesson Ideas for a Multicultural Classroom

# data[].attributes.subject
Lesson Ideas for a Multicultural Classroom

# data[].attributes.body
This article shows different lessons and activities that include cultural diversity.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Ways to Celebrate Cultural Diversity

Now that you have an understanding of the variety of cultures represented in your class (or of the various regions and populations your students would like to learn about), it's time to celebrate! Here are several ways you can have fun with your students exploring different cultural groups and traditions.

1. Cultural Dress Show and Tell

Have your students find pictures of different items of clothing that people wear in different cultures and groups. Some examples can include Jewish yarmulkes or Muslim burkas, which are different kinds of head coverings in these respective religious traditions.

Start with clothing that reflects the various cultures represented in your classroom-having students participate by sharing items or styles that are specific to their culture-or you can expand to even more cultures around the world, letting your students select one that interests them.

Discuss each of the items your students have shared pictures of and have your students explain why that particular item is worn in the culture it comes from and how the style or tradition originated.

2. Host a Multicultural Day

If your classroom is diverse, have your students present information on different aspects of their own cultures. If your classroom is not particularly diverse, have each of your students choose an area of the world they'd like to focus on and research. You can also concentrate on the cultures that are represented in the history of your broader area, state, or region.

Students can create brochures or posters that highlight various aspects of their diverse backgrounds, the areas their ancestors are from or the region and cultures which they chose to study. Have them present these to the class virtually or in person for your multicultural event.

Multicultural days used to involve trying foods from different cultures but since that is not ideal right now, you can have your students share a picture of a dish and recipe unique to their culture so the other students can make it at home with their parents!

3. Have a World Music Dance Party

Exploring the music of different countries and cultures is another fun way to celebrate cultural diversity in your classroom, whether in person or online.

Have students bring in (or send in digital form) music that represents their cultural heritage. Your students can also bring in or share instruments that are specific to their culture's music.

You can use videos on the Internet to teach your students about songs and dances from different regions of the world. Have your students listen to particular instruments in the songs. Talk to them about what makes each song or dance unique: Is the music fast or slow, loud or soft? Are the movements small and subtle, or big and bold? You can even try some of the dances as a class!

Discuss with your students how people enjoy music and dance all around the globe-it's something that human beings all have in common-while pointing out how each different group has its own particular way of singing and dancing.

Celebrate how we can experience and enjoy music from other cultures without necessarily knowing the language or cultural customs that go into it. Music is universal!

4. Create a Classroom Collage

As mentioned above, representation matters. And what better way to represent and celebrate your students than to display their photos in the classroom?

If you're doing in-person learning, take photos of your students. You can also have each student bring a picture of themselves from home-sharing baby pics can be especially fun. If you're teaching remotely, you can have children send you digital photos, or even use your computer's screenshot feature with your distance-learning platform to "take photos" of your students with their permission of course!

Once you have pictures of all of your students, put them together in a collage. If they've provided both current pictures and photos from the past, you can do "then" and "now" collages. You can also add in the countries that their heritage stems from to the images.

Even if your students and their parents (or even grandparents) were born in the U.S. you can add the countries that their ancestors immigrated from if the information is available.

Display these collages prominently in your virtual or in-person classroom so that your students can literally see themselves as part of the class.

Reflections of your students in the classroom environment will foster a sense of belonging.

5. Make Global Friends

Learning about the characteristics that differentiate people all around the world is one thing, but actually meeting people from different countries and cultures is another-there is simply no substitute for connecting and interacting with people who are different from ourselves.

Use a site like ePals to pair students up with a partner from another school in a different country. Have your students send messages to their new global penpals-discussing different seasonal traditions is one great way to get students sharing and learning about one another.

Making friends from different countries and cultural groups will be an excellent way to get your students excited to learn about different world cultures.

You can schedule time for your students to have a question-and-answer session with their new partner visitor using questions your students prepare ahead of time can prove extremely engaging and insightful for everyone.

Leave a comment below and let us know how you celebrate diversity in the classroom. You can also reach out to us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter any time!

Studentreasures provides FREE classbook publishing kits. Creating a classbook is not only a fun activity that teaches students about the writing process, it can also help increase engagement and build their confidence as young writers.

Click here to learn more about how the process works and see how your students can become published authors!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Celebrating Cultural Diversity in the Classroom - Studentreasures Blog

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Studentreasures shares tips and activities to promote celebrating cultural diversity in the classroom. Read more!

# data[].attributes.body
Classroom environment is extremely important. This article talks about this in regards to multilingual classrooms.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Classroom Environment * Multilingual Learning Toolkit

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Include families in helping to select books, objects, and materials to display in the classroom environment for students.

# data[].attributes.body
This video shows some ways to make your classroom more inclusive for multilingual learners.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Making Classrooms More Inclusive for Multilingual Learners

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Taking an asset-based approach to supporting students who are new to the English language can help them thrive.

# data[].attributes.body
This video goes over some tips for engaging families of ELLs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
English Language Learners

Schools can better support students who are still learning English by working to involve their families in their education.

Marmaduke St. John / Alamy Stock Photo

The most impactful plans for student growth engage not only the learner but also his or her family. In fact, research points to parents and caretakers as invaluable stakeholders in students' academic achievement. Unfortunately, parents who are new to English are often left out of family engagement at the school level to some degree. How can we do a better job of appealing to and including the parents of English language learners (ELLs) as valuable members of the school community?

Here are six keys to successfully engaging ELL parents and families.

1. Make It Reciprocal

Engagement is a partnership between the parents and the school to serve the best interests of students. The school is responsible for meeting certain expectations, some of which are legally mandated through the Every Student Succeeds Act, such as provisions for translation of vital school information into students' home languages.

Parents also have specific obligations, which aren't always clear, especially when there are cultural differences-we cannot assume that the American idea of doing school is shared by all families in our community. Teachers can help by explicitly communicating parents' key responsibilities, such as taking an active role in helping their child learn to organize his or her study time. Parents can also be encouraged to monitor engagement, limit distractions, build consistency, and celebrate periods of concentration.

Parents can also set aside a quiet place for their child to learn and read at home, and be available to answer questions. They should utilize school-based technological and translation resources, including bilingual dictionaries, home anchor charts, and web-based language translation applications, if needed. They should also take time to discuss school matters with their child, asking questions about the school day: friends, concepts learned, struggles and discomforts, successes and achievements.

2. Aim for Authenticity

Efforts to engage diverse parent groups must be authentic and meaningful. Begin with a deep dive of your school's unique demographics. What values, interests, and funds of knowledge are represented on campus? Is the school's interest in students' home lives perceived as genuine?

Support authenticity by intentionally fostering a welcoming, inclusive environment where families see reflections of themselves. Work to engage firsthand resources to your school, including bilingual staff members. Champion relationship building through collaboration. Authenticity breeds connection.

3. Use a Culturally Responsive Approach

Where do families' deeply rooted cultural values show up in the school? How do parents' cultural perspectives drive expectations for parent engagement? Do we use these references to ignore, diminish, or empower our families as members of our school community?

To make the shift toward empowerment, be mindful of culturally relevant dates and holidays, and avoid scheduling important events on these days. Ensure that school-based activities, language, and school menus reflect cultural considerations. Be critical of trivial displays of culture. Openly communicate norms for parent engagement, and work to share this information in a variety of ways. Invite student and parent input, and make a point of reframing cultural or linguistic misconceptions as teachable moments.

4. Keep It Simple

Communication is essential to successful parent engagement efforts. We should aim for clarity in all of our exchanges with parents, especially those who are still new to English.

Explore your school's registration paperwork and parent communications from a fresh perspective. What can be streamlined, condensed, or eliminated? Be particularly mindful of acronyms, educational jargon, and terms that may be unfamiliar to parents, including ones related to mental health like trauma.

Look for ways to provide appropriate support for language learning parents. Many of the strategies we use to make content comprehensible for ELLs are also helpful in working with linguistically diverse parent populations. Think: visuals, graphic organizers, and translated or icon-based cheat sheets for potentially unfamiliar terminology (for example, immunizations, English language development services).

Actively facilitate advisory, advocacy, and mentorship roles that are inclusive of caretakers who are learning English.

Intentionally craft and promote volunteer opportunities and teacher aide positions that appeal to diverse parent groups.

Host a variety of parent-school partnership events.

Offer outreach partnerships and community liaison roles that require cross-cultural or multilingual expertise.

Create an accessible bank of relevant tools and resources based on parent interest.

Organize parent-created learning sessions.

Collect input via English-learner parent focus groups, advisory committees, suggestion boxes, surveys, and interviews.

Consistently utilize parent feedback to inform decision making at the classroom, school, and district levels.

5. Increase Capacity

Grow English learner caretakers as leaders in the school community by providing a range of low-risk opportunities for parent input, feedback, and cultural sharing. Here are some ideas:

6. Find Your Way Home

In building and nurturing relationships with ELL families, the value of teacher home visits cannot be understated: They provide essential insight into a student's home life and unique learning needs, and "support academic gains and positive social integration for ELLs." They are linked to improved academic progress and attendance rates. Perhaps most importantly, teacher home visits lay a foundation of trust as the frontrunner to school-based parent engagement.

In the vast majority of cases, our English learner parents have high hopes for their children's scholastic well-being and wish to contribute to that success. When parents feel that they are a part of an inclusive learning culture and have a clear awareness of their role in their child's learning, true partnerships can occur.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
6 Tips for Engaging the Families of English Language Learners

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Schools can better support students who are still learning English by working to involve their families in their education.

# data[].attributes.body
This articles talks about using the community to form relationships with families of ELLs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Engaging ELL Families Through Community Partnerships

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The following strategies offer tips for thinking creatively about how to work with community partners and identify the most effective partnerships for your school community.Supporting immigrant familiesFor related ideas, see the following:Ten Strategies for Supporting Immigrant Students and FamiliesHow to Support Immigrant Students and Families: Strategies for Schools and Early Childhood Programs17. Build partnerships with the local communityDownload PDF versions:This article >Full guide >A. What you need to knowCommunity organizations are a valuable ally in engaging ELL families, whether it’s by providing key services such as interpreters and medical care or educational opportunities such as GED, ESL, and citizenship classes.These partnerships can benefit your family and your partners alike, and they may lead to great opportunities for your students as well!B. ReflectionHave you built any relationships with organizations in the community? If so, what are the successes and challenges you’ve experienced? Which social services do your families need most?C. StrategiesConsider offering local organizations free space in your school as a way to encourage them to bring their services closer to your families (Houk, 70).Ask your families which organizations they think would make good partners for the school community and which issues are of concern to them.Find out if your district has a community education department that might be able to support a partnership with a local organization.Invite members from the community to inform parents about their services, such as a local librarian, a nurse, or a firefighter.Note: When inviting guests from the community to the school, assure parents that identification will not be checked and explain that they do not need to show proof of legal residency to sign up for a library card.D. ExamplesChristine Pearsall from New York shares the following on the National Education Association’s website: “Our school hosts monthly Latino Family meetings - hosted and conducted entirely in Spanish by Spanish-speaking staff. The turnout is incredible every time. We discuss issues of concern to the parents and community, as well as periodically bringing in outside speakers (i.e. reps. from the library, Census bureau, etc.).” She also recommends using students from local adult ESL programs as translators in these informal settings as “it helps them practice English, get extra credit for themselves” and support their fellow country people (Flannery, NEA.org).Highland Elementary School in Montgomery County, Maryland was chosen as a Blue Ribbon turnaround school by the Maryland State Department of Education in 2008. Part of its success, according to school principal, was its increased inclusion of the families. According to The Washington Post, “The school positioned itself as the center of its community, offering weekend soccer tournaments, English and computer classes for parents, and an array of other community services, from housing assistance to mental health counseling (de Vise, 2008).“Resources: Immigration topicsCreate partnerships with community organizations related to immigration issuesConnecting Immigrant Families with Legal Support and AdviceHow Community Schools Can Support ELLsCommunity schools are neighborhood schools that work closely with local partners to serve students and families at the school. These partnerships might focus on a wide range of services and supports that the families and school have identified as priorities.Learn more about community schools and how they can support ELL/immigrant families from the following:Video Project: How a Community School Helps ELLs Succeed See bonus interviews, clips, and more from this project!Video: What each community needs Video: How partnerships benefit community partners Video: Some partners aren’t a good fit 18. Get to know your neighborsA. What you need to knowChanging demographics can lead to tensions in the local neighborhood. (Think Clint Eastwood’s character in the movie Gran Torino.) You may find it very productive to build a stronger relationship with your school’s local neighbors, for your sake and theirs as well!B. ReflectionWhat is your school’s relationship like with the local community? If your local demographics are changing, what is the community’s response to that change? What are some of the needs of your local community? What are the social/emotional/health issues your students face that community agencies might be able to help with?C. StrategiesLook for ways that students can contribute to their neighbors (especially those who have young children or the elderly) by doing neighborhood clean-ups and volunteer work.Inform local neighbors about the opportunity to tutor, volunteer, or donate used goods to the school and ELL families.Look for places where interests and activities overlap. Consider posting a community board where everyone can post what they need or can offer.Look for fundraising opportunities, such as a local yard sale that raises money for a new parent center.Tell the community about the challenges your ELL families are facing. For example, if you have a new group of refugees arriving, collaborate with their placement agency to collect household items, furniture, and winter clothing.D. ExamplesWhen the Extreme MakeoverTM show came to Buffalo, NY, the students at Kevin Eberle’s school took on an “extreme” neighborhood clean-up and food drive, raking leaves for the neighbors and collecting a record-breaking 85 tons of food. Their efforts did far more to change the attitude that local residents had about the school than any meeting could have done, and they attracted great publicity for the school’s students.Following the 2010 Haitian earthquake, the phones at Evans High in Orlando, FL began ringing off the hook and the office was filled with visitors as concerned neighbors asked how they could help the school’s more than 600+ Haitian students and families.Video: How we partner with our neighborhood association < Parents as LeadersCreating an Action Plan >

# data[].attributes.body
This article discusses ways to encourage and sustain parent engagement.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Encouraging and Sustaining ELL Parent Engagement

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The following strategies offer tips for thinking creatively about how to engage families around topics or activities that are important to them and their children.Supporting immigrant familiesFor related ideas, see the following:Ten Strategies for Supporting Immigrant Students and FamiliesHow to Support Immigrant Students and Families: Strategies for Schools and Early Childhood Programs10. Look for ways that ELL parents can help with children’s schoolworkDownload PDF versions:This article >Full guide >A. What you need to knowELL parents may feel intimidated by or unprepared to help with homework or other schoolwork, especially if they have limited educational or English skills (Zarate, 9). You can help them understand their important role in supporting their child’s success, however, with a few simple suggestions. (Related video: Reaching out to families, Kevin Eberle)B. ReflectionWhat kinds of support do you expect your parents to give their children in terms of schoolwork? What kinds of resources and educational background (and language skills) do parents need in order to give their children that help? What are other ways parents can help?C. StrategiesEncourage parents to:Provide a place where children can do their homeworkCheck that homework is completed each nightAsk their children to tell them about what they learned each dayKeep in regular contact with a teacher or staff member about their child’s progressAsk teachers about any questions that ariseLearn more about homework help programs through before-/after-school programs and the public libraryRead and tell stories in their native language.D. ExampleMarty Izaguirre is an ELL teacher in Okatie, South Carolina. Her elementary school holds Family Literacy Nights, which take place after school every other month and provide working parents with an opportunity to read to their children in both English and Spanish. Once parents come in, they find read-aloud circles (where teachers read books aloud to a small group), as well as areas where they can go and read with their child separately. The variety of activities provided to the parents allows them to join in an activity in which they feel comfortable. Adults and children are allowed time and space to read together. The school also provides an opportunity for parents and children to create their own special bookmark as they enjoy some refreshments. The events offer parents an opportunity to meet other parents, show their children the importance of reading, and learn how to support literacy development at home (Izaguirre, 2006).11. Look for ways that ELL parents can participate and volunteerA. What you need to knowThere are a number of ways to include parents in the school community and to bring them together with other families at the school. This might include school visits, volunteering, or activities that draw upon their skills and hobbies.B. ReflectionHow likely are ELL parents at your school to sign up for events or volunteer? Do they know about all of the opportunities at the school? Are there certain events or places in the school where your active parents tend to gather? Do you know what skills and talents they might have to offer?C. StrategiesInvite parents to visit the school and their child’s classroom regularly (Houk, 66).Invite parents to speak with their child’s class about their native country, a hobby, or their job.Encourage teachers to have an inviting activity ready for visiting parents.Encourage parents to volunteer in the classroom, main office, lunchroom, or library; during events or field trips; or in a student club or after-school program (Meyers, 45). (Keep in mind that volunteering may include simple things like preparing items for an activity — such as cutting out shapes and organizing supplies.) Find out what your parents’ skills and hobbies are, and look for ways to draw on their talents.Find ways to bring ELL and non-ELL families together through student performances, a student cultures night, storytelling, workshops, and exhibits (Meyers, 46). Your families might just realize that they have more in common than you — and they — originally thought!D. ExamplesIndiana teacher Miriam Soto-Pressley invites the parents of her ELLs into her classroom during reading time. The parents follow along with their children and they learn about read-alouds and how to interact with text. This helps them work with their children at home to increase reading comprehension.A group of Latino parents at a preschool center in Florida who frequently sat outside in the sun waiting for their children each afternoon built a parent gazebo for the center, as well as a butterfly garden (Alvarado, 2010).Following the arrival of a new group of students from El Salvador and Puerto Rico to a school in Massachusetts, a group of teachers decided to organize a school play that would be performed in Spanish. They distributed bilingual flyers to tell parents about auditions and asked parents to help with costumes and refreshments (based on earlier conversations they had had with the parents). On opening night, the auditorium was filled, and the school held multiple performances to accommodate parents’ different work schedules. Word soon spread around the community about the play, and the students were invited to perform at other schools. By the final performance, more parent volunteers were participating in the school community than at any other time in the school’s history (Zacarian, 119).12. Think outside the box about parent engagementA. What you need to knowOne of the most important steps in engaging ELL parents is to realize that they may be coming from a very different cultural perspective when it comes to the educational system and their role in their child’s education (Houk, 60). This may be due, in part, to:Deep respect for teachers: Many ELLs come from cultures which revere teaching and where the teachers are considered the experts, not the parents. As a result, parents may be reluctant to ask questions so as not to question the teacher’s authority, or they may assume that the schools don’t want them to “interfere” in their child’s education. Upon arrival in the U.S., newcomer parents may wonder why they are suddenly a school partner, and why in fact the school is asking the parent to do the teacher’s job. As Betty Alford and Mary Catherine Niño note in Leading Academic Achievement for English Language Learners: A Guide for Principals, you wouldn’t expect a doctor to ask the parents which medical procedure they would recommend for their child (80), and ELL parents may feel the same way about what their school is asking them to do.Education vs. educación: These parents are likely to see an entirely different role for themselves in their child’s education (Hori, 40). For Latino families, the idea of educación focuses on a child’s personal and moral development, which has an important impact on the child’s academic development. The authors of Understanding Latino Parental Involvement in Education: Perceptions, Expectations, and Recommendations note that, when asked, ”(Latino) parents believed that monitoring their children’s lives and providing moral guidance resulted in good classroom behavior, which in turn allowed for greater academic learning opportunities (9).“The group vs. the individual: It’s also important to keep in mind that many cultures outside of the U.S. are oriented more towards the group (the family, the class, the society, etc.) than the individual. In their book Managing Diverse Classrooms: How to Build on Students’ Cultural Strengths, Carrie Rothstein-Fisch and Elise Trumbull explore this concept as it relates to the Latino ideas of educación:One’s social behavior in a group (such as the family or the classroom) is of paramount concern; being a respectful contributor to group well-being rather than focusing on one’s own achievement is highly valued. So when immigrant Latino parents come for a parent-teacher conference, their first question is likely to be ”¿Cómo se porta mi hijo/hija?” (“How is my son/daughter behaving?”). A teacher may find it difficult to stifle her consternation after hearing the same question from 25 or 30 sets of parents, believing that all the parents care about is their child’s behavior, when the teacher’s goal is to discuss the child’s academic progress (13-14).Nevertheless, what looks like a lack of interest to the teacher actually reflects a deep interest on the part of the parent in the child’s personal development and how this will affect the child’s ability to be successful in the classroom.B. ReflectionMake a list of five things you hope or expect that “involved” parents will do at your school. What do parents need to know in order to participate in these events? What challenges might ELL parents face in participating in these events?C. StrategiesForm small focus groups with ELL parents and an interpreter. Ask the parents:How they define their role in their child’s educationWhat their concerns, priorities, and hopes are regarding their childWhat kinds of events they would be interested in attendingThe obstacles that discourage them from participating and changes that would helpEvents where being part of a larger group might make them feel more comfortable.D. ExampleCarrie Rothstein-Fisch and Elise Trumbull share the example of a teacher who redesigned her parent-teacher conferences into group conferences for her Latino parents. She divided children by ability levels and met with the parents of children in similar levels at the same time. She also offered both English and Spanish groups. She explained report card formats, grading, her expectations for students, and what parents could do to help. Parents then had the opportunity for a personal consultation after the group discussion. One of the key benefits was that parents’ questions helped each other as they felt confident to speak up in a less threatening environment. She saw all twenty-eight parents in three days (62).13. Consider alternative schedules, locations, and kinds of eventsA. What you need to knowSometimes, when families can’t come to the school, the school has to go to the families. Meeting families in other settings such as community centers or churches can provide an informal way to start building a relationship, especially if ELL parents feel shy or nervous about going to the school. In addition, going into the community indicates a strong level of commitment on the part of the school to the families (Alford & Niño, 86). You might also try planning parent or family events around the schedules of the families, especially if they are working a couple of jobs or shifts.B. ReflectionDo you experience low attendance at family events held at school? Have you ever held any school events in the community? Were they successful? Why or why not?C. StrategiesVisit your students’ neighborhoods. Find out where families are congregating and who local community leaders are that can connect you with parents.Collaborate with apartment complex managers to make a recreation room available for families.Plan events in the community and put them on the school calendar before the school year starts, setting aside funds, such as Title I or Title III grants, to provide support for the events.Consider giving parents a few different options for meeting times based on teacher availability.Consider contacting parents’ employers about parent schedules or holding conferences closer to parents’ workplaces.Don’t limit yourself to meetings. Ask your families what kinds of events they would find enjoyable, beneficial, and convenient.Consider group parent-teacher conferences. Families may feel more comfortable in a group, and it can be an efficient option -- you provide the key information once, and then can have brief conversations with individual parents.D. ExamplesIn Philadelphia, a preschool held a parent meeting in the afternoon for parents who worked in the food service industry in the evening. More than twenty parents (mostly fathers) came to the meeting (Alvarado, 2010) to discuss their children’s preschool program.In Oregon, parent liaison Ma’Lena Wirth wrote a letter to her parents’ employers, sharing her goals for building a stronger partnership with the families and explaining that most parents couldn’t attend conferences due to their work schedule. As a result, the employer agreed to give parents time off for school events if the events started after the employer’s busy season.In New York, Susan Lafond held parent-teacher-translator conferences at the food court where her students’ parents worked so that parents could take turns coming to meet with her.In Colorado, Becky Corr made an appointment at the salon where her student’s father worked with him specifically to talk about the student’s college application.In California, a group of teachers organized a meeting for the school’s Hmong and Cambodian parents (whose people had been farmers for many generations), in which they would discuss the creation of a new school garden. The teachers were disappointed when just a few parents attended the meeting, and they took that as a sign that there was little interest in the garden. On garden day, however, eighty family members arrived with hoes and dug up the garden in a single day. As one of the parents said, “We don’t do meetings. We do gardens” (Ferlazzo, 45).14. Look for the successesA. What you need to knowEncourage your staff to look for all of the different ways, big and small, that ELLs’ families (including parents, siblings, grandparents, and other relatives) support their children’s well-being and education. For example, different relatives may be involved in taking the children to school and picking them up, providing child care, or making sure that they are getting fed and getting a good night’s sleep. While we expect all families to manage these responsibilities, ELL families may be going to extraordinary lengths to meet their children’s basic needs. In addition, older ELLs have a lot of responsibilities in their family, including working, taking care of siblings, and translating for their parents. What looks like laziness, irresponsibility, or absenteeism may in fact be the result of a lot of responsibility at home.Some of the successes and strengths of ELL students and families may include:Commitment to the family’s well-beingHigh expectations for childrenMaking education a priorityRespect for the teacherGood attendance and behaviorWell-developed cooperation skillsA strong sense of responsibility one’s self and othersResourcefulnessNote: ELLs’ parents might be largely absent from the picture, whether it’s because of difficult work schedules or a family separation (or worse) that happened before moving to this country.B. ReflectionWhat is a typical day like for your ELL students? Does that differ from the typical day of your other students? Where are they sleeping? Who is taking care of them? How do they get to school every day? What do they do after school? What challenges are they facing in their daily lives?C. StrategiesLearn what you can about your ELLs’ routines (which will vary tremendously), including the responsibilities they have in their families. Share what you learn with your staff (observing confidentiality rules) and encourage your staff to look for all of the ways, big and small, that ELLs’ families and extended families are supporting their children’s well-being and education.Find out whether these responsibilities are taking a toll on students’ school work or health, and if so, brainstorm some ideas with staff members about possible solutions.D. ExamplesSusan Lafond notes that her elementary ESL teachers had students whose families brought them to the restaurant or family store where they worked so the children wouldn’t be home alone. The kids helped out on the phone or register and did homework until the parents closed for the evening, which was often 9:00 PM or later.Kristina Robertson remembers a 3rd-grade student named Lisbeth. Lisbeth was very conscientious and came to school with neat clothing, clean and braided hair, and notebooks and pencils ready to go. When the staff did home visits, they were welcomed graciously by Lisbeth’s parents to their home. In the apartment for a family with four children, the only furniture consisted of two chairs, a kitchen table, and a mattress. The parents spoke about the importance of their children’s education and explained that every night they had their children do their homework at that kitchen table even though the parents didn’t understand English. The teachers, who had been unaware of the family’s limited circumstances, were incredibly moved by what they saw and developed a new appreciation for the parents’ commitment to their children’s education.Kristina also shares the experience of a 2nd-grade student who was missing school frequently. Kristina soon discovered that she was helping her mom (a single mom) babysit her younger siblings since they didn’t have regular childcare. The staff met with the mom and helped her find resources to provide affordable childcare support.Finally, Kristina remembers her high school students who attended school from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.., and then worked from 4:00 p.m. until midnight. All of their money supported their relatives here and in their home country, so they never had extra money (or time) for special activities. Homework was a struggle, but in Kristina’s eyes, her colleagues’ attitudes were the most difficult challenges to overcome. Once teachers discovered why the students were coming to class so tired and how hard they were working, however, they worked to modify assignments and help the students.< Communicating Important InformationParents as Leaders >

# data[].attributes.body
This article gives you tangible and real ways to advocate for your ELLs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
I began my teaching career in 1997 as a mainstream, 3rd grade teacher at a suburban public school near Houston, Texas. Our school had one teacher designated to serve English language learners (ELLs) through a pull-out setting. I understood my job as teaching students the general education curriculum while she taught my ELLs the English language. I never knew exactly what my students did when they were with the ESL teacher; nor was I sure whether she knew what they were doing when they were with me.

Fast forward to the present and my current activities-working with teachers across the U.S. to strengthen their knowledge and skillset for serving students who are learning English as an additional language. From this vantage point, I can see that my early years as a teacher did not provide a great structure for teaching content or language and that all educators need to know how to serve all students.

The problem is that English learning specialists may be preaching to the choir. We gather on Facebook groups, Instagram, or on Twitter to share information with one another. But we need to spread this mission to our educator friends-those who may not see themselves as ELL specialists yet need to know more about teaching students who are learning English as an additional language. We have to become advocates for English language learners. Here's how:

Learn all that you can about the laws and policies concerning ELLs in your state.

How we serve English language learners is mandated by federal law. From that, states build their own laws and policies. Knowing these laws will help you to serve students and teachers. Educators need to understand these important considerations:

Attend meetings that involve English language learners.

While attending PLCs, RTI meetings, etc. use your knowledge about laws and policies regarding ELLs to advocate for students' rights. Be a voice for students during such meetings and share these rights with families of ELLs. One way to connect with ELLs families when there is a language barrier in the messages you send home is through Talking Points , a free app that translates messages into senders home languages.

Volunteer to present strategies that support ELLs.

English language learners spend most of their day in classrooms with mainstream teachers who may or may not be certified to teach ELLs. Either way, ongoing professional development on strategies that support language and content acquisition will help teachers understand how to leverage language to maximize academic growth. Ask your administrator if you can present at a professional learning meeting. Select research-based strategies that are powerful for all students but necessary for ELLs. Even if you share an article or facilitate a book study, your teachers will benefit.

Plan with grade-level teachers.

Regular grade-level planning is the best way to make an impact on instruction. You can support mainstream teachers on the spot with accommodations and scaffolds that meet the needs of their students. If weekly planning is not possible, try long-term planning on a monthly basis. Virtual planning also becomes a feasible option when meeting in real time is impossible. Some teachers use shared lesson-planning templates on Google Drive or other sharable platforms. Planning together is a great opportunity to sneak in small bits of professional learning, too. It can provide a casual space for educators to share teaching techniques that improve student achievement.

Seek professional learning opportunities within and outside your district.

Several years ago, I worked as a professional development specialist in a suburban district with a large ELLs population. We offered to send ESL and content teachers to a Title III symposium for two days to learn about research-based information that would help them serve English language learners. Many coteachers attended together and were able to build relationships while learning as a team. When we only train EL specialists on strategies, we limit the potential for their use and for student gains. , , , your local TESOL affiliate, and ASCD offer opportunities for in-person PD.

For no-cost, virtual PD, access these resources:

<LINK URL="https://sites.google.com/view/virtuel/home?authuser=0" LINKTARGET="_blank">VirtuEL</LINK> (a free, online conference for teachers of English language learners)

Podcasts (<LINK URL="https://anchor.fm/highest-aspirations" LINKTARGET="_blank">Highest Aspirations</LINK> by Ellevation or <LINK URL="http://voiced.ca/the-boosting-achievement-esl-podcast-with-carol-salva/" LINKTARGET="_blank">Boosting Achievement</LINK> with Carol Salva)

Twitter (EL leaders to follow: <LINK URL="http://www.twitter.com/LarryFerlazzo" LINKTARGET="_blank">@LarryFerlazzo</LINK>, <LINK URL="http://www.twitter.com/TanELLclassroom" LINKTARGET="_blank">@TanELLclassroom</LINK>, <LINK URL="http://www.twitter.com/emilyfranESL" LINKTARGET="_blank">@emilyfranESL</LINK>, <LINK URL="http://www.twitter.com/MsSalvac" LINKTARGET="_blank">@MsSalvac</LINK>, <LINK URL="http://www.twitter.com/Toppel_ELD" LINKTARGET="_blank">@Toppel_ELD</LINK>)

Online Book Studies like #ELLChat_BkClub (to learn more about this, visit <LINK URL="http://ellchatbkclub.blogspot.com" LINKTARGET="_blank">ellchatbkclub.blogspot.com</LINK>)

Facebook Groups such as Advocating for ELLs, Leading ELLs, Colorin Colorado's ELL Educator Group

Consider sending out an email regularly to spotlight an instructional method that supports ELLs. One colleague created a Padlet with resources (all tied to ELLs instruction) that he's curated. He shares this with content teachers in his district. Another ELL specialist creates a Smore page where she regularly highlights three instructional strategies that teachers can access in either 1, 5, or 15 minutes.

Build a team and momentum.

No matter your role, you can gather a team to support ELL students. Every educator (along with the parents) that works with the students on your campus is a part of their success. The team has a higher success rate when each member recognizes that we can't do it alone. A team can also provide the structure to make this work ongoing. What is regularly discussed and revisited is remembered. We have to bring ELLs and the instructional methods that are most powerful to the forefront, not just at the beginning of the school year and then again at testing season, but all throughout the year.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Be an Advocate for English Language Learners

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
I began my teaching career in 1997 as a mainstream, 3rd grade teacher at a suburban public school near Houston, Texas. Our school had one teacher designated to serve English language learners (ELLs) through a pull-out setting. I understood my job as teaching students the general education curriculum while she taught my ELLs the English language.

# data[].attributes.body
This picture is short and sweet, but has some easy ways to advocate for ELLs.

# data[].attributes.body
English Language Proficiency Standards- these are extremely important to include in your language objective when lesson planning.

# data[].attributes.body
Proficiency Level Descriptors- these are a great resource for progress monitoring ELLs.

# data[].attributes.body
There are many ways to promote oral development in your classroom.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Oral Language Development

The development of infants' oral language begins as caregivers socially interact with them (Honig, 2007). Oral language includes speaking and listening. Young children learn about their world as they communicate with others. Oral language skills are an important predictor of later language and literacy development (NELP, 2010).

Children begin to develop language as they babble and coo. Soon they are repeating sounds such as da da and then they speak their first word. One-word utterances lead to multiple words, followed by more complex sentences. Oral language is a process that is developed by using spoken language.

Language greatly increases during the preschool years. Starting at the age of 3 years old, children should be learning at least 2,500 new words each year (Roskos, Tabors, & Lenhart, 2004). Therefore, they need to be exposed to new words everyday.

Oral language is used for many purposes. Children use language as they engage in social exchanges and playful encounters. Language is used to make requests, share information, and ask and answer questions. Thus, children's comprehension of language increases during daily interactions.

Children's vocabulary expands as they share their experiences. One powerful way for children to increase their oral language is through hearing the spoken word through meaningful conversations. The more words children hear and comprehend, the faster their language develops (Honig, 2007).

Ways to Promote Language Development

Infants and toddlers learn language as adults talk, recite nursery rhymes, tell stories and sing songs. Adults should imitate the sounds infants say and engage in two-way conversations by taking turns listening and speaking (Morrow, 2012).

Infants and toddlers benefit when caregivers describe feeding, toileting and napping routines. "It is time for lunch. I see that you are telling me that you are hungry. I am going to carry you over to your high chair. Then I am going to bring you some bread, cheese, and a banana to eat."

As teachers and parents playfully and purposefully interact with children throughout the day, they promote language development. For example, caregivers can use communication props such as toy telephones and puppets to expand conversations. They can read frequently and expressively. These activities will facilitate infants and toddlers language development.

Give children opportunities to talk. Ask open-ended questions to promote discussion. Actively listen to children and then clarify and extend the conversation.

Promote speaking and listening throughout the day. As children arrive, model greetings and appropriate social exchanges. During play, scaffold children's language by asking purposeful questions, embedding new words into conversations, and defining new and challenging words.

Read often, even to very young children. Children develop comprehension skills during read aloud, especially if they are involved in exploring and discussing the story and illustrations.

Be a language model and describe children's actions. During outside time, give children opportunities to learn rules and problem-solve as they play new games.

Promote peer-to-peer conversations and make home-school connections during meals and snacks. Encourage children to take an active role in conversations by sharing their thoughts and ideas with others.

Sing songs together. Children enjoy music. As they listen and sing the words in songs they are developing their receptive and expressive language skills.

Use show-and-tell to build oral language skills. With small groups of children, teach them how to share the "who, what, where, when and why" of their object. Children can learn to point and describe the main features of their item. This will promote a more focused showing and telling and build oral language skills.

Retell stories. Storytelling can teach children many language skills, including oral language comprehension. Hearing a story requires children to be active listeners. Teachers can ask children to make predictions and answer meaningful questions. After telling a story, encourage children to retell the story.

Children develop expressive language as they retell a story. As they recount the details of a story, the complexity of their vocabulary and spoken word increases. Retelling stories also helps improve a child's comprehension of a story.

Children can retell stories in many different ways. They can act out a story or use props, flannel boards or sequence cards to tell the tale.

Select books that have topics of high interest.

Use props. Have the children help create the props for stories' retell.

Work with small groups of children.

Retell the story multiple times.

Support and demonstrate as needed.

References

Consortium on Reaching Excellence in Education, Inc. (2012). Sounds Beginnings: A workshop on early literacy. Instructors guide. Berkeley, CA.: CORE.

Honig, A. S. (2007). Oral language development. Early Child Development and Care, 177(6-7), 581-613.

Morrow, L. M. (2012). Literacy development in the early years. Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, DHHS. (2010). Developing Early Literacy: Report of the National Early Literacy Panel (NELP). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

Roskos, K. A., Tabors, P. O., & Lenhart, L. A. (2004). Oral language and early literacy in preschool. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Oral Language Development | Extension | University of Nevada, Reno

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The development of infants' oral language begins as caregivers socially interact with them. Oral language includes speaking and listening. Young children learn about their world as they communicate with others.

# data[].attributes.body
To lay a better foundation for learning, we can do a few things: we can value oral language development, we can value communication of ideas over grammatical correctness, and we can value oral language as a powerful way to learn and remember content.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Being able to talk and express your thoughts clearly is vital in life. Yet, too many students are graduating without sufficient experience with group discussions, or arguing their ideas effectively, and they are finding themselves unprepared for the communication demands of college and their careers.

How can we prepare our students for these rigors?

To lay a better foundation for this learning, we can do a few things: we can value oral language development, we can value communication of ideas over grammatical correctness, and we can value oral language as a powerful way to learn and remember content.

Here are three strategies to help develop oral language skills.

Strategy One: Adapt Activities to Include Authentic Talk

Adapting current activities to include more authentic, original, and extended discussions gives students opportunities to contribute more than one sentence to a conversation. Sometimes, we miss the opportunity to encourage language development. For example, many teachers use some form of a jigsaw activity, in which students get into expert groups, read a text, and answer questions or fill in charts. They then go to mixed home groups to share their information. Yet, often what happens is this: students just read aloud what another student has copied from a resource - and opportunities for oral language development are lost.

To improve this strategy, you can have the experts engage in a discussion of what to put, in their own words, onto paper. Then, they can rehearse what they'll say - covering their papers to avoid reading aloud. Then in home groups, you can have each person glance at their notes, cover them again, and share with the group members, who listen and take notes. You can even ask students to try to speak in paragraphs, starting with a general claim or topic sentence, and then support it with evidence sentences. For example, in this video, notice how the talk evolves as students prepare their ideas for sharing.

Strategy Two: Use Activities that Develop Strong Language

Use activities that allow students to develop a "stronger and clearer" answer, as they talk to different partners successively in an activity. Instead of the all-too-common whole class discussion, with the teacher asking questions and a few students answering, ask a question and have students talk to three different partners. Or have students talk in different groups (see this 1-3-6 activity video).

A crucial aspect of this strategy is that students shouldn't say the same thing each time; rather, they need to build on the language and ideas of previous partner(s) to improve, expand, clarify, and support their evolving answer each time they share it.

Example Activities (from Zwiers, O'Hara, Pritchard, 2014):

Interview Grid: Students talk with one different partner each time, making their answers stronger and clearer each time, taking minimal, if any, notes on the chart. Note that this activity can also work using inner-outer conversation circles, such as the one in this Debrief Circles video.

Opinion Formation Cards: Students receive a quotation from the text (before it's read) that includes evidence for one side or the other of an issue. Students share their quotations and their evolving opinions, with reasons and evidence for them.

Opinion Continuum: Students share where they fall on the continuum of a two-sided issue and why. At the end, they share if they shifted at all along the continuum based on their conversations with partners.

Strategy Three: Use Strong Discussion Prompts

Try to use discussion prompts that foster evaluation in some way. Evaluation is usually needed for ranking, prioritizing, and choosing. For example, if you ask for evidence of a theme or a claim, many students just find the first three remotely evidence-y things they can, and stop there. But if you prompt students to rank the evidence from strongest to weakest, or to find the most influential cause of some war, you can often get deeper thinking and better conversation.

For instance, I was talking with a teacher who was asking this question, "How did the Civil War affect the families in the South?" I encouraged her to simply add "most affect" to force students to evaluate and discuss their opinions. When students evaluate, their ideas often differ. And if you allow them time to argue and negotiate the ideas, lots of learning can happen.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Key Strategies for Developing Oral Language

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Too many students are graduating without sufficient experience with group discussions or arguing their ideas effectively.

# data[].attributes.body
This article discusses five key challenges related to the oral language development of ELLs, as well as tips for addressing each of the challenges.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In this article written for Colorín Colorado, Dr. Lindsey Moses Guccione shares five key challenges related to the oral language development of ELLs, as well as tips for addressing each of the challenges.

Dr. Moses Guccione is the co-author of Comprehension and English Language Learners: 25 Oral Reading Strategies That Cross Proficiency Levels ( Heinemann, 2009).

Getting Started

As a former elementary teacher in a bilingual school, I developed a love and passion for finding effective ways to support oral language and oral reading development of emerging English language learners (ELLs). I discovered this passion when I began my first year of teaching in a second-grade classroom, where I encountered a handful of challenges related to my students' oral language development.

Many students were transitioning from a classroom with Spanish instruction into my classroom with instruction provided in English. I had students ranging from monolingual English speakers to students who had just recently moved to the U.S. from a Spanish-speaking country. The range of language proficiency levels crossed the entire spectrum. Having minimal experience with this range of diverse students and needs, I began reading, researching, and implementing new instructional ideas into my classroom. With each challenge I encountered, I gained new information about my students and their parents. I also began learning more about my own methods of instruction, and I learned a great deal each year about new challenges and successes.

Currently, I am fortunate to work with many teachers who have the opportunity to impact the lives of children and families who speak more than one language. As I work with these teachers and families, I have found five common and reoccurring challenges that they seem to face in the area of oral language development that parallel my own experiences. I detail these challenges and questions below, as well as suggestions for addressing each challenges based on strategies I used in my classroom.

Questions and Classroom Scenarios

1. What do I do if they don't know ANY English?

Understanding the characteristics of language learners at different proficiency levels helps to think about how we can best support students in their oral language and reading development. Below is a chart that gives a description of the first two levels of language proficiency as well as implications for using oral reading. This is a nice place to start when thinking about how to interact with and support our Starting and Emerging English speakers.

Levels of Language Proficiency

Description

Implications For Using Oral Reading

Level 1: Starting
Students are in a silent period in which they listen, but do not speak in English. They may respond using nonverbal cues in attempt to communicate basic needs.

The teacher and other more advanced students should model oral reading. Students in the silent period should not be forced to speak, but should be given the opportunity to participate in a group activity where they won't be singled out.

Level 2: Emerging
Students are beginning to understand more oral language. They respond using one- or two-word phrases and start to produce simple sentences for basic social interactions and to meet basic needs.

Teacher and students should continue to model oral reading. Students should be encouraged to begin taking risks with simple, rehearsed oral reading in non-threatening situations.

Opitz & Guccione (2009). Comprehension and English Language Learners: 25 Oral Reading Strategies that Cross Proficiency Levels.

2. How do I provide instruction and support for the ELLs without holding back the students who are fluent in English?

Differentiation is the key to effective instruction for all students. Students of varying proficiency levels can learn the same content when the teacher provides a wide range of learning opportunities for students with different academic and linguistic needs. Three key strategies for this approach include differentiating or modifying the texts, creating grouping structures, and targeting the amount and nature of support based on students' needs (Opitz & Ford, 2008).

Modifying the text: Teachers can differentiate the text by selecting various levels of text difficulty on similar content, or they can also divide the text up into smaller portions appropriate for certain groups/individuals for a jigsaw activity. Another idea is to summarize text that might be too difficult and provide ways to make the text more accessible (such as vocabulary support, visual support, connecting to background knowledge, etc.).

Creating grouping structures that set students up for success: While some grouping structures can be established according to language or literacy skill levels and needs, it is also important to think about providing students exposure to interact with peers who demonstrate a wide range of different language and literacy skills. Additionally, teachers can improve engagement and motivation by creating choice/interest groups where students gather, read, discuss and work together on topics of common interest.

Targeting the amount and nature of student support: It is important to think about scaffolding the experience and using comprehensible input to make it accessible for all students. Comprehensible input means that students should be able to understand the gist of what is being said or presented. There are many ways to do this, such as selecting key vocabulary, using context or visual cues, building background knowledge, building on experiences the students have had, using consistent language, and providing images or visual representations to support vocabulary and content. Teachers can support their students by embedding comprehensible input into their whole-group instruction, but this also becomes particularly effective when used in the different grouping structures. Teachers can also modify the amount of support and interaction between teachers and students depending on their individual and group needs.

3. This student knows English - I hear him talking to his friends and on the playground. He just doesn't want to try in class.

I have heard many teachers discussing variations of this same idea. However, I would caution teachers and parents about jumping to this conclusion. Academic language (or the language specifically related to school and/or academic content) can be complicated to acquire. Students often first develop social language and demonstrate near proficiency or proficiency in English in social settings. A student may be demonstrating sophisticated use of social language, but they may have difficulty using language in more formal settings such as school.

Much of the academic language required to be successful in school - everything from instructions to expectations to content-specific vocabulary - requires assistance in acquiring. Students hear and use their social language in various settings from home, community, and school, but academic language is often only used in the school setting. These students need specific instruction and support surrounding their language development in this area.

The same children who appear to be functioning at a high level of English proficiency in social settings may actually be functioning at a beginning stage in other settings, depending on how they are called on to use language. The students need to feel safe and in a low-anxiety environment in order to begin to feel comfortable taking risks with their oral language. When they have less exposure and instruction related to academic language, this can often cause students to feel intimidated and less likely to be willing to share in class.

One idea for reducing anxiety and encouraging students to experiment with language might include allowing students to read, practice, and discuss their responses in partners and small groups before sharing out to the entire group. This allows students an opportunity to hear language modeled by peers, practice what they want to say, and possibly revise their original thought and/or language before sharing it in a public way. As students find more success with their language production and classroom participation, they will be more likely to share and take risks, and in turn continue building their confidence.

4. How is the child ever going to learn English if they don't speak it at home?

It is important to celebrate being bilingual and biliterate. Research has shown that development of a students' first language can facilitate development in the second language (Genessee, Geva, Dressler, and Kamil, 2007). Understanding this helps parents, teachers, and children to encourage the use and development of the students' home language while they are at home. All of the home literacy activities that we recommend for English speakers, such as reading aloud, making lists, discussing books, reading environmental print, etc., should also be encouraged for the English language learners in their home language. Students can begin to use more English as they feel comfortable in different settings, but it is important to note that speaking two languages will not hinder their English development.

Another important idea to remember is that we want to invite parents to feel confident in their interactions with their children regardless of their English proficiency level. As they begin to read or retell stories and discuss them at home, they are developing vital oral language and comprehension skills, and these skills will transfer over into their school language.

5. What kinds of activities should I be doing to help the student develop their oral language and oral reading?

McCauley and McCauley (1992) report four factors as necessary for acquiring a second language: a low-anxiety environment, repeated practice, comprehensible input, and drama. These are all important components of setting children up for success and language development.

A low-anxiety environment includes a setting where students feel nurtured and supported by their teacher and peers, and in turn, they feel safe to take risks without the fear of being laughed at or made fun of.

Repeated practice is just like what it sounds! Students need repeated practice hearing and using a new language. They need multiple opportunities to comprehend and express their ideas in a new language. Like with anything new that we learn, practice helps us get better.

Comprehensible input, as explained above, means finding different ways to make what is being said comprehensible and easier to understand. Things to consider with comprehensible input might include using speech that is appropriate for students' language proficiency, providing a clear, step-by-step explanation of tasks, and using a variety of techniques to support their understanding.

Drama, or a sense of excitement and engagement, can be found in activities like Reader's Theatre, dramatic play, puppetry, narrating wordless picture books, etc. All of these activities also have the other three factors embedded within them. These activities assist in the development of oral language in addition to introducing students to oral reading and rich literacy experiences and responses in a classroom setting.

Closing Thoughts

As you can see from these questions and examples, there are a lot of different approaches to helping ELLs build their oral language development skills, and you may have to try different activities until you find what works for your students. The most important thing, however, is to build your students' confidence while giving them new words and phrases to practice. Don't be afraid to try something new - and most of all, don't be afraid to have fun doing it!

About the Author

Dr. Lindsey Moses Guccione is a coauthor of Comprehension and English Language Learners: 25 Oral Reading Strategies that Cross Proficiency Levels. She is an assistant professor at the University of Northern Colorado and teaches courses in Early Childhood Education, Literacy, and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education. She is a former elementary teacher of English language learners and is currently researching how ELLs make sense of texts.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Oral Language Development and ELLs: 5 Challenges and Solutions

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In this article written for Colorín Colorado, Dr. Lindsey Moses Guccione shares five key challenges related to the oral language development of ELLs, as well as tips for addressing each of the challenges. Dr. Moses Guccione is the co-author of Comprehension and English Language Learners: 25 Oral Reading Strategies That Cross Proficiency Levels ( Heinemann, 2009).

# data[].attributes.body
For ELs writing is made even harder because they are doing a task outside of their native language. But with the right approach, they can succeed.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Why is writing so hard? This is a question that teachers hear on a daily basis from students. There is no denying that writing is difficult. However, for English Language Learners (ELLs), writing is made even harder because they are doing a task outside of their native language.

We have compiled a list of the best activities and writing strategies for ELL students that are designed to alleviate your ESL students' struggles.

Before You Begin

To determine which strategies will work best for your students, ask these four questions before they start writing:

1. Do they already know how to read in their first language?

2. How similar is the student's home language to the English alphabet and syntax?

3. How often does the student have the opportunity to practice reading and writing in English?

4. How much background knowledge does the student have about the writing topic?

The Importance of Scaffolding Writing for ELLs

In education, scaffolding is a teaching method where teachers help students complete tasks just beyond the point that they could achieve by themselves. It was developed by Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky, who theorized that children learn best when an adult helps them expand upon what they already know and can do.

His theory birthed the concept of a Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)-the area between what is known and unknown where students can achieve a task with guidance from a knowledgeable teacher. Over time, teachers gradually reduce support until the students can do the task themselves.

There are many benefits to scaffolding instruction for students:

Tasks are simplified to make them more manageable.

Student frustration is reduced.

Students are better able to focus on learning objectives.

Students build confidence in their abilities.

Scaffolding your instruction is key to the success of all students-especially ELLs. When you make connections to what students already know, learning becomes more meaningful. Determining where and when scaffolding techniques are to be used (and later removed) is crucial in helping students reach their learning goals.

ELL Writing Strategies for Scaffolding

ELLs benefit from scaffolding throughout the writing process. Below are a few types of scaffolding writing strategies for ELL students that can be used at any grade or language level.

1. Model Texts
All ELL students need to see plenty of examples of the kind of writing you want them to produce. Model texts could be selected from high-quality literature, teacher-generated, or student-authored pieces. Whatever text you select, make sure that it clearly demonstrates your learning objective.

2. Sentence Frames
Sentence frames are sentences with strategically placed blanks for students to fill in. These are helpful for newcomers who are in the earlier stages of language proficiency, or for introducing a new type of sentence structure.

3. Sentence Stems
Similar to sentence frames, sentence stems provide a prompt for students to begin writing. Sentence stems are more open-ended than sentence frames, but still offer structure and guidance for the writing activity.

4. Word Walls
Word walls are an excellent scaffolding technique, as they can be customized to your language objectives. You may utilize a word wall for academic vocabulary terms or other important writing elements like signal words. You can make your word wall a more powerful teaching tool by making it interactive.

5. Graphic Organizers
Beginning a writing task can be daunting for ELLs. Graphic organizers are effective teaching tools that help students visually organize information and break down writing into more manageable steps. Consider pre-filling parts of graphic organizers to scaffold for your ELLs.

Writing Activities for ELL Students

When teaching writing to English language learners, it's important to use authentic writing activities that allow them to write about their experiences. We've compiled a list of engaging writing activities along with scaffolding techniques to help each of your ELLs build their writing skills.

Journaling
How to Journal with ELLs

Student journaling can be an effective activity to help ELL students build confidence and develop writing skills. There are many different ways that teachers can use journaling in the classroom. Personal journals, dialogue journals, and content-specific journals such as science or math notebooks are all helpful teaching tools. For a more in-depth look at how journaling can benefit ELL students, read our article here.
Benefits for ELLs

Journals can be used by ELLs of any proficiency level.

Students have the opportunity to write in their native language.

When used intentionally, journals can expand students' vocabulary and higher-order thinking skills.

Strategies for ELLs

For newcomers or those who have limited proficiency, consider allowing them to draw in their journals and label their pictures.

Use picture dictionaries or other visuals to help students bridge their understanding between words that they know in their native language and English words.

Provide sentence starters or writing prompts to help students get started with their writing.

Sequential Writing
How to do Sequential Writing with ELLs

Have the students write the steps to do a familiar task like getting ready for school or making breakfast. Students can practice using new and unfamiliar words along with a routine activity.
Benefits for ELLs

Sequencing is an important skill for reading comprehension and scientific inquiry.

By selecting a familiar activity, you will ensure that ELL students have the background knowledge necessary for the activity.

Students' home cultures can be incorporated by including the activity as homework for ESL students-have students ask their parents to tell them the steps for making their favorite meal.

Strategies for ELLs

Provide pictures for students to put in the correct order for a familiar activity. Have students practice labeling or matching words with the pictures. Reinforce keywords like "first," "next," "then," etc.

For students with progressing language skills, divide a paper into four sections. Have the students draw and label pictures for each step.

Provide a sequence graphic organizer for ELL students to write the steps to the activity.

Creative Writing
How to Use Creative Writing with ELLs

Short, creative writing activities can provide ELLs with engaging written expression examples and ideas.

Have students write a social media post, like a tweet, about a current event or even as a book review.

As part of a social studies unit, give ELL students an assignment to write a postcard from a country that they have been learning about in class or their native country.

For students with more advanced language skills, have them create a fictional ad to introduce and practice persuasive writing.

Benefits for ELLs

Incorporating social media activities can enhance ESL students' digital literacy.

Short, engaging activities reduce the cognitive load for ELL students while increasing their motivation.

Strategies for ELLs

Use model texts so that students are familiar with the type of writing you assign.

Create a word bank or personal word wall for students to reference relevant vocabulary words.

Poetry
How to Use Poetry with ELLs

Begin by discussing the difference between stories and poems. Read many different types of poetry to familiarize students with the genre, and include poetry across the curriculum where relevant. Consider the best type of poem for your instructional needs:
Benefits for ELLs

The text in poetry is both purposeful and brief, so ELL students can understand the main point without becoming overwhelmed.

Poetry offers opportunities for students to engage with language in a playful way.

Poems are an excellent way to incorporate your students' native cultures into your classroom.

Strategies for ELLs

To scaffold, first create a poem as a group, then have students work in smaller groups or pairs to write independently.

Have students create word maps to help them generate relevant vocabulary or varying adjectives to make their poetry more interesting.

Writing Programs for ELLs from Continental

Continental understands there are many different writing programs to choose from when teaching writing to English language learners. Our ELL writing programs are developed with the latest research and teacher-backed activities and feature the best writing strategies to support language development.

My Language Journal

My Language Journal is a series of personal journals that provides ELLs with opportunities to practice their writing skills and develop their vocabulary through visual learning activities. My Language Journal can be used for grades K-12.

Uses personal writing prompts to engage ELLs

Customizable word logs help make learning meaningful

Topics for social-emotional learning (SEL) and content areas

Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary support

The Write Track for English Learners

The Write Track for English Learners focuses on writing development to help ELLs develop their written communication skills. It also helps students gain confidence with classroom writing assignments and state testing requirements. It's designed for grades K-12 and English language proficiency levels 2-5.

Provides complete instruction for a variety of writing areas

Step-by-step instruction with guided practice and peer review

Correlated to English language development (ELD) standards

Interactive eBooks with online answering, instant scoring for immediate feedback, and performance reports

Writing can be difficult even for native English speakers. Thankfully there are many ways to help ESL students not feel overwhelmed and discouraged. By using these writing strategies, you can help your students begin to feel more confident in their English language skills.

Looking for more writing or teaching strategies to support your ELL students? Visit Continental's ESL Resource Center for ideas and free downloads.
Thank you to Ellen Richardson, our ELL contributor, for consulting on this blog post.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Writing Strategies for ELL Students | Continental Educational Publisher

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We have created a list of the best activities & writing strategies for ELL students that are designed to alleviate their writing struggles.

# data[].attributes.body
It is important to remember what is the most important aspects of writing when working with ELLs.

# data[].attributes.body
Using strategies to help promote successful reading in ELs can be extremely helpful.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
7 Strategies for Reading Success with English Learners

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Try these 7 ELL strategies for reading success. Help your ELL students to engage with reading and foster a desire to connect with texts.

# data[].attributes.body
Within the English language, there are many subset of languages. Each one uniquely affects the EL's way of learning english.

# data[].attributes.body
As an educator, it is important to keep in mind that the differences that each dialect has importance differences and distinctions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Different Varieties of the English Language | English Dialects

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
There are many different varieties of the English language spoken and practiced around the world. We will take a look at a few key types of the language.

# data[].attributes.body
Academic Language differs from the informal language that we use on a daily basis. Academic language needs to be explicitly taught so that students can be set up for success

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Anderson, R.C., & Nagy, W.E. (1991). Word meanings. In R. Barr, M.L. Kamil, P.B. Mosenthal, & P.D. Pearson (Eds), Handbook ofreading research (Vol. 2, pp. 690'724). New York: Longman.

Beck, I., McKeown, M.G., & Kucan, I. (2002). Bringing words to life:Robust vocabulary instruction. New York: Guilford.

Blachowicz, C., & Fisher, P. (2000). Teaching vocabulary. In M.Kamil, P. Mosenthal, P.D. Pearson, & R. Barr (Eds.), Handbook ofreading research (Vol. 3, pp. 503'523). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

Brozo, W.G., & Simpson, M.L. (2007). Content literacy for today'sadolescents: Honoring diversity and building competence (5thed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Prentice Hall.

Carlo, M.S., August, D., McLaughlin, B., Snow, C., Dressler, C.,Lippman, D., et al. (2004). Closing the gap: Addressing the vocabularyneeds of English-language learners in bilingual andmainstream classrooms. Reading Research Quarterly, 39,188'215.

Dunn, M., Bonner, B. & Huske, L. (2007). Developing a systemsprocess for improving instruction in vocabulary: Lessons learned.Alexandria, VA: Association of Supervision and CurriculumDevelopment. Retrieved October 17, 2007, from www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/Building%20Academic%20Vocabulary/Developing
%20Systems%20Process.pdf

Graves, M.F. (2000). A vocabulary program to complement and bolstera middle-grade comprehension program. In B.M. Taylor,M.F. Graves, & P. van den Broek (Eds.), Reading for meaning:Fostering comprehension in the middle grades (pp. 116'135).New York: Teachers College Press.

Harmon, J.M., Hedrick, W.B., & Wood, K.D. (2005). Research onvocabulary instruction in the content areas: Implications forstruggling readers. Reading and Writing Quarterly, 21, 261'280.

Kamil, M.L. (2004). Vocabulary and comprehension instruction:Summary and implications of the National Reading Panel findings.In P. McCardle & V. Chhabra (Eds.), The voice of evidencein reading research (pp. 213'234). Baltimore, MD: Paul H.Brookes.

Marzano, R. (2004). Building background knowledge for academicachievement: Research on what works in schools. Alexandria,VA: Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Marzano, R. (2005). Preliminary report on the 2004'2005 evaluationstudy of the ASCD program for building academic vocabulary.Alexandria, VA: Association of Supervision and CurriculumDevelopment. Retrieved October 17, 2007, from www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/Building%20Academic%20Vocabulary%20Report.pdf

Nagy, W.E. (1997). On the role of context in first- and secondlanguagevocabulary learning. In N. Schmitt & M. McCarthy(Eds.), Vocabulary: Description, acquisition and pedagogy (pp.64'83). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.

Nation, I.S.P. (2001). Learning vocabulary in another language.Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2000).Report of the National Reading Panel. Teaching children to read:An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literatureon reading and its implications for reading instruction (NIH publicationNo. 00-4769). Washington, D.C.: U.S. GovernmentPrinting Office.

Pearson, P.D., Hiebert, E.H., & Kamil, M.L. (2007). Vocabulary assessment:What we know and what we need to learn. ReadingResearch Quarterly, 42, 282'296.

RAND Reading Study Group. (2002). Reading for understanding:Toward an R&D program in reading comprehension. SantaMonica, CA: RAND.

Scott, J.A., Jamieson-Noel, D., & Asselin, M. (2003). Vocabulary instructionthroughout the day in twenty-three Canadian upperelementaryclassrooms. The Elementary School Journal, 103,269'286.

Stahl, S., & Fairbanks, M. (1986). The effects of vocabulary instruction:A model-based meta-analysis. Review of EducationalResearch, 56, 72'110.

Walsh, K. (2003). Basal readers: The lost opportunity to build knowledgethat propels comprehension. American Educator, 27,24'27.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Developing Academic Language: Got Words?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Concerns about how to build academic vocabulary and weave its instruction into curricula are common among classroom teachers. This article reviews the research and offers some practical suggestions for teachers.

# data[].attributes.body
Teaching academic language can be tedious and boring, but it is very important. Making it as fun as possible can be useful in keeping your students engaged!

# data[].attributes.body
Language Objective are extremely important and including them in lesson plans can help progress monitor your ELL students. Writing Language objectives allow you to be intentional in lesson planning for ELs.

# data[].attributes.body
Writing language objectives can be much harder than content objective, but they are equally important.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Reflections on Teaching Multilingual Learners

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Writing language objectives can be hard! Teachers are generally comfortable writing content objectives because those are based on content standards that teachers are familiar with and are sometimes…

# data[].attributes.body
ELs need support in all subjects including math. Certain strategies can help finding creative way to help ELs in your class.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Tips and Strategies to Support ELLs in Math

# data[].attributes.body
Math has often been called “the universal language.” While it’s true that numbers work the same way regardless of the language you speak, teachers cannot assume that their EL will automatically excel in math for this reason alone.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Math has often been called "the universal language." While it's true that numbers work the same way regardless of the language you speak, teachers cannot assume that their English language learners (ELLs) will automatically excel in math for this reason alone.

Language proficiency is also closely related to the development of strong mathematical skills. Kristina Roberston writes, " Solving word problems, following instructions, understanding and using mathematical vocabulary correctly - all of these skills require a language proficiency...We tend to think of mathematics as a subject that does not require a strong command of language. In reality, however, mathematical reasoning and problem-solving are closely linked to language and rely upon a firm understanding of basic math vocabulary (Dale & Cuevas, 1992; Jarret, 1999)."

This blog will discuss specific ELL math best practices and math instructional strategies that you can use to boost student learning.

4 Best Practices for ELL Math Instruction

According to data from the US Department of Education's Academic Performance and Outcomes for English Learners, overall ELL performance in math has been significantly below the performance of native speakers.

For ELL students to fully participate in the math classroom, teachers must employ strategies to promote both their academic and linguistic development. The following best practices can help you support your ELLs' mastery of math skills.

1. Scaffold your instruction

As you consider how to engage students in math lessons, it's important to provide your ELLs with support in navigating the linguistic challenges of math. Jeanine Harvey, director of multilingual learner academics at The New Teacher Project says, " We know from our work that multilingual learners do not have the same access to grade-level assignments as their peers...All students could engage with grade-level assignments with the right supports. "

Scaffolding instructional strategies for math may involve the following:

Providing visuals.

Allowing students to work in pairs or small groups.

Modeling and thinking aloud during instruction.

Using manipulatives.

Giving students word banks.

By providing intentional and strategic instructional scaffolding, your ELL students will be more engaged and experience more growth.

All students benefit from instruction that incorporates a variety of learning modalities. Research has shown that when auditory, visual, and kinesthetic methods are combined, students retain information better.

Though all students benefit from hands-on learning activities, they are particularly important for ELLs. According to The National Math Foundation, " By 2009, Mulalic (et al.) discovered that the kinesthetic learning style was the most preferred learning style among ESL students. Studies in 1987, 1990, 1993, 1997, and 2001 reported that adult L2 immigrants and ESL students in the US favor kinesthetic styles over all others (Gilakjani, 2012)."

While there are many ways to incorporate kinesthetic activities in your ELL math instruction, manipulatives are one of the most powerful tools you can use to support your ELLs. Although they are often thought of as math tools for elementary students, they can be used with students at any level.

Manipulatives provide a common language for students to communicate their thought processes. This is especially important for newcomer ELLs, whose expressive English language skills are starting to develop.

When you're teaching math to ELLs, it's important to consider how you can deepen their understanding of math concepts as well as encourage their language skills.

However, your ELL students face a significant cognitive load during instruction in content areas- they're simultaneously learning a new language and new skills. It's important to minimize their cognitive load while maintaining academic rigor.

A student's proficiency in a language is dependent on both production and comprehension. ELL students' receptive language skills generally develop more quickly than their expressive language skills.

Teachers need to intentionally help them increase their language production. You can do this through scaffolding and supportive language practices, like those below.

Allow students to use their native language alongside English.
Doing so can help you gain an understanding of what students know in their native language and will help in making connections with prior knowledge.

Provide students with sentence frames for a math discussion.
For example, "I know that this is a ______ because it has ______ line segments and _____ vertices."

Create opportunities for low-stakes discussion through activities like think-pair-share.
Jeff Zwiers, a senior researcher at the Stanford Graduate School of Education and the director of professional development for the Understanding Language initiative, stresses the importance of giving ELLs time to talk with each other and ask questions. Zwiers states, "Very few kids will raise their hand and say 'Can you explain that?' to the teacher, particularly multilingual learners, who need it the most, they won't do that. But with one other person, it's a safer setting."

4. Focus on word problems

As word problems become increasingly difficult over time, it's important to note that reading skills play a vital role in math.

Brenda Krick-Morales writes, " Word problems in mathematics often pose a challenge because they require that students read and comprehend the text of the problem, identify the question that needs to be answered, and finally create and solve a numerical equation - ELLs who have had formal education in their home countries generally do not have mathematical difficulties; hence, their struggles begin when they encounter word problems in a second language that they have not yet mastered (Bernardo, 2005)."

When using word problems with ELL students, it's important to consider the following questions:

What background knowledge do my students need to have to understand this problem?

Are there any multiple-meaning words or phrases that my ELL students may not be familiar with in this problem?

Will my students need to distinguish between necessary and unnecessary information in this problem?

High-Impact Strategies to Teach ELL Math Vocabulary

Vocabulary instruction plays a key role in ELL math achievement. ELLs need explicit, intentional vocabulary instruction to successfully gain math skills.

Focus on academic vocabulary

Math is full of challenging words like quadrilateral and vertices -and your ELL students may or may not have a prior understanding of these concepts in their native language.

ELL students benefit from pre-teaching academic vocabulary terms in a lesson, as it provides them with a foundation of understanding. It is also important to give them multiple exposures to math words-research on vocabulary development shows that students retain vocabulary better when they learn words in context rather than in isolation.

The following ideas can help you develop and reinforce academic math vocabulary:

Use a math word wall with visuals for ELLs.

Create personal "word walls" customized for math vocabulary.

Use precise vocabulary when discussing terms AND give a kid-friendly definition.

Incorporate graphic organizers to help students develop and expand their understanding of word meanings.

Get creative with teaching definitions-give students numbers and have them line up from least to greatest or give students string and call out different shapes for them to create. You can have a little fun while engaging your students in different learning styles.

Teach "tricky words"

Math vocabulary includes both specific terminology and everyday words that have different meanings in the context of math. Take a look at the example below:

Did the student "find x"? Technically, yes!

Words like "face," "table," and "carry" (and even the word "and!") have different meanings when they're used in math. Provide your ELL students with many opportunities to practice using these tricky words in the context of math.

Don't forget about homophones

Whether you're a native speaker or new to English, homophones can present a challenge. Many math vocabulary words are homophones: some and sum, raise and rays, won and one, wait and weight...the list goes on!

Consider creating a chart for your ELLs to reference to help them differentiate between common homophones.

Math and language skills are inextricably linked. By keeping language in mind when you plan your ELL math instruction, you can help your students develop important math skills.

Check out our Marvelous Math Pinterest board for engaging math ideas and support for students in all grades!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Elevate ELL Math Achievement With These Top Tips and Strategies | Continental Educational Publisher

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This blog will discuss specific ELL math best practices and math instructional strategies that you can use to boost student learning.

# data[].attributes.body
Science can provide exciting opportunities for students to make discoveries and use their language skills, especially through inquiry-based lessons. This article offers strategies, resources, and guidance for helping ELLs succeed in science.

# data[].attributes.body
Science gives EB/ELs a unique opportunity to explore interesting topics in an engaging and hands on way. But they may still need support in order to be successful.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Supporting ESL Students in Science | ESL Teaching Strategies | ESL Teaching Tips

# data[].attributes.body
Scaffolding such as visual guides and templates can make it easier for ELLs to grasp material in courses with complicated vocabulary.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
3 Strategies to Support English Language Learners in Social Studies

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Scaffolding such as visual guides and templates can make it easier for ELLs to grasp material in courses with complicated vocabulary.

# data[].attributes.body
Teaching social studies to ELs is different than teaching native english speakers and requires special consideration.

# data[].attributes.body
Background knowledge, language proficiency, and perspective are important factors to consider when planning a social studies lesson for EB/ELs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Consider the following scenario:

A fifth-grade teacher was preparing her class to learn about the American Revolution. She enlisted the students' help in acting out the events that led to the Revolution with elaborate props and exercises. When the class ended, the students were told they would read more about the Revolution the following day. As they left the room, an ESL student stopped and asked urgently, "But who won?"

This situation highlights some of the challenges that teachers face when helping English language learners, or ELLs, master social studies content:

Background knowledge
ELLs may not have the same background knowledge that their peers have or that textbook authors take for granted, as explained in this video clip with ELL teacher Amber Prentice.

Different perspectives
ELLs bring their own valuable and important experiences to the classroom. Often those experiences can be connected to the content in meaningful ways; however, if different points of view or ideas aren't expressed or identified, students may miss key concepts and ideas in the lesson.

Academic language and vocabulary
ELLs must learn the academic language and vocabulary needed to comprehend and produce new content - all while learning the new content and concepts at the same time!

For content-area teachers with limited experience working with ELLs, planning a lesson that engages them and helps them learn new material may seem daunting. The good news is that there are a number of ways to engage ELLs with social studies content and draw on their own unique background knowledge and perspectives. This article will describe some strategies for planning social studies lessons with ELLs in mind.

In addition, I recommend taking a look at the following resources:

Note: Lesson Planning to Ensure Optimal Engagement of ELLs (Chapter 2 of Teaching English Language Learners Across the Content Areas), is available online and provides a number of helpful resources, including a checklist for modifying lesson plans for ELLs. In addition, Appendix Two of the book (not available online) provides a lesson modification worksheet.

Lesson Planning Strategies

Identify key concepts necessary for understanding the lesson

When choosing your key concepts, keep in mind the following:

Background knowledge
ELLs with limited or interrupted schooling may not have that same level of knowledge as their peers, especially when it comes to historical or cultural topics. When starting a new lesson, look for references or concepts that may need to be explicitly explained.

Language proficiency
Students may already possess content knowledge that they cannot yet demonstrate in English. Look for opportunities to make associations between students' experiences and new content.

Perspective
Students may have a different perspective on the content than their peers. These differences provide an important opportunity for class discussion and learning as long as they are handled in a sensitive and respectful ways.

In addition, plan to find out what students know about the topic you are teaching before getting started. This will help you fill in gaps and build on prior knowledge. A great tool for this activity is a Circle Map, in which you place the main topic in a small circle and add student ideas in a bigger circle around the topic. You may wish to allow ELLs to use their native language with peers for a quick brainstorm before presenting their ideas to the whole class.

Identify content and language objectives

These objectives are a great way to focus on the most important information and language structures you want your students to master. Content objectives focus on the material while language objectives focus on vocabulary or language structures that students should be able to use throughout the lesson (Haynes and Zacarian, 28).

Think about how you are going to:

introduce these concepts using simple language,

break the concepts down into the most basic elements,

keep the objectives visible to students during the unit (i.e., post them on the board or provide a simple outline to keep in binders).

Identify key vocabulary and academic vocabulary

Identify key terms, words, idioms and phrases - TWIPS, according to Dr. Zacarian (19). Choose the vocabulary that your students need to know in order to support their reading development and content-area learning, in addition to key content vocabulary. Remember to prepare student-friendly definitions for TWIPS ahead of time. It may be helpful to look at other social studies vocabulary lists as well.

In addition:

Look for problem areas
Clarify potential areas of confusion, such as homonyms or words with more than one meaning.

Include signal and directional words
Remember that students may also need explicit instruction in signal or directional words ("because" and "explain"), especially those words that are likely to appear frequently in the content materials or activities.

Don't overlook the basic words
There may be many words used through a lesson that native English-speaking students will understand but that ELLs don't know. Keep an eye out for these words, no matter how basic, and make a list of words that your students have questions about so that you can refer back to it when teaching the lesson in the future.

Use visuals and manipulatives when possible
Having a visual reference for new words is particularly helpful for ELLs.

Keep words visible and accessible to students
Post words on a word wall, or try using a "portable word wall" chart that students can put in their binder. The chart might include categories such as new words, old words, people, everyday words, words to review, etc. (Haynes and Zacarian, 59-60).

Remember to include lots of student practice
For students to really know a word, they must use it - or they will lose it. Use new words in class discussions or outside of class in other contexts if appropriate, such as on field trips. Give the students as many opportunities to use and master the new vocabulary as possible, both in writing and speaking activities. You may find this six-step process for teaching academic vocabulary from Dr. Robert Marzano helpful.

Prepare to preview the text

One strategy is a "chapter walk", where students predict what the chapter will be about based on pictures and highlighted features of the textbook.

An activity like this may take some time at first because it's time-consuming to teach. If you use it with regularity, however, it will become easier and quicker, and students will be able to do this on their own at the beginning of a new chapter.

You can also use the "BIG FOX" strategy, published by McGraw-Hill. This graphic organizer helps students pick out important terms and pieces of information before reading. I recommend practicing this strategy with some simple readings about familiar topics before jumping in with the textbook. The students will understand the strategy better if they start out with concepts that they understand.

Prepare multimedia, visuals, and related readings

These resources can be used to build background knowledge and provide context for ELLs, especially when students are learning new concepts and words. Ideas include:

Using photos from books, magazines, or the Internet to supplement textbooks.

Showing brief, focused video clips of history or social studies programs.

Listening to a short podcast or radio clip of an interview or speech.

Discussing additional readings such as related articles, poems, letters, and graphic novels.

Enlist native language support when possible

These strategies can help students identify content they already know, or master new concepts before transferring those ideas and learning how to express them in English:

Collaborate with a bilingual paraprofessional and identify areas where bilingual language support will be most helpful.

Look for related content materials in the students' native language from publishers like Scholastic or National Geographic/Cengage.

Plan group work in which students can use their native language with peers to discuss main ideas or vocabulary words.

Plan to include group work throughout the unit

Peer learning activities such as Reciprocal Teaching and Think-Pair-Share can be powerful tools for engaging ELLs with content learning.

Use modeling and clear instructions to ensure students understand:

how the activity works

their role in group work

the objective of the activity

any key vocabulary or phrases they should be using.

Here are some other tips on group work for ELLs from Haynes and Zacarian:

Assign students group roles that match their language ability (37).

Promote students to new roles as their language skills improve (42).

Make sure that mainstream students understand that they will be working in diverse groups, and that everyone's contributions are important (41).

Keep an eye on the balance of student participation; if some students are speaking more than others, ask them to think of some ways to even participation out (42).

Ask students to reflect on their group work after they have finished an activity. Haynes and Zacarian include a chart in their book with some guiding statements for student reflection (48).

Plan plenty of opportunities for students to interact with the content

Give students lots of opportunities to engage with and review the material in different ways:

Graphic organizers
Use graphic organizers to review key concepts and vocabulary words.

Flash cards
Have students make their own flash cards with pictures, definitions, key facts, etc.

Working with the text
Teach students to underline, highlight, and make notes. You may also find that sticky notes, Wikki Stix, and highlighting tape are a big hit with students (68). According to Haynes, some school districts order extra textbooks for their ELL classes so that teachers can keep a highlighted copy on hand as a student reference.

Use acting
Have the students write skits about the material they are learning, or create an activity in which students provide a physical representation of a particular event or vocabulary word.

Be creative and flexible with writing assignments

Writing can be an important way for students to show what they've learned:

Be creative and flexible
When choosing writing activities for students, be creative and open to different ways for students to express their new knowledge. I have seen students successfully convey what they learned by writing letters, poems, news articles and mosaics with vocabulary key points. Writing an essay may be more difficult for ELLs, and although they need to learn how to write a good essay eventually, they should be allowed to demonstrate their learning through a variety of writing activities.

Look for writing exercises that relate to the topic at hand
This may include a biography or autobiography, a letter from the point of view of a historical figure, or a short news article about a famous event.

Provide models
Give ELLs explicit structures and sentence frames to follow. Frames may vary in complexity and specificity, but they will help students to model correct structures and usage from the beginning.

Plan to adapt homework and assessment as needed

While it's important to have high expectations of ELLs, it is also important to have realistic expectations of the amount of work they can do. Haynes and Zacarian note, "The teacher's goal should be to making learning accessible and meaningful for every student without lowering expectations or sacrificing rigor" (104-105).

They continue in Chapter 7 of their book to provide a number of helpful rubrics and step-by-step procedures for evaluating your homework and assessment activities with ELLs in mind. In Twenty-Five Quick Tips for Classroom Teachers, Haynes suggests that teachers "adjust homework assignment to your ELLs' English language proficiency (and) modify assessment so that your ELLs have an opportunity to show what they have learned."

As you look for ways to help your students learn this new content, remember that you aren't just teaching them required social studies standards - you are helping your students adjust to a new life and country. That preparation has a potentially significant ripple effect because your students may be helping their own parents navigate this new country as well, and they may need to prepare for a U.S. Citizenship exam one day in the future.

Through social studies lessons, you also can prepare your students to be engaged and well-informed participants in our society and democracy, an opportunity they might not have had in their own country due to their religion, gender, or ethnicity. When you think about it that way, teaching ELLs to master new social studies content is so much more than adapting a lesson plan - it's a chance to prepare a new generation of young people to lead us into the future.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Preparing an Engaging Social Studies Lesson for English Language Learners

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Consider the following scenario: A fifth-grade teacher was preparing her class to learn about the American Revolution. She enlisted the students' help in acting out the events that led to the Revolution with elaborate props and exercises. When the class ended, the students were told they would read more about the Revolution the following day.

# data[].attributes.body
For teachers who work with English Language Learners, ensuring that students have the appropriate support and services to meet their unique needs in important.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Special Education and English Language Learners

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn more about how schools and families can collaborate to ensure that ELLs, including those with special needs, have the appropriate support and services to meet their unique needs.

# data[].attributes.body
Partnering with families can be extremely beneficial for EB/ELs, especially for ELLs in SPED.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As teachers, we know that some of our most powerful allies are students' families. This is especially true of English language learners (ELLs) who learn and think differently. Establishing a strong partnership is a win for students, families, and teachers alike. We can all benefit from the rich cultural and linguistic experiences these families bring to the school community.

Sometimes barriers can get in the way of family engagement. That can leave families' expertise and contributions unrecognized and untapped by schools.

So how can you tap into this rich resource, especially when it comes to conversations about special education? Here are some things to keep in mind about culture, language, and immigration - plus some strategies to help you get started.

In Understood's resources, we use the term "English language learners" (or ELLs) to talk about students who are learning English. You may use this term or others in your school. Many educators are beginning to use "emergent bilinguals" (EBs) to acknowledge students' bilingual skills.

Factor 1: Expectations of schools

How a family participates in a child's education, including special education services, can depend on what the family understands their role in their child's education to be. It can also have to do with how the family feels at the school.

For example, in many Latin American countries, public education calls for a family's participation in terms of providing school uniforms and materials. Families are also expected to prepare children for school by teaching social, behavioral, and emotional life skills. Often, public schools in Latin America do not invite families to teach academics, partner with the teacher, or provide information on the child's learning like they do in the United States, according to research.

As educators, it's our job to communicate to all families that we want to draw on their valuable assets. Those assets can greatly contribute to their child's development and learning, especially if a child is struggling in school.

Take, for instance, first-generation immigrants who may not have had access to education past primary school or who may not yet speak fluent or academic English. Those family members may assume they can't contribute to their child's academic development. Here again, schools can help them understand the important contributions they are already making and can continue making as experts of their children.

Start with these general strategies for partnering with families of English language learners (both in and outside of special education settings).

If your school is holding parent-teacher conferences, send home a letter explaining what conferences are. That way, you can clarify the purpose of the conferences (as some families may think that they or their child did something wrong). Encourage families to prepare questions to ask at the conferences. This can be particularly helpful if they're concerned about their child's progress.

Consider activities that allow families to participate regardless of language, like painting a mural or helping in the school garden.

Find ways for families to share their perspective on what matters most to them about their child's education. You might use this questionnaire (available in English and Spanish).

For Spanish-speaking families, share a resource in Spanish about the importance of family involvement in U.S. schooling.

Engage students in creating an artifact (like a drawing or a letter) for their family members using their home language or cultural depictions, telling what they want to share about school.

Factor 2: Cultural perspectives about disability

Different cultures may have different perceptions, definitions, and expectations about disabilities. Those cultural associations or stigmas can impact how families view their child's disability.

Some families may blame themselves for their children's disabilities. Others may believe a curse is to blame for the disability, rather than there being a biologically based cause. Of course, be careful not to make assumptions about families' preferences or perspectives based on their culture or language.

As one example of a cultural view, people in many Latin American countries use the term "disabilities" to mean a visible disability. Learning disabilities that are not immediately obvious may not be considered disabilities.

Also, many Latin American families think of kindness, good behavior, a strong work ethic, and collective responsibility to family as "being educated." So the idea that a child may have a learning disability may conflict with the family's perception that their child is an active and able part of their community. They may disagree with or feel discouraged by the news of their child's disability.

On the other hand, some of the Native American families I've collaborated with have viewed disabilities more holistically. They have shared that their communities tend to focus on supporting the strengths of people with disabilities.

Clearly, different cultures respond differently to the concept of "disabilities." But no matter the culture, families may also have questions about whether a disability is something the child will "grow out of" or whether the struggle is actually related to learning English. It's important to be prepared for these questions with updated information about the child's evaluation andabout instruction and progress in English.

Talk with families to frame the term "disability" by focusing on the child's strengths and needs. Here are three important messages to communicate:

A child's learning or thinking difference is not a deficit.

The child has many strengths from which to build.

There are specific supports the child can receive to build on those strengths.

Most families want to make sure their child has access to the supports they need to learn and thrive. When we frame special education supports this way, the conversation shifts from focusing on deficits to finding opportunities for better learning experiences.

To learn more about cultural perspectives on disability, talk with colleagues, like ESL teachers, family liaisons, or interpreters. Other families with experience in special education can also provide insights.

Share with the family your insights about the student's strengths and interests, as well as examples of personal interactions with the student. This will help families understand that you care and that you see the child's strengths - not just the disability.

Allow the family to share information about the child's strengths at home and in the community, especially non-academic strengths. Include the family members' strengths, too.

Ensure that families understand the services that their child is receiving or is eligible to receive.

Families of English language learners have a legal right to access school documents and meetings in their home language. That includes special education paperwork and communication. Both oral and written translation of special education information requires expertise in the services and terminology.

Ideally, the translation and interpretation will also take cultural factors and nuances into account, especially given the different cultural perspectives on disability. It also should be provided in a format that is accessible and user-friendly.

After the information is translated, it's critical that families understand the terms - and the implications of those terms. For example, a translator may use the Spanish term "problema de aprendizaje," which translates to "learning problem." This term may not convey to families that this "problem" is a disability that needs to be addressed by special services. Watch the video below from Colorín Colorado to learn more.

Explain to families that they have a right to access information in their home language. Be clear that you value their language and see it as an asset for their child.

Learn more about your school's or district's translation services to make sure families have full access to information they need to participate meaningfully in this process. For example, the school district may provide a translation hotline. In addition, community members or other parents can be trained as volunteer interpreters. (Students should not serve as interpreters in these situations.)

If you are working with an interpreter, sit down before family meetings to talk through any areas of concern. Ask about particular issues, cultural factors, or perspectives you should understand.

If adequate language support is not being provided to families, raise your concern with colleagues or administrators. Look for additional information and resources from ESL/bilingual colleagues, family liaisons, district departments, or your state ELL department.

Factor 4: Immigration concerns

Some immigrant families may have mixed immigration status, meaning that not all family members are documented U.S. residents or citizens. Family members may feel uneasy about participating in formal school meetings, filling out paperwork, or sharing personal information with the school. Perhaps families are unsure of their rights or those of their children. They could also be concerned about immigration enforcement.

You should approach families with empathy when talking about the complexities that immigrant families face. Take the time to understand a family's concerns that might come up when discussing services available and legal paperwork. Educators like you can put practices into place that help build a culture of caring and safety at your school.

Communicate clearly with families and colleagues that all students in the United States have a right to a free appropriate education, regardless of immigration status. The immigration status of a child or family member has no impact on eligibility for special education services.

Keep in mind that families may be wary of signing documents (related to the special education process or otherwise), especially if they have experience with detention or deportation. (Read more about my experience with one of my students' families.) By building trust, you should be able to partner with families to obtain services that make a significant difference.

For similar reasons, families may also be worried about coming to school or sharing personal information. Schools are still considered "sensitive locations" where immigration enforcement should not take place. Students also have certain legal protections regarding personal information and privacy, regardless of immigration status. If families have questions about these topics, direct them to accurate, updated information from administrators or school district personnel.

Draw on strategies to work around barriers to communication with families. Know that family members who are working and do not have work visas may be more vulnerable at work. This could mean that they are unable to answer their phones during work hours or take time off of work for school meetings.

Partnerships that promote growth

For English language learners who learn and think differently - and their families - navigating school can be complex. As an educator, you can draw on a student's and family's assets to lay the foundation for genuine, solid partnership. By doing so with an open mind and empathy, you will begin building a trusting relationship that will benefit your students, often in life-changing ways.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
English language learners in special education: 4 things to know about partnering with families

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn the factors to consider when partnering with families of English language learners in special education.