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How to Help Your English Language Learners Make Friends in School

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How to Help Your English Language Learners Make Friends in School

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This article highlights twelve things that educators can do to help ELLs make friends in school. It shows ways that classmates can support ELLs through ways such as buddy systems, academic projects, and even before school programs.

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Making friends isn't easy. I know - I attended a different high school every year for 10th, 11th, and 12 grade. Making friends is even harder when you're trying to communicate in a foreign language. I know - I was an exchange student to Sweden my senior year and went to a Swedish-language high school, and had to learn the language from scratch.

So I totally understand how hard it can be for English Language Learners who are new to a school and/or do not know a lot of English. What can teachers and other school staff do to make the adjustment easier and help the ELLs make friends? Let's look at some challenges that make it difficult for ELLs to make friends and then at some solutions to them. But please note that the ideas I'm going to present are focused on when you're teaching in-person classes at school, not when you're teaching remotely.

a) Perhaps the biggest challenge is when ELLs are in pull-out ESL classes during the school day. That reduces the chances ELLs have to mix with their peers because an ESL class will, by definition, be comprised only of students for whom English is not their first language. That can make it harder to get to know native English-speaking students, especially if ELLs are nervous about speaking English, which many are.

b) Another challenge is that it's hard to talk when you don't have the vocabulary to communicate easily. A lot of native English-speaking kids don't know what's involved in learning another language and may not have the patience needed to get to know English Language Learners. But recess and other non-academic times at school are excellent ways to get students to mix together.

c) The last challenge I want to mention is that of time. ELLs typically need more time when interacting with people because they are often processing what they hear in English and translating it into their native language. Or they are searching for the English words to convey their thoughts. However, during the school day, time is at a premium.

a) Usually when ELLs are in pull-out classes, they do not spend their entire day in ESL classes. At the very least, they have gym, music, art, and other "specials" with native English-speaking students. There are a few things regular ed teachers can do to foster friendships among the ELLs and the other students in a class:
* Seat an ELL and a native English speaker next to each other so when there is pair work to do, they can work together. (Of course, during the pandemic, they can't be too close.)
* When doing group work, assign the members of the groups to ensure there's an ELL in every group. If students are allowed to pick who their group will be, they might not select an ELL, but working in a small group is a great way to get students talking to each other.
* When assigning homework assignments, have students in pairs or small groups comprised of a mix of ELLs and other students explain the work to each other to ensure they understand the task. That not only will get kids talking to each other, it'll also help you see if everyone knows what they are supposed to do.
* If you are given advance notice that an ELL will be arriving in your class, let your students know and ask them to be extra friendly. They can do that by, for example: Making sure to say hello to the new student and introducing themselves, walking next to the ELL in the hallway when going to and from classes, offering to show the ELL where the bathroom is, how to use a locker (if that is a new thing), explaining what intercom announcements mean, and so on.
* When you learn that you'll be getting an ELL in your class, inform your students and let them know what country the student is from (if they're an immigrant or refugee) or what their native language is (if they were born in the US but speak another language at home). Generate a list of questions about the country that your students can ask the new ELL, but emphasize that they shouldn't bombard the ELL all at once. Also let your students know that the ELL's level of English proficiency may make it hard for them to understand what's going on all the time, so they should be patient and know that they may need to repeat themselves sometimes. Make sure your students know that the ELL is just as smart as they are but just needs some extra help in learning how to show that in English.

b) Even when ELLs do not have a large English vocabulary, there are still ways they can communicate. Lunch and recess are great opportunities for kids to practice social language. , sponsored by Learning for Justice, is a great way to help not just ELLs but all students get to know new people. Here are a few things adults on lunch and recess duty can do to create opportunities for ELLs and other students to interact with each other:
* At lunchtime, arrange for a few students to sit and eat with the ELL. They may even need to show the ELL how to go through the lunchline, if there is one. If the native English speakers don't know what to talk about it, here are a few suggestions: Ask the ELL what their favorite subject is, ask the ELL what they like to do for fun after school, ask the ELL if they have a favorite singer or movie. It's probably not a good idea to ask the ELL about their family in case they are coming from a traumatic situation. If the ELL brings lunch from home, the other students could possibly ask about the food but only if done in a positive way that celebrates the food rather than denigrates it.
* Organize structured activities for the students instead of letting them just do whatever they want and hang out with whomever they want. There could be a different activity each day or on just a few days, or an activity could last for just part of recess time, depending on the length of recess. You could have either all students participate or just some take part, depending on the activity. But including the ELLs in these activities, and creating times when the other students have to explain the activity or talk to the ELL in order to do it, can help the ELLs feel more comfortable with their fellow students.
* You could also ask a small group of students to invite the ELL to join them. If you do this, it's best to talk to the native English speakers first about it. They should know that they will probably need to speak a little more slowly than usual and wait a little longer for a response when talking with the ELL since it may take them longer to understand what they're saying.
* If you're on recess duty and you see an ELL by themself, ask them if everything is okay. They may be fine but they may also be shy and not feel comfortable approaching the other kids. You can probably sense if that's the case. If it is, find a student that you know is friendly and kind and ask them to help you out by playing with the ELL; you can give them ideas for simple activities to do together. Introduce the students to each other and tell the ELL that this other student has a game (or whatever) they'd like the ELL to do with them.

c) Take advantage of any interludes you may find in the day's schedule. Before and after school, as well as homeroom, are good examples.
* If feasible, set up a before-school program that helps kids with their homework. Focus on the ELLs but also allow other students to participate. Such a program helps the ELLs with their schoolwork and, with the inclusion of native English-speakers, helps foster interaction between students. My about the program I set up will give you some ideas about how to implement this.
* During homeroom in the morning, you can design quick and easy speaking activities for your class. For example, put a question on a whiteboard or send it to students' devices, and tell them to discuss it with a classmate. You can structure it more by specifying that students have to talk to someone they don't know very well or haven't talked to yet that day, to increase the chance of different students talking to the ELL each day.
* If it is practical, you can also try to implement an after-school program that is open to all students. It could be a homework help program or some sort of social activity. Encourage the ELLs to participate by sending home information to their families. However, an after-school program only makes sense if transportation home is provided for the students.

It can take a long time to make friends if no one makes an effort to help ELLs do that. Eventually I made some friends in each of the schools I attended but if my teachers had done any of the suggestions recommended above, I probably would've made friends more quickly. I hope these suggestions help your ELLs make friends in their schools!

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How to Help Your English Language Learners Make Friends in School

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What are some challenges English Learners have in making friends at school? This blog post explains, then offers suggestions on what teachers can do.

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The Role Administrators Play in Creating Exemplary ESL Programs

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The Role Administrators Play in Creating Exemplary ESL Programs

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This article explains the importance of the role an administrator plays in creating ESL programs. It also lists ways they can support their teachers training in those ESL programs.

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The Role Administrators Play in Creating Exemplary ESL Programs | The International Educator (TIE Online)

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Administrators are often unaware of the key role they play in developing and maintaining ESL programs at their schools. In fact, their level of involvement is o

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This article lists many ways an educator can support an ELL. However, under the "Provide opportunities for interaction" section, there is a list of ways other students can help scaffold ELLs. These ways, such as small group role plays and group projects, help ELLs learn while making social connections.

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What Principles Can Do To Create a Supportive Environment

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What Principles Can Do To Create a Supportive Environment

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This blog post gives a detailed look at how principles and/or administrators can create an inclusive and supportive environment for ELs. It also points out how they can lead their staff to collaborate to best support their ELs.

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Rising immigration trends are creating an influx of students learning English as a second language in US schools. However, statistics show that students in ESL programs often underperform when compared to their peers. This shows a problem in the education system that needs to be immediately addressed. In two decades, ESL students are projected to comprise more than one‐third of the student population in US public schools. Thus, the importance of improving their education will not diminish any time soon.
The principal's responsibility is to address the needs of struggling students. But what can a principal do? First, all principals need a clear perspective on their schools. Great principles ask themselves specific questions:
These questions may be used in addressing the struggling ESL students, as the general performance of the school impacts them just as much, if not more, than other students. The key to ESL student success is in supporting both the programs and the teachers involved. Teachers need the backing of district and school leaders to provide appropriate educational opportunities for their students.

Experts at Education Northwest note that once educators commit to meeting the needs of ESL students, they discover that working collectively on broad efforts produces the best results. It's up to the principals to enforce policies that guide the efforts of teachers and students on the road of success.

Set High Expectations at the Start of the Year

Great principals establish fair, reasonable, and clear expectations at the beginning of the school year. Expectations lead to a sense of accountability and encouragement for both students and teachers. Follow the guidelines you have set consistently throughout the year, while being flexible and making educated modifications when necessary.

Why the beginning of the school year is best

The beginning of the year is the ideal time to set expectations and create a plan for both teachers and students to address the specific learning needs of English language learners.. As no one has yet had a negative experience in the classroom, both parties will be more open to new ideas and commitments. Install confidence when your staff and students first step into the building!

Set a research-backed plan, outline and discuss it with your teachers. The effects of ambitious planning may surprise you. In fact, language acquisition consultant from a Colorado school district, Candy Hyatt, held such an experiment in a number of schools with ESL programs, focusing on setting clear and expectations for teachers and students early in the year. Over time, she noticed that teachers' thinking about their ESL students shifted. Teachers began to understand that they could deliver high-level instruction to ELLs, as long as they provided the necessary instruction and support. Teachers felt encouraged and hopeful about the accomplishments of their students.

Choosing the right plan for ESL teachers and students

When it comes to strategies for teaching ESL students, there are many research-backed options. Set a mode of instruction that has been proven to work. When you make student learning the number-one priority, the culture of high expectations will take hold.

For example, according to a study on student learning, differentiated instruction is most successful, especially for teaching non English speaking students:

" Differentiated instruction is not the same as individualized instruction. Every student is not learning something different; they are all learning the same thing, but in different ways. And every student does not need to be taught individually; differentiating instruction is a matter of presenting the same task in different ways and at different levels, so that all students can approach it in their own ways."

It's crucial to not allow teachers to "help" students that are struggling with the language. Of course, it's a challenging task, as teachers tend to sympathize with those students, often giving them less-demanding tasks to ease the workload. However, this practice leads to those students not meeting the set expectations (of both school and state standards). Thus, as part of the year plan, principals must communicate to teachers their belief that ESL students, with appropriate instruction, can succeed in learning content that may challenge them.

Another part of high expectations is creating opportunities for ELLs to participate in Talented & Gifted programs, Advanced Placement (AP) courses, and the entire scope of extracurricular activities. This must occur even before the students are fully proficient in English. Principals can manage the course schedule to avoid conflicts between specialized and extracurricular classes and required ESL courses.

Welcome the families of English learners

Parental involvement is a known key to student success. However, when you have a group of parents who are unfamiliar with either the language or the school culture, oftentimes both, the issue becomes apparent. Many administrators and teachers do not know how to communicate with parents who do not speak English and who are not familiar with U.S. school practices, but it is still important for schools to engage them.

Principals can absolutely help. For example, ensuring a constant mode of communication with the parents translated into their native language is an effective solution. This may include translated school notes sent home and interpreters at events. Take advantage of community volunteers for this task!

Include parents of ESL students in the education of their children.

According to recent research on parent engagement, when parents of ESL students become actively involved in the education of their children, those students will attend school more regularly, be less likely to drop out, and reach greater academic achievements. The benefits also include less behavioral problems. So, what can principals do to reap those benefits in their schools?

First, we need to distinguish between "Parent Involvement" vs. "Parent Engagement." Both are inherently important for including parents in the education of their children and it's crucial to understand them. In their book Building Parent Engagement in Schools, Larry Ferlazzo and Lorie Hammond designate an important difference between parent involvement and parent engagement.

Parent involvement, by their definition, starts with the school and its leaders: "The ideas and energy come from the schools and government mandates. Schools try to 'sell' their ideas to parents. School staff and public institutions might feel they know what the problems are and how to fix them, and determine the criteria to use in evaluating success."

Parent engagement, on the other hand, starts as a responsibility of the parents themselves: "Ideas are elicited from parents by school staff in the context of developing trusting relationships. They emerge from parent/community needs and priorities. More parent energy drives the efforts."

Parents create an opportunity for a sustainable approach for planning numerous events, and the extra responsibilities that come with their execution. The more parents are given opportunities to organize activities and programs that help their children, the more invested they will be in the success of those projects. Think of your ELL parents as a team waiting to be mobilized!

Outreach activities for ESL families

Outreach activities that bring parents to the school the families feel like they are wanted in the community. Some strategies that principals may use to encourage and accommodate parents include working with parents' schedules, providing child supervision and transportation, and including extended family members. Some schools even offer - such as family literacy programs and educational opportunities for adults ESL classes for adults. Adult education provides important benefits: It creates a sense of comfort for parents coming into the school and allows them to become more engaged with their children's education.

Non-ESL students may also create a welcoming environment for new families and their children. Here are some strategies to help prepare other students to welcome ESL students into the school:

Teach students a few words of the native languages of your ELs and use them!

Ask bilingual parents to prepare cultural demonstrations in classrooms (including food from the specific culture always helps!)

Consider posting pictures and maps from your students' home countries around classrooms.

Provide English learner-focused professional development to all teachers

Professional development for ESL teachers has moved beyond 'just good teaching.' In order to prepare all teachers for working with the increasing number of ESL students in the US, researchers have explored what teachers need to know and pointed out that what has been done before is not enough. There is more to consider beyond just the methods and strategies of teaching English.

Professional development model for ESL

The researchers have suggested a systematic and cohesive professional development model that included the following features:

Focus on specific knowledge and applications of English language, linguistics, language acquisition and cultural implications

Inclusion of regular classroom teachers in training of understanding language and cultural domains in teaching ESL students

Full exploration of language and culture as a goal of instruction

An important emphasis of the study is the inclusion of general ed teachers into the process. Since many ESL students receive most of their instruction from non-ESL classroom teachers, those teachers need to know how to scaffold instruction appropriately. Research also shows that for example, makes a difference. Working in small groups with plenty of using visuals to convey ideas and providing graphic organizers, opportunities for conversation gives ESL students language practice. While some teachers may routinely use these and other techniques, others do not. It's always good practice to teach and positively reinforce effective techniques.

The importance of teacher collaboration

Another study on the roles of ESL specialists in schools revealed positive effects of collaboration between ESL and general teachers:

One ESL administrator in the study stated- "[ESL teachers] should be calibrating with the classroom teachers pretty closely to align with what they're working on to pre-teach or re-teach what the students are working on in the [regular] classrooms. Our ESL teachers are going to grade level team meetings and offering input and intervening at that stage of the preparation process, and then hopefully our next step would be to be more inclusive."

Another ESL administrator reported that, "The ESL teacher is, at this point in time, working more with the general education teacher in a more team setting."

In fact, it is important to provide training for all staff members interact with your ESL students. This may include support staff, secretaries, custodians, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, as well as security. The culture of your ESL students must to be respected outside of the classroom. Make sure that the bus, the hallways, cafeteria and playground are all part of the support system. Schoolwide professional development can build a shared understanding of the students' needs and provide a commitment to instructional practices that support them.

Inclusive ESL professional development

A restructuring of ESL professional development to include all teachers will help the faculty provide high-quality ESL instruction across the curriculum. But you, as the principal, don't have to do it alone - vast research has been conducted to provide a professional development toolkit for instructors of English learners.

The English Learner Tool Kit by the Office of English Language Acquisition is set to help state and local education agencies meet their obligations to ELLs. This toolkit contains guidelines for implementing effective professional development for both ESL and general education teachers and includes a framework for supporting ELLs.

It's important to build on the relationships your students already have in the school to not only help the individual student, but use it as technique for professional development. The proof is in the psychology. Clinical psychologist Kirke H. Olson makes a suggestion on improving teacher training using neuroscience:

" The student-teacher relationship is the key to helping your teachers. Pick a student that has a good relationship with the teacher and use him or her as an example over the span of several weeks or even a full school year. The feeling generated by the teacher-student connection will help keep the teacher motivated and make the new learning stick. Although it seems you are narrowly focused on one student, the methods the teacher learns will generalize. Brain science teaches us that repetition and emotional valence help memory."

Offer a better way for general ed teachers to collaborate with ESL teachers and specialists

To make the above strategies work, one factor holds the most importance - time. Educators across the U.S. struggle to divide time between student education and staff development. According to one ESL administrator, "Most of the day, ESL specialists are trying to make their schedules work to offer the quality instruction ELLs deserve with the limited time they have to work with them."

Another ESL administrator mentioned that ESL teachers and specialists are limited in their influence on the instructional model, particularly at the secondary level due to the nature of the schedule. These statements imply that both parties have limited agency in making decisions about school-based instructional schedules and the quantity of instruction that ESL students receive. This poses a major problem, as these professionals know the needs of ESL students best.

School management software may be one solution

How can you empower ESL teachers and specialists to have more authority over their time and scheduling, while still accomplishing the necessary tasks? A part of the solution may include using software that manages scheduling, along with other tasks that eases the workload of teachers.

By allowing Your Agora to handle class scheduling, grading and lesson planning, ESL teachers will have more time to collaborate with general ed teachers, share insights about individual students, and make sure that the provided instruction is aligned in meaningful ways without being repetitive. Your Agora is the perfect teaching platform that utilizes tools and sophisticated software to optimize ESL instruction.

Take care of your teachers and students by using Your Agora in your ESL program!

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Tips For Teaching English Language Learners: What Principals Can Do to Create a Supportive Environment

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Research shows effective strategies that allow principals to directly and positively influence struggling ESL students - policy, teacher collaboration and careful scheduling all play a major role in student success. Small changes in various areas of the school can make a real difference.

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How to Create a Welcoming Classroom Environment for ELLs

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How to Create a Welcoming Classroom Environment for ELLs

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Creating a welcoming environment for ELLs can be accomplished by both the teacher and the other students. This article describes ways to do just that so that ELLs feel supported.

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

This will:

increase their confidence

make them feel more comfortable in the class

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

Here's how you can get started!

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

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

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

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

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

Acceptance: ELLs may gradually accept their different surroundings.

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

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

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

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

Learn more from the following:

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

Getting to Know Students

Learn how to pronounce students' names correctly

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

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

Build relationships with students

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

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

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

Video: Showing students you care

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

Identify students' strengths and interests

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

build rapport

engage students in learning

find connections with new friends.

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

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

Video: Using parent letters to get to know my students

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

Ensure that students have information about activities and clubs

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

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

Welcoming Students' Language and Culture

Invite students' cultures into the classroom

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

Invite students and families to:

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

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

share information about important holidays or celebrations.

Looking beyond the classroom

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

What do you see on the walls?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

See more ideas in the following:

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

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

Invite students' languages into the classroom

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

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

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

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

Learn more about the resources available in students' home languages

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

Language access for multilingual families

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

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

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

Video: Language Access for Multilingual Families

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

Ensure your students see themselves reflected in the classroom

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

classroom materials and library

lesson plans and activities

classroom visuals (both in-person and virtual).

In addition:

Success in the Classroom

Encourage your students

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

Assign a buddy

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

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

Ask the class how they can help welcome new students

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

Be vigilant about health issues, dietary concerns, and allergies

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

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

Keep an eye out for signs of culture shock

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

Encourage students to take ownership of the classroom culture

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

How can I be a good classmate to others?

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

To support ELLs in their discussions of these questions:

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

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

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

Create a shared set of classroom expectations together

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

Brainstorm ideas on possible class rules based on that discussion.

Streamline the list of class guidelines or rules.

Add any rules or guidelines that are missing.

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

Post the final list classroom rules in the classroom.

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

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

Help your ELLs understand expectations for the classroom

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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How to Create a Welcoming Classroom Environment for ELLs

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

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10 Strategies for Communicating with ELL Families

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10 Strategies for Communicating with ELL Families

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This list is a great checklist for ESL teachers and administrators in how they communicate with EL student's families. It also gives great ideas of how to build relationships with those families to create meaningful relationships to help students.

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Four Steps for Strengthening Your EL Program

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Four Steps for Strengthening Your EL Program

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These are four steps in how an administrator can create an inclusive and effective english language learning program in schools. This includes how administrators can support their ESL teachers and their EL students.

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The end of the school year is an ideal time for administrators and leaders of English Learner (EL) programs to self-assess and revise initial instructional goals with a focus on improving outcomes for ELs. This period offers an opportunity to revisit initial plans and revise them for next year according to and considering student needs, assessment data, program evaluations and teacher feedback, as well as to plan professional development for the upcoming year.

For those administrators working alongside teacher leaders to ensure full and thorough implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and other college- and career-ready standards, the changes brought about by the new standards offer an additional opportunity to make EL programming more effective and bring ESOL specialists into a more intentional planning and leadership role. This blog post features four recommended steps for administrators to strengthen their English language programs in the greater context of more rigorous academic standards.

Four First Steps for Administrators to Strengthen Their English Language Programs

These steps can help administrators fill in gaps and strengthen areas of their English language programs. As administrators plan for next year's instruction and professional development, here are some questions they can use for reflection:

1. Know your EL and teacher population - both collectively and individually: What do administrators need to know about their EL population, staff members who provide instruction for ELs, and model(s) of EL instruction provided in their buildings?

2. Know the curriculum: What are some ways teachers can collect evidence of student progress, both content knowledge and English language development, and articulate that progress to administrators, parents and other stakeholders?

3. Include all data: What actions can administrators take to assure success of English learners? If performance data is collected and analyzed, is English language proficiency data being included? Are both informal and formal language assessments being evaluated and discussed? In not, what's needed to include them?

4. Clearly define best practice for ELs: What considerations should administrators be more aware of when evaluating teachers of ELs? What support do administrators need to recognize and look for best practices for ELs at various levels of English development?

The following information offers more detail on these steps and where administrators can begin their own reflections.

1. Know your EL and teacher population - both collectively and individually

Your students: "I have 60 students identified as English learners," one principal told me recently. Knowing the number of ELs in the building is a start, but being able to delve deeper into the initial question of "tell me about your EL population" is crucial. I recommend administrators not only know the number of students identified as English learners but also know:

the process of how those students are identified and screened for language proficiency

how students are offered support and how parents and families are part of that process.

the number of ELs across all grade levels in their buildings

the number of monitored students (those who have reached proficiency)

home languages spoken by ELs

if the ELs are immigrants, refugees, or long-term ELs

the number of students dually identified as an EL and with a disability.

Getting to know students and their families individually is equally as important. Knowing if students have obligations outside of school such as work or family responsibilities can also shed light on a student's academic performance. The numbers of ELs are continuously changing as students move in or out of communities; therefore, it is important to regularly ask for and be notified of updates. The ESL teacher is a good resource for collecting and updating demographic and student achievement data.

Your staff: In addition, knowing the staff members in your building who are already endorsed or licensed to teach English as a Second Language is crucial to assure those students have access to knowledgeable teachers. In some cases the teachers with coursework in teaching ELs or second language acquisition do not have ELs assigned to them. This can be very detrimental to students and can also be frustrating for teachers; unfortunately it happens across all grade levels and content areas inadvertently. Knowledge of your teaching staff's interest in becoming endorsed or licensed to teach ELs is important for short and long term planning.

Reaching out to institutes of higher education and community organizations to express interest in partnering to develop teachers' expertise in ESL is also encouraged. There may be grant funds available to schools with linguistically diverse and/or high poverty populations that would financially support in-service teacher education. For example, the Braitmayer Foundation recently awarded TESOL International Association funding to develop pilot professional development to assist schools in implementing the CCSS for ELs. By having a better understanding of your EL population, more strategic outreach and beneficial partnerships can be established and maintained.

2. Know the curriculum

Being well-versed in curriculum, curriculum maps, curriculum guides, and assessments (including any rubrics) for all grade levels is imperative, as is having knowledge of what is expected to be taught and assessed by teachers and mastered by all students, including ELs. By having a deep familiarity with what students are expected to learn, administrators have the opportunity to support all teachers and support personnel who work closely with linguistically diverse learners by creating a school community in which ELs' language, culture and differentiated instruction are valued.

For example, in a recent professional development session I facilitated, teachers compared and contrasted their district writing rubrics with the WIDA writing rubric. The goal was to create more support for the district's writing initiative by increasing awareness of effectively assessing the writing of ELs. Teachers being able to see where overlap existed on these two sets of writing rubrics and also distinct differences was an enlightening experience. In this case, the area of focus was related to an area emphasized in the Common Core, which made it even more relevant to teachers to include time to evaluate how writing is taught and assessed and the implications of writing instruction for ELs.

3. Include all data

I've been in schools that have had elaborate data walls including color-coded bar and line graphs, pictographs etc. - but any data related to the EL population was missing (see 1. Know your students). Although it could be assumed that the ELs are included with the general population, having a display of EL proficiency data and student progress towards meeting proficiency and meeting other state mandated assessments would be extremely beneficial. This inclusion of data unique to ELs also aids in the sense of a shared responsibility to teach ELs. This data can then be used to identify areas of student strength as well as areas that need attention, come up with a list of professional development topics, and look for patterns that might not be immediately apparently. For example, I recently learned of a school in Baltimore with a high number of Mexican families that noticed that a disproportionate number of EL students were being placed in special education classes after taking an assessment administered in Spanish. The numbers were suspiciously high, so after some further digging, the school learned that many students and families spoke a third language - Mixtec - more frequently than Spanish and that the Spanish-language assessment wasn't an appropriate tool to be using. Their data not only helped them catch that error but also enabled them to learn more about Mixtec and how it shaped students' language patterns.

Another facet of sharing EL data is to be aware of and be able to communicate your district's Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives (AMAO) data. Don't assume that you school community understands these calculations and how their work with ELs contributes to meeting these objectives. As part of professional learning communities focused on ELs, including time to learn about AMAOs is recommended.

4. Clearly Define Best Practice for ELs

This may not be as easy as it sounds, but it is important for the school to speak a shared language when it comes to how ELs are being taught and how all staff members fit into that picture. Be prepared to articulate what you understand best practices to be, and include your staff in these discussions. You may wish to ask your EL teachers for guidance, training, and professional development on this topic. Being able to agree upon what these practices are and how they'll be clearly demonstrated and communicated across school communities is important.

For example, informal observations have typically been used to capture instructional practice across all learning environments. Teams of educators that usually include administrators and teachers participate in what have been referred to as focus walks, learning walks, data walks, walk-throughs etc. Yet if the individuals doing the observations are not well-versed in what best practices for special populations such as ELs or students with disabilities look like, they may not understand what they are seeing and whether or not it's effective. Consider revising these visits to include best practices for ELs and including everyone who will be handling observations in conversations about what those best practices look like. When reviewing the criteria used to informally assess the instruction of ELs, it is important to be specific enough to capture evidence of what is happening.

Another example is the the term "engagement" as it applies to ELs. One question administrators and teachers can ask is, "How do we identify engagement of ELs"? Teachers and administrators should examine the multiple facets of this question to reflect on its three sample components as they pertain to ELs.

Do we notice when ELs are actively engaged and participating in their classroom communities?

If ELs are talking to other students, how do we rate or note the inclusion of academic language in their discussions?

Are ELs answering questions using complex language orally and in writing? If not, how can their engagement be encouraged and supported?

Why It Matters

These four steps are not exhaustive, but they provide a starting point to self-assess your EL program from an administrative/program manager perspective. Once you have a better understanding of your population, staff, curriculum, and approaches to assessment and instruction, your will be able to make sure that your instructional planning, implementation and sustainability meet the needs of teachers and students alike, particularly in aligning it to new systems such as the CCSS.

Remember the ESL team at the school and/or district level is not only valuable in providing the above data and demographics but in helping you target your planning - they will have a strong sense of what students need as well as ideas on how to collaborate more effectively with colleagues that provide instructional support to ELs. ESL professionals are often an under-utilized resource who would welcome the opportunity to be afforded more leadership roles - think of them as your secret weapon!

Closing Thoughts

Leaders of programs serving English language learners must take a reflective approach to improving outcomes for ELs in order to see their students succeed. Taking time to assess what works, what doesn't and how to revise existing plans is an essential component of being an effective leader. Now is the time to refocus teams and highlight student and teacher successes so that your EL program will continue to improve by supporting the academic achievement of ELs.

Related Resources

For related guidance, see the U.S. Department of Education English Learner Toolkit's Chapter 3: Tools and Resources for Supporting an English Learner Program.
For More Information
For more on this topic take a look at WIDA's Essential Actions Handbook, Action 13 Putting Action Into Practice, as well as this Colorín Colorado article by Bright Ideas author Kristina Robertson offering an overview of WIDA's Essential Actions handbook and a step-by-step process for using this tool as part of a professional learning community focused on meeting ELLs' academic language needs.

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Administrators in Action: Four Steps for Strengthening Your EL Program

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The end of the school year is an ideal time for administrators and leaders of English Learner (EL) programs to self-assess and revise initial instructional goals with a focus on improving outcomes for ELs.

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Six Things Principles Can Do To Support Their English Language Learners

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Six Things Principles Can Do To Support Their English Language Learners

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This article gives six ways a principle can best support ELLs. It gives principles and administrators an idea of the top ways they can make sure their ELLs are getting the most out of their school experience.

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Six Things Principals Can Do To Support Their English Language Learners

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While schools in states such as Texas, Arizona, and California have been teaching English learners for generations, the presence of English language learners (ELLs) is a comparatively new phenomenon in the Northwest.

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Are There Peer Effects Associated with Having ELL Classmates?

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Are There Peer Effects Associated with Having ELL Classmates?

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This peer reviewed academic journal discusses the effects of having an ELL in the same classroom as an english speaker. The research is based on standardized test scores of students in kindergarten and first grade.

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Are there peer effects associated with having English Language Learner (ELL) classmates? Evidence from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K)

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Over the past decade, several state and federal policies have directed schools to mainstream English Language Learner (ELL) students into English-only…

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Partner reading can be a great way to have ELLs supported by their peers. As they read, the english speaking student can coach the ELL through the book they are reading together.

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Partner Reading is a cooperative learning strategy in which two students work together to read an assigned text. This strategy is often used as part of the Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS). PALS is a classwide peer tutoring program in which teachers carefully partner a student with a classmate. The Partner Reading strategy allows students to take turns reading and provide each other with feedback as a way to monitor comprehension.

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Partner Reading | Classroom Strategy | Reading Rockets

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Partner Reading is a cooperative learning strategy in which two students work together to read an assigned text. This strategy is often used as part of the Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS). PALS is a classwide peer tutoring program in which teachers carefully partner a student with a classmate.