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This article does not only focus on the impact that SEL can have on a student but also the support that needs to take place. It gives examples of initiatives that school districts can take as a whole to promote SEL and classroom strategies to help students grow socially and emotionally.

This is best practice in that it involves encouraging the student to work on how to regulate their emotions and better understand how to collaborate with others which has show to have positive results for students.

Reference

Breiseth, L. (2023, July 28). 10 strategies for supporting SEL for ells: “Grow as you go.” Colorín Colorado. https://www.colorincolorado.org/article/sel-ell-salina

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One day, as her students were returning to the classroom from a specials class, first-grade teacher Amanda Tokko noticed that a little boy was upset. She asked him if he wanted to talk. He shook his head and walked over to the calm corner that Ms. Tokko had created. It included a hanging canopy, a box of fidget toys, and a book called "The boy looked through the book until he found the page about frustration. After looking at the page for a few moments, he went back to Ms. Tokko and told her he was ready to talk about what had been upsetting him. After a brief conversation, the boy had calmed down and returned to their class activity. I Know What to Do When I Am Feeling..."
At Salina Elementary School in Dearborn, Michigan, these small yet significant moments are happening in classrooms throughout the building thanks to the school's deep commitment to social and emotional learning (SEL).

Salina Elementary is a Title I school whose student population is mostly English language learners (ELLs), many of whom are newcomer immigrants from the war-torn country of Yemen. Since numerous students in the Salina community have experienced family separation, trauma, and hardship related to the war or displacement, the school has long prioritized strong social and emotional supports for its students informed by training in trauma-informed practice.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, however, the school quickly recognized that they needed to further intensify their focus on SEL. Their efforts have yielded school-wide positive results in terms of students' ability to regulate emotions, manage conflict, and focus on their learning.

We had the opportunity to learn more about Salina's approach to SEL through surveys and interviews with the school staff and leaders. The following article highlights some of the reasons SEL is working at Salina and the staff's takeaways about why it matters. You can learn more about Salina from our documentary about the school and related resources below.

School-wide Initiatives

As the Salina staff has embarked on a deeper exploration of SEL within their own professional learning, they have scaled up SEL work they were already doing before the pandemic, integrating it into the classroom more intentionally, while also focusing on the social and emotional well-being of families and staff. This work has included the following:

1. Staff training

School leaders have ensured that the staff has had extensive training related to social-emotional learning, which continues on an ongoing basis. One of the key leaders of this effort has been the school social worker, who has led regularly scheduled professional development sessions on topics such as trauma-informed instruction. This not only provides important information for staff; it also fosters more collaboration between the social worker and teachers.

Principal Sue Stanley writes, "In terms of the school social worker and collaboration, it boils down to a school-wide practice of -- not just a belief in -- collaboration. When true collaboration is present, it is natural for staff to reach out to the social worker for any questions or concerns. The social worker must be viewed as a leader...If the school leader sees it as a priority, the staff will as well." Ms. Stanley notes that the social worker is also part of the school's Multi-Tiered Support System (MTSS) meetings each week where teachers bring students for discussion and support.

2. Calm Classroom

Before COVID-19, the school had implemented the Calm Classroom program based on the recommendation of the social worker, which includes a curriculum that has weekly lessons and teaches students calming practices such as guided meditations. Principal Stanley writes, "Teachers and students start their day with short scenarios, calm breathing and classroom affirmations." Ms. Stanley notes that laying the groundwork around trauma and SEL can lead to meaningful conversations about why the Calm Classroom is important. "It's not hard to implement and takes just a few minutes a day. The results are so powerful," she says.

Ms. Tokko notes that she and her class do Calm Classroom exercises multiple times a day, including at times when the class needs to settle down. She and her students have some favorites, and she does the exercises with the students. She has noticed that the impacts of this program are extending home as well -- her students are teaching their families how to do some of the breathing exercises at home.

Teacher Diana Goodhue mentions the importance of ensuring that all students, including her ELLs, fully understand the activities before starting them. "I do the Calm Classroom activities with them so they see me model it," she says. "Then we stick with the same Calm Classroom for a week at a time so that they get comfortable with it."

3. Books and read-alouds

The school has also made reading a priority in their SEL work. For example, Classroom Book-A-Day is a school initiative that promotes read-alouds in the classroom. Many of the books that teachers read have to do with SEL. Ms. Tokko writes, "I like to read a book in the morning during morning meeting and after lunch to calm students down." Some of the books that Ms. Tokko has used are included in our SEL booklist, and others are listed at the end of the article.

In addition, the school participates in an initiative called "One School One Book," in which all students read a chapter book as a school. For example, when the school read by Katherine Applegate, which is the story about an immigrant girl who moves into a town that is not welcoming, the school planted their own Wishtree and did a dedication with their favorite quote: When things get tough, "stand tall and reach deep." The students then went into the neighborhood and left messages on the doors of their neighbors, focusing on the theme "our differences make beautiful gifts" for the school year.

4. Family engagement

The school also continues to provide regular, ongoing communication in families' languages about things that are happening in class, how families can help their students, and supports such as social services. The school also holds regular family meetings where families have a chance to share their questions and concerns and talk about any challenges they are facing. Just as importantly, the school has figured out how to make its family outreach culturally responsive and align it to families' preferences. For example, in the Salina community, many of the mothers prefer to be in groups that only include other women, and so the school plans family events accordingly.

Classroom Environment

Another priority for the staff is building relationships with students and making them feel welcome. "I try my best to help students build confidence in themselves," says Ms. Tokko. "Our classroom really is a family." Here are some ways the staff is creating a nurturing environment for students.
Dear Students,
You are important.
You are listened to.
You are cared for.
You are respected.
You can be or do
Anything
You put your mind to.
I support you.
You are in a safe place!
Love, Ms. Alhaiki
5. Creating a welcoming classroom

The staff have placed a strong emphasis on creating a welcoming environment, posting notes of encouragement around the school, and getting to know students' interests. For example, teacher Welaya Alhaiki, pictured at the top of this article, has posted the following sign outside of her room:

Other signs around the school promote a sense of community while encouraging students to adopt a growth mindset. Positive messages are almost always in view of students throughout the building.

6. Calm corners

In addition, the leadership team has provided each teacher a small budget to create a calm corner in their classroom. Items include a canopy or tent, a few fidgets, and a special book, like the one Ms. Tokko mentioned above. Teacher Rebecca Rosemary uses her calm-down tent "for students having a hard time with emotions," while Ms. Goodhue reiterates the importance of making sure students know how to use the calm corner. "I demonstrate everything they have to use in the Calm Corner," she says.

Ms. Stanley notes that she used Title funds for the calm corner supplies, but that other parent clubs, program budgets, or SEL projects could also support this kind of initiative. The investment is well-worth it, says Ms. Stanley, especially when compared to what the schools spends on supplies.

Classroom Strategies

At the core of these efforts are the daily strategies that teachers are using to check in with students and help students build their emotional vocabulary. These efforts are integrated throughout the day and are part of students' routines so that they know what to expect and how to ask for help if needed.

7. Daily check-ins

One strategy the staff has been using regularly is student check-ins. These may be through individual conversations or circle time. Ms. Tokko also uses a letter box where students can leave a private note about how they are feeling. Ms. Kdouh does the same. She says, "I have this 'mailbox' in my calm corner with a pack of large sticky notes and a special pen where students who come to the calm corner can draw/write about how they're feeling or why they came to the calm corner. Students fold their note and slip it into my letter box. I check it daily before leaving school and it is locked so no one else can open it except me. Students are aware of this and share their feelings without feeling embarrassed or afraid that a peer might see it. After a student drops a letter in there, I unlock it and remove it so I can help them as soon as possible."

8. Building emotional vocabulary

These practices have also supported creative ways to increase students' communication around emotions and calming practices. For example, the teachers talk about what different feelings might feel like and have set up different ways for students to identify their feelings on a certain day. Ms. Tokko writes, "Students complete this feelings chart (pictured to the left) in the morning and after lunch to let me know how they're feeling and how I can help. The clothespins have their student numbers on the other side but are flipped over for privacy." This way, Ms. Tokko can check in with the students who indicate they are upset.

The teachers also use commonly-used ELL scaffolds to support these resources and strategies. Kindergarten teacher Emily Wagner writes, "We use detailed visuals for emotions and calm-down practices so students know how to follow without knowing the words."

In addition, the social worker also provides SEL lessons to students and teachers look for way to make these connections to curriculum as well.

Celebrations

9. Celebrating successes

The school is also mindful of celebrating successes within the classroom and more broadly in the school. For example, Ms. Tokko has encouraged her students to clap for each other when they achieve positive accomplishments, no matter how small. She writes, "Students are always clapping for their peers' successes by themselves and using positive words in our classroom." (And she says that they clap for any guest who enters the classroom!) Ms. Stanley also notes that SEL goals and achievements will now be included in the school's Celebration Wall in the front office.

Ms. Kdouh has created a family/student picture wall in her classroom.

Ms. Goodhue gives each student a "spotlight week" where they take home a poster and a pack of crayons to fill out about themselves. Ms. Goodhue writes, "Their poster is put in the hall for the week and they get to share it with the class. This gives them a chance to share things that are important to them and their family. It also gives parents a chance to help."

10. Celebrating families in the classroom

In addition, the staff at Salina are also actively partnering with families around SEL activities in the classroom. Some of their efforts include the following ideas:

The school is also brainstorming ways to highlight these activities as part of family engagement this year so that families can continue to support SEL at home.

SEL in Action: Photos from Salina

Ms. Kdouh: "Students enjoy coming to school and don't feel uncomfortable or scared."

Ms. Goodhue: "Many students have taken charge of their own mental health, taking breaks when needed, asking for help when they need to, and working on communicating with friends when there are issues."

Ms. Wagner: "Student self-regulation has improved, and students are able to guide themselves through calming practices. Students think more deeply about their emotional state and can identify ways to help themselves feel better."

Ms. Rosemary: "I am seeing fewer abrupt meltdowns in the classroom, and students are able to have more of a discussion when they are having strong feelings."

Ms. Tokko: "I have been able to instill empathy and compassion in our classroom. Students also have respect for me as well as their peers because I have showed them that I have respect for them as well. Students are more eager to learn and listen....and I try my best to help students build confidence in themselves."

Principal Stanley: "I am amazed at the gains we are making in behavior...The overall impact on the SEL focus is the safe space that is created in our school. This space is here for everyone. The comment that everyone makes when they walk into Salina is that it has such beautiful energy. That can only be achieved by everyone in the building feeling that way. The positive energy is there because everyone, both big and small are emitting it.

Impacts of SEL and Lessons Learned

Ms. Kdouh: "There is no one size fits all. All students convey emotions in a different way. This is why I use more than one SEL strategy."

Ms. Rosemary: "The importance of how SEL can help within other aspects of the school day."

Ms. Wagner: "Students are very responsive to routine, and SEL can easily fit into the academic routine."

Ms. Tokko: "Being calm in the classroom goes a long way. I have a student who is sensitive to loud noises. Incorporating Calm Classroom and creating a stress-free environment is crucial. Also, building a classroom community full of respect, trust, and confidence helps academics. SEL is the foundation...Students need social and emotional learning in order to succeed."

Ms. Goodhue: "It doesn't take a lot of effort to make it work. A little bit goes a long way to helping a lot of kids. You can grow as you go."

When asked what the impact of these efforts have had on students, teachers' responses are overwhelmingly positive. Here are what the teachers who completed our survey had to say:

We also asked teachers to share their lessons learned about SEL. Here's what they shared:

Support from Leadership

Shown appreciation and emotional support for teachers and students

Given staff opportunities to show their appreciation for each other

Provided opportunities for staff to build community through activities such as sharing a favorite photo with colleagues

Modeled the practices that are highlighted

Supported collaboration among team members and with social workers

"Tried to keep up staff morale even through a rough school year with the pandemic"

As noted throughout the article, this strong emphasis on SEL is made possible through direct and ongoing support from the school leadership team. From the teachers' perspectives, they shared that direct feedback, training, and dedicated time and resources for SEL were key ways in which school leaders were supporting their efforts in SEL.

The staff also note that the leaders have:

Ms. Tokko writes, "Our principal is like our cheerleader. She is always there for the teachers and staff and helping us get through the toughest times, especially during this pandemic."

For her part, Ms. Stanley knows that what she does matters, not only in terms of the support and resources she provides but also in terms of her example and priorities. She writes, "We will collectively discuss how to move students forward rather than 'catching up.' As a leader, I know I must model that behavior for staff as well. Teachers feel continual pressure to fit all the academics in.

"While we understand students cannot learn until they feel safe and connected, that takes time. I will continually be the reassurer and voice for that. I will commit to creating that same type of environment for them through thoughtful and intentional planning. And as their leader, I will be standing shoulder to shoulder with them and reminding them of this every step of the way."

Videos

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

Principal Sue Stanley: When loud noises in school cause post-traumatic stress

A warm welcome for immigrant families in the front office

Norieah Ahmed, the Child Accounting Secretary at Salina Elementary School in Dearborn, MI, talks about her role in welcoming newcomer immigrant families to the school from the moment they walk in the door.

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

Meet Dr. Rola Bazzi-Gates, a special education coordinator for Dearborn Public Schools and Michigan's 2016 Social Worker of the Year. Learn how her personal experience living through conflict helped prepare her to support students and families today.

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10 Strategies for Supporting SEL for ELLs: "Grow As You Go"

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One day, as her students were returning to the classroom from a specials class, first-grade teacher Amanda Tokko noticed that a little boy was upset. She asked him if he wanted to talk. He shook his head and walked over to the calm corner that Ms. Tokko had created.

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This article discusses an interview with a professor and author, Dr. Brisk. In the article, we hear about key points made in her book and how she can relate as a former ELL in a school setting. She provides examples and ideas of how an educator can consider different cultures represented in the classroom.

This article represents best practice because research shows that by providing an environment where students feel understood and secure they are more likely to do well academically.

Reference

Language and culture in ell education. (2015, December 1). Colorín Colorado. https://www.colorincolorado.org/article/language-and-culture-ell-education#:~:text=Issues%20of%20culture%20are%20very,like%20children%20writing%20personal%20narratives.

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Dr. Maria E. Brisk is a professor in the Lynch School of Education at Boston College. She also heads BC's Title III-Project ALL program and its efforts to equip all pre- and in-service teachers with the knowledge and practical experience they need to serve the increasing number of ELLs in schools across the country. Dr. Brisk has published five books and many articles and book chapters on the subject of teaching linguistically and culturally diverse students.

A native of Argentina, Dr. Brisk is editor of Language, Culture, and Community in Teacher Education, a book that addresses common educational needs among all ELL students. Dr. Brisk recently spoke with Colorín Colorado about the book and the status of ELL education in America.

How did the idea for this book come about?

I was the chair of a multicultural committee at AACTE (the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education), and they were beginning to become more involved with the education of ELLs, which is one of the reasons they asked me to be on the committee.

I suggested that the main area they should focus on should be mainstream teachers because ESL and bilingual teachers already have a lot of knowledge and support in this area.

How has your background as a non-native English speaker influenced your work?

I've had an interest in bilingualism since forever. I had majored in English in Argentina, and I came to the States to study language. I did a Masters in linguistics at Georgetown and my Ph.D. at the University of New Mexico. That's where I started working with bilingual education.

For 25 years, I prepared bilingual and ESL teachers, and for the past eight years, I've been working with mainstream teachers.

In Boston, schools have anywhere from 30 to 80% of kids who have a language background other than English. My area of interest is literacy, particularly writing, and lately I've been working a lot on how to help teachers teach writing and how to teach kids the academic writing that schools require.

What's the biggest difference between your book and others on the subject?

One of the unique features of this book is the notion that bilingual children are any children who speak a variant of English that's not what's considered "standard" English. We have a chapter on deaf children, and we recognize American Sign Language as a second language. We have a chapter on African American children, or, for instance, children who come from the Caribbean, who speak English only, but it may not be standard English.

So the notion is that if those children are considered bilingual then the language they bring with them is to be respected. It's not a question that they speak bad English, and we're going to correct them, but you show them when it's appropriate to use their own English and when it would not be.

What would be considered an appropriate use of another language or non-standard English?

When they are working with a group in the classroom, maybe solving a problem among themselves, they can use their own English or another language. It's perfectly acceptable for children to converse that way socially, but when the teacher asks them to report their solution to the class or they're going to write a report about the problem they're solving, you want to encourage them to use the standard form because it's the language used in more formal situations. You make them notice the difference.

So you teach the children about context?

That's one of the things I teach the teachers: that the type of language used needs to be guided by the context. If they are writing poetry or writing a letter to a friend who uses the same variant of English, that's an acceptable use of the language.

Can you give an example?

We had an activity in which a fourth grade teacher told the children to write a letter to a friend about their first week in fourth grade; then they were to write one to their mothers and then one to the President of the United States. All were about their first week of fourth grade.

They got into a rich discussion about the differences between the letters. The structure, salutation, signature, and tone were all different for each letter, and they understood that they were all right, but because of the context, they were different.

Children need to preserve their identity and not feel bad about using a language other than English. They have a better chance to learn to the standard if their language is respected. As a teacher, if you reject their language, they're going to reject the language you present to them. That's the way the world is. And we need to make teachers recognize that.

Is there anything that teachers might find surprising in your book?

The emphasis on the fact that good teaching is not enough is an interesting part of the book. You also have to recognize the importance of language and culture.

For instance, when we are covering the teaching of reading, there is so much emphasis on phonics. But the bilingual children need first to learn vocabulary. Phonics doesn't matter if they don't know the words.

So how do you teach phonics?

They can learn the principles of phonics through their own language and apply them to the other language.

How can culture affect good teaching?

Issues of culture are very important. For instance, some cultures don't like their children to read stories that have morals in school because they may not agree with the morals or because they want to teach morals themselves.

Or, some cultures don't like children writing personal narratives. They don't think that's academic material, so they feel that's not what schools are there to do.

Also in writing, different cultures organize text in different ways. Here, we tend to put the main idea at the beginning of a paragraph. Other cultures may put that at the end.

One should never generalize, of course, but one has to be aware of those kinds of issues.

Can you think of a specific example of this?

I was working with a first-grade teacher, and she had a little boy she wanted to conference with. But he wouldn't talk to her at all. I said, "Don't do it one-to-one, bring another student and let them talk with each other about what you want to conference with him about." This kid came from a culture that was not used to kids interacting with adults, but it was OK when there was another kid there.

Having a conference with children is considered good teaching in our culture, but if you don't bring the element of their culture in, it might not work for you. So sometimes you have to revise the culture of teaching to be more successful.

What's the best way for teachers to learn about the cultural differences that will affect their teaching?

When you have kids of many different cultures, it becomes difficult, but with time, you begin to acquire the knowledge you need. There are usually people in the community who can help you.

What other resources might be available to teachers?

They can talk to the parents, although they may not be able to because of language barriers, or there might be a relative or a friend who can help bridge the conversation. If you want to, there are always ways to do it.

As you have more practice, you'll get more knowledge. The thing to be careful about is not to stereotype, because there are always differences, too.

What's a good way for a teacher to start the process of understanding a culture?

One of my first experiences when I started working with teachers was to ask "Why don't you send a questionnaire home to see what languages they speak at home and where they're from?"

That just opened the door. This teacher thought she only had two ELLS, but two-thirds of her class spoke a different language at home. Kids in elementary school pick up the oral language very quickly, so sometimes teachers don't know that a different language is spoken at home. For this teacher, it is a very good thing for her to know that she has so many kids who speak another language at home. Before, the kids wouldn't talk to her, but because she showed interest, they became very enthusiastic.

Did other teachers in the school do this too?

A fourth-grade math teacher took it on as a project, and they sent the questionnaire to the whole school. They made charts and graphs. The school had no idea that they had 20 different languages spoken at home.

What's a key point in your book that would be most helpful for teachers?

That the language used in literacy needs to be taught very specifically.

This is important because 90% or more of teachers are native speakers of English and are middle class, literate people. They have internalized standard English, and they don't realize that kids don't know it or how to use it.

But if you teach it more directly, the children have a better chance of learning what they're supposed to do, and they will do better in the requirements of school.

How do teachers teach language more specifically?

The project that I've been doing for the past couple of years is taking persuasive writing or fictional narratives or personal narratives and breaking them into components. Teachers can talk about what kind of expectations they have. What kind of structure should the writing have? What form of verb tenses should be used?

The teacher can talk about differences. A report might use the present tense. History would use the past tense. You just tell them what's expected. Teachers have found the idea of being more specific very, very useful.

How do content teachers incorporate these ideas into their teaching?

All content areas need a consciousness about language and culture. In math, for instance, you have to pay attention to prepositions. A student might understand what "divide" means, but if the problem uses "into" instead of "divide," they might not understand what they are being asked to do.

In science, I was looking at the results of some of the written science text of fourth graders. The students had been asked to write up a procedure from an experiment. They were to set up the experiment and then write up the procedure for someone to do it.

When you write procedures, you have to use imperatives like "Put the seed in the soil." I saw that the child who got the highest grade was the one who used imperatives. The one who got the lowest grade used a future tense like "I will water the plant."

As literate adults, we know that you don't use that tense when you're writing procedures because the person doesn't realize you are giving them instructions; however, there's no reason why the kids would know that. If you teach them that, though, they understand. But the teacher needs to know to teach that. And not only the teacher needs to know, but teachers who are preparing the teachers need to know that, too.

How do you deal with faculty development in your book?

The last piece of the book is related to faculty development, because that's the beginning of the spiral. How are we going to prepare teachers if the faculty themselves don't know these things?

Most of the pre-service teachers don't realize what they will face in the schools. As students themselves, most didn't have bilingual children as classmates so they're not really aware of the issues.

But ELLs are not just in the urban areas anymore. They are in suburban and rural areas, too. We send our pre-service teachers into the field very early on, and as soon as they go into the field, they come back asking lots of questions.

What do you think is missing from your book?

I think there's not as much emphasis on culture because culture and multicultural research have been covered much more in other books. We thought the element of language was the most ignored, so, on purpose, we made language the main emphasis of the book.

How do you think the current political climate affects what you are trying to do?

My experience is that the teachers have the will to do the best they can for the kids. The political agenda increases the stress in schools and in communities and in parents. It doesn't make anybody's life any easier, and it also allows for those who have prejudice to be much more open about it.

But to talk about narrowing the achievement gap, if we don't do more about teaching the language the kids need and respecting the languages they have, I don't think the schools will get anywhere in teaching the kids what they need to get ahead.

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Dr. Maria E. Brisk is a professor in the Lynch School of Education at Boston College. She also heads BC's Title III-Project ALL program and its efforts to equip all pre- and in-service teachers with the knowledge and practical experience they need to serve the increasing number of ELLs in schools across the country.

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This website is provided by the Department of Education and provides a toolkit for educators. It helps assist them in getting started with using technology in the classroom which will help educate our ELLs.

This is best practice in that we are promoting the education and growth of all students and using the necessary resources to help them accomplish their goals.

Reference

Edtech for English learners. (2019, June 20). Office of Educational Technology. https://tech.ed.gov/edtech-english-learner-toolkits/

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U.S. Department of Education data show that English learners in grades K-12 in U.S. public schools in the 2015-16 school year numbered over five million students-about 10 percent of all enrolled students-and that roughly three-fourths of public school districts included students who are English learners. Many teachers, including those in small and rural districts, have one or more English learners in their classrooms-or soon will-and these teachers often use technology when instructing their English learners.

In other words, educators and technologists alike should be approaching EdTech with English learners' unique needs in mind. To help them do that, the U.S. Department of Education has developed toolkits that clarify what you should know, what you should ask, and what you should consider doing when it comes to using or building EdTech to support English learners.

The toolkit for educators offers five guiding principles for educators to apply in exploring new ways of working with and supporting their English learners through technology, starting with recognizing their students' unique needs and thinking through to the best technologies to help meet those needs.

The toolkit for EdTech developers provides guidance on the needs of English learners and their educators; supports to consider including with your product that may be especially useful for English learners; ways to communicate about products with districts and educators of English learners to facilitate adoption of your products; and the types of professional development and training activities that educators find most valuable.

Additionally, the U.S. Department of Education's Policy and Program Studies Service conducted a study on how districts and teachers support English learners through technology. The study collected data during the 2016─17 school year through a nationally representative survey of districts that enrolled English learners, a teacher survey that included both mainstream teachers and English learner specialists, and case studies of six districts to provide more in-depth information about district and teacher practices. Findings cover how districts and teachers identified digital learning resources (DLRs), how teachers used DLRs, supports for and barriers to DLR use, and suggestions for improving the usefulness of DLRs in instruction of English learners.

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EdTech for English Learners - Office of Educational Technology

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Expanding access to meaningful learning for English learners through EdTech U.S. Department of Education data show that English learners in grades K-12 in U.S. public schools in the 2015-16 school year numbered over five million students-about 10 percent of all enrolled students-and that roughly three-fourths of public school districts included students who are English learners.

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This article does not only discuss how and why we should use technology in an ELL classroom but also gives 9 tools or resources that we can use to get started like Padlet, Google Translate, and more.

This article promotes best practices because it helps educators collaborate with our ELL students and helps encourage them academically.

Reference

Tower. (2023, September 8). How to use technology to help ells achieve language mastery. Continental Educational Publisher. https://www.continentalpress.com/blog/how-to-use-technology-to-help-ells/#:~:text=Recording%20tools%20such%20as%20Voice,ELs%20to%20read%20with%20prosody.

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Today's students are more tech-savvy than any who came before them. Having grown up with immediate access to advanced technology, they rely on it heavily for everything from entertainment to education. It plays an essential role in their everyday lives, and schools are trying to keep up.

Technology integration has become a massive effort for districts across the country, especially after the quick pivot to virtual learning in 2020. Teachers are more aware of the many benefits that technology offers them and their students, and they're finding new ways to incorporate it into their daily routines.

But while using edtech is beneficial for all students, it's particularly valuable for English language learners (ELLs). In this blog, we're sharing helpful tips for how to use technology to help ELLs achieve language mastery. But first, let's look at some reasons why you should integrate technology tools for ELLs in your classroom.

5 Reasons to Integrate Technology in a Classroom for ELLs

Although we live in the "age of technology," many teachers are still a bit apprehensive to use technology regularly with their students.

This is largely true for ESL teachers, as it can be challenging to teach students from other countries who are unfamiliar with both the technology and the language. However, utilizing edtech offers a multitude of advantages for both teachers and their English learners.

Here are five major reasons why you should integrate technology in your classroom for ELL students.

1. Encourages Individualized Growth

No two students learn exactly the same way or at the same pace, especially those learning a new language. Fortunately, there is a plethora of technology resources for ELL students nowadays that can be tailored to each student's individual needs. Using these educational programs and apps will allow your English learners to progress and practice their language skills at a pace that's right for them.

2. Increases Student Engagement

Students love technology, so getting any opportunity to use it in the classroom automatically increases their engagement and motivation to learn. Technology takes them from being passive learners to having a far more active role in their learning process. So, rather than traditional lectures and worksheets, opt for more interactive digital options that make learning a new language fun!

3. Addresses Multiple Learning Styles

Each student has their own way of learning content best, which is commonly referred to as a learning style. There are four different types of learning styles:

Visual - using pictures, graphics, maps, and other visual aids to understand information

Auditory - using listening, speaking, and repetition as a means of gaining understanding

Reading / Writing - learning by reading and taking extensive notes

Kinesthetic - hands-on learning by doing and feeling

It can be difficult for teachers to develop lesson plans and activities that appeal to all four learning styles -but that's where edtech comes in. Technology offers a multimodal means of presenting new concepts for students, whether they prefer learning visually, audibly, tactilely, or through written words.

4. Offers Differentiated Supports

Because your ELs all come from diverse cultural, linguistic, and educational backgrounds, they're each going to need different supports to successfully acquire new language skills. That's why instructional scaffolding is an essential aspect of teaching ELs.

Using edtech is a great way to provide differentiated scaffolds for your students, as there's a wide variety of educational and assistive technology for ELLs from apps and games to translation and text-to-talk features.

5. Facilitates Communication & Collaboration

Technology can provide low-risk opportunities for your English learners to communicate and collaborate. Early on in their English language journey, many ELs don't feel comfortable speaking aloud in class. Online forums, programs, and apps eliminate that barrier of intimidation, making it possible for students to interact with more confidence.

Translation technology also makes it easier for students to communicate with their peers and teachers while they're still learning basic interpersonal communication skills (BICS).

Top 9 Technology Tools for ELLs

To help you get started with - or to further - your technology integration, here is a selection of valuable and convenient tools to use in your ESL classroom.

This app is essential for anyone teaching or learning English. Google Translate can translate typed text in 108 languages as well as text in photographs and offers automatic two-way voice translation. It can be used for a wide variety of classroom activities and communication needs daily.

TalkingPoints is another incredible translation tool that you should add to your arsenal. With over 100 home languages to choose from, TalkingPoints performs two-way translation of messages in real-time between ESL teachers and immigrant parents. It also offers in-app tips to help support positive relationships between school and home. By making communication a priority, you will empower your students' parents to help their children succeed academically.

This tool allows teachers and students to create interactive, digital bulletin boards. Students can use it to share notes, display work, engage in discussions, and visually organize information-there are endless opportunities for how you can use Padlet to support your lessons.

Padlet's free version limits you to three boards, but these can be continually edited and deleted without penalty. There's also a bulk pricing plan, Backpack for Schools, that gives schools more privacy options and special features.

If you're looking for a simple and effective assistive technology for ELLs, we recommend trying Read&Write. This Google Chrome extension helps boost reading confidence for English learners by making documents, web pages, and files more accessible. It offers the following support features:

Text-to-speech so that students can hear words, paragraphs, or full passages read aloud

Speech-to-text to assist with writing

Text and picture dictionaries to see the meaning of certain vocabulary terms

Simplified and summarized text on web pages

Voice notes

Teachers receive a free, premium subscription.

Duolingo is a free language learning app that offers engaging English lessons in over 20 first languages. The lessons are set up like a game, and students can either compete against themselves or their peers on any device. You can also tailor Duolingo to your learning objectives with customizable lessons and assignments.

Your ELs will have so much fun with this app, they might not even realize that they're learning!

Recording tools such as Voice Recorder and Vocaroo are simple yet valuable technology resources for ELL students. These tools are especially useful while teaching your ELs to read with prosody. Students can record themselves reading a passage or poem, then listen to the recording to analyze their pronunciation and expression. Then, they can try again.

Over time, your English learners will be able to hear how their reading skills have improved.

Quizlet is a free, digital flashcard program that you can use to help your students learn and practice vocabulary terms. There are plenty of pre-made study sets that you can use and customize, or you can create your own. In addition to flashcards, Quizlet also offers practice quizzes, games, and assessments that you can use for progress monitoring.

Technology has a way of making formative assessment fun, and that's certainly the case with Quizizz and Kahoot.

These tools offer interactive, audiovisual learning games where students can compete with each other in real-time using a simple code on their electronic device. With Quizizz, students can work at their own pace, while everyone works at the same pace while playing Kahoot. Both platforms are great for informally assessing your EL's vocabulary and reading comprehension in an engaging, low-risk way.

Audiobooks and eBooks are fantastic technology resources for ELL students.

Audiobooks are helpful for beginner-intermediate ELs who have a basic understanding of spoken English but struggle to comprehend the written language. Epic! offers students access to thousands of high-quality books. eBooks are also beneficial for ELs, as they're more easily accessible than traditional books and often have assistive capabilities such as text-to-talk to aid in understanding.

Learning how to use technology to help ELLs doesn't have to be complicated. You can start by integrating some of the simple and effective technology tools we mentioned above-like eBooks!

This blog was originally published on April 21, 2022. It was updated on May 12, 2023.

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How to Use Technology to Help ELLs Achieve Language Mastery | Continental Educational Publisher

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Struggling with how to use technology to help ELLs in your classroom? Check out these nine effective edtech tools for English learners!

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This blog explains how information graphics make learning content easier for ELLs because it allows for content to be learned through multiple means. It also explains how technology can build on a student's language and vocabulary acquisition and how it can be tailored to the various languages of our ELLs.

This blog is best practice in that it promotes collaboration and communication which has been shown to lead to success for our ELLs.

Reference

Stover Kelly, K., & Siefert, B. (n.d.). Ila’s blog. International Literacy Association. https://www.literacyworldwide.org/blog/literacy-now/2017/06/02/tech-tools-to-support-english-learners-literacy-and-language-development

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Literacy Daily is a space to connect educators, students, and leaders with the latest news, ideas, tools, strategies, and research in literacy instruction.

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This article has many different resources in regard to using technology with ELLs. However, the most important thing it provides is videos that focus on what it is like as an ELL who has to use technology. ELLs may have to use it for vocab or during situations like COVID-19 when one must go remote.

This is best practice because it ensures that we are looking out for the best interest of all of our students, even in a time when we may not be able to be psychically there for them.

Reference

Breiseth, L. (2020, April 18). Technology & English language learners. Colorín Colorado. https://www.colorincolorado.org/teaching-ells/technology-english-language-learners

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This article focuses on strategies to help ELLs read through the use of 10 different strategies. It focuses on how to incorporate and encourage reading in the native language first, how to teach phonics using skills that we already possess, and how to check for comprehension.

This is best practice in that it helps encourage ELLs and shows support and understanding of the continued use of their native language.

Reference

Portland Public Schools (OR). (n.d.). Supporting ells in the mainstream classroom: Reading instruction. Reading Rockets. https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/curriculum-and-instruction/articles/supporting-ells-mainstream-classroom-reading-instruction

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1. Read to students every day

2. Support students' comprehension as much as possible

3. Teach the alphabet when necessary

4. Teach phonics in context

5. Check comprehension frequently

7. Support native language literacy

8. Encourage reading outside of the classroom

9. Establish an English Language Learner Center

10. Make up individualized activity packs for your newcomers

You are welcome to print copies for non-commercial use, or a limited number for educational purposes, as long as credit is given to Reading Rockets and the author(s). For commercial use, please contact the author or publisher listed.

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Supporting ELLs in the Mainstream Classroom: Reading Instruction

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You can and should use what you already know to be effective, research-based reading instruction to English language learners (ELLs). However, ELLs will need additional support in learning how to read, and the strategies here will help you to provide assistance in your everyday teaching, particularly for newcomers (students who have recently arrived in the U.S.).

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This article focuses on how to implement writing in the classroom for an ELL. Writing can be a struggle for any student but can be much more difficult for an ELL. This article provides guidance on how to assess where a student is before beginning and then provides strategies to scaffold the writing process to make it easier.

This promotes best practices in that research has shown that in-depth writing is another form of communication for students and encourages ELLs to communicate and connect what they have learned.

Resource

Continental. (2023, April 20). Writing strategies for ell students. Continental Educational Publisher. https://www.continentalpress.com/blog/writing-strategies-ell-students/

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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.

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Writing Strategies for ELL Students | Continental Educational Publisher

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We have created a list of the best activities & writing strategies for ELL students that are designed to alleviate their writing struggles.

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Scaffolding is one technique that can be utilized when providing instruction to ELLs. This article takes it a step further and provides 5 different ways to implement scaffolding. This article gives 5 different strategies to help us take a larger concept and break it into smaller categories so that it seems less overwhelming for our ELL students.

This article is best practice in that it helps educators encourage students to do their best rather than setting them up for failure by being overwhelmed and left without support.

Reference

Tower. (2023, March 15). 5 scaffolding strategies for Ell students. Continental Educational Publisher. https://www.continentalpress.com/blog/scaffolding-strategies-for-ell-students/

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Imagine that you and your family recently moved to a new country. You're trying to learn a difficult language that everyone around you already knows and adjust to a school culture that's much different than what you're used to.

You're already feeling overwhelmed, but to top it off, your teacher asks you to read a three-page article that's written in gibberish and complete five short-answer response questions all by yourself. Nervously, you get to work, but you aren't feeling very confident in yourself.

Unfortunately, the lack of support in this scenario is a harsh reality for many English learners.

English language learners (ELLs), like all students, certainly don't benefit from this type of "sink or swim" teaching. Rather, to be able to acquire new content knowledge and cultural understanding, English learners (ELs) require intentional and strategic instructional scaffolding. In this blog, we'll explore what scaffolding instruction means and provide five scaffolding strategies for ELL students that you should use in your classroom.

What is Instructional Scaffolding?

Before we answer this question, let's first consider what scaffolding is used for in construction. Scaffolds are temporary structures that construction workers use to support themselves and heavy materials as they complete a project, such as constructing a building or repairing a bridge. It helps crews access heights that they wouldn't be able to reach on their own and serves as somewhat of a safety net.

Educational scaffolds provide a much different type of support, but similarly to construction, they help students reach new heights that they can't do alone (metaphorically speaking).

In education, scaffolding is a teaching method where the educator helps support students to complete tasks just beyond the level that they could achieve by themselves. This technique stems from Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky, who developed a theory 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, the teacher can gradually reduce their support until the students master the task themselves (like how the scaffolding around a building is torn down once a project is completed). Then, they're ready to move on to the next concept.

Rather than teaching concepts that are well beyond your students' understanding and simply pulling them along, your instruction should take place within their ZPD with appropriate scaffolds.

How Does Scaffolding Help English Language Learners (ELLs)?

Scaffolding instruction is beneficial for all students, but it's particularly essential for English language learners.

By breaking up new concepts into smaller chunks and using scaffolding strategies for ELLs, you'll make learning the English language less intimidating and help increase their understanding by gradually building upon what they already know. It also reduces frustration and helps ELs become more confident, motivated, and independent learners.

Let's look at some simple scaffolding strategies for ELL students that you can use to support your students' language proficiency.

5 Scaffolding Strategies for ELL Students

There are many techniques that you can use to support the English language learners in your classroom. Here are five of our favorite scaffolding strategies for ELLs.

1. Modeling

Most people learn best when they see or experience something rather than just hear about it.

Think about when you learned how to change a tire. Someone likely walked you through how to do it step by step while getting their hands dirty. Well, imagine instead that they just wrote out the steps on a piece of paper, or worse, just rattled off what to do and set you off on your own.

Learning words and concepts in a new language is a lot like changing a tire for your ELs. Therefore, whenever possible, you should explicitly show your students what they're expected to do rather than just telling them.

Think Aloud

A think-aloud session is a great technique to demonstrate how good readers make sense of a text and monitor their understanding as they read. Before having students read a passage themselves, the teacher should first read the passage aloud, stopping along the way to model their thoughts at points that may be difficult or confusing.

Some questions that you can encourage students to ask themselves during a think-aloud include:

What do I already know about the topic?

What do I think I'm going to learn?

Do I understand what I just read?

What more can I do to better understand?

What new information did I learn?

What were the most important points?

While you read, be sure to model how you're working with and thinking about the text to answer the above questions, such as rereading a tricky sentence or using context clues to make predictions. From there, you can have your students read the passage with a partner and practice the think-aloud strategy. Then, once they understand the process, ask the students to read the passage once more individually so they can process it internally.

Modeling for your students how to approach their thinking before, during, and after reading a text will not only help them become better readers but also become self-regulated learners.

2. Activate Prior Knowledge

For new concepts to sink in, they must be built upon prior understanding.

Think back to the tire scenario. To teach someone how to change a tire, you expand upon their previous knowledge of how a tire works. So, before you dive into a new topic or text, ask students to share their ideas and experiences related to it. This helps them connect content to their own lives and increases engagement.

Some commonly used scaffolding strategies for ELLs that activate prior knowledge include:

You may need to drop hints and lead students to make connections at first, but once they see the relevance in what they're learning, it'll start to become easier.

Like all students, English language learners need time to verbally process new information. Therefore, as an ESL teacher, it's important to incorporate frequent opportunities for your students to engage in structured peer discussions during your lessons.

Turn & Talk

Turn and Talk is a simple and effective scaffolding strategy for ELL students that promotes classroom interaction. Simply ask your students a question or provide them a prompt, then have them discuss with a partner. Give them enough time for both partners to contribute to the conversation and be sure to roam around the room, assisting as needed. Here's a short video that further explains how the Turn in Talk technique works.

The Turn and Talk is a total participation technique, where instead of calling on a few students to share their thoughts with the whole class, you're encouraging all students to think and share their thoughts. This technique also helps ELs feel more comfortable and confident sharing, as it's less intimidating than speaking in front of a large class.

There are several other total participation techniques that you can use, such as

By providing ample opportunities for students to interact and use the language they're learning, you're helping your students boost their language proficiency and their confidence.

4. Pre-Teach Vocabulary

Pre-teaching vocabulary, or frontloading vocabulary, is an incredibly effective scaffolding strategy for ELLs to help them tackle difficult texts.

Before your students read something new, you should always dedicate time for explicit vocabulary instruction of important terms within the text. By that, though, we don't mean simply asking students to pull out a dictionary, copy the definitions of ten words, and begin reading. This happens way too often in classrooms and, unfortunately, doesn't have a lasting impact on language acquisition.

Vocabulary Gallery Walk

Instead of relying on memorization, introduce vocabulary terms in a way that captures your students' interest and allows them to make connections. Print out photographs for each word and place them around the room, then have students do a gallery walk and use context clues to determine what they think each one means. After they're done, give them time to share their thoughts before providing the actual definitions.

To help them better understand each definition, you can also have students create drawings, make a short skit in groups, or simply get with a partner and take turns using each word in a sentence. Not only does pre-teaching vocabulary support your ELs' reading comprehension, but it also helps them learn how to use new words naturally.

5. Use Visual Aids

As we mentioned above, people often learn better by seeing rather than just hearing. This is especially true for English language learners, as visual aids help them contextualize information and build upon their prior knowledge. For that reason, you should use visual representations of new concepts as much as possible in your classroom, including:

It's important to note that visual aids should serve as a tool for learning rather than a product of learning. For example, a graphic organizer is often used as a scaffold to help students gather their thoughts (tool) to then write an essay (product). Over time, they won't need the visual aid to understand a concept or complete a task-sort of like training wheels for riding a bike.

Learning a new language is hard enough without having to do it alone. To ensure that your students achieve language proficiency and become well-adjusted to their new school culture, you must use scaffolding strategies for ELLs within your classroom.

Looking for more teaching tips and resources for your English language learners (ELLs)? Check out our ESL Resource Center!
Thank you to Melissa Miller, an ESOL teacher in Howard County, Maryland for consulting on this blog post. This blog was originally published on March 8, 2022. It was updated on March 10, 2023.

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5 Scaffolding Strategies for ELL Students

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Looking for better ways to support the English learners in your class? Check out these proven scaffolding strategies for ELL students!

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This article is a good resource because the strategies being utilized were made up of educators and observers who have first-hand experience working with ELLs and understand their needs. They take into consideration both the large and small needs of these students. It focuses on building relationships, language skills, patience, differentiation, and the use of the student's native language. It also incorporates both ELLs and non-ELs.

This is best practice as it is looking at the student as a whole, regardless of their English proficiency, and working to help them reach their goals. They are communicating and making education accessible.

Reference

Kaplan, E. (2019, April 12). 6 essential strategies for teaching English language learners. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/6-essential-strategies-teaching-english-language-learners/

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Over 10 percent of students in the United States-more than 4.8 million kids-are English language learners (ELLs), and the number is on the rise. Though these students do not learn differently than their native-English-speaking peers, they do have particular educational needs.

To learn about these needs-and best practices for addressing them-I interviewed a range of educators and observers, including Larry Ferlazzo, an educator and author of The ESL/ELL Teacher's Survival Guide; longtime teachers of English as a second language (ESL) Emily Francis and Tan Huynh; and the journalist Helen Thorpe, who spent a year observing a teacher who works with ELLs.

The group emphasized that the strategies listed here, which include both big-picture mindsets and nitty-gritty teaching tactics, can be incorporated into all classrooms, benefiting both native English speakers and ELLs.

1. Cultivate Relationships and Be Culturally Responsive

No surprise here. A successful classroom, our educators agreed, is one in which students feel known, appreciated, and comfortable taking emotional and intellectual risks. That requires intentional planning and consistent messaging by the teacher.

Emily Francis, an ESL teacher in Concord, North Carolina, makes clear that she wants her students to "embrace their culture and their language as a foundation of who they are" and to consider their acquisition of a new culture and language "not as subtractive, but as additive." To help support students who may never have attended school before or may be coping with migration-based trauma, Francis emphasizes that little things make a big difference. "The first thing that I need to think about is, how is my student feeling in my classroom?" she says. "Are they sitting next to a buddy they can ask a question in their home language? Do they feel comfortable tapping me on the shoulder if they have to go to the bathroom?"

But creating a supportive environment is also about cultivating an appreciation of diversity-it's critical that both the curriculum and the classroom environment honor and reflect the lives of the students. For instance, Francis makes certain that her classroom library is reflective of her students' diverse backgrounds and identities.

ESL teacher Katie Toppel, who teaches near Portland, Oregon, champions the value of home visits to get to know students' families and takes care to incorporate the particulars of students' lives, such as pets' names and favorite sports, into lessons. Students are most engaged when they feel a personal connection to a lesson or unit, a connection that's created in part by a teacher's investment in culturally competent relationships.

2. Teach Language Skills Across the Curriculum

English language learners should not be learning the fundamentals of English in isolation; they should be applying their developing language skills to rich academic content in all subjects.

"It is key that in mainstream classrooms, teachers understand their role as language teachers," says Valentina Gonzalez, a district leader in Katy, Texas, suggesting that all teachers should be aware of the specialized idiom they work within. "If we teach math, then we teach the language of mathematics. If we teach science, then we teach the language of science." Math teachers, in other words, should take the time to teach the unfamiliar vocabulary of mathematics- add, subtract, calculator, solve -concurrently with the teaching of math skills.

3. Emphasize Productive Language

The educators I interviewed agreed that productive language skills-hard-to-master dimensions of language fluency like speaking and writing-should be front and center from day one, even if students feel hesitant about them.

Beginning ELLs often develop receptive language skills like listening and reading first. Educators who are unaware of the typical path to fluency may believe that students who can follow verbal or written directions will be able to produce oral or written language, but that's usually not the case.

To support reluctant speakers, Tan Huynh, an educator who blogs at Empowering ELLs, suggests using sentence frames. "For example, when a science teacher wants ELLs to produce a hypothesis, they might offer the sentence, 'If _____ was added, then _____ because _____.' This sentence frame provides clues that empower ELLs to sound and think like scientists," Huynh says.

Andrea Honigsfeld, a professor of education at Molloy College in Rockville, New York, suggests that all lessons touch on every letter of the acronym SWIRL, which stands for Speak, Write, Interact, Read, Listen. The approach intentionally privileges productive language skills "from the beginning," she says.

4. Speak Slowly-and Increase Your Wait Time

Easier said than done. Still, many of the teachers I spoke to said this simple change is vital. You can record yourself speaking in class to measure your cadence, and adjust.

"Adding in an extra three to five seconds after we pose a question offers all students time to think," explains Gonzalez. "However, for English learners, it also gives time to translate, process their thinking, translate back into English, and develop the courage to answer. If we call on students too quickly, many of our students will stop thinking about the answers-or trying to answer at all."

That means undoing some of our own habits, according to Larry Ferlazzo, a high school ESL teacher in Sacramento, California. "Researchers have found that typically most teachers give one to two seconds between asking a question and expecting a student response," he says. "The same researchers have shown that if you wait three to five seconds, the quality of responses is astronomically greater."

5. Differentiate-and Use Multiple Modalities

All kids learn better when they engage with material in multiple ways: Lessons that involve writing, speaking, drawing, and listening, for example, give students four opportunities to deepen their understanding of the work. For ELLs, those additional engagements also provide a little breathing room so they can work through the language barrier.

Helen Thorpe, a journalist who spent a year observing Eddie Williams's classroom in Denver in order to write a book about immigrants called The Newcomers, marveled at Williams's method of differentiation. "Eddie would enunciate very clearly in English multiple times, he would write it on the board, and he would go to the projector to give a visual. And, finally, he'd be asking the kids to verbalize aspects of the lesson themselves," she says, tracing Williams's efforts to move his students from receptive to productive language fluency.

Toppel uses a strategy called QSSSA to scaffold classroom discussions with ELLs. The letters stand for Question (the teacher poses a question, then gives ample think time); Signal (a designated motion like a thumbs-up, a finger on the nose-something that lets students indicate that they're ready to answer); Stem (the teacher provides a sentence starter for the question-for example, for "What is your favorite place to read a book?" the stem might be, "My favorite place to read a book is _____"); Share; and Assess.

6. Incorporate Students' Native Languages-and Don't Be Afraid of Technology

Bilingualism is the goal, of course, not replacement.

Ferlazzo uses a strategy called "preview, view, review," which leverages a student's native language skills as a foundation for learning the new language. He introduces a topic and encourages students to preview it in materials in their home language (often using multilingual videos and other online resources); he then teaches the topic in English, and then has students review the information in their home language.

Ferlazzo also encourages teachers to embrace technologies that students find helpful, like Google Translate. He stresses that the app can be a useful way for students to translate words quickly-but warns that it can quickly "become a dependency" if it's used as more than a handy dictionary.

Thorpe agrees that Translate can take pressure off teachers, who sometimes find that they "just stand at the front of the room and say things over and over. And if the kids didn't know what those words are, they're out of luck." Translation technology means you can say it once (or twice) and let the students use the technology to translate key words and phrases.

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6 Essential Strategies for Teaching English Language Learners

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We interviewed educators with decades of experience in teaching ELLs and tapped a network of experts and observers to find the strategies that work.

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4 Ways to Support English Language Learners

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In this article from Grand Canyon University, we learn 4 different ways to support our ELLs in the classroom. The four ways to support include tips on communication and how to promote cultural awareness. It is also a guide on the importance of journaling and using visuals during instruction.

This article promotes best practices because it focuses on how we can assist our ELLs in meeting their goals and how to face possible challenges that may arise. Communication in the classroom has been shown to be a key factor in helping students reach their goals.

Reference

Ramirez Espinola, M. (n.d.). 4 ways to support English language learners. GCU. https://www.gcu.edu/blog/teaching-school-administration/4-ways-support-english-language-learners

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Teachers, called to foster learning in all students, face challenges every day. English language learners (ELLs) are students whose first language is not English. When communication can pose a barrier to education, it calls for teachers to be creative. Here are four ways teachers can support English language learners.

1. Promote Cultural Awareness

It is essential to facilitate a classroom that presents a culturally aware environment that is conducive to learning. This process includes getting to know your students, reaching out to parents and making connections to the community. The process of being culturally aware could include building a creative environment by incorporating bulletin boards and videos to integrate with activities that reflect all of the cultures represented in your classroom. Then, students can bring in pictures of their families or items they may want to introduce to the classroom environment that speak to their culture.

Teachers can also find opportunities to invite parents to share culturally rich stories to support social studies or literature curriculum. Some of those stories can include traditions and specialty foods. With the advent of sites like Ancestry, we have all become aware of how culturally diverse we are where years ago we may not have known our full lineage. Some of us are more culturally diverse than we once may have thought. In this way, the classroom should represent its students.

2. Journaling

Journaling is a great way to connect with your students more personally. Teachers can read responses and reply to them or use a journal entry to offer students opportunities to share details about their heritage and how they identify with their culture. This could work especially well with students who are recent immigrants and may have a great deal to share. Teachers can then use this information to foster a supportive classroom environment. This process will allow the teacher to use the responses as a tool to incorporate into various activities like reading literature and other authentic texts. Many autobiographies, historical fiction, folktales, legends and fables contain content that can be used as a tool for students to make connections and strengthen their communication skills and academic knowledge.

3. Use Visual Aids

Graphic organizers are aids that allow students to organize information and visualize what they are learning. English language learners can utilize these resources to support the learning of their second language. For example, graphic organizers can encourage students to learn vocabulary, build fluency and increase the rate of reading. Educators can use the Frayer model, an outline, a Venn diagram, a timeline, a T-chart, a vocabulary journal, flipbooks and much more. Students who combine a multitude of senses while learning may be able to recall and comprehend content readily. This process can include their basic knowledge of words, high frequency/multiple meaning words and academic words (Tier 1, 2 & 3 vocabulary words).

4. Find Opportunities for Communication

Learners cannot learn a new language and how to use it appropriately if there are no opportunities to verbally engage with one another. Students can be involved in conversations during writing workshops, Socratic Seminars, small group guided readings, summer learning and learning stations in any discipline. Students should also converse when learning routines, after modeling and when confirming directions or engaging additional techniques with one another, whether it's in groups or during instances like think, pair and share. Meaningful talk should not be an afterthought; it is one of the most critical factors in student acquisition of their second language.

Incorporating these four concepts into your practice can assist English language learners or emerging bilingual students to not only become proficient in English, but also become a valuable contributor to their classroom and school communities.
If you like the idea of helping other teachers figure out how to integrate principles of cultural awareness with their current teaching practices, you might make a great curriculum coach. Check out the Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction Advanced Program for Continuing Professional Education at Grand Canyon University.

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4 Ways to Support English Language Learners

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Cultural awareness, journaling & visual aids support English-language learners. Read more about four ways teachers support English learners.

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This article, unlike others, seems more like a checklist of things for educators to remember when communicating with families. As we go through the article we can feel confident that we are building strong relationships with the families of our ELLs through proper communication.

This article demonstrates best practices in that building relationships with our students and families is a priority. Knowing the needs of our students will help them succeed and having common goals between home and school will allow this to happen.

Reference

Breiseth, L. (n.d.). Communicating with ell families: 10 strategies for schools. NEA. https://www.nea.org/professional-excellence/student-engagement/tools-tips/communicating-ell-families-10-strategies-schools

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Strategies for Welcoming and Supporting ELLs

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Strategies for Welcoming and Supporting ELLs

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This article from Edutopia gives four strategies for educators to use in the classroom when working with ELLs. I like this resource as it has many articles in one. It also provides ways to collaborate with ELL specialists and gives book recommendations.

This resource supports best practices because as educators we have certain ethics that we must uphold and that involves having our student's best interests in mind. This article helps remind us to be tolerant, show empathy, and also think about other's perspectives.

Reference

Scott, R. (2015, May 26). Practices to welcome and support ells. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/practices-to-welcome-and-support-ells-robyn-scott

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Through practices that incorporate tolerance, empathy, and perspective, you can engage your English-only students in appreciating and sharing with their ELL classmates.

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Creating a Welcoming Classroom Environment        

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Creating a Welcoming Classroom Environment        

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This article from Colorin Colorado gives guidance on how to accommodate different cultures and the challenges that ELLs may face. It reminds the educator of important things we may overlook like pronouncing a student's name correctly and includes videos that give guidance in different scenarios.

This resource supports best practices because by creating a welcoming environment ELLs will have a sense of security that allows them to focus on their academics and relationships.

Reference

How to create a welcoming classroom environment for Ells. (2023, August 25). Colorín Colorado. https://www.colorincolorado.org/article/how-create-welcoming-classroom-environment

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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!