# data[].attributes.body
This resources allows for those to learner about what special education and ELL can really do when there isnt all the stereotypes placed on those individuals

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Some Myths Regarding ELLs and Special Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Several myths prevail in the area of special education for ELLs. These myths guide us in the way we approach education in general, in the way we interpret students' behaviors, and in how we teach and assess students. The following are commonly held misconceptions regarding ELLs and special education.

# data[].attributes.body
English Language Proficiency Standards - these are important to include in the language objectives when lesson planning and for determining which language domains are begin addressed with the lesson.

# data[].attributes.body
Proficiency Level Descriptors - these are important to refer to when monitoring the progress of the English learners. They also serve as reminders of what students can do at each level of proficiency within each domain of language.

# data[].attributes.body
This is a great resources provided in this Brazos County that offers ELLs many different benefits

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Home | Brazos Interfaith Immigration Network

# data[].attributes.body
I liked reading this article because it provided a lot of information in regards to laws and regulations towards ELLs

# data[].attributes.body
I really liked in class when we call reviewed the portraits of all the ELLs and assessed their L2 levels

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
About Assessment Tools — Purdue English Language Learners Language Portraits

# data[].attributes.body
This would be a very good at home resources for families

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Educators need to know what happens in the world of the children with whom they work. They need to know the universe of their dreams, the language with which they skillfully defend themselves from the aggressiveness of their world, what they know independently of the school, and how they know it.
- Paulo Freire (p. 72-73)

The Benefits of Home Visits

A home visit program can show that teachers, principals, and school staff are willing to "go more than halfway" to involve all parents in their children's education. These visits help teachers demonstrate their interest in students' families and they provide opportunities for teachers to understand their students better by seeing students in their home environments.

Home visits are not meant to replace parent-teacher conferences or to discuss children's progress. When done early, before any school problems might arise, home visits signal that teachers are eager to work with all families and avoid putting parents on the defensive. Teachers who have made home visits say they build stronger relationships with parents and their children and improve attendance and achievement. In this regard, Mary, a 1st and 2nd grade teacher who has been visiting the home of her students before the first day of school, writes:

...[H]ow I address my fear about the first day of school is to face it, as you suggest, I spend the week before the first day of school visiting my students' homes, meeting the students and their families. I can't wait for the first day of school, and so I go out and read the students in their neighborhoods, their homes, with their families. That way I know where my students are coming from, literally I know who their people are. I know the names their families call them. I know what they are proud of and what worries them, I begin to trust these families. My students and their families begin to trust me. (Nieto, 2009, p. 12)

Home visits are not a new concept. Head Start teachers have been using them for many years and in the last few years an increasing number of schools and districts have established successful home visit programs that have yielded many positive returns. Regardless of whether their schools have established a home visit program, many teachers of English language learners have been using home visits as a way to learn about their students and their home environments and to establish a much-needed connection with families and communities.

Several key components combine to create successful home visits: planning, arrival, departure, and post visit. These important aspects are explained below.

Planning

Prior to visiting students' homes, it is important to consider a few items. Remember that this might be an opportunity to help a parent such as Ms. Astorga feel more comfortable when visiting the school her children attend.

Este es mi cuarto año en los EE.UU. y sólo he ido a la escuela para matricular a mis hijos. No me siento a gusto en la escuela...tengo un poco de miedo de no hacer las cosas bien y de no entender lo que me dicen. Y mis hijos me dicen que mejor no vaya pues a lo mejor meto la pata.
This is my fourth year in the U.S. and I have only been to the school to register my kids. I don't feel at ease in the school-I am afraid of not doing the right thing or misunderstanding what they say. My kids tell me not to go because if I do I might make a mistake.

- Ms. Astorga, parent from Chile

Tips for success

Determine the purpose(s) of the visit such as learning more about students and exploring ways that the school and teachers can better serve families.

Schedule a home visit 7 to 10 days in advance.

Communicate the purpose of your visit and approximately how long the visit will last (30 to 45 minutes).

Follow up with a brief written note indicating the exact date and time of the meeting, preferably written in the family's home language.

If possible, learn the names of family members.

Learn a few words of the family's first language, even if they're only "hello" and "thank you." This shows you care enough to make an effort and may help break the ice.

Ask another adult to accompany you to your first home visits, preferably someone who speaks the home language of the families.

Consider that some parents may be familiar and comfortable with home visits, having experienced them in their countries of origin. Others may not be familiar or comfortable with the idea.

If parents have difficulty scheduling a time to meet with you, it may be because some parents work 2 or more jobs.

Begin making home visits prior to the start date of school. This may help lower the anxiety level of your students and will help you become aware of your students' English language proficiency levels.

Know where you are going (that is, have a map or GPS device).

Leave a schedule of home visits with the school staff.

If possible, bring a small gift, such as a little bag of cookies, a children's book, or a notebook as a token of appreciation.

If you will need the services of a translator/interpreter, consider asking fewer questions. Since questions and answers have to pass through the translator/interpreter, they will probably require twice the amount of time.

Arrival

Instantly when we rang the doorbell we were greeted by four bright smiling faces-dad, mom and Rocio and Laura (ages 8 and 10). Both parents came up to us and shook our hands, and the girls curtseyed and giggled in their beautiful fancy dresses. Though I was still a bit shy and awkward at first, my fears were dismissed as soon as I realized how kind and inviting the family truly was.
- Roxana, 3rd grade teacher

Tips for success

Be on time.

Dress appropriately - err on the side of formal attire.

Be aware of and look for cultural expectations in the home. For example, in some cultures it is expected that people entering the home will remove their shoes and walk about the home in socks or in special footwear provided by the host.

Introduce yourself and the adult accompanying you.

Begin by establishing rapport through small talk.

Conversation starters: "Tell me about your child." "What does your child like best about school?""What are schools like in _______ (country of origin)?" "Tell me about _______ (siblings or other family members)."

While you are encouraged to do more listening than talking, you could also talk about your school's routines, classroom curricula, or teacher expectations among other topics.

If you're nervous, remember, the family you are visiting is also probably nervous.

Bear in mind that in many cultures, teachers are more highly respected than in the U.S. It is a significant event to host a teacher in families' homes.

Don't be afraid to look foolish while trying to bridge the language gap. If necessary, try drawing pictures or acting out what you mean.

During the conversation, maintain eye contact with the family even if you are speaking through a translator/interpreter.

Avoid taking notes or recording the conversation when visiting the family. This can be perceived as rude or threatening.

Avoid talking about negative things.

While in a family's home, put on your anthropologist's lens. This means trying to view the host home from the perspective of those living there.

Show respect and empathy.

Smile. Be aware, however, that some Eastern European families may perceive smiling as a sign of insincerity. Observe the family and adjust your behavior accordingly.

Departure

I invited the family to come to the literacy night next week at the school and asked the dad if he would read a picture book in Spanish for the kids. He agreed. Wow, was I wrong in thinking that this family was not interested in the education of their kids!
- Geoffrey, 2nd Grade teacher

Tips for success

Lay the groundwork for future events, such as parent teacher conferences, upcoming fairs, or literacy nights.

Invite families to participate.

Provide families with information on how to contact you, including your telephone number, email address, and classroom or office hours.

Share information about community and school resources.

Post Visit

I learned tons from this visit. My "Russian" student is actually Ukrainian. The family moved from a part of the Ukraine where half the people speak Russian and half speak Ukrainian. Both parents grew up there, and both were educated in schools where a few classes were taught in Ukrainian.
- Katia, 6th Grade teacher

Tips for success

Take a few moments away from students' homes to write down a quick summary of the visit.

Educators who work with ELLs and immigrant families talk about the power of home visits in these videos.

Resources

Edutopia: This 6-minute video showcases how a struggling school in Sacramento improved student achievement and developed lasting partnerships with parents by establishing a home visit program.

About the Authors

Dr. Gisela Ernst-Slavit

Dr. Gisela Ernst-Slavit is a professor and associate dean in the College of Education at Washington State University Vancouver. She investigates second language development, academic language pedagogy, and language teacher education using ethnographic and sociolinguistic perspectives. In addition to being the author of many research and practitioner articles, she is coauthor or coeditor of nine books. Her most recent work includes a 7-book series, Academic Language in Diverse Classrooms, co-edited with Margo Gottlieb and published by Corwin. Dr. Ernst-Slavit is a native of Peru who grew up speaking Spanish and German at home and English in school.

Michele R. Mason

Michele R. Mason obtained her Ph.D. Degree in Language, Literacy, and Technology with an emphasis on English language learners from Washington State University Vancouver. Her research interests were ESL pedagogy and the role of classroom discourse in L2 development. Sadly, Dr. Mason passed away in 2012.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Making Your First ELL Home Visit: A Guide for Classroom Teachers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Educators need to know what happens in the world of the children with whom they work. They need to know the universe of their dreams, the language with which they skillfully defend themselves from the aggressiveness of their world, what they know independently of the school, and how they know it.- Paulo Freire (p.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
By Elisheva Cohen and Lindsey Passenger Wieck

As parents and educators, the news of families separated at our southern border has hit us hard. We are heartbroken by the images and stories of the poor living conditions that children and their families face during their prolonged detention, as well as by US efforts to uphold the "zero tolerance policy." These horrific events have brought our country's ongoing political debates about immigration to the forefront, and we all must take action.

As educators and parents with a commitment to social justice, we believe we must respond to these events in our classrooms and our homes. As we engage children in dialogue about these difficult and important civic and human rights issues, we prepare them to be active and engaged citizens. As many of these resources demonstrate, political and social conflict about immigration, borders, and belonging recur throughout American history and contemporary times, and these battles will likely continue to be fought in subsequent generations. These resources can help provide children with knowledge and skills to empower them to take action in response to family separation at the border, as well as in future debates about immigration issues.

As children continue to hear about family separation in the news and as these conversations seep into our schools and classrooms, K-12 teachers can foster respect and empathy while guiding students in these conversations. However, while schools expect teachers to promote knowledge, skills, and attitudes that engage students in current events, teachers are not always provided with the tools and strategies necessary to do so. We recognize that, for many teachers, preparing lessons and leading conversations around difficult and controversial topics such as family separation and immigration policy can be overwhelming, intimidating, and downright scary.

With this collection of resources, we seek to provide educators and parents with resources to help create a space to discuss the family separations and immigration challenges facing the US. right now. While we recognize that this topic is politically fraught, we hope these resources will enable parents and educators to contextualize US. immigration historically, to promote critical analysis of evidence in order to understand these issues, and to discuss them in a way that fosters empathy and civic engagement.

About this Toolkit:This toolkit groups resources into six categories to help educators and parents teach about family separation and immigration in the US. in both historic and contemporary contests. Within each topic is an annotated list of resources, including its date of publication, recognizing that debates and current events constantly shift and change. We encourage parents and educators to adapt these resources to fit the needs of their children or students and the context of their family or school.

The six categories of resources found below include:
Each of these resources provides a starting point for considering how to approach talking to our children and our students about immigration, family separation, today's vicious news cycles, and human rights violations.
How to Talk to Children about Immigration and Family Separation, by Brittany Murias, Little Feminist blog(June 2018). Grade Level: Elementary and Middle School.

This article helps parents and educators talk to children about this difficult topic by teaching and modeling empathy and honesty. It includes nine tips for discussion as well as five books for children ages 5 to 11 to help students explore the experiences of immigration and family separation.

This resource provides ten ways that adults can talk to children about the seemingly non-stop news and social media coverage of immigration and family separation at the border. Although this resource is aimed at parents, many of the approaches can be adapted for the classroom.

The first part of this resource overviews the recent "zero tolerance" policy and immigrant family separation, and it links to reliable sources about the issue, including the US Department of Justice, PBS News Hour, the Washington Post, the New York Times, and the US Department of Health and Human Services. The second part provides strategies and tools for teaching about the topic. It encourages teachers to clearly identify lesson goals and objectives, introduces word clouds and graffiti boards as teaching tools, and offers strategies to promote social awareness.

Human Rights Education Handbook: Methods for Human Rights Education and Techniques for Human Rights Education. Grade Level: All Grades.

These two chapters from the Human Rights Education Handbook catalog participatory teaching approaches to use in human rights education (HRE). These methods empower students to conduct independent analysis and enable teachers to include human rights-related skills, attitudes, values, and actions in the classroom. The HRE techniques build on the methodologies with concrete tools and strategies for implementation. These methods and techniques can be adopted to teach about family separation and immigration.
Often, we hesitate to discuss a topic - especially a controversial one - because we feel we don't understand its nuances. These resources contextualize family separation and US immigration policy for parents and teachers to better understand, engage with, and teach about these topics.
Divided, Part 1: How Family Separations Started and Divided, Part 2: The Chaos of Reunification, The Daily (podcast) from the New York Times (August 2018).

In the first of this two-part podcast, reporters Annie Correal and Caitlin Dickerson outline the development of the recent practice and policy of family separation and its repercussions for over two thousand children separated from their parents. Part 2 of the podcast explains why the government could not meet the court order to reunite the separated families.

In this brief history of family separation at the US border, Escobar argues that while the nature of family separation today is unprecedented, family separation through migration is not a new phenomenon.

Children Have Been Separated from their Families for Generations: Why Trump's Policy was Different, by Gordon Lynch, The Conversation (June 2018).

In this article, Lynch outlines various forms of state-sanctioned family separation that have occurred throughout history across the Anglophone world. He compares and contrasts these events with family separation taking place today.

This article historicizes the asylum process in the US. It outlines national and international law relating to asylum-seeking and illustrates how the policies came to be as they are today.

Ten Myths About Immigration, by Teaching Tolerance (Spring 2011).

To create a culture of empathy when teaching about immigration and family separation, it is often necessary to first dispel misperceptions about the topic. This article breaks down ten myths, including topics like jobs and immigration economics, the immigration process, and legal issues. The site also includes extensive citations and an accompanying middle and high school lesson.

Central America's Violent Northern Triangle, Rocio Cara Labrador and Danielle Renwick, the Council on Foreign Relations (June 2018).

Much attention has been given to US immigration policies and the reception and treatment of migrants and asylum seekers from Central America. Less is known about the push factors that have lead people to endure the long and dangerous journey to the United States. This article details the violent conditions of the Central American Northern Triangle, the causes of this violence, and the US response to these conditions.

In 2018, President Trump signed an executive order supposedly ending the administrator's policy of family separation. This article explains the executive order, what it entails, and how we got to the point of needing such an order.

Border Trilogy, a podcast by Radiolab (March and April 2018).

In this three-part podcast, Radiolab investigates the historical development of the "prevention by deterrence" policy, the lives impacted by the policy, and the drastic rise of migrant deaths in the Arizona desert that resulted from it. These podcasts take listeners through the Sonoran Desert, into a high school in El Paso, Texas, to the offices of the US Border Patrol and into the home of a family who lost a loved one in the desert.
Children may hear about immigration and family separation in the news or study it in school, but books and stories can be powerful tools to humanize these topics. Stories can help students explore the personal emotions and experiences attached to immigration while building empathy and understanding for immigrant children and families. The books below, organized by age and grade level, can engage kids and teens with relatable stories about migration and family separation. When possible, we included books that are bilingual or that have English and Spanish versions available.
La Frontera: El viaje con papa / My Journey with Papa, by Deborah Mills and Alfredo Alva. (Bilingual). Grade Level: Elementary School.

This bilingual book tells Alva's story of migrating with his father from La Ceja, Mexico to the US. Depicting the family's struggles in Mexico, the book shows the difficult decision families face in choosing to migrate to the US with children. One review describes that this book "humanizes US immigration policy conversations and statistics. It offers young readers a chance to engage with the lived experiences of one immigrant boy and extension the many immigrant narratives the echo Alva's."

Soñadores | Dreamers, by Yuyi Morales. (Spanish and English versions available). Grade Level: Elementary School.

This beautifully illustrated book celebrates the importance of books and libraries in the author's own migration story. The author explains, " Dreamers is a celebration of what migrantes bring with them when they leave their homes. It's a story about family. And it's a story to remind us that we are all dreamers, bringing our own gifts wherever we roam."

In this book, the main character, Saya, faces her mother being sent to an immigrant detention center. The story traces Saya's visits to her mother and the folk stories her mother tells her and her own burgeoning activism and advocacy via letter writing on behalf of her mother.

Alongside gorgeous mural-style illustrations, this book chronicles Amada and her family's story of migrating from Juarez, Mexico to Los Angeles in the US through a series of bilingual journal entries. The book speaks to courage, persistence, and strength through times of change.

Dos conejos blancos | Two White Rabbits, by Jairo Buitrago. (Spanish and English versions available). Grade Level: Elementary (K-2).

In this book, a girl travels with her father and her two white bunnies north on the roof of a train known as la Bestia (the Beast). She observes her surroundings - clouds, animals, soldiers - which shows a child's perspective of migration. One review notes the book's rich symbolism (e.g. the presence of coyotes throughout the book, representing the human smugglers (coyotes) who bring migrants across the border). An educator's guide by We Love Children's Books contains language arts activities that pair with this book.

This book shows that the process of immigration is timeless by linking the stories of Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud: "JOSEF is a Jewish boy living in 1930s Nazi Germany. With the threat of concentration camps looming, he and his family board a ship bound for the other side of the world...ISABEL is a Cuban girl in 1994. With riots and unrest plaguing her country, she and her family set out on a raft, hoping to find safety in America...MAHMOUD is a Syrian boy in 2015. With his homeland torn apart by violence and destruction, he and his family begin a long trek toward Europe." The publisher includes a lesson (grades 3-8) and discussion guide. In this article, 8th grade teacher Katie Sluiter details how she used Refugee in her classroom. This book is a popular choice for showing immigration to the US. as a long process involving migrants from all over the world.

Esperanza renace | Esperanza Rising, by Pam Muñoz Ryan (Spanish and English versions). Grade Level: Middle School.

Esperanza and her mother fled their ranch in Mexico during the Great Depression. They end up in a camp for laborers in California, where she must reconcile her living conditions and identity in this new place. Ryan's grandmother's "riches-to-rags" story of migration from Mexico to California in the 1930s inspired the story. Scholastic has teaching resources available.

El único destino | The Only Road, by Alexandra Diaz. (Spanish and English versions). Grade Level: Middle School.

Jaime, a 12-year-old Guatamalan, wakes one day to find his cousin Miguel dead. Miguel, another victim of gang violence, was killed by the Alphas, a gang known for its drug trafficking. Jaime flees with his cousin Ángela, seeking his older brother in New Mexico. Based on a true story, this book makes clear the difficult decision that many migrants face in leaving home - understanding that leaving offers their only chance at living a better life.

After six years of being separated from his parents who had migrated to California, Miguel finally at age fifteen had his chance to travel to the border, la línea, to find them. He faces many dangers on his trip northward with his younger sister - a desert crossing, thieves, border guards. They eventually climb onto the train, riding it north. This narrative shows the physical, emotional, and psychological turmoil faced by kids as they migrate, seeking family, stability, and a better life. Teaching Books has lesson resources available.

Darkroom is Weaver's autobiographical graphic novel. In 1961, she migrated as a five-year-old with her family from Argentina to Alabama. She details her childhood as an educated middle-class Latina growing up in the Jim Crow South. Weaver, who was neither black nor white, struggled to find her place in the US. with its racial tensions including segregation and discrimination.

Fifteen young people who fled their homes in Central America and crossed the border into the United States tell their stories in this book. In these stories, the reader meets youth such as Adrian, from Guatemala City, who fled to the US after his mother was killed only to be detained by ICE on his eighteenth birthday and Rosa, a Salvadoran mother who walked through the jungles between Guatemala and Mexico with her daughter to get to the US. Teachers can download lesson plans to go along with this book

Additional books on immigrants, refugees, and asylum in the US.

Books to Help Kids Understand what It's Like To Be a Refugee, by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich; Grade Level: All Grades

11 Books to Teach Students About the Refugee Experience, by Samantha Cleaver; Grade Level: All Grades

Books about Asylum Seekers and Refugees for Younger Children, by Booktrust; Grade Level: Elementary School

Books about Asylum Seekers and Refugees for Older Children, by Booktrust; Grade Level: Middle and High School

Books about Asylum Seekers and Refugees for Teens, by Booktrust; Grade Level: High School

Immigrant Stories: Life Along the Border, by Colorín Colorado; Grades: Elementary and Middle School (ages 6-12)

Immigration Stories: Crossing the Border, by Colorín Colorado; Grades: Elementary and Middle School (ages 6-12)

Teaching about Immigration, by Social Justice Books; Grade Level: All Grades

**Social Justice Books also has lists of books on Understanding Central America, Latinx and Latin American Titles, and other potentially useful categories**

An Educator's Guide to the Immigration Debate, byMaureen Costello, Teaching Tolerance (2014). Grade Level: All Grades.

This article provides adults with essential background knowledge about the current immigration debate by putting it in its historical context. It suggests that teachers use this historical framing to shape discussions about current immigration policies, practices and responses. The article concludes with suggested topics and questions that adults can use to facilitate dialogue.

This step-by-step guide leads teachers and students in creating a book to document stories of immigrants in their own communities. The process walks students through identifying interviewees, developing interview questions, conducting interviews (including obtaining participants' consent), and transforming interviews into essays. In this process, students gain powerful insight into different immigration experiences. This resource builds on learning about immigration and provides tools for taking action locally.

Understanding Immigration Reform, by PBS Newshour (November 2012). Grade Level: Middle and High School.

In this two-part lesson, students learn about immigration and consider their own opinions on immigration reform. Students build research skills by conducting independent research on various perspectives on immigration reform and practice debating these perspectives thoughtfully and respectfully. Students read primary sources to learn about relevant legislation and build writing skills by writing a persuasive essay, letter to the editor, or email to a government representative about immigration reform.

This study guide helps students explore the question: "Why has the Trump Administration's zero tolerance policy on undocumented immigrants caused such a controversy?" by reading an article and watching a video from PBS Newshour. The lesson includes discussion questions to engage students in discussion and debate.

In this collection of five units based on the 15 stories from the book, Solito, Solita, students engage with refugee narratives to gain a deeper understanding of migration and asylum. These detailed lessons address topics including asylum and sanctuary, the power of storytelling to counter dominant narratives, the theory of cultural wealth, and liberation. Lesson plans include handouts, graphic organizers, and links to articles, videos, and photos. You can preview an adapted story from Solito, Solita, here.

The Power of Photographs from Vietnam to the Border Crisis, by PBS Newshour (July 2019). Grade Level: Middle and High School.

In this lesson, students consider the impact of graphic photographs on public opinion and the role of photography in the media. This lesson includes a range of photographs and teachers can select which photographs to use in their classroom based on knowledge of their students and their community.

These activities provide students with information about the family separation policy as well as opportunities to reflect on its impact on families and children. It links to a podcast and two articles to help students understand the policy, and it has three activities to help students emotionally process the content.

Seeking Asylum in the United States, bythe Choices Program. Grade Level: High School.

This lesson plan introduces students to the laws, policies, and processes of applying for asylum in the US. This resource also links to short video lectures about immigration in the US and other related lesson plans.

Teaching Activity for "Hundreds of Immigrant Children Have Been Taken from Parents at US Border," by The New York Times (April 2018). Grade Level: High School.

This activity introduces US policies of asylum and asks students to consider what they know about child separation. The activity provides discussion questions for teachers to use with a New York Times article, "Hundreds of Immigrant Children have Been Taken from Parents at US Border." These questions push students to consider the application of US policy and children's experiences, along with how this articles presents information.

Deconstructing the Wall: Teaching about Symbolism, Politics and Reality of the US-Mexico Border, by the New York Times (January 2019). Grade Level: High School.

This lesson encourages students to unpack the symbolism of walls. As students cycle through three different stations, they use an interactive New York Times website about security measures at the border, watch a short video, and analyze graphs and charts to examine public policy and practice at the border.
Students learning about family separation, US immigration policy, and the horrors taking place at the US-Mexico border may want to translate that knowledge into action. The resources that follow provide parents and teachers with ways to promote civic engagement and empower students with tools and strategies to make a difference. Writing Letters to Legislators and Leaders. Grade Level: All Grades
After learning about family separation and immigration in the US, students may be interested in voicing their opinions in a way that matters. This resource helps children understand how to identify their congressperson and reach out to them. These instructions guide children in writing letters in protest of the Homestead Detention center, but they can be adapted to address family separation and immigration more broadly. This middle and high school lesson by Teaching Tolerance guides students in researching an issue, identifying the person, company, or institution to whom they should address their advocacy, drafting letters, and reflecting upon the process. By writing letters to corporate or elected officials, students practice articulating their opinions and writing persuasively to make a difference.

Guides for Civic and Activist Action Action. Grade Level: All Grades.

Ideas for Civic Action in a Time of Uncertainty outlines five steps students can pursue to collaboratively take action on civic issues. Author Steven Zemelman emphasizes the importance of allowing students to identify the key issue and ensuring that their work culminates in action are essential to making the experience empowering for young people. In this article, Youth Service America outlines its model for taking action awareness, service, advocacy, and philanthropy, and ways that these four elements can be employed to address family separation and immigration.

Families and classrooms can conduct fundraisers and donate money to organizations that support separated families and immigrants. This resource provides a list of recommended organizations that collect such donations.

This list collects ideas for individuals, families and groups to support immigrants, including attending rallies, making donations, and being an ally to immigrants. We encourage adults to be creative and consider ways to engage young people in these activities.

Book and Letter Drives for Detained Children, Grade Level: All Grades

In this activity, a student selects their favorite book, writes why it is their favorite book, and shares it with a child in an immigrant detention center. Through this activity, children build empathy by developing a personal connection to detailed children. This resource provides information about four different pen pal programs through with children, families, and classrooms can communicate directly with migrants in detention.

As educators and parents, another way we can support immigrant students and families is by welcoming them into our schools and communities, helping connect them to local resources, and cultivating a safe and inclusive environment that meets their physical, mental, and emotional needs.

How to Support Immigrant Students and Families, by Colorín Colorado.

This guide contains over fifty strategies for supporting immigrant students and families in educational and community settings. Strategies include topics like building partnerships with immigrant families, providing socio-emotional support for students, and offering staff training. A shortened version is also available.

Supporting Students from Immigrant Families, by Tolerance.org.

Categories of resources included on this list include supporting English Language Learners, Safe Zones and ICE Raids, Classroom Resources, and School Climate.

This is Not a Drill, by Julia Delacroix and Coshandra Dillard, Teaching Tolerance(Fall 2018).

While schools have become vulnerable to ICE raids and enforcement of deportation policies, schools remain a powerful space for providing a community for immigrants. This article and its accompanying toolkit offer strategies for supporting immigrant students and families.

Bridging Refugee Youth and Services: School Resources, by Bridging Refugee Youth and Services.

Educators can face a range of challenges supporting immigrant and refugee youth, including figuring out how to support students with interrupted education, engaging parents in the schools, creating compassionate environments, and addressing the impacts of trauma. This website offers a series of webinars that help educators and school personnel address these and other issues related to supporting refugee students.

Thanks for reading! We encourage you to share your favorite resources in the comments below.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Teaching about Immigration, Asylum, and Family Separation at the US-Mexico Border: A Toolkit for...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
By Elisheva Cohen and Lindsey Passenger Wieck As parents and educators, the news of families separated at our southern border has hit us hard. We are heartbroken by the images and stories of the poor living conditions that children and their families face during their prolonged detention, as well as by US efforts to uphold the "zero tolerance policy."

# data[].attributes.body
I liked this resources because it provides many multicultural material that could be offered in the classrooms

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Lots of wonderful new multicultural children's book releases this month! Our favourites for February 2022 are Peek-a-You! (Babies & Toddlers), Eyes That Speak To The Stars (Preschool), Nigel And The Moon (Elementary School), Omar Rising (Middle School), and Bitter (High School). Enjoy browsing!

NEW Multicultural Children's Books February 2022

Babies & Toddlers

"Peek-a-you, peek-a-you, can you see? / Here's the pretty brown face of me?" Cuddle up with your little one and play a happy game of peekaboo! With bouncing, rhythmic text an d warm, whimsical illustrations, Peek-a-You is a joyful celebration of perfectly huggable, oh-so-lovable bright brown bundles of joy! ~ African - Babies & Toddlers

Related: Top 10 Multicultural Bedtime Stories for Babies & Toddlers

When Marley and her family move from Jamaica to Delaware, she knows life is about to change in big ways. And she's got the perfect plan to help her and her siblings make friends: an outdoor concert for the whole neighbourhood! But when weather ruins their plans, she discovers help in the most unlikely places as her new neighbours quickly become the kindest of friends. Inspired by the author's childhood and her iconic father, Marley And The Family Band is a vibrant picture book that celebrates music, love, and family. ~ African - Preschool

Related: 60+ Children's Books About Legendary Black Musicians

"What do you see when you look in the mirror, Mei? Do you see beauty? We see eyes that point toward the sun, that give us the warmth and joy of a thousand rays when you smile. We see hair as inky black and smooth as a peaceful night sky. We see skin brushed with gold." Written in the form of a letter from immigrant parents to their child,is a joyful and lyrical ode to the immigrant experience and a celebration of Chinese American identity. I Am Golden ~ Asian - Preschool

Related: 180+ Asian & Asian American Books for Children & Teenagers

Olu lives in Lagos, Nigeria; his cousin, Greta, lives in Milan, Italy. Though their lives may be different, their ways of living and playing are quite similar. They both roller skate; they both skip down the street; they both play with toy trains, trucks, and boats... and they both dream of meeting and being together. Referencing the author's own childhood and heritage, Olu & Greta is a rich, poignant, and authentic portrayal of Nigeria, of Italy, and of the unity of childhood. ~ African - Preschool

Related: 18 Multicultural Children's Books about Friendship

A new baby is coming! Do you know what to do? This fun and heartwarming new addition to the bestselling How to... series teaches siblings how to get ready for the baby, how to make the baby laugh, and how to help Mom and Dad when things get a little topsy-turvy. Filled with charming role-reversal humor, creative ideas, and sweet moments, How To Welcome a New Baby is sure to delight new siblings and growing families everywhere! ~ African - Preschool

Related: 70+ Picture Books about Mixed Race Families

It's the kind of night when you just can't fall asleep. You feel as though everyone in the world is asleep but you. "Oh, I see a light! Is somebody awake?" Brimming with wonder and enchantment, Star Fishing is a dreamy bedtime story that turns a sleepless night into a marvelous adventure through the stars and into sweet dreams. ~ Asian - Preschool

Related: 11 Multicultural Lullabies

Though she can't explain it, Britta is sure her two favourite trees, Apple and Magnolia, are best friends! Then one day, Magnolia's branches start to droop. Is there anything Britta-or Apple-can do to help? After all, unusual friendships can be the most powerful of all. With lyrical text and vibrant art, Apple and Magnolia unveils the extraordinary connections between trees and the wondrous bonds between all living things. Includes an author's note about how trees communicate with one another. ~ Diverse - Preschool

Related: 40+ Multicultural Children's Books for Earth Day

When a friend at school creates a hurtful drawing, a young Asian boy turns to his family for comfort. He realizes that his eyes rise to the skies and speak to the stars, shine like sunlit rays, and glimpse trails of light from those who came before-in fact, his eyes are like his father's, his agong's, and his little brother's, and they are visionary. Inspired by the men in his family, he recognizes his own power and strength from within. Companion to the acclaimed Eyes That Kiss in the Corners, Eyes That Speak To The Stars is a lyrical and uplifting picture book that redefines what it means to be truly you.

Related: 20 Multicultural Children's Books To Help Build Self-Esteem

"Remember to dream your own dreams / Love your beautiful skin / You always have a choice." Lyrical ~ African - Preschool Hey You! addresses-honestly, yet hopefully-the experiences Black children face growing up with systemic racism, and delivers a message of hope and empowerment to a new generation of dreamers. To mirror the rich variety of the Black diaspora, this book showcases artwork from Dapo Adeola and eighteen more incredible Black illustrators.

Little Wind and the trees of Jerusalem can't wait for Real King to visit. But Little Wind is puzzled when the king doesn't look how he expected. His wise friend Bare Tree helps him learn that sometimes strength is found in sacrifice, and new life can spring up even when all hope seems lost. that is sure to become a beloved tradition for families of faith. Bare Tree and Little Wind is a lyrical, captivating retelling of the Palm Sunday and Easter story ~ Diverse - Preschool

Related: 23 Multicultural Children's Books about Easter

Related: 40+ Multicultural Children's Books about Mothers

Elementary School

Muhammad Ali was the leading heavyweight boxer of the 20th century and a charismatic, beloved public figure. His objection to the military draft during the Vietnam War made him an icon for a generation, and his impact in sports and the Civil Rights movement is still felt today. Part of the dynamic he American boxing champ and civil rights activist. Includes timeline and photos. Ordinary People Change The World series, I Am Muhammad Ali shines a light on the life of t~ African - Elementary School

Related: 44 Children's Books About Extraordinary Black Athletes

Related: 100 Native American Children's Books

Related: 18 Multicultural Children's Books about Fear and Courage

Beauty is a Puerto Rican girl loved and admired by her family and community. At first, she's awake to their beauty, and her own-a proud Boricua of Taíno and African descent. But as she grows older, she sees how people who look like her are treated badly, and she forgets what makes her special. So her community bands together to help remind her of her beautiful heritage. is a powerful story of pride and community, told with bold lyricism and the heart of a fairy tale. Beauty Woke ~ Hispanic - Elementary School

Related: Pura Belpré Award Winners 1996 - 2022

Related: 180+ Asian & Asian American Books for Children & Teenagers

As a child in Georgia, Alma Thomas loved to spend time outside, soaking up the colours around her. And her parents filled their home with colour and creativity despite the racial injustices they faced. After the family moved to Washington DC, Alma shared her passion for art by teaching children. When she was almost seventy years old, she focused on her own vibrant artwork, inspired by nature and space travel, and became one of the most distinguished painters of the 20th century. Told from the point of view of young Alma Thomas, Ablaze With Color tells the incredible story of the first Black woman to have a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum in New York City and to have her work chosen for the White House collection. ~ African - Elementary School

Related: 40 Multicultural Children's Books About Fabulous Female Artists

Middle School

When twelve-year-old Yasmeen Khoury and her family move from Detroit to San Antonio, she feels more alone than ever before as she faces middle school mean girls and tries to make new friends. Eventually Yasmeen befriends her neighbour, Ayelet Cohen, a first-generation Israeli American, who understands how she feels. But then Yasmeen's grandmother moves in after her home in Jerusalem is destroyed, Yasmeen and Ayelet must grapple with how much closer the events of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are than they'd realized. Wishing Upon The Same Stars is a poignant middle-grade novel about family, heritage, identity and friendship. ~ Asian - Middle School

Related: 180+ Asian & Asian American Books for Children & Teenagers

Fifth grader Jillian will do just about anything to blend in, including staying quiet even when she has the right answer. After she loses a classroom competition because she won't speak up, she sets her mind on winning her school's biggest competition. But breaking out of her shell is easier said than done, and Jillian has only a month to keep her promise to her grandmother and prove to herself that she can speak up and show everyone her true self. Just Right Jillian is heartfelt middle-grade debut novel about family, friendship, and finding the confidence to break free from the crowd and be who you truly are. ~ African - Middle School

Related: The 50 Best Multicultural Middle Grade Novels of 2021

Son of a servant, Omar knows his scholarship to Ghalib Academy Boarding School is a huge opportunity. He can't wait to experience all the school has to offer, especially science club and the soccer team; but he soon learns that first-year scholarship students aren't allowed to join clubs or teams-plus, they have to earn their keep doing menial chores. On top of that, the school requires scholarship students to get significantly higher grades than kids who can pay tuition, making it nearly impossible for kids like him to graduate. With the help of his tightknit new group of friends Omar sets out to do what seems impossible: change a rigged system. bestselling Omar Rising is the compelling companion toAmal Unbound . ~ Asian - Middle School

Related: 180+ Asian & Asian American Books for Children & Teenagers

When their school closes due to the virus, Shayla, Liam, Ai, and Ben's lives are turned upside down. As they each struggle to adjust to life in quarantine, they discover they are not alone: their apartment building is full of people who need their help. Working together, they begin to see that there is power in numbers. It's a lesson they'll need when protests explode in the streets. Soon, each friend has to decide what it means to be part of a community―and how much they're willing to do to make this world safer for everyone. Set against the onset of COVID, When the World Turned Upside Down navigates issues of race and social justice in a heartwarming story of generosity, friendship, and the power of youth. ~ Diverse - Middle School

Related: 100 Children's Books to help talk about Racism & Discrimination

Under the cover of night, twelve-year-old Homer flees Southerland Plantation with his little sister Ada, unwillingly leaving their beloved mother behind. Much as he fears for her life, Homer knows there's no turning back, not with the overseer on their trail. Through tangled vines, secret doorways, and over a sky bridge, the two find a secret community called Freewater, deep in the swamp. In this society created by formerly enslaved people, Homer finds new friends, almost forgetting where he came from. But when he learns of a threat that could destroy Freewater, he crafts a plan to find his mother and help his new home. Deeply inspiring and loosely based on the history of maroon communities in the South, Freewater is a striking tale of survival, adventure, friendship, and courage. ~ African - Middle School

Related: NEW 2022 Black History Books for Children & Teenagers

Related: 180+ Asian & Asian American Books for Children & Teenagers

Related: 36 Children's Books set in the Caribbean

On the brink of her Quinceañera, and her official coronation, Solimar visits the oyamel forest to sit among the monarch butterflies. The sun shines on her and sends the butterflies humming and swirling around her. After the magical frenzy, she realizes she's been given a gift―and a burden: she can predict the near future! She has also become a protector of the young and weak butterflies. This alone would be a huge responsibility, but tragedy strikes when a neighbouring king invades while her father and brother and many others are away. The remaining villagers are taken hostage―all except Solimar. Can this princess-to-be save her family, the kingdom, and the future of the monarch butterflies from a greedy and dangerous king? Fans of will find a new Mexican heroine to love in Esperanza Rising Solimar. ~ Hispanic - Middle School

Related: 24 Children's Books set in Mexico

As the daughter of immigrants who came to America for a better life, Annie Inoue was raised to dream big. So when she lands an impressive role in the production of The King and I, she's thrilled . . . until she starts to hear grumbles from her mostly white classmates that she only got the part because it's an Asian play with Asian characters. Is this all people see when they see her? Is this the only kind of success they'll let her have-one that they can tear down or use race to belittle? Disheartened but determined, Annie channels her hurt into a new dream: showing everyone what she's made of. Dream, Annie, Dream is an empowering deconstruction of the so-called American Dream, as a Japanese American girl grapples with, and ultimately rises above, the racism and trials of middle school she experiences while chasing her dreams. ~ Asian - Middle School

Related: 100 Children's Books to help talk about Racism & Discrimination

Related: 50+ Multicultural Middle Grade Novels for Summer Reading

High School

To all the world, Alizeh is a disposable servant, not the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom forced to hide in plain sight.Clashing empires, forbidden romance, and a long-forgotten queen destined to save her people-
The crown prince, Kamran, has heard the prophecies foretelling the death of his king. But he could never have imagined that the servant girl with the strange eyes, the girl he can't put out of his mind, would one day soon uproot his kingdom-and the world. This Woven Kingdom is the first in an epic, romantic trilogy inspired by Persian mythology. ~ Asian - High School

Related: 180+ Asian & Asian American Books for Children & Teenagers

When Sunny G's brother died, he left him his notebook, which Sunny is determined to fill up with a series of rash decisions. Decision number one: He stops wearing his turban, cuts off his hair, and shaves his beard. He doesn't look like a Sikh anymore. He doesn't look like himself anymore. Even his cosplay doesn't look right without his beard. He's skipping the big fandom party -the one where he'd normally be in full cosplay, up on stage playing bass with his band and his best friend, Ngozi- to debut his new look at prom, which he's stuck going to alone. Enter Mindii Vang, a girl with a penchant for making rash decisions of her own, starting with stealing Sunny's notebook. When Sunny chases after her, prom turns into an all-night adventure full of rash, wonderful, romantic, stupid, life-changing decisions. Sunny G's Series of Rash Decisions is an endearing romantic comedy about a Sikh teen's search for love and identity. ~ Asian - High School

Related: The 50 Best Multicultural Young Adult Books of 2021

After a childhood in foster care, Bitter is thrilled to have been chosen to attend Eucalyptus, a special school where she can focus on her painting surrounded by other creative teens. But outside this haven, the streets are filled with protests against the deep injustices that grip the city of Lucille. Bitter's instinct is to stay safe within the walls of Eucalyptus . . . but her friends aren't willing to settle for a world that's so far away from what they deserve. Pulled between old friendships, her artistic passion, and a new romance, Bitter isn't sure where she belongs-in the studio or in the streets. And if she does find a way to help the revolution while being true to who she is, she must also ask: at what cost? Companion to acclaimed , Bitter is a timely and riveting novel that explores the power of youth, protest, and art. ~ African - High School

Related: 100 Children's Books to help talk about Racism & Discrimination

*You can buy any of the books on this site from Amazon USA by clicking on the book titles or covers*

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
NEW Multicultural Children's Books February 2022 - Colours of Us

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Lots of wonderful new multicultural children's book releases this month! Our favourites for February 2022 are Peek-a-You! (Babies & Toddlers), Eyes That Speak To The Stars (Preschool), Nigel And The Moon (Elementary School), Omar Rising (Middle School), and Bitter (High School). Enjoy browsing! Babies & Toddlers "Peek-a-you, peek-a-you, can you see?

# data[].attributes.body
As a future educator, I feel that this resource could come in handy because it provides so many different material like strategies and language development advice

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What teachers and administrators need to know to best serve Multilingual Learners

Below you will find answers to key questions along with strategies gleaned from the latest research on Multilingual Learner (ML) children. Each question area includes both research support for why it is important and specific evidence-based strategies. Many of the research studies underlying these practices integrate several strategies over an extended period. This means that determining the impact of a single strategy implemented is not possible. Therefore, individual strategies across the different instructional topics are interconnected, and we must implement them together, in a purposeful and connected manner. Always bear in mind, of course, your classroom or school's language model when implementing the strategies and adapt accordingly.

Start here!

We recommend reading through the Starter Guide section before exploring the Instructional Strategies. Individual strategies across the different instructional topics are interconnected and should be implemented together, in a purposeful and connected manner throughout instruction, and not in isolation. Make sure to also consider your classroom or school's language model when implementing the strategies and adapt accordingly.

Visit how to use this site >

Was this page helpful?

Stay connected! Sign up to receive notifications about new resources and blog posts.

Please tell us a little about yourself to help us tailor our content and continue to improve this website:

By signing up you agree to receive occasional communications from the Multilingual Learning Toolkit. You can unsubscribe at any time.

We respect your right to privacy.
Please review our Privacy Policy

Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Please complete your user profile.

x

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Instructional Strategies & Resources * Multilingual Learning Toolkit

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The instructional strategies are presented as responses to questions you might have about how best to serve Multilingual Learners

# data[].attributes.body
This article gives a good understanding of the need that a EB/EL GT learner needs

# data[].attributes.body
Really descriptions of assessments to use as a reference

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
The BUENO Center for Multicultural Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Bilinguals United for Education and New Opportunities (BUENO)Located in the School of Education at the University of Colorado, Boulder, The BUENO Center is

# data[].attributes.body
I liked this resource and found it really help because it broke down each level of proficiency and the implication of of oral development

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

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

Getting Started

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

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

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

Questions and Classroom Scenarios

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

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

Levels of Language Proficiency

Description

Implications For Using Oral Reading

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Closing Thoughts

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

About the Author

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

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

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

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Classroom management is a phrase and concept all teachers are familiar with and know intimately.

The concept can be defined in several ways, but essentially refers to the actions a teacher uses to create an environment and climate where effective teaching and learning can take place. If students are not engaged in instruction and are off-task, even the most exciting concepts or topics and the most dynamic instructional techniques will fall short, as students are concentrating on something else or behaving inappropriately.

Teachers get into the business of teaching because they want to help people learn to develop new skills and knowledge, and ultimately to make the world a better place. When asked what the purpose of education is, teachers often report they want to help students become life-long learners and productive members of society.

Employers are seeking students who ...

are self-regulated learners and are motivated to learn about the world

want to improve on their own work in the workplace and learn how to more efficiently implement a process

are creative and critical thinkers

know how to communicate well and collaborate with others

But when inappropriate or disruptive behavior interrupts the process of helping students to develop these skills, frustration may ensue for the teacher and other students.

There are numerous issues that impact classroom management skills, in general terms, but also when working with students who are English learners or who come from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Issues of bullying and lack of empathy impact many students in schools today. Prejudice and perceptions of race or social class can impact student dynamics among students and teachers.

Students from differing cultures may have different experiences and notions of how school works, what the expectations of school are, and how to behave appropriately in school. When to address a teacher, when to talk to other students, gender roles in communication in the classroom, eye contact, and the concept of discipline vary from culture to culture.

As we learn about students' cultural backgrounds and norms, our perspective and strategies to manage the classroom should change to respond to student behavior in a more culturally appropriate way.

When students feel threatened, humiliated, ridiculed or even disliked by the teacher or other students, learning is negatively impacted. When working with students who have experienced some form of trauma in their lives, the "fight or flight" instinct may take over when a student feels as though they are threatened in some way.

For students who have experienced being in war-torn countries or have been refugees, or students who have had harrowing experiences coming to this country, the instinct to initially resist against authority or to rebel when being confronted may stem from past experiences outside of school. It is important that as teachers we recognize that these negative experiences may impact students' negative behavior.

In second-language acquisition theory, the concept of the affective filter states that language learning can be facilitated or hindered based on the emotional variables experienced by the student.

When the student feels stress, anxiety, a fear of failure or embarrassment, the affective filter is "high" and does not allow language (and potentially content) to come through. When individuals feel comfortable and risk-taking is encouraged and celebrated in learning a new language (or content), learning is facilitated.

The affective filter can be raised or lowered depending on the actions of the teacher and other students in the class. Classroom management, in part, plays a part in the facilitation or hindrance of language and content learning.

In Part 2 of this article, we will explore some effective classroom management strategies for working with culturally and linguistically diverse students.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
MultiBrief: Transforming classroom management for ELLs: The issues

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Classroom management is a phrase and concept all teachers are familiar with and know intimately. There are numerous issues that impact classroom management skills, in general terms, but also when working with students who are English learners or who come from diverse cultural backgrounds.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In Part 1 of this article, we discussed the numerous issues that impact classroom management skills, in general terms, but also when working with students who are English learners or who come from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Classroom management is a phrase and concept all teachers are familiar with and know intimately.

There are numerous classroom management strategies that benefit all students, but that may be especially beneficial for culturally and linguistically diverse students. This population in particular requires additional considerations as we work to develop a classroom culture of learning and mutual respect.

Consider the following concepts and strategies as you reflect on your own classroom management style and classroom culture.

Interest in students

Carl Rogers, a humanistic psychologist is thought to be the first to discuss the unconditional positive regard for patients. In teaching, we can apply the concept as having an unconditional positive regard for children. This includes taking interest in our students, including their interests, hobbies and cultural norms and backgrounds.

Just as parents love their children unconditionally, when we view students with a positive regard, we do everything we can for them to improve their social and emotional health, including using discipline and classroom management strategies that help them to see what appropriate behavior looks, sounds and feels like.

Celebrating students' languages and cultures

Celebrating that students speak other languages and have culturally diverse backgrounds is as easy as encouraging students to speak their native language at home with their families, or in class as appropriate.

Students may be encouraged to speak in their native language when discussion a topic with a partner or clarifying instructions or concepts, for example. Ask students if they are familiar with vocabulary words or concepts in their native languages, and if they are comfortable, ask them to share those words.

Examining our cultural lens

As we celebrate students' cultures and linguistic backgrounds, it is important that we also begin to think about our own cultural norms and biases. How we understand the world and students can lead to misunderstandings of behavior displayed by students.

One way to consider this is to question if what we expect a classroom to look like is the same or different from what our students believe and expect. Do our practices align with what students are used to and believe school should be? While we do not necessarily need to completely change our system, it is important that we begin to recognize how our own cultural lens can cause misunderstandings.

Creating a culture of learning

Keep the affective filter low by encouraging risk-taking in the classroom. Celebrate when students make attempts at applying concepts or language skills, even if these attempts come at inopportune times.

Keep it positive

Perhaps the most important strategy teachers can use to effectively manage classrooms is the notion of public praise and private conversations. This refers to publicly recognizing students who are behaving appropriately, rather than students who are behaving in undesirable or disruptive ways.

The adage "what you permit, you promote" holds true in that teachers can and should make explicit the kids of behaviors they expect to see in class, and publicly acknowledge those behaviors. Phrases such as "thank you for staying quiet while others are speaking" and the like show students what you expect from them.

This does not mean that unacceptable behavior is ignored. But rather when the redirection of students by pointing out positive behavior does not work, a private conversation with the student is necessary.

Some students only know how to gain attention from the teacher by acting in disruptive ways. When we shift the paradigm and publicly acknowledge students when they are doing something correctly - especially recognizing positive behavior in students who have behavior challenges - we can begin to shift the paradigm of negative attention seeking behaviors.

Developing norms or agreements

In a positive classroom community, students and teachers can work together to collaboratively develop norms for behavior. Students at all levels know the types of behaviors that are helpful or harmful in learning and working with others. Students from diverse cultural backgrounds may have differing perspectives that will enrich the discussions.

If students are a part of developing the norms of behavior and agreements in the classroom, they are more likely to follow the norms as they had a hand in creating them.

Explicit teaching of social skills

Students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds may have differing expectations on how to behave in the classroom, as we have previously mentioned. Behavioral expectations should be explicitly taught to students so that they understand what the behaviors are, what the behaviors look like and sound like.

One way to explicitly teach this is by using a three-column chart. The behavioral norm or social skill is listed at the top of the chart. In each column, list - with the input of the students - what the skill looks like, sounds like and feels like.

While this may seem tedious, students may not be able to immediately articulate what empathy, listening, respect, collaboration, perseverance or other skills actually look like. Specific examples of what a particular skill looks like, sounds like, or feels like can be added over time.

The second column, "sounds like," is especially important for English learners. These students may need explicit instruction in the words and phrases that help demonstrate the social skill or behavior being taught.

Social objectives

Many teachers are familiar with writing instructional objectives and sharing those objectives with students. When working with English learners, the addition of language objectives is a widely accepted practice to help students develop academic language skills.

Social objectives that focus on the behavior students will engage in during the lesson are another way to make explicit the types of behavior students should engage in. For example, a social objective may focus on nonverbal cues speakers give when listening to a partner, such as nodding, asking clarifying questions or appropriate eye contact.

Active student participation

Effective instructional techniques will assist in keeping students engaged, thereby minimizing behavior issues. When scaffolding is used appropriately, students are met at their instructional level and supported to meet the objectives for the lesson.

Using techniques such as choral calling, frequent student conversations on academic topics, hands-on activities, and getting students up and moving around, students will be more highly engaged and less likely to behave in disruptive ways.

Implementing these strategies and concepts will likely not eliminate all behavioral issues in the classroom. However, as we strive to meet the needs of all students in the classroom, careful consideration of how we manage student behavior and carefully considering our students' experiences and cultural backgrounds will help us to ever move in the direction of helping each child to excel.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
MultiBrief: Transforming classroom management for ELLs: Strategies for success

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Classroom management is a phrase and concept all teachers are familiar with and know intimately. ​There are numerous classroom management strategies that benefit all students, but that may be especially beneficial for culturally and linguistically diverse students.

# data[].attributes.body
This serves as a resource for Teacher on different ways to be able to teach English to thier students

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
For English Language Teachers Around the World

# data[].attributes.body
This article gave really good examples of ESL students writing.  I especially liked that it provided real examples of students writing examples

# data[].attributes.body
This provided very useful strategies for ESL reading comprehension

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Reading Comprehension Strategies for English Language Learners

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Note: This article originally appeared in ASCD Express: Vol. 5, Issue 11, “Reading to Learn.” Comprehension is the reason for reading, but it can be the most difficult skill to master — especially for English language learners (ELLs). ELLs often have problems learning science, math, or social studies concepts, for example, because they cannot comprehend the textbooks for these subjects.ELLs at all levels of English proficiency and literacy development will benefit from improved comprehension skills, which allow them to:read more accuratelyfollow a text or story more closelyidentify important events and concepts in a textmaster new concepts in their content-area classescomplete assignments and assessmentsfeel motivated to read in school and for pleasureThere are a number of ways to build ELLs’ comprehension skills. Often standard strategies that are used in mainstream classrooms are a good starting point — they just need to be tweaked with ELLs’ language and academic needs in mind! This article focuses on strategies that are part of three main approaches: building background knowledge, teaching vocabulary explicitly, and checking comprehension frequently.I. Build background knowledgeDraw on students’ existing knowledgeStudents may already possess content knowledge that they cannot yet demonstrate in English. Look for opportunities to make associations between students’ experiences and new content. Allow students to use their native language with peers for a quick brainstorm about what they know about a topic before presenting their ideas to the whole class.Related Videos Video bonus: See classroom videos and interviews about reading comprehension in our related resource section and classroom video library!Build students’ background knowledgeStudents with limited or interrupted schooling may not have that same level of knowledge as their peers, especially when it comes to historical or cultural topics. When starting a new lesson, look for references that may need to be explicitly explained.Take students on a “tour of the text”At the beginning of the year and each time you hand out a new textbook, take students on a “virtual tour.” Show them different elements of the text, such as the table of contents and the glossary, and discuss how these sections can be helpful. Explain how the text is organized, pointing out bold print, chapter headings, and chapter summaries. Once students learn how to recognize these elements, they will be able to preview the text independently. Remember that students need to know how to use a tool in order for it to be useful. Learn more about this strategy in Teaching ELLs to Navigate Textbooks Effectively.Use a “picture-walk”This strategy can be used for fiction or non-fiction books. “Walk through” the book with the students, pointing out pictures, illustrations, and other graphic elements. Ask them what they notice about the pictures and how they think those details may be related to the story or content.Use outlines to scaffold comprehensionProvide a brief, simple outline of a reading assignment or an oral discussion in advance of a new lesson. This will help ELLs pick out the important information as they listen or read.II. Teach vocabulary explicitlyFocus on key vocabularyChoose vocabulary that your students need to know in order to support their reading development and content-area learning. Provide student-friendly definitions for key vocabulary.Include signal and directional wordsRemember that students may also need explicit instruction in signal or directional words (“because” and “explain”), in addition to key content vocabulary (“photosynthesis” and “revolution”).Use a “picture-walk” for vocabularyOnce students know a new word’s definition, ask them connect those new words to the pictures they see in the text.Teach students to actively engage with vocabularyTeach students to underline, highlight, make notes, and list unknown vocabulary words as they read.Give student practice with new wordsEnsure that your students can:Define a wordRecognize when to use that wordUnderstand multiple meanings (such as the word “party”)Decode and spell that wordIncorporate new words into discussions and activitiesFor students to really know a word, they must use it — or they will lose it. Use new words in class discussions or outside of class in other contexts if appropriate, such as on field trips. Give the students as many opportunities to use and master the new vocabulary as possible.III. Check comprehension frequentlyUse informal comprehension checksTo test students’ ability to sequence material, for example, print sentences from a section of the text on paper strips, mix the strips, and have students put them in order.Test comprehension with student-friendly questionsAfter reading, test students’ comprehension with carefully crafted questions, using simple sentences and key vocabulary from the text. These questions can be at the:Literal level (Why do the leaves turn red and yellow in the fall?)Interpretive level (Why do you think it needs water?)Applied level (How much water are you going to give it? Why?)No matter what the proficiency level of the student, ask questions that require higher-level thinkingTo probe for true comprehension, ask questions that require students to analyze, interpret, or explain what they have read, such as:What ideas can you add to…?Do you agree? Why or why not?What might happen if…?How do you think she felt…?Use graphic organizersGraphic organizers allow ELLs to organize information and ideas efficiently without using a lot of language. Different types include Venn diagrams, K-W-L charts, story maps, cause-and-effect charts, and timelines.Provide students lots of different ways to “show what they know”Drawings, graphs, oral interviews, posters, and portfolios are just a few ways that students can demonstrate understanding as they are beginning to develop their reading and writing skills in English.SummarizeAsk students to use the following strategies to summarize what they have read (orally or in writing):Retell what you read, but keep it short.Include only important information.Leave out less important details.Use key words from the text.It may be challenging to get ELLs’ comprehension skills where you want them to be, but the extra effort it takes will be well worth it as you put them on the path to becoming successful readers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Writing Effective Language Objectives Handouts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Edutopia is a free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education. We are published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
By Sarah Ottow
The Latin root word for "assessment" is assidere which means to sit beside. In my work as an English Language Learner (ELL) specialist, I advocate for educators to intentionally sit beside their students to more deeply understand and support their learning trajectory at the classroom level. That is to say, I strongly advocate for an intentional formative assessment approach for ELLs.
Schools can go beyond traditional summative and interim measures to ensure a more balanced assessment approach that brings to light the nuanced and complex process of academic language development. By implementing formative assessments for ELLs, educators can develop a "language lens" that uncovers and showcases the growth of this culturally and linguistically diverse population.

Where do we start?

First, we can examine what comprises our current assessment systems in place. We have large-scale, "big data" summative assessments that give us "big data" once a year on student proficiency. We also have interim assessments that measure growth against benchmarks periodically throughout the year, often with the audience largely being district and school-level stakeholders.
These summative and interim assessments provide "snapshots" of ELL performance and are not always reliable or valid on the ELL population. Therefore, we need to ask ourselves if we have systemic, systematic formative measures in place that provide feedback on teaching and learning specifically for our ELLs? Do we have a "photo album" approach of ELL development? If not, we can add specific formative practices into our assessment system that celebrate student growth and provide next steps for instruction at the classroom level.

What are some effective formative assessment practices for ELLs?

What's important to remember is that formative assessment is flexible and intended to focus on feedback for both the teacher and the student. As an initial step, I highly recommend that teachers keep portfolios of student writing samples to show individual student growth over time. Through portfolios like journals and learning logs, student work can be the centerpiece in conferences and school data meetings.
Next, I suggest that teachers work with students to co-create appropriate goals for using more sophisticated academic language. It's critical to promote student ownership of the assessment process through goal setting, self-assessment as well as peer assessment opportunities.

How can collaboration strengthen formative assessment?

A critical step in strengthening ELL formative assessments is to create and sustain collaborative time to analyze student work. Evidence-based conversations between educators about what students are producing can directly lead to ideas for effective student feedback and instruction. Professional learning communities are also opportunities for collaboration with ELL specialists to deepen content teachers' understanding of language and literacy. One final tip is to consider building data walls of multiple measures of ELL data quarterly to facilitate data-driven coaching cycles and team planning. In these ways, we can offer a "photo album" approach to show progress over time, celebrating students' journey of academic language development.

We know that ELLs are a diverse group of students with unique assets and varying factors affecting academic performance. Many educators need support in reaching ELLs and teaching academic language yet they often don't know where to start. By implementing more formative assessments for ELLs with the appropriate language supports, teachers can better understand their students and become stronger teachers of academic language. After all, all teachers are indeed language teachers!

Formative Assessment Ideas

Journals or learning logs to show growth over time in a portfolio

Academic conversations to explain new learning

Cornell notes or graphic organizers to structure note-taking

Student-teacher conference or small group discussions to recount learning

Exit slips to show "I think..", "I wonder...", "I still want to know..."

Fill-in-the-blank or "cloze" activity using sentence frames

Reciprocal teaching

Recording student language through technology

Drawing or role playing

Gallery walk of student work where students give each other feedback on stickies

Word or concept sorts based on unit themes or student-created categories

One word or one phrase response using whiteboards

Self-checklist or peer-checklist

Label or sequence visuals like pictures, photos or realia (real life objects)

Student-generated questions for peers

This blog is part of the Supporting English Language Learners Series with support from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. For more, stay tuned for the culminating podcast, infographic and publication.
For more, see:
Sarah Ottow is the founder, director and lead coach at Confianza: Educating for ELL Equity. Follow Confianza on Twitter: @ELL_Confianza Stay in-the-know with all things EdTech and innovations in learning by signing up to receive the weekly Smart Update. This post includes mentions of a Getting Smart partner. For a full list of partners, affiliate organizations and all other disclosures please see our Partner page.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Supporting English Language Learners with Formative Assessments

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
By Sarah Ottow - By implementing formative assessments for ELLs, educators can develop a "language lens" that uncovers and showcases their growth.

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

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

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

Stages of Language Acquisition

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

The Six Stages of Second-Language Acquisition

Pre-production

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

Early production

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

Speech Emergent

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

Beginning Fluency

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

Intermediate Fluency

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

Advanced Fluency

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

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

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

Instructional Strategies

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

Emphasize listening comprehension by using read-alouds and music.

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

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

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

Gesture, point and show as much as possible.

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

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

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

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

Ask yes/no and either/or questions.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have students work in pairs and groups to discuss content.

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

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

Ask questions that require inference and justification of the answer.

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

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

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

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

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

Continue to provide visual support and vocabulary development.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Demonstrate effective note-taking and provide a template.

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

Recommendations

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

# data[].attributes.body
Both of the resources when very well together by explaining the issues and problem areas in the classroom as well as giving strategies for improvement