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Colorin Colorado. (2012, February 24). The changing ELL field: Seeing language and culture as assets [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTYARzClMr4

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Committee for Children. (2016, August 1). Social-Emotional Learning: What is SEL and why SEL matters [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikehX9o1JbI

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The article outlines several instructional strategies for supporting ELLs, including:

1. Use Visuals: Incorporate images, diagrams, and charts to enhance understanding.

2. Build Background Knowledge: Connect new concepts to students' existing knowledge.

3. Model Instructions: Demonstrate tasks and processes step by step.

4. Scaffold Learning: Break down complex tasks into manageable steps.

5. Encourage Peer Interaction: Foster collaborative learning through group work.

6. Integrate Students' Cultures: Include cultural references and examples in lessons.

7. Use Sentence Frames: Provide structured sentence starters to support language use.

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The resource discusses the importance of creating supportive learning environments for English Language Learners (ELLs).  It emphasizes the need to address and challenge prejudices against nonstandard language varieties and to foster values such as awareness, tolerance, and respect in students.

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Edutopia. (2023, December 7). Tailoring instruction to support English language learners [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1D362yrn_E

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McDonough, V. T. (2024, January 8). Setting the tone for the day, for the school, for the district through social emotional learning. Colorín Colorado. https://www.colorincolorado.org/article/setting-tone-day-school-district-through-social-emotional-learning

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The article on Colorín Colorado offers practical strategies for classroom teachers to support English Language Learners (ELLs). It includes tips like using visuals, building on students' prior knowledge, and creating opportunities for peer interaction.

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MJ. (2016, June 30). What is WiDA? Quick Overview [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa2MV2lZpFM

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ELLs are students who need additional language support due to limited English proficiency. They often come from homes where a language other than English is spoken. These students are identified using a home language survey and placement tests.

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(U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights et al., 2016)

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Here are some ways to create inclusive learning environments:

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Here are some ways to create inclusive learning environments:

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Culturally Responsive Teaching: Incorporate students' cultural backgrounds and experiences into the curriculum.

Language Support: Provide resources in multiple languages and use visual aids to support comprehension.

Differentiated Instruction: Tailor lessons to meet the diverse needs of students at different proficiency levels.

Positive Classroom Culture: Foster respect and appreciation for diversity through classroom norms and activities.

Family Engagement: Involve families in the learning process and acknowledge their cultural contributions.

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Why cultural understanding is essential?

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Why cultural understanding is essential?

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The resource highlights the importance of cultural understanding in education, stressing that it is crucial for fostering inclusive and effective learning environments. Cultural understanding allows educators to better connect with students from diverse backgrounds, reducing biases and promoting respect.

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(MultiBrief: Why Cultural Understanding Is Essential, n.d.)

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The resource outlines how social-emotional learning (SEL) can create a positive and inclusive school environment, particularly for ELLs.

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Technology plays a key role in supporting ELLs's educational journey. This resource provides strategies based on technology by offering a variety of learning tools and platforms.

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Racken, R. & Jennifer Railsback. (2003). Strategies and Resources for mainstream Teachers of English Language learners [Book]. In Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. https://educationnorthwest.org/sites/default/files/ell.pdf

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U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Justice, Bailey, A. L., Kelly, & Linquanti, R. (2016). Tools and resources for identifying all English learners. In English Learner Tool Kit. https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oela/english-learner-toolkit/chap1.pdf

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WIDA English Language Proficiency Levels

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WIDA English Language Proficiency Levels

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WIDA stands for (World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment) English Language Development (ELD) Standards. These standards outline the language skills that English learners (ELs) need to succeed in academic settings.

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Levels of English Language Proficiency:

1. Level 1: Entering – Minimal English understanding; communicates with gestures or isolated words.

2. Level 2: Emerging – Limited understanding; uses simple phrases with frequent errors.

3. Level 3: Developing – Better comprehension; longer phrases with noticeable grammatical errors.

4. Level 4: Expanding – Good understanding; more complex communication with occasional errors.

5. Level 5: Bridging – Strong comprehension; effective in various contexts with minor errors.

6. Level 6: Reaching – Full proficiency; near-native performance with minimal differences.

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Tailoring Instruction to Support English Language Learners

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

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The use of technology benefits ELLs in several ways:

Personalized Learning: Technology allows ELLs to practice language skills at their own pace using language learning apps and online platforms.

Visual and Auditory Support: Multimedia tools such as videos, interactive whiteboards, and educational games make complex concepts easier to understand through visual and auditory aids.

Access to Resources: Translation tools and digital dictionaries help ELLs comprehend new vocabulary and content in real-time.

Engagement: Interactive tools and games make learning more engaging and enjoyable for ELLs.

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Meet Alma Milan

The needs, struggles, and achievements of English language learners are diverse and unique; understanding them is not always easy for educators. However, some educators were English language learners themselves and therefore have a bit of insiders' knowledge. Such is the case of Alma Milan, a certified ESL teacher at Kosciuszko Middle School. Of Filipino background, she came to the U.S. at age six, knowing three languages - none of which was English. She can recollect what it was like to be in a classroom and not knowing what anyone was saying! She believes that having been an ELL student herself, she is more sensitive to her students' needs - especially their fear of making mistakes.

Technology use is an intrinsic part of Alma's classroom; in fact, her class takes place in a computer lab. By using visual supports (clip art and other graphic images), the students are able to see an object and associate it with the words they see and hear. She uses Power Point presentations in her lectures to introduce colors, geography concepts, and an array of nouns. She finds this method especially important for visual learners and those students with low literacy levels. Through visual representations, she helps her students build the vocabulary needed for the content lessons in their regular classes (she is required to teach some of this content in the ESL class). Her school uses the "block system," and students have a daily ESL period equivalent to half a block each day (about a 45-minute period).

A method that she finds beneficial to her students is pairing them according to skill. She will pair someone with weak literacy skills with someone with higher literacy skills; in oral conversation exercises, she will pair a shy student with a more outgoing one - students usually find a way to compensate for each other's skills and help each other learn. Sharing seems to be prevalent in her teaching methods. She has done exercises that help her students explore the holidays and traditions of peers from other countries, using these as a basis for conversation starters and even writing exercises.

Because she wants her students to be self-learners, the Internet plays an important role in her classroom. Often she will create a list of sites with useful information (and very importantly, at an adequate reading level!), then ask her students to create a presentation based on research through those sites. She often has her students use webs or concept maps to organize the information from their searches.

As with many ELL/ESL/ESOL teachers, Alma struggles with the many different levels of proficiency among her students (some have high oral skills, but low reading and writing). All of Alma's students are Hispanic. Many of them were born in the U.S., then traveled back to their parents' home countries. Now, returning to the U.S. as young teenagers, they cannot recollect much from their early years.

It seems that Alma's rapport with her students transcends their time in her classroom, as many have stayed in contact after moving on to high school. As one of her colleagues told us "Alma is not difficult to adore; she is firm and strict. Her ideas are fresh and inspirational. Her students adore her. She truly has their best interest in mind, giving them every opportunity to be technologically literate, as well as assisting them in developing their language skills. Her expectations are high, and the students respond to this very well."

Thank you to Heidi Stutzki for nominating Alma and contributing to this story.

Do you know an outstanding ELL teacher? Paraprofessional? Student?

Click here to nominate them.

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Using technology to create a visual learning environment

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The needs, struggles, and achievements of English language learners are diverse and unique; understanding them is not always easy for educators. However, some educators were English language learners themselves and therefore have a bit of insiders' knowledge. Such is the case of Alma Milan, a certified ESL teacher at Kosciuszko Middle School.

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Ways Educators Can Support the Social and Emotional Needs of ELLs

Morning Meetings: Start the day with community-building activities.

Mindfulness Practices: Use stress management and emotional resilience techniques.

Cultural Sensitivity: Acknowledge and respect students' diverse cultural backgrounds.

Relationship Building: Develop strong, trusting relationships with ELLs.

Professional Development: Train educators on the unique social-emotional needs of ELLs.

Safe Spaces: Create supportive environments where ELLs feel safe to express themselves.

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Social-Emotional Learning: What Is SEL and Why SEL Matters

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The resource explores how cultural perspectives impact the learning experiences of ELLs and provides strategies for educators to address these challenges effectively. It emphasizes the importance of understanding students' cultural backgrounds to create supportive and inclusive learning environments.

Cultural Challenges:

Communication Styles: Differences in verbal and non-verbal communication can lead to misunderstandings.

Learning Preferences: Cultural norms may influence how students engage with content.

Classroom Interaction: Varying cultural expectations about teacher-student dynamics.

Recommendations:

Culturally Responsive Teaching: Adapt teaching methods to align with students' cultural contexts.

Inclusive Curriculum: Integrate diverse cultural perspectives into the curriculum.

Open Communication: Foster dialogue that respects and values cultural differences.

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The changing ELL field: Seeing language and culture as assets