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Language related to social skills concepts

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Language related to social skills concepts

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A lot of you mentioned the amount of work you do related to supporting students with social skills. Thought it may come in handy.

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Quizlet is the best resource I've found for supporting vocabulary learning!

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Quizlet is the best resource I've found for supporting vocabulary learning!

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Check it out!

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Heard  this is a good, free resource for supporting kiddos with Engage NY curriculum.

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Heard  this is a good, free resource for supporting kiddos with Engage NY curriculum.

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Zearn Math | Top-rated Math Learning Platform

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Learning with Zearn helps math make sense. Students explore math through pictures, visual models, and real-life examples. Log in to your Zearn account.

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Free extensive resource for supporting the language of argument.

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Free extensive resource for supporting the language of argument.

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This website provides readings, and materials on current debatable topics.  Our e-book debate is from this website.

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Printed Books vs. E-Books - Tablets vs. Textbooks - ProCon.org

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Chart image of Printed Books vs. E-Books

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Lot's of sentence starters and Tier 2 words:

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Lot's of sentence starters and Tier 2 words:

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As well as a good recap about academic language.

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Article related to ELs and paraprofessional work

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Paraprofessionals who work alongside ELLs may do so in a variety of settings with a variety of roles. You may be working alongside the ELL teacher in the ESL classroom or perhaps you aid a content-area teacher who has ELLs in his/her class. You may be multilingual yourself; familiar with the challenges of learning a second language or maybe this is your first encounter with students who speak languages other than English. Whatever the case may be, there are some tips that will help you to succeed in supporting ELLs.

First Steps

Get to know your students

It may sound simple, but getting to know your students is a great first step towards helping them to succeed in the classroom.

Your role: It begins with learning their names and how to pronounce them correctly. In my experience, many ELLs will not correct a teacher who mispronounces their name. Therefore, if you ask them, "Is that how you say it?" They will most likely tell you "yes" even if you mispronounce it. Instead, try asking them how their mother says their name. You might be surprised how differently it's pronounced. In addition:

If you are working in a classroom where ELLs are integrated with non-ELLs, find out who the ELLs are.

Find out language proficiency levels of the students.

You should be able to find out both pieces of information from the classroom or ELL teacher.

Help students feel comfortable

It is common for new students, particularly at the beginning level, to experience what experts call a silent period.

Your role: You can help to make students feel comfortable by asking them some basic get to know you questions:

Find out where the student is from and what language they speak at home.

Ask them to teach you a greeting in their language.

Ask them what their favorite activities or hobbies are, and look for links to class activities or lessons.

If a student feels that you have taken a genuine interest in them, they will be more likely to request and/or accept your help.

Get to know the teacher in the classroom

Collaboration in the classroom is often ideal, but it is not always easy. Take the time to get to know the teacher with whom you are working and discuss your teaching styles and expectations.

Your Role: Set up a time to meet with the classroom teacher to discuss both of your expectations. Ask specific questions:

How and when are you expected to assist in the classroom? For example, will you be working one on one and/or off to the side with ELLs in the class or will you be walking around the classroom helping everyone?

Chances are that you will be helping students while s/he is instructing. If so, what will that look like?

Does the teacher prefer that you wait until there is a break in instruction to make clarifications or explanations to the students, or would s/he rather that you quietly clarify or explain to students in need at the moment?

The only way to find these things out is to talk about it!

What Does Help Look Like?

The help that ELLs will need from you will range from the academic content to the mechanics of the classroom, and everything in between. This includes:

Academic help

Model an example for students when they do not understand the task at hand.

Restate or simplify questions, directions, instruction, etc. When dealing with ELLs it's important to focus on the major theme or the big picture and focus less on the details.

Check for comprehension frequently. Refrain from yes or no questions because when you ask an ELL if they understand, they usually answer "Yes." Instead, ask open-ended questions that encourage them to explain their answers with words, motions or pictures.

If students are lacking the confidence to share answers with the entire class, act as their sounding board. If they are correct, encourage them to share. If they're incorrect, help them to find the correct answer.

When students need to look up vocabulary words or definitions, help them to navigate through glossaries and picture/bilingual dictionaries.

Mechanics of the classroom

Make sure that they are on the same page as the rest of the class, literally. For example, check that they're on the correct page in the textbook, correct worksheet, or the same number problem.

Ensure that they have copied down assignments correctly. If they are written on the board, help them to locate them. If an assignment was given orally, students may need to see it in writing to fully understand.

Social/emotional needs

As with many students, the scope of assistance often goes way beyond the classroom when ELLs are involved. Try to pay attention to the following.

Hygiene: Not everyone shares the same hygiene practices as we do in the U.S. One explanation for this is that before their arrival, not everyone had access to daily showers, baths, and laundry as we do. For that reason, pay attention to whether the students' clothes are clean each day. Do the students seem to be properly bathed? Did they brush their teeth? For older students, do they wear deodorant? If not, you, the teacher, the counselor or the school social worker may need to address issues of hygiene with the student.

Clothing: Watch that students wear appropriate clothing for the weather. Are they wearing socks with their sneakers or shoes? During cold winters, do they wear boots, coats, hats, and gloves?

Nourishment: Do the students look nourished? When you see them in the cafeteria, are they eating lunch? If they aren't, why not? Perhaps they didn't fill out the appropriate lunch application or they may not know where the cafeteria is! It's possible that they are afraid to eat because the food is unfamiliar and they think it may go against religious or dietary restrictions. Not all students will ask for help and not all adults in the school pay attention to such details. You could bridge the gap by keeping an eye out for such things and asking questions.

Bullying: Are the ELLs being teased, ostracized, or peer pressured? OR Are the ELLs bullying other students in an attempt to be accepted? ELLs, especially new students, often feel scared and alone. Take the initiative to introduce them to some friendly classmates who could help them feel more at ease in school.

Interpreting

If you are bilingual, you will probably interpret for students and families in a variety of settings. It goes without saying that speaking the same language as your students will put them at ease. However, it is important to establish some guidelines before interpreting.

In the classroom

Discuss your role: First, talk with the teacher to determine when the best time for clarifications and interpretation are. Discuss how the use of interpretation can be used most effectively in the classroom.

Get to know your students: Become familiar with the English language proficiency levels of your students as soon as possible. This will help you to determine when interpretation is necessary and when students are perhaps taking advantage. Beginners will certainly require more attention than advanced. Remember that there is a delicate balance between giving students the aid that they need and encouraging them to become independent learners.

Think about seating: Consider seating students who speak the same language closer together. That way you won't have to go back and forth across the classroom and repeat yourself.

Set limits: Encourage students to call on you for interpretation for academic help, but discourage them from socializing with you during instruction. It's also common for students to request your help in areas unrelated to instruction such as problems at lunch, locker issues, bus pass, etc. Sometimes, they ask for help on behalf of their parents: green card questions, landlord problems, auto insurance, etc. If this is the case, set up a time to meet about the issue later. Set a good example for your students by engaging only in academic talk during instruction.

During tests

Interpreting during instruction should look different than interpreting during tests. During tests, interpretations should follow the same parameters set by your state. For example, in New York State, interpretations during state tests are to be oral only, no writing. They should be word for word interpretations that do not clarify or explain content. By mirroring the state parameters during classroom tests, it will prepare students for final exams.

To find out more about your states testing accommodations for ELLs, speak with your principal or testing coordinator. You should also be able to find such information on your state's education website.

Interpreting for parents

You may be asked to interpret and/or translate for parents in a variety of settings. In terms of face to face interpretation, you may need to interpret during events such as a Parent/Teacher Conference, Open House, or parent organization meeting. You may be needed to interpret over the phone as well. In addition, your school may want to send home letters and information in students' native languages and you could be called upon to do some written translations.

Note: If you will be interpreting, try to clarify what your interpreting/translation responsibilities and schedule will early on. Otherwise, administrators and staff may be pulling you in different directions at the last minute to help with translation as the need arises. If you are scheduled to be "on call," that may be appropriate. If you are being pulled away from instructional time in the classroom to translate, however, it will be difficult to work effectively with your students.

Language Support

Even if you're not bilingual, there are a number of ways to offer language support to your students. First and foremost, you can help students them master academic content and language in English. However, you can also help them strengthen their native language by providing books and other materials in that language. If you don't know where to find such materials, ask other aides, teachers, librarians, or parent liaisons for ideas. Research shows that students who have strong language and literacy skills in their first language are more successful in learning English - and learning in English!

Tips for Success: The Individual vs. the Group

Americans value self-sufficiency. We have an individualistic culture which means that we value individual achievements and are more likely to take pride in being independent. Many of the cultures your students will come from, however, have a more collectivist approach. Collectivist cultures tend to focus on working together for the good of the group, rather than for the good of the individual.In the classroom, this collectivism often manifests itself in the following ways:

Working together

Students copy off of one another on homework, class work, or tests and see nothing wrong with doing so. This is a major problem because ELLs don't understand why they can't "help out" or "get help" from their classmate; however, in the U.S. cheating and plagiarism are major educational offenses.

Your Role: It's important to teach students to help their classmates in the same manner that you help. Explain that helping does not mean giving the answer. It could mean showing a classmate where to find an answer in the book. It could mean interpreting for them. Or students could help each other by clarifying the question so classmates can come up with the answer on their own.

Dependence and independence

ELLs, especially those at the beginning level, have a tendency to latch on to helpers and have difficulty working independently. While all students need some kind of support and assistance, there are those students who thrive on assistance and require continual attention from the teacher, aide, tutor, or classmates. Be careful not to get lured into a situation in which a student is relying heavily on your help. We want to provide students the support they need; in order for them to be truly successful in this culture, however, they will eventually need to learn how to do things on their own.

Your Role: Encourage students to try it on their own. One way to do this is to build them up to working independently. For example, offer them some guidance, but then walk away and tell them that you will be back to check on them in a 5 minutes (or after they have completed one task). When you return, praise their effort, offer additional assistance if needed and then tell them that you will be back in 10 minutes (or after they have completed three tasks). This process will take time, but over the course of the year you will begin to produce a more confident, self-sufficient student.

Learn more

A great way to build a toolbox of teaching strategies is to attend trainings and professional development geared towards educators who work with ELLs. What types of trainings does your school offer? It's possible that the ELL teacher in the school is available to do presentations. If not, s/he should at least be available to answer any questions you may have. Also look into what is offered at the district or regional level. Keep an eye out for seminars and conferences that are coming through town. It's also advisable to get yourself added to the mailing list for the ELL department in your school and district. You may be missing professional learning opportunities simply because you aren't aware of them.

Here's a list of some professional organizations where you can start!

Professional organizations

Job responsibilities and descriptions

Video Interviews: Paraprofessionals and ELLs

These interview excerpts highlight the important roles paraprofessionals play in supporting ELL instruction and family outreach. The following educators are featured:

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Paraprofessionals who work alongside ELLs may do so in a variety of settings with a variety of roles. You may be working alongside the ELL teacher in the ESL classroom or perhaps you aid a content-area teacher who has ELLs in his/her class.

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Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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Please [contact us](https://www.ted.com/contact) and let us know what happened.

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Fostering our students' thinking through questioning....

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Fostering our students' thinking through questioning....

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Resources and question wheel

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Assessment Strategy Cards - Linguistically Diverse Education: Assessment E-handbook

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These cards below represent the index cards created in my LDE 3910 class. Each card represents a different ELL assessment strategy.

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Great resource for building background!

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What Is Comprehensible Input?

Comprehensible input is a critical concept for second-language development for students with and without learning difficulties. Comprehensible input means that students should be able to understand the essence of what is being said or presented to them. This does not mean, however, that teachers must use only words students understand. In fact, instruction can be incomprehensible even when students know all of the words. Students learn a new language best when they receive input that is just a bit more difficult than they can easily understand. In other words, students may understand most, but not all, words the teacher is using.

10 Tips and Strategies

More ELL Resources

Using context and visual cues

Making teacher talk comprehensible to students goes beyond the choice of vocabulary and involves presentation of background and context, explanation and rewording of unclear content, and the use of effective techniques such as graphic organizers. By using context or visual cues, or by asking for clarification, students enhance their knowledge of English. When input is comprehensible, students understand most aspects of what is required for learning, and the learning experience pushes them to greater understanding

Provide enough relevant background information

One way teachers can ensure that material is sufficiently comprehensible is to provide relevant background knowledge and content. Teachers should try to explain ideas or concepts several times using slight variations in terminology and examples.

Build context through relatable experiences

Comprehensible input is related to more than just language development and curriculum content. Appropriate context is crucial. One way for teachers to be sensitive to the language and cultural backgrounds of their English-language learners with learning difficulties is to provide instruction that draws on the experiences of their students. This does not mean that teachers have to be experts in their students' cultures, but they do have to understand how effective it can be to connect students' learning to their past experiences. Such understanding can often be gained by listening carefully and attentively to students.

Choose vocabulary, gestures, and visuals carefully

Many other techniques can be used to increase the likelihood that students will understand what is being said to them, such as the use of consistent language, frequent use of visuals, and providing frequent opportunities for students to express their ideas.Comprehensible instruction requires that teachers carefully control their vocabulary and use graphic organizers, concrete objects, and gestures when possible to enhance understanding. It is important to limit the length and number of lecture-type presentations.

Stress accuracy, not rigidity

During instructional dialogs, the focus should be primarily on accuracy of content, not rigid requirements associated with correct language use. Spending time defining, discussing, and clarifying vocabulary words unlikely to be familiar to the students prior to reading a passage has demonstrated consistently positive effects on reading fluency, accuracy, and comprehension for students with learning, speech, and language disabilities.

Encourage interactivity through use of native languages

To continually modulate and clarify the language of instruction, teaching must also be highly interactive. Teachers must constantly involve students, ask many questions, and encourage students to express their ideas and thoughts in the new language. One strategy for motivating students is to give them opportunities to share their language, culture, country, and experiences. Opportunities to use language orally creates, in turn, opportunities to increase receptive language skills.

Sometimes, talking in class is okay!

Give ELL students more opportunities in the classroom to use oral language and to engage in cognitively challenging tasks.

Leverage peer tutors and group activities

Cooperative learning and peer tutoring strategies have the potential to effectively and rapidly increase English-language development, particularly when working with highly decontextualized and cognitively challenged language concepts.

Use journals to help with guidance and feedback

For older students, expressing ideas orally can be risky in some classrooms. The use of dialog journals, even computer journals, with feedback from the teacher, can become a more comfortable vehicle for English language development.

Progress, not perfection

In conclusion, it is important to realize that comprehensible input is as much an ideal as it is an achievable reality. In teaching English-language learners with learning difficulties, we can attempt to reach this ideal level of support and challenge, but in the context of complex and fast-paced classroom interactions, it may rarely be achieved as much as we would like. Nonetheless, this is a critical principle as you develop an instructional program for each English-language learner.

Excerpted from Teaching English-Language Learners with Learning Difficulties

More resources on Teaching English-Language Learners

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What Is Comprehensible Input for ELL Students?

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Comprehensible input is a critical concept for second-language development for students with and without learning difficulties. Comprehensible input means that students should be able to understand the essence of what is being said or presented to them. This does not mean, however, that teachers must use only words students understand.

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Newsela | Everyday Mysteries: Why do bats live in caves?

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Description and Video through WIDA. Warning: you may know some people in this!

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Early Childhood Resources for building language

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Early Childhood Resources for building language

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Learning begins at birth! When you talk, read, and sing with your child-even before she can use words-you're building her brain and helping to prepare her for success in school and in life.

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Last week, an online friend of mine sent me a private message via Google+:

The Facebook post my friend sent me showing how far my original graphic had been adapted.

My jaw hit the keyboard...that was my image, but it also wasn't my image. It was the concept behind my image, but completely redrawn (and by someone with actual artistic talent!). I was stunned...and delighted.

How did this happen? Back in 2012, shortly after the US elections, I had crafted up a graphic to illustrate my point in an argument I was having with a conservative activist. I was trying to clarify why, to me, "equal opportunity" alone wasn't a satisfactory goal and that we should somehow take into consideration equality of outcomes. I thought the easiest example of this concept is kids of different heights trying to see over a fence. So, I grabbed a public photo of Cincinnati's Great American Ball Park*, a stock photo of a crate, clip art of a fence, and then spent a half-hour or so in Powerpoint concocting an image that I then posted on Google+.

My original post (below) racked up around 3,000 +1s and over 1,000 shares, which was just amazing to me, especially given that Google+ was barely 18 months old and still fairly small as social sites go.

My original image - December 19, 2012 - https://plus.google.com/+CraigFroehle/posts/AdKcNKesXwa

I felt pretty satisfied, but I didn't consider what was happening to all those G+ reshares. Nor did I think about what might have been happening beyond G+.

The only hint I had early on that this might have a fairly broad audience was that Jonathan Haidt, a Professor of Ethical Leadership at NYU's Stern School of Business, contacted me a couple weeks after I posted the image to ask my permission to use it in his presentations and articles. Of course, as a fellow academic, I agreed. Here's an example of Dr. Haidt discussing the original image in a talk he gave at Duke University in March, 2013.

But, unbeknownst to me, as the Internet is so wonderfully amazing at doing, my original graphic was being adapted, modified, and repurposed in a mind-blowing variety of ways, and then shared and redistributed all over the place.

So, today, I decided to go back and use the magic of Google to see if I could track down some of its many variations and post them here quasi-chronologically. Note that this article documents just a tiny fraction of the thousands of instances where this image and its variations can be found across the Internet, and I can't be sure that any of the links below are the original places these images were first posted. If I missed any instances worth mentioning, please let me know.
ADAPTATIONS
There are literally hundreds (perhaps thousands) of different adaptations, most with wording changes, but some that actually manipulated the original image as well to convey a slightly different idea.

This early revision, posted within four months of mine, replaced my original words to differentiate equality from justice.

This equality/justice version became fairly widespread and was apparently used in at least one presentation:

More equality versus justice, this time on the Huffington Post in mid-2014...

In contrast, Joe Bower got straight to the point differentiating equality from fairness in this mid-2013 adaptation that also stripped off all my original wording.

Another version (crazily enough, this appears to be a photo of a poster??) also saw this issue as one of equality versus fairness.

Verbiage contrasting equality versus equity seems like the most popular version of my graphic, as this early example shows. Note that someone added some kind of white watermark or logo of their own in the middle of my original image. :-[

Later in 2013, Shafin Verani integrated my images into a Slideshare presentation entitled "Matters Related to Gender in the Quran."

In late 2014, it was adapted again and posted on https://outfront.org/strategicplan in this form, with the footnote as shown:

Note: This image was adapted from the original graphic: http://indianfunnypicture.com/img/2013/01/Equality-Doesnt-Means-Justice-Facebook-Pics.jpg

That footnote suggests that the first wording changes happened in January 2013, pretty soon after I posted the original.

In a 2015 DailyKos story, it attributed my image as follows: "Equity image credit: Please note, this image was adapted from an image adapted by the City of Portland, Oregon, Office of Equity and Human Rights from the original graphic: http://indianfunnypicture.com" Well, no, not exactly. ;-p

A version (and then versions) with extensive wording clearly spelling out what people thought the lesson should be began appearing, often with minor tweaks to phrasing to reflect the adapter's particular take on the matter, such as this one that was fairly widely shared:

One teacher even felt compelled to print out that version for her classroom:

My original image was even dissected (maybe using MS-Paint?) and integrated into a video poem about equality and equity.

In another example of tweaking the original image, leave it to the Aussies to replace my baseball background scene with a cricket match (and to also get some girls involved):

And some people disagreed with having to look over a fence in the first place:
REINTERPRETATIONS
Not satisfied with manipulating my images and words, many have gone on to create their own versions out of whole cloth. Here are some examples.

In June of 2014, blogger (and artist!) Mary at "Off She Goes" adapted the concept into a multi-part lesson on the differences between equality and equity using girls standing at a fence (not looking at anything in particular). The below image (adapted from Mary's original post) was reblogged at http://www.jtolds.com/writing/2015/11/equity-vs-equality/ in late 2015.

My only complaint about this otherwise charming rendition is that the equity side has more boxes than the equality side, making it inherently more resource-intensive. That doesn't seem like a fair criticism of equity, which is why I made sure to simply reallocate the boxes in my original rather than introducing more.

This version with apple trees first (as far as I can tell) appeared in a 2014 Saskatoon Health Region report to illustrate how equity/fairness can be useful in ensuring health and wellness for everyone. And yes, again, there are now more boxes on the equity side. [sigh]

That same image was then reused on several other sites, such as this article on equality and equity using fantasy football (??) as a metaphor.

And here's just a blatant example of re-use without attribution. Good going, United Way! /s

Sometime in 2014, the Annie E. Casey Foundation published its " Race Equity and Inclusion Action Guide," which included a variation on the original graphic. The Annie E. Casey Foundation describes itself as "a private philanthropy that creates brighter futures for the nation's children by developing solutions to strengthen families, building paths to economic opportunity and transforming struggling communities into safer and healthier places to live, work and grow." If I was able to help them advance their mission even a tiny amount, I'm overjoyed.

Actually, I was led to that Annie E. Casey Foundation publication by way of this late-2015 post that reused their adaptation of my image. I was touched by this comment they included: "This little graphic has helped us to think about equity vs equality. "

This next one appears to be the product of someone in the Portland, Oregon Office of Equity and Human Rights, because Google only knows of one instance of it on the Web. Nicely done, whoever you are.

In yet another reimagining, one blog used the equality/equity difference as a way of differentiating egalitarianism from feminism. It's amazing how many ways there are to reinterpret this core concept, and apparently there are nearly as many labels for it.

And on that same theme of feminism is this (perhaps not-so-serious) extension. Sucks to be that poor red-haired kid now. :-(

The Association of American Colleges and Universities used still another variation in a slideshow titled "Step Up and Lead for Equity: What Higher Education Can Do to Reverse Our Deepening Equity Divides":

The Metropolitan Council for the Minneapolis-St. Paul region used the following variation (apples again!) in its late-2015 website update about the role of equity in long-term urban planning.

Even UNICEF (the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund) in Australia came up with yet another adaptation, this time with two kids hoping to see a sunrise (or maybe a sunset). Once again, though, additional boxes magically appear.

The La Crosse Tribune (La Cross, Wisconsin) posted this version on December 31, 2015, apparently drawn by Mike Tighe, the paper's in-house artist. I find the description a bit shocking: "This graphic and variations of it commonly are used by health educators..." Commonly?!? Holy cow...this image was only about 3 years old at this point. In this version, the stepstools magically reproduce:

An Oregon literacy program recently used an adapted version of my graphic, but cleverly employed two kids reaching for books as the context.

Earlier this year, the Interaction Institute for Social Change hired an artist to redraw my original image as a comic, with the stunning results below:

Thanks to Tonya Love (@tdlove5) for pointing me towards the source of that fantastic reimagining.

And, of course, the Internet only needs a millisecond or two to come up with an even newer take:

Indeed. Or this one:

Hmm.

I'm not exactly sure this next one is consistent with any of the previous messages, given that all kids really should be getting great teaching and individual support. Hmm...

And the most recent new interpretation I found was this really nicely drawn version. I just hope those kids don't get in trouble for stealing extra books to stand on.
CRITIQUES
But, as with anything, it was not universally appreciated. There were more than a few critiques and condemnations of my original image as well as of some of the variations that appeared. For example...

Curiously, there was no shortage of complaints that the kids were just freeloaders and should buy a ticket to be inside the stadium if they want to watch the game. Which, I think, entirely misses the point.
CONCLUSIONS
I am giddy at the thought that this little graphic I cooked up has helped so many people think about this issue and spawned so many conversations in just the past few years. Personally, I'm not at all upset that it's been modified and extended and redone in so many ways (well, except for putting your own watermark on someone else's work...that's just kind of douchey) - in fact, I'm delighted because that just makes it that much more useful to people. The Internet's ability to take a meme and quickly run it through a massively parallel evolutionary process is both fascinating and awe-inspiring. We all benefit from the free and open exchange of ideas, and I'm just glad this image has been part of that exchange.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Updates since this article was first published:

May 13, 2016: Some friends notified me of the following extension posted on Twitter (and on Google+) by different people, and it uses the original two frames to motivate a third option and conclusion. Clever! Original source unknown.

May 23, 2016: Continuing along that same thread is this graphic, which I found posted on Twitter last month. I'm not sure if the Center for Story-Based Strategy created this extended version of Angus Maguire's original art or merely co-opted it from somewhere else.

May 26, 2016: Well, this story just keeps evolving (amazing!). Angus Maguire, the artist mentioned above, reached out via Twitter to update me on his collaboration with this meme and the IISC. He said this:

@CRA1G Thanks of much for your work here, on the original and on this history! I wanted to add a few notes to your comprehensive review... The @smartMeme (Center for Story-based Strategy) version you added in the update was a collab with me and @IISCBlog... and because of all the in-the-wild remixes we were finding, we also created two other evolutions, at http://www.the4thbox.com [which] has two versions: digital kit with layers for remixing, and a paper-based cut out activity for workshops... you might add #the4thbox to your history, if you have a chance! Thanks again. It's great to connect with you!

May 4, 2016 - Angus and IISC's extended remix of the equality/equity meme at https://twitter.com/IISCBlog/status/727891199957315585 or http://interactioninstitute.org/the4thbox-cutout/

Since this meme seems to show no signs of fading away in the near future, I'll post more updates here as I hear about them.

June 1, 2016: I just stumbled across this variant, apparently posted sometime in 2014 on a Slovakian website. Nice artwork, although the lack of hands and pointy stump-arms have me weirded out a teensy bit. Also, did the blue box on the left suddenly become pink, or did they get rid of the blue one and fetched a second pink one so the kid with the backpack doesn't have to stand on mismatched boxes?

Also, I found this rather funny comic strip by Kent Bulmer offering commentary on the concept of my original meme. He also has some discussion about it, including wondering about the meme's origin; check it out on the comic's webpage.

Finally (today), I found this minimalist variant. It was posted on LinkedIn by Bernard Tyson, Chairman and CEO of Kaiser Permanente, one of the US's largest healthcare organizations. In discussing the need for better healthcare options for all Americans, he explains the graphic this way:

Let me explain. Imagine you're standing behind a tall fence outside a ballpark. You're with some friends of varied height and you all want to watch the game. You see some milk crates nearby, all the same size, and the group decides to stand on the crates. But the shortest person still can't see over the fence to watch the game. So all three friends received equal lift, but the outcome was that only two people got to see the game. This example explains the importance of focusing on equity as part of equality.

June 25, 2016: Someone sent me a link to a blog post showing probably the most minimalist take on my graphic yet (the post also includes some discussion worth reading if this general topic interests you):

And then there's this extension, about which I'm not quite sure what to think:

And this original image, which (oddly) doesn't include contrasting ideas:

And another original (minimalist) reinterpretation...

And here's another new version, which appeared on an architecture blog. I never thought about how architecture might relate to equality and equity, but it totally makes sense that it would...and should.

Voices for Utah Children, a youth advocacy non-profit, used this rendition on its website. You could also interpret this to mean that we shouldn't put up fences blocking the view of amazing natural vistas in the first place.

An education advocacy group used this version, which somewhat misses the point of the original. Why does the little girl on the right need to be higher? She can already reach the chalkboard in the top panel. Does being on two stools instead of just one magically make her able to do addition??

And here's a critique of not just my original image, but of all variants. I'll quote the choice part:

The problem with the picture is in its implicit bias that many do not see. If we believe, fundamentally, that all people regardless of race, class or creed are comparably able, there should be little difference between the individuals in this picture. What should be drawn as dissimilar are not the individuals but rather the bottom boxes they are standing on in the first frame.

While I fully appreciate the intended purpose of the image, its point regrettably rests upon a deeply ingrained belief of the inherent inequality of people. And, despite the sincere explicit intention for increasing understanding, empathy, and justice for redressing social inequities, the picture's sentiment implicitly reinforces the idea that minorities (or those otherwise unprivileged) have inferior abilities.

I can see her point, but I disagree with it for two reasons. First, and most obviously, people do actually differ on their abilities. Short people and people who have chronic lung disease will have a much, much harder time playing professional basketball than tall, healthy people. People with below-average intelligence or just a high-school education, while still able to pursue a great many careers, may never be able to get a job as a physics professor. People who are less creative may just not be able to compete for a job in one of the many careers that rely extensively on creativity. We all have strengths and weaknesses - that's part of what makes each of us unique. To pretend that we're all equally capable of doing everything equally successfully is not only untrue, it's unhelpful.

Second, the kids' height differences were not intended to represent differences only in their innate characteristics. They were meant to symbolize any kind of advantage/disadvantage/difference, whether temporary (e.g., being between jobs or injured) or long-term (e.g., age, height, education level) or permanent (race, gender identity, etc.). But, frankly, most of those differences are much more challenging to represent pictorially than kids of different heights. Just realize that this one difference is meant to represent any kind of difference, be it personal or situational. I hope that clarifies my intent.

And finally (for today), the Connecticut Fair Housing Center used an original variation on my theme for its fair housing poster contest (click the link below the image for more info; sadly, the deadline has already passed).

July 6, 2016: The meme has crossed the oceans! A friend (thanks, Bryan!) notified me of this variation in German. If anyone can translate the essence of this into English, I'd be grateful.

Update on the German version! Vaughn wrote in with this translation:
Often, what one believes to be right is not what is really right. Left: equality (could also be translated equal rights) Right: justice
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An eagle-eyed baseball fan clued me in to the fact that the baseball image I ended up using wasn't actually from Great American Ballpark, despite my search terms. It's of Angels Stadium in Anaheim.

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If you wish to cite this story, feel free to use this citation:
Froehle, CM. The evolution of an accidental meme. Medium.com, 2016. Accessed at https://medium.com/@CRA1G/the-evolution-of-an-accidental-meme-ddc4e139e0e4 on [date]

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My jaw hit the keyboard...that was my image, but it also wasn't my image. It was the concept behind my image, but completely redrawn (and by someone with actual artistic talent!). I was stunned...and...

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Great Online Resource to Support Academic Language courtesy of Amy Faust Fraser (of the WIDA Consortium)

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Good Resource for Intructional Supports that work for ALLs.

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Good Resource for Intructional Supports that work for ALLs.

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Essential Actions to Support Academic Language Success for All Learners

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Essential Actions to Support Academic Language Success for All Learners

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Standardized testing is a stressful time for everyone involved: students, teachers, and parents. Preparing students for standardized testing is a challenging task. Students in South Carolina take the PACT (Palmetto Achievement Challenge Test) in English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies in grades 3-8. Multiple choice, open-response, open-ended, and extended response questions are all included on the test and the test is not timed.

Each year, my students seem to have difficulty with open-ended and extended response questions. I think the problem stems from not being able to understand the key words in the questions. For example, directions for a writing prompt might read, "Choose a TV character that you think is funny. Describe the character, and tell why this character is so funny or summarize what happened at the end of the story." Students need to recognized the key words describe and summarize to know that they are being asked to write a descriptive essay and summarize correctly.

To prepare students to recognize important directional words, I introduce a series of terms throughout the year and review their meaning in mini-lessons. Words commonly used on standardized tests will appear in directions that I give them or in daily assignments/activities. In this way, my students see, hear, and learn to correctly respond to the terms so that they won't have a problem when they come in contact with it on a test.

Here's a list of the 10 words I find most critical for test prep and their student-friendly explanations.

1. Analyze

Explain how each part functions or fits into the whole. Write the obvious as well as the hidden characteristics or meanings. This can be very difficult for 6th graders; they tend to respond on the surface without digging deep. I tell my students when you analyze something, pretend you are a detective and break the material into parts. Poetry gives students a great opportunity to analyze. For example, during my poetry unit, I have my students analyze poems by identifying the theme, figurative language, inferences and their meanings, and clarifying words/phrases.

2. Persuade (variations: argue, convince)

Give a point of view! Take a stand and defend one side of an issue. Give facts, statistics, beliefs, opinions, and your personal view. Show passion when you are defending your side. I teach my students to argue through persuasive writing and debate. I share persuasive pieces with my students such as editorials from the newspaper or a magazine and we analyze the piece using the following questions:

Is the author's viewpoint clear? Is the author's opinion presented logically?

Did the author use facts, observations, comparisons, or data to support his/her view? Did the author present an opposing argument?

Did the author sway your opinion? How could the author's arguments be improved?

Graphic Organizers & Strategy Sheets That Scaffold Writing From Paragraphs to Essays by Anina Robb is a great resource to use when teaching persuasion and other forms of writing.

My students also write persuasive letters, and I give them persuasive prompts to complete for their journals. I love to teach persuasion, because you can make it so personal with the students. Examples: Should students be required to tuck in their shirts at school? Convince your parents to buy you a gift you want.

3. Compare

I've noticed that students sometimes confuse comparing and contrasting. I remind them that comparing provides common characteristics, identifying how things are alike or similar. As a class, we orally compare and contrast the good and bad points of watching television. I draw a chart on the board, the left side contains the good points and examples about television, and the right side contains the bad points and examples about television. Once their ideas are written down, then they are developed into paragraphs. Analyzing differences and similarities helps students gain a greater understanding of the material.

4. Contrast

Contrasts provide the characteristics that are not alike. How are people, events, or objects different? My students compare and contrast all the time using graphic organizers. They compare characters in novels and short stories. For example, my students just finished a writing assignment on comparing and contrasting the book, Tuck Everlasting, and the movie. My honors students compared and contrasted two of the characters, John and Lorraine in The Pigman. To help my students compare and contrast the two characters, they first identified John and Lorraine's traits. They also found examples to support those traits.

5. Summarize

Sum it up! Give the meaning in a concise way using as few words as possible. My students really have trouble with this, they have problems deciding what is most important in the piece of literature, and they end up writing entirely too much. Summarizing requires students to synthesize and restate key points from text in a sentence or short paragraph. I always tell my students to ask themselves, "What is the author saying?" I explain to them to retell the most important facts.

I introduce summarizing by teaching a lesson using the novel, Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr and a graphic organizer titled "Puzzling" (from Graphic Organizers and Activities for Differentiated Instruction in Reading by Nancy L. Witherell and Mary C.McMackin). We read two chapters as a class, and important ideas about the main character, setting, problem, big events, and solution are recorded on the graphic organizer. We then decide as a class which information is really needed to write a good summary.

6. Demonstrate

When they see this word, students need to know that they must provide a step-by-step procedure to show how to do something. I have my students explain how to do or to make something. For example, I have my students write directions/instructions from their home to school, how to complete their favorite recipe, or do a certain dance. When students are writing instructions, make sure they include the following:

Statement indicating what the instructions are for

Description of the kinds and amounts of materials needed to perform the indicated task

Explanation of each step in detail

Personal flavor or voice

Title

Bulleted list or paragraph format

7. Describe

Present a clear picture of a person, place, thing or idea. I constantly remind my students that the reader should be able to visualize a picture or movie in his head from the material read. I teach the importance of sensory words to my students by:

Sharing a great example of sensory words (an excerpt from a book or a poem)

Having students complete a sensory activity about their favorite food or animal

Having them complete the following information in a chart format: size, shape, color, taste, texture, odor, unusual feature, etc.

I also supply my students with a list of sensory words. Students then take their information from the graphic organizer, and write it in paragraph format.

8. Explain

Sixth graders do not always take ample time to give clear descriptions of an event, object, or idea. My favorite words are "tell me more." I tell them to make sure it is crystal clear. Think about the five W's (Who, What, When, Where, Why) and H (How).

Who is the story about?

When did the story take place?

What happened in the story?

Where did the story take place?

Why is this event or topic important?

How did it happen?

I tell them to add to their explanation by providing details based on answers to these questions.

9. Interpret

I tell my students to write their understanding of the passage in their own words. They should start by asking themselves, "What does the __________ mean?" I instruct them to give a view from their experiences and the information they find. I recommend that you start off by teaching this skill with interesting reading passages that apply to the students.

10. Infer

Read between the lines; the answer is not in the passage. The reader derives meaning from information or clues the author provides. This can be very hard for reluctant readers and even poses a problem for fairly good readers sometimes. Students have to be able to figure out the author's clues. If the student does not understand the material, he will not be able to answer an inferential type question. I tell them it is an educated guess like a hypothesis in science. I ask the following questions to check for inferential comprehension:

How did this person or writer feel?

What do you think the next step will be?

How does this event affect your life today?

A number of these key vocabulary words are interrelated. For example, if a student can analyze, interpreting should not be a problem. Also comparing and contrasting go hand in hand, but they are not always connected. The terms are also cross-curricular, and that makes them extremely useful in all classes.

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Top 10 Terms Students Need to Know to Be Successful on Standardized Tests | Scholastic

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Standardized testing is a stressful time for everyone involved: students, teachers, and parents. Preparing students for standardized testing is a challenging task. Students in South Carolina take the PACT (Palmetto Achievement Challenge Test) in English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies in grades 3-8.

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This article written by Colorín Colorado Manager Lydia Breiseth helps educators understand the role that academic language plays in their classrooms and in ELL student success.

The article also includes information on social vs. academic language, as well as numerous examples of the different kinds of academic language needed for all students to fully participate in classroom activities and assignments. Additional articles, books, and videos can be found in our Academic Language and ELLs Resource Section.

Introduction

Why is academic language important?

Perhaps you or your colleagues have taught a student, who, like Carlos, gave every sign of being fully "fluent" in English, only to find that the student struggled on more academic kinds of assignments.

Many students, including English language learners (ELLs), have difficulty mastering the kinds of academic language needed to succeed in school, especially if they have never been explicitly taught how to use it. These students include long-term ELLs, students who have attended U.S. schools for much or all of their education but have not yet mastered the language of school.

At the same time, many educators have never learned how to teach academic language since language has traditionally been considered the domain of English as a Second Language (ESL) or English language arts teachers. Yet the use of academic language is more important than ever in preparing students for academic and professional success, particularly in the era of rigorous college- and career-ready standards (such as the Common Core State Standards) that require an increased use of academic language in and across all disciplines.

What is your role?

It may seem daunting at first, but you have an important role to play in supporting your students' academic language development. You do not need an in-depth background in linguistics or ESL methods to do so; rather, you need some guidance and practice in learning how to recognize the role academic language plays in your subject area and classroom, as well as support from colleagues who can guide you in your efforts. Many ESL and bilingual colleagues have extensive experience in identifying students' academic language needs and collaborating with colleagues and will be more than happy to do so if asked!

In this article

To get you started, this article shares three things you need to know about academic language:

The difference between social and academic language

The importance of looking beyond vocabulary

How academic language will be used in your classroom

The article will also share recommended resources for further review. For specific instructional strategies on increasing the use of academic language in your classroom, see these ideas from ELL expert Kristina Robertson, as well as the resources at the end of the article, and check in with your ESL/bilingual colleagues for additional suggestions!

Academic Language: An Overview

1. The difference between social and academic language

As the example of Carlos above suggests, teachers may be most familiar with the level of students' social language - the language they hear students using with their friends in the hallways or on the playground. Students typically achieve proficiency in social language long before they have mastered a grade-appropriate level of academic language. As a result, a student's ability to use language in social settings is not necessarily an accurate indicator of their mastery of academic language.

What is academic language?

Academic language is the language of school and it is used in textbooks, essays, assignments, class presentations, and assessments. Academic language is used at all grade levels, although its frequency increases as students get older.

It is also the language of the workplace - for example, the language used to write a business letter as opposed to a casual e-mail to a co-worker.

Examples

One strategy that academic language expert Dr. Robin Scarcella uses to help her college students understand the difference between social and academic language is to provide them with similar sentences or passages that convey the same meaning but that are written in different styles, such as the following:

If you were to compare other kinds of passages or documents, some examples might include:

A business letter vs. a personal e-mail (noted above)

A newspaper's summary of a research report vs. the actual abstract of the report

A customer review of a book vs. the publisher's description of the book

As your students become more familiar with the differences between social and academic language, it will be easier to identify which is which and what is most appropriate for a certain setting. Kristina Roberston notes in her video clip on our academic language playlist that her students call this "sounding smart" - and they know it when they hear it. When they hear themselves "sounding smart," it is a source of excitement and motivation in the classroom.

Additional resources

To learn more about the distinctions between social and academic language, take a look at the following resources from Colorín Colorado:
Discussion questions:

Have you had any students who were proficient in social language but struggled with academic language?

If so, how did their social and academic language use differ?

Did anything in their language abilities surprise you?

What are some examples that could be used to compare social and academic language in your classroom?

2. Looking beyond vocabulary

Many people think of vocabulary first when it comes to academic language. While content-area vocabulary words and terms are certainly an important component, academic language also refers to the words and phrases used to connect these key words and to communicate concepts. Here are two different ways to understand a broader interpretation of academic language.

"Bricks and mortar"

Dr. Cindy Lundgren explains the idea of " bricks and mortar" in our academic language video playlist, where "bricks" are the key vocabulary words and concepts in a sentence, and "mortar" is the language (such as signal words and phrases) holding the bricks together. Here is the example she explains in the video:

Even though bats have wings, they are not birds.

In this sentence, the bricks are the key vocabulary words in bold:

Yet to fully understand the sentence, students must understand the meaning of "even though." Here is a sample definition:

"Even though" means that two items are similar, but they are not the same. In this case, bats and birds both share a similar feature (having wings), but they are not the same animal.

Understanding signal words and phrases is a key step in a student's ability to "unlock" the academic language they encounter, as well as to start using it correctly themselves.

TWIPs

Debbie Zacarian and Judie Haynes (2010) also look beyond discrete vocabulary words in their academic language definition, including a range of structures they call TWIPs ( Terms, Words, Idioms, and P hrases). Here are some examples:

Note that, in the second example, the "Declaration" is a single word standing in for the official name of a specific document (the Declaration of Independence). Many textbooks used abbreviated terms in the interest of space, which requires students not only to track the references back to the original term but to build on existing background knowledge about the subject being discussesd. ELLs may need some extra preparation to draw upon or build background knowledge in order to fully understand the academic language being used.

Same Word, Different Meaning

Keep in mind that some key words or terms may have different meanings across disciplines and may be used as different parts of speech in different contexts (i.e., noun vs. verbs):

As you identify the academic language you will be focusing on in a particular lesson, take a moment to think about whether any of the words or phrases may have another definition so that you can anticipate any possible confusion. You may wish to share your list with your ESL colleagues for input as well.

Cognates

Finally, there is a great tool you can use to bolster academic language for students who speak a language related to English. This is the use of cognates - words that have a similar spelling and meaning in both languages. More than a one third of words in English have a Spanish-language cognate! These often include technical or content-specific words that can help students make a connection between both languages, such as the following:

You can see many more in our list of Spanish-English cognates, and your ESL or bilingual colleagues may be able to think of other related examples as well. Once students know how that a connection exists, they will start noticing more words that are related and they will be able to apply their own existing background knowledge about those words to the vocabulary they encounter. They may need some guidance initially, and we provide some tips on how to use cognates in this Colorín Colorado article to help you get started.

Note: There is such a thing as a false cognate, the most famous one being that embarazada in Spanish is not "embarrassed" - it means "pregnant"! It is not a 100% foolproof strategy - but it is generally a very useful tool.
Discussion questions:

What are examples of key vocabulary words, terms, idioms, and phrases that are useful to know in your subject area?

Can you think of some phrases or signal words that are not content specific but are commonly used in your area (such as "In comparison...")?

Looking at the list of cognates from Colorín Colorado, find 10 words related to your subject area.

3. Planning for purpose and products

Now that you have some more background on what academic language is, it's time to think about how it is used in your subject area. Academic language is used for a variety of purposes across disciplines:

Students may write a lab report in science class.

Students may orally explain their reasoning in math class.

Students may listen to and compare two famous speeches in history class.

Students may compare a scene from a novel and a movie in an English language arts class.

Domains of language

As you can see in these examples, academic language is used in all four domains of language (reading, writing, speaking, and listening), and all four domains are needed to achieve the above tasks. While the uses of academic language may be more obvious for reading and writing, academic language is also necessary for listening to class discussion, lectures, and debates, as well as delivering speeches, presentations, and oral arguments. Students may need just as much help using academic language in their speaking as in their writing, and they may be at different levels across different domains. Carlos, for example, has strong academic listening and speaking skills, but weaker writing skills.

Students may also need help moving from the word level to the sentence, paragraph, or essay/project level in these sophisticated assignments. The most important thing you can do is to provide examples and model the kinds of language you expect students to use on a regular basis. By doing so, you will help familiarize students with the kinds of academic language needed to succeed in your classroom, as well as the purpose of the language they are using. Our Academic Language booklist and webcast include a number of subject-specific strategies for helping students master the kinds of language needed in different content areas.

This is also another area where ESL/bilingual colleagues can help you; they may have tried and true strategies, graphic organizers, and suggestions for modeling academic language and for helping students transition into more sophisticated assignments. One great example is the process that high school ESL teacher Michelle Lawrence uses to help her students transition from sentences and paragraphs to essays. (See Playlist: Writing Process 2.)

Note: Another helpful tool for communicating expectations about academic language is the use of language objectives , which you can learn more about from Colorín Colorado.
Discussion Questions:

As you consider how academic language is used in your discipline, what kinds of assignments are students expected to produce in your classroom and in higher grades?

What are some examples of academic language that are needed for each of these activities?

How are different language domains used at different steps of the process? (For example, a lab may require spoken language to be used in discussions between partners, and then writing to be used for the final written lab report.)

Based on what you now know about academic language, what kinds of support do you think Carlos needs in his chemistry class?

Do you have any ideas on how Mrs. Wilson can support his written academic language?

About the Author

Lydia Breiseth is the Manager of Colorín Colorado. Ms. Breiseth manages editorial content, web production, outreach, and partnerships on behalf of the project. Prior to working at Colorín Colorado, Ms. Breiseth served as the Community Affairs Liaison at Telemundo Washington DC. Ms. Breiseth has taught both English and Spanish as foreign language to elementary, high school, college, and adult students and spent a year in Ecuador teaching English to graduate students with the educational exchange program WorldTeach. Ms. Breiseth received her Bachelor's Degree in English with a Minor in Latin American Studies from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. She resides in Arlington, Virginia with her husband.
Special thanks to Dr. Karen Ford, Dr. Diane Staehr Fenner, Dr. Cindy Lungren, and Dr. Ayanna Cooper for their contributions to this article.

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Academic Language and ELLs: What Teachers Need to Know

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This article written by Colorín Colorado Manager Lydia Breiseth helps educators understand the role that academic language plays in their classrooms and in ELL student success. The article also includes information on social vs. academic language, as well as numerous examples of the different kinds of academic language needed for all students to fully participate in classroom activities and assignments.

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A good resource about English Language Proficiency Levels

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Slideshare recaps a lot of our discussion about academic language

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Slideshare recaps a lot of our discussion about academic language

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What common language spans across all content areas?  Check out this slideshare for ideas...

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What common language spans across all content areas?  Check out this slideshare for ideas...

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Minnesota English Learner Education Conference

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WIDA: Introducing the Key Uses of Academic Language

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From one of our favorite websites-Colorin Colorado.. Great go to list for supporting language use.

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Colorin Colorado is a go-to resource for all educators who work with EL's

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Colorin Colorado is a go-to resource for all educators who work with EL's

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If you are a mainstream teaching trying to figure out how to offer language support to ELLs, you are not alone! Many teachers around the country are working with ELLs for the first time, and they have a lot of questions.

Fortunately, there are a number of ways to support ELLs' language acquisition by adapting strategies already in use. These small things may make a big difference to ELLs. Here are some ideas to get you started. Don't miss the recommended links at the end of the article.

Create a language-rich environment.

English language learners will benefit from increased exposure to print and language. A print-rich environment will include access to books and reference materials, labels and posters, and student work on bulletin boards. Word walls are also a great support for ELLs, and may be organized around a number of concepts, including the alphabet and phonetic sounds, new vocabulary words, sight words, grammar rules, conversational phrases, and writing structures.

Related Resources

For more great ideas, see the following topics:

Be aware of the relationship between a student's native language and English.

A student's native language will most likely have a strong influence on the way that student learns English. Understanding how this language is similar to or different from English will help you focus on troublesome areas. This influence can provide extra support, such as the case of English and Spanish cognates (education and educación). The influence also may lead to some ongoing errors in English, which will become evident with time and repeated use by students who have the same native language.

Languages may differ in a number of aspects, such as phonetic sounds, pronunciation, grammar, word order, or sentence structure. For example, in Spanish, the adjective often follows the noun, so a student may write, "We are a family happy." In Somali, there is one sound for b and p - it is mixed. Somali students need to be taught this sound explicitly as two distinct sounds. Otherwise, they may ask for a can of pop and it sounds like "bob."

Native language may also influence students' vocabulary as they translate words or phrases from one language to another. Perhaps a vocabulary word has multiple meanings, a different meaning in each language, or the concept doesn't exist in one of the languages.

Even if you don't know a student's native language, being aware of native language influence will allow you to target your instruction. Help students by providing a model of how to use sounds, structures, and vocabulary correctly in English. In the case of a pronunciation difficulty such as the Somali example above, teachers can demonstrate how the mouth forms the sounds. Have students put their hand in front of their mouths to feel the air in "p" and their hands on their neck to feel the vibration of "b." This is also important as students work to sound out words while writing.

Simplify your language without "dumbing it down."

It may seem difficult to balance this at first, but here are some tips for communicating effectively with your students:

Avoid slang and idiomatic expressions.

Speak clearly and naturally, without going too quickly or slowly.

Encourage students to raise their hand if they don't understand a word.

Remember that ELLs may not understand instructions and key vocabulary words, and that reading something aloud doesn't always help comprehension. You can aid student comprehension by scaffolding language (providing extra supports such as realia, graphic organizers, visuals, etc.).

ELLs may not have the same background knowledge as their English-speaking peers, especially when it comes to references to American culture and geography, such as the Grand Canyon or Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream" speech. Identify key concepts, vocabulary words, and references before the lesson, and give students as much time and practice with the new material as possible before starting the lesson.

If students are having trouble with an activity, try to identify whether a new concept, set of directions, vocabulary word, or other element is causing the difficulty. Identify some different ways that you can help students move beyond those obstacles. These might include providing a book about the topic in the student's native language or reviewing new vocabulary words together.

Support academic language development.

Academic language is the language that students need to succeed in school. It is different than social language, which many students acquire first. Often students are available to communicate effectively with teachers or peers in social settings, but struggle when it comes to textbooks, tests, assignments, or class presentations. There are a number of ways to support academic language development, such as previewing the text, teaching grammatical structures relevant to a particular content area ("greater than" and "less than" in math class), and showing how the targeted academic language is used in reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

Learn more in the following resources from Colorín Colorado:

Discuss word families and how different forms of words are used.

ELLs may have a difficult time knowing which form of a word to use. Help students look for spelling and usage patterns, such as past tense verbs ending in "-ed." Since English has so many exceptions, this isn't always a foolproof strategy, but a basic knowledge of these patterns, rules, and spellings will help. Cognates can also help Spanish-speakers learn English and derive meaning from content. 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.

Help students understand when to use different kinds of language.

ELLs may speak different dialects or use "Spanglish," a combination of English and Spanish, in their classroom and with their friends and family. It's important to respect the language students use and realize that it is effective for them in certain settings. Rather than looking at certain dialects or slang as "good" or "bad," help students understand when different kinds of language are appropriate - and what the benefits of learning Standard Academic English will be for them in the long run.

Discuss the uses of Standard Academic English in college and career settings, as well as the importance of effective communication on applications and in interviews. One teacher I know calls this English the "green language" because it represents money the students can earn in the future with good English communication skills. Make it clear what kind of language you expect students to use in the classroom, and provide language models or structures when students have difficulty expressing themselves appropriately.

Provide students with frequent opportunities to work together, both in pairs and in small groups.

Cooperative learning activities promote peer interaction, which helps the development of language and the learning of concepts and content. Effective activities may include working on a worksheet together as problem-solver and coach (then switching roles), think-pair-share, and book groups. It is important to assign ELLs to different groups so that they can benefit from English language role models. ELLs learn to express themselves with greater confidence when working in small teams.

In addition to 'picking up' vocabulary, ELLs benefit from observing how their peers learn and solve problems. If you decide to assign each student in a team a role (such as reporter, recorder, time keeper, and materials manager), you might want to rotate roles each week or by activity. This prevents what typically happens if students select their own roles - the same students wind up performing the same tasks. By rotating, students develop the skills they most need to practice.

Implement an effective correction/feedback policy.

While it is difficult to know when to correct students, constructive and effective feedback is essential to student progress. It is possible for incorrect language production to become "fossilized" so that students continue to use the same incorrect structures into adulthood. This reduces their chances of being a clear communicator and ultimately limits them in professional settings. Nevertheless, it is important to balance between encouragement and error correction. One way to do this is to focus on one or two concepts at a time when listening to or reading student work. Let students know what you will be focusing on so that they in turn can focus on those particular concepts in the assignment.

Another strategy is to circle errors in writing assignments, and have students try to figure out what the mistakes were. As I always tell my students, "If I correct your English, I improve my English. If you correct your English, you improve yours." Most of the time students are able to correct their own writing errors once they focus on the circled area. If they are still stuck, I give them the answer and ask them to explain why it is correct. If they don't know the answer, I ask them to consult with a classmate. If no one else knows the answer, we review the structure as a group.

Reach out to your ELL/bilingual colleagues, reading specialists, special education teachers, and parents.

Educators and staff who work regularly with ELLs, as well as bilingual parents, may be a valuable source of information about language patterns or difficulties. While it may be difficult to find time to meet on a regular basis, increased collaboration among language teachers, content teachers, mainstream teachers, and support staff will most likely improve student support.

While teaching ELLs may be daunting, there are a number of ways you can support their language acquisition - and in the process get them on the road to academic success!

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Supporting ELLs in the Mainstream Classroom: Language Tips

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If you are a mainstream teaching trying to figure out how to offer language support to ELLs, you are not alone! Many teachers around the country are working with ELLs for the first time, and they have a lot of questions. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to support ELLs' language acquisition by adapting strategies already in use.

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This is *very* full table with language scaffolds according to Bloom's Taxonomy and WIDA Proficiency Levels.

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This is *very* full table with language scaffolds according to Bloom's Taxonomy and WIDA Proficiency Levels.

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Here's a resource for assigning groupwork buddies.

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Here's a resource for assigning groupwork buddies.

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Here's a brief overview of Tiers 1, 2 and 3 Vocabulary..Which tier do you think is the most important to direct our instruction?