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How do we best support ELLs in the Classroom?

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How do we best support ELLs in the Classroom?

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Are you looking for ways to better support your ELL students in your classroom? Do your students seem unengaged, distracted, or bored? Are you looking for better lesson ideas, strategies, or just something new?

Use of Technology!

Attend our workshop, "Supporting ELLs in the use of Technology" to learn new programs and internet tools that can help engage and empower ELL learners in culturally sensitive and exciting new ways.

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1. Vision
2. Digital Citizenship and Literacies
3. InnovativeTeaching Practice
4. Student Engagement, Culture and Achievement
5. Learning Environments
6. Parent and Community Engagement

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Benefits of Technology Integration in English Education

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Benefits of Technology Integration in English Education

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1. Increases student engagement and motivation
2. Offers mobility
3. Teaches students valuable tools for the future
4. Can be a time saver for teachers
5. Promotes learner independence
6. Provides students access to target culture

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Some Apps that will be explored include:
- Duolingo
- Google Translate
- FluentU
- Bitsboard
- Book Creator
- Quizlet
- Teach Your Monster to Read
- Code.Org
- Comic Maker
...and many more!

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Preparing ELLs to be 21st Century Learners

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Preparing ELLs to be 21st Century Learners

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The following instructional techniques and methods were identified as the most effective for teaching computer skills to LD and ELL students:

Hands-on labs

Simple, step-by-step instructions

Lots of large graphics

Information presented in small chunks

Real-world exercises

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Preparing ELLs to be 21st-Century Learners

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A colleague of mine was recently asked to observe a media technology class for English language learners (ELLs). The teacher of the class had been struggling a great deal to help the students "get" the lessons, and so he asked my colleague for her observations and input.

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"Utilizing and combining graphics, video, and audio can address varied styles of learning in a more effective way and be a tremendous support to English language learners. Finding a way to infuse technology into instruction not only helps English language learners acquire a second language, but also enhances motivation and confidence."

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Where: Learning Commons
When: Monday, March 5, 2018
Time: 3:30 pm
Led By: Dana Sousa

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With the easy accessibility of apps, they can be used both inside and outside of the classroom.  Apps are so easy to use for both students and teachers, and require absolutely no prep time!

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As technology continues to get more and more popular, classroom attention spans are getting shorter and shorter.

Times are changing quickly and ESL teachers have to hop on board before the train leaves. Keeping the attention of a student while you're teaching may seem difficult at times, but fear not! Help is on the way!

By working with technology, using some of these apps will effectively help you add a new dimension to your teaching. It'll also give students a break from the traditional classroom, all while still reinforcing the skills they are learning. Many of these top apps are even free of cost!

There's no better time than the present to upgrade your teaching and try out some of the best apps for ESL teachers!

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere.Click here to get a copy. (Download)

The Benefits of Using Apps in Your ESL Teaching

First let's take a closer look at how using these apps is beneficial to ESL teachers like yourself.

Helps Keep Students Engaged

Technology is always an exciting addition to any classroom. Students typically love working with technology and prefer it over reading and writing in a traditional way. Using apps in the classroom is one great way to spice up the students' learning and help keep them engaged in the material.

Adds a New Dimension to Learning

Using apps in the classroom adds a whole new dimension to students' learning. It's not news that repetition and review are essential to the success of learning a language. Apps reinforce the material and allow students to experience English in yet another form.

You can learn more about what apps and other technology can do for your students through ed2go's Integrating Technology in the Classroom. This online course is all about helping you learn what web and mobile technology is out there and how to use it, regardless of what your goals, needs or special considerations are. It also includes course material pertaining specifically to English language learners.

Easily Accessible

With the easy accessibility of apps, they can be used both inside and outside of the classroom. Apps are so easy to use for both students and teachers, and require absolutely no prep time!

ESL Teaching Supplement Apps

These types of apps are not only useful for teachers when writing curriculum, but they're also excellent for students to use during classroom activities or unstructured classroom time.

Site: www.fluentu.com iPhone: FluentU on the App Store Android: FluentU on Google Play Cost: Monthly subscription (free trial available)

FluentU is very unique among the apps on this list.

Unlike traditional apps, FluentU uses a natural approach that helps you ease your students into English language and culture over time. They'll learn English as it's spoken in real life.

How does this work? FluentU has a huge collection of authentic English videos that people in the English-speaking world actually watch on the regular. This is content that's known internationally for its quality and entertainment value. Students get extremely excited when they see their favorite videos pop up in their English classroom.

If you're looking for creative ways to teach English, then you'll love using FluentU in your classroom! FluentU takes real-world videos-like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks-and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

It's got a huge collection of authentic English videos that people in the English-speaking world actually watch regularly. There are tons of great choices there when you're looking for songs for in-class activities.

You'll find music videos, musical numbers from cinema and theater, kids' singalongs, commercial jingles and much, much more.

On FluentU, all the videos are sorted by skill level and are carefully annotated for students.

Words come with example sentences and definitions. Students will be able to add them to their own vocabulary lists, and even see how the words are used in other videos.

For example, if a student taps on the word "searching," they'll see this:

Plus, these great videos are all accompanied by interactive features and active learning tools for students, like multimedia flashcards and fun games like "fill in the blank."

It's perfect for in-class activities, group projects and solo homework assignments. Not to mention, it's guaranteed to get your students excited about learning English!

Sign up for a free trial and bring FluentU to your classroom today.

It's perfect for in-class activities, group projects and solo homework assignments. Not to mention, it's guaranteed to get your students excited about English!

FluentU is highly recommended for teachers who have a lot of audio-visual learners or want to teach English with fun content.

2. Google Translate

Site: www.translate.google.com
iPhone: Google Translate on the AppStore
Android: Google Translate on Google Play
Cost: $0.00

Google Translate is definitely an app that anyone learning or teaching English should have on their phone. This app can translate dozens of languages into English, and it can be used in all types of activities. Encourage your students to download the app for assistance when they are working on an independent project or when they are outside of the classroom.

*Note: This app mainly functions on a word-by-word translation configuration, so be careful when translating sentences that have more than just a few words.

3. Duolingo

Many people all over the world use Duolingo for independent language instruction, and you can definitely use it for ESL teaching as well. The English learning version of Duolingo has lessons that integrate conversation, vocabulary, speaking and listening skills. At the end of each section, the user is tested on their skills, and then the results show what parts the user is excelling in and where they could use more practice.

This app can be a resource to teachers as a fun additional method of testing students in the classroom. It also is exceptionally helpful in classrooms that may have multiple students at varying skill levels. When the more advanced students finish their work early, they can stay productive by working on making it to the next level in Duolingo.

Bonus: There's also a friendly little automated bird that hangs out with the user during all of the lessons. If that's not a reason to use this app, what is?

4. Grammar Up

Grammar can be hard to teach, but with Grammar Up, it doesn't have to be. Different sections of the app are devoted to different parts of speech, like adjectives, adverbs, causative verbs, conditionals and many more. Each section has the technical definition of the part of speech followed by a test for students to take in order to "Grammar Up" and reach the next level.

This is a great individual assessment that ESL teachers can use to determine which parts of speech their students understand, and which parts of speech they need to review.

5. Speak English Like an American

iPhone: Speak English Like an American on the AppStore
Android: Speak English Like an American on Google Play
Cost: $9.99

One of the hardest parts about learning English is getting to the point of sounding like a native speaker. The English language is filled with different idioms and expressions that often don't translate well from other languages. The Speak English Like an American app uses various methods to teach its users common figures of speech and expressions that Americans use in day-to-day language, often without even realizing.

Phrases like "break the news" and "costs an arm and a leg" can be hard to fully explain in a classroom setting, and this app acts as vital reinforcement. Speak English Like an American is perfect for getting students comfortable enough to have casual conversation with Americans outside of the classroom.

ESL Listening Apps

It's old news that listening to conversational English is an important part of the English learning process, but constantly creating interesting material to read aloud to students can get overwhelming. These ESL listening apps nearly eliminate the stress of finding new things for students to listen to every day.

6. English Podcasts

This app offers over 130 different podcasts for students to listen to. The app covers a variety of subject matter and even has a search filter to find podcasts with specific topics. The podcasts are played straight from the app so neither the teacher nor student has to worry about downloads taking up space in their phone or tablet.

There are so many different innovative structured activities that teachers can do with podcasts. After listening, one fun idea is to ask comprehension questions and then call on students to act out the podcast in front of the class. It's really helpful and a lot of fun too!

7. Speak English!

In this unique app, the user listens to recordings of English speakers talking about a span of topics - like job interviews or customer service. After listening to it as many times as they'd like, the user then records themselves repeating the phrase. Finally, the user then gets to audibly compare his or her voice to that of the recording. Speak English! is a really helpful app for getting students to learn and practice enunciation.<

ESL Game Apps for the Classroom

8. Words With Friends

This game is not only good for encouraging word formation, but it's also a wonderful way to introduce a cultural integration aspect into the classroom, since thousands of Americans play Words With Friends every day. In this automated scrabble-like game, students spell words for points.

A fun way to integrate this game into the classroom is by holding a Words With Friends championship. Have students play with each other in several rounds; the students with the highest score move on to the next round and eventually there will be one Words With Friends class champion! What a fun way to practice spelling and vocabulary usage!

9. Fun English

In this app there are over ten different English learning games that help young English learners with everything from pronunciation to spelling to vocabulary. This app helps kids retain the information they've learned in a fun way, and also works well as an incentive for young English learners to get their work done.

10. Head's Up!

Although this isn't exclusively an ESL app, it can be used effectively in your ESL classroom. In this game, one person has a word that they are trying to guess by listening to the other students describe it. This game helps students build speaking confidence and encourages them to use adjectives, synonyms and antonyms. It's guaranteed to get the giggles going while students are practicing their vocabulary.

Using any of these apps will surely provide a new, innovative dimension to student learning that will boost their language learning productivity. And while apps shouldn't be a replacement for an interactive and well-planned curriculum, you'll find that they're great supplements to any ESL course. Time to upgrade!

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere.Click here to get a copy. (Download)

If you liked this post, something tells me that you'll love FluentU, the best way to teach English with real-world videos.
Bring English immersion to your classroom!

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10 Best, Shockingly Good Apps for ESL Teachers

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As technology continues to get more and more popular, classroom attention spans are getting shorter and shorter. Times are changing quickly and ESL teachers have to hop on board before the train leaves. Keeping the attention of a student while you're teaching may seem difficult at times, but fear not!

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GOOD Magazine

The education gap facing the nation's work force is evident in the numbers. Most new jobs will require more than a high school education, yet fewer than half of Americans under 30 have a postsecondary degree of any kind. Recent state budget cuts, education experts agree, promise to make closing that gap even more difficult.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and four nonprofit education organizations are beginning an ambitious initiative to address that challenge by accelerating the development and use of online learning tools.

An initial $20 million round of money, from the Gates Foundation, will be for postsecondary online courses, particularly ones tailored for community colleges and low-income young people. Another round of grants, for high school programs, is scheduled for next year.

Just how effective technology can be in improving education - by making students more effective, more engaged learners - is a subject of debate. To date, education research shows that good teachers matter a lot, class size may be less important than once thought and nothing improves student performance as much as one-on-one human tutoring.

If technology is well designed, experts say, it can help tailor the learning experience to individual students, facilitate student-teacher collaboration, and assist teachers in monitoring student performance each day and in quickly fine-tuning lessons.

The potential benefits of technology are greater as students become older, more independent learners. Making that point, Mr. Gates said in an interview that for children from kindergarten to about fifth grade "the idea that you stick them in front of a computer is ludicrous."

But in higher education, there are several promising projects that have used online technology effectively.

And so the new initiative, Next Generation Learning Challenges, focuses on the college years. It is looking for innovative tools that can be developed and shared across networks of colleges. The grants, for $250,000 to $750,000 each, are intended to scale up such efforts, so they become self-sustaining.

The money is for online courses and tools, and any software developed with it must be freely licensed.

The program's members say the timing seems right for such an effort, partly because the technology of online learning is advancing rapidly. And, they add, budget-constrained colleges have a greater economic incentive to try online tools, if they are going to make headway in preparing a greater number of students for an economy that increasingly requires workers with higher levels of skills.

"Innovation is your only hope," Bill Gates said. "And the only new game in town is technology."

Among the projects that have successfully used online technology is the Open Learning Initiative at Carnegie Mellon University, which has adopted hybrid models of digital and classroom teaching to accelerate learning. In one project, a college statistics course was taught in two different ways using comparable groups of students: a traditional class lasted 15 weeks, with four class meetings a week, whereas a hybrid one of online course material held two classroom sessions a week.

The hybrid class lasted half as long - seven-and-a-half weeks - as the traditional setting. Yet the students' test scores and retained learning, measured later in the year, were as high as or higher than those of the conventional lecture class, said Candace M. Thille, director of the initiative.

In short, the hybrid approach doubled the productivity of education in that program. The course materials, which have been modified for community colleges, have been introduced at 25 two-year colleges this fall.

The members of the Next Generation Learning Challenges point to such examples, as well as free online video lectures and coursework at projects like Massachusetts Institute of Technology's OpenCourseWare and AcademicEarth.org, as vehicles to "leverage teachers," not replace them.

The online tools, they say, can help open up educational pathways to skills, especially for low-income young adults. "Access is becoming more and more of an issue," said Victor V. Vuchic, an education expert at the Hewlett Foundation. "This goes right to the heart of that problem."

The Gates and Hewlett foundations worked closely with four other education nonprofits in creating the initiative: Educause, the Council of Chief State School Officers, League for Innovation in the Community College and International Association for K-12 Online Learning.

"They want these innovative online programs to reside in the educational community, as they have to if they are going to scale up and spread," said Diana G. Oblinger, president of Educause, which focuses on the use of technology in higher education.

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technology make students more effective learners? general news articles

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Can Technology Make Students More Effective Learners?

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The education gap facing the nation's work force is evident in the numbers. Most new jobs will require more than a high school education, yet fewer than half of Americans under 30 have a postsecondary degree of any kind. Recent state budget cuts, education experts agree, promise to make closing that gap even more difficult.

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Actually, social media accounts for our students are beneficial and can teach them many valuable skills, as well as can help support students in their future goals. Many universities and colleges explore students' social media accounts to help evaluate them as potential students. The problem is that many students are not taught how to correctly navigate these spaces and use them to broadcast their true, authentic selves. By guiding your child into creating the best social media accounts for them, they are learning media literacy, communication, and self-marketing skills. Many universities, if deciding between a student who has a great and appropriate social media account versus a student who doesn't have any, they will choose the first one. So don't restrict all of their accounts, but definitely monitor them and teach them to use social media safely!

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Today's kids and teens are among the first generations of young people who don't know about life before the rise of social media. They are constantly trying to get more followers for Instagram or checking how many RT's they get every couple minutes.

Despite the fact that social media has been a part of their lives since they were old enough to use a smartphone, however, parents shouldn't assume that they know how to stay safe online.

Here are some tips to teach your children about social media to make sure they stay safe and secure.

1. The Internet is Forever

About 90% of teens have used some sort of social media at this point, which means that there is a huge social media community for kids. It's important that they know that anything they post - including pictures, videos, statuses, and messages-can come back to haunt them. Many kids and adolescents think that deleting an embarrassing picture means it's gone forever; you should show them how caching and screenshots can mean even short-lived posts can have long-term consequences.

2. Set Time Limits

It's rare to find kids who will set their own time limits regarding their social media usage, which is probably why 55% of parents limit the amount of time their teenagers are allowed to be online. However, it's important to teach your kids why they should limit their social media time - mainly that it keeps them from developing real-world relationships and from getting involved in other, more productive activities.

3. Be Nice

Over half of adolescents and teens have been victims of cyberbullying, and about the same number have engaged in it. This means that there is a good chance that your kid at least knows someone involved in getting bullied or bullying others online. Make it clear to your children that bullying is unacceptable, whether on social media or in real life, and encourage them to tell you if they're victims of it.

4. There's No Such Thing as Anonymity

Many social media platforms like Reddit allow users to post and interact with each other under anonymous usernames. However, like the 50% of Internet users concerned about how much of their personal information is available online, you should encourage your kids to exercise caution. Posts can be traced back to their real creators, and location trackers make posting from smartphones more revealing than kids may think.

5. Stay Private

In a similar vein, you should remind your kids that anything they post can be used against them. If they put up personal information like travel dates, pictures that show their school or the front of their house, phone numbers, and other information, people can take advantage. For instance, 11% of Internet users have had their personal information like their Social Security Number or banking information stolen online.

6. Parents Are Involved

33% of parents have concerns or questions about their child's Internet use. The good news is, you can just ask! It's important that you are involved in your kid's social media presence; just make sure to be honest. Let them know that you're monitoring their pages and work together to come up with ground rules about what they should or shouldn't post. Your kids should take responsibility, but knowing that you're watching won't hurt.

7. Communicate

Similarly, it's imperative to foster open communication with your kids about their social media usage. Make sure they feel comfortable telling you about any uncomfortable situations online by regularly talking to them about their positive and negative experiences. With only 15% of parents feeling "in the know" about their kids' online activity, you'll want to make sure they're comfortable approaching you.

8. Don't Trust Strangers

Chat rooms, online forums, and social media pages are all ways for strangers to contact young kids and teens - sometimes for less-than-benign reasons. 17% of teens say they've been contacted online by someone they didn't know in a way that made them feel scared or uncomfortable. To avoid this, tell your kids to avoid friending anyone they don't know, and if something feels wrong, to stop communicating with that person.

9. Create a Strong Password

30% of teenagers have had their Facebook, Twitter, or MySpace account hacked into, largely because of someone guessing their password. Teach your kids that they should pick passwords that are a mix of characters and symbols and that are difficult to guess. They also shouldn't share their passwords with anyone.

10. Be Careful of Scams

Kids are a prime target for scammers online - 20% of people who've been hacked said it was their children who had downloaded a virus to the parents' computer. Game scams are especially popular, which is when a virus is written into the code of a fake game and downloaded. Install all games with your kids, and teach them how to figure out if a game is safe to download - mainly by reading reviews and checking the game's source.

Social media is an unavoidable reality for most of today's kids. By making sure they follow certain tips, you can help them stay safe when communicating with others online. What tips do you tell your children about their social media use?
This post comes from the TODAY Parenting Team community, where all members are welcome to post and discuss parenting solutions. Learn more and join us! Because we're all in this together.

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10 Social Media Tips All Parents Should Teach Their Children

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Today's kids and teens are among the first generations of young people who don't know about life before the rise of social media. They are constantly trying to get more followers for Instagram or checking how many RT's they get every couple minutes.

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Jean is a student who benefited from the use of Photo Story:

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Jean is a student who benefited from the use of Photo Story:

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"A middle school English language learner at the beginner level, Jean had a very limited English vocabulary but was able to understand basic language and simple syntactic structures. Jean was in the “silent period,” where he absorbed language but was not yet ready to express his understanding through spoken or written English. The use of technology can provide the opportunity for students to demonstrate their knowledge while reducing much of the accompanying stress. Jean’s ESL class was completing a unit on Aesop’s Fables. The students were required to summarize and reflect on the lesson in each fable. Jean’s ESL teacher guided him in using Photo Story to engage in this task. Despite the fact that Jean was uncomfortable speaking in English, he was able to complete the project in a way that enabled him to demonstrate his understanding. The English language learner is able to see what is being addressed as well as listen to the information."

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Students younger and younger are exploring coding and the strategies needed to write computer code. This free website is one example of many new opportunities for students to learn coding, and all done using highly visual and easy gameplay designs.

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Learn computer science. Change the world.

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Every student in every school deserves the opportunity to study computer science.