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As U.S. schools continue to welcome Ukrainian families arriving in communities across the country, many educators may be wondering how best to serve their Ukrainian students. We had the unique opportunity to gather tips from a group of Ukrainian ELL educators who live and work in the U.S.

The team wrote about topics such as:

common questions Ukrainians have after moving to the U.S.

differences between the two countries' educational systems

cultural nuances and stereotypes

The teachers also shared their poignant insights about how best to partner with families currently arriving in the U.S. in the midst of the war in Ukraine. You can find more resources in these related resources:
Note: Special thanks to all of our contributors and to Dr. Ruslana Westerlund for her role in coordinating and reviewing this article.
Partnering with Newcomer Ukrainian Families

Exhibit: Children of War

In March 2022, Ukrainian artist and art teacher Nataliia Pavliuk and her daughter Yustyna began an art therapy program in Lviv, a city in Western Ukraine, where many refugees settled. They held classes in orphanages, hospitals, community centers, and art galleries.

Artwork that children created through the program is now on display in Chicago's Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art. You can hear more about the exhibit in NPR's interview with Yustyna Pavliuk and exhibit Adrienne Kochman.

What can you tell us about the students and families who are arriving from Ukraine?

Nadia: When Ukrainians come to America, they are looking for a safe place to be. They are exhausted from the constant fear for their dearest ones and their country, from hearing sirens multiple times a day, from economic instability, and from other consequences of the war. They arrive here hoping to find support, and many may be willing to share their stories. In general, Ukrainians are very open and willing to share. Our people are generous and hospitable.

Ruslana: Many Ukrainians I have met arrived here not as complete family units, but rather as mothers and children without fathers. Not all families are like this, but many are. Those families who left through Europe in the first days of the war (before the age limit was put into effect prohibiting men age 18-65 from leaving the country) arrived in the U.S. with fathers.

What is your advice for schools that are welcoming students who are arriving from Ukraine?

Oksana: First, schools should know that Ukrainian families may speak Ukrainian, Russian, or both languages. It's important not to make assumptions about which languages families speak. Ask families which language they prefer for interpretation and written translation.

It's also important to give families space and time to share when they feel comfortable talking about their experiences. Rather than asking a lot of questions at the beginning, offer your support and let them know you are available to talk or answer their questions at any time.

Some families have seen violence, bombing, and casualties.

Some families have been stuck underground or detained.

Some families left Ukraine immediately and saw very little conflict.

Some families have moved around or have been in other countries after leaving everything behind.

The issues and hardships on the ground affecting civilians and daily life may vary by city or region.

Many families have loved ones, including fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons, still in Ukraine.

But at the same time, be ready to hear your families' stories, because each family's story will be unique and schools need to hear these stories in order to provide correct support and services. For example, I have talked to many different families who are arriving during the war. Some families that come from the eastern part of Ukraine have totally different experiences from families that come from central or western parts. I have learned that:

For everyone that has left, their hearts are still in Ukraine. And there is so much trauma, but not everyone is coming with the same traumas. Some students are experiencing PTSD when they hear sirens, alarm bells, or airplanes, or even while they are on their flight here. And some young women have been the victims of sexual violence.

What are some examples of trauma-informed practice that can support Ukrainian students who have left Ukraine?

Nadia: First of all, I would recommend that teachers create and maintain an environment where Ukrainian students would feel safe (e.g., some students don't mind answering their peers' questions about the war, while for others these questions can trigger sad memories). Trusting relationships have to be established and sustained with students. In addition, teachers should watch carefully for trauma symptoms and address them right away.* Even checking in with a student might help a teacher understand better what the student is going through, but trust must be established prior to such conversations.

Ruslana: Most Ukrainians do not talk about trauma, PTSD, and depression for two reasons. One is cultural: caring about their psychological wounds and talking about one's grief or loss of a loved one is not common practice among Ukrainians. In fact, I struggled to find the Ukrainian word for "grieving." At the same time, Ukrainians have generational trauma from Holodomor (which was an artificial famine orchestrated in 1932-33 as a genocidal attempt to starve out Ukrainians); people were not allowed to talk about it in order to process it after it was over. So, processing trauma verbally and intentionally does not happen naturally.

The second reason is priorities. My nephew who still lives in Ukraine said that many Ukrainians he met do not have a roof over their house because it was damaged during air strikes, so they cannot afford therapy or talking it out because they need to fix up their homes and gardens so they can survive the winter.
*Editor's note: Educators are encouraged to seek additional support for students where needed, as well as training in trauma-informed practice if they have not received it within their school setting.
Ukrainians who arrived as refugees (in the every-day sense of the word because they are technically not refugees), unfortunately, will find themselves having to prioritize seeking employment, adjusting to their new culture in the U.S., and providing for their families over attending therapy, even if they are aware of the need for self-care and their mental health. Understanding these reasons will help teachers and social workers have a more informed empathy.

How can schools work with the community to support families who are arriving?

Oksana: Ask them what help they need and tell them about different kinds of help that are available. Learn more about your local/regional Ukrainian community through churches, schools, and clubs.

Olga: Many Ukrainians coming to the U.S. these days do not have refugee status but instead have temporary protected status (TPS). Community resources would be extremely helpful and much appreciated by most.

Ruslana: The Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) program is truly a unique program designed quickly to respond to the unprovoked and unexpected Russian invasion. Ukrainians who arrive under this program are not refugees and are not processed by the refugee resettlement agencies. Instead, they are placed into temporary sponsor or host homes. Because of this, the refugee resettlement agencies do not know about them or their needs and have no established method for reaching out to them and connecting them with services.

Several Ukrainians I have met told me how they do not know how to fill out basic forms (or which forms to fill out) and how to obtain basic hygiene or dental care. It is very important that social workers in school understand these basic facts about Ukrainians who have arrived through the U4U program so that schools can be proactive in meeting their needs.

Oleksandr: Ukrainian people with TPS are allowed to apply for a work authorization, but the wait is roughly a year and a half currently. And even with work authorization papers, people also have to wait a long time to renew their work authorization. As for newcomers under the U4U program, the biggest concern is getting their SSNs and work authorization. This can also cause U.S. sponsors to hesitate to agree to sponsor others since the waiting period is so long.

What more can you tell us about how these programs work?

Ruslana: Ukrainians arriving under U4U are parolees and are granted a temporary parole which allows them to stay here for two years. The expectation is that then they return home. Many are in limbo because they did not choose to be here and can't plan their future. Ukrainians are allowed to apply for work permits who come under the Uniting for Ukraine program; however, the wait is long (up to six months) and many lose hope that they will obtain employment.

One lawyer explained to me that these work permits are not unique to the U4U program. The entire system for all those who seek employment authorization currently has a massive backlog. This waiting period is stressful and psychologically challenging because Ukrainians are hard-working, educated, and highly skilled. Many owned businesses back home but find themselves unable to work in the U.S. Many feel disillusioned and can't plan their future without employment.

Some have told me that they expected to arrive in the U.S. and immediately resume employment and found themselves waiting without permission to work. On the other hand, while parents are anxious about their future, their children may feel like they'd like to stay here long-term because they like their school and they have made new friends. However, because of the temporary parole, the moms feel torn; even though their children want to stay, they can't plan their life in the U.S. because they might have to return after the temporary parole ends.

What role is community support playing?

Nadia: When I compare community support in America and Ukraine, I would say that community support is more common in America than in Ukraine. However, with the beginning of war, Ukrainians unified and started supporting their soldiers and each other more than ever. That being said, they will appreciate any community support very much (although some people may be cautious accepting it as they aren't used to it).

Oleksandr: We have Ukrainian and American flags hanging outside. Many people have stopped by and said words of support. Some people helped Ukrainian people financially. I was asked to speak on the radio and gave a couple of interviews for papers and asked to speak at different panel discussions. With the beginning of the war, many people around us try to support and help us as much as they can.

Ruslana: The Ukrainians I have met since the war started have told me that they are amazed that there are free English lessons for refugees or many services designed just for them, like international friendship clubs which provide field trips and activities to see and learn about their community. They are impressed at the generosity of individuals and organizations like food banks and of people who are doing things like giving away their furniture.

Acclimating to Life in the U.S.

What are some common needs you see for Ukrainians who have recently arrived in the U.S.?

Olga: When I moved to the U.S. six years ago, my biggest need was to connect, be involved, and be useful. I felt that I needed to learn a lot about the community and find my niche in it. Being curious about the new culture, I tried to use any opportunity to talk to people. I was thrilled when strangers at the supermarket would make a comment or initiate a small talk. Things like that are not typical practices in Ukraine. It was also interesting to see that people who barely met call each other "friends." In Ukraine, friendship takes time to build and the difference is made between "friends" and "acquaintances."

Since daily routines in the U.S. are very different from those in Ukraine, it may take a few weeks or even months to get adjusted and feel confident. It would be great for newcomers to have a guide or buddy who could help them navigate the new environment. Connecting with other Ukrainians in the community is a great way to do it. Opportunities like free English classes for adults and a variety of classes for kids at local libraries or churches would also be greatly appreciated. Any ideas of how to get involved in the life of the community and opportunities to lend a hand as well as receive help may be useful.

listen (sometimes for a long time - many Ukrainians like to talk!)

explain to them how to shop (not forgetting about the taxes - in Ukraine the prices on tags are final)

teach them to drive (a lot of people in Ukraine use public transportation and don't have a driver's license)

show how to send mail (when we arrived here, we didn't know that we could send letters from our mailbox and drove to the post office every time we needed to send our mail out)

show them where/how to fill the gas tank, buy a phone, schedule medical and hairdresser appointments, and to do a lot of other things that people who live here just know how to do automatically.

Nadia: Besides housing, food, and basic supplies, recently arrived Ukrainians need friends. When I say "friends," I mean they need somebody who is willing to:

I also say "friends" because it is not easy to gain Ukrainians' trust. (Ukrainians have been fooled so many times by their government, authorities, banks, etc. and they don't trust people easily. They will ask all the questions they have only if they consider a person to be their friend.)

Ruslana: Another most pressing need is learning English. Many Ukrainians, similar to other immigrants, are intelligent professional adults who find themselves lost, confused, and feeling "stupid" (using words of one Ukrainian professional) without being able to speak English in their new country.

Also, English is a very different language from Slavic languages. One of the biggest challenges people have shared with me is the sheer frustration that, "English makes no sense. Why doesn't one letter make one sound? Why are there so many silent letters? Why do you need them? Why is the spelling so illogical? I am a logical person and I see absolutely no algorithm to apply here."

These feelings of frustration with language are compounded by their lack of employment, which all add to a feeling of being overwhelmed, disillusioned, and hopeless for their future. On the other hand, one mom with her two children arrived here speaking English really well, but her frustration is waiting for work authorization so she can work in the U.S. (It's important to know there are other Ukrainians who came here with English skills and their children ace the ACCESS language proficiency assessment and do not qualify for ESL services.)
Editorial note: Ukrainians arriving in the U.S. may be taking on new family roles while adjusting to a new culture and may need additional guidance on where to accomplish daily tasks as needed.
Oleksandr: We need to know how to open a bank account, how to get a driver's license, how and where to buy a car, how and where to repair it, how to pay bills, and what to do when there is no electricity at home. It is very difficult to start if there is no one to answer these simple yet very important questions.

What kinds of mental health resources are necessary to have available for families?

Nadia: When people move to a new country, they have different experiences of adjusting to their new life. Some people do better making friends, finding a job, and speaking English fluently. Others may get depressed. Therefore, they need to have some contacts available in case they feel depressed, stressed out, or overwhelmed. It can be even a stranger who will listen to them and give a piece of advice.

Oleksandr: Families need to be involved in community life. Very often they struggle, because in Ukraine they had some communication and were needed but here they are practically alone and it takes time to find new friends and get involved in the life of the community.

Educational Systems

What do Ukrainian families need to know about the U.S. educational system?

Oksana: It's very important to explain how the K-12 educational system in the U.S. works. Ukrainians are great at adapting to different situations, but they need to know how the educational system is different.

Kindergarten is attached to State pre-school. Kids spend their time playing with their peers.

Kids in Ukraine do not start school at age of 5. Instead, they go straight to first grade, so it's crucial to place children in the correct grade level here in the U.S. Most students attend school when they are 6-17 years old (for 11 years).

The grading system is from 1 to 12 (12 is like an "A" grade in America). GPAs will be new to students and families.

Elementary students are in cohorts that are often together for many years. As a result, families may not know that students will have a new class and teacher each year (and they may think that entering a new class is due to a problem).

Elementary school is similar to American one, but in Middle and High school, students have the same schedule during the year (they don't have electives), and the whole class goes to different classrooms to have different subjects. As a result, students have the same classmates for many years and develop strong relationships and connections.

In Middle and High school, students have up to 14 subjects during the year. Some of the classes are every day while others are twice or three times a week. They have from five to seven classes every day (usually for 45 minutes each with a 10-20 minutes break between them). For example, students may have literature twice a week and math four times, etc. Students in Middle School study physics, chemistry, and biology.

Ukrainian students don't have lockers. They carry their school bags with them or leave them in their homerooms.

Students take State tests only after the 4th, 9th, and 11th grades and usually take them very seriously.

Students do a lot of memorization.

Students probably don't have experience with project-based assignments. Families and students will need some guidance on how to complete these assignments.

AP and International Baccalaureate programs will be new to families and need some introduction and explanation.

Sports aren't emphasized as much as they are here. Families may not know about the opportunities available around sports and extra-curricular activities.

Families may be very hesitant to accept special education services. They will need a lot of information and trust-building to learn more about the special education system here in the U.S.

Hallway rules and routines differ: students are allowed to play in the hallways or outside on the playground during 10-20 minute breaks unsupervised. So, walking along the hallways "hips and lips" may be a little weird to them at first and/or cause "behavior issues." In general, students are given more independence in the school building, so I would suggest teachers go over the expectations with parents to avoid misunderstandings.

A lot of kids in Ukraine attend specialized schools, lyceums, and gymnasiums with various areas of specialization: science, math, languages, etc. It is very common for kids to attend a number of extra-curricular classes, such as foreign languages, dancing, music, and art.

Differences between Ukrainian and American schools

Responses are compiled from Olga, Nadia, and Oksana:

Ruslana: Ukrainians use numbers to refer to grades in High School. Using words like Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior will be confusing. As a mom of a "Senior" in High School, I am still confused what grades correspond to Junior and Sophomore. I still prefer to say, "When my son was in 10th or 11th grade" instead of Sophomore or Junior to avoid mistakes. Also, saying Middle School may be easier to understand than "Junior High," which almost sounds like "High School Junior" to me.

What can you tell us about family roles in education?

Nadia: Ukrainian parents are usually very engaged in school life and decision-making processes. For conferences, parents come at the same time and decide together with a teacher how to organize a field trip or a party for their kids or how to decorate or remodel the classroom. They decide how much money they are ready to spend to cover these expenses. When we moved to America, we were surprised that we didn't have to pay for anything in our son's school.

Some parents might also complain about the quality of food in the cafeteria or a teacher's ways of teaching. Their classroom teacher tries to solve these problems with administrators after the conference and reports about the solution. It's important to understand that Ukrainian parents who approach their child's teacher with suggestions or complaints are not disrespectful; they are used to doing it that way in Ukraine.

Language Instruction and Considerations

What should schools know about determining students' language and educational backgrounds?

Olga: Most schools offer English as a foreign language starting in elementary school. Some schools in Ukraine offer several foreign languages. Those are mostly the specialized schools called gymnasium or lyceum. In fifth grade, students may start a second foreign language. It is also not uncommon to study regional languages, like Polish and Romanian, at schools.

Students may know a lot more in English than they will show in the first weeks. It is quite common for students labeled as "low" to show significant growth in the following months. Just like newcomers from any other country, Ukrainian students may be going through the "silent period" of language learning. Bear in mind that test scores do not necessarily reflect their actual abilities. Talk to parents to find out more about their background and education.

Ruslana: The silent period may have a lot to do with the period of sense making, cultural adjustment, and negotiation of students forming their identities as much as it is about their English language proficiency. Supporting students during this phase is critical as it may contribute to the degree to which students integrate into the classroom community. Social language is critical to develop during this phase.

While many believe that social language is easily picked up, social language is culturally-laden and presents challenges because it is the language of relationships and belonging. Even those students who come with some English language skills will need to go through a period of translation and transition to learn how children of different ages communicate in English in their new classroom micro-cultures and peer groups.

Oksana: I would add that trauma may also impact the silent period. And it's important to know that many Ukrainian students learn British English and may need some help understanding an American accent or learning different terms ("apartment" vs "flat").

Nadia: When students learn ESL in Ukraine, they often gain language skills in four domains (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) separately and out of context. They might have rich vocabulary and know grammar rules (sometimes better than the native speakers do), but they might struggle with applying this knowledge to real-life situations. Besides, their reading and writing skills are usually developed better than listening and speaking ones, because they don't hear or speak English daily. They will need some time to organize and structure their knowledge in their heads before they will be able to add something new. Be patient and they will surprise you!

A lot of students have background knowledge in many fields (as they have up to 13 different subjects every year). Most Ukrainian parents understand the importance of education; for example, those who are able to invest time and money might sign up their kids for preschool courses where they learn how to read, write, speak English, and develop their motor skills. When their kids are in school, parents may hire tutors to increase their kids' academic performance or to prepare them for the State test. They will pay for after-school activities that their kids choose to develop their talents or to gain some skills. Another characteristic of Ukrainian education is that new material has to be often learned by heart. As a result, a lot of students have a good memory. However, they might struggle with applying their knowledge to real-life situations.

Strengths and Assets

What are some areas of strength you would like to highlight?

Nadia: Historically, Ukrainians have been fighting for their independence for centuries. As a result, they have a strong will and they value their and other people's freedom very much. They are also hard-working. In rural areas, almost every family has a garden and they grow their own fruits and vegetables. Kids often help their parents and grandparents and are not afraid of any hard work.

Ruslana: Ukrainians are the most freedom-loving people you'll ever meet. Freedom is at the level of safety and security in Maslow's hierarchy of needs for Ukrainians. Our love and desire of freedom and being free gives us strength to persevere decade after decade and through centuries. That's where our resilience and strength comes from: it comes from within and it comes from generational struggle for freedom for our dignity and sovereignty to have the right to exist as a people.

Another area of strength Ukrainians have is in their creativity, resourcefulness, and inventiveness. Ukrainians can repurpose any discarded object into something useful. The older generation who grew up in Communism learned how to be inventive because, as we say, necessity is the mother of invention. That inventiveness carried over from the older generation to the new by creating something out of nothing.

Ukrainians are also resilient. Many shake off their trauma and pick up a paint brush and paint flower petals around the bullet holes in their fences and gates around their house without waiting for someone to come and give them money to replace the gate. People learn how to move on without attending to trauma because, some have told me, they have no time for that.

Oleksandr: Also, Ukrainians would try to fix everything themselves first before calling services and they are very good at it. And Ukrainian students are very practical and can solve problems very quickly for their age.

Oksana: I agree that Ukrainians are resilient, can adapt to other situations, and are not afraid to work. They will keep working and fighting and will not give up easily. That's what makes our people so strong.

What are some ways to beat stereotypes about Ukrainian students and see them as individuals?

Ruslana: One of the most harmful stereotypes about Ukrainians that I have personally experienced came from a place of ignorance when people asked me (after a fundraiser for Ukraine), "Are you from Russia?" When these questions are asked in the middle of this ongoing war, it becomes tiresome to feel responsible for educating others. I often say, "No, I have never been to Russia and I am not Russian." Yes, there are ethnic Russians living in Ukraine, but assuming that all Ukrainians are Russians contributes to the erasure of our identity as Ukrainians who are distinct from Russians and whose history predates Russia. For many Ukrainians, those are microaggressions and perpetuate old stereotypes dating back to the Cold War.

Some social studies teachers I observed in schools continue to teach the unit on Russia and when I suggested they teach a unit on Ukraine, they tell me, "We don't focus on a single country." Many American social studies teachers equate Soviet Union to Russia, perpetuating the centuries-old myths passed on by previous generations, while continuing to teach the same units that their parents learned during the Cold War.

The culture of personal space and politeness: Some Ukrainians who have recently arrived and are still experiencing culture shock have discovered that the personal space is quite big in the Midwest and they are confused about why people say "Excuse me" all the time. One person told me they feel like they have done something wrong when they hear "Excuse me" spoken to them, while in fact, they did nothing wrong but were standing in the grocery aisle with their cart reading labels. Newly arrived Ukrainians don't understand yet that saying "Excuse me" in public spaces serves as a warning sign that they might invade your personal space. It's very confusing to Ukrainians because our personal space is tighter and smaller and we don't mind people walking past us or bumping into each other in public spaces.

Spontaneity of Hospitality: Other recently arrived Ukrainians have told me that while many Americans they are meeting are friendly, they won't invite you into their homes and hold conversations on the door step without inviting you in. They said that in Ukraine people will invite you in and feed you (even if you are not hungry) and insist on eating until you give in. In general, most Ukrainians are more spontaneous about having people over and don't need to follow a calendar to show hospitality.

Direct communication: Ukrainians are more direct communicators and have been described by Americans as "straight shooters" (we don't use that language to describe how we talk in Ukraine because speaking to the point is our norm). Those people who are not used to direct communication may find the Ukrainian communication style abrasive or even rude. It's important to understand different communication styles and not judge people's character based on their direct or indirect preferences. For example, "Let me check my calendar and get back to you," may mean people avoid meeting you for coffee, but to Ukrainians, that phrase means that people will literally check their calendar and get back to them. On the other hand, when Ukrainians say, "I won't be able to join you for coffee," it doesn't mean they are upset; they are just truthfully responding to the question without avoiding the subject. Saying "no" is not being rude in Ukrainian culture.

Emotions: Ukrainians express emotions openly and truthfully, more so than other western countries. Ukrainians don't apologize for crying when feeling sad and some find it confusing why Americans apologize for crying. Also, expressing anger more openly in Ukraine is the norm because it is viewed as another normal emotion. When I have expressed frustration and anger at something, people have seemed surprised and have said things such as, "How do you really feel about that?" followed by laughter. Those reactions, even though they are dressed in humor, appear judgmental. Another area of cultural difference slightly related to emotions is when Ukrainians ask questions about overpriced items or complain about the excessive government forms, that behavior is viewed as rude, because it is expected to keep those feelings to oneself and not to express frustration openly. However, for Ukrainians, it is acceptable behavior to be open with their emotions of frustration because they are human emotions.

What are some cultures/subcultures within Ukrainian culture?

Ruslana shares the following cultural nuances:

Personal Stories

Are there any individual stories you would like to highlight?

Olga: It is important to remember that exchange students come to the U.S. after passing internationally recognized language proficiency tests. Students who come on exchange programs are the best of the best in their countries. However, during their first months in the country, they may still experience culture shock, having a hard time adjusting to the new environment.

Oleksandr: We had a family two years ago who got their green cards and asked us to help them find housing and work. We did that. They came, stayed here for a month, and decided that the jobs were not good for them and they didn't know English well enough to get good jobs at first. They did not want to stay and thought that their apartment back in Ukraine was much better and life was still easier in Ukraine for them, so they moved back. Their daughter of 12 at that time liked school and life here, did really well at school, and was involved in Sunday School activities, but her parents did not want an "uncomfortable" life for them and low-paid jobs at first and decided it was easier to move back. Life in the U.S. is not for everyone and if you decided to move here, you would need at least a year to get used to all the changes. It is not the life you see in American movies.

Is there anything else you would like to add?
Top row (left to right): Oksana Kozbar, Ruslana Westerlund, Olga Malin Bottom row: Nadia Vovchenko, Oleksandr Vovchenko
Oksana: It's so important not to isolate any students, whether they come from Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, or other countries that are implicated in this conflict. For example, a Russian parent I know called me to say that her daughter's best friend said she couldn't be friends with her anymore after the Russian invasion began. Her daughter was devastated. It's so important to help kids keep friendships strong and be kind to each other, even as these bigger events unfold.

About the Authors

Dr. Ruslana Westerlund was born in Cherkassy region of Ukraine and emigrated to the U.S. in 1995. She received her doctorate in educational leadership in 2013 and now is a researcher and an educational consultant supporting school districts in Wisconsin. Since 1995, she has worked as a classroom teacher and a teacher trainer at undergraduate and graduate levels as well as at state and national levels researching, designing, and training states and school districts in improving educational outcomes for immigrant and refugee children. Most recently, she has been training teachers in the use of Systemic Functional Linguistics to support English Learners' access to reading, reasoning, and writing in the content areas. She also used SFL in developing the new edition of the WIDA ELD Standards. Her TESOL webinar on this topic can be found here. She is the author of several teacher articles which can be accessed in the Journal of English Learner Education and MinneTESOL. Most recently, she co-edited a volume by Routledge titled Scaffolding for Multilingual Learners in Elementary and Secondary Schools. In her spare time, she published a book, From Borsch to Burgers: A Cross-Cultural Memoir, where she used writing to process her cross-cultural identity and chronicle her immigration journey and her life in between.

Oksana Kozbar is a middle school ELL teacher who came to the U.S. from Ukraine in 2000, where she had been teaching English and German. She graduated from Vinnitsya Pedagogical State University specializing in Ukrainian Language and Literature and English a Foreign Language. She also received a Master of Arts in Applied Leadership for Teaching and Learning from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and a Master of Sciences in Curriculum and Instruction with the Emphasis in Linguistics from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In addition, she serves as a licensed Russian and Ukrainian interpreter for families in the Green Bay, WI area and an adult ESL teacher, sometimes teaching the families of her students!

Olga Malin teaches ESOL in grades K-5 and an English class for parents in Columbia County, Georgia. This year, she will also teach the ESOL Endorsement program to the teachers. Olga's native language is Ukrainian, but she also speaks Russian, studied German, French and Latin, and is learning Spanish. She earned her master's degree in Foreign Languages, Literatures and Linguistics at Chernivtsi National University in Ukraine where she continued to teach different aspects of English and translation, as well as several language programs. Here, in the USA, she became affiliated with the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages and completed her Ed.S. in Advanced Educational Studies with Concentration in ESOL at Augusta University. Last year, she added the Dyslexia Endorsement to her teaching certificate.

Nadia Vovchenko is an ELL teacher at Kennedy Elementary School in Willmar, Minnesota. In Ukraine, she served as an instructional coach and gave professional development webinars and workshops for teachers around Ukraine. Oleksandr Vovchenko is a middle school ELL teacher in the same town. They moved to U.S. three years ago. In Ukraine, they both taught ESL at school and online. They also interpreted for American teams of doctors, teachers, and missionaries for 20 years.

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Partnering with Ukrainian Families: Tips for Schools

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As U.S. schools continue to welcome Ukrainian families arriving in communities across the country, many educators may be wondering how best to serve their Ukrainian students. We had the unique opportunity to gather tips from a group of Ukrainian ELL educators who live and work in the U.S.

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Rosemary Shaw

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Colorín Colorado is a national multimedia project that offers a wealth of bilingual, research-based information, activities, and advice for educators and families of English language learners (ELLs). Colorín Colorado is an educational service of WETA, the flagship public broadcasting station in the nation's capital, and receives major funding from the American Federation of Teachers and National Education Association.

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Rosemary Shaw

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ELL Coordinator and SIOP Trainer, Erica Hilliker has complied a wealth of teacher resources to assist with the instruction of ELL students in the classroom.

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Stages of Language Acquisition (colleagues/family resource) 

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Stages of Language Acquisition (colleagues/family resource) 

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Language Development Progression (used for family conferences) 

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Language Development Progression (used for family conferences) 

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The remind app (used for communicating with families via text message) offers the ability to translate a text to many different languages. This is great for connecting ML families with the school, services, or with teachers around individual assignments. Often ML families feel left out as most minor communications are not translated. This app's capabilities change that at a click of the button.

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5 Simple Ways to Invite Translanguaging -and all its benefits!- Into Your Classroom - The All-Access Classroom

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Invite your multilingual learners to use translanguaging for learning! Here are some practical tips to get started!

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Triangle Vocabulary - Manipulatives for Social Studies Vocabulary

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Triangle Vocabulary - Manipulatives for Social Studies Vocabulary

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Rosemary Shaw

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Helpful to guide a coaching conversation.

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Rosemary Shaw

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I think you'll love the printable for this one! Vocabulary scavenger hunts are fun, and they're even more fun with a cool bookmark!

In a vocabulary scavenger hunt, students "hunt" for target words or the way those words are represented in books, magazines, articles on the web, in school, or at home.

For example, they either look for the word "quickly" or an example of something that was moving quickly.

While it seems like an obvious language arts activity, it works equally well in other content areas.

Let's learn how to set it up!

? How to Set Up a Vocabulary Scavenger Hunt

In order to host a vocabulary scavenger hunt in your classroom, you first have to decide what you're going to have students searching for.

You have two choices: students can either hunt for specific words, or they can hunt for types of words.

As the teacher, hunts for specific words take more prep work because you have to identify the words you want them to find.

You'll see ideas for categories of words below!

To facilitate the hunt, you can give students:

lists of words, either digitally or on a piece of paper

categories or parameters and have them complete a sheet/digital document

the opportunity to take pictures of words or examples of words they find

This choice depends upon what you're going to do with them (see below for ideas on that) and what technology your students have or have access to.

? Specific Examples of Vocabulary Scavenger Hunts

This is one activity where the sky really is the limit, but as a sample, I'll share some favorites:

Parts of speech (adverbs, adjectives, nouns, verbs, prepositions, etc.)

Subcategories of the parts of speech (coordinating and subordinating conjunctions, for example, or auxiliary verbs, transitive verbs, and intransitive verbs)

Specific words from the text you're reading

Words from the math unit (triangle, circle, array, decimal, obtuse angle, etc.)

Words of a specific syllable length

Science terms (cell, measure, lab, experiment, etc.)

Unfamiliar words

Words an author used to describe a character, event, or place

Tone words

Intriguing words

Words with homophones or homographs

Words they want voted off the island

Words they would want in their own dictionary

Theme words

Words with silent letters

Words that follow a particular pronunciation rule (e.g., the Magic "E")

Words we've learned

Certain prefixes, suffixes, or root words

Words in a certain verb tense

Color words

Words they love

Words they loathe

Words that sound like another name for angry/happy/mean/messy

Words that are easily confused with another word

Words that would be awesome to name a kid

And on and on...

You can see that there are a lot of options!

? What Do You Have Students Do with the Words They Find?

You can give students a bookmark and have them find words in a text like this one:

I made a whole set of these that you can get in my TeachersPayTeachers store.

You can crowdsource a class list of words in a digital platform, on a bulletin board, or even just on a piece of paper.

If you do a photo vocabulary scavenger hunt, you can have students share in a Google Slide deck like this one.

You could create a "Vocabulary Scavenger Hunt" bulletin board.

To make it really simple, you can simply have a discussion of the words they found.

If you want to do it in a discussion format, have a way to celebrate amazing words. I like to use a clapper I got at the dollar store.

? Are There Any Mistakes People Make with Vocabulary Scavenger Hunts?

The most common mistake I see is when teachers turn what could be a fun activity into just another worksheet.

They make students fill out super involved worksheets with no celebration or excitement and just label it "Scavenger Hunt."

Friends, that's no fun. And it doesn't fool kids, either.

To avoid this, make sure you carefully consider the way in which you're presenting the scavenger hunt and the way you're recognizing the words they find.

Some of the more unusual searches (e.g., "words that would make a great name for a kid") give students a feeling that's different from the one they get when they are just filling in a worksheet.

I'm a big believer in fun (I mean, Vocabulary Luau, right?), and this is an activity than lends itself to fun.

Don't let it be drudgery or busy work.

? Wrapping Up:

Vocabulary scavenger hunts belong in every teacher's toolbox because they can be adapted to so many uses.

They are immensely flexible, in that they're useful for a wide variety of grade levels and content areas.

One thing I like is that because there are so many options for them (bookmarks, photo scavenger hunts, discussions, hunting for different types of words, etc.), the same strategy can be used over and over again without getting old.

I hope you like them as much as I do!?

? You May Also Like:

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Vocabulary Scavenger Hunts | Vocabulary Luau

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I think you'll love the printable for this one! Vocabulary scavenger hunts are fun, and they're even more fun with a cool bookmark! In a vocabulary scavenger hunt, students "hunt" for target words or the way those words are represented in books, magazines, articles on the web, in school, or at home.

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Tiered vocab visual (Bringing Words to Life)

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Tiered vocab visual (Bringing Words to Life)

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Lesson plans to support vocab acquisition and comprehension through read aloud

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Lesson plans to support vocab acquisition and comprehension through read aloud

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Distribution of Key Language Uses in Grades 6-8

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Distribution of Key Language Uses in Grades 6-8

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Kiddle is a safe search engine, offering a safe web, image, and video search. Results are vetted by editors.

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Group singing, dancing or composition is a great way for individuals to share a part of themselves with their peers. It could even be as easy as group listening sessions.

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Social & Emotional Learning (SEL)

A strategy for guiding preschoolers to identify and manage their emotions with a little help from Muddy Waters, Beethoven, and the Beatles.

Maskot / Alamy Stock Photo

Many educators embrace social and emotional learning (SEL) for teaching coping skills. Like visual art activities, music education can play a role in healing, particularly when it's paired with deep breathing exercises. Music is readily available from sources like YouTube, Spotify, and Pandora, which makes it easy to integrate into the classroom, and research shows that general music program activities like improvisation and identifying emotion through music are effective as a form of social and emotional learning.

Studies show that children as young as 3 can notice emotions in music and can even recognize "happy" and "sad" in musical excerpts that are just 0.5 second long. These findings are the backbone of practical applications for using music to support SEL in the classroom-and of the following activities that help preschool children learn how to name and regulate their emotions.

Muddy Waters's 'Louisiana Blues' and Feeling Sad

Known as the father of Chicago blues, Muddy Waters was an American blues singer-songwriter and musician. His piece " Louisiana Blues " is a classic in the genre, reflecting sadness and hardship.

How to use it: Using color cards or colorful objects, ask students to recognize the colors. With the color blue, stop and say, "Some people say they feel this color. They say they feel blue or they have 'the blues.' What do you think they mean by that?"

After the students answer, explain that the blues is a type of music created by African Americans in the southern United States to express sadness and hardship. Explain that sometimes life is hard, it's OK to feel upset by that, and music can help people get through hard times. As the students listen to "Louisiana Blues," have them tap a drum or rhythm sticks to keep the beat. Then they can reflect on a time when they felt the blues after putting their instruments away.

Beethoven's Fifth Symphony and Feeling Strong Emotions

With its iconic fate knocking motif, Beethoven's Fifth can prompt awareness of strong emotions.

How to use it: Tell your students to give themselves a big, tight hug. Say, "Hugs are nice. But tight feelings are also a sign that you have a strong feeling. Let's listen to the music together. If you hear a strong emotion, squeeze the ball." Pass out squishy objects, like stress balls or stuffed animals. As students listen to the first two minutes of the symphony, have them squeeze the object when they hear a strong emotion. When the music stops, take two minutes to reflect on how to alleviate sensations of tightness brought on by strong feelings: "We just listened to the Fifth Symphony by Ludwig Van Beethoven, which was written for an orchestra-a group of musicians playing together. I could tell you felt the strong emotions in it when you squeezed the ball. Did your hands feel better after letting go of the ball?"

Tell students that just as their hands felt better when they let go of the ball, they can let go of the strong feeling inside when it happens: They can let go of their strong feelings by taking belly breaths and using words to get help. Since loud crying and angry screaming (temper tantrums) are common in communication among young children, teaching them how to self-soothe and use expressive language prompts growth toward self-regulation.

'Jambo Bwana' and Greetings

Research shows that for autistic children and those who have special needs or language delays, dancing to music without explicit instructions can improve their overall gross motor development and mobility. The Swahili traditional song " Jambo Bwana," a piece about saying hello and sharing joy and happiness, works well in this context.

How to use it: Tell students that the song is about saying hello and is from the country of Kenya. Explain that world music includes music in different languages and from different cultures. Ask, "Can you say 'hello' in Swahili? Try saying 'JamboBwana'" ("Hello, Sir"). After the students answer, pass out props like colorful scarves (for easier self-expression with smaller motor movements), or forgo props while the students dance to the song. They can then share reflections about how saying hello and seeing people they love can bring happiness.

'Yesterday' and Feeling Disappointment

The Beatles song " Yesterday" can prompt students to reflect on a time when something went wrong or they made a mistake. When children recall this experience with you, it becomes a powerful interaction -a moment when you deliberately connect with a child while guiding their learning.

How to use it: Begin by telling children about a made-up recent event where there was disappointment; it could be based on an event in the classroom. For example, "Bella was looking forward to the class field trip to the zoo, but it was canceled when it rained. How do you think she felt? Let's listen to this piece of music at the art table and draw a picture of the feeling. Do any of you like rock-and-roll music? This is the genre of music that rock bands play-groups of musicians that have a guitarist, drummer, bass player, and singer. Usually the music is upbeat and makes you feel excited. But this song by the Beatles is about feeling melancholy and remembering a time when you made a mistake or did something wrong." Play "Yesterday" and prompt children to illustrate a time when they experienced disappointment or things didn't work out as planned.

'Águas de Março' and Mindfulness

The jazz/bossa nova song " Águas de Março" ("The Waters of March"), by the Brazilian songwriter Antônio Carlos Jobim, works well when teaching students that being calm can improve their ability to focus on their surroundings, as well as how to embrace mindfulness.

How to use it: Ask students to take a deep belly breath, perhaps while ringing a singing bowl. Tell students, "When we feel calm, our bodies are relaxed. And when we're relaxed, we can notice things we didn't notice before. Let's listen to this song and take deep breaths to become more mindful of our surroundings. This style of music is a form of Brazilian jazz called bossa nova, and it has a smooth, sophisticated sound that people can dance or relax to while listening to it."

When the song is done, move on to an activity to test students' new and improved awareness. Tell the students, "Now that we have calm and relaxed bodies, we can see things even better than we did before. Let's go on a scavenger hunt to find the objects from the song in our room." Students can go around the room to find objects mentioned in the song (a stick, stone, a hair pin, and a flower).

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Integrating Music Into Social and Emotional Learning

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Social & Emotional Learning (SEL) A strategy for guiding preschoolers to identify and manage their emotions with a little help from Muddy Waters, Beethoven, and the Beatles. Maskot / Alamy Stock Photo Many educators embrace social and emotional learning (SEL) for teaching coping skills.

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Rosemary Shaw

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Your account is needed to access your saved crossword puzzles later, and to ensure you can always publish your crosswords when you're a paid user. Additionally, our save-as-you-go crossword puzzle maker will save to your account, so you can resume your crossword puzzles in case of computer issues.

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Create Your Own Crossword | Easy Crossword Puzzle Maker

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The best crossword puzzle maker online: easy, ad-free, beautiful. Print your crosswords, or share a link for online solving. Graded automatically.

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7 Strategies for Teaching Math to English Language Learners

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7 Strategies for Teaching Math to English Language Learners

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Mathematics is sometimes regarded as a "universal language," as it is grounded in abstract concepts such as numbers and shapes. And there is some truth to that! After all, two people who speak different languages may still be able to solve the same math problem and get the same solution. However, language is nevertheless essential for teaching math, as mathematics is inextricably linked to the language in which it is taught.

Proficiency in any language relies on two factors: language comprehension and language production. When it comes to teaching math to ELL students, we can look closely across lessons and consider, "What is the language load at this moment? Comprehension or production?" Then we can leverage targeted strategies to promote academic language development while also deepening mathematical understanding.

Students learning English carry a different cognitive load when they are also learning mathematics. What follows are ELL strategies for math that lighten the students' cognitive load so that they can show mathematical understanding while you maintain rigor in the lesson.

A note on language: we employ the common phrase English language learner, along with the acronym ELL, but we also recognize that this is imperfect nomenclature. Students who are learning English do not fit neatly into a single label.

ELL Strategies for Math: Language Comprehension

1: Use Routines That Break Down Word Problems

Word problems present an especially tough problem to students learning English. They're hard enough for students who are further along in their English language development! Word problems demand that the reader parse plenty of non-mathematical vocabulary such as names, objects, jobs, and places.

Mathematics instruction will always include word problems, as that is how to articulate complex mathematical situations. Strategies like Three Reads, Stronger and Clearer Each Time, and Compare and Connect help break down the context of a problem and guide students in focusing on one aspect of the language at a time.

2: Focus on Mathematical Vocabulary

Learning mathematics is so much more than learning mathematical vocabulary. Spend time on the words.

For multilingual learners, vocabulary can sometimes be an entryway into the math. Students may have existing notions about words such as product, times, and one, for example, and by discussing them, you are connecting about ideas on both language and mathematics. Your students will help you learn other languages as you help them learn math, a symbiotic relationship.

Provide vocabulary instruction upfront both for mathematical vocabulary and non-mathematical vocabulary that appears in word problems students will confront in the lesson. Vocabulary instruction involves more than just reviewing definitions. It can include playing vocabulary games, reading math readers, and using tools such as word banks.

What would engage your students, regardless of language? Think about what sports they play, music they listen to, TV shows they watch, food they eat, or holidays they celebrate (to name a few). If you can draw on your students' cultural knowledge, you can open paths to engage them even when language serves as a temporary barrier.

Look for ways to modify contexts of word problems and possible bridges between math that they understand and the content you're trying to teach. Position your students as mathematically competent regardless of how well they can articulate their reasoning in English. If you can, let them make up their own word problems! Then you learn more about what is familiar to them.

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7 Strategies for Teaching Math to Students Who Are Learning English

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These ELL strategies for math instruction will help you with teaching math to English language learners and supporting math learning for multilingual students.

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Top Comprehensible Input Strategies and Activities

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Top Comprehensible Input Strategies and Activities

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In 1977, linguist Stephen Krashen formed the so-called input hypothesis. This hypothesis puts emphasis on comprehensible input as a key factor when learning a foreign language.

According to Krashen, comprehensible input for ELL students is a part of SIOP, which stands for Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol. This protocol is used to measure a teacher's effectiveness in the classroom by using the following activities:

Lesson plans

Background

Comprehensible input

Strategies

Interaction

Practice

Lesson delivery

Review and assessment

What is comprehensible input?

Input is what the students receive from you as a teacher. Basically, it is what they hear, see, and perceive as you teach. Comprehensible input is a teacher's input that the students can easily understand due to its high quality and relevance. And this is particularly important for ELL students because comprehensive input helps them use information that they already know to understand and interpret new linguistic concepts.

In other words, the teacher's input should be both understandable and a bit challenging for the students.

In this article, we are going to discuss the comprehensible input strategies and activities that will help you create a comprehensible classroom style to efficiently teach your students a new language.

4 Comprehensible Input Strategies

Comprehensible input strategies were developed by Krashen in 1981 and can be described as follows:

1. Direct Instruction

Teachers can use this strategy with beginners, or entering ELLs, who do not understand the language. It consists of instructing the students on what they should do. According to such instructional input, students watch the teacher do something and then they can model it.

2. Joint Construction

This strategy can be used with the students who already have some basic language knowledge, or developing ELLs. Such students can already follow the instructions themselves but still need some guidance from the teacher.

3. Coached Construction

Teachers can use this strategy with intermediate students, or expanding ELLs. Now, the teacher observes the students applying strategies on their own and offers suggestions only as needed.

4. Monitoring

This comprehensible input strategy is suitable for advanced students, or Bridging ELLs. At this stage, they require a minimum guidance from the teacher and are capable of following the instructions without constant supervision.

10 Comprehensible Input Activities

How can you practice the comprehensible input in the classroom? Here are some options:

1. Use different sources of input

Make sure that your students master the language at all levels - speaking, listening, reading and writing. Give your students enough room to experiment with the language.

2. Tell stories

Storytelling is one of the most successful comprehensible input activities, because an exciting story can arouse interest in improving the language skills in order to understand the plot better. However, make sure that your stories include at least 80 percent words and expressions that your students can understand. The stories should also contain realistic examples that may help the students exercise their language skills in real life. Another good idea is to write a story frame and let the students fill in the details.

3. Visualize

One of the comprehensible input examples is to use drawings, images, doodles or objects in order to illustrate the complex or abstract concepts that you are explaining.

4. Sing songs

Songs and rhymes help the students understand and memorize the words that sound similarly or even equally, but have different meanings, for example, "write - right".

5. Play games

There is a wide range of conversational games, such as "I'm going on a trip," "Bingo" or "Important Numbers", which can also be used as comprehensible input techniques.

6. Specialized reading

Read with students the texts that focus only on one narrow topic, and study new vocabulary that is related to this topic. The students can also choose their own topics of interest.

7. Watch news or movies

Dedicate the entire lesson to watching news and movies, and then discussing what you watched in a group. Such an approach will improve both the listening comprehension and speaking skills as part of comprehensible input.

8. Correction of mistakes

Give the students texts that contain grammar or spelling mistakes and encourage them to find and correct those mistakes.

9. Listen and draw

Describe a picture to the students, and then have them draw the picture based on your instructions. Students can also work in pairs and describe the pictures to each other.

10. Adapt your speech

Use less complex vocabulary whenever possible and limit the use of idioms.

We hope that our comprehensive input definition and tips have motivated you to practice this approach in your classroom. Of course, it is up to you to decide what comprehensible input activities will work best for you and your students, but we recommend that you try all of them.
Earn $15-22 an hour Teaching English from Home
If you enjoyed this article, check out our blogs on How to Prepare A Thorough ESL Curriculum and the Silent Period.
This Teaching Essentials Blog Series looks at some tools-of-the-trade for online ESL instruction. In it, we explore a few key concepts and dive into what makes them indispensable to our teachers.

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Top Comprehensible Input Strategies & Activities - VIPKid Blog

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When learning a foreign language, comprehensible input is a key technique. Here are four comprehensible input strategies and top activities you can use.

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Stronger Clearer Each Time (Math Language Routine) 

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Stronger Clearer Each Time (Math Language Routine) 

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Copy of RSD Collaborative Planning Template

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Effective Anchor Charts that Support Multilingual Learners

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Effective Anchor Charts that Support Multilingual Learners

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Effective Anchor Charts that Support Multilingual Learners

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by Valentina Gonzalez Effective anchor charts can leave a lasting imprint of a lesson, helping multilingual learners while they work independently. Multilingual learners can refer to anchor charts …

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Afghan Kids Support Hub - Digital Resources - mEducation Alliance

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The mEducation Alliance typically focuses on advancing quality educational activities and outcomes in lower-income countries, but our guiding mission is

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Rosemary Shaw

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Create your own jeopardy template online, without PowerPoint. Or browse the pre-made templates created by other people!

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Total Participation Techniques- Techniques that provide teachers with evidence of active participation and cognitive engagement from all students at the same ti

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Comprehensible Input: Making Instruction ML-Friendly 

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Comprehensible Input: Making Instruction ML-Friendly 

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When I first moved to Laos to teach, I didn't understand any Lao, so people resorted to pointing and gesturing to help me comprehend their ideas. The kind ladies in the market didn't expect me to go back to the U.S. to learn Lao at a proficient level before communicating. They met me where I was... And they wanted to help.

Likewise, we have to meet our ELs where they are in their language development . We can do this by employing specific strategies that establish comprehensible input . This article, therefore, is about making instruction more understandable for ELs by focusing on comprehensible input. It forms Part 3 of the Sheltered Instruction series.

In Making Content Comprehensible for English Learners: The SIOP Model (5th Edition) (SIOP Series) , Echevarria, Vogt, and Short recommend the following strategies to make content comprehensible:

speech appropriate for students' proficiency levels

clear explanations of academic tasks and

a variety of techniques used to make content concepts clear (28).

Speech appropriate for students' proficiency levels

There are so many things that I can tackle this first recommendation: vocabulary, speech, body language, and more. However, more important than teachers speak to ELs is they speak.

Teachers often talk more than students can process the information. Some teachers see instruction as delivering content , but they should really think about teaching as facilitating understanding

Imagine a pizza pie. When it's delivered, it comes pre-sliced into small pieces because it's unpleasant and impossible to shove an entire pizza pie down our throats. Likewise, we have to deliver content in pre-sliced portions to enable ELs to talk about content in a manageable way.

A simple way to chunk content is to invite students to talk to each other about it. I chunk information by dividing it into:

There are numerous discussion structures that pedagogy guru Jennifer Gonzales recommends, but the easiest ones I recommend are:

These are low-prep structures that let ELs pause anywhere from 1-3 minutes to process what they've learned. Regardless of the structure you use, we must shift from talking at ELs to inviting discussion about content.

Clear expectations of academic tasks

Academic tasks are meant to be challenging, but when compounded with learning a new language, they can make ELs feel like Sisyphus eternally rolling his heavy boulder uphill only to watch it come crashing back down again. We want to stretch, not snap our students. It's actually quite simple to make academic tasks more comprehensible to ELs: use images.

We often think of using images to communicate vocabulary words or an event. But images can also represent a series of steps required of a complex task. For example, when I was co-planning with Ms. Lauren and Mr. Lucas (two 8th grade history teachers), they explained an activity they designed to help students think about some statistics related to using resources.

As they described the steps, I realized that even though I'm a native English user, I was still confused To help me and the students understand, I converted the steps into the flowchart below. The flowchart visually guides students through the initially complex process. It didn't lower the rigor of the task; it simply made the expectations clearer.

Later, after the lesson, Ms. Lauren said that she noticed how much the flowchart was helping all of her students, not just the ELs. This was another good reminder that when we co-plan, it's more about who's receiving ELs services than who's labeled as an EL.

We typically help ELs in first developing social language and then move to mastering academic language. However, students who are born to an English-speaking family already have established social language skills, so we need to focus on fostering academic language proficiency. But, as teachers of language acquisition, we can offer our support to non-ELs as well when they too need to understand and use academic language.

A variety of techniques used to make content concepts clear

One overarching technique to make content clearer is scaffolding, which is the process of using various techniques develop understanding of a concept. Scaffolding is particularly important for when teaching ELs. When a concept is particularly abstract and complex, we use different ways to scaffold their understanding. The more scaffolding provided, the more bridges to understanding.

An earlier article I wrote on the various forms of scaffolding describes the use of:

sensory scaffolds (ie: models, manipulatives, visuals)

interactive scaffolds (ie: discussions, partner work, dramatizations) and

graphic scaffolds (ie: tables, charts, timelines, infographics)

Comprehensible Input with Technology

We should also consider the use of technology to establish comprehensible input as it can contain elements of sensory, interactive, and graphic scaffolding. Our students are born into an age that expects them to be digital natives, and integrating technology not only increases their familiarity with it, it also encourages interaction with the content.

For example, John Sowash created this timeline in Google Drawing to improve his students' comprehensible input of historical events. There are boxes for events, wars and people involved that students were to move around to the correct location.

Sowash's timeline contains visuals, encourages students to learn through interactions, and the content is presented graphically - all elements of scaffolding.

Engaging with content by using scaffolds or technology shifts passive learning into active learning. For ELs, the more active the learning, the more they're able to retain. When we make content clearer, it really means designing lessons that invite ELs to engage, think, and create. Regardless of the tech you use, I still encourage incorporating technology in the classroom to prompt active learning and to establish comprehensible input .

[Side note] Sowash and I were part of Tony Vincent's Class Graphics course, which I highly recommend tech-oriented teachers enroll in.

Takeaways

When teaching ELs , we need to focus on what they can do instead of what they can't do yet . Likewise, we have to look in the mirror and focus on what can do to establish comprehensible input. Making content comprehensible is not about lowering our expectations for ELs. It's about using specific techniques to maintain high expectations for students .

With these three strategies, educators can make challenging academic content comprehensible. And, in doing so, uphold the promise to provide every student with the same high quality education they deserve.

Echevarria, J., Vogt, ME, & Short, D. (2017). Making Content Comprehensible for English Learners: The SIOP Model. Fifth Edition. New York: Pearson.

Nora, Julie, and Jana Echevarria. No More Low Expectations for English Learners . Heinemann, 2016.

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#85. Comprehensible Input: Making Instruction ML-Friendly - ELL Strategies | TanKHuynh

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Establishing comprehensible input is required for ELs to learn content. Learn about three specific strategies to develop comprehensible input.

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Expressive and receptive language skills are arguably some of the most important skills that students will need in the real world. Every relationship and job requires strong communication skills involving speaking and listening, however, we believe these standards are the most overlooked in the classroom.

As teachers, it's easy to think we are naturally including speaking and listening in our daily instruction. However, just providing opportunities for our students to speak and listen, does not help them get any better at it. We need to teach with intention.

We feel speaking and listening should be at the heart of all academic lessons. The following strategies can help you intentionally incorporate discussion strategies and accountable talk into your daily instruction in a way that will help students remain engaged.

Rules of Conversation

We suggest beginning by teaching "Rules of Conversation" lessons. This helps establish norms and gives students agreements to refer to the rest of the year. As a class, create a "Looks Like/Sounds Like" T-Chart for both speaking and listening and ask student what respectful, active speaking and listening looks and sounds like. Spend time role-playing the behaviors. Post the anchor chart and refer to it constantly.

Next, teach students rules of conversation. Most kids need to be explicitly taught speaking and listening responsibilities and have time to practice and receive feedback to become productive members of conversations. Model these conversation stems and have pairs and small groups of students practice in front of the class. In primary grades, start with only 2 stems for Speaking and Listening. When students feel comfortable, add 2 stems for building.

Practice Discussion Strategies in the Classroom

Last, give students opportunities to practice the rules of conversation in pairs and small groups.

We all know getting students to have meaningful small group discussions can be challenging. It's likely your classroom has had issues with off topic conversations, arguing, or talkative students dominating the conversation while other students don't participate.

To address these issues, teach and master a few discussion strategies that will promote accountable talk and ensure ALL students participate and meet the Speaking and Listening Core Standards.
Here are a few of quick and easy discussion strategies that keep our students engaged:
Conversation Chips

Conversation chips are a great way to hold students accountable for discussion while at the same time limiting the amount each student can participate. It is an excellent strategy for every type of learner in your classroom. First, the teacher assigns students into small groups and provides a topic or text for them to discuss. Then each student gets 3 conversation chips. Students can only add to the discussion if they have a chip. Teacher can set an expectation that each student needs to contribute all chips to ensure all students are participating in the discussion. It is a perfect solution to get all students equally participating.

Conversation Stick

Another effective and engaging strategy is conversation sticks. This one is simple. Students can only talk if they are holding the conversation stick. Again, teachers can set expectations that each student needs to hold the stick so everyone equally participates.

Numbered Heads Together

Try our FREE Numbered Heads Together discussion strategy to get meaningful discussions started in your classroom. Sign up below.

With the Numbered Heads Together discussion strategy, each group member gets a number (number tokens included in download), then the teacher asks a question. The small group works together to think of an answer. Every student must know the answer because the teacher can call on any number to give the answer for the group. It is a great way to engage students and ensure participation.

Click here to get 10 of our favorite discussion strategies, complete with colorful posters and student accountability conversation recording sheets!

Related Article: Text Dependent Questions

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Classroom Discussion Strategies - The Core Coaches

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Expressive and receptive language skills are arguably some of the most important skills that students will need in the real world. Every relationship and job requires strong communication skills involving speaking and listening, however, we believe these standards are the most overlooked in the classroom.

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Colorín Colorado is a national multimedia project that offers a wealth of bilingual, research-based information, activities, and advice for educators and families of English language learners (ELLs). Colorín Colorado is an educational service of WETA, the flagship public broadcasting station in the nation's capital, and receives major funding from the American Federation of Teachers and National Education Association.

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Free for teachers and students, this website allows for teachers to create graphic organizers super fast and also has an enormous bank of graphics and photos for comprehensible input.

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Text Features in non fiction reading and writing

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Text Features in non fiction reading and writing

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The easiest most fun way to practice math facts in a classroom! Instantly engaging and perfect for all-class activities. No students' accounts required.

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The new question-of-the-week is:
What is the single most effective instructional strategy you have used to teach English-language learners?
This series is part of a longer series of questions and answers inviting educators from various disciplines to share their "single most effective instructional strategy."

There are many more to come!

Today, Valentina Gonzalez, Denita Harris, Cindy Garcia, and Deedy Camarena offer their responses.

Before we get to today's guest, I'd like to share my own answer.

Two that contributors to this series don't mention and are ones I like to use often are the Language Experience Approach (LEA) and Total Physical Response (TPR).

Two particularly useful posts that have not yet made it into that summary collection (I update them every summer) are Thirteen Instructional Strategies for Supporting ELL Newcomers and Ten Strategies for Teaching English-Language Learners Online.

Now, to responses from today's guests:

Picture Word Inductive Model
Valentina Gonzalez is a former classroom teacher with over 20 years in education serving also as a district facilitator for English-learners, a professional-development specialist for ELs, and as an educational consultant. Valentina delivers professional development and coaches teachers on sheltered instruction strategies. Her work can be found on Seidlitz Education and on MiddleWeb. You can reach her through her website or on Twitter @ValentinaESL:
Shifting the way we approach teaching English-learners can have a positive effect on their success in our schools. When we see our English-learners' assets first, we recognize everything they come with and value not only their culture but also the content and literacy they bring to the table.

I've found the Picture Word Inductive Model (Calhoun, 1998) to be one of the most effective instructional techniques in my experience teaching ELs. The benefits of using PWIM with English-learners are many. This literacy technique is quite flexible and can be used cross-curricularly no matter the grade level, language level, or content. PWIM leverages students' funds of knowledge and builds upon them. Through the PWIM, ELs are engaged in thinking and in all language domains: listening, speaking, reading, and writing with scaffolds and supports such as visuals and sentence stems or frames. This method can be used in all grade levels and cross-curricularly.

These are the steps I use to implement an adapted version of PWIM with English-learners and how each step benefits ELs:

This engaging instructional strategy helps to lower students' anxiety levels, which increases participation. After using the PWIM with numerous student groups, these are some tips I can offer to educators who haven't tried it before:

Carefully select images that are compelling to your age group of students.

Try color coding or chunking labeled words (ex.: all verbs in orange, adjectives in blue, etc.).

Keep in mind students' language-proficiency levels when creating sentence stems and frames. Students with advanced English proficiency will benefit from more sophisticated sentence structures.

Don't stress about doing it all in one day. Gage your students and make adjustments as needed.

On a subsequent day, use the generated words as a sorting activity. Ask students to work with a partner to put the words in groups and label the groups.

Co-create a sentence-patterning chart with the class. Some groups of students may need this level of support during Step 7.

Below is an example of a PWIM and sentence-patterning chart mash up. Combining these two techniques enhances ELs' listening, speaking, reading, and writing in English.

Sentence Frames
Denita Harris is a curriculum coordinator for the MSD of Wayne Township, Indianapolis. She has over 20 years of experience as a teacher, assistant principal, and district-level administrator. Harris is the recipient of the 2019 INTESOL (Indiana Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages) Best of the Best in K-12 Education, and the 2017 and 2020 African American Excellence in Education Award. Find her on Twitter @HarrisLeads:
The single most effective strategy I have used and would highly recommend when teaching English-language learners is the use of sentence frames for writing and speaking, the productive skills, accompanied with a word bank, word phrases, and/or pictures.

English-languagelearners possess a wealth of knowledge, and it is our obligation, as educators, to tap into their knowledge and continue to build upon what our students already know and can do. We must remember our students are in the process of learning a new language and are not in the process of learning a language; therefore, we can provide the words and the grammatical structures of the new language to help guide them in speaking and writing.

Here is an analogy to consider. English-language learners have the tools (vocabulary in their native language). They come to us with these tools; however, while learning English, they may not yet know the names of all the tools or how to use them properly to accomplish a task completely (speaking or writing in English). Our responsibility is to provide our students with the names of each tool (vocabulary in English) and demonstrate to them, through sentence frames, how they might utilize these tools to accomplish a complete task (express a complete thought or sentence in English). A sentence frame can be made up of only one sentence or several sentences to assist students in structuring paragraphs.

The use of sentence frames for writing and speaking not only give English-language learners a framework to communicate through both oral and written language, sentence frames also help build students' self-efficacy. When students have the language to contribute to classroom discussions and are able to express their thoughts on paper, they begin to feel a part of the classroom community, and that makes all the difference.

Comprehensible Input
Cindy Garcia has been a bilingual educator for 14 years and is currently a district instructional specialist for PK-6 bilingual/ESL mathematics. She is active onTwitter @CindyGarciaTX and on her blog:
The single most effective strategy that I used to teach English-language learners is comprehensible input. Comprehensible input means that the teacher speaks in such a way that students are able to understand what is being said even when they do not know or understand all of the words being stated. Below are some strategies to make input comprehensible:

Slow down rate of speech and enunciate clearly. As students are listening, they are also working to process what is being said and how that fits with what they already know. At the same time, ELLs are translanguaging and making sense of teachers' academic language. ELLs are developing their English language, and it is very important that they hear those initial and ending sounds of words in order to add them to their vocabulary. Sometimes when we speak too quickly, we drop important sounds such as "ing".

Avoid figurative language and idioms. While these phrases might make sense to you and emphasize a point, to ELLs they might break down their comprehension. Students will probably end up with a literal translation that makes no sense. For example, saying it was a piece of cake will be translated to it was a portion of a dessert, not it was easy! Not only that, but ELLs might stop listening as they try to figure what that idiom means.

Use gestures and total physical response (TPR). Language can sometimes be abstract and not precise. There can also be words that exist in English that do not exist in other languages. For example, toes do not have a Spanish equivalent. In Spanish, we have hand fingers and feet fingers. Using exaggerated gestures can help make the meaning of new vocabulary more clear to students. Using TPR, students also learn to associate a movement with a word, and that will make it more likely that they internalize that new vocabulary.

Collaborative Summarizing
Deedy Camarena is the coordinator for English-language development (ELD), dual and world languages, at the Santa Clara County Office of Education in California:
Second, students find one partner to dialogue with and " create a negotiated list that reflects their combined agreement on the three to six most important ideas." Once students have discussed the most important ideas, they turn them into one, collaborative 15-word summary. Teachers can strategically pair up students, or students can choose. Students must first determine the negotiating rules they will follow. For example, act respectively, cite evidence to prove your opinion, or use academic-language sentence frames, such as Kate Kinsella's, for discussing and collaboration. Students use these sentence frames to support the function of negotiating and intentionally use academically language correctly. The purpose of negotiating with their partner is to "identify who or what is the most important in the section, [and] identify what the subject is doing,"( English Learner Toolkit of Strategies).

Third, have each pair meet with another pair. One student from each pair reads their summary. Then, they dive in and renegotiate a common summary for their new group of four and add it to their graphic organizer.

Fourth, each group of four chooses another group of four to repeat the renegotiating process. Once again, the group will add this new summary to their graphic organizer.

Fifth, ask groups to edit their summaries for meaning, language, and word choice. As the focus of Collaborative Summarizing is utilizing purposeful dialogue to practice oracy, this could be an optional step.

Sixth, chose one student from the group to present the summary to the class. As ELLs have varying comfort levels of reading in front of a class, give the students time to practice in their group. Once a sufficient amount of time has passed, bring the class together to listen to the summaries.

Thanks to Valentina, Denita, Cindy, and Deedy for their contributions!

Please feel free to leave a comment with your reactions to the topic or directly to anything that has been said in this post.
Just a reminder; you can subscribe and receive updates from this blog via email (The RSS feed for this blog, and for all Ed Week articles, has been changed by the new redesign-new ones are not yet available). And if you missed any of the highlights from the first nine years of this blog, you can see a categorized list below. I am also creating a Twitter list including all contributors to this column.

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The Six Most Effective Instructional Strategies for ELLs-According to Teachers (Opinion)

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Teachers share their "go-to" strategies for teaching English-language learners, including sentence starters and Total Physical Response.

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Used in PD to explain how automaticity in reading is built

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What Is Scarborough's Reading Rope?

In 2001, Dr. Hollis Scarborough created the Reading Rope using pipe cleaners to convey how the different "strands" of reading are all interconnected yet independent of one another. For many students, learning to read is a challenge. Scarborough's Rope captures the complexity of learning to read.

Scarborough's Reading Rope is made up of lower and upper strands. When all these component parts intertwine it results in skilled and accurate, fluent reading with strong comprehension.

The lower strands include:

Phonological awareness

Decoding

Alphabetic principle

Letter-sound correspondences

Sight recognition

The upper strands include:

Background knowledge

Vocabulary

Language structures

Verbal reasoning

Literacy knowledge

The Lower Strands

Phonological Awareness

Phonological Awareness is a skill set that includes identifying and manipulating units of oral language - parts such as words, syllables, onsets, and rimes. Did you know that you can improve your students' ability to read unfamiliar words without showing them a single printed letter?

Decoding

Decoding is the ability to apply knowledge of sound-letter relationships (phonics) to correctly pronounce written words. Did you know that in 2019, only 35% of 4th graders were at or above (NAEP) proficient level on the reading assessment?

Sight Recognition

Our sight word memory is also referred to as our orthographic lexicon, which includes all the words we can read accurately and effortlessly. Literate adults have a sight word memory of 30,000 to 70,000 words. Starting in 3rd grade, it is estimated that "skilled orthographic mappers" anchor 10-15 new words a day into their sight word memories. Sight word recognition is foundational to fluent reading.

The Upper Strands

Background Knowledge

Background knowledge is an essential component in learning because it helps us make sense of new ideas and experiences. Readers rely on background knowledge to attend to and make sense of what they are reading. This is especially important for readers who are still relying heavily on word decoding rather than rapid word recognition. Having knowledge about a variety of subjects, topics, and ideas makes it more likely that they will be able to make sense of what they are reading and more likely that they will add to their body of knowledge.

Vocabulary

An extensive and rich vocabulary enables readers to make sense of what they are reading. A reader with rich auditory and oral vocabularies will find it easier to read through texts that contain words they have not seen in print before. If the student can use their growing decoding skills and match their result with a word they already know the meaning of, they will be more confident in their abilities and will spend less overall effort on reading a text.

Language Structures

Syntax - The arrangement of words in a phrase or sentence. The English language has patterns and rules for the way we order our words. It also has some flexibility and variety in acceptable patterns, and even then, speakers and writers are allowed some leeway with these patterns.

Semantics - In linguistics, semantics is the study of the meanings of morphemes, words, phrases, and sentences. Knowledge of the meaning of a text is essential to reading.

Verbal Reasoning

Inference - a conclusion one can draw from known facts or evidence

Metaphor - a word or phrase used to say that something is another thing in order to suggest that they are similar

Literary Knowledge

Print Concepts - letters vs. words, 1:1 correspondence, reading left-to-right and top-to-bottom, spaces between written words, letter order matters, etc.

Genres of Literature - different types of books or stories defined by special characteristics

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row][oneHalf][/oneHalf][oneHalf]What Is Scarborough's Reading Rope?In 2001, Dr. Hollis Scarborough created the Reading Rope using pipe cleaners to convey how the different "strands" of reading are all interconnected yet independent of one another. For many students, learning to read is a challenge. Scarborough's Rope captures the complexity of learning to read.

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Partnered with the TIS in building. This has been a great tool for ML students to talk about their idea before writing.

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Slotkuni : Situs Slot Gacor Gampang Menang, Resmi & Terpercaya

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Slotkuni adalah situs bermain slot online auto spin!, Permainan slot gacor terbaru 2025 yang Resmi & Terpercaya serta gampang jp maxwin setiap jam.

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I really like the icons for ML students and being able to plan explicitly for all levels of students.

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DC Collection - The Center For Depth and Complexity

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The Collection: Classroom-ready Activities & Lessons Welcome to the Depth and Complexity collection, your one-stop shop for lessons, activities, and resources created by Depth and Complexity experts.

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Math Instruction for ELLs Article by Colorin Colorado

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Math Instruction for ELLs Article by Colorin Colorado

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Math Instruction for English Language Learners

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Several years ago, I met a high school math teacher named Hillary Hansen who had just taught her first Basic Math course for English language learners (ELLs). She wanted so much to provide the students with the good foundation they needed, but she felt unable to engage them in her lessons. By the end of the year, she was exhausted and frustrated.That summer she had an opportunity to join a district Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) cohort to receive professional development and support the needs of ELLs in content classes. She learned about the importance of language acquisition, building background knowledge, increasing student language production, and explicitly teaching academic language. She began the following school year with a new set of tools and a deeper understanding of the instructional scaffolding ELLs need in order to learn the content while also learning English.While Hillary still felt challenged and was working hard, the second year was much more successful for her and her students. She felt she was providing them with the foundation they needed not only to understand the mathematical concepts, but also to successfully interact within a math classroom in order to learn more advanced concepts.As a result of more effective instruction, her students:Understood the content better and were working together to find creative ways to learnIncreased their participation in discussions and learned how to use instructional supports in the classFelt more comfortable with math and asking questions to get the help they neededYou can learn more about some strategies that Hillary and other teachers recommend for teaching ELLs math in the information below, along with reflection tips and ideas for getting to know your students’ math backgrounds.ELL Math Resource CollectionThis resource collection features several ideas for teaching math to ELLs.Reflection QuestionsHow much math instruction have your ELLs received in their prior schooling?How much do their levels of math background vary?What are some of their strengths related to math?What are some of their challenges?What are some practical ways your ELLs are using math in their daily lives?What kinds of strategies have supported their success or engagement in other areas?What are some ways that collaboration or co-teaching might support your ELLs?What are some leadership opportunities you might give ELLs in pair work or small group work?Learn About Students’ Math BackgroundsTeaching ELLs: Tips for Math TeachersPrint PDF >It’s important to remember that ELLs’ math backgrounds may vary significantly. Some students may have had consistent schooling where they developed strong math skills. Others may have limited or no formal schooling, but may have practical skills related to time, money, or other daily topics. If possible, find out whether students have attended school regularly and what kind of experience they have had with math instruction and with math in general. Look for ways to tie instruction to student interests (like sports) and responsibilities at home that involve math, such as helping with family finances, working in family businesses, and holding other jobs. For example, students from migrant farmworker families may be using math related to agriculture, such as weighing or selling produce. Also keep in mind that students may use other numeric and measurement systems students, such as metric system, Celsius, military time, etc.In addition, Pennsylvania educators Sally Lopez and Erin Minick also encourage educators to:Look for leadership opportunities for all students in math classProvide students with opportunities to “teach” others, work together, and demonstrate what they know in multiple waysGroup students intentionally and with sensitivity, avoiding the designation of specific students as “needing more help” in their grouping, partner assignments, or placement in the classroom(Ms. Lopez and Ms. Minick conducted a book study focused on Teaching Math to Multilingual Students, which you can learn more about from their website.)Keep in mind that veteran educators of ELLs also stress the importance of getting to know students as a key part of supporting student success. For example, in this NCELA webinar, Dr. Haiwen Chu, a national expert on mathematics education for English Learners at WestEd, recalls that visiting his high school students’ neighborhoods provided valuable insights on their experiences and familiar topics.See additional ideas for getting to you know your ELLs in 10 Strategies for Building Relationships with ELLs.The Language of MathAlthough it is easy to assume that many ELLs will excel in math class because math is a “universal language” and students may have had prior educational experience that included mathematical instruction, that assumption can lead educators astray. While computational skills may transfer, ELLs may still need support with language-focused tasks, such as solving word problems, learning (and using) math vocabulary, and writing explanations. All of these skills require a language proficiency that sometimes exceeds our expectations. We tend to think of mathematics as a subject that does not require a strong command of language. In reality, however, mathematical reasoning and problem solving are closely linked to language and rely upon a firm understanding of basic math vocabulary (Dale & Cuevas, 1992; Jarret, 1999), especially when considered along with the demands of college- and career-ready standards.Co-Teaching and CollaborationFor many educators, the challenge of bringing language and math instruction together is a relatively new one. ELL teachers who hadn’t taught content areas previously are now being asked to lead or support instruction in the math classroom, and many math teachers who don’t see themselves as language instructors are now responsible for providing effective math instruction to ELLs. When educators collaborate, however, they can better understand each other’s expertise and combine their expertise for the benefit of students.For example, when planning a lesson, a math teacher and an ELL teacher could collaborate to identify both the target content, such as key standards, concepts, or specific topics, as well as key vocabulary, academic language, and the language-focused tasks students will need to complete the lesson. These tasks might include writing out a proof, reading a math problem, explaining how to solve a problem, or writing out numbers as words. The ELL specialist could walk the math teacher through this process several times so that it becomes a more integrated part of the math teacher’s planning over time. After the lesson, the teachers could identify other areas of focus or clarification needed and share these insights with their colleagues.Another tool content teachers can use is language objectives, which help target the language demands of the lesson. You can learn more about them in the videos featuring Mr. Jesus Ortiz below.Teaching Academic VocabularyVocabulary instruction is essential for effective math instruction. Not only does it include teaching math-specific terms such as “percent” or “decimal,” but it also includes understanding the difference between the mathematical definition of a word and other definitions of that word, as well as understanding the concept a vocabulary word describes.The following example, used in a presentation by Dr. Judit Moschkovich of the University of California at Santa Cruz, underscores why vocabulary must be introduced within the context of the content (Moschkovich, 2008): In this problem, the student is instructed to “find x.” The student obviously knew the meaning of the word “find” because they “found” it on the page and circled it. The student even put a note on the page to help the teacher in locating the lost “x”. The student understood the meaning of “find” in one context, but not in the appropriate mathematical context.I recently helped a math teacher create a sheltered lesson, and I was surprised to find that there were some vocabulary words that I didn’t understand. My lack of familiarity with the words hindered my ability to do the math problem and gave me a deeper empathy for ELLs who struggle in the same way with vocabulary and comprehending math assignments.Following is a list of tips for explicitly teaching mathematical academic vocabulary.Teach key academic vocabularyAfter you identify your target content, identify the academic vocabulary words that students will need to understand that content. Some of these key phrases or new vocabulary words may also be helpful to pre-teach in small groups or mini lessons. Think about:Academic vocabulary (equilateral)Words and phrases needed to solve a problem (less than, given, arrange)Common words needed to solve word problems (train station, dolphin, favorite)Homophones (eight/ate, plane/plain, one/won, two/to/too, four/for, some/sum)Words that students are likely to encounter in other settings (formula, prove)Words that represent a numerical value necessary for solving the problem, such as measurement words (foot, feet, meter, pounds, kilometers)After you identify the vocabulary you wish to teach, use scaffolds for academic vocabulary, such as: Visuals: These can include visual representations of concepts, photos, and illustrations of key vocabulary words, posters, and number lines.Realia (real objects) and manipulatives: These might include hands-on objects related to a topic or small items, such as coins or small blocks for counting, sorting, weighing, etc.Graphic organizers: Graphic organizers are tools that allow students to organize information in a visual or hands-on way.Anchor charts: Anchor charts are posters that students and teachers co-create to highlight key concepts and vocabulary that students will need for reference.Offer students the chance to work with objects and images in order to master vocabulary. If there aren’t enough items for each student, use manipulatives on the overhead or posted throughout the classroom, and demonstrate the vocabulary in front of the students. For example, Hillary created a Math Word Wall that has three parts: key vocabulary, “in your own words” definitions, and a variety of ways to portray a function. For example, multiplication is portrayed by the following symbols: x, *, and ( ).In addition, it can be helpful to ask students which strategies support their learning. Students often can provide valuable information on what is working for them!For examples of how vocabulary can impact students’ understanding of math problems, see the related video with ESL teacher Anne Formato below.Teach words with multiple meaningsDemonstrate that vocabulary can have multiple meanings. Help students understand the different meanings of words, as well as how to use them correctly in a mathematical context. This is also a good opportunity for using visuals and realia. Examples include:YardPlotTableProofAreaEvenPlanePlaceTimesBillQuarterChangeDraw on students’ home languagesUse cognates, which are related words in two languages. English and Spanish have many cognates within academic terms, like fraction/fracción.Use translated words or phrases strategically. For example, New York University has published bilingual glossaries for several topics.Allow (and encourage!) students to use their languages in group work to solve problems, brainstorm, and review material. Students will understand material better if they explain it to another student, and the new student will benefit from hearing the explanation in their first language.Increasing Student Language ProductionThe language demands of math are complex. Working with an ELL specialist can be a good starting point for identifying some of the math demands of the lessons you are teaching, as well as for planning how to teach and scaffold those language demands.As I’ve worked with content area teachers in my district to develop Sheltered Instruction lessons and activities to enhance ELL learning, I’ve told them, “If a student doesn’t say it in your class, they’re never going to say it.” This is a bit dramatic, but it’s true to some extent. When students learn new vocabulary, the opportunity to use it must be presented in class, because students are unlikely to try it out on their own — especially academic words like “parallelogram” or “function”!Here are some tips to increase student-to-student interaction with academic language in the math classroom:Have students translate symbols into words, and write the sentence out. Hillary used this strategy to check students’ comprehension of problems before they solved them. For example, 3x + 4 = 16 would be written out, “Three times X plus four equals sixteen.” This helps students process the operations involved in the question and gives them an opportunity to think through how to solve it. It also gives students a chance to familiarize themselves with important vocabulary words. Writing out the answer to a problem is a very important skill to develop because many state math tests require a constructed response to questions.Create a “sentence frame” and post it on the board. Write the format of the sentence you would like students to use in discussion and then hold them accountable for using it. For example, “The answer is _______ degrees because it is a _________ triangle. (Learn more in our sentence frame and sentence stems strategy.)Have students share problem-solving strategies. This involves asking a simple question, such as, “Did anyone else get the answer in a different way?” Then allow enough wait time so students can think through how their problem-solving process was similar or different to the one offered.Allow students to discuss how they are thinking about math. This is a way of redirecting the lesson from teacher-to-student to student-to-student. For example a student might ask a question, “How do you know what kind of triangle it is?” Instead of the teacher answering and going to the board and pointing out the names and different triangles, the teacher can simply ask, “Does someone have an answer? Or “Would someone like to offer help to Mario?” Allow students to share how they think about the math concept and any tips they have for remembering the information.Incorporate writing activities, such as entrance/exit tickets or math journals. This is an excellent way for students to process what they’ve learned and what questions they still have. The journal or exit/entrance ticket prompt could start with simple prompts such as, “One thing I learned today...” “One thing I still don’t understand…” “One way I can get the help I need…” “The answer to this problem is…” “Something that helped me was...“Challenge students to create their own math problems. This can be a fun activity if students create a problem similar to the ones you have used in class and they exchange problems with a partner. By creating the problem and checking the answer they are reinforcing their own learning.Teach students how to read, interpret, and summarize data. Provide students with explicit, step-by-step instructions in how to read charts, graphs, tables, and infographics, as well as how to describe what they observe in visual representations of data.Model the kinds of writing students are expected to complete (e.g., written explanations). Students need to see and understand what they are expected to do and produce, such as explaining how they solved a math problem. This is a great opportunity for the “gradual release” strategy -- I do, we do, you do.Try AI tools. Consider using AI tools to rewrite math problems for students at early levels of proficiency or to generate math problems with familiar vocabulary that achieve your target objective. Bilingual Glossaries in Content AreasNew York University has published several bilingual glossaries in multiple languages that cover different content areas, including elementary math, middle school math, Algebra 1 and 2, Calculus, and related math terms.Reading and Understanding Written Math ProblemsWritten word problems present a unique challenge to ELL students and teachers alike. In Reading and Understanding Written Math Problems, Brenda Krick-Morales writes, “Word problems in mathematics often pose a challenge because they require that students read and comprehend the text of the problem, identify the question that needs to be answered, and finally create and solve a numerical equation — ELLs who have had formal education in their home countries generally do not have mathematical difficulties; hence, their struggles begin when they encounter word problems in a second language that they have not yet mastered” (Bernardo, 2005).Teacher Xiao-lin Yin-Croft has encountered this pattern in her classroom of bilingual Chinese students in San Francisco. She has developed a very creative way to use her students’ background knowledge of math as a stepping stone for other language learning. She does this by accelerating math instruction at the beginning of the school year and then building on what students have learned in math in reading and other content areas. In Building Bridges for the Future, Xiao-lin explains her strategy:First, we read math word problems; I demonstrate the logical thinking process while translating words into pictures and, finally, into number sentences. Soon, they start to explain their own thinking after reading complicated word problems that involve several steps. They correct each other and argue about which number sentences they should use to arrive at the correct final results. As they sharpen their math skills, I capitalize on their enthusiasm to teach them how to extract the most important information from texts, and move them toward the oral and reading fluency they need to understand and discuss more challenging texts.Even if you aren’t accelerating math instruction, however, there are a number of ways to help students master word problems. Krick-Morales offers suggestions in the previously mentioned article, such as explicit instruction of key vocabulary, daily practice of problem solving, repeated readings of the word problem together as a class, and hands-on activities such as movement, experiments, or drawing to help students comprehend the problem. As students become more familiar with math vocabulary, they will be able to solve problems more easily.Identify key background knowledge in math problemsIt’s important to identify what kinds of background knowledge students will need to understand a math problem. For example, Ms. Lopez and Ms. Minick used this activity with a conference session: Ms. Lopez chose four math problems from her son’s math textbook and asked session attendees to brainstorm the kinds of background knowledge students might have questions about, some of which were relevant to solving the problem and some of which weren’t. Here are some things that attendees came up with:A math problem about a coupon and sales tax at a dog groomer: What is a dog groomer? Why do people take their dogs to get groomed? What is sales tax? What is a coupon? What is “deluxe”? What is an estimate and a discount?A math problem about people receiving a voucher for a free water bottle at a football game: Is football different from soccer? What is a voucher? Does the water bottle come with water inside it?A math problem about a fishing pole on sale: What is “percent off”? What is a sale? What is “regularly priced”? What steps have to be followed to solve this problem?A math problem about calculating a tip in a restaurant: What does “leave a tip” mean? What is a tip? Does the fact that there are four sisters (Emilia and three sisters) impact the outcome of the problem? Why aren’t they using an app like Venmo?As seen from the example above, this can be a powerful area in which math teachers and ELL teachers can collaborate.The Role of Background KnowledgeWhen it comes to background knowledge that impacts students’ understanding of new concepts, students may have relevant experiences to what you are teaching that just need to be drawn out (as in the vignette below). In other cases, students may not have the needed background knowledge. My colleague Hillary found that sometimes her students would get “lost” in a problem simply because they didn’t understand the context. Following are some tips to help in tapping into and building background knowledge of students.Identify connections to your students’ experiences. When planning the lesson, consider whether they might have relevant experiences, and as you introduce the lesson, find out what they know, giving them an opportunity to make connections. They may come up with connections you never had imagined!Modify the linguistic complexity of language and rephrase math problems. Students will understand the problem better if it is stated in shorter sentences and in language they understand. This may be an area in which you wish to experiment with AI tools that can rewrite problems.Guide students to cross out the unnecessary vocabulary in word problems. Doing so allows students to focus on the math function required. For example, one problem Hillary’s students came across referred to a “school assembly.” Even though the meaning of that phrase wasn’t important in the solving of the math problem, students didn’t know it wasn’t important, and the lack of understanding contributed to their confusion.Build knowledge from real world examples. Try to reinforce concepts with examples that students can picture and talk students through the situation. For example, if you need to paint a room, you need to know how much area will be covered so that you know how much paint to buy. Look for familiar ideas or props that can be used to engage students such as recipes, news stories about the economy, or discussion of personal spending habits.Use manipulatives purposefully. This is important at all grade levels. Hillary has found math cubes to be very useful in having students represent the numbers in the problems and then manipulate the cubes to get the answer. She used the cubes and the terms “hot” and “cold” numbers when teaching with the concept of negative numbers. Students would use the red cubes as “hot” or positive numbers and the blue cubes as “cold” or negative numbers. As students laid out the number of hot cubes and cold cubes represented, they could easily see if the answer would be a positive or negative number by which color had the most cubes. A problem such as -2 + 1 = -1 would look like this: The student then removed pairs of cubes — one red, one blue — until they could no longer remove any blocks. The remaining blocks represent the answer. Classroom vignette: A moment of humilityA middle school math teacher was trying to teach points on a grid and vertical/horizontal axis to her ESL students, three boys from Vietnam. She tried many approaches, including visuals, games, simulations, and manipulatives, and was just about to give up after very little progress. Suddenly, a student said, “Oh, I know — same same you drive a boat!” (“The same as you drive a boat!”) It turns out the child had helped his uncle use the stars to navigate a raft when they were fleeing Vietnam and trying to reach refugee camps in Thailand. He explained the concept to the other boys in Vietnamese with gestures and drawings on the board, who knew exactly what he was talking about. The teacher reflected, “I felt so humble. These boys knew a lot more about math than I had given them credit for. I had failed to activate their prior knowledge, and in the process had almost given up.“Source: This vignette is presented in Chapter 4 of Special Education Considerations for English Learners: Delivering a Continuum of Services. Using TechnologyTechnology can also be a powerful tool in math instruction for ELLs. Here are some ways you can play with technology in a math lesson:Look for educational resources that accompany your school’s technology tools and programs. There may be online or software programs available for teachers. For teachers who have an electronic whiteboard in the classroom, there are many resources available on links that can be easily accessed and brought into the classroom.Find out what’s available online. Both PBS Learning Media and Vital NY (Video Teaching and Learning for NYS Educators) on Teachers’ Domain offers an online library of free public media resources. Teachers’ Domain resources include video and audio segments, Flash interactives, images, documents, lesson plans for teachers, and student-oriented activities. (Free registration required.)If students are using a calculator or other device, ensure that they learn how to use it. Based on background and prior educational experience, students might not be familiar with how to use a calculator, graphing calculator, or math apps on devices such as phones or tablets. Give students a chance to practice solving problems with their calculators once you have reviewed different functions. Texas Instruments offers numerous activities and product tutorials in their educational materials.Learn more about how to use AI tools in math. AI tools can be used to generate, differentiate, or rewrite a math problem; create a summary of a lesson plan; and many other tasks. Keep in mind that AI-generated content always need a careful review and edit. (See more in Using AI in Math from Edutopia.)Look for interactive games that offer students a chance to practice their mathematical skills. Nintendo DS has an educational game called Brain Age, which is not language specific. The game provides excellent mathematical training for numbers and tracks results, showing student improvement over time.Books About Math and MathematiciansIn addition, there are lots of books about math and mathematicians that you can incorporate into your classroom and classroom library. You can see a wide range of titles for different ages in our Math Resource Collection.Closing ThoughtsEven if it doesn’t come easily at first, there are ways to get ELLs excited about math. By keeping their language skills and needs in mind when planning mathematical instruction (and by helping your colleagues do the same), you will be taking important steps in helping students master mathematical concepts and skills. You never know — your students may be the next generation of economists, rocket scientists, and math teachers just waiting for the tools they need! Note: I’d like to thank my Minnesota colleagues, Hillary Hansen at Burnsville Senior High School and Kim Olson at Hidden Valley Elementary, as well as Xiao-lin Yin-Croft from San Francisco, for providing many of the helpful math teaching tips in this article. It is inspiring to know that there are talented, creative teachers who are always finding better ways to teach and are willing to share the knowledge.Related VideosHow vocabulary can get in the way of solving a word problemELL Specialist Anne Formato talks about the trouble a student had in understanding a written math problem based on a vocabulary word. Teacher Alejandra Rojas: Why cognates are your “best friend” in math classElementary teacher Alejandra Rojas, who teaches in a dual-immersion program, explains why cognates support vocabulary development in her Spanish-language math class. Teacher Alejandra Rojas: When bilingual students translate for their parentsAlejandra Rojas, a teacher at a dual-immersion school in Arlington, VA, shares some of her experiences as a child and teenager translating for her mother. How to Write Language Objectives: Tips for ELL EducatorsIn this video from Syracuse, NY, Jesus Ortiz, a bilingual teacher, learns how to write a language objective from Areli Schermerhorn, a peer evaluator with expertise in ELL and bilingual education. Teacher Observation Cycle: A Math Lesson on PictographsThis video highlights Mr. Ortiz’s math lesson on pictographs. While the main topic of the video is teacher evaluation, numerous best practices and strategies related to math instruction for ELLs are mentioned in the video. Recommended ResourcesNCELA Teaching Practice Brief: Math (A related podcast is available as well)Supporting English Learners in Math and Science: Effective Instructional Practices and Examples from NCELA’s Teaching Briefs PBS Learning Media: Math LessonsEngageNY: Common Core and MathCommon Core Math and ELLs: Blog PostsDiscovery Education: PuzzlemakerCatherine Snow: Word Generation SMART Notebook Lesson ActivitiesTranslating Word ProblemsColorín Colorado Webcast: English Language Learners in Middle and High School

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SIOP walkthrough tool RMS is using to gather data for PD planning for 24-25 school year

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SIOP walkthrough tool RMS is using to gather data for PD planning for 24-25 school year

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Supports vocabulary and background knowledge

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I've been really into text sets. My own kids and students have too. I wanted to share some of the ways we've been using them!

9 Different Ways of Curating Text Sets for Reading Workshop and Guided Reading (and Beyond!)

[WATCH THIS!] Video: Text Set Intro Rules & Benefits by Rachael Gabriel

Video: Multimedia Text Sets by Koreen Corbett

When making connections and analogies, I often go back to gardening/farming or good food. Things I've grown up with.

So for this week's topic of curating things that go together in different ways, I thought about cheese plates!

How do you put together your cheese plate? What kinds of flavors do you combine?

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Multilingual and Multimodal Text Sets: 9 Ways to Curate & Use Text Sets in RW and GR.

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I've been really into text sets. My own kids and students have too. I wanted to share some of the ways we've been using them! Something that I appreciate about using digital book platforms is the ability to search for and curate sets of books!

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I would say that this is just a fun way to harness knowledge of a topic in a fun way. Students seem to feel better about assessments if they’re in the form of a game.

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More is more when it comes to students' vocabulary knowledge, and in The Vocabulary Playbook, educators in K-12 get ideas for transforming all children into curious, capable word learners. The key? Put away the word-list mindset, and embrace active modeling, peer work, and independent practice.

Five modules offer direct instruction and effective routines that show how to:

Select and teach only the most high-utility, transferable words that are ripe for discussion

Use direct instruction to model word-solving in each content area

Teach morphology in ways that invite students to apply understandings in reading, writing, talk, and listening

Turn academic word-learning into a relevant experience with peer collaboration activities

Create a culture of word consciousness by emphasizing concepts, modeling curiosity, and offering "low-risk" routines that make it okay to not yet know

Intentional vocabulary instruction is critical in every grade, and in every content area. With The Vocabulary Playbook, your approach is now tactical, transparent, and fun. Whether you are an administrator executing a school-wide plan or a teacher eager for practical strategies, this is the book that will help students build academic success-word by word.

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Students develop vocabulary when teachers make it a priority-it’s that simple. This resource abounds with dynamic word-learning activities...

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I have this resource for the following topics so please reach out if you would like the rest of the documents - Lydia Mull

days of the week

family

food and drink

feelings

shapes

months

winter season vocab

spring season vocab

summer season vocab

fall season vocab

an assortment of holidays

transportation

K-2 fiction reading comprehension

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Classroom ManagementPartner PracticeGames - The Teacher Toolkit

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Get students working together to process their learning

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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The Six Shifts Where Science of Reading Meets Balanced Literacy. We provide resources, professional development, and literacy audits for busy literacy educators like you.

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….is super engaging and very adaptable. You can use it to administer lessons, formative assessments, classroom surveys, and much more.

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Kahoot! | Learning games | Make learning awesome!

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Kahoot! is a game-based learning platform that brings engagement and fun to 1+ billion players every year at school, at work, and at home.

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The Newcomer Tool Kit is designed to help U.S. educators; elementary and secondary teachers, principals, and other school staff who work directly with immigrant students-including asylees and refugees-and their families.

The Newcomer Tool Kit has 5 chapters, and contains an overview, sample tools, and resources.

Updated Download the entire Newcomer Tool Kit (PDF, 4 MB)

Newcomer Toolkit - Chapters:

1. Who are our Newcomers?

2. Welcoming Newcomers to a Safe and Thriving School Environment

3. Supporting Newcomers' Social, Emotional, and Mental Health Needs

4. Providing High-Quality Instruction for Newcomers

5. Establishing Partnerships with Families

To request the tool kit in an alternate format as a reasonable accommodation, i.e. large print, CD Rom or audio, please contact Melissa Escalante by phone, 202-401-1407 or email at: Melissa.Escalante@ed.gov.

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bilingual education; school reform; language proficiency; english (second language); multicultural education;

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The Newcomer Tool Kit is designed to help U.S. educators; elementary and secondary teachers, principals, and other school staff who work directly with immigrant students--including asylees and refugees--and their families.

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Graphic Organizers are useful educational tools in any subject area. They help students organize their thoughts and ideas for answering questions, function as a pre-writing tool for essays, and provide a visual display of information. They can be an easy way to differentiate instruction for a variety of learning styles as well.

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Great resource for secondary newcomer teachers!

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IMMERSIVE READER GUIDE :: CANN :: @efraintovarjr

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Browse our library of strategies that support interactive and engaging learning that helps students make stronger connections and deeper understanding of text and topics.

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

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Get the basics on why background knowledge is key to comprehension, and how we can support children's acquisition of knowledge about the world.

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Flippity.net: Flashcards and Other Resources for Educators and Learners

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Create an interactive virtual breakout activity.