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A favorite!

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English Learner regulations, guidance and supports

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English Learner Programs

English Learner Programs (EL Programs) in Rhode Island can vary depending on the language distribution, the goal of the program, the grades it serves, among other things.

Los programas de Rhode Island para Estudiantes que están aprendiendo inglés

Programas ELL, (por su sigla en inglés) pueden variar dependiendo, entre otras cosas, de la distribución de los idiomas, de la meta del programa y de los grados a los cuales están dirigidos.

Program Models

District EL Program Description Worksheet [DOC, 75KB]: This document serves as a worksheet to determine the particular English Instructional Program model(s) employed in your district/school and to ensure that the program model(s) are comprehensively designed and implemented with respect to current research. Any given district may have more than one model in place, so it may be necessary to evaluate programs by school.

Collaborative ENL and General Education 5-Module Online Course

The Collaborative ENL and General Education 5-module online course is available here:
http://wested.box.com/v/RIDE-ENL-COURSE

Ambassadors selected to support education for English Language Learners in Rhode Island

We are excited to welcome five English Language Learners (ELL) Ambassadors who will collaborate with RIDE in expanding support and developing toolkits and practices for multilingual students, families, and LEAs across the state according to the goals and initiatives established by the community-based team who wrote the 2020 Vision for Education: Rhode Island's Strategic Plan for PK-12 & Adult Education.

The 2019 EL Ambassadors are all dedicated professionals with diverse backgrounds who work with students and educators in their roles as principals, teachers, and college professors whose expertise will greatly enhance this work.

Amy Correia - Lecturer and Team Leader: Master's in TESOL and Bilingual and Dual Language Immersion (BDL) College of Education and Professional Studies: School of Education, University of Rhode Island. Ms. Correia's expertise will support district administrators in the review of instructional practices, policies, laws and procedures, coaching, and evaluations of programs and requirements related to EL education in Rhode Island.

Rebeca Filomeno-Nason - Assistant Principal, Del Sesto Middle School, Providence Public Schools, co-founder of the Rhode Island Coalition for Educators of Color. Ms. Filomeno-Nason's expertise is essential to the project's focus on data inquiry and the use of data to inform instructional practices, program evaluations, and systems of supports for ELs.

- Assistant Professor of TESOL/Bilingual and Dual Language Education, College of Education and Professional Studies: School of Education, University of Rhode Island. Dr. Hos will lead an initiative focused on newcomer students, specifically SLIFE, to develop a toolkit that includes guidance and various resources for school districts, administrators, and teachers.

Ying Hui-Michael - Chair of Special Education, Director of Urban/Multilingual M.ED program, Professor, Rhode Island College. Dr. Hui-Michael's expertise will support the project's focus on alignment to "rigorous world-class standards," culturally and linguistically responsive RTI, and special education identification of ELs.

- Dual Language Portuguese/English 3Francisca Silvia Lima rd grade teacher at the International Charter School. Ms. Silvia Lima will lead a dive into classroom practices integrating SEL learning in the curriculum and enhancing inquiry based lessons using Guided Language Acquisition Design (GLAD) strategies and Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) strategies.

Application Cohort 2019
Introduction and Scope of the Toolkit

This toolkit illustrates highlights of the Federal Guidance provided by the Department of Education, in addition to the administration of the English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement Act, also known as Title III, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA) (Title III).

The scope of the toolkit is to guide school districts, professionals, parents, and all stakeholders in the state of Rhode Island to meet their obligations to ensure that English Learner students can participate meaningfully and equally in educational programs and services.

The information contained in this toolkit is published with the intent to support implementation of English Language services, they are in no way exhaustive and are meant to expand the support network provided by the Rhode Island Department of Education.

Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) may choose to use some of the forms and templates provided if so they desire, or create local forms that better mirror their districts' needs.

Main sources for this toolkit are:

The forms and templates included in this toolkit are reproduced with the authorization of the U.S. Department of Education.

For clarification purposes, in this toolkit, the term 'parents' refers also to any family member or guardian.

Dual Language Programs (or Two Way Immersion) are programs in which students are taught literacy and content in two languages

The Rhode Island Department of Education recognizes that speaking, reading, writing, and understanding multiple languages are important 21st century skills for an increasingly global society. The benefits of knowing two languages are many and carry with them educational, economic, cognitive, and socio-cultural advantages. Proficiency in multiple languages permits individuals to expand their world because it permits them to communicate with members of other cultural groups.

Currently in Rhode Island, there are six dual language programs: French-American School of Rhode Island (Providence) , International Charter School (Pawtucket), Leviton Dual Language School (Providence), Veterans Memorial Elementary School (Central Falls), Peacedale Elementary School and West Kingston Elementary School (South Kingstown), and Nathanial Greene Elementary School (Pawtucket).

Los Programas de los Idiomas, o "De Doble Inmersión", son los que se alfabetiza y enseña contenido en dos idiomas.

El Departamento de Educación de Rhode Island reconoce que hablar, leer, escribir y entender varios idiomas son destrezas importantes en el siglo 21, en una sociedad cada vez más globalizada. Los beneficios de saber dos idiomas son muchos y conllevan ventajas educativas, económicas, cognitivas y socioculturales. Dominar varios idiomas permite a la persona expandir su mundo porque le posibilita comunicarse con miembros de otros grupos culturales.

En la actualidad hay cuatro programas de dos idiomas en Rhode Island: French-American School of Rhode Island en Providence, International Charter School en Pawtucket, Leviton Dual Language School en Providence y Veterans Memorial Elementary School en Central Falls, Peacedale Elementary School y West Kingston Elementary School en South Kingstown, y Nathanial Greene Elementary School en Pawtucket.

Purpose

The Rhode Island LEP/EL Advisory Council is an active group of stakeholders who provide a voice for all English Learners to advise the Commissioner of Education at the Rhode Island Department of Education on all things related to the education of this important and unique group of students. Our goal is to ensure that ELs receive superior educational services enabling each learner to achieve optimum success throughout their school careers and to be college and career ready following graduation from Rhode Island schools.

Meeting Dates

All meetings begin promptly at 6:30 p.m. (6:00-6:30 sign-in) and will adjourn at 8:00 p.m. Meetings are open to the public.

Meeting Locations

Providence College - Room to be determined

Additional Information

EL State Advisory Council Executive Committee

Michael Northup, Chair

Caterina Anselmo, Vice Chair, K-12

Sarah Hesson, Vice Chair, Higher Ed.

Sarah Reis, Membership Secretary

Jackie Nelson, Recording Secretary

Council Members

Professional Development

WIDA Workshops Calendar - Offerings 2019/2020: These workshops are sponsored by RIDE to support all educators working with Multilingual learners (MLLs). New eLearning offerings are available to an unlimited number of RI educators and administrators. These training sessions also meet the requirements for MLLs PD for all teachers contained in R.I.G.L. 16-54-2 sec. L-4-12. State-offered professional development workshops are free of charge to all public school employees.

MLL/EL Directors and Coordinators Meetings: This support is designed to build the capacity of Multilingual Learners / English Learners teachers, and administrators to improve the achievement of MLL/EL. These training sessions also meet the requirements for MLL/EL PD for all teachers contained in R.I.G.L. 16-54-2 sec. L-4-12.

WIDA Professional Development for RI Educators Working with Multilingual Students October 15-18, 2019: WIDA offered scholarships to Rhode Island educators that will cover the cost of the WIDA Annual Conference from October 15-18, 2019 at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence, RI. The Theme for this year's Annual Conference is Teaching for Equity in a Multilingual Worlds.

WIDA is a mission-driven, state university-based organization. Its mission is to advance academic language development and academic achievement for children and youth who are culturally and linguistically diverse through high quality standards, assessments, research, and professional learning for educators.

ACCESS® for ELLs 2.0

Rhode Island requires that the English language proficiency (ELP) of all English language learners (ELs) be measured annually with the ACCESS for ELs.

Rhode Island utilizes the ACCESS for ELs to annually measure the English language proficiency (ELP) of ELLs across the state. Districts utilize the WIDA SCREENER to screen the English language proficiency of newly enrolling students identified as potential ELLs. This screening tool is aligned to the WIDA Summative ELP Standards and the ACCESS for ELs. It produces a proficiency score that helps schools provide ELL students with the most appropriate instruction for their English proficiency level.

Regulations and Guidance

The English Learner Identification Procedures NEW!

The document outlines the state-recommended procedure for identifying English Learners in accordance with Title 16, Chapter 16-54, sec. L-4- 3,4

Este documento define el procedimiento recomendado por el Estado para identificar a estudiantes para el aprendizaje del idioma inglés, de conformidad con Title 16, Chapter 16-54, sec. L-4- 3,4

Home Language Survey

If a parent or guardian reports a language other than English in any of the first three questions of the survey, a language screening assessment should be administered, regardless of the additional information provided.

​

​Exit Criteria - Reclassification

This document outlines the minimum criteria that ELs must meet in order to be eligible for exit from an English Language Instructional Program (ELIP).

Este documento define los criterios mínimos que los estudiantes que están aprendiendo inglés deben cumplir para poder egresar de un programa de enseñanza del idioma inglés (English Language Instructional Program o ELIP).

​This document calculates the minimum exit criteria from an English Language Instructional Program (ELIP) in case of a missing domain due to a documented disability category.

Este documento calcula los criterios mínimos que los estudiantes que están aprendiendo inglés deben cumplir para poder egresar de un programa de enseñanza del idioma inglés (English Language Instructional Program o ELIP), si tienen una discapacidad documentada.

RIDE aims to support schools and families working together to achieve greater outcomes for their English Learners (EL).

Here we have included resources for both families and educators to use to guide their path to improving outcomes for ELs in Rhode Island. Feel free to ask your child's school parent or family engagement coordinator for more information about working together to help your child(ren) succeed!

El Departamento de Educatión de Rhode Island busca apoyar escuelas y familias que colaboren entre sí para lograr mejores resultados para los estudiantes que están aprendiendo inglés (English Language Learner o EL).

Aquí hemos incluido recursos tanto para familias como para educadores, que pueden guiarles a mejorar los resultados para los estudiantes que están aprendiendo inglés en Rhode Island. No dude en pedirle al coordinador de participación parental o familiar de la escuela que le dé más información sobre cómo colaborar para ayudar a sus niños a triunfar.

Resources for Families

Working with Educators

Educational Bilingual Sites / Sitios educativos bilingües

As administrators, principals, teachers, or second-shift educators, we have the onus to reach out to families of all backgrounds. We have listed a few websites as stepping points to creating partnerships with families in our schools.

Como administradores, directores, profesores, o educadores de segundo turno, tenemos la responsibilidad a comunicar con nuestras familias de cualquier experiencia. Tenemos una lista de algunas paginas de web para soportarte en crear asociaciones con familias en nuestras escuelas.

Working with ELL Families

ELL Curriculum & Instruction Resources

Educational Services for Immigrant Children and Those Recently Arrived to the U.S.

Professional Associations for Educators

Organizations as Resources to ELLs and Diverse Learners

Data and Statistics on ELs

Information and Research on ELLs

IRIS Center Diversity Tools - The IRIS Center has several modules, activities, infobriefs, and case studies on Diversity including topics such as Culture, ELLs, and Disproportionality. In the Resource Locator Tool found here choose Diversity from the menu and click "all materials" for a full listing of available items. Be sure to explore other topics, such as behavior, where some modules are available in Spanish.

Search Institute's 40 developmental assets describes positive experiences and personal qualities that young people need to grow up healthy, caring, and responsible.

Translation and Interpretation Services

This section provides information on requesting outside agencies to help fulfill the translation and interpretation needs a school district may not otherwise be able to.

This facilitates communication with non-English speaking or limited English proficiency families in our schools. Here is a brief overview of the services available to your district:

Translation: This is primarily for written communications. Common uses might include report cards, information about ELL instruction, announcements of school events, and other communications sent home to families.

On-site interpretation: This form of interpretation can be used for meetings concerning parents such as parent teacher conferences, school events, and parent teacher organizations.

Phone interpretation: Phone interpretation can be used for calls home concerning the student or meetings that otherwise cannot be completed at the school site.

Video remote interpretation: Video remote interpretation is interpretation through web cameras or video phones. This is especially useful if sign language is required.

The cost of translation and interpretation services vary by several factors:

1. Duration of appointment

2. Languages in which services are provided

3. Due date and timeliness of request

4. Technicality of document content

Outside agencies are used to help meet translation and interpretation needs not met by district resources. They are able to provide language expertise through various formats that may not otherwise be available.

Rates

On site interpretation: $45-$165 per hour (Some agencies charge for travel time - be sure to inquire about different policies when requesting a service).

Phone interpretation: $0.85-$2/minute with the Center for Southeast Asians asking for $20 per phone call

Translation (written): $0.13-$0.35/word with the Center for Southeast Asians asking for $0.50-$0.60/page

Video Remote Interpretation: $2-$6.99/minute

For the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

The Rhode Island Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing provides interpretation services rates vary depending on the years of experience as well as the conditions the interpreter is called under (emergency, deaf-blind) as well as the travel time.

Rates for ASL Interpretation

On site interpretation: $45-$125 per hour

Video Remote Interpretation: $3-$6.99 per minute

Funding

Please note that Title I or other supplemental funds may be used for interpretation/translation services that extend above and beyond these basic service needs.

Servicios Externos de Traducción e Interpretación

Esta página web brinda información para solicitar servicios externos de traducción e interpretación cuando el distrito escolar no puede llenar esas necesidades.

Esto facilita la comunicación con familias en nuestras escuelas que no hablan inglés o lo dominan poco. Aquí proporcionamos una breve perspectiva general de los servicios disponibles en su distrito:

Servicio de traducción: Se usa para comunicaciones escritas, comúnmente boletas de calificaciones e información sobre la enseñanza de estudiantes que están aprendiendo inglés.

Servicio de interpretación en persona: Esta forma de interpretación puede utilizarse en reuniones de padres y maestros, eventos escolares, y organizaciones de padres y maestros.

Servicio de interpretación por teléfono: La interpretación por teléfono puede usarse para llamadas a casa relacionadas con el estudiante o para reuniones que no se pueden efectuar en la escuela.

Servicio de interpretación por videoconferencia: La interpretación por videoconferencia se realiza mediante cámaras web o videófonos, y es particularmente útil para lengua de señas, si se requiere.

El costo de los servicios externos de traducción e interpretación depende de varios factores:

1. La duración de la cita.

2. El idioma a traducirse o interpretarse.

3. La fecha de entrega o provisión, y la puntualidad.<

4. El tecnicismo del contenido a traducirse o interpretarse.

Se utilizan servicios externos de traducción o interpretación cuando el distrito no tiene los recursos para llenar esas necesidades. Los servicios externos ofrecen su pericia en el campo de los idiomas mediante varios formatos que, de no ser por estos servicios, no estarían disponibles.

Precios

Interpretación en persona: de $45 a $165 por hora (algunas veces incluye un cargo por tiempo de traslado, así que asegúrese de averiguar cuáles son las distintas políticas de precio cuando solicite un servicio).

Interpretación por teléfono: de $0.85 a $2 por minuto; el centro para sudasiáticos, Center for Southeast Asians, cobra $20 por llamada telefónica.

Traducción: de $0.13 a $0.35 por palabra; el Center for Southeast Asians cobra entre $0.50 y $0.60 por página.

Interpretación por videoconferencia: de $2 a $6.99 por minuto.

Para personas con sordera total o parcial

La comisión de Rhode Island para sordos e hipoacúsicos, RI Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, ofrece servicios de interpretación a precios que varían según los años de experiencia del intérprete y las condiciones en las que debe interpretar (situaciones de emergencia, interpretación para personas sordas y ciegas, etc.), así como el tiempo de traslado.

Precios de interpretación de lengua de señas americana

Interpretación en persona: de $45 a $125 por hora.

Interpretación por videoconferencia: de $3 a $6.99 por minuto.

Financiamiento

Por favor, tenga presente que los fondos bajo el programa Título I o otros fondos suplementarios se pueden utilizar para servicios de traducción o interpretación que excedan estas necesidades básicas de servicios.

Foreign Transcript Review Guide

The Foreign Transcript Review Guide is intended as a reference tool for districts to assist school staff members with evaluating foreign transcripts for students newly enrolling from other countries.

It was adapted from guidance produced by the Office of Youth Development and School-Community Services (OYDSCS) of the New York City Department of Education (DOE).

World Education Services

A credential evaluation is a comparison of your academic accomplishments to standards in the U.S. or Canada. This report helps institutions like schools, employers, licensing boards, or immigration authorities better understand your educational background.

A report from World Education Services (WES):

Identifies and describes your credentials

Verifies that your credentials are authentic

May include a grade point average (GPA) equivalency

Includes an evaluation of the authenticity of your documents

Foreign Credits - Credential Evaluation

Foreign Credits, Inc. is a U.S. based company that provides services in the areas of international verification, credential evaluation, and translation.

Asylees

Individuals who, on their own, travel to the United States and subsequently apply for or receive a grant of asylum. Asylees do not enter the United States as refugees. They may enter as students, tourists, or businessmen, or with "undocumented" status (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d.a).

Dual Language Learners

The Head Start Act uses the term "limited English proficient" and defines the population broadly to encompass a wide range of children, including those exposed to a language other than English, those whose native language is not English, and those with limited skills in English. Specifically, section 637 of the law defines the child who is limited English proficient as one:
(A) (i) who was not born& in the United States or whose native language is a language other than English
(ii) (I) who is a Native American (as defined in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801)), an Alaska Native, or a native resident of an outlying area (as defined in such section 9101); and
(II) who comes from an environment where a language other than English has had a significant impact on the child's level of English language proficiency; or
(iii) who is migratory, whose native language is a language other than English, and who comes from an environment where a language other than English is dominant; and
(B) whose difficulties in speaking or understanding the English language may be sufficient to deny such child -
(i) the ability to successfully achieve in a classroom in which the language of instruction is English; or
(ii) the opportunity to participate fully in society.

English Learners with Disabilities

The phrase "English learners with disabilities" refers to English learners who are also "children with disabilities" under the IDEA, as defined in Section 602(3) of that Act and 34 CFR §300.8 . (ESEA Section 3201(4))

Foreign Born

People who are not U.S. citizens at birth (U.S. Census Bureau, n.d.). Title IX - SEC. 901. GENERAL PROVISIONS. SEC. 9101. "(25)

Limited English Proficient

The term limited English proficient', when used with respect to an individual, means an individual:
(A) who is aged 3 through 21;
(B) who is enrolled or preparing to enroll in an elementary school or secondary school;
(C) (i) who was not born in the United States or whose native language is a language other than English;
(ii) (I) who is a Native American or Alaska Native, or a native resident of the outlying areas; and
(II) who comes from an environment where a language other than English has had a significant impact on the individual's level of English language proficiency; or
(iii) who is migratory, whose native language is a language other than English, and who comes from an environment where a language other than English is dominant; and
(D) whose difficulties in speaking, reading, writing, or understanding the English language may be sufficient to deny the individual -
(i) the ability to meet the State's proficient level of achievement on State assessments described in section 1111(b)(3);
(ii) the ability to successfully achieve in classrooms where the language of instruction is English; or
(iii) the opportunity to participate fully in society.

Long-term English Learner

The ESEA does not define "long-term English learner." However, the reporting requirement under ESEA Section 3121(a)(6) may be instructive in determining which ELs served under Title III are long-term ELs. [...] Reporting requirement in ESEA Section 3121(a)(6), States and LEAs may consider ELs who have not attained English language proficiency after five years as long-term ELs .

Multilingual learners (MLLs)

Refers to all children and youth who are, or have been, consistently exposed to multiple languages. It includes students known as English language learners (ELLs) or dual language learners (DLLs); heritage language learners; and students who speak varieties of English or indigenous languages. (WIDA Guiding Principles 2019)

New American

An all-encompassing term that includes foreign-born individuals (and their children and families) who seek to become fully integrated into their new community in the United States (White House Task Force on New Americans, 2015).

Newcomer

This is an umbrella term that includes various categories of immigrants who are born outside of the United States and have recently arrived in the United States.

Refugee

A refugee is a person who has fled his or her country of origin because of past persecution or a fear of future persecution based upon race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, 2015).

Student with Interrupted (or Limited) Formal Education (SIFE / SLIFE)

Students in grades four through 12 who have experienced disruptions in their educations in their native countries and/or the United States, and/or are unfamiliar with the culture of schooling (Calderón, 2008). Students who have recently immigrated to the United States who may have had little or interrupted formal education.

Unaccompanied Youth Children

Children who come into the United States from other countries without an adult guardian (U.S. Department of Health an Human Services, n.d.b.).

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English Learners - Students and Families - Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

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English Learner Programs (EL Programs) in Rhode Island can vary depending on the language distribution, the goal of the program, the grades it serves, among other things. Programas ELL, (por su sigla en inglés) pueden variar dependiendo, entre otras cosas, de la distribución de los idiomas, de la meta del programa y de los grados a los cuales están dirigidos.

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WIDA: Standards, teaching tools and resources

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WIDA: Standards, teaching tools and resources

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In this edition of Conversations with Tim, Tim speaks with Rosalie Lincoln and Cathy Moses about their work in the Lower Kuskokwim School District in Alaska to preserve and revitalize the Yugtun language.

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WIDA develops and provides proven tools and support to help multilingual learners, and their educators, succeed.

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Home/School Communication in the language of the home

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Free online library - Text read aloud

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Instantly access over 40,000 of the best books & videos for kids on Epic

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Here you will find several Free Printable Picture Schedule Cards and visual schedules. Visual schedules help with morning routines, bedtime routines, and your everyday daily routines. These Visual Schedule Printables are exactly what every home needs. They are perfect for children with special needs (a variety of different needs) and younger children that thrive on schedules and transitioning activities through the day.
Click the links below for great resources and printable visual schedules
Visual Schedule Printables

Free Printable Picture Schedule Cards - Visual Schedule Printables

Children with Autism (ASD) often have difficulties coping with unstructured time and most children can benefit from having the increased structure in their daily lives. It also can help a child with anxiety who is often stressing over what is going to happen next in their day. A visual schedule helps them plan for what is coming and what is expected that day, even if it is an activity that they prefer not to do.
5 Benefits of Visual Schedules for Children
Daily Visual Schedule
Daily Visual Schedule for Kids Free Printable Extra Daily Visual Schedule Cards Free Printables

Earth Day Visual Schedule Printable
Home Visual Schedule Printables for Morning and Night Routine The Perfect Morning Routine Visual Schedule Printables Perfect Daily Visual Schedule Materials & Resources YOU ARE ALSO GOING TO LOVE:
Printable Visual Schedule

Visual Schedules are simple tools that help communicate each task a child needs to do. They help children with transitioning through activities and daily tasks. They also help build independence and confidence in your child.

The Visual Schedules we offer here also help your child to remember what they are supposed to do and what will be coming soon. All of these things can be very important to your child. Keeping your child calm and happy while having a great day. That's the key 🙂

Studies have shown that if you like this, you will also love the following articles. 🙂 I have pulled them together for you right here!

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Free Printable Picture Schedule Cards - Visual Schedule Printables - Natural Beach Living

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Here you will find several Free Printable Picture Schedule Cards and visual schedules. Visual schedules help with morning routines, bedtime routines, and your everyday daily routines. These Visual Schedule Printables are exactly what every home needs. They are perfect for children with special needs (a variety of different needs) and younger children that thrive on schedules and transitioning activities through the day.

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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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An important first step in helping English language learners (ELLs) succeed is making them feel welcome in the classroom.

This will:

increase their confidence

make them feel more comfortable in the class

build a foundation for positive relationships with you and their peers.

Here's how you can get started!

The ELL student population includes students who were born in the U.S. and students who have immigrated from another country. For ELLs who have recently arrived in the U.S., they will face the challenge of learning a new language in addition to adjusting to an unfamiliar cultural setting and school system.

On a daily basis, ELLs are adjusting to new ways of saying and doing things. As their teacher, you are an important bridge to this unknown culture and school system.

In the same way that ELLs go through stages of English language learning, they may also pass through stages of cultural accommodation. These stages, however, may be less defined and more difficult to notice. Being aware of these stages may help you to better understand "unusual" actions and reactions that may just be part of adjusting to a new culture.

Euphoria: ELLs may experience an initial period of excitement about their new surroundings.

Culture shock: ELLs may then experience anger, hostility, frustration, homesickness, or resentment towards the new culture.

Acceptance: ELLs may gradually accept their different surroundings.

Assimilation/adaptation: ELLs may embrace and adapt to their surroundings and their "new" culture.

It is also common for students who are learning a new language to be 'silent' for a period of time, when they are listening to the language around them without speaking yet (much as a young child listens to language first before learning to talk). This is considered the first stage of language acquisition.

Patience and creating opportunities for small successes in speaking with you and peers can help build students' confidence. In addition, keep in mind that students' silence could also be a sign of respect for you as an authority - and not a sign of their inability or refusal to participate.

Students may also have experienced trauma or face different kinds of hardship in the U.S. You can better prepare yourself for this possibility by:

Learn more from the following:

This award-winning documentary highlights how the Dearborn, MI public school district is helping its immigrant students succeed. Learn more about this project and see related videos.

Getting to Know Students

Learn how to pronounce students' names correctly

Don't forget to smile and use positive body language!

A lot of communication happens through expressions, body language, and tone. Smiling and using positive body language can go a long way in making students feel welcome and comfortable, particularly if they are newcomers, as seen in the vignette shared by a teacher below.

Build relationships with students

Veteran teachers of ELLs always point to building relationships as the most important step in their work with ELLs. Not only does it increase engagement and support students' later academic success, it also provides invaluable information that can inform your instruction and family engagement.

In addition, it can help build bridges with students who may have particularly unique experiences, such as children in migrant farmwork families or Indigenous students.

See more ideas on how to build these relationships from the following:

Video: Showing students you care

Corpus Christi teacher Christine Price talks about the importance of showing students you care early on.

Identify students' strengths and interests

It's important to remember that ELLs bring lots of strengths, talents, and rich experiences to the classroom. Getting to know students' interests can help:

build rapport

engage students in learning

find connections with new friends.

Families are also an important source of information and are often happy to talk about the activities that their child enjoys. They may also appreciate the fact that their child's teacher is taking an interest in the child's strengths and talents. (This is especially true in special education settings.)

Teacher Omar Salem describes a student who not only sings and dances but manages her own YouTube channel and edits all of the video she posts of her performances.

Video: Using parent letters to get to know my students

Albuquerque teacher Clara Gonzales-Espinoza asks her parents to write her a letter at the beginning of each school year telling her about the child's personality, interests, strengths, and anything else they think she should know. In this interview, Clara speaks more about this strategy and its impact on her relationships with parents and students.

Ensure that students have information about activities and clubs

Make sure that students have information about extra-curricular activities, sports, and clubs related to their interests. You can also encourage them to start their own club within the school.

ELL educator Christine Rowland notes, "Many students find involvement in school clubs and teams to be extremely helpful, as they are often experts in these areas, and they can provide a space where they more easily feel they belong."

Welcoming Students' Language and Culture

Invite students' cultures into the classroom

Encourage ELLs and their families to share their culture with you and your class. Show-and-tell is a good opportunity for ELLs to bring in something representative of their culture, if they wish.

Invite students and families to:

share photographs, visuals, or meaningful artifacts such as flags or mementos

tell a popular story or folktale using words, pictures, gestures, and movements

share information about important holidays or celebrations.

Looking beyond the classroom

Imagine that you are walking into your school for the first time as a parent.

What do you see on the walls?

If your first language weren't English, would you see signs in your language?

Would you see flags, maps, or books representing your home country?

Would you see your child's work on display in the hallway?

If you think more could be done to make families feel welcome, consider:

sharing some ideas with colleagues or administrators and taking small steps that you can point to as successes

looking for opportunities to celebrate all families and their languages, customs, and cultures, whether in the classroom or at a school-wide event

keeping a lookout for a special part of their lives that other families might appreciate getting to know.

See more ideas in the following:

Video: What happened when the students realized the Yemeni flag wasn't on stage

ELD Specialist Diana Alqadhi tells the story of some students who realized that the Yemeni flag was not featured prominently enough on stage before a school show.

Invite students' languages into the classroom

Label classroom objects to allow ELLs to better understand their immediate surroundings. These labels will also assist you when explaining or giving directions, and it gives peers an additional opportunity to learn some words in their classmates' language.

Start with everyday items, such as "door/puerta," "book/libro," and "chair/silla."

You may wish to ask students who can write in their first language or family members to help you with this project.

You can also invite students to teach the class some words from their home language.

Learn more about the resources available in students' home languages

Students benefit from support in their home language - what Dr. Fred Genesee calls their " most valuable resource." You have may have access to learning material in students' languages, or you may be able to find resources that support those languages.

Language access for multilingual families

In addition, it's critical to understand what language access resources you have available through your school and district, particularly for communication with families. Keep in mind that all families have a legal right to information in their home language. Family liaisons, interpreters, ESL teachers, or administrators may have more information about what language access resources are available in your district.

Video: What Do School Districts Need to Know About Language Access?

This helpful overview about what language access means for school districts is a great introduction to the requirements, best practices, and funding streams related to language access in public education. This interview features Dr. Jennifer Love, the Supervisor of Language Access and Engagement in Prince George's County Public Schools, Maryland.

Video: Language Access for Multilingual Families

What does appropriate language access mean for multilingual families? This interview also features Dr. Jennifer Love.

Ensure your students see themselves reflected in the classroom

Ask yourself if students can see representations of their culture, race, gender, and other aspects of identity reflected in your:

classroom materials and library

lesson plans and activities

classroom visuals (both in-person and virtual).

In addition:

Success in the Classroom

Encourage your students

Some ELLs may not answer voluntarily in class or ask for your help even if they need it. ELLs may smile and nod, but this does not necessarily mean that they understand. Offer one-on-one support and encouragement as much as possible. For convenience, it may be helpful to seat ELLs near your desk.

Assign a buddy

Identify a classmate who will make a good buddy for new students - someone who is friendly, patient, and a good communicator to be a buddy. This student can make sure that the new student understands what he or she is supposed to do during class activities. It is helpful if the peer partner knows the ELL's first language, but not necessary. However, remember to never use another student as an interpreter in any situation.

Learn more about ways to increase peer interaction and collaboration in these related strategies.

Ask the class how they can help welcome new students

Ask students to brainstorm ways to help ELLs in particular. You may wish to make a list of ideas on how to welcome new students at the beginning of the year so that students have these strategies in mind if a student comes with little advance notice.

Be vigilant about health issues, dietary concerns, and allergies

Students may have specific health issues or dietary restrictions due to health, cultural, or religious reasons. Be sure that you learn all essential information you need to know about student health and diet from parents or guardians. For ELLs, be sure to confirm and clarify this information with the help of interpreters.

If you learn information about a student that would be helpful for other staff to know, particularly regarding health or food allergies, talk with administrators about how to keep the child safe. In addition, be sensitive to cultural or religious norms, such as fasting for religious reasons.

Keep an eye out for signs of culture shock

Moving to a new country and leaving a familiar life, relatives, friends, and language behind can be traumatic for children in the best of circumstances. Those challenges are compounded if children have experienced trauma, violence, or upheaval. Learn more about how culture shock can impact students in the classroom and affect student behavior so that you recognize signs if newcomers act out.

Encourage students to take ownership of the classroom culture

Ask students to answer the following questions through drawings or written responses.

How can I be a good classmate to others?

What are examples of unkind or disrespectful behavior in the classroom?

To support ELLs in their discussions of these questions:

Encourage students who speak the same language to discuss their ideas in groups.

Provide scaffolded materials such as graphic organizers, sentence stems, and sentence frames.

Use a picture book to talk about different kinds of behavior with students.

Create a shared set of classroom expectations together

Return to your earlier discussion of what a respectful classroom looks like.

Brainstorm ideas on possible class rules based on that discussion.

Streamline the list of class guidelines or rules.

Add any rules or guidelines that are missing.

In order to establish appropriate consequences for disrespectful behavior, you may wish to come up with ideas with the class or determine those consequences yourself.

Post the final list classroom rules in the classroom.

Translate the rules into ELLs' native languages so that they can keep the list handy and share it at home.

To see an example of this proces in action, take a look at ELL expert Carol Salva's process for developing a community contract each year.

Help your ELLs understand expectations for the classroom

ELLs may need some extra support in understanding expectations for classroom behavior. Helping them understand these expectations can avoid misunderstandings, discipline problems, and feelings of low self-esteem.

At the same time, it's important to remember that students bridging two cultures may need guidance which behaviors are appropriate in which setting (such as eye contact, physical proximity, etc.). If you have questions, talk with a cultural liaison in the school to learn more about appropriate responses and ideas for helping students navigate a new culture. You can also learn more about cultural norms of your students, particularly related to schooling, to help inform your approach.

Here are a few strategies that you can use in class:

Use visuals like pictures, symbols, and reward systems to communicate your expectations in a positive and direct manner.

Physically model language to ELLs in classroom routines and instructional activities. ELLs will need to see you or their peers model behavior when you want them to sit down, walk to the bulletin board, work with a partner, copy a word, etc.

Be consistent and fair with all students. Once ELLs clearly understand what is expected, hold them equally accountable for their behavior.

Post a daily schedule. Even if ELLs do not yet understand all of the words that you speak, it is possible for them to understand the structure of each day. Whether through chalkboard art or images on Velcro, you can post the daily schedule each morning. By writing down times and having pictures next to words like lunch, wash hands, math, and field trip, ELLs can have a general sense of the upcoming day.

Finally, remember ELLs can make unintentional "mistakes" as they are trying hard to adjust to a new cultural setting. They are constantly transferring what they know as acceptable behaviors from their own culture to the U.S. classroom and school. Be patient as ELLs learn English and adjust - and remember that you will learn a lot from this experience too!

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How to Create a Welcoming Classroom Environment for ELLs

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An important first step in helping English language learners (ELLs) succeed is making them feel welcome in the classroom. This will: increase their confidence make them feel more comfortable in the class build a foundation for positive relationships with you and their peers. Here's how you can get started!

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Tips: Working with Entering and Emerging EL's

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Tips: Working with Entering and Emerging EL's

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The Languages of RI Project was completed by the graduate students of the M.Ed. in TESL Program at Rhode Island College. Over the past 3-4 years, our graduate students have been developing informational PowerPoints to aid RI teachers in understanding the distance students are traveling from their native languages and countries to English in the United States. In the cases of high incidence languages sometimes multiple Powerpoints were done.

Each short language Powerpoint (12 slides) consists of:

1. Background information about the language; it's varieties, where it is spoken, it's orthography and structure
2. Information about common problems a speaker of that language would have when learning English; natural errors they might make and
3. Cross-cultural communication style; aspects to be aware of (greeting, touching and other taboos) when conversing with a speaker of that language.

Each short country Powerpoint (12 slides) consists of:

1. Background information including the country's location, literacy rates, poverty levels, political turmoil or stability that exists, etc.
2. Information about educational opportunities found in the country (schooling available, grade level configurations, curriculum, typical classroom setting, teacher qualifications, etc.)
3. Information about the attitudes or views towards English and English speakers.

Please remember that these were done by graduate students, not specialists in each language and country. While we made every effort to use reputable sources which we have cited, should you find errors of fact, please contact Dr. Nancy Cloud, at ncloud@ric.edu; (401)456-8789

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The Languages of RI Project was completed by the graduate students of the M.Ed. in TESL Program at Rhode Island College. Over the past 3-4 years, our graduate students have been developing informational PowerPoints to aid RI teachers in understanding the distance students are traveling from their native languages and countries to English in the United States.

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US Dept of Education

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California English Learners grade level booklet download

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Google’s service, offered free of charge, instantly translates words, phrases, and web pages between English and over 100 other languages.

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Supporting EL's

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Supporting ELLs in the Mainstream Classroom: Reading Instruction

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You can and should use what you already know to be effective, research-based reading instruction to English language learners (ELLs). However, ELLs will need additional support in learning how to read, and the strategies here will help you to provide assistance in your everyday teaching, particularly for newcomers (students who have recently arrived in the U.S.).

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Duolingo is the world's most popular way to learn a language. It's 100% free, fun and science-based. Practice online on duolingo.com or on the apps!

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In addition to teaching full-time in high school during the day, I'm on the adjunct faculty in the teacher education programs at California State University, Sacramento and the University of California, Davis. I'm finding an important question keeps on cropping up:
How do I teach a newcomer, with next-to-zero English proficiency, who is placed in my mainstream classroom without any additional outside support being provided?
Unfortunately, I suspect that this is a very common issue for teachers across the United States - a newcomer is "parachuted" into their classes and they're just told to "integrate" the student into their instruction.

Here are some suggestions - from readers and from me:

MY NUMBER ONE PIECE OF ADVICE: Remember, your newcomer student is as intelligent as any native-English speaker you have in your classroom. He/she is just new to the English language. Start off by reading this piece that Katie Hull and I have written: Do's & Don'ts for Teaching English-Language Learners. And, please, don't make the mistakes of speaking loudly in English to them or giving them a seat at the very back of the room.
PROVIDE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT
* Learn their story - why their family came here, what their interests are, goals they might have for their life. If you cannot speak their home language and/or can't find another staffperson or student who can, using Google Translate is a very viable option. Using the audio translation mode, it will automatically provide verbal interpretation. It's not perfect by any means, but you should be able to have a basic conversation. Just last month, Google announced a breakthrough in improving their Translate tool for some languages and expects to apply a similar tech upgrade to all of them.

Start with continued kindness, from teacher and all students classmates... https://t.co/1bb52KDfcX

- KMDartandarch (@KMDartandarch) November 16, 2016

PROVIDE ACADEMIC SUPPORT
* Provide access to a computer or tablet (I often will let a student use my "teacher" computer). If a student has zero or next-to-zero English, the best help any teacher - no matter what subject they are teaching - can provide is support to students in developing basic English communication skills. Duolingo, LingoHut, USA Learns and English Central are the four best online tools for that kind of support (here are other language-learning sites, too). Doing this - for a short time, at least - can help them begin to develop self-confidence, get them familiar with online tools they can also use at home (if they have Internet access there) and give you some time to develop a longer-term plan on how you are going to teach them your content matter and pull together needed resources.

* If the newcomer is literate in his/her home language, you can also provide access to online materials in their language that are comparable to what you are teaching in English to the rest of your students. Many such resources can be found at The Best Multilingual & Bilingual Sites For Math, Social Studies, & Science.

*If you are fortunate enough to speak your newcomer's language, using the Preview, View and Review method is an option (preview the lesson in the home language, then the main lesson in English, and then review it in the home language). I've also used the bilingual resources listed in the previous suggestion in the same way - previewing and reviewing with those materials.

*There are many sites that provide similar high-quality materials on multiple subjects using different "levels" of text. For example, an article on the Electoral College might be edited for three or four different reading levels. Using a high English level version of one for most of your students and a simplified version for your newcomer is a fairly easy way to make content accessible. In fact, there are tools that let you do the same for any text you copy and paste into them. You can find links to all these options at The Best Places To Get The "Same" Text Written For Different "Levels."

*There are a number of content-specific books that are designed to be particularly accessible to ELLs - you can see a list of a few of them at The Best Books For Teaching & Learning ESL/EFL. I use some of the books listed in my history and English classes (note that, though the book titles are all accurate, the links where to purchase them might be out-of-date). You can find other content-specific books at The Best Places To Buy ESL/EFL Books. Software & Multimedia. Providing these textbook alternatives, which likely cover similar subjects to the ones you use with the majority of your students, could be a useful scaffold.

*At the very least, make sure you have a bilingual dictionary in your newcomer's student language.

*At our high school, seniors often get a class period when they are T.A.'s (teaching assistants) or "Peer Tutors." With support and minimal training from me, a student who doesn't even speak the newcomer's home language can provide invaluable support to them. In addition, having the title "peer tutor" can look better on a senior's transcript when applying to college.

*Inductive teaching emphasizes pattern-seeking, which is a skill found to be particularly important to those learning a new language (and it's important for everybody else, too!). If you presently employ inductive methods in your instruction, creating more simple versions for your newcomer should be fairly easy, though would take a little extra time. If you are not using them now, I'd encourage you to consider experimenting with it. You can learn more at The Best Resources About Inductive Learning & Teaching. In particular, you might want to read how I use it: Get Organized Around Assets and The Picture Word Inductive Model.

*If your newcomer does not have Internet access at home (or even if he/she does), providing him/her with accessible books they can read at home can be a big help - plenty of research documents the importance of home libraries. Our local Friends of the Library has provided hundreds of free books for our newcomer students, and you can also print out many online (see The Best Sources For Free & Accessible Printable Books).

*If your school has a specialized class where the newcomer is learning English, regularly talk with their teacher to learn more about the student and to both listen to - and offer - ideas how you can both support the student in their classes.
Karen MacKenzie: Prioritize - choose two or three concepts from the unit you are teacher and work hard to get those across to your newcomers. Trying to ensure the student understands every little last thing will be overwhelming for you both. PROVIDE SOCIAL SUPPORT
*Provide a peer mentor to your newcomer - ideally, someone who speaks their home language. At our school, peer mentors leave one of their classes for fifteen minutes each week and chats with their "mentee." You can read more about what we do at Here Are The Instructions I Give Mentors To Our ELLs - Help Me Make Them Better.

* Talk privately to individual students who have demonstrated empathy in the past about their reaching out to your newcomer. Perhaps share with them this story:

Must read: Girl Uses #GoogleTranslate to ask classmate to sit with her https://t.co/zgbxds2qDf #ELLs #WIDA #education #language #caring pic.twitter.com/q8OhIw7fbb

- WIDA™ (@WIDAConsortium) November 7, 2016

What do you think is missing from this list?

ADDENDUM:

Since I originally published this post, I realized I forgot to include a few other strategies:

Though I discus Google Translate, I forgot to mention its relatively new ability to "read" text, including print textbooks and PowerPoint slides, by using its camera function (see Video: "How Google Translate Makes Signs Instantly Readable").

In fact, Google just published this video that highlights that feature and the features I mentioned in the earlier post:

In addition, I neglected to mention the obvious strategy of showing English subtitled with any videos you show.

Finally, this was an idea suggested by one of the credential candidates at my California State University, Sacramento, course: if you are teaching whole novels in your class, why not get a version of it in your ELL's home language, if available?

Also, see The Best Online Resources For Teachers of Pre-Literate ELL's & Those Not Literate In Their Home Language.

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Ways A Mainstream Teacher Can Support An ELL Newcomer In Class

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In addition to teaching full-time in high school during the day, I'm on the adjunct faculty in the teacher education programs at California State University, Sacramento and the University of California, Davis. I'm finding an important question keeps on cropping up: How do I teach a newcomer, with next-to-zero English proficiency, who is placed in my mainstream classroom without any additional outside support being provided?

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