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How to scaffold instruction, organized by language domain and proficiency level

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How to scaffold instruction, organized by language domain and proficiency level

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Excellent resource that explains scaffolding strategies to use in class

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Extensive list of accommodations and supports with links to other resources

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This resource is full of great information! Highly recommend!

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Excellent website for educators and families of ELs

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A bilingual site for educators and families of English language learners

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Characteristics of English Language Learners

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Characteristics of English Language Learners

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This is a nice visual for each level of language acquisition.

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Common EL behaviors that mimic learning disabilities

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Common EL behaviors that mimic learning disabilities

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I'm not a huge fan of some of the wording in this document, but this list gives some good food for thought to help us re-frame possible behaviors of ELs.

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ELL Behaviors That Mimic Learning Problems

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This document highlights the language skills that ELs are developing at each of the levels.

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Collection of sentence frame posters from AEA

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Collection of sentence frame posters from AEA

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Check out these downloadable posters with sentence frames!

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A broader view of things to think about when choosing interventions for ELs

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Meeting students' needs through scaffolding

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Meeting students' needs through scaffolding

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Examples of scaffolds

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Rooted Linguistics: Serving Teachers of Multilingual Learners

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Sentence Frames
Sentence frames essentially frame a sentence and students add in some verbiage. Think of a picture frame where you add in a picture. Sentence frames look very much like traditional fill in the blank sentences.

Here are some examples of sentence frames:

The square has ___sides/angles.

The ____has ___sides/angles.

The ___are the same/different.

Based on the experiment, I can infer that the ____will increase and the ____will decrease.

My name is_____ and I am ___years old.

The _____ revolted against the ____.

____ is north/south/east/west of ____.

___have ____, however, ____ have ____.

​Both ____ and ____ have ____.

Sentence frames are scaffolds that may fit the needs of English learners at beginning levels of English proficiency. Some students may also benefit from visuals and word banks.
However, sentence frames can be used with English learners at higher levels of English proficiency to teach specific language structures or to teach mortar words/tier II words.
Sentence Stems
A sentence stem is the beginning of a sentence. Think of the stem of a plant. It's not the whole plant, just the beginning of it. It helps students get their sentence started. Sometimes we use the term sentence starter interchangeably. Sentence stems give students the inertia to get their thoughts going. Then their sentences bloom.

Here are examples of sentence stems:

What surprised me was...because....

I think that...for example

First...then...next...

In my opinion....in addition...

Based on the passage, I can infer that...for example....

I don't understand why....

Based on the pattern, the numbers will...

Sentence stems are scaffolds for English learners at all levels of English proficiency. They are open ended.
Personalizing
By thinking of the end in mind, you can level and personalize sentence frames or sentence stems to help English learners progress in language proficiency.

Beginning-Simple sentence structure: ____and ___ are quadrilaterals.

Intermediate-Comparative sentence structure: ___and ___ are quadrilaterals, however ___has___.

Advanced-Complex comparative sentence structure: Although___and ___ are ___, ___is different because...

Why is it important for us to provide students with sentence frames or sentence stems?
Learning to communicate effectively is important for all of us. I think we can all agree on that. But providing students with vocabulary lists will not achieve that goal.

Backward Design
Let's begin with the end in mind again. What is our over-aching goal? If we want students to, let's say, understand and communicate effectively using domain specific vocabulary (vocabulary of our content area), then how will we get them there?

Students will need to hear the vocabulary in context (from the teacher and peers)

Students will need to use the vocabulary in context (in speaking and writing)

To set English learner up for success, we will provide them with linguistic supports that they may use until they no longer need them. Any student can use them, but English learners especially will benefit as they are learning English and content simultaneously.

1. We can begin by modeling the language we want students to use. We want students to hear the language structures and vocabulary over and over again.

2. Then we move to letting them use the vocabulary and language structures with partners. We provide them with sentence frames or sentence stems. They practice verbalizing and hearing a peer multiple times.

3. Finally, we move to writing. Students are asked to write. Some students will rely on the sentence frames or sentence stems as scaffolds. Others will be able to write independently. Either way, students will have had the opportunity to learn from the teacher, verbalized themselves, and heard from peers.

This model takes students through the Gradual Release of Responsibility or I do, We do, You do model.
How do I think of vocabulary?
Start with your grade level standard. Look at what students need to know. Whether it's Common Core or not, your state standards will reveal vocabulary that is critical for your students to master.

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Well, first and foremost, we should care if we want our students to speak like scholars. If we want our students to be marketable after they graduate. If we want them TO graduate! Then we should...

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I love this blog by a professional author and ESL consultant, Valentine Gonzales.

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Rooted Linguistics: Serving Teachers of Multilingual Learners

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Home page for teachers of English Learners/Multilingual Learners

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This is a website designed to support teachers of English Learners/Multilingual Learners.

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Unsure of what it means to scaffold? This document highlights 10 ways to include scaffolding in your lessons.

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Did you know... every school district is required by federal law to have a plan in place for our ESOL programming - it is considered a civil right requirement!

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Iowa Department of Ed Guidelines for ELL Programming

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Iowa Department of Ed Guidelines for ELL Programming

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LOTS of great information can be found here

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In general terms, an English learner is a student who is in the process of acquiring English proficiency and has a first language other than English or in addition to English. The EL status remains with the student until s/he shows English proficiency enabling the student to:

Listen, speak, read and write in English

Be successful in the classroom setting where there is language instruction

Be able to actively participate in his/her classroom, school, community and beyond.

English Learners (ELs) are among the fastest-growing populations in our schools. ELs comprise about 10 percent of the student population nationwide and, Iowa, at over six percent is catching up.

All Iowa districts need to be prepared to serve ELs, including immigrant children and youth. All are required by law, to have a Lau Plan in place. This is a requirement regardless of EL enrollment. (See Lau Plan Requirement for ALL districts below).

ELs are a widely heterogeneous group who bring a depth of linguistic and cultural assets to the schools in which they are enrolled. In spite of these assets, ELs continue to experience significant gaps in both achievement and in the opportunities in our schools compared to their non-EL peers. ELs are underrepresented in gifted and talented programming, extracurricular activities and high level courses. ELs are often over (or under) identified in special education. With effective, research-based supports, and access to excellent educators, ELs are capable of the same high level of learning as native English speakers.

Educating ELs

Each district is fully responsible for ensuring that their ELs not only gain English proficiency but also meet the same high academic standards expected of all students. Reach out to your district's AEA EL consultant or district's EL administrator for guidance in building effective language instruction educational programs for ELs. Additionally, below are some excellent and comprehensive resources for supporting English Learners and their families.

English Learner Tool Kit - A 161-page document from the Office of English Language Acquisition outlining legal obligations for ELs. The tool kit helps state and local education agencies help ELs by fulfilling these obligations.

Tool kit links by topic:

When English Learners Become Proficient

Students are now exited (reclassified) and move to non-EL status upon testing proficient on the English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA21). ELPA21 proficient students may not be kept in EL status. This is new under Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), effective in spring 2019. The ELPA21 addresses personal, social, and academic language use and needs. Note any ongoing literacy needs upon reclassification, as all students who exhibit literacy needs can expect local supports; typically in Iowa this is provided through an Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework regardless of categorization, label, or status.

Each district's data entry person must ensure that exited (reclassified) students are coded appropriately as a 4 and moved into monitoring status to ensure that unwarranted weighted funding is not given. Collecting funds for non-ELs is not legal. For information about monitoring, contact your AEA EL consultant.
Re-entry FAQs for English Learners
Title III, Part A

Language Instruction for English Learners and Immigrant Students

Title III is a supplemental grant under the ESEA and updated by ESSA. Title III, Part A is officially known as the Language Instruction for English Learner and Immigrant Students Act. The overarching purpose is to ensure that EL students, including immigrant children and youth, attain English language proficiency and meet the same challenging state academic standards that other students are expected to meet.

All school districts, regardless of English learner enrollment, must have a Lau Plan (This is required by the Office of Civil Rights and Iowa Code section 216.9.

Grant Requirements

The U.S. Department of Education determines the grant award to the states by using a formula based on the number of EL and immigrant students enrolled in the state. Ninety-five percent of the apportionment will be allocated as subgrants to eligible subgrantees serving EL and immigrant students. (Title III, Section 3111(a), (b)(1).)

Each fiscal year all applicants must reapply and have an approved plan for funds allocated for that fiscal year, and meet evaluation and reporting requirements. (Title III, sections 3114(a), 3115(a), 3121(a)(b).)

Subgrantees must use Title III funds to supplement state language instruction educational programs, designed to assist EL students' achievement goals. The state educational agency (SEA), AEAs, LEAs, and schools are accountable for increasing the English proficiency and core academic content knowledge of EL students.

Schools and districts are required to assist EL students to meet the same state academic standards that all children are expected to meet, and implement measures of English language proficiency. (Title III, sections 3102(2), 3115(a).)

Supplement, Not Supplant

Title III funds must only be used to provide additional services, staff, programs, or materials that are not provided with State or local resources absent federal funds; federal funds cannot pay for resources that would otherwise be purchased with State and/or local funds.

Required Activities

There are 4 required areas for Title III fund use. They are activities which:

1. ensure English learners, including immigrant children and youth, attain English proficiency and to achieve at high levels in the core academic subjects, meeting the same challenging State academic standards that all students are expected to meet.

2. assist teachers, principals and other school leaders, State educational agencies, local educational agencies, and schools to establish, implement, and sustain effective language instruction educational programs designed to assist in teaching English learners, including immigrant children and youth;

3. assist teachers (including preschool teachers), principals and other school leaders, State educational agencies, and local educational agencies to develop and enhance their capacity to provide effective instructional programs designed to prepare English learners, including immigrant children and youth, to meaningfully participate and succeed in all-English instructional settings; and

4. promote parental, family, and community participation in language instruction educational programs for the parents, families, and communities of English learners.

Allowable Activities

After Required Activities have been addressed, the following are allowable expenses:

1. Expand intensified instruction to include materials in a language the student can understand

2. Expand activity to preschool

3. Funds to offer early college high school or dual or concurrent

4. Enrollment programs or courses designed to help ELs achieve success in postsecondary education

5. For recruitment of personnel who work with immigrant children, in addition, to support for personnel

6. For the development of curricular materials, not just identification and acquisition of them.

Entrance and Exit Criteria for ELs

Title III, Section 3113(b)(2) requires states to establish standardized statewide entrance and exit procedures.

All students who may be ELs (as indicated by the Home Language Survey-IA Version; Available on TransAct) must be assessed for such status within 30 days of enrollment in a school.

1. All districts must ascertain the native language of each student upon enrollment. This is done through the Home Language Survey-IA Version; Available on TransAct) and is conducted once (not each year).

2. When the HLS indicates a language other than English in the home, screening results must be obtained from previous Iowa district or ELPA21 state. If neither of those are available, the student must be screened using the ELPA21 Dynamic Screener. Students must be assessed for such status within 30 days of enrollment in a school.

3. If the student is not proficient with English, placement in language instruction educational program based on needs(results of the Dynamic Screener) is required.

4. All ELs shall be assessed annually using the ELPA21 is required. Even students on a parent waiver from eL services will be assessed using the eLPA21 each year until they perform proficient. Students on a parent waiver from eL services are also required to be assessed each year using the ELPA21.

5. Students whose ELPA21 scores indicate proficiency are exited from EL services and enter a 2 year monitoring cycle.

6. Students who do not score proficient on the ELPA21 continue to receive EL services based on their current needs.

Note: Parents may waive services, but students remain ELs unless deemed proficient based on ELPA21 scores. All ELs are assessed as described above. This waiver must be signed annually. Regardless of parent waiver, the district remains responsible for every student's language and academic success.

Title III, Immigrant Set-Aside Grant

The Title III Immigrant Set-Aside Grant is designed to support school districts that have experienced a significant increase in immigrant student enrollment over the previous two years. This grant provides enhanced instructional and supplemental support opportunities for immigrant students and their families. Immigrant students are defined as those who 1) are 3 through 21 years of age 2) were not born in the U.S. or any U.S. Territory, and 3) have not attended U.S. schools for more than three full academic years.

Before determining Title III Part A allocations, the Iowa Department of Education (Department) reserves 5% of its Title III allocation for the Title III Immigrant Set-Aside Grant. The Department determines which districts will be awarded these funds based on a "significant increase" in immigrant student enrollment over the previous 2 years as reported in SRI.

Immigrant Set-Aside Funds Plan

School districts that receive Title III Immigrant funds are required to submit a narrative describing how they propose to serve immigrant children and youth, and their families, for the school year in which they receive an allocation. The narrative must align to a budget that is also submitted annually.

Timeline for Expenditures

School districts have one year in which to utilize allocated Title III Immigrant funds. Title III Immigrant funds are not intended to be carried over from year to year; they should be spent within the given timeline.

Supplement, Not Supplant

Title III funds must only be used to provide additional services, staff, programs, or materials that are not provided with State or local resources absent federal funds; federal funds cannot pay for resources that would otherwise be purchased with State and/or local funds.

Allowable Activities

Focused on Immigrant Students/Families

Family literacy, parent outreach, and training activities to help parents to participate actively in their children's education.

Support for personnel, including teacher aides, specifically trained to serve immigrant children.

Tutoring, mentoring, and academic or career counseling.

Identification and acquisition of supplemental curricular materials, and educational software and technologies.

Basic instruction services directly attributable to their enrollment; classroom supplies, costs of transportation, etc.

Other instruction services to assist immigrant students: civics education, introduction to educational system, etc.

Activities coordinated with community-based organizations, institutes of higher education, and private sector entities to assist parents by offering comprehensive services.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Monitoring of federal programs is conducted to ensure that: (1) every child has a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education; (2) programs comply with federal requirements that are most closely related to positive outcomes for students; and (3) taxpayer dollars are administered and used in accordance with how Congress and the United States Department of Education intended.​

ELP Standards and Assessments

English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards - The Iowa State Board of Education adopted these standards in January of 2014. Schools are required to use these standards in their Language Instruction Education Program (LIEP).

The ELPA21 Summative Assessment is the growth measure used to assess English language proficiency. This assessment is tightly aligned to the Iowa English Language Proficiency Standards and corresponds to the Iowa's academic standards for English/Language Arts. Placement decisions are made using the ELPA21 Screener (beginning August 1, 2018).

ELPA21 stands for English Language Proficiency Assessment for the 21st Century and is an assessment system that provides information regarding student proficiency of the English language overall, as well as in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and comprehension. The ELPA21 assessment system includes a summative measure of English language proficiency, a placement screener, and professional learning modules supporting a deeper understanding of Iowa's ELP Standards.

Resources

Iowa

AEA EL Websites

National
Center of Applied Linguistic Colorín Colorado Council of Chief State School Officers National Association of Bilingual Education Office of Civil Rights - U.S. Department of Education Office of English Language Acquisition - U.S. Department of Education Understanding Language - Stanford University

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In general terms, an English learner is a student who is in the process of acquiring English proficiency and has a first language other than English or in addition to English.

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Guidance for educators, administrators, and state education agencies

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The ELP Standards provide a framework for English learners to acquire the content knowledge and English proficiency needed for school success. These standards correspond to states' college- and career-ready standards, and reflect a shift in focus from language possession to language use within the content areas.

Communication Over Correctness

While previous ELP standards focused on grammar and vocabulary attainment as the primary indicators of English language proficiency, ELPA21's standards focus on receptive, productive, and interpretive English language skills. These standards consider the correctness of grammar and spelling as secondary to the overall function of language.

Organization of the Ten ELP Standards

The ten ELP Standards are organized according to how language skills relate to English language arts, math, and science standards across six grade bands. The ELPA21 standards give teachers, curriculum developers, and states flexibility on how best to reach each standard and descriptor.

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The ELP Standards provide a framework for English learners to acquire the content knowledge and English proficiency needed for school success. These standards correspond to states' college- and career-ready standards, and reflect a shift in focus from language possession to language use within the content areas.

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Heartland AEA: Classroom Strategies for English Learners

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Heartland AEA: Classroom Strategies for English Learners

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Good list of ideas - also check out the links on the right under "English Learners" for other information

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It can take five to 10 years for an English Learner (EL) to develop native-like proficiency. Below are a few of the many strategies you can use while working with ELs.

Connect students' prior knowledge, interests and life experiences to instruction.

Increase interaction through cooperative strategies and activities.

Shorten and modify assignments.

Clarify concepts using visual aids, pictures, clear and large print, videos, computer-assisted instruction, gestures, modeling and graphic organizers.

Further clarify key concepts in the native language, if necessary. Make appropriate use of bilingual/multi-lingual staff to respond to emergencies, clarify key concepts and interpret for families.

Utilize instructional strategies such as models, maps, journals, diagrams, collages, displays, role-playing, art projects and demonstrations.

Focus on the student's message rather than on grammar, phrasing or pronunciation.

Simplify language, paraphrase often (especially for newcomers) and make sure directions are understood.

Demonstrate abstract concepts by first using manipulatives.

Accompany oral directions with written directions for student reference.

Provide peer or cross-age tutoring.

Post models, rubrics and daily objectives for student reference.

Increase wait time. Do not force shy students to speak.

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Classroom Strategies for English Learners

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It can take five to 10 years for an English Learner (EL) to develop native-like proficiency. Below are a few of the many strategies you can use while working with ELs. Connect students' prior knowledge, interests and life experiences to instruction. Increase interaction through cooperative strategies and activities. Shorten and modify assignments.

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Another great blog by a professional author and ESL consultant, Tan Huynh

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A weekly ELL blog examining strategies for visible reading, lesson design, best practices and teacher collaboration. Strategies for language & content.

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Video explaining the different levels of ELL students

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Video explaining the different levels of ELL students

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Understanding the Different Levels of ELL Students

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Serving Multilingual Learners of All Ages

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1. Provide visual supports
Visual supports can be sketches that you create yourself on the fly or they can be google images that you pull up on a device when you realize that a student needs to see what you are discussing. Visuals also include real objects (realia) that you or students bring in to support vocabulary and concept development. Not enough can be said about visuals. One of my favorite ways to use visuals to support ELs is through Picture Talks or the Picture Induction Method. Learn more by clicking on the link. They are super powerful!

2. Use adapted text
Some students will need adapted texts. These are texts that differ slightly from the text the native English speakers may be reading. The text is less strenuous on students who are learning English yet provide them with the same content. You can find great, FREE adapted text from websites like NEWSELA.com. Check out this blog by Larry Ferlazzo where he shares many different places to find adapted texts. What I love about adapted texts is that they look very similar to the regular text so students can't see that anyone is getting a different form of the text. ELs don't feel singled out and no one notices that ELs are receiving text that is different.

3. Offer sentence frames or sentence stems
Sentence frames or sentence stems are an entry point into academic or social conversations for students. ELs benefit from these because they give inertia to their thoughts. I think of them like a push on a swing set. When our kids aren't able to push themselves, we give them the initial pushes on the swing and then they take over. Sentence stems are similar. They are like a push to propel our students' thoughts forward. A couple things to keep in mind about sentence stems/frames: we should model the use of them, offer them but not require them, and tailor stems to meet various language proficiency levels.

4. Value and encourage native language
Honoring a child's native language has many benefits both for a child's self-esteem and academically. Language is part of who we are. Encouraging their native language sends a message that their identity is valued and respected in our classroom and world. I can remember when my sister was in the middle grades that she was embarrassed of our native language and my mom's accent. She didn't want her peers to see that we were different. Perhaps if one teacher would have asked questions and shown interest in her culture and language, my sister would not have stopped speaking Serbian. If a student has a language other than English that they can tap into and refer back to, we should let them! This is big. Literacy is literacy in any language. Bridging the languages helps to build the target language.

5. Provide opportunities for collaborative work
Learning is social. ELs especially benefit from collaborating with other students and not just other ELs. They need to discuss, communicate, listen to, read with, negotiate, problem solve with students of all types. Groups should be fluid and flexible. Sometimes partners and other times groups. This type of setting also lowers the affective filter for ELs while allowing everyone an opportunity to participate. The old, traditional way of the classroom was that the teacher stood in front, lectured while students listened, and then the teacher asked a few questions and called on a couple of students. Only those few students who were called on actually participated, everyone else zoned out.

6. Repeat or rephrase instructions
Be careful not to assume that everyone understands your directions. Many students (including ELs) will be reluctant to say in front of their peers that they don't understand. Avoid asking, "Does everyone understand?" It's not typical for anyone to respond, "No, I don't understand." Instead try gauging understanding by asking questions or having students retell the directions to a partner. Then listen in so you can clear up misconceptions by rephrasing the directions. I heard a colleague once say, "I repeated the directions at least five times and they still did it wrong." Sometimes repeating is not enough. If they don't understand, then repeating will not work, but perhaps rephrasing will. Try it a different way.

7. Assess understanding
Check to see if students understand the lesson or directions before it's too late. Setting students up for success is key. If we want them to do well, we have to prepare them and check along the way to see if they are on track. Some call this incremental evaluation. There are many ways to do this. It can be asking students to retell directions to a partner or having partners hold an academic conversation as you walk around and listen in. When there is a written product, check in with ELs midway to see their progress. This will help to catch problems or errors in advance or the product being turned in for a grade. If done correctly, these meetings can also be wonderful ways to build relationships with ELs.

8. Chunk academic reading materials
No matter what subject you teach, there are probably reading materials that students must read. When text is lengthy, this can pose a comprehension problem for some ELs who are still processing and translating the English language. One way to alleviate this is to chunk the reading material. This means break it down into smaller pieces. ELs will still read the same text, but in between you might give stopping points to talk or sketch meaning. For example, if this blog post was an assignment for an EL that may benefit from chunking, I might chunk the reading into 3 sections and between each, my students would stop to discuss with a partner an open-ended question that I pose for them. Or I could have them read 1-9 today and 10-18 tomorrow.

9. Allow time for free reading
Free reading is the best way for our students to become better readers. Read more. Read, read, read. When we assign students what they must read, they usually don't want to read it and many of them don't read it. But if we give them choice in their reading and the time to read, it becomes less constraining. We can't rely on letting students read at home. That won't always happen and we can't control what happens at home. But what we can control is creating an environment where reading is pleasurable and inviting. We can provide daily time for our students to read. Unfortunately, since we can't put a grade on it, many times free reading gets bumped off the daily schedule.

10. Set academic goals together
Meet frequently with ELs (especially in middle grades and higher) to discuss where they are and next steps. All students need to know their target. If they don't know where they are headed, then they may be wandering aimlessly. ELs have a lot on their plates, managing both academics and language, setting goals with them helps them to narrow the focus. If you are in a WIDA state, you can use the CAN-DO descriptors to help you set goals with your ELs. The important thing is that you confer frequently with your students, letting them know that you care about them, their success, and that you are their biggest cheerleader. This is a great time for ELs to ask you questions. If they aren't, you can invite them to do so. Once they become comfortable enough, they will. Learn more here on personalized goal setting.

11. Intentionally plan for writing
Keeping in mind that writing is not just something students do in writing class or language arts, we must intentionally plan for writing in all content areas. Why? Students need to be able to use the language of science, math, history in their writing and their speaking. One way to plan for writing in content areas is to first begin with open ended speaking activities. Having students hold academic conversations over hot topics using domain specific vocabulary can prepare them for writing. When we let them talk with several partners, they begin to hear multiple responses and can use their peers' ideas when they begin writing. Some students will need sentence starters to help them begin their writing. Beginner ELs may need paragraph frames, picture supports and a vocabulary word bank. The point is, don't skip the writing in content area classrooms!

12. Embed speaking opportunities
I know what you might be thinking... "but they don't talk about the topic." That used to be my problem with letting students talk in class too. The further they were from me, the further they were from the topic. And I was frustrated because, frankly, I had a lot to cover. If I let them talk, I was afraid we wouldn't get to all of it. AND talking is not graded, so I didn't see the worth. But talk is CRUCIAL for our ELs. We must provide (not require) opportunities for them to discuss with a group or partner so they can negotiate for meaning, hear another's point of view, process thinking, dig deeper, learn new vocabulary, and practice language in a low stress setting. I've found the best way to do this is to scaffold for success. Model what I want to see and hear EXPLICITLY, give them sentence frames and vocabulary and post the question that they will discuss so they can go back to it if they forget. Two of my favorite structured speaking methods are QSSSA and Talking Heads. Click on each to learn more.

13. Offer wait time
So S.I.M.P.L.E. you don't even have to plan for it. But you have to remember to do it. Offering wait time means that you ask a question. And then you WAIT before you call on anyone to answer. Wait. Wait. Wait. It can be awkward and someone will try to talk. Here's where I like to throw in a twist. Rather than calling on 1 person to answer...I have them share their answers with a partner. This way EVERYONE answers rather than 1 single person. My ELs get practice talking and listening. Win, WIN! Why wait? Well, many reasons...but to begin with some of our ELs are processing and translating English into their native language. Wait time gives them a chance to do the hard work and then build the courage to answer in English too! More on wait time.

14. Embrace and lift up cultural differences
We all have culture. Let's just get that out there. The thing is that when there are differences in culture we have the choice to ignore them, embrace them or ridicule them. Many people think that ignoring cultural differences is just fine. Actually, it's not. Cultural blindness is "acting as if cultural differences do not matter" and thinking that everyone learns the same. Our job is to embrace differences and create opportunities to learn from one another. Recognizing that each student brings with him/her unique and valuable assets that can enrich the classroom and tapping into those resources will lift up students.

15. Model what you expect
When giving instructions or an assignment, model explicitly what you want to see. Your ELs will need to know what you want from them. Whether it is a writing assignment or a speaking task, show students exactly what it is that they will need to achieve. Setting students up for success from the beginning empowers them to know the goal. Some will be able to get their quickly while others will need multiple opportunities. Either way, they will all get there at some point if we model what we expect.

16. Ask questions
Ask questions about their family life and about their hobbies. Don't make assumptions. Showing all students, but especially ELs, that we are interested lets them know that we care. We know that our students don't care what we know until they know that we care. For ELs this can be so powerful since often ELs feel isolated and different. Asking questions and showing interest gives them a feeling of belonging that they may need.

17. Build a culturally responsive environment
Building an environment that is culturally responsive means taking a look at the students you serve and assuring that the walls and resources reflect the students. Include books in other languages. Pull in resources that represent your student population. Your students will appreciate seeing people that resemble their families on charts, posters, books, etc. This sends a clear message that all students are welcome and valued. Including diverse materials allows each child a window and a mirror to both empathize with others and feel valued.

18. Foster an inclusive class community
You set the tone in your classroom. Your students will know if you appreciate diversity and welcome students of all kinds. They will follow your lead. Fostering an inclusive classroom is paramount for ELs but really for any child. For ELs this means that we model empathy, ask questions, invite individuality, and embrace one another as we are. Inclusive classrooms allow every child to feel they have a voice. They are rooms where risk taking is appreciated and students feel safe with one another.

Well, that's definitely not everything, but it's a start! How do you assure that ELs are supported, valued, and thrive in your classroom? Share with us!

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1. Provide visual supports Visual supports can be sketches that you create yourself on the fly or they can be google images that you pull up on a device when you realize that a student needs to see what you are discussing.

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Listen to this post as a podcast:
A note on terminology: The acronym ESL is used less often now in schools than it used to be, because we recognize that many students who are learning English already speak several other languages, so English would not be a "second" language. I use it several times in the post because schools sometimes refer to the teachers as ESL teachers, and the term is still widely used as a search term for this topic. My intent in using the acronym is to make this post easier to find online.

You have a new student, and he speaks no English. His family has just moved to your town from Japan, and though he receives English as a Second Language (ESL) support, he will also be sitting in your room every day to give him more exposure to his new language. How can you be a good teacher to someone who barely understands you?

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, an average of 9 percent of students in U.S. public schools are English Language Learners (ELLs); that number is closer to 14 percent in cities. Although many of these students start off in high-intensity, whole-day English programs, most are integrated into mainstream classrooms within a year, well before their English language skills would be considered proficient.

How prepared are you to teach these students? If you're like most classroom teachers, you have little to no training in the most effective methods for working with English language learners (Walker, Shafer, & Iiams, 2004). So that means we have a problem here: Lots of ELL kids in regular classrooms, and no teacher training to ensure the success of that placement.

Below, three ESL teachers tell us what they know about the things regular classroom teachers can do to improve instruction for ELL students. These 12 strategies are simple, they are not very time consuming, and best of all, they will help everyone in your class learn better:

1. Make it Visual

"Avoid giving instructions in the air," says Melissa Eddington, an Ohio-based ESL teacher. "ELL kids have a harder time processing spoken language." So instructions - even basic directions for classroom procedures - should be written on the board whenever possible. Challenging concepts should be diagrammed or supported with pictures. And modeling the steps of a process or showing students what a finished product should look like can go a long way toward helping students understand. "Sometimes showing our students what to do is all they need in order to do it," Eddington says. Not only will this kind of nonlinguistic representation improve comprehension for ELL students, it will help all of your students grasp concepts better.

2. Build in more group work.

"Kids aren't just empty glasses that we pour stuff into and then at the end of the day they dump it back onto a test," says Kim, an ESL teacher who was the subject of my very first podcast interview. "If you really want the kids to learn, they've got to be engaged." That means less teacher-led, whole-class instruction, and more small groups, where students can practice language with their peers in a more personal, lower-risk setting. And if ELL students attend your class with a resource teacher, make use of that person: In most cases the resource teacher doesn't have to work exclusively with the ESL students; they can work with smaller groups that happen to contain these students, helping to improve the teacher-student ratio and give kids more time to practice.

3. Communicate with the ESL teacher.

Mary Yurkosky, a former ESL teacher in Massachusetts, credits much of her students' success to the strong relationship she had with the regular classroom teachers. "The classroom teachers were always talking to me about what they were doing in their classes," she says. "They made it so easy for me to support them: If a teacher was going to be doing a unit on plants, I could make sure we used some of that same vocabulary in the ESL class."

Ideally, this could be systematized, where ESL teachers could regularly get copies of lesson plans or collaborate with regular classroom teachers to build solid back-and-forth support, but "it doesn't have to be that much work," Yurkosky insists. "Just talk to each other. Talk about what's going on in your classrooms, invite each other to special presentations, share what your students are learning, and the words will naturally find their way into the ESL class."

4. Honor the "silent period."

Many new language learners go through a silent period, during which they will speak very little, if at all. "Don't force them to talk if they don't want to," says Eddington, "A lot of students who come from cultures outside of America want to be perfect when they speak, so they will not share until they feel they are at a point where they're perfect." Just knowing that this is a normal stage in second language acquisition should help relieve any pressure you feel to move them toward talking too quickly.

5. Allow some scaffolding with the native language.

Although it has been a hotly debated topic in the language-learning community, allowing students some use of their first language (L1) in second-language (L2) classrooms is gaining acceptance. When a student is still very new to a language, it's okay to pair him with other students who speak his native language. "Some students are afraid to open their mouths at all for fear of sounding stupid or just not knowing the words to use," Yurkosky says. "Letting them explain things or ask questions in their first language gets them to relax and feel like a part of the class."

And this doesn't only apply to spoken language. If you give students a written assignment, but the ELL student doesn't yet have the proficiency to handle writing his response in English, "Don't make them just sit there and do nothing," Eddington says. "Allow them to write in their first language if they're able. This allows them to still participate in journal writing or a math extended response, even if you can't read what they write." There has even been some evidence that allowing second-language learners to pre-write and brainstorm in L1 results in higher-quality writing in L2 in later stages of the writing process (Yigzaw, 2012).

6. Look out for culturally unique vocabulary.

"For most of these kids, their background knowledge is lacking, especially with things that are unique to American or westernized culture," says Eddington. It's important to directly teach certain vocabulary words: "Show them videos of what it looks like to toss pizza dough, show pictures of a juke box or a clothing rack - things that are not common in their own language."

One way to differentiate for ELL students is to consider the whole list of terms you're going to teach for a unit, and if you think an ELL student may be overwhelmed by such a long list, omit those that are not essential to understanding the larger topic at hand.

7. Use sentence frames to give students practice with academic language.

All students, not just English language learners, need practice with academic conversations. Sentence frames - partially completed sentences like "I disagree with what _________ said because..." - show students how to structure language in a formal way. Keep these posted in a highly visible spot in your classroom and require students to refer to them during discussions and while they write.

For this kind of language to really sink in, though, Kim says it has to become a regular part of class. "They won't do it if it's not the norm in the class, because they'll be embarrassed to use it among their peers," she says. "But if they can put it off on the teacher and say, Oh, well, you know, Miss Kim makes me talk like this, then they don't look as hoity-toity as they would otherwise."

8. Pre-teach whenever possible.

If you're going to be reading a certain article next week, give ESL students a copy of it now. If you plan to show a YouTube video tomorrow, send a link to your ESL students today. Any chance you can give these students to preview material will increase the odds that they'll understand it on the day you present it to everyone else. "That kind of thing is wonderful," Yurkosky says. "The kids feel so empowered if they've had a chance to look at the material ahead of time."

9. Learn about the cultural background of your students...

Our second-language populations grow more diverse every year. Taking the time to learn the basics of where a child comes from - exactly, not 'somewhere in the Middle East/South America/Asia/Africa' - tells the student that you respect her enough to bother. Kim remembers one time when she had to set the record straight about the diverse South American population at her school: "I was listening to the teachers talking about the 'Mexican' kids in our building," she says, "and I was like, 'We don't have any Mexicans.'" Not taking the time to at least correctly identify a child's country of origin, much like not bothering to pronounce their name correctly, is a kind of microaggression, a small, subtle insult that communicates hostility toward people of color. Make a commitment to be someone who bothers to get it right.

Once you have the country straight, take things up a notch by learning about students' religious and cultural practices. If he is a practicing Muslim, he should be told if one of the pizzas you ordered for the class party has sausage on it. If she comes from a culture where eye contact with adults is viewed as disrespectful, you'll know not to force her to look you in the eye when she's talking.

10. ...but don't make a child speak for his entire culture.

In her podcast interview, Kim shared a story about watching a teacher ask a new Iraqi student how he felt about the war in his country, right in the middle of class. "That's not cultural inclusiveness," she explains. "I've seen teachers do this and then pat themselves on the back. The students' English is limited so they can't express themselves very well, and they don't want to 'represent'; they just want to be there." If you anticipate a theme coming up in your class that's going to be relevant to one of your students, have a conversation with them in advance, or check with your ESL teacher to see if they think it's appropriate for in-class discussion.

11. Show them how to take themselves less seriously...

By modeling the risk-taking that's required to learn a new language, you help students develop the courage to take their own risks, and to have a sense of humor about it. "I tried to say the word 'paint' ( pinta) in Portuguese and instead I said the word for 'penis' ( pinto). They all roared with laughter while I stood there with a What?? look on my face," Yurkosky says. "When they explained what I'd said, I laughed so hard! I told them that laughing was fine because sometimes mistakes are really funny, but ridicule is never okay."

12. ...but always take them seriously.

One of Kim's pet peeves about how teachers interact with English language learners is the way they often see students' efforts as 'cute,' missing the whole point of what the student is trying to say. "A student will be desperate to communicate, and the teacher will get distracted by the delivery and miss the message," she says. "That's painful for me to watch." It bothers her when teachers mistake a lack of language for a lack of intelligence or maturity. When a child can't express themselves as well as they would in their native language, it's far too easy to assume the concepts just aren't in their heads.

"It breaks my heart when I hear teachers say (ELL kids) don't know anything," says Eddington. "These are brilliant kids and they know a lot. They just can't tell us in English yet." Make a conscious effort to see past the accent and the mispronunciations and treat every interaction - every student - with the respect they deserve.

"They're doing twice the job of everybody else in the class," Kim adds, "even though the result looks like half as much." ♦

Further Reading

The ESL/ELL Teacher's Survival Guide is one of the highest-rated books on teaching English-language learners available. In addition to offering an overview of the research on second-language learners and best practices in teaching ESL, it also includes a whole section on teaching ESL in the content areas and another specifically geared toward teaching ELL students in mainstream classrooms.
References:
Walker, A., Shafer, J., & Iiams, M. (2004). "Not in my classroom": Teacher attitudes towards English language learners in the mainstream classroom. NABE Journal of Research and Practice, 2(1), 130-160.

Yigzaw, A. (2012). Impact of L1 use in L2 English writing classes. Ethiopian Journal of Education and Sciences, 8(1), 11-27.

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12 Ways to Support English Learners in the Mainstream Classroom

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Advice from three ESL teachers on the things regular classroom teachers can do to help English language learners thrive in mainstream classrooms.

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How to scaffold for ELLs so they can better comprehend grade-level texts

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How to scaffold for ELLs so they can better comprehend grade-level texts

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We've all been there: You're preparing for a new lesson, with standards-related content to teach your students. You've got great activities lined up...but you can't locate text for your English learners that is relevant AND on a reading level they can access. You think you could probably track down a sort-of-relevant book for early readers. But you have a feeling it is not going to sufficiently get across the content. You don't have time to go hunting on the internet for that "just right" text, and couldn't afford the expensive differentiated book set on the topic. This is a common and often frustrating position to find yourself in, but there is good news! English learners can often have a positive learning experience with grade-level text, and get some instructional "meat" out of it. They just need the text to be presented in a way that supports their comprehension. I'm here to share how to scaffold for ELLs so they can interact with your grade-level text and participate in learning.

These strategies aren't too hard to put into practice in your classroom! Don't try to do them all at once, of course. Choose one or two to try out the next time you have some important text to present to your class.

Text Accessibility Strategies for ELLs

So you might be about to read from a textbook as a class, or giving a reading passage to teach about a science or social studies topic. Maybe you're modeling how to write a letter or an opinion paper. Perhaps you're simply writing your content and language objectives on the board. With your English learners always in mind, you may be already in the habit of considering with each text that shows up in the classroom: Is this comprehensible to my ELLs? What strategies for ELLs might be beneficial here?

The thing is, they already have some cognitive assets that they've been using already to make sense of words on a page. They are constantly making connections to familiar words, contextual clues, synonyms, and cognates. There may be some things that their home language has in common with English, and they may already have locked in on some patterns. When confronted with a grade-level text, our ELLs can put these assets together with our scaffolds to get the most out of the reading. With time, they will need fewer scaffolding as their English proficiency grows. No, they may not understand grade-level texts 100% right now. But if you're in a bind and those texts are all you've got, can we agree that it's worth doing our best to help them gain some new understandings from it? Here are some ways it's possible.

Use Color

One of my favorite strategies for ELLs is the purposeful use of color in text. There are many possibilities. You can add color to set apart:

Parts of speech

Key vocabulary

Parts of a word, sentence, paragraph, or whole text

Rhyming words

Academic vocabulary

Characters or characters' actions

Important details or information

Important components of activity instructions

Key words in assessment questions

Topics that need to be differentiated or compared to one another

Spelling or phonemic patterns

and more!

The important thing to remember is that the colors used should be premeditated, purposeful, and explained to students. When learning how to scaffold for ELLs, you become stronger in determining what works best for your students and your lessons.

Break Text Into Smaller Sections

Also called "chunking the text," this strategy visually breaks up longer pieces of text. This helps the student be able to process and comprehend the text in manageable amounts. This can be helpful at the word, sentence, and paragraph level. There are several ways you can do this:

Draw a vertical line after sentences to add a more evident break where desired

Circle or underline sections of words/text

Increase space between paragraphs

Break apart a longer text and add each paragraph to a slide in a presentation

Use sections of a longer text to focus on during small group instruction

Use sections of a longer text for assessment purposes

Insert Synonyms and Symbols

As students are learning new vocabulary all the time, they can really benefit from some reminders or reinforcement of word meanings. When you spot a word that you predict might hinder comprehension, simply inserting a synonym next to it can be extremely helpful. For example, if you're handing an exit ticket to students, and the directions read, "Consider our lesson today...," you might insert the words "think about" right above "consider."

Symbols or "think marks" can be a great way to increase engagement during a shared reading or think aloud activity. They can aid comprehension of meaning, as students view you modeling your own response to text. This might include emojis, stars to show importance, or simple lines to connect ideas.

Add Images and Sketches

Many strategies for ELLs involve adding images to support text comprehension. If you've broken down a reading passage into sections, take a moment to also insert a small image next to each one. Want some essential unit vocabulary to be noticed and understood in context? Slide an image in near/next to the word. Have a multiple choice quiz coming up? Images are a great way to scaffold for ELLs.

Even if you're in the middle of a lesson and realize the text lacks visual scaffolds, whip out a marker and do a quick sketch to support vocabulary meaning. (Repeat after me...a stick figure is better than no figure!) 🙂

Stick to a More Standard Font

Ok, so I can appreciate the beauty of a perfectly executed anchor chart heading, complete with cute calligraphy. I've seen so many amazing teacher font artists produce some enviable handwritten font! I've been thinking though...How well can our students read those elaborate fonts? I'm not saying resort to boring, plain lettering all the time. Just encouraging us as teachers to keep in mind what the text looks like to our students. Is it easy to read? Does it represent correct grammar and capitalization? Just some things to keep in mind.

Use a Graphic Organizer

This one is a bit next-level, but is a powerful scaffold for ELLs. If your able to take those "chunked text" pieces and insert them into a graphic organizer such as a circle map, timeline, comparison chart, or order of events template, it could help your ELLs:

See the relationship between parts of the text

View the order of importance or chronological order of events

Understand a cause and effect

Grasp the main idea of an entire text

How to Scaffold for ELLs that are at Beginning Proficiency Levels

So you have a newcomer in your class, or an ELL with a beginning level of English proficiency? They may need a more appropriately modified text in order to access the content and information. For these students, I would recommend providing the text to them in their home language. A translation app such as Google translate or the Read&Write extension for the student's internet browser are some recommended tools.

Another option (that can actually be even more time-efficient) is for you to rewrite, rephrase, or paraphrase the text, bringing it to a reading level that is appropriate. The benefit of this strategy is that you can be sure to include all the most important content that the student should learn.

At the end of the day, it is important for students at this proficiency level to have exposure to and engagement with grade-level text. So I would recommend using your professional judgement to determine when significant text modification is needed.

Some Related Resources:
Using Anticipation Guides To Assess Prior Knowledge and Engage Students in a New Topic How to Write Content and Language Objectives for Lessons Scaffolding Complex Essential Reading (Edutopia) 4 Questions that Drive Successful Scaffolds (Actively Learn)
I hope these tips can be helpful to you as you lesson plan, teacher friend! I have to be honest, my own personal struggles as a classroom teacher are what motivate me to offer coaching and support to you. I'm with you in wanting your students to have the best learning experience possible. I'm always learning more about how to scaffold for ELLs.

I'd love to get to know you better on Instagram, and have a free tool for you to try (see below)! Let's make your classroom an All-Access Classroom! 🙂

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How to Scaffold for ELLs So They Can Better Comprehend Grade-Level Text - The All-Access Classroom

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Need to scaffold for ELLs so they can access your grade-level text? Here are some easy strategies to try with your students!

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Reciprocal Learning Strategy (similar to "Rally Coach")

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Reciprocal Learning Strategy (similar to "Rally Coach")

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So you just taught your students something new. Maybe it's a math operation, a bit of music theory, or the conjugation of an irregular verb form in Spanish. Now you're ready to get them practicing. One standard approach is to assign written exercises. Fine. That's perfectly fine. Except when it's not, because you do it every day, and students are dying to interact more, move more, talk more, do something else.

Last fall, I showed you how to take written exercises and build in more movement and interactivity with Chat Stations. Now, I offer another alternative: Reciprocal Learning, a cooperative structure that takes "working in pairs" up a notch.

It goes a little something like this:

Every pair consists of a "Student A" and a "Student B."

Each student has their own set of problems or exercises to work on. Here's the twist: Student A has the answers to Student B's problems, and Student B has the answers to Student A's problems.

Students take turns coaching each other through the problems, not giving the answers, but helping their partner reach the correct answer on their own.

This arrangement, if done right, will help students become more self-directed, increase academic gains, and improve the quality of social interactions.

Here's a quick demonstration:

Reciprocal Learning is one of twenty research-based strategies outlined in Silver, Strong, and Perini's excellent book, The Strategic Teacher: Selecting the Right Research-Based Strategy for Every Lesson ( Bookshop.org | Amazon).

The book also describes two variations on this strategy. The first is Peer Reading, where students take turns answering response questions to a long piece of text. The second is Peer Problem Solving, where each person has a single, complex problem to solve. What's cool about this variation is that all the "A"s and all the "B"s meet beforehand in a "coaches' meeting" to work through the steps of their partners' problem and strategize for the best ways to coach their partners through it.

If you like Reciprocal Learning, take a look at my overview of Concept Attainment, another strategy from this book. Although many of the techniques in the book have simple-sounding names - which makes people think they understand the strategies without really studying them - they have much more structure and complexity than their names imply. For teachers who are visual or kinesthetic learners, reading the book's description of the techniques sometimes doesn't quite get the job done, which is why I'm putting these videos together: The strategies are too good to go unused.

Try it out and let me know what you think - and as always, if you have tips to share or questions to ask, add them in the comments section so we can all learn together. ♦

Come back for more.
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How to Use the Reciprocal Learning Strategy

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This cooperative learning strategy takes the idea of "working in pairs" up a notch.

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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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I gathered my students on the carpet. Partners were sitting next to each other. I said, "Today boys and girls we are going to focus on our accountable talk. You will see that if you are a person 1 that you have a card with a mouth on it. If you are a person 2 you have a card with an ear on it. These cards tell you what you are going to be responsible for today with your accountable talk. If you are a Person 1 you are going to speak first. This is what you are responsible for:

Looking at my partner

Telling my partner what I think

Use evidence from that text

Use evidence from the illustrations

Speaking in complete sentences

If you are a Person 2 you are going to listen first. This is what you are responsible for:

Looking at my partner

Listening carefully to my partner

Asking my partner "Why do you think that?"

Asking my partner "What is your evidence?"

D oes everyone understand what they are responsible for? I am going to start us off and I am going to model exactly what I want to see from you. I am going to choose ________ as a partner. ( I chose someone who can read the card independently and is pretty good with reading comprehension so they could model this well with me.) Look and listen carefully."

Then I read and asked the first question. I said, "OK. I'm person 1 so I have to look at my partner and tell them what I think. Well, I think that spring fever is feeling tired because he wants to go and play because the weather is nice now after a snowy winter. Now my partner has to look at me and listen to what I just said. What did I just say spring fever meant ____________? Now what do you have to ask me ____________? " My partner asked me why I though this and what my evidence was. I answered, "Well if I look at the picture Big Anthony is leaning against his shovel and he looks sad at the bottom of the page. The story also says he is dragging his feet. That tells me that he is probably tired." I also told the students that we will have time to share our ideas with the whole class.

I asked the students if they understand what to do. I told them I would be looking and listening to make sure they really pay attention and do their jobs. I also told them that after they take turns with their card, they will get to switch jobs with their partner for the next turn. This way each partner will have a turn at listening and speaking.

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Introduction to Accountable Talk With "Big Anthony and the Magic Ring"

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In this lesson, students will take a more active role in their learning by discussing a read aloud with their partners. The teacher will become more of a facilitator in the lesson and allow the children to "wrangle" with the content.

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by Valentina Gonzalez

"Learners who know the language can concentrate on the academic content. But learners who do not know the language, or do not know it well enough, must devote part of their attention to learning and understanding the very language in which the content is taught" ( Goldenberg & Coleman, 2010).

Imagine that for a moment. Let it soak in. If you didn't yet know a language well enough, you would need to spend energy understanding the very words and not just the reading. Maybe you've experienced this before. It's a literal struggle, trying to decode and put together sounds, then figure out and translate the words. This can take a toll on a person!

Now imagine a child doing this daily. Or for that matter, doing this all day long . Picture a newcomer in a high school biology class at the end of the day. If they are new to the language, they will most likely have to translate complicated text word by word after having spent every previous class that day translating each word. To help students, we can adapt and scaffold reading instruction to fit their unique needs.

The National Literacy Panel (2000) identified phonemic awareness, phonics, oral reading fluency, reading comprehension, and writing as the five key components of literacy. With these components in mind, let's look at a few scaffolds (temporary supports meant to be gradually released) for reading that may work to enhance English learners' success with comprehension.

These reading scaffolds can be implemented in any grade level and content area through whole group, small group, or individual settings for differentiation:

Chunking

Chunking is a technique that breaks larger reading texts into smaller portions for students. When texts are dense or lengthy, they can seem overwhelming. By breaking them down into smaller pieces, we help to lower students' anxiety. Think of a large pizza. Would you eat the entire pizza in one bite? Probably not. It's sliced for us to hold a piece at a time. Then we take small bites from that one piece. It's manageable that way. Chunking texts is especially useful in areas like social studies and science, where text has the tendency to be vocabulary heavy.

Adding in opportunities to talk makes content even more comprehensive. For instance, a routine such as Nancy Motley's Talk, Read, Talk, Write offers students chances to access prior knowledge and build background before reading. Students discuss with a group or partner. Then students read a text with a purpose for reading that is given to them by the teacher. Once everyone has signaled that they are finished reading, they participate in structured discussion again. And finally students write about their reading while using the discussions they've had to support their thoughts. Teachers can chunk reading even more for students who are at beginner levels of English proficiency: talk, read, talk, read, talk, read, talk, write.

Shared Reading

Shared reading (Holdaway,1979) is the act of reading together in unison as a group. All students have access to the text. Shared reading is not just for elementary levels. In primary grades, teachers may read from big books, but in secondary classes, shared reading can be poetry, brochures, an excerpt from a chapter, a paragraph, song lyrics, etc. Teachers can provide each student with a copy of the text or can project the text on a screen for everyone to see. First the teacher models expectations by reading the text. Then the teacher invites the class to read together. This oral reading practice provides students with an opportunity to gain fluency in a risk-free setting. Everyone is reading aloud. Shy students can listen and read aloud as they feel brave enough, and more vocal students gain practice, too. Students benefit from practicing intonation and appropriate rate of speed.

Three ways to differentiate shared reading are Echo reading, Choral reading, and Reader's Theater.

Echo Reading is perfect when students need to hear the teacher model each sentence first while they are tracking print. Then students repeat the sentence. This technique is best for students at beginner proficiency levels or when a new language structure is being shared.

Choral Reading is a typical shared reading experience in which students and teacher read in unison, often with the teacher tracking print. English learners gain fluency and benefit from the low-risk environment. They have the ability to listen and join the reading at their comfort level.

Reader's Theater is an excellent method to use with students after they have had a chance to hear a text in its entirety. Reader's Theater can be done by dividing a text into parts and assigning students or groups to read certain lines or paragraphs. English learners benefit from rehearsal time with the lines or paragraphs they will read aloud to the whole group. Some teachers ask students to create props for their characters or parts. Acting out a story is both enjoyable and engaging for students as they participate in listening, speaking, and reading with expression.

Adapted Texts

Adapted texts are texts that have the same content but are at different reading levels. Using adapted texts helps English learners continue to learn content while they are learning English. Many teachers create their own adapted texts, which allows them to control the vocabulary that is embedded. However, creating adapted texts does take time. There are also many online platforms that offer adapted texts such as Newsela, Newsinlevels, and Wordify.

Partner Reading

Providing time and space for students to read together, or partner read, supports English learners with reading comprehension, listening, and speaking. Peer-to-peer interaction is important for English learners' language development. Partners usually read the same text and hold their own copies. In primary grades, and many times in secondary too, students are more successful when the teacher offers explicit modeling of expectations ahead of time. For example:

"During partner reading, I'm looking for partners who are sitting with their knees close to touching. You will take turns reading a page. After your partner reads, you will share what the main idea of their reading was. I'm listening for sentences like: 'The main idea was...' or 'I didn't understand...'"

Primary Language Support

When I was an ESL teacher, the students I taught spoke Korean, Urdu, Japanese, Russian, etc. I was not able to speak all of their languages, but I could still provide primary language supports. I provided my ELs with bilingual dictionaries and taught them how to use them. We also worked hard at valuing all languages. It was important for me to show my ELs that the literacy they had in their primary language was valuable and useful as they acquired English. We labeled the classroom in the students' home languages. I also made it known to them that continuing to read, write, and speak in their primary language was important, and so I encouraged them to read books in their primary language. Anytime we had extra funds, I asked to purchase books in our students' primary languages for the library.

Another way to include primary language support is through preview-review. This technique is sometimes referred to as preview-view-review and takes only a few extra minutes before and after a lesson ( Wright, 2015). It has been found to be effective in increasing comprehension, especially for students at beginning levels of English proficiency. Preview-review includes providing students with primary language support before and after a lesson or a read aloud. Let's look at a classroom example:

The second grade class is preparing to learn about living and nonliving things. The ESL teacher gathers English learners prior to the lesson to preview in their primary language. She asks them what they know about living and nonliving things. They discuss and make a chart in their primary language. The teacher reads a short passage and checks for comprehension, and then they return to the whole group.

The mainstream teacher conducts the whole-class lesson on living and nonliving things in English. The teacher shelters instruction to ensure that ELs comprehend the lesson. She uses repetition, visuals, and gestures. Then she sends them off to read and write with a partner in English.

Following the English lesson, the ESL teacher pulls the ELs back together once again to review what they learned in their primary language. This is an excellent opportunity to clear up misconceptions.
Note that, In this example, the ESL teacher is able to speak the students' primary language. But that is not always the case. It is suggested that if the teacher cannot speak the students' home languages, a same-language-speaking paraprofessional can provide the preview-review.
The bottom line of all this is that, when students enjoy what they are reading and they understand what they are reading, they will feel successful. The more often this feeling occurs, the more they will want to read, and the more their comprehension will increase.

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Teaching Techniques to Scaffold Reading for English Learners

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by Valentina Gonzalez "Learners who know the language can concentrate on the academic content. But learners who do not know the language, or do not know it well enough, must devote part of their attention to learning and understanding the very language in which the content is taught" (Goldenberg & Coleman, 2010).

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by Valentina Gonzalez

I dare to say that working alongside colleagues had and still has the greatest effect on my professional growth and, therefore, my multilingual learners' success.

Continue reading "Collaborating Across Departments to Serve Multilingual Learners"

by Carolyn Bracksieck

Your words matter. The environment you create for your classroom matters. As a language teacher, you have the ability to create an environment that is engulfed in the language and culture from the very first moment of class to the last. Greeting your students every day in the language and teaching them how to respond to instructions in the target language are both important parts of this environment. As an immersive learner myself, it was the constant repetition (input) and the constant opportunity to give output that really helped my proficiency grow. It was repetition that became habitual-especially when the repeated phrases had a usefulness and meaning for me.

Continue reading "Purposeful Phrases in the LOTE Classroom"

by Valentina Gonzalez

The class is approaching a unit on life cycles. Ms. Prasad finds three images of living beings and their life cycles: a butterfly, a chicken, and a plant. She sends the three images home with each student for families to pick one and discuss. Families are asked to talk with their children about the image in the languages they are most comfortable with. They can share facts and vocabulary, and even make up stories about the picture.

When students come to class the following week, Ms. Prasad has all three pictures up on the screen, and students are asked to discuss them with their partners. They talk about the one their families picked and what they learned. Ms. Prasad walks around the room, listening and gathering information about students' prior knowledge before she begins the unit.

Continue reading "Sending Pictures Home: Engaging Families, Building Language, & Helping MLs Learn Content"

by Dr. Mónica Lara

There is something magical about Puebla that keeps me coming back year after year. As I journey home from my fourth time there, I find myself reflecting on the invaluable experience that this city and its teachers bring to my life as an educator. For a little background, the Bueno Center at the University of Colorado in Boulder has hosted the Literacy Squared Conference for the past four times in this picturesque town about 200 miles from Mexico City. The conference is not just informational, but it inspires and teaches me to stay humble and focused on the greater cause: Supporting emergent bilingual students in the United States. I would like to briefly share the highlights that resurface time after time during this week-long event. Indulge me as I describe them the PUEBLA way.

Continue reading "Literacy Squared® Conference: ¡Regresamos a Puebla!"

Steve Davidson's 17 Stories: Students Finding Meaning Through Teaching and Service But don't take our word for it. We wanted you to have a chance to meet Steve Davidson firsthand. So here he is, introducing himself, the service program he created, and the book that we can't wait to share with you later this summer. debuted from Seidlitz Education this summer. This inspirational book highlights the power students have to make a difference-for themselves and for their communities-when they're encouraged to find meaning and passion in service.
17 Stories is a collection of testimonies from Davidson's students about their personal experiences with service and the impact it has had on their lives. As the common denominator behind these students' success, Davidson is clearly an educator to be reckoned with. As John Seidlitz says in the foreword to 17 Stories, "He has the biggest heart for his students I think I've ever seen, and he's a very unorthodox, out-of-the-box thinker."

Continue reading "Meet the Author: 17 Stories"

by Stephen Fleenor

We made it! Another school year has passed, testing season is finally over, and summer is upon us! This time of year often feels like the end of a chapter, with a whole mix of emotions: excitement about the summer (and maybe the next school year), relief from the exhaustion and stress, and perhaps even grief about moving on from these students and this teaching assignment into a whole new year. So when we start to see the conferences, workshops, and professional development offerings on the summer calendar, we naturally have a variety of reactions. For some of us, it's a welcome opportunity to finally reflect on our practice outside of the stress and bustle of the school year. For others, it's merely a requirement of our jobs, and we can imagine many other things we'd rather be doing, as what's happening over the next two months (or even tomorrow) isn't even on our radars.

Regardless of where our heads are at during professional development this summer, there is great potential to have a major impact on the next year (and we may even catch ourselves smiling, too!). Here are three tips for having an enjoyable, productive experience with PD this summer.

Continue reading "Three Tips for Successful Summer Professional Development"

by Elise White Diaz

Research shows that when students involve themselves in extracurricular activities, their academic performance soars (Hollan, 1987). Fowler Middle School in Plano, Texas, exemplifies this. The school is known locally for its high STAAR scores and high-performing population. So much so that families move into its zoned neighborhoods just so their children can attend this remarkable school. Yet despite its success, when the school's Special Populations committee convened and looked at the data, they discovered that not all subgroups of the student population were well represented in extracurricular activities- emergent bilinguals in particular -and that most of the clubs offered catered to already high-performing students. With these findings in mind, Fowler Middle School launched the Language Exchange Club.

Continue reading "Language Exchange Club: Providing Emergent Bilingual Students with Opportunities to Participate in Extracurricular Activities"

by Natalia Heckman

If you are an ESL teacher, you have probably heard about Stephen Krashen. If you are an administrator, you have probably heard about John Hattie. If you have ever attended a campus accountability meeting, you must be familiar with the phenomenon of language stagnation. So what do Krashen, Hattie, and language stagnation have in common? They are connected through the principle of MINIMAX (maximum return on minimum investment).

Continue reading "Minimax Principle and Secondary Long-Term English Learners"

by Marcy Voss

I noticed that Diego was the first student in the eighth-grade math class to finish the assignment. He was a quiet and respectful student who did not volunteer to speak in class because he had difficulty pronouncing academic math terms like "slope" and "y-intercept." However, Diego willingly helped the student paired with him to correct mistakes and complete the math problems. As he was one of "my students" in my job as an English Learner Coach, I was to support Diego during class instruction to help him gain language proficiency and achieve academic success. Diego was in his first full year in US schools, having arrived at the end of the previous school year. I was told he was educated in his home country and had aspirations of becoming an engineer. This alerted me to the fact that he was motivated to learn.

Continue reading "Who Are Gifted Multilingual Learners and How Do We Support Them?"

by Diane Kue

Mathematics has existed in every civilization throughout history. Its worldwide presence is why so many people claim it as a universal language. Further perpetuation of the claim is present in the classroom. A classroom full of students who may or may not all speak the same language can successfully and individually solve the same problem. After all, doesn't 1 + 1 = 2 everywhere, no matter the language, country, or culture if the symbolic representation shows that one whole, joined with another one whole, makes two wholes?

However, the idea that math is a universal language because the answer to a problem is always the same no matter what language is spoken can be misleading. This notion focuses on the answer; it does not acknowledge that the processes to solve for the answer-or even the perspectives on the processes-can vary. When we focus on the processes to solve, we can discover and unveil various perceptions on or ways to look at problem solving. We find the whys behind the hows of problem solving.

Continue reading "The Role of Perspective in the Math Classroom"

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Meeting the English Language Learner Challenge Infographic - e-Learning Infographics

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The Meeting the English Language Learner Challenge Infographic is all about ELL education in 2017. Who are these students? How can we help them succeed?

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Serving Multilingual Learners of All Ages

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This question has been asked a time or two (hundred...thousand...). Seriously though. In districts around our nation some ESL teachers are considered part of the intervention team while others are not. Why is this important?

Merriam Webster's definition of intervention:
a : the act of interfering with the outcome or course especially of a condition or process (as to prevent harm or improve functioning)
educational intervention

....people (even the little ones) who are learning English do not have a condition. We are not interfering with a process to prevent harm or improve functioning. On the other hand we are providing students a service to add English to their language repertoire.

The word intervene implies coming between and halting. This deficit based stance communicates to stakeholders that there is something wrong that needs to be "fixed". In essence, as ESL teachers, we are not intervening between a student's primary language and English. Our goal is to use the student's current literacy from their primary language as a leverage to build English proficiency. We are adding.

Ask yourself: If you are finding yourself or your team in a place where ESL is "labeled" as part of an intervention group, you might consider ways to flip the script. One thing you can do is simply to initiate the conversation with campus and/or administrators. Start by asking to meet. Discuss your team's vision and goals. (For more on

Do I want students, families, and staff to think of English learners as students who need fixing?

Should ELs be viewed from an assets based lens? Or from a deficit perspective?

How do I want the program I provide to be perceived? Glass half full or half empty?

Branding Your Team: Creating a Positive Reputation, Click Here) Then move into your request. Keep in mind that they way you open the discuss is often as important as what you say. Think about how you will frame the talk.
As advocates for the students we teach, it's critical to showcase them from an assets-based lens. Sometimes that means having difficult conversations. But always it means doing what's best for students.

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This question has been asked a time or two (hundred...thousand...). Seriously though. In districts around our nation some ESL teachers are considered part of the intervention team while others are not. Why is this important?