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Use these prompts to differentiate for MLs.

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MOY District TE21 District ML Resources (ML Teacher Copy)

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Help your students classify ideas and communicate more effectively with these free graphic organizer templates, available for download. They can be used to structure writing projects and help in problem solving, decision making, studying, planning research, and brainstorming.

Printable Graphic Organizers

Select a blank graphic organizer from the following categories depending on your curriculum needs.

Sequence of Events

Main Topic and Key Details

Compare/Contrast

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Free Downloadable Graphic Organizer Templates

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Use these free graphic organizer templates to help your students communicate more effectively by classifying ideas, structuring writing projects, and more.

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Elementary Classroom Modifications for MLs

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Elementary Classroom Modifications for MLs

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In her keynote presentation for the #VirtuEL18 Conference, Dr. Jana Echevarria very powerfully stated, "Our English learners are students who can least afford wasted instructional time" (Echevarria, 2018). In other words, instructional time that is not explicitly tied to developing skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening can be considered a lost opportunity for English learners (ELs) to further advance their proficiency in English.

ELs not only learn of the English language, but they also learn content through English, so their exposure to targeted language instruction throughout the entire school day is paramount. For this reason, all teachers serve an important role in supporting students who are learning English.

Let's take a look at a few compelling ways every teacher can support language development for English learners.

It is common for teachers to identify solely as content teachers because that is their area of expertise (TESOL, 2018) and many content teachers do not feel prepared to support ELs in meeting the Common Core State Standards in their particular content areas (Education Week, 2014).

TESOL (2018) indicates that successful schools for English learners have a shared sense of community and responsibility for ELs, which stresses the necessity of collaboration between content teachers and language teachers in order to meet students' linguistic needs in all aspects of their schooling.

When teachers come together with the shared goal of helping all students achieve at a high level, English learners will benefit. Also, investing time in ongoing professional development, in partnership with colleagues, is fundamental for better serving English learners. Collaboration, co-teaching, and participation in professional learning communities (PLCs) are all effective ways for teachers to share and increase knowledge around best practices for English learners.
Where to start:

Create Community: Connect with colleagues outside of your specialty area and learn a little about what they teach. Ask questions, observe, and/or take a look at the standards in their discipline area. Try to see the bigger picture of what students experience as they go through their school day and look for ways you can support colleagues by sharing what you know and your strengths. Don't hesitate to ask for help in areas where you may need support. Form Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) or take some time in existing PLCs to talk about language development and language instruction.

Collaborate: If you are a teacher who does not feel confident supporting English learners, utilize your colleagues who have specialized training and knowledge around language development and acquisition. Ask for suggestions around what language forms and functions support your content. Language specialists can share information and strategies. They may even be able to model a lesson or team teach with you in order to support your learning.

Find Mentors: Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter also offer multiple avenues to pursue convenient and free professional development through groups and chats specifically geared toward improving instruction for ELs. These groups and chats are led by experts in the field of language development and involve educators who are both passionate about ELs and more than happy to support other teachers. Advocating for ELLs and Leading ELLs are two helpful groups on Facebook. Additionally, Twitter offers many chats where teachers can share information and ask questions. A few popular chats are: #EllChat, #EllChat_BkClub, #BoostingAchievement, and #CoTeachat.

When language is taught as decontextualized skills, students may achieve proficiency on those particular skills, yet they may not understand or be able to use those skills in the context of connected language. They also may not understand how to leverage their language skills for content learning and demonstrating what they have learned in content classes. If language instruction is embedded within all content areas, the target language is essential and consequently, used, and practiced.
Where to start:

Use Language Objectives: The direct correlation between the content being learned (content objectives) and the language required to demonstrate an understanding of that content (language objectives) not only provides ELs access to the core curriculum, but it also supports them in acquiring more language and provides them more opportunities to practice English. Language practice that aligns with content instruction provides students with a context and a purpose for their language use.

SWIRL: SWIRL is an acronym that stands for speaking, writing, interacting, reading, and listening. The idea behind SWIRLing is to incorporate a connective thread between the language domains and to make sure students utilize all language domains during content area lessons. This will help students improve their skills in those language domains, while also helping them obtain new knowledge and proficiency around the target content.

Design for Language Use, and Provide Appropriate Supports

Too often, English learners remain quiet for the majority of their school day due to a myriad of factors such as confusion around expectations, anxiety/nervousness about speaking in front of peers, or lack of confidence in their language abilities. In many cases, expectations for language production, particularly speaking and writing, are lowered simply because of students' status as language learners.
Where to start:

Provide Time to Talk: Talking about content is a vital strategy to process new learning. ELs need to practice speaking, but they also need additional time to think and process. Additionally, make sure that the grouping configurations allow them to feel comfortable to share their ideas. Partner practice, small groups, and recording functions on technology can all be used to help ELs feel safety and comfort so they are willing to talk in class. Teachers should also make it a habit to build in wait time before asking English learners to respond to ensure they have had time to think and prepare before sharing. English learners also benefit from opportunities to use their native language to process what they are learning.

Provide Clear Expectations/Directions: Provide both verbal and written directions so students can hear and see what they are expected to do. Use visuals to support instruction and directions to help make concepts and expectations comprehensible.

Model: Before asking students to produce verbal or written language, provide a model of what it should look and sound like. This can include modeling expectations for talking with a partner such as making eye contact, leaning in, and using academic language or showing students a sample of a writing piece.

Scaffold: Use sentence starters or sentence frames to support students in their language production. Make sure keywords and sentence starters/frames are posted so students can use them as they speak or write.

Teachers worry that requiring and expecting English learners to produce language in class will heighten their stress and further impede their success, therefore ELs are permitted to remain quiet with the expectation that they will participate when they are ready. It is important to clarify that simply having ELs in content or mainstream classrooms does not ensure that they will develop the academic language needed to engage in rigorous academic tasks.

The success of English learners is dependent upon many factors. Of utmost significance is that all teachers embrace the importance of supporting language development in conjunction with content instruction so that English learners have meaningful and continuous language instruction and practice. Helping ELs succeed is the responsibility of all teachers. All teachers are language teachers because no matter what we are teaching, we rely on language as the medium help students develop content knowledge.

Dr. Katie Toppel is a K-5 English Language Development Specialist in Oregon. She is also an Adjunct Professor at Portland State University in the area of ESOL. Dr. Toppel's instructional background includes experience teaching Kindergarten and First Grade in addition to being a K-12 Support Services Teacher at the Franconian International School in Germany. She is also the co-founder of #EllChat_BkClub on Twitter, which is a virtual book club aimed at improving instructional practices for English Learners.

References

Echevarria, J. [Jana Echevarria]. (2018, May 13). How much should we "push" English learners? [Video File]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R49oVkd4MJg&feature=youtu.be

Education Week. (2014). From Adoption to Practice: Teacher Perspectives on the Common Core. [PDF file]. Bethesda, MD: Education Week Research Center. Retrieved from: https://www.edweek.org/media/ewrc_teacherscommoncore_2014.pdf

TESOL. (2018). The 6 principles for exemplary teaching of English learners. Alexandria, VA: TESOL International Association.

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93. How Every Teacher Can Be a Teacher of Language | Serving students I will never meet.

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In her keynote presentation for the #VirtuEL18 Conference, Dr. Jana Echevarria very powerfully stated, "Our English learners are students who can least afford wasted instructional time" (Echevarria, 2018). In other words, instructional time that is not explicitly tied to developing skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening can be considered a lost opportunity for English learners (ELs) to further advance their proficiency in English.

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Reflections on Teaching Multilingual Learners

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Many content teachers have made a significant investment in preparing to teach a specific subject area such as science, math, social studies, music, and so forth. It's natural that their focus is on teaching the content topics in their area of expertise. Elementary teachers also teach a variety of subjects and tend to focus on the topic at hand whether it is teaching a science lesson or poetry. Few would disagree that language permeates all topics and subject areas.

In this time of remote learning, teachers are experiencing the reality that many students, English learners and English-speaking students alike, are challenged by the rigorous content and skills associated with high academic standards. Meeting standards is challenging when teaching face-to-face but is even more so in a remote environment.

It's important to keep in mind that English learners are learning the same content as other students, but they are reading, writing, listening and speaking a language in which they are not yet completely proficient. What a difficult job they have!

At the same time, these students are developing a level of English language that English-speaking students and teachers typically take for granted, such as stating an opinion, asking for permission, clarifying a statement, and reading written instructions. Also, they're learning lots of high level of academic vocabulary.

It's easy to see that English learners might disengage from remote lessons when the lesson's content and instruction are well beyond their level of English proficiency.

In planning and teaching lessons, attention to the linguistic needs of English learners is critical for them to be able to participate fully in lessons and learn academic content. Effective teachers, those whose English learner students thrive, intentionally teach language and content simultaneously.

In reality, all teachers are language teachers. Teachers with English learners in their classes need to think about ways to integrate language into content lessons. Every content area - math, science, language, arts, history - requires students to use language in a particular way. For example, texts in social studies tend to use more expository writing which differs from a narrative story in English language arts that uses metaphor.

The academic language used in school is particularly challenging for English learners because it differs from the everyday language students "pick up" in day-to-day life. It is more grammatically dense and formal than the kind of language found in conversations at home and with peers. It includes more sophisticated and technical vocabulary, complex sentence structures, and rhetorical forms that are used almost exclusively in academic settings. It's unlikely that English learners are exposed to this type of language outside of school.

Integrating language into content lessons begins with lesson planning. In designing lessons, focus on the purpose of the lesson and its associated language by writing both content objectives (What students will learn, based on standards) and language objectives (The language students need to be successful in the lesson). Ask yourself:

What vocabulary do students need in order to understand the content?

What kinds of language functions do I need to teach, e.g., compare and contrast, use of superlatives, or making predictions?

The answers to these questions become your language objectives. Then think about meeting those objectives and ask:

When in the lesson will I explicitly teach the language needed?

What activities will I plan that provide opportunities for students to use language and meet the objectives?

What scaffolds will I use to make the lesson more comprehensible, e.g., visuals or a partially completed outline?

When teachers post and review objectives with students, students internalize the idea that both content and language are the focus of learning. By way of demonstrating the power of making students aware of the lesson's objectives, let's look at what happened in a second-grade class. The class had been reading "How To" books and the assignment was: Think of something you can do. Write a "How To" book of your own. One English learner surprised her teacher with the following beginning to her book:

It's evident that Angelica learned that both content and language are important. In fact, her objectives are actually quite good! She even listed the materials needed: popcorn, microwave and bowl.

Routinely posting and reviewing content and language objectives helps teachers think about the language demands of the content lesson they are planning. And, it lets students in on what they are learning and why. Potent stuff.

Since language is an integral part of learning content, English learners benefit when teachers think through the language demands of lessons and teach students what they need in order to learn the lesson's content information and skills. Indeed, all teachers are language teachers.

Based on: Echevarria, J., Vogt, M.E, Short, D. & Toppel, K. (2024). Making content comprehensible for Multilingual learners: The SIOP Model, Sixth Edition. Boston: Pearson.

Short, D. & Echevarria, J. (2016). Developing Academic Language Using the SIOP Model. Boston: Pearson.

(A version of this post was published on February 22, 2016)

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Many content teachers have made a significant investment in preparing to teach a specific subject area such as science, math, social studies, music, and so forth. It's natural that their focus is o...

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The five, research-based principles in this resource are "big ideas" or concepts about second-language acquisition and the academic challenges English learners face. Taken together, the principles can help teachers adapt their instruction and better support academic success for the English learner students in their classrooms.

These five principles apply to all teachers, regardless of what grade or subject area they teach.

Principle 1

English learners move through different stages as they acquire English proficiency and, at all stages, need comprehensible input

Beginning English learners typically understand a little but may not speak very much. These students face different challenges than those with intermediate level skills, who may be able to communicate interpersonally but lack specific vocabulary. Regardless of students' proficiency levels, they need "comprehensible input" or information that is conveyed in a manner that ensures they can understand, even if they do not know every word. For example, for some students, that might mean communication through gestures or pictures; for other students, it might mean conveying new ideas with reference to terms already learned.

Teachers should do the following

Scaffold their instruction and assignments and provide multiple representations of concepts

Promote student interaction that is structured and supported

Consult their state's language proficiency standards; proficiency descriptors are helpful tools to describe how students are using language for particular audiences, tasks, and purposes.

Principle 2

There is a difference between conversational and academic language; fluency in everyday conversation is not sufficient to ensure access to academic texts and tasks

The language used in everyday communication is distinct from the language used in classroom discourse. It is all too easy to misinterpret a student's ability to communicate with classmates on the playground or in the lunchroom-that is, a student's facility with conversational English-as an ability to understand English in any setting, whether in chemistry labs or historical debates.

Teachers should do the following

Provide explicit instruction in the use of academic language

Provide multi‐faceted and intensive vocabulary instruction with a focus on academically useful words

Principle 3

English learners need instruction that will allow them to meet state content standards

It takes multiple years (perhaps as many as five to seven) for English learners to learn English to a level of proficiency high enough to perform on par with their native English‐speaking peers. English learners therefore cannot wait until they are fluent in English to learn grade‐level content. Instead, they must continue to develop their math and reading skills as well as their knowledge of social studies and science, even while learning English. This can happen through a variety of program models.

Teachers should do the following

Provide bilingual instruction when feasible, which leads to better reading and content area outcomes

In English‐language instructional settings, permit and promote primary language supports

In English‐language instructional settings, use sheltered instruction* strategies to combine content area learning with academic language acquisition

In sheltered instruction, English learners learn the mainstream curriculum but often work with modified materials and extra supports to accommodate their linguistic needs. The term "sheltered" is used to indicate that this creates a more learner‐friendly environment for the students.

Principle 4

English learners have background knowledge and home cultures that sometimes differ from the U.S. mainstream

It is all too easy for educators to see the "gaps" in the knowledge of new immigrant children who have never heard of Abraham Lincoln or old‐growth forests. In fact, English learners bring just as much background knowledge as any other student, but it is often knowledge of different histories, cultures, and places and not the background knowledge expected by schools and texts in the U.S.

Teachers should do the following

Use culturally compatible instruction to build a bridge between home and school

Make the norms and expectations of the classroom clear and explicit

Activate existing background knowledge and build new background knowledge to increase comprehension

Principle 5

Assessments measure language proficiency as well as actual content knowledge

Oral or written assessments inevitably measure English learners' English skills as well as, or even more than, the content being tested. It is easy for English‐language difficulties to obscure what students actually know.

Teachers should do the following

Use testing accommodations as appropriate
Check out the original report on which this updated resource was based. To learn more about the services we provide to states, districts, and schools to better support English learner students, contact Kelli Scardina.

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What All Teachers Should Know About Instruction For English Language Learners

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Learn about the five key principles that all teachers should know about second-language acquisition and the academic challenges English learners face.

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by Valentina Gonzalez

Many children count the minutes until their art, music, or physical education (PE) class period begins. This could be their time to shine, where they find inspiration or feel the safest. On the other hand, some students dread going to these same classes. They might feel insecure about their skills, shrink in the environment because they don't understand, or feel as if they aren't seen or valued.

Dr. Brené Brown says, "Those who have a strong sense of love and belonging have the courage to be imperfect." Students need to know that it's okay to make mistakes. Those mistakes are part of the process, both in language and in learning art, music, and PE. In fact, creating environments that immerse students in engaging conversations can promote a sense of belonging in art, music, and PE classrooms while building language and skills to succeed.

Two ingredients are essential for acquiring language: comprehensible input (Krashen, 2017) and multiple opportunities for low-stress output (Loewen & Sato, 2018). This means that students must understand what they hear or read and have opportunities to express themselves verbally or in writing in safe, risk-free environments. Art, music, and PE can be great places to provide these opportunities for students. The four ideas below bring comprehensible input and low-stress output into art, music, or PE. They will enhance language acquisition for English learners, but they are effective for all students too.

1. Bring in Books

Consider the unit of study, and grab all the books available on that concept. Bring them into the classroom, and make them available to students. Try sharing one as a read-aloud at the beginning or the end of the class period. If it's a long book, read an excerpt. Do a book talk on a given day. For example, on "Book Talk Tuesday," select a book to tell students about. These techniques encourage reading and get students excited about the topic, too. The campus library media specialist is a great resource for books. Some teachers regularly collaborate with the campus library media specialist on finding books to complement the units of study.

2. Incorporate Group or Partner Talk

Make peer-to-peer interaction a priority. Intentionally plan opportunities for students to put their heads together and discuss a question, image, song, or topic. In this article, Nancy Motley shares how to "Target the Talk." A good tip Motley offers for effective group or partner talk is setting clear criteria and modeling them before students begin. For instance, be sure students know who their group or partners are and what the speaking expectations are. Some teachers number students off and ask students to share numerically in groups. Another effective technique for structuring peer talk is QSSSA, which is similar to turn and talk but incorporates wait time, sentence stems, accountability, and more to deepen the conversational routine.

3. Provide Sentence Stems

A sentence stem (also known as a sentence starter) is merely the beginning of an answer, provided to help students express a thought in a complete sentence. Sentence stems capitalize on what is known about the importance of verbalizing to internalize. When asking students to talk with partners in a group or answer a question verbally, sentence stems provide inertia to communicate the thought effectively.

The artist wanted to convey...
The image makes me think...
I think the mood is...
One message I see in this painting is...
A detail I notice in the artwork is...
This artwork makes me think...
The art I like most is...

The musician wants to convey...
The piece makes me think...
I think the mood is...
One message I hear in this piece is...
The instrument that is most significant to me is...because...
This music makes me think...
In my home, we listen to...

One important sport in my family is...
To be healthy, the body needs...
A healthy body needs...
In my home, we eat...
One way to stay active is...
An example of a team sport is...
Being a good team member means...

Encourage students to add "because," "however," "furthermore," or "in addition" to elaborate on their thoughts.

Put Up a Thematic, Interactive Word Wall

Interactive word walls that are unit-based, thematic, and visual help to link knowledge and make instruction more comprehensible. Word walls are not limited to reading, writing, math, and science classrooms. They are actually very powerful in any classroom.

Image a gym where second-grade students are learning about the elements of movement. PE teachers have designated a section of the wall for a word wall titled "Movement with a Purpose." Under the title are five columns: Balancing, Throwing, Skipping, Running, and Jumping. During the unit, students and teachers add pictures and words to the columns on the word wall. They also include sentence stems, such as, "Five types of movement are...", "___ is a movement that helps me..." and "When I ___, I move my...."

An overarching goal in education is to help students think and communicate effectively. Art, music, and PE classrooms that offer opportunities to develop language allow students to negotiate for meaning, talk to peers, and dig deep into ideas. Cultivating language in art, music, and PE classrooms helps all students build effective communication skills that they can apply in content classrooms and everyday life.

Art, music, or PE teachers who would like to learn more about engaging instructional methods that increase participation while cultivating a language-rich classroom, can inquire about the 7 Steps to a Language-Rich, Interactive Classroom book and professional learning opportunities.

References

​​Krashen, S. (2017). The case for comprehensible input. Language Magazine. Retrieved 2021, from https://www.languagemagazine.com/2017/07/17/case-for-comprehension/.&nbsp;

Loewen, S. & Sato, M. (2018). Interaction and instructed second language acquisition. Language Teaching. 51. 285-329. 10.1017/S0261444818000125.

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Four Ways Art, Music, and PE Teachers Can Make Language Flourish

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by Valentina Gonzalez Many children count the minutes until their art, music, or physical education (PE) class period begins. This could be their time to shine, where they find inspiration or feel the safest. On the other hand, some students dread going to these same classes.

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by Valentina Gonzalez

Primary language support (PLS) is the use of students' first languages to build on the development of their target language. For example, if a child first learned Italian at home and then begins school in America, the primary language of Italian would be used as a leverage to build the English language.

Primary language support is not the same as bilingual instruction. Bilingual instruction differs from PLS because in bilingual instruction, content is taught in the student's primary language. On the other hand, PLS is used in English instruction to make content comprehensible and to lower the linguistic load. Students' primary languages are used as a leverage to support the acquisition of English.

For many decades in the United States, primary language support has been a highly controversial topic in education. Some argue that the use of primary language may delay ELs' English language development. However, Claude Goldenberg states in a 2013 article for American Educator that, "there is an inherent advantage of knowing and being literate in two languages."

Primary language support benefits English learners because it promotes an assets-based stance. PLS views students from a strengths-based lens and makes us ask, "What literacy do students come to us already having? How can we use their primary literacy in order to grow literacy in a new language?"

PLS also lives under the premise that language is tied to a student's identity. And if we believe that, then we honor students' identities by making room for all of their native languages. We make connections to their linguistic repertoire and teach them how to do the same.

Primary language support is easily given when a teacher or paraprofessional speaks the same language as the student. However, it can still be provided if you don't speak the languages your students speak. As an ESL teacher, I had students who spoke various languages including Spanish, Russian, Portuguese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Urdu, Telugu, Egyptian, Japanese, and many others. There's a common misconception that, when you have many students that speak a variety of languages, it's too difficult to use primary language support. Here are some ways to use PLS even when you don't speak your students' primary language.

1. Bilingual Dictionaries: Bilingual dictionaries can be an excellent resource for students who are literate in their primary language and are able to use them effectively in mainstream classrooms. However, for students who have difficulty reading in their primary language, they are of little use. It's important to find out how well your students listens, speaks, reads, and writes in their primary languages. You can find out by asking the children, asking parents, and making observations. If you have access to a book in the child's primary language, ask him or her to read to you. Even if you can't understand the language yourself, you can make observations about the student's reading and speaking. Does the student sound fluent or are they reading word for word? Are they sounding out words and getting stuck? Are they pointing to the words? Do they seem to be exhausted by the text? If they selected the text, does it look age appropriate? All of these observations will help you determine if a bilingual dictionary will be an appropriate PLS for your student.

2. Label the Classroom: Label the room in English and in the students' primary languages. Students can help with this. The labels are a great source for reading materials during transition times of the day, such as lining up for lunch or recess or at the end of class. Teachers point to the labels and students chorally read or echo read the words in English. Some teachers play reading games with the labels, such as asking students to find the object in the room that ends with "ER." The primary language support provided by the labels in students' primary language helps make the new vocabulary comprehensible.

3. Encourage Primary Language Use: Encourage students to continue reading, writing, speaking, and listening in their primary language at home. , Goldenberg asserts that many experimental studies show that "learning to read in their home language helps ELs boost reading skills in English." Sometimes parents will ask if they should speak English at home with their children, and it is recommended that parents communicate with their children in the language they feel most comfortable with. According to Wayne Wright , "reading or being read to at home in the home language promotes literacy development and allows parents to participate in their child's education." One way to support students with primary language literature is to begin purchasing it for your classroom or school library. Many popular books come translated in various languages. When you have extra funds, start buying books that reflect your students. They will love seeing their language represented.

4. Preview-Review: In its essence, Preview-Review is done with a teacher or paraprofessional who speaks the same language that the student speaks. You begin by previewing a lesson with the student in his/her primary language. Then the lesson is taught in English. Finally it is reviewed in the primary language. So what if you don't speak the students' languages? You can modify Preview-Review by offering students an avenue to explore the content ahead of time in their primary language. Then teach in English. And finally express themselves (orally or in writing) in their primary language for the review. Some teachers share upcoming units of study with parents and recommend that parents talk to their kids about the topics in their primary language before they are taught in class. This is another way to modify Preview-Review.

5. Cognates are words that are related in two languages. For example, (English) and (Serbian). Whenever possible, explicitly teach cognates. Even though cognates may seem obvious to us, for some students they are not obvious. As students begin to see the relationship between the two languages, they will become attuned to cognates.

It is not uncommon to hear teachers say that they want students to only speak in English during their class period. Often they are well intentioned. They want students to learn English. They want them to practice English. They want them to be successful not only in their class but in their future, too. However, if we acknowledge that language is central to our identities but we tell someone they can't use their native language, then what message are we conveying? Keeping in mind that learning happens when we feel that we belong - that we are safe, that we are valued - how can we convey a message that creates a safe, comfortable, accepting environment?

There is no way to turn off a language that is already within someone. If you were a second language learner in a classroom, your primary language would be there whether your teacher allowed you to use it or not. By inhibiting students, we are blocking their cognitive ability to grow as learners and thinkers in the content area. This also breeds assimilation rather than acculturation. Assimilation is the process of becoming like everyone else, similar, and erasing one's identity. Assimilation a subtractive approach, while acculturation honors both cultures and represents bicultural living, an additive approach.

As you move forward from here, think of where you are in using PLS with students. Perhaps you were on the fence about it before. Maybe you used to think that it wasn't an option in an ESL setting, or you didn't think it was important. Think about what your next steps will be from here. How will you support English learners as they continue to acquire language and content without losing their own native language and culture?

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Primary Language Support in General Education Classrooms

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by Valentina Gonzalez What is Primary Language Support? Primary language support (PLS) is the use of students' first languages to build on the development of their target language. For example, if a child first learned Italian at home and then begins school in America, the primary language of Italian would be used as a leverage...

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by Valentina Gonzalez

The quality and quantity of preservice instruction in teaching multilingual learners vary, leaving many teachers feeling inadequately prepared. And even those who did receive some training may have never had practical experience applying what they learned.

Well-intentioned teachers with their hearts in the right place are often left feeling overwhelmed as they think about how to best give newly arrived multilingual learners all they need to succeed.

This step-by-step guide offers tips for teachers preparing to welcome newly arrived multilingual learners in all grade levels.

The Days Before a New Multilingual Learner Arrives

1. Learn as much as possible about the new student, including everything from academic information to language and family background. This investment is useful in creating culturally inclusive instruction.

2. Prepare a space for the new student. Knowing ahead of time that a new student is joining the class provides time for thoughtful consideration about where the child should sit and who might be a good buddy to sit near. If the rest of the class has nameplates on their desks, prepare one for your new student (but don't write the name on it just yet...save this for the first day, when you ask the student what they prefer to be called). This step also includes letting the class know about the upcoming arrival of the new classmate.

3. Gather resources that the new student will need. Aside from common textbooks for core classes, ensure that the child also has access to a bilingual dictionary and other linguistic supports they may need. Some teachers also provide newly arrived students with a few school T-shirts and other essential supplies.

The Newly Arrived Multilingual Learner's First Day

1. The first day can be intimidating for a new student, especially one who may not speak the language of instruction. Smile. Just smile. Body language speaks volumes even when we can't communicate using the same spoken language.

2. Ask the student (or caregivers) what they prefer to be called. Learn how to pronounce the student's name. Names are special to us, yet some students may go for hours or days without hearing their names. We can demonstrate honor and respect by using a student's name and by making an effort to pronounce their name correctly.

3. Cultivate a welcoming classroom environment. Reflect on environments that make you feel welcome (especially in circumstances that are new to you). What elements can be applied in the classroom? Keep in mind that each newly arrived multilingual learner joins your classroom, school, community, etc., for a different reason. Some may go through stages of culture shock.

The Newly Arrived ML's First Week & Beyond

1. Sit next to the student and learn. Sitting next to a child as they talk, read, or write allows us to gather information. This information is useful to form next steps for instruction. If the student reads in their native language, listen to them. We can learn a lot about a child's literacy by hearing them read in their L1 (first language).

2. Learn a few words in the student's native language. The simple gesture of learning a few words, such as hello, thank you, good-bye, etc., can send positive and affirming messages to the new student. This act also communicates to every student that all languages are valued and welcome.

3. Label the classroom. Adding word labels to the classroom helps newly arrived students begin to attach vocabulary to the things in their surroundings. Labeling the classroom is not limited to English words-we can also invite students create labels using their native languages. We can chorally read and play games with the words as we label. For example, you might say, "I'm thinking of a word with the letter 'A' in it," or point to a word that has the sound "ch."

4. Encourage choral reading as often as possible. We can promote the rapid acquisition of language and literacy by providing multiple opportunities for students to participate in choral reading or echo reading even in secondary classrooms. Newly arrived multilingual learners will join classrooms with various levels of English proficiency and varied levels of native language proficiency. Choral or echo reading provides multilingual learners chances to listen and participate in grade-level reading with peers.

5. Include all stakeholders. Our students are our students, and the more we collaborate to support one another in their success, the more successful they will be. Introduce the new student to key staff members (librarians, cafeteria staff, nurses, specialty teachers, etc.) and work together to create a place and space for the child to feel welcomed and included.

Additional Advice for Mainstream Teachers Supporting MLs

1. Keep an assets-based mindset. Remember that neither limited English proficiency nor limited educational opportunity equate to limited intelligence. Holding an assets-based mindset means we see students from the perspective of what they can do and what they bring to the table rather than what they lack. Knowledge and intelligence are two different things, and providing opportunities for students to learn and explore allows multilingual learners to show us what assets they bring and where their strengths lie.

2. It's common to hear that there is too much content and curriculum to cover and not enough time. Educators frequently express concerns about feeling overwhelmed and under supported. Many describe themselves as left with the urgency of just delivering instruction and needing more time to provide extra support for multilingual learners. Yet Dr. Carol Salva reminds us, "Language acquisition strategies are not one more thing. They are the thing." This helps us understand that slowing down and providing access to multilingual learners will benefit all learners.

3. Language acquisition is complex and takes time. It is not linear. They will all make progress, but with the right conditions, students can make excellent progress. We can make content comprehensible and develop language simultaneously by delivering grade-level content to multilingual learners in accessible ways that amplify language.

4. "Keep content and amplify language." I heard Dr. Okhee Lee say this once during a virtual conference for NY State TESOL. Rather than the old way of thinking about serving multilingual learners, which included watering down and simplifying the curriculum, Lee emphasizes the advancement of the curriculum. Acquiring a new language is not a deficit; it is an acceleration. We can scaffold up by increasing listening, speaking, reading, and writing in all content areas every day.

In the end, we should remember the importance of high-quality first instruction and the power we have to make students feel valued and successful-and never forget that every day students are making gains.

Published

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I Have a New Multilingual Learner. What Do I Do? A Step-By-Step Guide

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by Valentina Gonzalez The quality and quantity of preservice instruction in teaching multilingual learners vary, leaving many teachers feeling inadequately prepared. And even those who did receive some training may have never had practical experience applying what they learned. Well-intentioned teachers with their hearts in the right place are often left feeling overwhelmed as they...

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Classroom Tips for Content Area Teachers

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Classroom Tips for Content Area Teachers

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Classroom Tips for Content Area Teachers of Newcomers

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Creating a Welcoming Environment for Newcomers

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Creating a Welcoming Environment for Newcomers

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Chances are that your English language learners (ELLs) come from a culture with traditions and family values that differ from mainstream American culture. These young children not only have the challenge of learning a new language, but also of adjusting to an unfamiliar cultural setting and school system. Imagine what it would be like to step into a foreign classroom where you didn't understand the language, rules, routines, or expected behavior.

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. There are a number of things you can do to help make ELLs' transitions as smooth as possible.

Stages of cultural accommodation

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.

Classroom strategies: helping your ELLs adjust to new surroundings

Although there are no specific teaching techniques to make ELLs feel that they belong in a new culture, there are ways for you to make them feel welcome in your classroom:

Learn their names

Take the time to learn how to pronounce your ELLs' names correctly. Ask them to say their name. Listen carefully and repeat it until you know it. If a student's name is Pedro, make sure you do not call him /peedro/ or Peter. Also, model the correct pronunciation of ELLs' names to the class so that all students can say the correct pronunciation.

Offer one-on-one assistance when possible

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. Go over to their desk to offer individual coaching in a friendly way. For convenience, it may be helpful to seat ELLs near your desk.

Assign a peer partner

Identify a classmate who really wants to help your ELL as a peer. This student can make sure that the ELL understands what he or she is supposed to do. It will be even more helpful if the peer partner knows the ELL's first language.

Post a visual 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.

Use an interpreter

On-site interpreters can be very helpful in smoothing out misunderstandings that arise due to communication problems and cultural differences. If an on-site interpreter (a paid or volunteer school staff position) is not available, try to find an adult - perhaps another parent who is familiar with the school or "knows the system" - who is willing to serve this purpose. In difficult situations, it would not be appropriate for another child to translate.

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.

Invite their culture into the classroom

Encourage ELLs to share their language and 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. They could also tell a popular story or folktale using words, pictures, gestures, and movements. ELLs could also try to teach the class some words from their native language.

Use materials related to your ELLs' cultures

Children respond when they see books, topics, characters, and images that are familiar. Try to achieve a good balance of books and materials that include different cultures. Browse these bilingual books from our sister site Colorín Colorado.

Label classroom objects in both languages

Labeling classroom objects will allow ELLs to better understand their immediate surroundings. These labels will also assist you when explaining or giving directions. Start with everyday items, such as "door/puerta," "book/libro," and "chair/silla."

Include ELLs in a non-threatening manner

Some ELLs may be apprehensive about speaking out in a group. They might be afraid to make mistakes in front of their peers. Their silence could also be a sign of respect for you as an authority - and not a sign of their inability or refusal to participate. Find ways to involve ELLs in a non-threatening manner, such as through Total Physical Response activities and cooperative learning projects.

Involve ELLs in cooperative learning

Some ELLs are used to working cooperatively on assigned tasks. What may look like cheating to you is actually a culturally acquired learning style - an attempt to mimic, see, or model what has to be done. Use this cultural trait as a plus in your classroom. Assign buddies or peer tutors so that ELLs are able to participate in all class activities. Also, check out these cooperative learning strategies you can use with ELLs.

Help your ELLs follow established rules

All students need to understand and follow your classroom rules from the very beginning, and ELLs are no exception. Teach them your classroom management rules as soon as possible to avoid misunderstandings, discipline problems, and feelings of low self-esteem. 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.

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Creating a Welcoming Classroom Environment

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Chances are that your English language learners (ELLs) come from a culture with traditions and family values that differ from mainstream American culture. These young children not only have the challenge of learning a new language, but also of adjusting to an unfamiliar cultural setting and school system.

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Thank you, Mrs. Reisen for sharing this resource! Apple Translate is on iPads!

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Thank you, Mrs. Reisen for sharing this resource! Apple Translate is on iPads!

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Using Apple Translate App to help our ML Students/Parents

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Unite for Literacy provides free digital access to picture books, narrated in many languages. Literacy is at the core of a healthy community, so we unite with partners to enable all families to read with their young children.

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Add captions, word banks, visuals, etc. to any text with Magic School AI

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Add captions, word banks, visuals, etc. to any text with Magic School AI

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MagicSchool.ai - AI for teachers - lesson planning and more!

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Join over a million teachers saving hours of time using the #1 AI Platform for Education, MagicSchool, to help lesson plan, differentiate, write assessments, write IEPs, communicate clearly, and more!

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

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Get unlimited access to 40,000 of the best books, audiobooks, videos, & more for kids 12 and under. Try it free.

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Immersive Reader Extension for Chrome Browsers!

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ICDL - International Children's Digital Library

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by Valentina Gonzalez Do you feel like there is just so much curriculum to teach that you don’t have time to ask students to stop and talk? Let’s think about that. Why don’t we allow students to di…

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How to use Picture Word Inductive Model & Sentence Patterning Charts in a Distance Learning Setting

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Help newcomer ELLs during their first few weeks at school with this set of survival phrases and illustrated words.

Each phrase comes on a sheet of paper with words and pictures to complete the sentence. You can also cut apart the boxes, punch a hole, and put the phrases onto a ring so that students can carry it around with them.

This set includes a link to an editable version in Google slides. This allows you to add in additional languages to further support your students.

Find more materials to support newcomer students in the Newcomer Vocabulary Bundle and Newcomer Phonics Bundle.

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Newcomer Survival Phrases | ESL Picture Sentences | Editable

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Help newcomer ELLs during their first few weeks at school with this set of survival phrases and illustrated words. Each phrase comes on a sheet of paper with words and pictures to complete the sentence. You can also cut apart the boxes, punch a hole, and put the phrases onto a ring so that students ...

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ELL Newcomer Survival Phrases FREEBIE! A few simple tools can give educators both direction and confidence in how to prepare Newcomers to be independent. This is one such tool. By teaching students a few sentence stems, you can equip them to navigate the school environment quickly and easily, reduc...

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Classroom Item Labels | Spanish & English by All Kinds Of Resources

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This is a free list of 500 English-Spanish Cognates divided into 25 vocabulary themes. Learning cognates is a fun and easy way to quickly build your students Spanish vocabulary. This is also a great resource to help Spanish teachers, teachers of bilinguals, and ESL students wanting to learn new vocabulary..

Vocabulary Themes Include:
1. Textbook Terms
2. Date and Time
3. Descriptive Adjectives
4. Don Quixote
5. Geography Terms
6. Professions
7. School Courses
8. Grammar Terms
9. Ethnic Groups
10. Clothing and Styles
11. Technology
12. The School
13. -AR Verbs
14. Biology Terms
15. The Café
16. The Supermarket
17. -ER and -IR Verbs
18. Math Terms
19. The Family
20. The Home
21. Art
22. Sports
23. Feelings and Emotions
24. Archeology
25. Hispanic Culture

You may also like:
Spanish Cognates Word Puzzles BUNDLE

Check out all of my Spanish Cognates resources!

Want to receive updates on new Spanish products and sales? Here's how to become a follower:
Look for the green star under my store nameSpanish Made Easy at the top of my homepage. Click the STAR to become a follower!

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This is a free list of 500 English-Spanish Cognates divided into 25 vocabulary themes. Learning cognates is a fun and easy way to quickly build your students Spanish vocabulary. This is also a great resource to help Spanish teachers, teachers of bilinguals, and ESL students wanting to learn new voca...

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Free, Printable Vocabulary Word Lists - Flocabulary

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Download free and printable vocabulary lists of words that students are likely to encounter on high-stakes tests, from 2nd grade through the SAT.

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This is a set of daily schedule cards. I tried to add a variety of activities to hopefully suit your classroom needs.

This size fits very well into the smaller pocket charts. I hope these are helpful and save you some time :)

Thanks!

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This is a set of daily schedule cards. I tried to add a variety of activities to hopefully suit your classroom needs. This size fits very well into the smaller pocket charts. I hope these are helpful and save you some time :) Thanks!

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Listen to Equipping ELLs on Spotify. Equipping ELLs is a podcast for ESL specialists and homeroom teachers who are looking for effective and engaging ways to support their English Language Learners without adding to their endless to-do list.

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Listen to Highest Aspirations on Spotify. On the Highest Aspirations Podcast, we engage in important conversations about the most rapidly growing student demographic in the United States - English Language Learners. We speak with educators and students, researchers and policy makers, and parents and community members about how we can help all students reach their highest aspirations.

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Listen to The ESL Teaching Podcast on Spotify. Welcome to The ESL Teaching Podcast, a place for K-12 teachers of English learners who are looking for simple and easy-to-implement ways to engage their students and for inspiration and empowerment in their day-to-day teaching.

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Listen to Boosting Achievement: The ESL Podcast on Spotify. Carol Salva and her guests explore ways to empower language learners and the teachers who teach them. We're not just closing gaps, we're growing leaders.

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Listen to Science of Reading: The Podcast on Spotify. Science of Reading: The Podcast will deliver the latest insights from researchers and practitioners in early reading. Via a conversational approach, each episode explores a timely topic related to the science of reading.

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When I read The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, I remember being fascinated by the "babel fish." These were fish, who when dropped in a person's ear, would provide immediate translation of any language, thriving on sound waves and converting them into comprehensible language.

Wouldn't it be just great if learning a new language were that easy (despite the "yuck" factor)? While we do have some technology that provides translation into a variety of languages, it often fails to translate accurately due to the complexity of language. Effective communication requires so much more than just being able to translate vocabulary words - it requires knowledge of intonation, dialect, and intent, and a nuanced understanding of word use, expression, and a language's cultural context. For example, one online translation application I tried translated "Fall Events" as "fall down events" in Spanish because it didn't know that I was referring to events in autumn.

So, without a babel fish or perfect technology, we are left with the old-fashioned way of learning a new language, which requires time, effort, and patience. How much time, effort, and patience depends a lot on the individual who is learning, as well as the learning environment and situation, but language researchers have developed a general outline of language acquisition that helps explain the process that language learners go through to develop skills in a foreign language. In this article, I will provide an overview to the stages of language acquisition, and offer strategies designed to support ELL instruction at different stages of language acquisition.

Stages of Language Acquisition

Researchers define language acquisition into two categories: first-language acquisition and second-language acquisition. First-language acquisition is a universal process regardless of home language. Babies listen to the sounds around them, begin to imitate them, and eventually start producing words. Second-language acquisition assumes knowledge in a first language and encompasses the process an individual goes through as he or she learns the elements of a new language, such as vocabulary, phonological components, grammatical structures, and writing systems.

The Six Stages of Second-Language Acquisition

Pre-production

This is also called "the silent period," when the student takes in the new language but does not speak it. This period often lasts six weeks or longer, depending on the individual.

Early production

The individual begins to speak using short words and sentences, but the emphasis is still on listening and absorbing the new language. There will be many errors in the early production stage.

Speech Emergent

Speech becomes more frequent, words and sentences are longer, but the individual still relies heavily on context clues and familiar topics. Vocabulary continues to increase and errors begin to decrease, especially in common or repeated interactions.

Beginning Fluency

Speech is fairly fluent in social situations with minimal errors. New contexts and academic language are challenging and the individual will struggle to express themselves due to gaps in vocabulary and appropriate phrases.

Intermediate Fluency

Communicating in the second language is fluent, especially in social language situations. The individual is able to speak almost fluently in new situations or in academic areas, but there will be gaps in vocabulary knowledge and some unknown expressions. There are very few errors, and the individual is able to demonstrate higher order thinking skills in the second language such as offering an opinion or analyzing a problem.

Advanced Fluency

The individual communicates fluently in all contexts and can maneuver successfully in new contexts and when exposed to new academic information. At this stage, the individual may still have an accent and use idiomatic expressions incorrectly at times, but the individual is essentially fluent and comfortable communicating in the second language.

How long does it take for a language learner to go through these stages? Just as in any other learning situation, it depends on the individual. One of the major contributors to accelerated second language learning is the strength of first language skills. Language researchers such as Jim Cummins, Catherine Snow, Lily Wong Filmore and Stephen Krashen have studied this topic in a variety of ways for many years. The general consensus is that it takes between five to seven years for an individual to achieve advanced fluency. This generally applies to individuals who have strong first language and literacy skills. If an individual has not fully developed first language and literacy skills, it may take between seven to ten years to reach advanced fluency. It is very important to note that every ELL student comes with his or her own unique language and education background, and this will have an impact on their English learning process.

It is also important to keep in mind that the understood goal for American ELL students is Advanced Fluency, which includes fluency in academic contexts as well as social contexts. Teachers often get frustrated when ELL students appear to be fluent because they have strong social English skills, but then they do not participate well in academic projects and discussions. Teachers who are aware of ELL students' need to develop academic language fluency in English will be much better prepared to assist those students in becoming academically successful. (Learn more about academic language in Colorín Colorado's academic language resource section.)

Instructional Strategies

If you have ELL students in your classroom, it is more than likely there will be students at a variety of stages in the language acquisition process. What can teachers do to differentiate instruction according to language level? Here are some suggestions for appropriate instructional strategies according to stages of language acquisition.

Emphasize listening comprehension by using read-alouds and music.

Use visuals and have students point to pictures or act out vocabulary.

Speak slowly and use shorter words, but use correct English phrasing.

Model "survival" language by saying and showing the meaning. For example, say, "Open your book," and then open a book while the student observes.

Gesture, point and show as much as possible.

More advanced classmates who speak the same language can support new learning through interpretation.

Avoid excessive error correction. Reinforce learning by modeling correct language usage when students make mistakes.

Continue the strategies listed above, but add opportunities for students to produce simple language.

Ask students to point to pictures and say the new word.

Ask yes/no and either/or questions.

Have students work in pairs or small groups to discuss a problem. Have literate students write short sentences or words in graphic organizers.

Model a phrase and have the student repeat it and add modifications. Teacher says, "This book is very interesting." The student repeats it and says, "This book is very boring." Continue with as many modifications as possible.

Avoid excessive error correction. Reinforce learning by modeling correct usage.

Introduce more academic language and skills by using the same techniques listed above, but beginning to use more academic vocabulary.

Introduce new academic vocabulary and model how to use it in a sentence.

Provide visuals and make connections with student's background knowledge as much as possible.

Ask questions that require a short answer and are fairly literal.

Introduce charts and graphs by using easily understood information such as a class survey of food preferences.

Have students re-tell stories or experiences and have another student write them down. The ELL student can bring these narratives home to read and reinforce learning.

In writing activities, provide the student with a fill-in-the blank version of the assignment with the necessary vocabulary listed on the page.

Provide minimal error correction. Focus only on correction that directly interferes with meaning. Reinforce learning by modeling the correct usage.

Have students work in pairs and groups to discuss content.

During instruction, have students do a "Think, pair, share" to give the student an opportunity to process the new language and concept.

Ask questions that require a full response with explanation. If you do not understand the student's explanation, ask for clarification by paraphrasing and asking the student if you heard them correctly.

Ask questions that require inference and justification of the answer.

Ask students if they agree or disagree with a statement and why.

Model more advanced academic language structures such as, "I think," "In my opinion," and "When you compare." Have students repeat the phrases in context.

Re-phrase incorrect statements in correct English, or ask the student if they know another way to say it.

Introduce nuances of language such as when to use more formal English and how to interact in conversations.

Have students make short presentations, providing them with the phrases and language used in presentations ("Today I will be talking about") and giving them opportunities to practice the presentation with partners before getting in front of the class.

Continue to provide visual support and vocabulary development.

Correct errors that interfere with meaning, and pre-identify errors that will be corrected in student writing, such as verb-tense agreement. Only correct the errors agreed upon.

You may want to assist in improving pronunciation by asking a student to repeat key vocabulary and discussing how different languages have different sounds.

Identify key academic vocabulary and phrases and model them. Ask students to produce the language in class activities.

Use graphic organizers and thinking maps and check to make sure the student is filling them in with details. Challenge the student to add more.

Help the student make connections with new vocabulary by instructing him or her in the etymology of words or word families such as, "important, importance, importantly."

Create assessments that give students an opportunity to present in English after they have an opportunity to practice in pairs or small groups.

Introduce more academic skills, such as brainstorming, prioritizing, categorization, summarizing and compare and contrast.

Ask students to identify vocabulary by symbols that show whether the student "knows it really well, kind of knows it, or doesn't know it at all." Help students focus on strategies to get the meaning of new words.

Have a "guessing time" during silent reading where they circle words they don't know and write down their guess of the meaning. Check the results as a class.

Introduce idioms and give examples of how to use them appropriately. For example, "Let's wind up our work." What's another way you could use the phrase "wind up?"

Starting at this level, students need more correction/feedback, even on errors that do not directly affect meaning. They should be developing a more advanced command of syntax, pragmatics, pronunciation, and other elements that do not necessarily affect meaning but do contribute to oral fluency.

It may also be helpful to discuss language goals with the student so you can assist in providing modeling and correction in specified areas.

Students at this level are close to native language fluency and can interact well in a variety of situations. Continue to develop language skills as gaps arise by using the strategies listed above. Although the student may seem completely fluent, he or she still benefit from visual support, building on background knowledge, pre-teaching vocabulary and making connections between content areas.

Offer challenge activities to expand the student's vocabulary knowledge such as identifying antonyms, synonyms and the use of a thesaurus and dictionary.

Demonstrate effective note-taking and provide a template.

Offer error correction on academic work and on oral language. Because students at this stage have achieved near-native fluency, they benefit from support in fine-tuning their oral and written language skills.

Recommendations

Scaffold instruction so students receive comprehensible input and are able to successfully complete tasks at their level. Instructional scaffolding works just like the scaffolding used in building. It holds you at the level needed until you are ready to take it down. Scaffolding includes asking students questions in formats that give them support in answering, such as yes/no questions, one-word identifications, or short answers. It also means providing the context for learning by having visuals or other hands-on items available to support content learning. Also, when practicing a new academic skill such as skimming, scaffolding involves using well-known material so the students aren't struggling with the information while they are trying to learn a new skill. Scaffolding includes whatever it takes to make the instruction meaningful for the student in order to provide a successful learning experience.

Use cognates to help Spanish speakers learn English and derive meaning from content. The Colorín Colorado website has a helpful list of common cognates in Spanish for teachers to reference. Teachers can explicitly point out cognates for Spanish speaking students so they begin to realize that this is a useful way for them to increase their English vocabulary.

Explicit vocabulary instruction is very important in accelerating ELL students' English language development. Textbooks include lists of new vocabulary words based on grade-level content, but ELL students need further vocabulary instruction. There are many words in a text that may affect the ELL student's comprehension of the text that a teacher may assume he or she knows. It is important for teachers to develop ways to help students identify the words they don't know, as well as strategies for getting their meaning. Of course it is also beneficial if teachers reinforce the language structures or common associations of vocabulary. For example, "squeak" is a sound that often goes with "mouse" or "door" and it may be stated as, "squeak, squeaky, squeaks, or squeaked."

Error correction should be done very intentionally and appropriately according to student language ability, as noted earlier in the article. Students who are just beginning to speak English are already nervous about using their new language skills and constant correction will not improve their ability; it will just make them want to withdraw. I inform students in advance of the type of errors I will correct, such as "missing articles" and "third person agreement," and then those are the only errors I check. In my class, I do not correct the errors; I circle the mistakes and return the paper to the student. They are responsible for correcting the errors and returning the paper to receive more points. Most of the time the students can make the corrections themselves when they see the area I've circled, but if they have difficulty, I guide them as they make the correction. In this way, I feel there is a manageable amount of correction information to work with and the student will actually learn from doing the correction.

Learning another language. If you learn the language(s) your students speak, they will be thrilled to hear you try it with them. I learned how to say "good morning" in Somali and had to practice for an hour before I felt comfortable saying it. When I did I was rewarded with the big grins of students as they entered the room. They were excited to teach me other phrases as well, and we discussed how much English they had learned since they arrived in the country. They were very proud to think of how much progress they'd made.

Seek the experts in your building or district who can offer you guidance on effective instructional strategies for your ELL students. There are many teachers who have taught ELL students in your content area, have taught a certain population of students, or are trained ESL or bilingual teachers who have a lot of advice and support to offer. Don't hesitate to look for support when you are challenged to reach students who are learning English. This can be especially true when you have a "pre-production" or "beginning level" student and you are responsible for grade level content instruction.

Visit the hotlinks section for this article for more information on specific research regarding language acquisition and recommended instructional strategies. You can also search the Colorín Colorado educator information for useful information and resources to assist you in meeting ELL student needs.

ELL teachers encounter students with a variety of backgrounds and abilities, and until the babel fish comes into existence, they will need to have flexibility, creativity and skill in order to help ELL students make meaning from the new language and content they are learning. An understanding of the language acquisition process and levels will help teachers tailor instruction to meet the needs of a diverse group of learners. Students will benefit from everything teachers do to support the development of their language skills while teaching them grade level content. Together teachers and students develop their understanding of each other, the world around them, and the language that connects us all.
The Stages of Second Language Acquisition
This chapter from Classroom Instruction That Works with English Language Learners Facilitator's Guide, by Jane D. Hill and Cynthia L. Björk, offers information on the second language acquisition process and effective ELL instruction. It includes a a simplified chart of language acquisition levels and the kinds of language teachers can use to help students at each level.

Simple description of the stages of language acquisition and recommendations for instructional strategies according to level.
Overview of Second Language Acquisition and Strategies
Downloadable booklet from the Northwest Regional Education Laboratory, "Strategies and Resources for Mainstream Teachers of English Language Learners." Includes useful information on language levels, acquisition and 10 things teachers can do today to help ELL students.
Understanding the "Silent Period" with English Language Learners
This article describes some strategies used by two kindergarten teachers to communicate verbally and nonverbally.

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“One generation plants the trees; another gets the shade.”— Chinese ProverbWhen I read The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, I remember being fascinated by the “babel fish.” These were fish, who when dropped in a person’s ear, would provide immediate translation of any language, thriving on sound waves and converting them into comprehensible language.Wouldn’t it be just great if learning a new language were that easy (despite the “yuck” factor)? While we do have some technology that provides translation into a variety of languages, it often fails to translate accurately due to the complexity of language. Effective communication requires so much more than just being able to translate vocabulary words — it requires knowledge of intonation, dialect, and intent, and a nuanced understanding of word use, expression, and a language’s cultural context. For example, one online translation application I tried translated “Fall Events” as “fall down events” in Spanish because it didn’t know that I was referring to events in autumn.So, without a babel fish or perfect technology, we are left with the old-fashioned way of learning a new language, which requires time, effort, and patience. How much time, effort, and patience depends a lot on the individual who is learning, as well as the learning environment and situation, but language researchers have developed a general outline of language acquisition that helps explain the process that language learners go through to develop skills in a foreign language. In this article, I will provide an overview to the stages of language acquisition, and offer strategies designed to support ELL instruction at different stages of language acquisition.Stages of Language AcquisitionResearchers define language acquisition into two categories: first-language acquisition and second-language acquisition. First-language acquisition is a universal process regardless of home language. Babies listen to the sounds around them, begin to imitate them, and eventually start producing words. Second-language acquisition assumes knowledge in a first language and encompasses the process an individual goes through as he or she learns the elements of a new language, such as vocabulary, phonological components, grammatical structures, and writing systems.The Six Stages of Second-Language AcquisitionPre-productionThis is also called “the silent period,” when the student takes in the new language but does not speak it. This period often lasts six weeks or longer, depending on the individual.Early productionThe individual begins to speak using short words and sentences, but the emphasis is still on listening and absorbing the new language. There will be many errors in the early production stage.Speech EmergentSpeech becomes more frequent, words and sentences are longer, but the individual still relies heavily on context clues and familiar topics. Vocabulary continues to increase and errors begin to decrease, especially in common or repeated interactions.Beginning FluencySpeech is fairly fluent in social situations with minimal errors. New contexts and academic language are challenging and the individual will struggle to express themselves due to gaps in vocabulary and appropriate phrases.Intermediate FluencyCommunicating in the second language is fluent, especially in social language situations. The individual is able to speak almost fluently in new situations or in academic areas, but there will be gaps in vocabulary knowledge and some unknown expressions. There are very few errors, and the individual is able to demonstrate higher order thinking skills in the second language such as offering an opinion or analyzing a problem.Advanced FluencyThe individual communicates fluently in all contexts and can maneuver successfully in new contexts and when exposed to new academic information. At this stage, the individual may still have an accent and use idiomatic expressions incorrectly at times, but the individual is essentially fluent and comfortable communicating in the second language.How long does it take for a language learner to go through these stages? Just as in any other learning situation, it depends on the individual. One of the major contributors to accelerated second language learning is the strength of first language skills. Language researchers such as Jim Cummins, Catherine Snow, Lily Wong Filmore and Stephen Krashen have studied this topic in a variety of ways for many years. The general consensus is that it takes between five to seven years for an individual to achieve advanced fluency. This generally applies to individuals who have strong first language and literacy skills. If an individual has not fully developed first language and literacy skills, it may take between seven to ten years to reach advanced fluency. It is very important to note that every ELL student comes with his or her own unique language and education background, and this will have an impact on their English learning process.It is also important to keep in mind that the understood goal for American ELL students is Advanced Fluency, which includes fluency in academic contexts as well as social contexts. Teachers often get frustrated when ELL students appear to be fluent because they have strong social English skills, but then they do not participate well in academic projects and discussions. Teachers who are aware of ELL students’ need to develop academic language fluency in English will be much better prepared to assist those students in becoming academically successful. (Learn more about academic language in Colorín Colorado’s academic language resource section.) Instructional StrategiesIf you have ELL students in your classroom, it is more than likely there will be students at a variety of stages in the language acquisition process. What can teachers do to differentiate instruction according to language level? Here are some suggestions for appropriate instructional strategies according to stages of language acquisition.Language StageStrategiesPre-productionEmphasize listening comprehension by using read-alouds and music.Use visuals and have students point to pictures or act out vocabulary.Speak slowly and use shorter words, but use correct English phrasing.Model “survival” language by saying and showing the meaning. For example, say, “Open your book,” and then open a book while the student observes.Gesture, point and show as much as possible.More advanced classmates who speak the same language can support new learning through interpretation.Avoid excessive error correction. Reinforce learning by modeling correct language usage when students make mistakes.Early ProductionContinue the strategies listed above, but add opportunities for students to produce simple language.Ask students to point to pictures and say the new word.Ask yes/no and either/or questions.Have students work in pairs or small groups to discuss a problem. Have literate students write short sentences or words in graphic organizers.Model a phrase and have the student repeat it and add modifications. Teacher says, “This book is very interesting.” The student repeats it and says, “This book is very boring.” Continue with as many modifications as possible.Avoid excessive error correction. Reinforce learning by modeling correct usage.Speech EmergentIntroduce more academic language and skills by using the same techniques listed above, but beginning to use more academic vocabulary.Introduce new academic vocabulary and model how to use it in a sentence.Provide visuals and make connections with student’s background knowledge as much as possible.Ask questions that require a short answer and are fairly literal.Introduce charts and graphs by using easily understood information such as a class survey of food preferences.Have students re-tell stories or experiences and have another student write them down. The ELL student can bring these narratives home to read and reinforce learning.In writing activities, provide the student with a fill-in-the blank version of the assignment with the necessary vocabulary listed on the page.Provide minimal error correction. Focus only on correction that directly interferes with meaning. Reinforce learning by modeling the correct usage.Beginning FluencyHave students work in pairs and groups to discuss content.During instruction, have students do a “Think, pair, share” to give the student an opportunity to process the new language and concept.Ask questions that require a full response with explanation. If you do not understand the student’s explanation, ask for clarification by paraphrasing and asking the student if you heard them correctly.Ask questions that require inference and justification of the answer.Ask students if they agree or disagree with a statement and why.Model more advanced academic language structures such as, “I think,” “In my opinion,” and “When you compare.” Have students repeat the phrases in context.Re-phrase incorrect statements in correct English, or ask the student if they know another way to say it.Introduce nuances of language such as when to use more formal English and how to interact in conversations.Have students make short presentations, providing them with the phrases and language used in presentations (“Today I will be talking about”) and giving them opportunities to practice the presentation with partners before getting in front of the class.Continue to provide visual support and vocabulary development.Correct errors that interfere with meaning, and pre-identify errors that will be corrected in student writing, such as verb-tense agreement. Only correct the errors agreed upon.You may want to assist in improving pronunciation by asking a student to repeat key vocabulary and discussing how different languages have different sounds.Intermediate FluencyIdentify key academic vocabulary and phrases and model them. Ask students to produce the language in class activities.Use graphic organizers and thinking maps and check to make sure the student is filling them in with details. Challenge the student to add more.Help the student make connections with new vocabulary by instructing him or her in the etymology of words or word families such as, “important, importance, importantly.“Create assessments that give students an opportunity to present in English after they have an opportunity to practice in pairs or small groups.Introduce more academic skills, such as brainstorming, prioritizing, categorization, summarizing and compare and contrast.Ask students to identify vocabulary by symbols that show whether the student “knows it really well, kind of knows it, or doesn’t know it at all.” Help students focus on strategies to get the meaning of new words.Have a “guessing time” during silent reading where they circle words they don’t know and write down their guess of the meaning. Check the results as a class.Introduce idioms and give examples of how to use them appropriately. For example, “Let’s wind up our work.” What’s another way you could use the phrase “wind up?“Starting at this level, students need more correction/feedback, even on errors that do not directly affect meaning. They should be developing a more advanced command of syntax, pragmatics, pronunciation, and other elements that do not necessarily affect meaning but do contribute to oral fluency.It may also be helpful to discuss language goals with the student so you can assist in providing modeling and correction in specified areas.Advanced FluencyStudents at this level are close to native language fluency and can interact well in a variety of situations. Continue to develop language skills as gaps arise by using the strategies listed above. Although the student may seem completely fluent, he or she still benefit from visual support, building on background knowledge, pre-teaching vocabulary and making connections between content areas.Offer challenge activities to expand the student’s vocabulary knowledge such as identifying antonyms, synonyms and the use of a thesaurus and dictionary.Demonstrate effective note-taking and provide a template.Offer error correction on academic work and on oral language. Because students at this stage have achieved near-native fluency, they benefit from support in fine-tuning their oral and written language skills. RecommendationsScaffold instruction so students receive comprehensible input and are able to successfully complete tasks at their level. Instructional scaffolding works just like the scaffolding used in building. It holds you at the level needed until you are ready to take it down. Scaffolding includes asking students questions in formats that give them support in answering, such as yes/no questions, one-word identifications, or short answers. It also means providing the context for learning by having visuals or other hands-on items available to support content learning. Also, when practicing a new academic skill such as skimming, scaffolding involves using well-known material so the students aren’t struggling with the information while they are trying to learn a new skill. Scaffolding includes whatever it takes to make the instruction meaningful for the student in order to provide a successful learning experience.Use cognates to help Spanish speakers learn English and derive meaning from content. The Colorín Colorado website has a helpful list of common cognates in Spanish for teachers to reference. Teachers can explicitly point out cognates for Spanish speaking students so they begin to realize that this is a useful way for them to increase their English vocabulary.Explicit vocabulary instruction is very important in accelerating ELL students’ English language development. Textbooks include lists of new vocabulary words based on grade-level content, but ELL students need further vocabulary instruction. There are many words in a text that may affect the ELL student’s comprehension of the text that a teacher may assume he or she knows. It is important for teachers to develop ways to help students identify the words they don’t know, as well as strategies for getting their meaning. Of course it is also beneficial if teachers reinforce the language structures or common associations of vocabulary. For example, “squeak” is a sound that often goes with “mouse” or “door” and it may be stated as, “squeak, squeaky, squeaks, or squeaked.“Error correction should be done very intentionally and appropriately according to student language ability, as noted earlier in the article. Students who are just beginning to speak English are already nervous about using their new language skills and constant correction will not improve their ability; it will just make them want to withdraw. I inform students in advance of the type of errors I will correct, such as “missing articles” and “third person agreement,” and then those are the only errors I check. In my class, I do not correct the errors; I circle the mistakes and return the paper to the student. They are responsible for correcting the errors and returning the paper to receive more points. Most of the time the students can make the corrections themselves when they see the area I’ve circled, but if they have difficulty, I guide them as they make the correction. In this way, I feel there is a manageable amount of correction information to work with and the student will actually learn from doing the correction.Learning another language. If you learn the language(s) your students speak, they will be thrilled to hear you try it with them. I learned how to say “good morning” in Somali and had to practice for an hour before I felt comfortable saying it. When I did I was rewarded with the big grins of students as they entered the room. They were excited to teach me other phrases as well, and we discussed how much English they had learned since they arrived in the country. They were very proud to think of how much progress they’d made.Seek the experts in your building or district who can offer you guidance on effective instructional strategies for your ELL students. There are many teachers who have taught ELL students in your content area, have taught a certain population of students, or are trained ESL or bilingual teachers who have a lot of advice and support to offer. Don’t hesitate to look for support when you are challenged to reach students who are learning English. This can be especially true when you have a “pre-production” or “beginning level” student and you are responsible for grade level content instruction.Visit the hotlinks section for this article for more information on specific research regarding language acquisition and recommended instructional strategies. You can also search the Colorín Colorado educator information for useful information and resources to assist you in meeting ELL student needs.ELL teachers encounter students with a variety of backgrounds and abilities, and until the babel fish comes into existence, they will need to have flexibility, creativity and skill in order to help ELL students make meaning from the new language and content they are learning. An understanding of the language acquisition process and levels will help teachers tailor instruction to meet the needs of a diverse group of learners. Students will benefit from everything teachers do to support the development of their language skills while teaching them grade level content. Together teachers and students develop their understanding of each other, the world around them, and the language that connects us all.Hot linksThe Stages of Second Language AcquisitionThis chapter from Classroom Instruction That Works with English Language Learners Facilitator’s Guide, by Jane D. Hill and Cynthia L. Björk, offers information on the second language acquisition process and effective ELL instruction. It includes a a simplified chart of language acquisition levels and the kinds of language teachers can use to help students at each level.Simple description of the stages of language acquisition and recommendations for instructional strategies according to level.Overview of Second Language Acquisition and StrategiesDownloadable booklet from the Northwest Regional Education Laboratory, “Strategies and Resources for Mainstream Teachers of English Language Learners.” Includes useful information on language levels, acquisition and 10 things teachers can do today to help ELL students.Understanding the “Silent Period” with English Language LearnersThis article describes some strategies used by two kindergarten teachers to communicate verbally and nonverbally.

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Transcript

The can-do philosophy permeates everything that we do at WIDA. Assessment, professional learning, standards. And bringing content and language together is always, always to build upon the assets that children have.

With anything that we do at WIDA, we're constantly thinking about how we can honor and not just celebrate. But really use the assets that children are bringing to the classroom.

Culturally, linguistic, cognitive, and academic. Kids come into our classrooms with many ways of knowing, many ways of learning. And many different experiences that can enrich what we're already doing.

Teachers bring to the classroom a lot of experiences also. And a lot of ways of knowing and doing things that also benefit the classroom.

Our can-do philosophy has many tools built around it. To help you understand and create language-rich, literacy-rich, and culturally appropriate classrooms. And it turns out those classrooms are good for all kids. They're engaging classrooms that work for every learner in your school. But they're particularly important for English language learners. Who need to learn English, but they also have to keep up with rigorous academic content.

We want to make sure that indeed, this can-do philosophy is very much a part of the educational fabric and is infused in everything we do. And you do.

Our can-do philosophy really exemplifies who we are as educators. And how our multilingual learners are indeed a tremendous resource. How their contributions, not only to teaching and learning, but to our educational communities. And to the world.

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Transcript The can-do philosophy permeates everything that we do at WIDA. Assessment, professional learning, standards. And bringing content and language together is always, always to build upon the assets that children have. With anything that we do at WIDA, we're constantly thinking about how we can honor and not just celebrate.

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A tool to help you meet students where they are in their language development

The Can Do Descriptors highlight what language learners can do at various stages of language development as they engage in the following contexts:

Bilingual and English-immersion early care and education programs

Bilingual, Spanish-immersion and English-immersion K-12 language programs

Bilingual, Spanish-immersion and English-immersion K-12 content-area classrooms

Similar to the WIDA English Language Development Standards Statements, the Can Do Descriptors describe what learners can do with language across different content areas. Although the Can Do Descriptors relate to the ELD Standards Statements, they don't replace them but are used to supplement the standards statements during instruction.

Educators and early childhood practitioners can use the Can Do Descriptors to

Better understand what students at different levels of language proficiency can do with language

Expand their understanding of what the process of language development can look like

Collaborate around scaffolding that students need to engage in content-area learning and develop language at the same time

Differentiate instruction and classroom assessment for language

Interpret ACCESS for ELLs test scores

The Can Do Descriptors have not yet been updated to reflect the 2020 Edition; however, they remain available as a valuable tool for communicating with stakeholders about what students can do at each language proficiency level. WIDA is monitoring educator use to help inform the timing for updating the materials.

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A tool to help you meet students where they are in their language developmentThe Can Do Descriptors highlight what language learners can do at various stages of language development as they engage in the following contexts:

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Strategy Overview

How This Strategy Supports Language Development

A sentence pattern chart sequences each component of a sentence and provides words that students can put together to communicate their own ideas. Charts can include images, icons, and examples for student modeling.

These charts build students' ability to speak and write with 'sentence patterns' that can be used in multiple contexts. A sentence patterning chart can make students' speech and writing more structured and accurate.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Make a table that contains columns for the essential elements of the sentence pattern students will need to communicate about the topic: nouns, verbs, and details (adjectives, adverbs, prepositions).

2. In each column, provide a list of possible content-specific words or phrases.

3. Have students speak or write in sentences using the chart.

Lessons Learned

Choose a model sentence with the pattern students will be practicing from a familiar text or context.

Work with the students to list additional words and phrases for each column.

Model the first few sentences for students.

Point out the explicit sequencing of the parts of the sentence (e.g., an adjective goes before a noun, an adverb can go before or after the verb).

While the columns can be labeled with linguistic terms (nouns, verbs, prepositional phrases, etc.), teachers do not need to spend a lot of time teaching those terms to students in early phases of English acquisition.

Start with an image to build comprehension of the words and phrases in the chart.

Differentiation

Entering/Emerging

Include a visual for each of the words and phrases on the chart (e.g., pictures of the nouns, picture for verb actions, arrows to show preposition).

Use students' heritage language as needed.

Offer sentence pattern charts with simple sentence structures (noun, verb, object).

Begin with the Picture Word Induction Model to build sentence patterns with a detailed image.

Developing

Create sentence pattern charts for more complex sentence structures such as those that start with a dependent clause (e.g. Although...; While...; Since...)

Have students contribute more of the words and phrases to the chart for each column.

Expanding

Choose a lengthy complex sentence from the text used in class. Have advanced students identify the 'sentence pattern' in that sentence and create their own sentence pattern chart.

Have students work in teams to complete the chart with possible words and phrases for each column in their chart.

Co-Teaching Considerations

Content or Grade-Level Teacher

1. Develop a grade-level speaking or writing prompt.

2. Write a grade-level model response.

English Language Development Teacher

1. Review the model response for one or two simple sentence patterns students will need to speak or write in their responses.

2. Create a sentence pattern chart with several columns.

3. Ask students for ideas for words and phrases to add to the chart.

4. Hold a discussion to reflect on how this strategy can be used in another class.

Examples

Type of chart

Sample charts

Chart w/ visuals

Sentence examples

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Strategy OverviewHow This Strategy Supports Language DevelopmentA sentence pattern chart sequences each component of a sentence and provides words that students can put together to communicate their own ideas. Charts can include images, icons, and examples for student modeling.These charts build students' ability to speak and write with 'sentence patterns' that can be used in multiple contexts.

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Strategy OverviewHow This Strategy Supports Language DevelopmentSentence frames and sentence starters are a helpful way to support students’ academic language development both in their writing and speaking by prompting students to discuss content with more complex structures and thinking. Using these structures allows students to focus on the content concepts or skill without providing the answers. They also indirectly teach how content-specific language appears in context.Sentence frames can be used for writing and in discussions.

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In my last post, I shared briefly about a strategy that I use to build vocabulary for my beginning English Language Learners (ELLs) called the K.I.M. Strategy. Today I want to share with you in more detail about what this strategy is, why I use it, and how I differentiate it to meet the needs of ALL students.

The K.I.M. Strategy is a low prep, high yield strategy that supports ALL levels of learners across ALL content areas. Now, you can't get much better than that!

What is it? It's a direct vocabulary instruction strategy. The acronym stands for Key word, Important information, Memory clue and S entence. I have my students do this right inside their notebooks (no-prep), but you could also use a graphic organizer or vocabulary booklet (low-prep).

Why I use it! I use it because it's effective in building vocabulary, and my students enjoy it. As vocabulary grows, so does comprehension. I teach English language learners who happen to be of low socio-economic status. Those are two subgroups who come to school with significantly lower vocabulary knowledge than their English only and higher SES peers. I believe explicit vocabulary instruction is a crucial component of instruction, especially for kids in these subgroups. However, as we know, every child benefits from direct and purposeful vocabulary instruction. I say purposeful because looking up definitions in a dictionary is not purposeful, or meaningful, IMO.

How I use it! In my students' notebooks, I have designated a section to vocabulary. This includes notebooks across content areas (math, science & social studies).

The K.I.M. Strategy format is easily modified to meet the needs of students. For example, my beginning English language learners build their basic vocabulary using K.M.S. because they are new to the language, I do not have them add "Important information;" I simply want them to learn words and what they are.

My intermediate and higher students always include K.I.M., and usually add "S" for a sentence as a follow up activity.

A typical vocabulary lesson looks something like this... Before I give my students a word, I show them examples, pictures or drawings of the word. Then I'll say, this is a "_____." So, what do you think "_____" means? I let them explore the meaning first based on the visuals that I provide. I then steer them to the important information that they need to add in their notebook.

Here's a recent example with my 6th grade math group. They were starting a geometry unit and needed to learn some new vocabulary. I used the document camera to project my notebook.

The visual of my notebook provides them with a scaffold to ensure accuracy with their spelling and the "important information" of new terms. Memory clues and sentences are independent activities.

First, they drew 6 KIM boxes for their 6 new words...

... then, I drew various sized and shaped quadrilaterals on the whiteboard.

I said, "These are all quadrilaterals. What do you think a quadrilateral is?" Hands shot up and students shared their guesses. With teacher support, we narrowed down the information to the most important information. Students then filled in the Key word - quadrilateral, the Important information - 4 sided shape with 4 angles, then they drew a quick picture for a M emory clue.

Next, I drew several examples of parallel lines and told them that these lines are parallel. "What do you think the word parallel means?" Again, hands shot up. After that, a right angle, and so on...

On this day I did not have them write a sentence because of time constraints, but that could be a follow up activity at a different time or day.

When I do direct vocabulary instruction, I typically teach about 5 new words in a lesson, but that can vary. I also typically add a fun, kinesthetic activity as an exit ticket. Recently I needed to teach my students just 2 words, "ascending" and "descending." We did the K.I.M. Strategy for those 2 terms, then towards the end of class we did a quick human number line activity! I passed out index cards with a percent written on each, then told them to get into "ascending" order. Once that was complete, I mixed them up and told them to get into "descending" order.

For the follow up activity of the geometry terms, I wrote each term on an index card, and corresponding pictures on another. I randomly passed out all the cards and told them to find the classmate who has the matching term or picture for their card, then stand next to each other. That was their exit ticket for that day.

We are a good ways into the school year now, so my students know the process and expectations of using the K.I.M. strategy, however, when the strategy was first introduced, I did provide an anchor chart for students to use as a reference.

If you are looking for a new way to incorporate direct vocabulary instruction into your lessons, I think you'll find this strategy to be effective, engaging and super easy to implement. I also think that your students will find it to be a fun way to learn new vocabulary. It's my go-to strategy this year for teaching new vocabulary.

If you have a great strategy for direct vocabulary instruction, I'd love to hear about it!

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K.I.M. - A Highly Effective Strategy to Build Vocabulary Across Any Content Area

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In my last post, I shared briefly about a strategy that I use to build vocabulary for my beginning English Language Learners (ELLs) called the K.I.M. Strategy. Today I want to share with you in more detail about what this strategy is, why I use it, and how I differentiate it to meet the needs of ALL students.

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What are talk moves?
"in a project designed to improve mathematical achievement of ELLs and other ethnic and linguistic minority students, Chapin, O'Connor, and Anderson (2009) found that careful scaffolding of classroom discussions was a key to success. Through the context of discussions, students were able to develop logical reasoning and learned how to make and support arguments. Although their work is centered on mathematics instruction, the principles and strategies work across content areas."

The five talk moves that the authors found to be effective are:
​1. Revoicing- Revoicing is when the teachers repeats what the student says. This is used when what the student said was unclear. The teacher will always ask the student if what they repeated what correct. (" So you're saying...")
2. Repeating- Repeating is simply asking the student to repeat what another student said. ( ​"Can you repeat what he or she just said in your own words?")
3. Reasoning- Reasoning is asking the student to use their own reasoning to another students response. It is important that no opinions be involved by the teachers, and that the teacher follows up with asking "Why?" This develops the students thinking as to why they agree or disagree. (" Do you agree or disagree? Why?")
4. Adding on- Adding on is a way to get the students to participate further in the discussions. This is a great move to get the students engaged by asking for additional input. ("Would someone like to add something more to this?")
​5. Waiting- Waiting is also called wait time. Wait time is used to ensure that students have time to think about their response and gather their thoughts before sharing with the class. ("Take your time... we'll wait...")

Wright, W. E. (2010). Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy,
and Practice. Caslon Inc.
Pages 158-159

"The authors also describe three productive talk formats teachers use to configure classroom interactions for instruction: (1) whole-class discussion, (2) small-group discussions, and (3) partner talk. They emphasize that these talk moves and use of these talk formats must be based on the principles of establishing and maintaining a respectful, supportive environment; keeping the talk focused on the targeted topic or concept; providing for equitable participation for all students in the classroom talk; and explaining expectations for new forms of talk," (Wright, 2010).

​Wright, W. E. (2010). Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy,
and Practice

Talk moves can be used across all content areas. They can be used in reading, mathematics, science, social studies, etc. For each content area, talk moves can be used to enhance classroom discussion, and student engagement. Each of the five moves that are listed above can be asked in each content area. The five moves are all basic questions to get the students involved, and take an active part in their learning. These moves will also ensure that they students are learning the content because it going over the material a few times but in different ways, so that the students are remembering the information. This strategy also appeals to all learners because each of the talk moves is different, and if a student can't respond to one prompt, stating it in a different way may make that student comprehend better.

The video below is a short clip about what talk moves are like in a classroom with EL students. The instructor doesn't talk about all of the moves but he describes how he uses them to get the students involved and engaged!

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/student-participation-strategy#
The link above is to another video that is also made by the teaching channel. I think that this is an awesome video as well that shows the talk moves in action during a lesson. The teacher describes how the students use them to help one another learn the concepts, and back each other up with their responses!

This strategy works for EL students because it give the students more examples, and different explanations on the subject that is being discussed by the class. Talk moves in the classroom are set up so that they students support on another, and each student is respectful to each other. This is important for EL students who are developing their language skills because when speaking in front of the whole class it can be nerve wracking for them, and they may not feel confident. Talk moves are only productive in supportive and successful classrooms, so EL students can feel confident in their speaking, and their answers when presenting in front of the class, and not feel like the other members of the class are judging, or making fun of them for their speaking abilities.

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What are talk moves? "in a project designed to improve mathematical achievement of ELLs and other ethnic and linguistic minority students, Chapin, O'Connor, and Anderson (2009) found that careful scaffolding of classroom discussions was a key to success. Through the context of discussions, students were able to develop logical reasoning and learned how to make and support arguments.

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Improving Outcomes for Emergent Bilingual Students: Scaffolding Up

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by Valentina Gonzalez Imagine you have been prescribed medication with a daily dosage to help control your blood pressure. Let’s say 50 mL in the morning and 50 at night. However, you decide the pi…

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Comprehensible Input Demo for Language Rich Classrooms Training

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Zearn Math | Top-rated Math Learning Platform

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

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These Bilingual Glossaries and Cognates were created for educators, students, parents, and families in supporting instruction for our English language learners.