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English Language Proficiency Standards - these are important to include in the language objectives when lesson planning and for determining which language domains are begin addressed with the lesson.

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Proficiency Level Descriptors - these are important to refer to when monitoring the progress of the English learners. They also serve as reminders of what students can do at each level of proficiency within each domain of language.

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Bilingual and English as a Second Language Education Programs

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Bilingual and English as a Second Language Education Programs

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This website explains the different bilingual and ESL programs in Texas. It helped me understand how schools teach English learners in different ways and what resources teachers have to support them.

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The Emergent Bilingual Support Division provides direction and leadership with the implementation of Bilingual and English as a Second Language (ESL) Programs for emergent bilingual (EB) students/English learners (ELs).

Announcements

Check out the Emergent Bilingual Student Web Portal TXEL.ORG for continuously updated resources for Teachers, Leaders, Parents and families of Emergent Bilingual Students, and Community Partners.

Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) Guidance and Resources

Current School Year

2022-2023 Emergent Bilingual Support Update Meetings with LEAs and ESCs

The TEA Emergent Bilingual Support Division welcomes Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and regional Education Service Centers (ESCs) to join our English Learner Support Update Meetings. See our EL Portal for dates, meeting links, presentations, and recordings.

Program Requirement Resources

These resources, tools, and web pages provide guidance on bilingual and English as a second language (ESL) program requirements:

Program Requirement Resource Web Pages

Program Implementation

The TEA Emergent Bilingual Support Division has developed program implementation rubrics and associated tools to support LEAs with evaluating and enhancing their bilingual education and English as a Second Language (ESL) programs.

Program Statutes

The following statutes relate to bilingual and English as a second language (ESL) programs:

Title III, Part A - English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement Act

Title III, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as reauthorized under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), aims to ensure that English learners (ELs) and immigrant students attain English proficiency and develop high levels of academic achievement in English. Title III will also assist all English learners meet the same challenging State academic standards that all children are expected to meet.

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Bilingual and English as a Second Language Education Programs

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The Emergent Bilingual Support Division provides direction and leadership with the implementation of Bilingual and English as a Second Language (ESL) Programs for emergent bilingual (EB) students/English learners (ELs). Check out the Emergent Bilingual Student Web Portal TXEL.ORG for continuously updated resources for Teachers, Leaders, Parents and families of Emergent Bilingual Students, and Community Partners.

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This site has a full toolkit made just for helping English learners. It gives teachers step-by-step guidance, legal info, and teaching strategies all in one place, which makes it really useful for planning and support.

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The Office of English Language Acquisition’s English Learner Tool Kit.

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It’s practical and full of tools like checklists and videos that show how real schools support English learners. It’s helpful for someone designing or improving programs.

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The TEA Emergent Bilingual Support Division is continuously developing program implementation resources for Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to utilize in providing effective bilingual education and English as a second language (ESL) programs for emergent bilingual students that meet and exceed state requirements.

In Texas, there are six state-approved program models that can be implemented to support emergent bilingual students.

Dual Language Immersion Program Models

English as a Second Language Program Models

Dual Language Immersion One Way
A bilingual/biliteracy program model in which students identified as emergent bilingual students are served in both English and another language and are prepared to meet reclassification criteria in order to be successful in English-only instruction not earlier than six or later than seven years after the student enrolls in school.

Dual Language Immersion Two Way
A bilingual/biliteracy program model in which students identified as emergent bilingual students are integrated with students proficient in English and are served in both English and another language and are prepared to meet reclassification criteria in order to be successful in English-only instruction not earlier than six or later than seven years after the student enrolls in school.
Dual Language Immersion Implementation Resources Texas Effective Dual Language Immersion Framework
The tools created are broken down by levers:

1. Leadership & Family and Community Empowerment

2. Program Model & Design

3. Staffing & Professional Development

4. Lesson Planning & Methods

5. Curriculum & Resources

Visit our Dual Language Guidance Committee page to learn about the mission behind the work.

Transitional Bilingual Education Implementation Resources

English as a Second Language Implementation Resources

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Supporting Emergent Bilingual Students in Texas

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Bilingual Education and Dual Language Programs

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Bilingual Education and Dual Language Programs

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It clearly explains these program types, benefits, and how they help emergent bilingual students succeed in real classrooms.

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EDGEWOOD ISD OFFERS A VARIETY OF MULTILINGUAL SERVICES Edgewood ISD Multilingual Services provides leadership and support throughout all EISD campuses. Programs include Dual Language, English as a

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Bilingual Education and Dual Language Programs - Go Public

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Learn More About Bilingual and Dual Language Programs Offered by Independent School Districts and Schools Near You

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This website gives a clear explanation of how students learn a second language. It describes the stages of language learning and what teachers should expect at each stage. It helps educators understand how to support English learners as they develop their language skills.

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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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Comparing and Contrasting First and Second Language Acquisition:
Implications for Language Teachers 

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Comparing and Contrasting First and Second Language Acquisition:
Implications for Language Teachers 

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I chose this article because it explains how children learn their first language and how adults learn a second language. It helps teachers understand why students make certain mistakes and how to teach them better.

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English Grammar : Learn Rules of Grammar and Basics

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English Grammar : Learn Rules of Grammar and Basics

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I chose this resource because it offers a structured and detailed explanation of English grammar rules, which are crucial for understanding the language's structure. The clear organization and comprehensive coverage make it an excellent tool for learners aiming to strengthen their grammar skills.

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English Grammar: Learn Rules of Grammar and Basics - GeeksforGeeks

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Your All-in-One Learning Portal: GeeksforGeeks is a comprehensive educational platform that empowers learners across domains-spanning computer science and programming, school education, upskilling, commerce, software tools, competitive exams, and more.

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Grammar Bytes! Grammar Instruction with Attitude 

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Grammar Bytes! Grammar Instruction with Attitude 

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I chose this site because it makes grammar simple and fun to learn. The exercises help you practice what you learn, which is useful for building strong grammar skills.

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This grammar review site includes detailed terms, interactive exercises, handouts, PowerPoints, daily Twitter practice, videos, teacher resources, and more!

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the journey through time a historical overview of english language teaching methods

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the journey through time a historical overview of english language teaching methods

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This clearly explains how ESL teaching has changed over the years. It helped me understand the difference between old grammar-based methods and newer ways that focus more on real communication.

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I chose this site because it gives clear, real examples of things you can do in class to help students speak and listen better. The instructions are easy to follow and perfect for high school level teaching.

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I picked it because it’s an American, education focused site with clear, classroom ready ideas. The mix of strategies helps make speaking and listening lessons engaging and adaptable for all students.

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Traditional and Modern Methods of English Language Teaching

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Traditional and Modern Methods of English Language Teaching

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It shows how teachers used to focus mostly on grammar and memorizing, but now they use more fun and interactive methods that help students speak and understand English better.

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As the brief exploration of the history of language has pointed out, knowledge of a language comes from the acquisition of that language system, along with all its components: phonetics, grammar and vocabulary. With Latin being reduced to a dead language, social evolution and the various challenges in education brought forward languages like French and German, which consisted of complex forms and functions. The linguists of the nineteenth century (Claude Marcel and Francois Gouin) anticipated the countless changes that would impact teaching and learning and developed their theories on the workings of cognitive activity of students and their intellectual potential. Thus, considering the freedom of teaching and the great number of methods, there are numerous ideas that can contribute to effective acquisition of language by students and motivate them in this process.

The concept of method refers to the actual manner of teaching. Richards and Rodgers, in their book Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching define the term method as being an overall plan for the orderly presentation of language material, no part of which contradicts, and all of which is based upon, the selected approach. An approach is axiomatic, a method is procedural. Within one approach, there can be many methods... This comes to emphasise that the approach represents the level at which all the assumptions and beliefs regarding language learning are mentioned, whereas method stands for the level at which theory is put into practice, where the actual choices about the skills to be taught are made.

So, it is necessary to have a review of the most significant approaches in the development of teaching English methodology in recent history so as to have a better understanding of the development of language teaching in general, and grammar teaching in particular.

The most commonly used traditional method of teaching is undoubtedly The Direct Method. It is the method most of us are familiar with, as countless middle-aged people nowadays recall being taught in the manner of a 'military drill', which is not as far-fetched an idea as it seems. It was first developed in France and Germany at the turn of the twentieth century to assist soldiers on the war front to effectively communicate in a second language.

The Direct Method of teaching English, which is also known as the Natural Method, underlines the idea that only the target language should be used when teaching a new language that the students are trying to learn. Its main focus is improving oral communication and it is taught by means of repetitive drilling. The inductive method is used when teaching grammar and students are left to pick up the rules from the teacher's oral presentation.

Nevertheless, the abundance of methods used in teaching languages requires a more thorough analysis. Here are the most commonly-uesd methods that have shaped the manner in which languages are taught all over the world, as presented by Jim Scrivener in his book Learning Teaching:
a. The Grammar-Translation Method
The Grammar Translation Method is one of the more traditional methods, which dates back to the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, offering an insight into the grammatical rules in the process of translating from the second to the native language. It is still the predominant method of language learning in some cultures.

The use of this method relies on students spending a lot of time reading texts, translating them, doing exercises and tests. The position of grammar in a lesson using the Grammar Translation Method can be described as follows: long elaborate explanations of the complexities of grammar are given; grammar provides the set of rules for joining words together, and instruction focuses on the form and inflection of words; little attention is paid to the content of texts, which are treated as grammar meant for analysis.

In addition, as Brown stated in his book Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy ‚ in the case of using this method long and detailed explanations of the intricacies of grammatical rules and forms are supplied for students to memorize and apply the syntactic rules to other examples.

The conclusion that can be drawn from this is that grammar maintains an important position. However, its contribution to language learning has been limited, since the focus is not on speaking and listening in real-life situations, but on the language system itself, failing to generate the engaging nature in a grammar lessons. In spite of its wide use in some parts of the world nowadays, it is necessary to find new methods that provide innovations in language teaching.
b. The Audio-Lingual Method
The Audio-Lingual Method first appeared in the 1940s and the leading method in foreign language teaching in the 1950s and 1960s in an attempt to fill the gaps left by the Direct Method. Its techniques and activities continue to have a strong effect in many classrooms. It mainly focuses on listening to model dialogues, followed by drills and repetition, without the active involvement of the teacher.

The Audio-lingual Method, like the Direct Method, is an oral-based approach. It was equally based on linguistic and psychological theory, one of its main premises being the scientific descriptive analysis of a wide assortment of languages. At the same time, according to Skinner, in the Audio-Lingual Method, grammar is most important for the student; the teacher drills grammar, the student must repeat grammar patterns after the teacher.

With all its popularity, this method did not promote communicative ability as it paid more attention to learning by heart and drilling, while disregarding the role of context and real-world usage in language learning in general and in grammar in particular.

Thus, as a result of Noam Chomsky's theoretical attack on language learning as a set of habits, the Audio-Lingual Method is in rare cases the choice of teaching method today.
c. Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) or Communicative Approach
Developed in the 1970s, mainly as a reaction to the formal, dull and repetitive exercises used under the Audio-lingual Method, Communicative language teaching (CLT), also referred to as "communicative approach'', is an approach that most contemporary teachers would subscribe to as it focuses on interaction both as a means and as an end in the process of learning a language. The core belief in using this method is that learners will naturally acquire the language so long as they take part in meaningful communication. As Larsen-Freeman point out, in Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), grammar is taught as a means to help learners convey their intended meaning appropriately. The teaching of grammar can be managed either deductively or inductively but focuses on meanings and functions of forms in situational context and the roles of the interlocutors.

In Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), the teacher does not spend as much time on the structures of the language. He uses more time to encourage the learners to use the language. It frequently happens that communication activities such as games and puzzles, which are usually carried out in pairs or group, are recommended in teaching with little or no correction or intervention during the activity.
We can therefore conclude that grammar can be taught both inductively and deductively in Communicative Language Teaching. It is fact that some learners acquire new knowledge when they are provided with the context and then are presented with the grammar rules afterwards while others require the rule in order to comprehend the reasoning behind for the new grammatical structure. Its effectiveness comes down to the point of grammar that the teacher chooses to present.
d. Total Physical Response (TPR)
TPR (Total Physical Response) is a method devised by Dr. James Asher, using physical movement to react to verbal input in order to reduce student inhibitions and lower their affective filter. It allows students to instantly react to language without spending too much time thinking what to say. This helps in the case of shyer students and reduces their anxiety and stress. It is highly useful and recommended in the case of beginner and lower-level students. This method is oriented towards a grammar-based view of language. Asher states that most of the grammatical structure of the target language and hundreds of vocabulary items can be learnt from the skilful use of the imperative by the instructor.

In terms of grammar usage, TPR encourages learners to use grammar in their every-day lives, helping them gain the basic knowledge of a foreign language.

From all the above-mentioned methods, we can observe that throughout the history of language teaching, the ways in which teachers have approached the teaching of foreign languages have been subjected to enormous changes. Each method has its own sets of strengths and weaknesses, providing a 'recipe' for various practical classroom ideas and procedures. Using the right method in the right situation depends on various aspects related to the type, level and number of students in a classroom, at a particular time. Considering the content and the purpose of the lesson, teachers may choose to combine methods in a lesson as long as they meet the requirements of that class and are affective in their grammar teaching.

A great number of teachers nowadays would admit that they do not follow one particular method. While the methods themselves are useful in different situations, teachers prefer adapting them to their particular classroom situations. An integration of methods is a more likely scenario to be encountered in a modern language classroom.

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Traditional and Modern Methods of English Language Teaching

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As the brief exploration of the history of language has pointed out, knowledge of a language comes from the acquisition of that language system, along with all its components: phonetics, grammar and vocabulary. With Latin being reduced to a dead language, social evolution and the various challenges in education brought forward languages like French and German, which consisted of complex forms and functions.

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8 strategies for effective reading and writing instruction

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8 strategies for effective reading and writing instruction

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This gives clear, practical ways teachers can help students improve both reading and writing in the classroom. It explains steps like "Think Aloud" and "Teaching Pre-Writing" that make literacy lessons more hands‑on and easier to understand.

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Literacy is a foundational part of our personal and professional lives. As educators, we have internalized much of the reading and writing process. But these tasks can often feel challenging or nebulous to our students. Why is this the case?

Unlike solving a math problem, we can't always break down reading and writing into clear steps. As a result, teachers may struggle to find strategies to help students improve their literacy skills. So, they often end up assigning reading and writing as homework instead of teaching reading and writing skills and strategies in the classroom.

Learning to understand a poem or structure an argumentative essay is a challenge. That said, there are principles that teachers can apply to their instruction to maximize effectiveness.

The ideas that follow are not a quick fix. They are a menu of options that teachers can include, when appropriate, to make reading and writing lessons more impactful for students.

4 strategies for effective reading instruction

Because literacy is the basis for all learning, effective reading instruction is essential for student success in all subject areas. In order to support students' development of strong reading skills, there are several strategies that teachers can use to engage students and promote deeper comprehension.

#1: Think aloud

One of the most effective reading strategies is to think aloud. Teachers often forget everything that goes into understanding a text. Developing readers often don't know the mental work required to turn the words on the page into meaning. This creates an opportunity for teachers to model their thinking process for the class in a formal "Think Aloud." This is when the teacher reads a text aloud, pausing to explain her thoughts. It might sound something like this:

"Here, at the beginning of the novel, I notice that the main character is reflecting on her experience from high school, even though we're told that she is now thirty years old. This makes me wonder why the author has chosen to have the older version of the narrator tell the story-and why these memories from her teenage years are so important to her at this point in her life."

Thinking aloud requires practice, and it's alright if it doesn't succeed the first time. In fact, it can be good for students to see teachers struggle occasionally. This shows students that everyone can struggle with comprehension and may need to go back and reread portions of a text in order to understand specific details.

#2: Set a purpose for reading

This point refers to teaching whole class texts, whether that is an article, a novel, a poem, a play, or even a digital text. Students are more engaged in their reading if the teacher sets a purpose for reading. This can include a specific question to answer or a prompt to respond to. An alternative is to ask students to make a mark where something in the text is surprising or interesting, and to be ready to explain their choice in more detail when called upon.

The purpose for reading does not need to be complex, only focused.​​

#3: Write to learn

Reading and writing are recursive processes, which is why writing to learn is not only an effective writing strategy but is beneficial for reading comprehension, too.

In fact, reading and writing lead into and complement each other. Often, students will process a text better if they write about the text after reading it. One way to do this is with "quick write" prompts. This is when students are given a short period of time (two minutes, for example) to respond to a specific quote or question.

Another option is to ask students to explain how some part of the text relates to or differs from their lives, what surprised them in a text, what questions or topics they'd like to learn more about after reading the text, etc.

#4: Use visuals

Sometimes, visuals make all the difference. This is why things like sketchnoting can support readers by providing an outlet to create meaning through different forms of note-taking, including labels, structure, icons, and various pictures to help them process information.

Sketchnoting can help students capture key information from a text, remember it, and share it with others in a way that makes sense to them. It is a form of mnemonics, meaning it connects information with images, making it easier to remember what we've read or learned.

4 strategies for effective writing instruction

Similar to reading instruction, effective writing instruction provides students with a well-rounded education, and the right strategies can set students up with the communication skills and problem-solving abilities they need for success.

#1: Teaching pre-writing

Have you heard of "blank page syndrome?" This is when students stare at a blank computer screen or piece of paper. The cursor blinks, the pen twiddles, without a word appearing on the page.

Writing with fluency and volume is not natural for most people. Teaching pre-writing strategies helps students to get started so they can organize their thoughts and build momentum. Some examples of prewriting strategies include:

Listing questions the student has about an expository topic.

Listing opinions from many perspectives for an argumentative piece.

Using a plot diagram to outline a narrative.

#2: Sentence combining

Grammar instruction often overwhelms teachers just as much as grammar rules overwhelm students. One simple entry point is teaching students explicit techniques for combining sentences. Teachers can present students with sophisticated sentence structures, which lead to more sophisticated thoughts. The teacher can include terms and rules into these lessons because there is context for them.

#3: Studying mentor texts

Students learn to write by watching good writers and-in some sense-doing what they do. For example, are your students interested in writing editorials to share their views on an issue? Then the whole class can study editorials from popular news sites.

In the follow-up, students can then read a variety of editorials on their own. They can make lists of the structural and stylistic techniques that writers of the genre use. Furthermore, teachers can ask students to copy the style of good sentences from these mentor texts. This leads into writing full pieces in the style of mentor texts that the class has studied.

Shared writing is a highly effective instructional strategy that can be used to teach writing skills to students of all ages and skill levels. This approach involves the teacher and students collaborating to create a piece of writing, such as a story or an essay.

As the teacher models the writing process, students are able to observe and participate in the process of planning, drafting, revising, and editing a piece of writing. By working together with instructors and peers, students are able to learn from one another and receive immediate feedback from the teacher.

This collaborative approach helps to build confidence and motivation in students while also improving their writing skills. Shared writing also allows for differentiated instruction, as the teacher can adjust the level of support based on each student's or each group's needs.

Renaissance: Providing solutions for reading and writing success

Effective reading and writing instruction can be challenging to plan and deliver. With so many needs in a single classroom, a teacher needs a whole toolkit of strategies. There are no magic tricks for improving literacy, but there are guiding principles.

Renaissance offers teachers a variety of resources to support effective reading and writing instruction. Our solutions include:

FastBridge and Star Assessments, for reliable insights into students' current reading skills and instructional needs.

Accelerated Reader, to motivate and monitor students' independent reading practice and spark a love of reading.

The myON digital platform, which provides 24/7 access to thousands of books and news articles-along with embedded reading and writing tools.

Freckle for ELA, for differentiated practice on essential reading and writing skills across K-12.

Whether you're an instructor looking for greater insights into your students' needs and abilities, or you're looking for strategies to help improve their reading and writing capabilities, Renaissance's solutions provide instructors with the tools and resources they need to help their students develop the skills necessary for academic success.

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Reading and writing strategies for education

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Explore how these eight reading and writing strategies can help teachers set students up for academic success.

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I chose this site because it has a bunch of easy strategies teachers can use to help students read and write better. It shows what to do before, during, and after reading, and the ideas are simple and useful for the classroom.

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

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Different Varieties of the English Language

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Different Varieties of the English Language

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This provides a clear and engaging overview of how English differs across the world. It explains how accents, vocabulary, and grammar vary between regions like the UK, USA, India, and Uganda, making it easy to understand why English isn't the same everywhere.

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Different Varieties of the English Language | English Dialects

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There are many different varieties of the English language spoken and practiced around the world. We will take a look at a few key types of the language.

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The 7 Different Types Of English: A Learner’s Guide

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The 7 Different Types Of English: A Learner’s Guide

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This breaks down how English varies across the world. It explains the differences in pronunciation, spelling, and vocabulary between American, British, Australian, New Zealand, South African, Indian, and Irish English.

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English is the most spoken language in the world. I'm sure you know that. But did you also know that there are several different types of English?

I say "several" because it's hard to give you an exact number. Billions of people speak this language, and every English speaking country has its own unique way of using it.

In this post, we'll look at the 2 most spoken ones, American and British English, plus some other different types of English: Australian, New Zealand, South African, Indian, and Irish English.

You'll learn about some of the main distinctive features of each variety (pronunciation, non-standard grammatical forms, vocabulary, and other linguistic aspects).

I hope you'll enjoy the read!

You can use the table of contents below to skip straight to the different types of English you're interested in. Otherwise, keep reading to discover them all.

1. American English

American English is the most widely spoken language in the United States. That's not surprising, is it? What may be, though, is that since the late 20th century, American English has become the most influential variety of English around the world.

Let's talk about some of its most prominent features.
Pronunciation
How do American speakers pronounce words that contain the consonant sound /r/ such as "car," "force," and "before"?

Given that most American accents are rhotic, they pronounce all the "Rs" when these are included in the spelling of a word. ("Rhotic" is a technical term used to describe a type of English where the /r/ sound is pronounced.)

But there are also non-rhotic American accents.

Speakers of Eastern New England, New York City, and African-Americans usually don't pronounce the "Rs" except before a vowel. People who speak Southern American English, a regional dialect spoken throughout the Southern United States, often "skip" this sound too.

Some words written with a + consonant (e.g. fast, after, can) are typically pronounced with an /æ/ sound (the vowel sound you have in the word "bad").

In many varieties of American English, the words "writer" and "rider," can sound the same because the /t/ sound is often voiced. Some other examples of this:
Spelling
In American English, some words are spelt differently than British English. Let's look at some of these differences.

Most words ending in "‑our" in British English end in "‑or" in American English.

In American English, some words from French, Latin, or Greek that end with a consonant followed by an unstressed "-re" are often spelled with a final "-er."

In both British and American English, the last letter of a word is sometimes doubled when adding a suffix like "-ed" or "-ing," especially if the last part of the word is stressed. For example, "stripped" becomes "strip."

British English often doubles the letter "l" at the end of words even when the last part of the word is not stressed (travel - travelling / label - labelled). In American English, this doesn't always happen.

But here's where things get interesting.

Here's what I mean.
Grammar
In American English, the present perfect for recent actions and events is rarely used. Americans prefer the simple past when telling you about something that has happened to them recently.

Some examples.

Also, it wouldn't be wrong for an American English speaker to ask you "Have you ever..." questions using "did" instead of "have." So you may hear, "Did you ever see this movie?" instead of "Have you ever seen this movie?"

American English speakers will often use "gotten" as the past participle form of "got." Some examples.
Vocabulary
We'll see some particularities of American English vocabulary when we get to talk about British English, which will happen ... now!

2. British English

The term "British English" can refer to the English spoken in England or the English spoken in the UK.

Wikipedia says:

"Tom McArthur in the Oxford Guide to World English acknowledges that British English shares "all the ambiguities and tensions [with] the word 'British' and as a result can be used and interpreted in two ways, more broadly or more narrowly, within a range of blurring and ambiguity".

Let's keep things simple and use "British English" as a broad term that describes the language spoken in the UK, which includes:

English English (spoken in England)

Northern Irish English (spoken in Northern Ireland),

Welsh English (spoken in Wales)

Scottish English (spoken in Scotland)

Each of these varieties includes a range of different dialects too.

You may have also heard about "the King's/Queen's English," also known as "Received Pronunciation," "BBC English," or "Oxford English." This is a regional accent that's spoken by only a small percentage of Britons.

Let's look at some of the main features of Brtitish English.
Vocabulary
As I said before, some words in British English are different in American English. Here are some examples.

If you want to learn more about British English vocabulary, take a look at my post on British slang.
Pronunciation
The glottal stop is a sound that some British English speakers make instead of the /t/ sound. The glottal stop is made by briefly stopping the airflow in the throat.

For example, in some accents, people might pronounce the word "butter" like "bu - er," or "bottle" like "bo - l." The /t/ sound is replaced by this small stop.

People who speak Cockney, a dialect mainly spoken in London, use the glottal stop all the time. If you'd like to hear what the glottal stop sounds like, listen to Ricky Gervais, a popular British comedian.

He pronounces all his "Ts" with glottal stops!

In most areas of England and Wales, people see the "Rs" in the spelling but they don't pronounce them! So "car," is pronounced as "cha" /kɑː/ and "door" sounds like "dho" /dɔː/. Some more examples of this include:

Far is pronounced as "fah" /fɑː/.

Better is pronounced as "betta" /ˈbɛtə/.

Teacher is pronounced as "teachah" /ˈtiːtʃə/.

Star is pronounced as "stah" /stɑː/.

Park is pronounced as "pahk" /pɑːk/.

Grammar
Collective nouns are nouns that refer to a group of people, things or animals. For example, the following are all collective nouns:

In British English, these words are treated as plural nouns, not singular. So British English speakers would say:

In American English this rarely happens. So American English speakers would say, for example, "The team is..." or "A couple was watching us" (not "were watching").

Some verbs have irregular past simple and past participle forms that end in -t instead of -ed. Some common examples include:

"I never said nothing to no one."

Does this look grammatically correct to you? To me, it doesn't. The correct form would be "I never said anything to anyone."

But some dialects of British English use double negatives, so it wouldn't be so strange to hear "I didn't say nothing!" or, as Pink Floyd sang in Another Brick in the Wall, "We don't need no education."

Do you always use double negatives thinking it's a mistake? If so, don't you feel better now?

Let's now look at Commonwealth English, which is the English spoken in the Commonwealth countries, which includes Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, and Ireland.

3. Australian English

Australian English is the kind of English spoken in Argentina.

No, that's not true. I'm just being silly.

In the 18th century, people from Britain and Ireland moved to this huge island, bringing with them different dialects and accents. Australian English is the result of this mix of different varieties.
Pronunciation
There's no way an Aussie will ever pronounce the "r" in words like "car," "bar," "beer," "bear," "brother," or "speaker" unless there's a vowel sound coming after it. (They would, for example, make the /r/ sound when saying "after it.")

This is something I love about the Aussie accent. The /aɪ/ vowel sound in words such as "night," "lie," "my," and "find" sound more like an /ɔɪ/ sound.

So you may hear, "Oi foind the noight quoit scary " instead of "I find the night quite scary."

As with American English, the /t/ sound often sounds like a /d/ sound. So "later" might sounds like "leida" in Australian English.

Rising intonation (even for statements)

Australian speakers often use rising intonation at the end of sentences, even when they're not asking questions. This Australian comedian jokes about this aspect of Aussie English. (LOL!)
Vocabulary
Australians love using slang words. "G'day" is the most common, but you can learn 99 more by reading my post about Australian slang.

They also love shortening words! "McDonald's" becomes "Maccas" and "mosquito" becomes "mozzie." Again, you'll learn more about this when you read my post on the topic.
Local varieties
There are 3 types of Australian English: Broad, General, and Cultivated Australian English.

Broad Australian English has the strongest, most distinctive accent. Listen to Steve Irwin, Crocodile Dundee, or Mick Taylor from Wolf Creek (a popular Australian horror movie) and you'll see what I mean.

General Australian English is the one used by most Australians. Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman speak this variety.

Finally, cultivated Australian English is the one you'd hear on news programs across Australia. It's formal and neutral.

4. New Zealand English

New Zealand has 2 official languages: English and Māori. But you're here to learn about New Zealand English, right? So let's talk about this variety, which is one of the youngest ones of the English language.
Pronunciation
New Zealand English is very similar to Australian English. Like the Aussies, New Zealanders (also known more informally as Kiwis) typically don't pronounce the "Rs" in the middle or at the end of words, and they often use a rising intonation at the end of statements.

But there's a big difference between Kiwi and Aussie English: in New Zealand, vowel sounds are pronounced differently from how Australians (but also speakers of other varieties of English) might say them. "Six" for example, sounds more like "sucks," "pen" sounds more like "pin," and "ten" is pronounced very much like "tin."

I love the Kiwi accent. It's cute!

Fun fact: the New Zealand accent was rated as the "sexiest" accent in the world!
Vocabulary
Because New Zealand English has been influenced by the Māori language, New Zealanders use Maori terms like "Kia ora" (a term used to say hello), and "Aoteaora," which means "New Zealand."

They also use a lot of slang words. I was in New Zealand, and I can tell you that some of the most frequent ones are "bro," "sweet as," and "choice!"

I wrote a blog post about New Zealand slang where you can learn more informal terms like these.
Non-standard Grammar
The Oxford Dictionary says that New Zealand English has a second person plural pronoun, "yous," which is becoming more and more common, especially in Māori English.

Example: "Hey guys, what are yous doing tonight?"

Funny!

Okay, South African English now.

5. South African English

There are at least 35 languages spoken in South Africa. Eleven of these are recognised by the South African constitution as official. One of these is English.
Pronunciation
The South African English accent is often confused with Australian or New Zealand English. They're indeed similar. For example, "bed" might sound like "bid" because the vowel /I/ is not as "wide" as it is in other varieties like British English.

Also, unlike in British English, South Africans pronounce their consonants clearly and glottal stops are not so common.
Vocabulary
South African English has its unique vocabulary, like "veld" (field), "just now" (meaning "in a little while"), and "robot," a word South Africans use to refer to traffic lights - not to talk about machines that can wash dishes for you.

You'll also hear fun slang like "now-now" (meaning "soon"), and terms like "tackie" (sneaker).

6. Indian English

The English language was first introduced in India by the British during the colonial period. It then became the language of higher education. Today, English is still a key language in this huge country.
Vocabulary
Indian English borrows many words from local languages such as "biryani" (a type of Indian dish), "kurta" (a type of shirt), "curry" and "karma."

Indian English speakers also like to invent new words. Some examples include:

To prepone (the opposite of "postpone")

A lunch home (a small restaurant)

A speed breaker (a speed bump)

To pass out (meaning "to graduate," not "to faint")

Till date (meaning "up to present day")

Grammar
Indian English has unique grammar features too! Here are 3 of these.
1. Reduplication
To emphasise the scale or size of something, Indian English speakers double the adjective. For example:
2. Itself/only
Indians often use "itself" and "only" to emphasise time and place. For example:

"I'm in London only"

"Can we meet today itself?"

3. Yes/no questions
In Indian English, it's common to hear yes/no questions starting with a subject rather than an auxiliary verb. Like this:
Pronunciation
The Indian accent is unique and it's influenced by a great variety of local languages. One thing you may be pleased to hear is that in Indian English, the infamous "th" sound is often pronounced as a /t/ or /d/ sound!

Lastly, let's discuss Irish English.

7. Irish English

Irish English a variety of English spoken in Ireland, a country with fewer than 10 million people.
Pronunciation
If you'd like to speak with an Irish accent, here are something you can do:

1. Pronounce all the "Rs"when you see them (Irish English is rhotic).

2. Soften your vowel sounds so that words like "caught" sound more like "cot."

3. Pronounce "th" like a "d." (Speakers who have a Dublin accent usually do this.)

4. When you pronounce words that end with "ing," drop the final "g." So you say, "comin," not "coming."

Vocabulary
Here are some common examples of words that people use in conversation when speaking Irish English.

"Then" (used at the end of a sentence to show indirect agreement)

Example: Well, I guess we'll leave now, then.

"Grand" (meaning "excellent" to agree or reassure)

Examples:

That's grand, no need to change anything.

That was a grand meal.

The word "like" deserves special attention. Irish use this all the time! I have an Irish friend who uses it at the end of every sentence! He would say, "She's cool, like," or "I'm tired, like." He does this for emphasis, but he will often throw "likes" in the middle of his sentences.

Example: He was sitting there, like, waiting for the bus.
Grammar
Here are 3 non-standard grammatical forms in Irish English.
1. You/ye
The second person plural pronoun "you" might become "ye."
2. Use of -s in 3rd person plural
The 3rd person -s is also used in 3rd person plural.

Example: The kids always gets up late.
3. "Them" instead of "these" or "those"
Example: Them cakes look yummy! (instead of "Those cakes...")

FAQS About Different Types Of English

Different Types Of English - Yours!

Okay, we've talked about some of the different types of English without mentioning the most important one: yours!

You may have a particular accent, and your English may be influenced by the movies you watch, the people you talk with, the books you read, and even the courses you take.

Speaking of courses, at StoryLearning, all my learning programs are based on stories. You'll learn by listening, reading and, I guarantee, by having lots of fun!"

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The 7 Different Types of English - StoryLearning

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Did you know that there are many different types of English? In this post you'll discover 7 of the main ones and the differences between them.

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Inclusive Practices in Multilingual Classrooms

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Inclusive Practices in Multilingual Classrooms

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This gives simple, useful ideas for making classrooms welcoming when students speak different languages and come from different cultures. It talks about using multilingual books, classroom signs in several languages, and celebrating students’ cultural backgrounds to help everyone feel respected and included.

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Inclusive Practices in Multilingual Classrooms

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Making connections to the culture of the students you serve can reap great rewards!

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This talks about how thinking in more than one language can help students in diverse classrooms. The article explains why it's good to let students use their own languages and how thinking across languages can make learning deeper.

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Schools are microcosms of society, and as such they draw upon the multilingual and multicultural richness and heritages of the societies in which they are based, and of every individual that is part of their community at any one time. I have always been fascinated by the prospect of setting up a teaching, learning, leadership and social environment in the classroom and throughout the school that not only reflects and celebrates the multiculturality of every individual but also uses it to drive every aspect of the school's ethos and philosophy of education.

Designing a philosophy of education that offers every individual, at all times, the opportunity to multilingually across all areas of the curriculum and to co-exist as part of a multicultural classroom and school is one of the core principles that underpins the Joy of Not Knowing ™ (JONK ™ ) philosophy of education and approach to school leadership. There are many studies that assert the importance of establishing a multilingual approach to the teaching and learning process. For example, Marian and Shook (2012) state that 'today more of the world's population is bilingual than monolingual and note that this trend not only facilitates cross-cultural communication but also has a positive impact of an individual's cognitive ability. They explain in their paper The Cognitive Benefits of Being Bilingual (Cerebrum, 2012) that 'the bilingual brain can have better attention and task-switching capacities than the monolingual brain and that bilingualism can have 'positive effects across the whole age spectrum'. The authors also describe how managing multiple languages appears to have 'broad effects on neurological function' and lead to enriched cognitive control, improved metalinguistic awareness (ability to recognise and be playful with language), better memory, visual-spatial skills and creativity'.

It is also fascinating to note that research studies demonstrate that establishing a multi-lingual classroom benefits children. Dr Dina Mehmedbegovic, a lecturer at the Institute of Education, University College, UK discusses in an interview published on the Erasmus+ online platform (2016) the importance of communicating to children and their families that every language that a child speaks is important, part of the teaching and learning process and also part of the thinking about the future, their employability, enabling them to convert their linguistic capital into economic capital in the future. Marian and Shook (2012) conclude that the cognitive and neurological benefits they observed from bilingualism are 'not exclusive to people who were raised bilingual; they are also seen in people who learn a second language later in life'. This observation is further supported by Fan et al. (2015) which found a social advantage from merely being exposed to multiple languages, not necessarily from actively speaking those languages. Furthermore, Lauchlan et al. (2012) found that bilingualism has a positive effect on children's ability to think creatively and to problem solve. It is interesting to note that in Ariadne de Villa's (2017) article entitled Critical Thinking in Language Learning and Teaching , critical thinking is seen as an essential tool for second language acquisition. The ability to thrive in a multilingual learning environment is increased if the children are able to develop their critical thinking skills. These studies suggest that there is a symbiotic relationship between critical thinking and a multilingual learning environment i.e. they both complement each other. This article concludes with a range of studies that support the theory of incorporating a multilingual approach to education.

The JONK approach defines three principal means by which practitioners can integrate a multilingual thinking approach to their everyday teaching and learning routine. It suggests that all tasks can be presented in a way that enables the student to:

complete the task in one language and then in another language(s)

use the entire repertoire of language(s) and cultural heritage that they possess to think and engage with a task, where each of the languages is used within a prescribed and structured approach

use the entire repertoire of language(s) and cultural heritage that they possess to think and engage with a task, free from any pre-set conditions in which the language(s) is used.

In the first of these situations, a child for whom the main language of instruction represents an additional language to them, may prefer to write a poem or plan a story, for example in their first language and then translate the work into the language of instruction. This approach enables each individual to launch into a task by thinking and expressing themselves in the language that evokes the most emotion and provides the most meaning to them, from a personalisation of learning perspective.

In the second scenario the child is offered the opportunity to use more than one language when thinking about a task and engaging in the learning process. But the way that the multiple languages are applied is pre-determined, for example, if writing a poem, the structure may involve writing alternate verses in alternate languages or if creating a Mind Map that contains six main branches, the student is tasked to create three branches in one language and three in another.

In the third scenario, the child is completely free to use their entire repertoire of language and cultural heritage to think through and complete a task. There are no pre-set parameters or expectations. In solving a mathematical problem or checking the answer using an alternative method, for example, a child may use a cross-cultural approach, which could involve a different methodology to those being taught as part of the everyday curriculum.

It is fascinating to note that thinking, learning and co-existing in a multilingual and multicultural school environment offers numerous emotional, cognitive, social and neurological benefits in proportion to multilingual as well as to monolingual students, a perception that was wonderfully captured by Nelson Mandela when he stated that 'if you talk to a man in a language that he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart'.

Share your experiences with educators globally by joining the discussion below. How might these inclusive approaches be used in your classroom, or perhaps you have existing practice you could share?

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Chartered College of Teaching ¬∑ Multilingual thinking in multicultural classrooms Schools are microcosms of society, and as such they draw upon the multilingual and multicultural richness and heritages of the societies in which they are based, and of every individual that is part of their community at any one time.

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8 Strategies for Teaching Academic Language

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8 Strategies for Teaching Academic Language

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This gives clear, real world tips that help students learn the special language used in school subjects. It explains useful ideas like summary frames and teaching how to switch between informal and academic speech, making it easier for students to understand and use complex language in all kinds of classes

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

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Strategies for Teaching Academic Language to ELLs

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Strategies for Teaching Academic Language to ELLs

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offers a clear list of easy to follow teaching ideas tailored just for English learners. The strategies like using visuals, sentence frames, and vocabulary supports make it simple for students to understand and use academic words and phrases in class.

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Strategies for Teaching Academic Language to ELLs | Continental

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It’s important for mainstream teachers to know the basics of academic language and develop strategies for teaching academic language to ELLs.

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Language Objectives: The Key to Effective Content Area Instruction for English Learners

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Language Objectives: The Key to Effective Content Area Instruction for English Learners

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This clearly explains how to set specific language goals for lessons. It shows teachers how to link content (with language skills using steps like planning, modeling, and checking, making it easier for students to practice and learn both English and the subject.

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This article provides an overview of how to use language objectives in content-area instruction for English learners and offers classroom-based examples from different grade and subject levels.

This article written for Colorín Colorado provides an overview of how to use language objectives in content-area instruction for English learners and includes:

what a language objective is

steps that teachers can take to create language objectives

how to implement language objectives in a general education classroom

how to align objectives to content and language standards

ideas and resources on how to support teachers as they become familiar with this practice

how to use language objectives in distance learning environments.

Language Objectives: An Overview
Mrs. Shell has been teaching eighth grade math for twelve years. She has deep content area knowledge and wants to provide all of her students with authentic activities and tasks to relate the significance of the mathematical concepts that she teaches to their lives. Mrs. Shell has always felt successful at teaching her classes but this year has been different. Her sections include students with more diverse backgrounds than previous years, particularly more English learners. As Mrs. Shell was beginning to feel frustrated with her inability to reach all her students because of their needs, she learned about one way to make her content more comprehensible to all her students - creating and posting objectives that tell the students not just what content concepts they will learn in each lesson, but also the academic language they will need to learn and use to meet the state's math standards. With this knowledge, Mrs. Shell is now confident that she not only knows what to teach, but also how to teach it so that all her students can be successful.

Generally speaking, academic English is the language of schooling and the language that helps students acquire and use the content area knowledge taught in schools (Anstrom, DiCerbo, Butler, Katz, Millet, & Rivera, 2010).

Teaching content to ELs: The challenge

In my work supporting general education and ESL/bilingual teachers who provide sheltered instruction for English learners (ELs), I have met many teachers like Mrs. Shell. While these teachers want to provide effective instruction for their ELs, often they don't see themselves as language teachers and so they aren't sure where to begin with their students.

These teachers aren't alone, however, and they are facing a challenge shared by teachers across the country. We know that for school-age students, academic language is crucial for school success (Francis, Rivera, Lesaux, Kieffer, & Rivera, 2006). In addition, research allows us to state with a fair degree of confidence that English learners best acquire English when language forms are explicitly taught and when they have many opportunities to use the language in meaningful contexts (Goldenberg, 2008).

Yet while the explicit instructional support that ESL and bilingual teachers provide is essential to English learners' academic language development, English learners receive a majority of their instruction from general education and content area teachers who may not have experience teaching academic language development.

The question becomes then: What do general education classroom teachers need to do in order to support the academic English development of language learners in both face-to-face and virtual environments, especially when English learners are one of many types of students they serve?

Teaching content to ELs: The solution

One principle that teachers of English learners can begin to apply immediately is creating and posting language objectives for their lessons (whether in the classroom or online in a virtual space. Many teachers are familiar with using content objectives to identify what students will learn and be able to do in the lesson. However, they are less likely to include language objectives that support the linguistic development of their students.

Implementing language objectives can be a powerful first step in ensuring that English learners have equal access to the curriculum even though they may not be fully proficient in the language. This is because the second language acquisition process requires opportunities for the language learner to be exposed to, practice with, and then be assessed on their language skills (Echevarria, Short, & Vogt, 2008).

To this end, language objectives:

articulate for learners the academic language functions and skills that they need to master to fully participate in the lesson and meet the grade-level content standards (Echevarria, Short, & Vogt, 2008).

are beneficial not only for language learners but for all students in a class, as everyone can benefit from the clarity that comes with a teacher outlining the requisite academic language to be learned and mastered in each lesson.

Now let's take a closer look at some examples and how to write language objectives.

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Writing Language Objectives

Interview with Dr. Jennifer Himmel

Learn more about language objectives in this podcast interview with Dr. Himmel from Teaching Multilingual Learners, produced by Tan Huynh.

What is a language objective?

Language objectives are lesson objectives that specifically outline the type of language that students will need to learn and use in order to accomplish the goals of the lesson. Quality language objectives complement the content knowledge and skills identified in content area standards and address the aspects of academic language that will be developed or reinforced during the teaching of grade-level content concepts (Echevarria & Short, 2010).

These objectives involve the four language skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing), but they can also include:

Below are examples of language objectives for different content areas and grade levels. They come from the Common Core State Standards for Math and English Language Arts (2012) and state standards in New York and California.
Sources:
How do I create effective language objectives?

Dr. Cindy Lundgren discusses the process of writing language objectives in this excerpt from her Meet the Expert interview.

Language objectives are directly correlated to content objectives. Once a teacher determines the lesson topic from the appropriate content standards, the teacher will want to begin thinking about the academic language necessary for English learners to complete the tasks that support the content objectives. This identification of the academic language embedded in the lesson's content will become the basis for the lesson's language objectives.

You can use the following guidelines to start thinking about appropriate language objectives for the lesson:

1. Decide what key vocabulary, concept words, and other academic words students will need to know in order to talk, read, and write about the topic of the lesson. Those words might be taught as a language objective. They should include technical terms, such as ecosystem, and terms like distribution that have different meanings across content areas. Other terms to highlight are those that language learners may know in one context, such as family (as in parents, siblings, etc.), but that have a different use in science (e.g., family of elements in the periodic table).

2. Consider the language functions related to the topic of the lesson (e.g, will the students describe, explain, compare, or chart information). See your state English Language Proficiency (ELP) standards for examples of these functions for English language arts, math, science, and social studies for all English proficiency levels and grade-level clusters.

3. Think about the language skills necessary for students to accomplish the lesson's activities. Will the students be reading a textbook passage to identify the stages of mitosis? Are they able to read a text passage to find specific information? Will they be reporting what they observe during a scientific demonstration to a peer? Do they know how to report observations orally? Acquiring the skills needed to carry out these tasks might be the focus of a language objective.

4. Identify grammar or language structures common to the content area. For example, many science textbooks use the passive voice to describe processes. Additionally, students may have to use comparative language to analyze two related concepts. Writing with the passive voice or using comparative phrases might be a language objective.

5. Consider the tasks that the students will complete and the language that will be embedded in those assignments. If students are working on a scientific investigation together, will they need to explain the steps of the procedure to one another? The language objective might focus on how to explain procedures aloud.

6. Explore language learning strategies that lend themselves to the topic of the lesson. For example, if students are starting a new chapter in the textbook, the strategy of previewing the text might be an appropriate language objective.

(Adapted from Short, Himmel, Gutierrez, & Hudec, 2012. Used with permission.)

Aligning Language Objectives and Standards

English Language Proficiency (ELP) standards

Developing appropriate language objectives for lessons involves becoming familiar with a state's content area and ELP standards. Whereas the content standards will provide the topic of the lesson and what exactly the students should be doing with that topic (e.g., solving problems, creating models, ranking ideas), the English language proficiency or development standards help to identify language skills and functions that students should be working on to achieve academic language fluency. These ELP standards can help to identify:

English Language Arts (ELA) standards

Other resources in addition to the ELP standards are a state's English Language Arts standards or the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History, Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects (CCSS). The English Language Arts and Literacy CCSS might be especially useful to teachers of English learners due to its attention to literacy across the content areas.

Additional resources to consult, especially if a state is a member of the WIDA consortium, are the Model Proficiency Indicators (MPIs) outlined in their ELP standards. The MPIs outline what an English learner at a specific level of English language proficiency can do in a language domain (e.g., listening) by addressing the language functions embedded in an example topic for that content area with appropriate scaffolds or support (Gottlieb, Cranley, & Cammileri, 2007). Classroom texts and other materials (e.g., science investigations, primary source documents) are other good sources to consult when preparing a lesson.

Getting Started

How can I get started?

Careful lesson planning

In creating measureable and student-friendly language objectives that support the content objectives, it is important that learner tasks in the lesson are aligned with the objectives. It is not enough to have well-written objectives that promote language acquisition if the lesson is lacking in tasks that support the objectives. If the language objective for a middle school social studies lesson is for the students to orally retell the key characteristics in a historical event using sequential language, it is important that the teacher previews sequential language with the students, such as providing sentence stems or frames, and builds into the lesson some structured pair work so the students have an opportunity to retell the event to a peer. Therefore, careful lesson planning is another essential step in preparing effective language objectives.

Collaboration

It is also useful for content area and ESL/bilingual teachers to plan lessons together, as we saw with the 7th grade science lesson scenario involving Mr. Zhang and Mr. Lewis. In this co-planning scenario, each teacher used his expertise to better integrate content and language instruction for the language learners. This type of collaboration can help a teacher like Mr. Zhang learn more about the second language acquisition process of his students and can help a teacher like Mr. Lewis become more familiar with the grade-level content expectations that his English learners encounter in content area classes.

How do I know which language objectives are best for my students?

The language objective that the teacher selects will depend on what the English learners in the class need most at that point in the year and what language is most important to understanding the content concepts. If the students have already spent a good deal of time working with new vocabulary, then the teacher might consider having students use that vocabulary to develop their writing skill by writing a summary of the process they followed.

Conversely, the teacher might want to help students become more proficient with a particular type of graphic organizer in order to develop more strategic language learning. As all teachers know, teaching is a dynamic and complex process that requires a multitude of decisions to be made. However, the advance planning required in creating language objectives allows teachers to better anticipate the academic English needs of all students thus increasing the comprehensibility of the lessons.

It is important for teachers to realize that even though their lesson may include all four language skills (it is good if they do, since the language skills reinforce one another), they do not need to post a language objective for every language-related item addressed in the lesson. Teachers address many instructional needs in a 50- or 60-minute class period. Rather than highlighting all language uses in a particular lesson, it is important for the teacher to think about what is non-negotiable in that lesson.

In other words, the teacher should keep the perspective of the English learner in mind and ask, "Of all of the skills and functions addressed in my lesson, which is most important for helping students meet the grade-level standard and develop their language proficiency?" These objectives then must be measureable (i.e., can you see or assess the student's mastery of that objective?) and written in language that accounts for the linguistic and cognitive development of the students.

How can I make language objectives "student-friendly"?

Both of the above objectives are measurable, but both also take into account appropriate developmental stages of the students. Teachers of young students (e.g., PK or K) may even want to consider further adapting the objectives. For example, we have seen kindergarten teachers use symbols such as a pencil to symbolize "write" and a mouth to symbolize "talk" when they post their objectives for the children to see. We have also seen teachers of young learners rely on pictures to show the key terms they want the students to use or to convey the topic of the lesson (e.g., a picture of a ruler and of hands to discuss standard and non-standard measurement).

One way that teachers can ensure that their language objectives are measureable and student-friendly is by using appropriate verbs. Because language objectives should provide students with practice in the four language skills of reading, writing, listening, and speaking, verbs related to those skills might include, but are not limited to, the following:

List

Retell

Summarize in writing

Record

Read

It is also important to not equate low language proficiency with limited cognitive ability. Therefore, teachers will want to make sure that the language objectives they create also reflect tasks that fall on the higher end of Bloom's Taxonomy and use verbs (e.g., orally justify) accordingly.

As noted above in the guidelines to creating language objectives, language functions are also a potential source for language objectives. Verbs related to language functions might include:

When should I share language objectives with students?

To help students take ownership of their learning and provide explicit direction to students, especially the English learners who are processing content in a new language, it is important that objectives be stated at the beginning of the lesson and reviewed with the students at the end of the lesson to allow them to assess if they have met the objectives (Echevarria, Vogt & Short, 2008).

How this happens may differ according to the grade level and content area of the class. Some teachers like to have the students choral read the objectives, while teachers of older students sometimes have them record the language objectives in their journal in addition to asking an individual student to read them aloud. Some teachers, such as those who teach science, like to reveal the objectives later in the lesson, perhaps after the warm up or exploratory activity, so that they can maintain an inquiry-based approach (Echevarria & Colburn, 2006).

Should I differentiate language objectives based on my students' language proficiency?

Although all teachers have students of varying language proficiency and skill levels in their classes, it is not necessary to differentiate language objectives by creating and posting multiple language objectives that reflect these proficiency levels. Rather, teachers should have one language objective that is appropriate for all students to meet. To provide the appropriate differentiation, the teacher would provide different scaffolds (e.g., adapted text, visuals, sentence frames) for students to use in order to reach the objectives.

For example, an appropriate language objective for an upper elementary language arts class might be for the students to be able to orally list text features found in a non-fiction book. For lower proficiency language learners, the teacher may give them a word bank from which to choose the text features; therefore, the students are meeting the same objective but with the appropriate amount of linguistic support from the teacher.

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Using language objectives in a distance learning environment

While teachers like Ms. Shell understand that the characteristics of good teaching for English learners does not change in a virtual environment, they do understand that instruction will necessarily need to look different in order to account for the challenges that distance learning presents for many learners.

Accordingly, teachers will need to think through how to:

Presenting language objectives

Many different ways exist for teachers to present language objectives in remote learning. For example, teachers might:

begin every virtual class by orally reading and presenting the content and language objectives in their Google slides and then asking students to briefly summarize in the chat box the activities they will be doing in that lesson to meet those objectives.

post the objectives at the top of a shared digital document that serves as a capture sheet for the lesson. A teacher might then ask learners to self-assess their progress towards meeting those objectives at the end of the document.

use live or recorded videos, especially when working with English learners with lower English proficiency. These videos can include props, for example ears to signify a listening objective.

use realia, such as rocks, if one of the lesson's language aims is for students to orally describe different types of sedimentary rocks.

Monitoring student understanding and engagement

Teachers in distance learning environments must also carefully consider how they will assess learner understanding and engagement throughout the lesson. Given the challenges virtual learning platforms present towards capturing data on learner comprehension (e.g., paralinguistic cues such as facial expressions, gestures, posture) teachers working in virtual environments know that it is more important than ever to ensure that students clearly understand the content and linguistic aims for each lesson.

Using comprehension checks and assessing progress

It is also essential that students understand how teachers will measure their progress towards meeting each objective. Towards this aim, teachers must build in multiple comprehension checks throughout the lesson that align to the lesson's objectives. Teachers can:

At the conclusion of a lesson, teachers can assess student progress towards meeting objectives via:

tickets out that are submitted digitally

the recording of a Flipgrid or use of another video platform where learners respond to a prompt that requires learners to use the academic language highlighted in the lesson's objectives.

Teachers can respond to the submitted tickets out or video with feedback that explicitly targets the students use of the language. When appropriate, teacher can provide learners with additional resources and/or support towards mastering that particular language skill or function. Teachers might also use that linguistic data to inform mini-lessons conducted to small groups of English learners during office hours or intervention time.

Next Steps

How can I learn more?

For more information on the SIOP Model, see Making Content Comprehensible for English Learners: The SIOP Model (Echevarria, Short, & Vogt, 2008).

Although language objectives can be implemented in any lesson design approach, they are especially congruent with sheltered instruction and the SIOP Model. Since language objectives ensure that teachers meet the unique linguistic needs of English learners, they are sometimes easier to implement in the context of instructional practices espoused by the SIOP Model.

Practices that focus on explicit academic language teaching include:

Below are other resources that can help you learn more about creating language objectives and about integrating academic language into content area classes.

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Final Thoughts

We realize that it takes teachers some time to become very comfortable with creating language objectives, but our experience has shown that the implementation of language objectives can bring immediate benefits to instruction. Some immediate benefits include teachers understanding more concretely that they are both a content area and language teacher - as one teacher said in a CAL SIOP Model workshop, "I now see myself as a math teacher AND a language teacher".

We have also observed that when teachers consciously plan to meet the academic English needs of their learners, they end up with better planned learner tasks, and students begin to have more ownership of their content area and language learning. When it comes to building proficiency in academic English, as many teachers in our workshops remind us, "If you want to see it, you have to teach it." Therefore, if teachers want to see language development, language objectives are a great first step in helping teachers explicitly teach it.

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Recommended Resources

Further reading

Short, D., Himmel, J., Gutierrez, S., & Hudec, J. (2012). Using the SIOP Model: Professional development for sheltered instruction. Washington, DC: Center for Applied Linguistics.

Echevarria, J., Vogt, M.E., & Short, D. (2010). The SIOP Model for teaching mathematics to English learners. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Echevarria, J., & Short, D. (2011). The SIOP Model: A professional development framework for a comprehensive school-wide intervention. Center for Research on the Educational Achievement and Teaching of English Language Learners (CREATE) Brief. http://www.cal.org/create/resources/pubs/professional-development-framework.html

Himmel, J., Short, D., Richards, C., & Echevarria, J. (2009). Using the SIOP Model to improve middle school science instruction. Center for Research on the Educational Achievement and Teaching of English Language Learners (CREATE) Brief. http://www.cal.org/create/resources/pubs/siopscience.html

Short, D., Vogt, M., & Echevarria, J. (2010a). The SIOP Model for teaching history-social studies to English learners. Boston: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon.

Short, D., Vogt, M., & Echevarria, J. (2010b). The SIOP Model for teaching science to English learners. Boston: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon.

Vogt, M.E., Echevarria, J., & Short, D. (2010). The SIOP Model for teaching English language arts to English learners. Boston: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon.

Jennifer Himmel is the Project Director for the National Center for English Language Acquisition at the Manhattan Strategy Group. She previously served as the SIOP Manager at the Center for Applied Linguistics, a non-profit organization for language education research, policy, and practice in Washington, DC. She has served as a curriculum developer and research associate for the U.S. Department of Education funded project, Center for Research on the Educational Achievement and Teaching of English Language Learners (CREATE) that is investigating academic achievement of ELLs in grades 4th-8th, and as a language testing specialist for the WIDA ACCESS for ELLs® language proficiency test. She currently manages the SIOP Model professional development service line and provides technical assistance and professional development in sheltered instruction to districts and schools.

Video Clips: Language Objectives

How to Write Language Objectives: Tips for ELL Educators

In this video from Syracuse, NY, Jesus Ortiz, a bilingual teacher, learns how to write a language objective from Areli Schermerhorn, a peer evaluator with expertise in ELL and bilingual education.

Dr. Cynthia Lundgren explains language objectives

In this excerpt from her Meet the Expert interview, Dr. Cynthia Lundgren explains the value of writing language objectives when teaching English learners.

Anstrom, K., DiCerbo, P., Butler, F., Katz, A., Millet, J., & Rivera, C. (2010). A review of the literature on academic English: Implications for K-12 English language learners. Arlington, VA: The George Washington University Center for Equity and Excellence. Education.www.ceee.gwu.edu.

Echevarria, J., & Colburn, A. (2006). Designing lessons: Inquiry approach to science using the SIOP Model. In A. Lathman & D. Crowther (Eds.), Science for English language learners (pp.95-108). Arlington, VA: National Science Teachers Association Press.

Echevarria, J., Vogt, M., & Short, D. (2008). Making content comprehensible for English learners: The SIOP Model. Boston: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon.

Echevarria, J., & Short, D. ( 2010). Programs and practices for effective sheltered content instruction. In California Department of Education (Ed), Improving education for English learners: Research-based approaches. Sacramento, CA: CDE Press.

Francis, D., Rivera, M., Lesaux, N., Kieffer, M., & Rivera, H. (2006). Practical guidelines for the education of English language learners: Research-based recommendations for instruction and academic interventions. Portsmouth, NH: RMC Research Corporation, Center on Instruction. www.centeroninstruction.org/files/ELL1-Interventions.pdf

Goldenberg, C. (2008). Teaching English language learners: What the research does-and does not-say. American Educator, Summer 2008, pp. 13-44.

Gottlieb, M., Cranley, E., & Cammilleri, A. (2007). Understanding the WIDA English Language Proficiency Standards: A resource guide. Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, on behalf of the WIDA Consortium.

Short, D., Himmel, J., Gutierrez, S., & Hudec, J. (2012). Using the SIOP Model: Professional development for sheltered instruction. Washington, DC: Center for Applied Linguistics.

World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (2007). WIDA English Language Proficiency Standards. Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, on behalf of the WIDA Consortium http://www.wida.us/standards/elp.asp

You are welcome to print copies or republish materials for non-commercial use as long as credit is given to Colorín Colorado and the author(s). For commercial use, please contact [email protected] .

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Language Objectives: The Key to Effective Content Area Instruction for English Learners

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This article provides an overview of how to use language objectives in content-area instruction for English learners and offers classroom-based examples from different grade and subject levels.

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Crafting Language Objectives for English Language Learners (ELLs)

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Crafting Language Objectives for English Language Learners (ELLs)

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This article shows how to write language objectives in a simple way. It helped me understand how teachers can plan what students need to say, read, or write during a lesson so they can learn both English and the subject at the same time.

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Ellevation: ML Program Management Tools for K-12

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The introduction of new standards for English Language Learners has resulted in an increase in rigor and a focus on academic language. With this shift, language service models that isolate language objectives from content, such as pull-out or ESL classes, are becoming less common as school districts refocus on language instruction that is embedded within high-quality, well-scaffolded content instruction.

When creating content-based language instruction, educators must develop unit and lesson content that allows ELs to access the same rigorous, standards-based, grade-level content. In particular, educators need to develop content-based language objectives, which clarify how students will develop language within content instruction.

Alison Balter, an EL leader from Lawrence Public Schools in Massachusetts, worked with Jordan Meranus to share effective strategies that she uses to develop language objectives and integrate them into lessons and units. Below we have outlined some of these key strategies.

What are language objectives?

Language objectives clarify how language instruction is integrated with content, and specifically identify:

1. The way ELL students will use language objectives to engage with the content of the lesson and accomplish the content objectives

2. The specific components of academic language (vocabulary, language structures, etc.) that students will need to learn to accomplish the language objectives

With advanced planning, language objectives help to identify the scaffolds that teachers must have ready to support differentiated instruction for their ELs.

How do I create language objectives?

When creating language objectives you should begin by clarifying and identifying the following:

Content objective - identify the content objective that you plan to supplement with language objectives. While you may not create a language objective for every content objective, Alison recommends that you identify the "power objectives", or essential objectives, within a broader unit and use those to create language objectives.

Knowledge of ELL Student Levels - build an understanding of students' language proficiency levels so that you know how to adjust the language objectives, differentiate instruction, and apply accommodations for multilingual learners.

Domain - identify the domain (Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing) that you plan to focus on. It often helps to think about what you are asking students to do (e.g., a debate-focused content objective would lend itself to a Speaking language objective).

Next, you will use this key information to craft a language objective composed of the following three components:

1. Language function - the purpose of the language or linguistic processes required in conveying a message, which includes a verb or action that describes what a student should do (e.g., identify, interpret, evaluate, describe)

2. Support - identifies the supports and scaffolds (sensory, graphic, interactive) that the students will need (e.g., vocabulary sheets, visuals, etc.)

3. Link to Content - the link to the content topic

Within this structure you will be able to adjust the language function and supports to match students' different language proficiency levels.

Content Objectives

SWBAT solve word problems involving unit rates

SWBAT justify their decisions based on unit rates in real-life scenarios (e.g., choosing which car to buy based on gas mileage in miles/gallon)

Language Objective -Levels 4-5
Create multiple paragraphs analyzing the effect of figurative language in a poem.

* Support was not provided, as most of the advanced students in this group were working at grade level.

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Crafting Language Objectives for English Language Learners (ELLs)

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The introduction of new standards for English Language Learners has resulted in an increase in rigor and a focus on academic language. With this shift, language service models that isolate language objectives from content, such as pull-out or ESL classes, are becoming less common as school districts refocus on language instruction that is embedded within high-quality, well-scaffolded content instruction.

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Math Instruction for English Language Learners

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Math Instruction for English Language Learners

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this article gives easy ways to help English learners do better in math. It talks about using pictures, hands on tools, and simpler words so students can understand math ideas without getting confused by hard English.

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Math Instruction for English Language Learners

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

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4 Strategies to Help English Learners Master New Math Skills

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4 Strategies to Help English Learners Master New Math Skills

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This offers practical and easy to understand methods to support English learners in math. The strategies focus on helping students understand math problems better and build their math vocabulary. They also encourage students to use their home language to think through problems, which can make learning less stressful and more inclusive.

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4 Strategies to Help English Learners Master New Math Skills

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Developing new math skills for students learning English means keeping them on grade level and building on their existing speaking, reading, and writing abilities.

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This offers practical and straightforward strategies to support English Language Learners in science classrooms. The tips emphasize the importance of using visuals, hands-on activities, and clear language to make scientific concepts more accessible. These approaches help bridge language gaps and enhance understanding, making science more engaging and comprehensible for ELL students.

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This guest blog post was written by my friend Becca over at Science Rocks! She is a terrific teacher with a lot of experience working with ELL students in her science classroom and I collaborated with her in writing this post. I think her ideas are full of fantastic tips for teachers who teach English Language Learners.
If you've been teaching for a while, chances are you have had some ELL (English language learner) students in your classroom. I've known many teachers that have panicked and asked me "how can I teach them science if they don't speak English?" I think many teachers tend to think they need to dumb down the content for these students. They aren't dumb! Your job is to make the content accessible. It's been my experience that ELL students are amazingly hard workers and are a blast to work with. My friend Bethany Lau over at Science with Mrs. Lau and I have created a list of best-practice tips for working with ELL students. We also have some helpful resources to share with you!

Tip #1: Get them talking! A quiet classroom is not conducive to learning a new language. Many students are scared to speak out loud in English, especially in front of the entire class. To help build their confidence, try small group discussions first. To ensure that every student has spoken to his or her group, give each student something color-coded (I use colored popsicle sticks from the dollar store). When a student speaks, they place their popsicle stick in the center of the table. It is easy as a teacher to walk around and monitor who is speaking and who isn't. Make it a requirement that each student has to speak at least twice during group discussions.

Tip #2: SLOW down when you are talking, and use nonverbal cues. This is much easier to do when you have all your ELL students together in one class, but when they are mixed with native English speakers we often don't realize how fast we are talking. It is really difficult for ELL students to process when you are speaking a mile a minute. So take a deep breath, slow down, and use your hands and other nonverbal gestures. Don't be afraid to act things out! Yes they will giggle, and yes they will love it.

Tip #3: Build vocabulary. When you teach new words, always make your students repeat the word out loud after you say it. And if they aren't loud, make them do it again. If you have a word wall in your classroom, go down the list frequently and make your students say them with you. To help students remember the definitions, discuss prefixes and suffixes to help them decode meanings.

Find fun ways for students to practice those new words. Instead of doing vocabulary worksheets, do vocabulary games instead! Bingo is an awesome way to review vocabulary words before a test. Create a bingo card from a free online bingo-card maker such as http://osric.com/bingo-card-generator/. Type in the words you want your students to learn and print a class set. Instead of calling out the words, say the definition and the students need to cover up the correct word. If they get a bingo, they need to say the words out loud in order to win a prize.

Tip #4: Utilize pictures. I used to try and translate parts of my power points into Spanish before the lesson thinking I was doing my students a favor.

I quickly realized that:

1. Google translate is frequently wrong

2. Many of my students could speak fluent Spanish but couldn't read it.

3. Even if they could read most of it, they didn't know the content specific terms in Spanish. Why would I want my students to learn the word "homeostasis" in Spanish AND English? Let's just stick with English.

Instead of translating, stick with visual pictures. Pictures are understood in all languages. Include them as much as possible in your lessons and power points. Make students draw pictures in their notes. Include pictures in all your articles you want students to read. A great pre-reading activity is to have students look at the pictures and captions in an article before they read the body paragraphs. Have them guess what the article is about based on the pictures and discuss with their neighbors (get those popsicle sticks back out). If you have a word wall in your classroom, make sure it includes pictures too! The more they see a picture associated with a new word, the more likely they will remember what it means.

Tip #5: Learn about their language and culture, and include it in your lessons when applicable. Students will have more buy-in to your lessons when they feel like their language and culture is valued. If you can connect their language to the content, chances are they will remember it better. For example, students use the term "liga" in Spanish to mean rubber band or hair elastic. When teaching "ligaments," discuss how they are stretchy unlike tendons. Students won't forget!

Tip #6: Use Manipulatives! Sometimes students need help learning how to structure their writing into logical paragraphs (even native English speakers need this too!) If you have sample paragraphs for them to learn from, you can print separate sentences out on separate lines, and cut them into strips. Then you can mix the sentences up and have students order them in how they should logically appear in a sentence! You can also do this for other parts of a lab report, like the procedure section or even the proper labels for a graph!

You could create your own writing structure manipulatives, or you can check out Bethany Lau's Lab Report Writing Activity Bundle found here. She has a set of activities with manipulative for each and every part of the lab report with a lot of examples for students to learn from.

Tip #7: Get them writing as much as possible. Data shows that when students take the state language proficiency tests, they struggle the most with writing. Find ways to get students writing on a daily basis. This could work in many different formats- just find one that works for you. Daily bellwork is a great place to start, as well as having students keep writing journals.

What should you have them write about? Check out these writing prompts from Science Rocks' store!

These were designed to be used before new concepts are taught, and allows the teacher to assess prior knowledge and check for misconceptions. When students are first learning English, allow them to write in their native language if they are able to and plug in English words that they know. Throughout the year as their language improves, you will see their writing transform from fragmented to fluid sentences.

Another great writing strategy for ELL students are sentence frames. For students still learning how to write a complete sentence, give them half the sentence first and have them fill in the blanks. For example, a hypothesis on a lab report for an ELL student could look like this: "If I change ___________, then I think ___________ will happen, because __________.

Tip #8: Model. And then model some more. As science teachers we tend to think of "modeling" as meaning "I'll show them how to do a lab before it's their turn." Modeling applies to so much more than labs.

1. Model reading strategies. As you read through articles out loud, stop and discuss. What was the main idea? What did you highlight and why?

2. Model writing strategies. When you assign those writing prompts, work through one with them first. Show them what a quality answer would look like.

3. Model behaviors. Many students will enter your classroom from different backgrounds. Behaviors that may have been acceptable where they grew up may not be acceptable in your classroom. If you want them to give a verbal presentation with eye contact, show them what a good presentation looks like first.

4. Model word pronunciation. Sometimes if students are nervous to say things in English, I have them teach me how to say the phrase in their native language first. Once they have giggled at my horrible pronunciation, they aren't so embarrassed to pronounce things in English.

Tip #9: Modify. Yes, one more thing to add to your to-do list. But it can honestly be as simple as cutting down the number of questions for them to complete, or adding pictures to an assessment. One of my favorite websites to find nonfiction science articles on is newsela.com. Not only is it free to use, but once you find an article you can change the lexile! That means all your students can be reading the same article but at a reading level that is assessable to them.

Tip #10: Use formative assessment frequently, and celebrate gains. It's important to check in with ELL students often. Many of them will take notes, smile, and nod during class, but only understood 20% of what was discussed. Exit tickets and note summaries are great ways to check in and see where they need help and what they have mastered. Make your exit tickets specific. Don't just say, "One thing I still need help with is..." but instead ask them to answer a specific question related to the lesson. This will help you group them by mastery and focus on the students that really need your help. Once they have mastered a new concept or learned new vocabulary, don't forget to celebrate! Let them know you are proud of them, and they will work harder in the future. If students feel like their hard work is recognized and celebrated, they will continue to work hard!

We'd love to hear stories from you about what helps your ELL students! Let us know in the comments!

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Ten Tips for Teaching ELL Science - Science and Math with Mrs. Lau

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This guest blog post was written by my friend Becca over at Science Rocks! She is a terrific teacher with a lot of experience working with ELL students in her science classroom and I collaborated with her in writing this post. I think her ideas are full of fantastic tips for teachers who teach English Language [...]

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ELL Strategies for Science Instruction: 5 Tips for Educators

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ELL Strategies for Science Instruction: 5 Tips for Educators

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This offers strategies to help English Language Learners succeed in science. The article emphasizes the importance of using visuals, hands on activities, and clear language to make scientific concepts more accessible. These approaches help bridge language gaps and enhance understanding, making science more engaging and comprehensible for ELL students.

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ELL Strategies for Science Instruction: 5 Tips for Educators

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If you teach science to English language learners (ELLs), you may be wondering how best to support their instruction in your classroom. The good news is that there are lots of ideas you can put into practice right away and that many of these ideas will also support success for all students. We have several tips for you in this article, along with links to recommended resources for further exploration. We have also included reflection questions you can use in your planning or in discussion with your team.Getting to Know Your StudentsELL Tips for Science TeachersPrint PDF >Before jumping into lesson planning, we can’t overestimate the importance of getting to know your students. Not only does this provide valuable information that can help inform instruction, but it creates a stronger relationship that can foster student confidence and independence in the classroom. Here are some things to focus on:Making students feel welcome: Welcome students with smiles, friendly greetings, and positive body language. Show respect for students’ languages and cultures, and learn to say and write students’ names correctly. Refrain from using nicknames or making comments about students’ names.Student interests: Getting to know your students’ interests can provide a springboard for connections to science content, such as sports, baking, wildlife, or technology.Daily connections to science: Although we don’t always “see” science, there are lots of connections you can make to daily experiences. The better you know your students, the more effectively you can make these connections. For example, students may know a lot about gardening or agriculture or be responsible for fixing equipment at a job. Students may take medication or help administer medication to relatives. And students are probably responsible for tech support at home! Students’ prior schooling: Students’ educational experiences may vary widely. While some students may have had consistent schooling, others may have had limited or interrupted schooling. Learning more about your students’ past educational experiences will help you identify areas of knowledge they have or need.Students’ language proficiency levels: Your students may have different levels of English language proficiency, and those levels may also vary by skill. For example, a student may be stronger in speaking than writing, or stronger in reading than speaking. Understanding this data can help you target your instruction more effectively.Reflection QuestionsHow much science instruction have your ELLs received in their prior schooling?How much do their levels of science background vary?What are some of their strengths related to science? What are some of their challenges?What are some practical ways your ELLs are using science in their daily lives?What are some of your students’ interests?Planning Your Science LessonHere are some high-impact areas to focus on as you look at how to support ELLs in your science instruction. You can also ask ELL colleagues, such as ESL teachers or specialists, for their ideas or guidance in trying these ideas.1. Identify target content, background knowledge, and skills.Target Content: As you prepare your lesson plan, identify key content and concepts students will need to learn. What connections can you make to other content or students’ experiences?Background Knowledge: Are there important areas of background knowledge that students already have? Are there topics where you may need to build background knowledge? You can find out what students know about certain topics by using graphic organizers such as K-W-L charts and concept maps.Key Skills: What key skills do students need to learn, such as measuring or making observations? Provide clear, step-by-step instructions in writing for new activities.Note: One strategy you can use to prepare students for new material is pre-teaching vocabulary and content. See an example of this in action in the “Super Secret Science Club” vignette below.2. Identify key vocabulary.What key vocabulary words do students need to know in your lesson?Academic words (photosynthesis, electron, plankton) Words with multiple meanings (uniform, class, desert, gas, table)Words needed to describe a process (observe, effect)Words needed in a lab report or experiment (hypothesis, conclusion)Homophones (cell/sell, weight/wait, son/sun, pistil/pistol)Words that students are likely to encounter in other settings (formula, prove)Measurement words (foot, feet, meter, grams, pounds, kilometers)You can teach these words through glossaries, user-friendly definitions, visuals, and sample sentences. Keep in mind that students need lots of opportunities to practice new words in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. You can see several ideas in our vocabulary-focused strategies from our ELL Strategy Library.Connecting to Students’ LanguagesStudents’ languages are a valuable resource for instruction — even if you don’t speak those languages! By learning how to make connections to students’ languages, you can tap into content knowledge and vocabulary that they may already know.Use multilingual glossaries, which may already exist in your content area. You can also invite students to create their own.Use cognates, which are related words in two languages (e.g., the English-Spanish pair biology/biología).Invite students to add labels to annotated diagrams in their languages and review their diagrams with a partner who speaks their language.You can also encourage students to brainstorm, write ideas, or hold discussions in their own languages and then share their findings in English.3. Identify language-based tasks.Academic language is the language of school and content-area instruction. ELLs may need additional explicit instruction to develop academic language, but this instruction can benefit all students. For example, there are all kinds of language-based tasks that students are expected to complete in science class, such as:Reading a non-fiction articleWriting a lab reportDescribing an experimentAs you read through the following tips, think about the language tasks students are expected to complete. What will those tasks look like when they are completed successfully? Here are some ways to help students meet that goal:Use sentence frames to model key phrases students need to say or write, such as, “___________ is a __________.” (Water is a liquid.)Break language-focused tasks, such as describing a scientific process, into steps. Focus on one step at a time.Share examples of the different types of writing or formats students are expected to use. For example, if students must write a prediction, share samples of sample predictions. Point out key features and phrases used in the sample. (If you don’t have samples readily available, you can use Artificial Intelligence, or AI, to generate sample texts around certain topics and at different reading levels. This is one way you can differentiate for different language proficiency levels.)Pay attention to students’ writing and speaking in class. What are some areas in which they need additional practice?Keep in mind that writing may provide additional challenges, even if students can discuss and describe something accurately. For more ideas on supporting writing in science, see our in-depth article Teaching Writing in the Content Areas: Research to Practice.Give students extra practice with discussion and presentation through peer learning activities, such as accountable talk.Use language objectives, which help target the language demands of the lesson. You can learn more about them in the videos featuring Mr. Jesus Ortiz below.4. Use hands-on learning.There are lots of ways you can bring hands-on learning to the science classroom, which can engage all students, including ELLs. These include:Project-based and inquiry-based learningScience activities in the school, community, or neighborhood (such as a school garden, neighborhood clean-up, or citizen scientist project)Field trips to parks, museums, universities, and other sitesGuest speakers who use science in their jobs, such as health professionals, public works employees, chefs, and engineersUsing books for children, middle grades, and young adults (see booklists below)Student InputIn addition, look for ways to engage students by teaching them to use strategies independently and asking them to pay attention to what supports their learning. You can learn a lot by asking students what is working (or not!). For example, in Long-Term Success for Experienced Multilinguals, ELL experts Beth Skelton and Tan Huynh share the following student response to the question, “What is your favorite class?” One student responded with the following:Biology is my favorite class because I love learning about science. I want to study medicine after high school. The teacher gives step-by-step directions for every project so I know exactly how to complete it. She also labels pictures and explains the concepts clearly. (p. 49)5. Try co-planning your lessons.If you haven’t collaborated with your ELL colleagues before, it’s ok to start small! They have valuable expertise and can help share ideas about how to support language development in the science classroom.For example, you could try co-planning a lesson, working together to identify:Target content: Key standards, concepts, topics, skills, or background knowledgeTarget language: Key vocabulary, academic language, and the language-focused tasks students will need to complete the lessonThe ELL specialist could walk the science teacher through this process several times so that it becomes a more integral part of the science teacher’s planning over time. After the lesson, the teachers could identify other areas of focus or clarification needed and share these insights with their colleagues.Co-Teaching Science LessonsIf possible, you may also wish to try co-teaching a lesson with your ELL colleague. There are several ways to approach this. For example, an ELL teacher may work with a small group of ELLs during a lesson, or the ELL teacher may deliver a mini lesson on key vocabulary to the whole class. If you’d like ideas, see Co-Teaching ELLs: 8 Strategies for Success. Informal collaboration can also pave the way for more formal collaboration time, which can benefit students and educators alike.Reflection QuestionsWhat ideas would you like to try from these tips?What kinds of strategies have been successful with your students in the past?Think about your own experiences in science class. Did you have models, examples, or explicit instruction from teachers in terms of the language or format you used for assignments?Sample Scaffolds and StrategiesThere are several ways you can scaffold new content and vocabulary. For example, let’s say you are teaching the water cycle. You could try the following:ActivitySample StrategyUse an annotated diagram, such as these multilingual diagrams from the USGS or this interactive diagram from PBS Learning MediaAnnotated DiagramsScaffold a text, such as these water cycle resources from National Geographic, NASA, and NOAAText EngineeringShow a brief video with appropriate scaffolds, such as captions, a graphic organizer, or subtitles, such as this PBS Learning Media videoUsing Multimedia with ELLsFor additional ideas, see this list of strategies from our ELL Strategy Library, which can be used to support science instruction for all grades:Bringing Content to LifeReading & WritingUsing DataChecking UnderstandingStrategies:VisualsRealia and ManipulativesMultimediaAnnotated DiagramsStrategies:Text EngineeringSentence Frames and Sentence StartersStudent-Generated Questions Sentence ExpansionSentence Combining Strategies:Charts and GraphsTeaching Map SkillsStrategies:Comprehension ChecksAnchor ChartsConcept MapsMatch, Sort, and OrderSketchnotesSee-Think-WonderGraphic OrganizersPicture RetellPre-teaching Content and Vocabulary Putting It All Together: The Super Secret Science ClubSeveral years ago, we had the opportunity to visit the “Super Secret Science Club” at Mason Crest Elementary School in the Washington, DC suburb of Annandale, VA.Created by fifth-grade ESOL specialist Katy Padilla, the idea was based on the strategy of pre-teaching content and vocabulary before a lesson. She came up with the idea of an optional club that would meet at lunch-time on Mondays where ELLs would have a chance to preview material for upcoming lessons, and Katy explained to the students that they would be the experts in their class because they had already started learning the new material.On the day we visited, kids would be learning about vascular and non-vascular plants. About eight ELLs ate their lunch and Katy went through a presentation filled with visuals of different kinds of plants and parts of plants. She also included images of objects the students would recognize, such as pipes, and — because they were at lunch — straws. The kids practiced saying and using the words, laughing and picking up their straws to take a closer look at them with new appreciation.Later, when the science lesson was delivered, it was clear that the preparation had worked — the ELLs spoke up confidently, raising their hands and using the new words. They also had opportunities to practice new language with the related sentence starters that Katy had prepared for all of the fifth-grade teachers, a tool that supported everyone’s academic language development. You can see Katy meeting with the fifth-grade team in preparation for the lesson below.Related VideosELLs Belong to All of Us: The Role of ESOL Specialists in CollaborationESOL specialist Katy Padilla plays a key role in advocating for ELLs throughout the lesson planning process and sharing her strategies for engaging and supporting students. How to Write Language Objectives: Tips for ELL EducatorsIn this video from Syracuse, NY, Jesus Ortiz, a bilingual teacher, learns how to write a language objective from Areli Schermerhorn, a peer evaluator with expertise in ELL and bilingual education. Coaching Conversations: Supporting New Teachers of ELLsThis video from Syracuse, NY highlights the coaching relationship between a first-year teacher, Alexandra Galán, and two ELL coaches, Erica Daniels and Lillian Zayas. The coaches and teacher discuss a science lesson the coaches have observed. Building a cereal dispenser with ELLs through the Rube Goldberg project4th-grade teacher Michelle Iadevaia tells the story of her English learners’ efforts to build a cereal dispenser through the Rube Goldberg project. Recommended ResourcesArticlesOpportunities and Challenges for ELLs in the Science Inquiry Classroom (Part 1)Communication and Language Strategies for the Science Inquiry Classroom (Part 2)Next Generation Science Standards: Offering Equitable Opportunities for ELLs to Engage in Science Rethinking Language Goals in Science with Three-Dimensional LearningSupporting ELL Instruction with AI: Ideas for EducatorsBooklistsAnimals and PetsAnimals: Bilingual Books for KidsEarth Science: Bilingual Books for KidsInsects: Bilingual Books for KidsOceans: Bilingual Books for KidsPlants: Bilingual Books for KidsReptiles, Amphibians, and Dinosaurs: Bilingual Books for KidsSeasons, Weather, and TimeScience Fun: Books for KidsScience, Nature, and the OutdoorsStars, Planets, and Space: Diverse Books for KidsThe Magic of ButterfliesWomen in Science and MathMiddle Grade and Young Adult Titles: Nature and the OutdoorsMiddle Grade and Young Adult Titles: STEM

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Preparing an Engaging Social Studies Lesson for ELLs: 12 Tips for Educators

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Preparing an Engaging Social Studies Lesson for ELLs: 12 Tips for Educators

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This article gives easy tips to make social studies fun and clear for English learners. It talks about using pictures, simple words, and activities that help students understand and enjoy the lessons better.

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There are many ways to engage English language learners (ELLs) in Social Studies and History instruction, as well as in related subjects, such as Geography, Civics, and Economics. Many of these strategies can also support students' access of grade-level content while drawing on their own unique background knowledge and perspectives. Here are some ways to get started!

Background Knowledge and Key Concepts

1. Assess students' background knowledge

One of the most important areas to prioritize in Social Studies and History instruction for ELLs is the role of background knowledge. ELLs bring their own valuable experiences to the classroom, and their background knowledge may differ than their peers. Students may also still be learning to show and share that knowledge in English.

You may find the following:

Students have relevant experiences and/or knowledge related to the content you are studying - even if the context is different from their peers. For example, students may have experienced elections in their home countries, and that experience may be different from U.S. elections. These differences provide an important opportunity for class discussion and learning as long as they are handled in a sensitive and respectful ways.

Students have limited background knowledge on the content you are studying, including on topics that might seem well-known to their peers.

Note: For students with interrupted schooling, knowledge on certain academic topcis may be limited; however, these students are likely to have important " funds of knowledge" and strengths, such as resourcefulness and resilience.

First and foremost, it's important to determine what your students know about a topic. How? There are several ways, including:

These steps will give you an idea of the connections your students may be already making, as well as areas that you need to fill in.

How To Build Social Studies Background Knowledge

Teacher Amber Prentice Jimenez explains how she builds her ELLs' background knowledge in a lesson about the 50 states.

2. Identify key concepts necessary for understanding the lesson

When choosing your key concepts, keep in mind the following:

What are the key objectives for this lesson?

What are the key concepts and points they need to learn?

How might you connect this topic to students' experiences?

What references or concepts to history, pop culture, or other topics may need to be explicitly explained?

Are there any tough topics or controversies that might come up in your discussions? If so, prepare for these topics with our in-depth guide, Navigating Tough Topics in the Classroom: Tips for ELL Educators.

Content and language objectives

Another way to focus your instruction is through objectives. Content objectives focus on the material, while language objectives focus on vocabulary or language structures that students should be able to use throughout the lesson (Haynes and Zacarian, 28).

Think about how you are going to:

Introduce these concepts using simple language

Break the concepts down into the most basic elements

Keep the objectives visible to students during the unit (i.e., post them on the board or provide a simple outline to keep in binders)

Translate them if possible into students' languages

Here is an example of content and language objectives together:

4th History-Social Sciences, California

Content Area Standard

Content Objective

Language Objective

Distinguish between the North and South Poles; the equator and the prime meridian; the tropics; and the hemispheres, using coordinates to plot locations.

Students will be able to identify key points on a map or globe.

Students will be able to verbally use key vocabulary to identify specific points on a map or globe.

3. Identify key skills needed to complete the lesson

Think about what students will be asked to do in order to meet their learning objectives. Will they need to read a timeline or a map? Will they need to compare two pieces of text? Will they need to examine a primary source? These skills may need to be taught explicitly in order for students to be successful.

See more ideas in the following:

Language and Literacy

4. Identify key vocabulary and academic vocabulary

Another important element of Social Studies and History instruction is academic language and vocabulary. ELLs must learn the academic language and vocabulary needed to comprehend and produce new content - all while learning the new content and concepts at the same time!

Start by identifying key terms, words, idioms and phrases - TWIPS, according to Dr. Zacarian (19). Choose the vocabulary that your students need to know in order to support their reading development and content-area learning, in addition to key content vocabulary. Remember to prepare student-friendly definitions for TWIPS ahead of time. It may be helpful to look at other Social Studies vocabulary lists as well. (This is also an area where content-area teaches and ELL specialists can work together!)

On the 4th-grade standard above, that might include examples such as the following:

Terms: pole, Equator, meridian, hemisphere, latitude, longitude

Words: map, globe, North, South, East, West

Idioms: on the Equator

Phrases: Degrees North, Degrees South, Degrees East, Degrees West

In addition, look for words that have multiple meanings or homonyms:

Word with multiple meanings: prime, pole, plot, key, degree

Homonyms: pole/poll

Other tips include the following:

Include signal and directional words: Remember that students may also need explicit instruction in signal or directional words ("because" and "explain"), especially since those words that are likely to appear frequently in the content materials or activities.

Don't overlook the basic words: There may be many words used through a lesson that native English-speaking students will understand but that ELLs don't know. Keep an eye out for these words, no matter how basic, and make a list of words that your students have questions about so that you can refer back to it when teaching the lesson in the future.

Use visuals and realia when possible: Having a reference for new words is particularly helpful for ELLs, whether through visuals or (real objects).

Keep words visible and accessible to students: Post words on a word wall, or try using a "portable word wall" chart that students can put in their binder. The chart might include categories such as new words, old words, people, everyday words, words to review, etc. (Haynes and Zacarian, 59-60).

Remember to include lots of student practice: For students to really know a word, they must use it - or they will lose it. Use new words in class discussions or outside of class in other contexts if appropriate, such as on field trips. Give the students as many opportunities to use and master the new vocabulary as possible, both in writing and speaking activities. You may find this six-step process for teaching academic vocabulary from Dr. Robert Marzano helpful.

5. Draw upon students' home languages

Students' home languages are a valuable resource that you can tap into, even if you don't speak those languages. Using students' home language can give them an opportunity to identify content they already know or master new concepts before transferring those ideas and learning how to express them in English. Ideas include the following:

Use bilingual glossaries, such as these content-focused glossaries from New York University.

Draw on cognates, words that are related in two languages. They have a similar pronunciation, spelling, and meaning. Many academic English and Spanish words are cognates, such as geography/geographía.

Plan group work in which students can use their language with peers to discuss main ideas or vocabulary words, brainstorm ideas, or write summaries.

Look for related content materials in the students' native language from publishers like Scholastic or National Geographic/Cengage.

Collaborate with a bilingual paraprofessional and identify areas where bilingual language support will be most helpful.

6. Prepare to preview the text

It can be helpful to preview the text with students before diving in. Here are some strategies:

Chapter Walk: In a "chapter walk", students predict what the chapter will be about based on pictures and highlighted features of the textbook. An activity like this may take some time at first, but if you use it with regularity, however, it will become easier and quicker, and students will be able to do this on their own at the beginning of a new chapter.

Navigating Textbooks: In addition, at the beginning of the school year, teach your students how to navigate a textbook effectively so that students can pick out and use textbook tools throughout the year.

You may also consider pre-teaching vocabulary or content in mini lessons or small group work before introducing the lesson to the whole class.

Student Engagement

7. Prepare multimedia, visuals, and related readings

These resources can be used to build background knowledge and provide context for ELLs, especially when students are learning new concepts and words. Ideas include:

Using visuals, such as photos from books, magazines, or the Internet to supplement textbooks.

Showing brief, focused video clips of history or social studies programs.

Listening to a short podcast or radio clip of an interview or speech.

Discussing additional readings such as related articles, poems, letters, and graphic novels.

8. Plan plenty of opportunities for students to interact with the content

Give students lots of opportunities to engage with and review the material in different ways:

Graphic organizers: Use graphic organizersto review key concepts and vocabulary words.

Flash cards: Have students make their own flash cards with pictures, definitions, key facts, etc.

Working with the text: Teach students to underline, highlight, and make notes. You may also find that sticky notes, Wikki Stix, and highlighting tape are a big hit with students (68). According to Haynes, some school districts order extra textbooks for their ELL classes so that teachers can keep a highlighted copy on hand as a student reference.

Use acting: Have the students write skits about the material they are learning, or create an activity in which students provide a physical representation of a particular event or vocabulary word.

Samantha describes her approach for checking understanding and offering some differentiated assignments in a third-grade Social Studies lesson about different types of economic resources: natural, capital, and human.

9. Plan to include group work throughout the unit

Peer learning activities such as Reciprocal Teaching and Think-Pair-Share can be powerful tools for engaging ELLs with content learning.

In peer work, use modeling and clear instructions to ensure students understand:

How the activity works

Their role in group work

The objective of the activity

Any key vocabulary or phrases they should be using.

Here are some other tips on group work for ELLs from Haynes and Zacarian:

Assign students group roles that match their language ability (37).

Promote students to new roles as their language skills improve (42).

Make sure that mainstream students understand that they will be working in diverse groups, and that everyone's contributions are important (41).

Keep an eye on the balance of student participation; if some students are speaking more than others, ask them to think of some ways to even participation out (42).

Ask students to reflect on their group work after they have finished an activity. Haynes and Zacarian include a chart in their book with some guiding statements for student reflection (48).

10. Use inquiry- and project-based learning

Look for ways to make learning hands-on through project-based learning (PBL) and inquiry-driven assignments. These avenues can give ELLs different kinds of opportunities to explore a topic that interests them in different modalities and formats.

Assignments and Assessments

11. Be creative and flexible with writing assignments

Writing can be an important way for students to show what they've learned:

Be creative and flexible: When choosing writing activities for students, be creative and open to different ways for students to express their new knowledge. I have seen students successfully convey what they learned by writing letters, poems, news articles and mosaics with vocabulary key points. Writing an essay may be more difficult for ELLs, and although they will need to learn to write an essay, they should be allowed to demonstrate their learning through a variety of writing activities.

Look for writing exercises that relate to the topic at hand: This may include a biography or autobiography, a letter from the point of view of a historical figure, or a short news article about a famous event.

Provide models: Give ELLs explicit structures and sentence frames to follow. Frames may vary in complexity and specificity, but they will help students to model correct structures and usage from the beginning.

12. Plan to adapt homework and assessment as needed

While it's important to have high expectations of ELLs, it is also important to have realistic expectations of the amount of work they can do. Haynes and Zacarian note, "The teacher's goal should be to making learning accessible and meaningful for every student without lowering expectations or sacrificing rigor" (104-105).

They continue in Chapter 7 of their book to provide a number of helpful rubrics and step-by-step procedures for evaluating your homework and assessment activities with ELLs in mind. And Haynes also suggests that teachers "adjust homework assignment to your ELLs' English language proficiency (and) modify assessment so that your ELLs have an opportunity to show what they have learned."

As you look for ways to help your students learn this new content, remember that you aren't just teaching them required social studies standards - you are helping your students adjust to a new life and country. That preparation has a potentially significant ripple effect because your students may be helping their own parents navigate this new country as well, and they may need to prepare for a U.S. Citizenship exam one day in the future.

Through social studies lessons, you also can prepare your students to be engaged and well-informed participants in our society and democracy, an opportunity they might not have had in their own country due to their religion, gender, or ethnicity. When you think about it that way, teaching ELLs to master new social studies content is so much more than adapting a lesson plan - it's a chance to prepare a new generation of young people to lead us into the future.

In addition, I recommend taking a look at the following resources:

Note: Lesson Planning to Ensure Optimal Engagement of ELLs (Chapter 2 of Teaching English Language Learners Across the Content Areas) provides a number of helpful resources, including a checklist for modifying lesson plans for ELLs. In addition, Appendix Two of the book (not available online) provides a lesson modification worksheet.

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Preparing an Engaging Social Studies Lesson for ELLs: 12 Tips for Educators

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There are many ways to engage English language learners (ELLs) in Social Studies and History instruction, as well as in related subjects, such as Geography, Civics, and Economics. Many of these strategies can also support students' access of grade-level content while drawing on their own unique background knowledge and perspectives.

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This provides practical strategies to support English Language Learners (ELLs) in social studies classrooms. The article emphasizes the importance of building background knowledge, simplifying academic language, and incorporating visuals and hands on activities. These approaches help bridge language gaps and enhance comprehension, making social studies more accessible and engaging for ELL students.