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Year after year, diversity in classrooms continues to grow. In the USA alone, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 4.4 million public school students (a little over 9 percent) were English language learners (ELLs) in the 2011-12 school year. This means that almost 1 in 10 students was learning the English language at the same time he or she was learning the academic subjects. Behind those 4.4 million students, though, are several million parents or caregivers who, along with teachers, want to see their child achieve academically and socially.

Being a parent/caregiver of an ELL student can be challenging, especially when one is trying to learn a new language and understand new cultural situations along with one's child. In my last blog post, I provided several tips for teachers to help their multilingual or ELL students achieve academically, but this time around the tips are for the parents/caregivers. These tips are reflected in our latest book, Multilingual learners and Academic Literacies: Sociocultural contexts of Literacy Development in Adolescents.

In this book, my colleagues and I move beyond a focus on the linguistic features of academic language as the benchmark of language learning to one on academic literacies and implications of the emphasis on academic literacy practices for classroom instruction, research, and policy. The notion of academic literacies presented in our book is intended to apply in particular to multilingual adolescents. Academic literacies involves making meaning from interactions and engagement a given situation. These knowledge, skills, competencies, and understandings are the ones we want to work on developing, rather than simply focusing on discrete features of language and addressing language in a distinct or disjointed manner from academic content.

Multilingual learners are learning the language of instruction at the same time they are learning rigorous academic content, all while trying to remain balanced between their primary culture and the new one that they are now learning in. Parents/caregivers can help their students make the transition into an English speaking school environment by helping students develop English and academic literacy at home. Try using the strategies below to help your ELL child become academically successful in not one language, but multiple.

Don't be afraid to use your native tongue. This tip may be the most important since it is the bridge between your child's learning situations - that is, the connection between his or her primary language and culture and new language and culture. You can explain unfamiliar words and concepts in the language familiar to your child and continue to build his or her literacy skills in the primary language, while practicing and developing English and academic literacies. Consistent opportunities for practice and meaningful practice and reinforcement of learning the new language and understanding the new culture are important.

When it comes to homework, have a routine. Establishing a good study routine at home can make a significant difference in your child's learning. Provide a quiet environment by removing or minimizing any potential distractions and make sure that your child has all the supplies he or she needs including pencils, books, paper, etc. Take the time to answer any questions your child may have. If you don't know the answers, you can help your child find resources to help answer the questions he or she has, or you can help your child write down the question to ask his or her teacher. Even if you cannot yet speak English yourself, you can still check on your child to see if homework assignments are finished.

Study the same thing in new ways. Try picking a folktale or children's story with which both you and your child are familiar. Although your child may not understand all of the words at first, your child should generally be able to follow the plot of the story and will pick up new vocabulary and grammar along the way. Asking questions about the story's plot, characters, etc. can help with your child's understanding. You can also try watching movies in the new language or even play games that involve language, such as Scrabble, to practice and learn language at home.

Use creative outlets to practice and learn language. A fun way to practice and learn language is to engage in creative activities. For example, make a scrapbook together featuring things that have taken place in your new home, city, and/or country and write all the captions and titles in your new language. Does your child like to paint or write? Have them draw a picture and write or tell a story about it. The possibilities are as limitless as your child's creativity.

Encourage involvement in extracurricular activities. Extracurricular activities such as being a member of the school's newspaper or yearbook committees provides additional meaningful opportunities to develop language and literacies. Such activities can help students link the perspectives, strategies, roles and responsibilities they experience in the classroom with those outside of the classroom. Understanding and using language and literacies skills across settings is important in learning and achievement.

Stay connected and collaborate with teachers. By staying informed, you can keep up to date on your child's linguistic, academic, and social progress in school. Understanding what is going on in school will give you a better idea of how you can support your child at home. Coordination and partnership between the school and home helps children thrive and succeed in their new learning environments

About the Author

Edynn Sato, Ph.D., principal research scientist, works across pan-Pearson, focusing her research and innovation efforts on addressing issues affecting the learning and achievement of English language learners and students with disabilities in our U.S. schools as well as internationally. Her expertise and experience includes providing research-supported technical assistance to educators in areas related to the implementation of standards and assessment, as well as accountability and systems of support for diverse learners.

Prior to joining Pearson, Dr. Sato worked in various academic, nonprofit, small for-profit, Fortune 500, and Internet-based organizations. Her previous roles include Associate Director of the Assessment and Standards Development program at WestEd, where she contributed to general leadership of the program and oversaw its research agenda; Director of Special Populations for the Assessment and Accountability Comprehensive Center and Co-Director of Special Populations for the Standards and Assessment Implementation Comprehensive Center, national federally-designated centers charged with providing technical assistance to states; and a researcher at UCLA's Center for the Study of Evaluation/CRESST, involved in various evaluation projects and in the research and development of performance-based assessments, as well as assessments related to language development. Dr. Sato received her Masters's degree and Ph.D. in Education from the University of California, Los Angeles.

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Edynn Sato, Ph.D., Principal Research Scientist, Pearson

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Six Tips for Parents/Caregivers with English Language Learners | Pearson Blog

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Year after year, diversity in classrooms continues to grow. In the USA alone, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 4.4 million public school students (a little over 9 percent) were English language learners (ELLs) in the 2011-12 school year.

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Reading Tips for Parents (in Multiple Languages)

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A child's success as a reader begins much earlier than the first day of school. Reading, and a love for reading, begins at home. Our one-page parent tips offer easy ways for parents to help kids become successful readers.

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ESL/ELL Resources to Succeed in School | Accredited Schools Online

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English Language Learners (ELL) have a wealth of resources available to help them succeed in school. Find guidance for teachers, parents, and students here.

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For families of English learners there is a lot to know, including how their children are:

Identified as English learners

Taught English and other subjects

Tested, tested, and tested some more

Designated as proficient in academic English and moved out of English learner services

"The Parent Guide for English Learners" gives you basic information about each of these topics. It will help you talk with your child's school, ask the right questions, and support your child on their journey as an English learner. English and Spanish versions are available.

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Parent Guide for English Learners-English and Spanish versions

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This guide provides basic information for families of English learners and helps you talk with your child's school, ask the right questions, and support your child on their journey as an English learner.

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As technology continues to get more and more popular, classroom attention spans are getting shorter and shorter.

Times are changing quickly and ESL teachers have to hop on board before the train leaves. Keeping the attention of a student while you're teaching may seem difficult at times, but fear not! Help is on the way!

By working with technology, using some of these apps will effectively help you add a new dimension to your teaching. It'll also give students a break from the traditional classroom, all while still reinforcing the skills they are learning. Many of these top apps are even free of cost!

There's no better time than the present to upgrade your teaching and try out some of the best apps for ESL teachers!

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere.Click here to get a copy. (Download)

The Benefits of Using Apps in Your ESL Teaching

First let's take a closer look at how using these apps is beneficial to ESL teachers like yourself.

Helps Keep Students Engaged

Technology is always an exciting addition to any classroom. Students typically love working with technology and prefer it over reading and writing in a traditional way. Using apps in the classroom is one great way to spice up the students' learning and help keep them engaged in the material.

Adds a New Dimension to Learning

Using apps in the classroom adds a whole new dimension to students' learning. It's not news that repetition and review are essential to the success of learning a language. Apps reinforce the material and allow students to experience English in yet another form.

You can learn more about what apps and other technology can do for your students through ed2go's Integrating Technology in the Classroom. This online course is all about helping you learn what web and mobile technology is out there and how to use it, regardless of what your goals, needs or special considerations are. It also includes course material pertaining specifically to English language learners.

Easily Accessible

With the easy accessibility of apps, they can be used both inside and outside of the classroom. Apps are so easy to use for both students and teachers, and require absolutely no prep time!

ESL Teaching Supplement Apps

These types of apps are not only useful for teachers when writing curriculum, but they're also excellent for students to use during classroom activities or unstructured classroom time.

Site: www.fluentu.com iPhone: FluentU on the App Store Android: FluentU on Google Play Cost: Monthly subscription (free trial available)

FluentU is very unique among the apps on this list.

Unlike traditional apps, FluentU uses a natural approach that helps you ease your students into English language and culture over time. They'll learn English as it's spoken in real life.

How does this work? FluentU has a huge collection of authentic English videos that people in the English-speaking world actually watch on the regular. This is content that's known internationally for its quality and entertainment value. Students get extremely excited when they see their favorite videos pop up in their English classroom.

If you're looking for creative ways to teach English, then you'll love using FluentU in your classroom! FluentU takes real-world videos-like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks-and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

It's got a huge collection of authentic English videos that people in the English-speaking world actually watch regularly. There are tons of great choices there when you're looking for songs for in-class activities.

You'll find music videos, musical numbers from cinema and theater, kids' singalongs, commercial jingles and much, much more.

On FluentU, all the videos are sorted by skill level and are carefully annotated for students.

Words come with example sentences and definitions. Students will be able to add them to their own vocabulary lists, and even see how the words are used in other videos.

For example, if a student taps on the word "searching," they'll see this:

Plus, these great videos are all accompanied by interactive features and active learning tools for students, like multimedia flashcards and fun games like "fill in the blank."

It's perfect for in-class activities, group projects and solo homework assignments. Not to mention, it's guaranteed to get your students excited about learning English!

Sign up for a free trial and bring FluentU to your classroom today.

It's perfect for in-class activities, group projects and solo homework assignments. Not to mention, it's guaranteed to get your students excited about English!

FluentU is highly recommended for teachers who have a lot of audio-visual learners or want to teach English with fun content.

2. Google Translate

Site: www.translate.google.com
iPhone: Google Translate on the AppStore
Android: Google Translate on Google Play
Cost: $0.00

Google Translate is definitely an app that anyone learning or teaching English should have on their phone. This app can translate dozens of languages into English, and it can be used in all types of activities. Encourage your students to download the app for assistance when they are working on an independent project or when they are outside of the classroom.

*Note: This app mainly functions on a word-by-word translation configuration, so be careful when translating sentences that have more than just a few words.

3. Duolingo

Many people all over the world use Duolingo for independent language instruction, and you can definitely use it for ESL teaching as well. The English learning version of Duolingo has lessons that integrate conversation, vocabulary, speaking and listening skills. At the end of each section, the user is tested on their skills, and then the results show what parts the user is excelling in and where they could use more practice.

This app can be a resource to teachers as a fun additional method of testing students in the classroom. It also is exceptionally helpful in classrooms that may have multiple students at varying skill levels. When the more advanced students finish their work early, they can stay productive by working on making it to the next level in Duolingo.

Bonus: There's also a friendly little automated bird that hangs out with the user during all of the lessons. If that's not a reason to use this app, what is?

4. Grammar Up

Grammar can be hard to teach, but with Grammar Up, it doesn't have to be. Different sections of the app are devoted to different parts of speech, like adjectives, adverbs, causative verbs, conditionals and many more. Each section has the technical definition of the part of speech followed by a test for students to take in order to "Grammar Up" and reach the next level.

This is a great individual assessment that ESL teachers can use to determine which parts of speech their students understand, and which parts of speech they need to review.

5. Speak English Like an American

iPhone: Speak English Like an American on the AppStore
Android: Speak English Like an American on Google Play
Cost: $9.99

One of the hardest parts about learning English is getting to the point of sounding like a native speaker. The English language is filled with different idioms and expressions that often don't translate well from other languages. The Speak English Like an American app uses various methods to teach its users common figures of speech and expressions that Americans use in day-to-day language, often without even realizing.

Phrases like "break the news" and "costs an arm and a leg" can be hard to fully explain in a classroom setting, and this app acts as vital reinforcement. Speak English Like an American is perfect for getting students comfortable enough to have casual conversation with Americans outside of the classroom.

ESL Listening Apps

It's old news that listening to conversational English is an important part of the English learning process, but constantly creating interesting material to read aloud to students can get overwhelming. These ESL listening apps nearly eliminate the stress of finding new things for students to listen to every day.

6. English Podcasts

This app offers over 130 different podcasts for students to listen to. The app covers a variety of subject matter and even has a search filter to find podcasts with specific topics. The podcasts are played straight from the app so neither the teacher nor student has to worry about downloads taking up space in their phone or tablet.

There are so many different innovative structured activities that teachers can do with podcasts. After listening, one fun idea is to ask comprehension questions and then call on students to act out the podcast in front of the class. It's really helpful and a lot of fun too!

7. Speak English!

In this unique app, the user listens to recordings of English speakers talking about a span of topics - like job interviews or customer service. After listening to it as many times as they'd like, the user then records themselves repeating the phrase. Finally, the user then gets to audibly compare his or her voice to that of the recording. Speak English! is a really helpful app for getting students to learn and practice enunciation.<

ESL Game Apps for the Classroom

8. Words With Friends

This game is not only good for encouraging word formation, but it's also a wonderful way to introduce a cultural integration aspect into the classroom, since thousands of Americans play Words With Friends every day. In this automated scrabble-like game, students spell words for points.

A fun way to integrate this game into the classroom is by holding a Words With Friends championship. Have students play with each other in several rounds; the students with the highest score move on to the next round and eventually there will be one Words With Friends class champion! What a fun way to practice spelling and vocabulary usage!

9. Fun English

In this app there are over ten different English learning games that help young English learners with everything from pronunciation to spelling to vocabulary. This app helps kids retain the information they've learned in a fun way, and also works well as an incentive for young English learners to get their work done.

10. Head's Up!

Although this isn't exclusively an ESL app, it can be used effectively in your ESL classroom. In this game, one person has a word that they are trying to guess by listening to the other students describe it. This game helps students build speaking confidence and encourages them to use adjectives, synonyms and antonyms. It's guaranteed to get the giggles going while students are practicing their vocabulary.

Using any of these apps will surely provide a new, innovative dimension to student learning that will boost their language learning productivity. And while apps shouldn't be a replacement for an interactive and well-planned curriculum, you'll find that they're great supplements to any ESL course. Time to upgrade!

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere.Click here to get a copy. (Download)

If you liked this post, something tells me that you'll love FluentU, the best way to teach English with real-world videos.
Bring English immersion to your classroom!

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10 Best, Shockingly Good Apps for ESL Teachers

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As technology continues to get more and more popular, classroom attention spans are getting shorter and shorter. Times are changing quickly and ESL teachers have to hop on board before the train leaves. Keeping the attention of a student while you're teaching may seem difficult at times, but fear not!

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Photo credit: leondel via flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

One of my favorite aspects of integrating technology into instruction is the availability of resources to support students with different learning needs. Students who are struggling can benefit from the excitement and engagement offered by a tool like the iPad. Teachers of English-Language Learners (ELLs) can use technology to promote growth in their students. Developing a strong vocabulary is an important area of focus for ELLs who are building their reading comprehension. Educators use a variety of strategies to grow readers in their classroom, and there are many free iPad apps that support vocabulary acquisition.

Kids' Vocab by MindSnacks

This is one of my favorite literacy apps for all students, and it is a great tool for ELLs. Kids' Vocab by MindSnacks introduces students to Tier 3, low-frequency, context-specific vocabulary words. Each set of words is organized around a theme and built on games that keep children excited about learning. With supports and positive reinforcement, students who struggle won't feel defeated, since words are repeated as they work toward mastery. The high-quality graphics and engaging activities will grab your students' attention as they increase their Tier 3 vocabulary.

English First High Flyers

EF High Flyers is an easy-to-use game that helps students learn new vocabulary words starting with numbers and everyday objects. After studying a set of words (with audio and picture support), they test their knowledge through spelling, vocabulary listening and reading quizzes. The emphasis on a variety of skills holds students accountable for having a comprehensive understanding of how to use each new set of words.

Flashcardlet

If you're looking for a way to load your students' iPads with custom vocabulary, check out Flashcardlet by Quizlet. It allows students to access decks of flashcards you've made right from their iPads. Quizlet is a free website where you can create flashcards decks based on your own list of words. Whether they correspond to the vocabulary in a social studies unit or simply help students learn new words, you can use this app to support a variety of ELL students. I love the feature on this site that lets teachers use one of Quizlet's definitions (instead of writing their own). It even has choices of images that teachers can match to their vocabulary words. Displaying pictures next to the vocabulary word and its definition will help students working to expand their English vocabulary. The Flashcardlet app loaded on your class' iPads (or iPod Touch) will let students swipe through the cards you've created on Quizlet, identify any words where they need extra practice, and monitor their own progress.

Futaba

A great game for 1-4 players, Futaba presents players with pictures of everyday items and asks them to name each object. Simple and fun, this is a game that encourages player competition to see who can choose the correct name for an item from a list of four choices. Whoever gets the most correct answers in one minute wins the round. Whether students are playing in groups or practicing solo, this game is sure to add new words to their vocabulary. Futaba also has an upgrade that offers customizable features.

Have you had success using technology to support English-Language Learners? What are some of your favorite apps?

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Free Apps to Support Vocabulary Acquisition by ELLs

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Photo credit: leondel via flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) One of my favorite aspects of integrating technology into instruction is the availability of resources to support students with different learning needs. Students who are struggling can benefit from the excitement and engagement offered by a tool like the iPad.